anyone interested in Modteam ?

[Lightspeed]

I was considering that 2011 mod for GR but feel like maybe its too far off and the GR interest is fading away...which got me thinking.

Was having a bit of a look at what Arma 2 is bringing - looks v solid.

And I know the talent and dedication we have in these modding forums - I wonder if anyone is interested in making the jump to Arma2 when released, and starting to produce GR-style 1 hour to say 2 hour max missions, trying to produce tourneys, and maybe build a campaign to bundle it all together.

I feel the GR modding forums are starting to die off a bit, and GR.Net needs a boost so this would be a great way to get some stimulus into this site.

Would also be a fresh new challenge for us all and a chance to build our knowledge base - would be a shame to let all our modding knowledge go to waste.

I am thinking of purchasing Arma now to got my head around the modding now.

We all know the reality that UBI and GRAW will continue to head away from our beloved GR, however, Arma and BIS will continue to improve their game and make it more GR like but much more enhanced, real insertions, view distances etc etc.

Anyone in?

Edited December 11, 2008 by Lightspeed

[Dai-San]

There's a few of us over at ~SPARTA~ that are eagerly awaiting ARMA 2 and have done some modding on ARMA.

We will no doubt be modding ARMA 2 in due course

[NoQuarter]

Anyone in?

I'll play second fiddle.

Been putzing around in the editor and O2 for awhile now.

[squad_e]

IF you re-name it to Filmteam for arma 2 then, yes i'm in XD

[Lightspeed]

why filmteam?

[Snake@War]

He makes ARMA videos and puts em up on youtube.

[WytchDokta]

IF you re-name it to Filmteam for arma 2 then, yes i'm in XD

How about 'coreteam for ArmA2? Oh wait, the intention is not an underground modteam.

[NoQuarter]

...and starting to produce GR-style 1 hour to say 2 hour max missions...

By this you must mean open-ended recon/demo/targeting tasks and not dismounted infantry only? Right?

Some of those vehicles (in ArmA2) will come in handy.

[Lightspeed]

well obviously i dont own the modteam and decide how it proceeds, but what im thinking is:

- as far from Evolution-style of play as possible.

- small missions - multiple objectives (2-4)

- open-ended (you choose how to tackle the mission)

- real insertions (something GR lacked - you choose where to insert)

- not all vehicles used (and this is where some may not like it but it is GR-style) - only little birds, HALO, blackhawks, trucks, jeeps, or APC insertions - no use of tanks or attack helicopters....although i guess you could call in airstrikes on a target.

- missions including demolitions, intel gathering, targeting, assassination, stealth or assault, hostage rescue or capture target, convoy attack, armor disabling....all typical of what we could expect from GR.

and no more then 1-2 hours each - in this way once a coop team inserts, noone else can enter the mission and play until the mission fails or completes...as would be the case in real life.

how does that sound?

Edited December 13, 2008 by Lightspeed

[NoQuarter]

Sounds good.

Just wanted to clear that (vehicles) fact up, given that some posts from some GR purists suggest that they won't even contemplate their use. But I am all for limiting their use, such as denying a E-1 Rifleman from jumping into the nearest F-22 and taxiing down the runway. As scripted, if your slot starts the mission with a certain skill set that's where you stay, and you can't branch out (or at least advance skill sets) for the duration of the mission.

Were you thinking of designing the Co-Op using multiple fire teams (w/human SL/TL) using players and/or AI to fill up the ranks of say a platoon sized element, or just a GR size type single squad with all slots human controlled?

[Evilducky]

I wanna be a helicopter pilot =P

I never played the original Arma, but 2 looks good =) Hopefully you guys can make the mod your brainstorming here cause it does sound awesome.

[Lightspeed]

I would defintiely incorporate multiple fireteams. Would prefer no AI to make up numbers - can you switch into AI body? or take over AI if you die?

I think the skill set limitor is brilliant - you could have a dedicated fighter pilot or chopper pilot, for example, and only they could operate these machines.

They would be unable to participate in the ground battle though I would say...agreed?

I will pop out and get myself Arma today and have a bit of a look under the hood, but in the short term will be limited by what I can produce due to some hell studies inbound for the next 6 months.

However, I can still get a good feel for where this modteam can take this.

[Evilducky]

No, they should be able to participate in ground battles, BUT with very limited fire power unless they picked up another weapon. For the sake if they get shot down and eject or survive the crash. They would then have a chance to get rescued maybe?

[Lightspeed]

yes but i think it would be possible to script in certain triggers that make it acceptable to leave the craft -

if Helicopter = Dead:

pilot can pick up weapons = True

else

he cant

for example.

[krise madsen]

It's nice to see the issue of vehicle limitations pop up again, though if it would happen anywhere it would be here

There really isn't an ideal solution. The list of issues when all types of vehicles (tanks, warships, jet fighters) are playble is endless. My best bet is strict limitations on vehicle use. ArmA is, at heart, a first person shooter, and for optimal realism gameplay.

Respectfully

krise madsen

[Big]

yes but i think it would be possible to script in certain triggers that make it acceptable to leave the craft -

if Helicopter = Dead:

pilot can pick up weapons = True

else

he cant

for example.

I don't think it's needed. You can assign the weapons loadout at the beginning of the mission. For example pilot=hand gun only. Then, you just don't add any ammo crates and he won't be able to pick anything . Then further in the mission if the chopper is destroyed and some people dies but the pilot is still alive, i don't see why he wouldn't pick a weapon from a dead body to try to survive.

You can also lock vehicles to certain classes, so only pilots can use aircraft for example.

In ArmA, and almost sure ArmA2, you can do almost all you want via scripts.

[Lightspeed]

ah thanks for clearing that up Big - i take it you guys are fairly experienced in the Arma modding department - would be nice to get a good team/club/group working on something bigger.

[Big]

Sorry, but i never modded nor scripted anything. I know a bit about it yes, cause i read many scripts while adding then to our download section at armaholic.com, but nothing more.

About your other "doubts". For AI you can add them to your mission or not, you can add them and let the admin of the server to disable the slots people didn't use before the mission is launched. As i said you can do what you want.

You can let people select the loadout before the mission starts, you can fix it or you can add ammo crates so they pic what they want.

You can make "groups" (fireteams for example) so each team leader commads his own men, ...

You can have different insertion zones, different plans, diff objectives with connection or not between them, ...

That about mission preparation, then inside the mission it's just up to you and your skills scripting (u can also make a good mission with no scripts at all but using only the mission editor, triggers, waypoints, synch, ...).

You have lots of freedom, other thing it's that you like the gameplay ArmA brings you

Edited December 14, 2008 by Big

[Lightspeed]

no real issue with gameplay - except doing Evolution and having only 1 hour to play a mission which last for days.

thats why i want to build ones that are GR-esque and only last for 1 - 2 hours max.

and there will be no 5km hikes up and down mountains - why not? cos i think we all have better things to do with our time.

i think the missions should be built within a walking distance of no more then say 1 mile - and objectives should be within say 1 - 2 miles of eachother.

unless you bring the chopper into play and then you could make the travel distance an extra 5 - 10 miles.

Edited December 14, 2008 by Lightspeed

[CrowmanUK]

One of the things I really liked about making missions in flashpoint was the random factor when adding mobs, you could put a tank/chopper/squad in with a random chance of it appearing which could change the way you handled the mission. A tank appearing when you have no AT makes a real mess of the best laid plans.

Having talented guys who make scripts for you really helps too, the urban patrol script takes all the hassle out of adding waypoints for enemy patrols

http://kronzky.info/

[Lightspeed]

yeh ive heard the random AI movements in Arma are one of the positives.

obviously, the more random the better.

[CrowmanUK]

Not sure if you've misunderstood me there mate, when I say random, what I mean is that when you put the unit on the map, one of the things that you can specify is the percentage chance of the unit appearing, so to make the mission a bit harder you could have a 50% chance of an attack chopper patrolling the area.

Probablility of presence its called

lots more info in this bit if you dont have the game

http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/ArmA:_M..._User_Interface

Edited December 14, 2008 by CrowmanUK

[viiiper]

yeh ive heard the random AI movements in Arma are one of the positives.

obviously, the more random the better.

The AI is one of the positives.

There is no invisible grid mesh on the ground that limit the AI to an area, they limit themselves by your orders in mission creation and can move accordingly. They are pretty advanced in ARMA1 and suppose to be even better in ARMA2.

[Lightspeed]

yeh i did understand Crowman.

@ viiper - thats a positive indeed - looking forward to scripting on it.

[CrowmanUK]

If you need any help with scripting I can recommend gettting in touch with BarmyArmy over at http://arma-tow.com/ he's one of the main scripter guys over there and he's a very very nice man. Bloody good programmer too.