Hi bronx,
You PMd me, but I figured it'd be best if everyone got an eye on this.
I do not know how to make campaigns in A2, since I haven't got it yet and haven't had a chance to look at the description.ext's etc., but if it works anything like ArmA then it should be easy peasy.
How to make a campaign (easy mode)
1) Create a folder, name it whatever you want (say, TestCampaign). Put it inside your ArmA\Campaigns folder (if it doesn't exist, I guess you can just make it!)
2) Create a file (using notepad is fine) named description.ext : be sure it's not accidentally description.ext.txt (enable file extensions in explorer)! Put that file inside your campaign folder (e.g. ArmA\Campaigns\TestCampaign\description.ext)
3) Copy-paste this text into the description.ext:
class MissionDefault
{
lives = -1;
lost = ;
end1 = ;
end2 = ;
end3 = ;
end4 = ;
end5 = ;
end6 = ;
};
class Campaign
{
name = "TestCampaign";
firstBattle = Part1;
class Part1
{
name = "TestMis1_Start";
cutscene = ;
firstMission = TestMis1;
lost = ;
end1 = ;
end2 = ;
end3 = ;
end4 = ;
end5 = ;
end6 = ;
class TestMis2: MissionDefault
{
end1 = TestMis3;
end2 = TestMis3;
end3 = TestMis3;
end4 = TestMis3;
end5 = TestMis3;
end6 = TestMis3;
lost = TestMis3;
template = TestMis2.intro;
};
class TestMis3: MissionDefault
{
end1 = TestMis4;
end2 = TestMis4;
end3 = TestMis4;
end4 = TestMis4;
end5 = TestMis4;
end6 = TestMis4;
lost = TestMis3;
template = TestMis3.intro;
};
class TestMis4: MissionDefault
{
end1 = TestMis1;
end2 = TestMis1;
end3 = TestMis1;
end4 = TestMis1;
end5 = TestMis1;
end6 = TestMis1;
lost = TestMis1;
template = TestMis4.intro;
};
};
};
class CfgSounds
{
sounds[] = { };
};
class CfgRadio
{
sounds[] = { };
};
Next:
3) Inside that folder, create a folder named Missions. Stuff this folder full with all the missions you want in your campaign, NOT PBO'd! E.g., copy-paste them, folders and all (folder name should have a little ending, like testmis1
.intro). The missions are found in Your documents\ArmA (other) Profiles\Your ArmA Profile Name\missions (in A1, no idea where they are in A2).
4) Change the description.ext to match your mission names and the order you want them. You can make as many missions as you want, just add another "mission whole" underneath the last one (mind the {}'s).
Attached picture-examples from a random campaign in my folder, in this case PMC's First Fight, which also suggest an alternative way of making your missions (in other words, you don't HAVE to have all the possible endings, you can have just the one that leads somewhere etc.). There you should see what the whole shebang should sort of look like.
Note: you CAN also pbo your campaign once it's finished (easier to distribute etc.) using for instance cpbo (find it in the ED) or Mikeros' Eliteness - however it works just as well as a folder, and it's generally easier to edit then too
Please note: this is really just how to string a bunch of missions together. Proper campaigns have complicated scripting involving carrying variables over from mission to mission, multiple endings, weapon pools that are also carried over, and they can use common data such as music and sounds that are stored in a different manner from your regular sound/music folders in the missions themselves (e.g., you don't have to have the same song in all your missions, you can have it in just the main campaign folder and access it from there). But, it should get you started!
Now, if I had the time and inclination, I could put together a real demo campaign from all of this so you good folks could just copy that one up, but this should put you pretty far on the way!
Wolfrug out.
Topic: Creating a campaign (Read 6403 times)