Transport Unload Waypoint question

[Dweebfire]

Damn choppers!  They drive me nuts.

I have a single player mission where the player is the squad leader of an 8 man group.  The entire group starts inside of a chopper (helo1) which is already flying.  They've been assigned to cargo with this command (MoveInCargo helo1).  The chopper is not part of the players group.

I've set a distant Transport Unload waypoint and the chopper flies the group to the waypoint.  I also put an invisible H pad under the waypoint.  Once the chopper reaches the destination, it lands and automatically kicks the player out.  Then it immediately lifts off and hovers with the rest of the group still inside the chopper.  Obviously, I cannot give them a disembark command until my feet are on the ground.  By then it is too late.  

The chopper continues to hover until I give the disembark command.  Then it lowers again and spews everyone out.  Then off it goes to its waypoint.  

I thought the answer might be that the chopper is not part of the group.  So I assigned it to the group and reset the waypoints.  Now it just flies around in circles at the starting point.  

Any ideas?  

Dweebfire

[Sui]

Hey there, Dweebfire

Try putting this in the condition field of your chopper's TRANSPORT UNLOAD waypoint:

count crew heli < 3

This way, the chopper will not move to it's next waypoint unless there are less than 3 people in it

[Dweebfire]

Thanks for the response, unfortunately that doesn't work.  The chopper doesn't move to it's next waypoint ayway.  It just hovers over the Transport/Unload waypoint.  It just doesn't eject the squad.  

[Calamity]

Sui, Thanks for the "count crew heli < 3" tip. You're full of coding short cuts! Up till now I've been using a condition field that tests for each unit in the group per that units name IE. (NOT (UNITA IN HELI)) AND (NOT (UNITB IN HELI)) AND (NOT (UNIT... IN HELIE)) AND ...
Makes for ALOT of typing!
Dweebfire, I think that another factor in the problem your experiencing is because you are the leader of the group. I've noticed that some waypoints don't always behave properly when you're the leader. Also, A TRANSPORT UNLOAD waypoint will make everyone, including the crew, leave the vehicle. You might try either
A) Using the Waypoint for the chopper UNLOAD. Then synchronizing it with a GET OUT waypoint for your group.
B) Assign your self as a member of your group and then take command of it once you leave the chopper. I think you would use a SetLeader or SetCommander command. I'll have to check when I get home tonight.
You could always do it the way I did with my verbose code (NOT (UNITA IN HELI)) AND (NOT (UNITB IN HELIE)) AND ...
Yuck! The most elegant way to do it would be using Sui's "count crew heli < 3" tip. I'll be trying that out when I get home as well. If I find any quirks or peculiarities I'll let you know.

Calamity Strikes Again!

[Sui]

Thanks for the response, unfortunately that doesn't work.  The chopper doesn't move to it's next waypoint ayway.  It just hovers over the Transport/Unload waypoint.  It just doesn't eject the squad.  

You sure you named the chopper correctly? It should be whatever you put as heli in the count crew line.

Attached is an example mission

[Calamity]

Hey Dweebfire,
Just got done checking the "count crew heli < 3" tip. Worked like a champ. Went all over about three of my missions updating them with the new code. Sui is right. You have have the above code in the UNLOAD waypoint. and the lable "heli" MUST be in the NAME field of your helicopter unit. Ie. Your chopper is called "BlackHawk1" then the condition of the trigger would be "this and (count crew BlackHawk1 < 3)". This is probaby exactly what you will find in the sample code Sui posted. Sorry if I  paraphrased you Sui, but I didn't have time to download your code.

Calamity out.

[Dweebfire]

Okay...now I'm thrown for a total loop.  I checked out your mission and it works perfect.  So, I duplicated the helicopter insertion with my soldiers.  I even changed the name of my helo to heli and used the EXACT commands that you used.  I have a group of NAM soldiers (west) who are lead by a Sgt.  I have the invisible H pad.  I have the exact same code as above in the Transport/Unload waypoint.  I just don't get it.  Obviously I must have something wrong because my chopper lands, kicks out the player then goes 30m in the air and waits.  Then when I give the disembark command..it lands and spews those little bastards out.  Doh!!!  Bizarre.  

[Dweebfire]

Thanks guys...it worked fine.  I finally figured it out.  Apparently because I was landing atop a hill (#243) in Jungle Everon, the chopper would not stay on the ground.  I moved the landing area to a flatter position south of the base and it worked perfectly.  Thanks for your help!