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Author Topic: Airbase  (Read 622 times)

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SteveIII

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Airbase
« on: 18 Jun 2004, 21:13:49 »
Evening all,

I'm new in here so if you havn't already guessed my name is Steve.  :P

I've playing around with the mission editor for no other reason than trying to satisfy my boredom but the problem is I have started building on a cool idea and I want to see it to the end.

 am using the island f Nogova and the small island with the runway off the north coast. I am building a full scale base on the little island. I have patrold driving around in land rovers and everything. The only trouble is I want to build a forward base of operations in the hills of nogova. In order to establish my FBO how I want it I need regular automated helicopter shuttle runs to get people to and from the front line. What I need to know is how I can get a helicopter to land, load up with troops (any number of troops) then fly to the FBO and let them off and repeat the manouvre. I want a couple of helicopters constantle shuttling backwards and forwards and I dont want to have to control them in anyway from within the game.

I have been fiddling with the waypoint commands and I think the best way to do it is to have the helicopters fly the journy either when they are full or when a certain amount of time elapses and another helicopter arives.

I just cant get it to work.

Also, will my automated helicopters run out of fuel, and if so how do I get the to automatically refuel?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Steve

 ;D

Offline macguba

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Re:Airbase
« Reply #1 on: 18 Jun 2004, 21:54:45 »
Hey Steve

Welcome to the forum!

The first thing is to direct you to the Editors Depot (link at the top of this page) where you will find more tutorials than you could ever want.   Start with snYpir's OFPEC Guide: Making Missions and my own macguba's guide to mission editing for beginners.

Now, as to this specific problem.   Firstly, its totally solveable.  Secondly, lets just solve it for one chopper - you can easily add more later.

Create your chopper.   Give it a name in its name field, lets say chopper1.    Set it to flying (in the special field).   Create move waypoints for it, making it go where you want.    The last waypoint should be CYCLE.   Place the cycle waypoint near the first one and that will make the chopper go round and round for ever.     Yes it will run out of fuel in the end (after about 2 hours I would think):  you could create a refuelling routine but lets keep it simple for now.  In the On Activation field of the cycle waypoint write this

chopper1 setFuel 1

That means it will automatically get a full tank of gas for each cycle.

Right, now we have some subtleties to deal with.  Landing and takeoff;  and loading and unloading;  and coordinating several choppers.    For the time being, create another chopper and give it a route and a name and do the same fuel thing.     Now, click on synchro at the top of the Mission Editor screen and drag and drop a blue line from one of chopper1's waypoints to one of chopper2's waypoints.     Each chopper will wait at that waypoint until the other one gets to the synced waypoint:  this means you can control the timing and make sure they don't bump into each other.    

Unfortunately choppers are notoriously difficult to deal with.   They have minds of their own.    Landing and loading are slightly trickier and I suggest you get this all working and read a few basic tutorials before going any further.   There are a couple of specific tutes on choppers and you should have a look at those.

OFP editing takes a little time and effort to get into, and it sounds like you are about to hit the "frustrating" stage but don't worry, it doesn't last very long.    Come back here and ask when you get stuck.    ;)

Aside:  you won't be able to make fixed wing aircraft take off automatically from that airfield:  its a game thing and not easily got round.   There is only one working airfield per island and the runway is always north-south.    Just thought I'd mention it in case it's important.
Plenty of reviewed ArmA missions for you to play

SteveIII

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Re:Airbase
« Reply #2 on: 18 Jun 2004, 22:06:23 »
Cheers, I'll start with that.   The runway issue isnt important, if someone did try to land a fixed wing airchraft, thwy would have a row of parked chinooks to contend with. I'll get the helicopter cycles going, then i will think about landing thm.

Thanks again!

SteveIII

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Re:Airbase
« Reply #3 on: 18 Jun 2004, 22:53:11 »
I am a crafty little git.

How to get a heli to land, wait a predesignated amount of time and then set off.

Step 1: Set a waypoint with a Get Out command. Obviously the pilots are not wanting to get out mid flight so they land.

Step 2:Set a wayoint with Get In, the pilots have had a leg stretcher, smoke or whatever and get back in. Put a min and max wait time in so they wait for a bit.

Step 3: A move waypoint!

Voila! ;D

Dubieman

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Re:Airbase
« Reply #4 on: 18 Jun 2004, 23:29:59 »
Sounds like your farther then I was when I started, my battles were very unscripted, place groups of soldiers and tanks somewhat near each other in diff places and have fun. Hahaha my younger days. :P ;D

I'd imagine you have a fair amount of waypoints by now right?

A little bit of advice before you get into multiple groups.

Transport unload: makes heli get rid of all passengers not grouped to the pilot.useful

If the heli has a load waypoint and you make the other infantry groups waypoint a get in, synch them  (F5 and drag the blue line inbetween WPs) and walla, your part of the way there.  :)

Offline macguba

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Re:Airbase
« Reply #5 on: 18 Jun 2004, 23:45:18 »
Quote
I am a crafty little git.

As cunning as a particularly cunning fox with a Masters Degree in advanced cunningosity.     :thumbsup:
Plenty of reviewed ArmA missions for you to play