Campaign Add-on Proposal - Need Ideas & Production Help

[XboxJosh]

Wait, so, you're saying I should make it as a mod? How would that work, just editing the ai files?

[Olrox]

Wait, so, you're saying I should make it as a mod? How would that work, just editing the ai files?

No, he's saying that you could make it this or that way.
Rman is helping a lot more than we could think about, and at least I'm very grateful for that - he's showing solutions that we *could* use. What we *should* use is up to you to decide, as the main idea was yours. Or at least you decide things until you ask someone else to do that.

Again, someone must decide the guidelines, and as the idea of making a new campaign is yours, you're the one to decide things here. I think.

~Olrox

[XboxJosh]

Unless someone else REALLY BADLY wants this into the base game (I don't think anybody does), I will go with Rman's suggestion of adding it as a map/mod. Thanks, Rman

I submitted my suggestions on the map, Olrox. What do you think?

[Olrox]

I submitted my suggestions on the map, Olrox. What do you think?

It was about what I was thinking, but 10min might be not enough time to enjoy this map. I'll decide that after I've put the other things. It's a relief to know I have freedom to adjust the map using my own judgement, thanks!

[XboxJosh]

10min might be not enough time to enjoy this map.

I thought about it too, and you're right, 10 minutes sounded good at the time, but in the game it goes by in a heartbeat (for me anyway )

I "re-suggest" 30 minutes xD

[Rman Virgil]

Wait, so, you're saying I should make it as a mod? How would that work, just editing the ai files?

Yes. And like Olrox said, I'm just passing on knowledge. What you do is your prerogative.

It's the "cleanest" way to implement what you guys are proposing.

You can even use Pumpkin's Scav Scripts from the original Cam. - just edit the variables like force strength, templates, trigger cycles and conditions, map coordinates, etc. Same necessary files and file structure in the .wz containing your map. Command line to launch.

The Cam gamer is assigned "Player 0" in your files & your Cam/Map (aka, Mod/Map with custom a.i.) is selected in Ski Mode with the gamer choosing Player "0" prior to launch to play your Prequel Cam. All your scripts would be for "Player 1", natch, so that your map would be 2c or 2 player.

That's it in a nutshell.

- RV
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[Rman Virgil]

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I'm gonna go ahead and share some of the work that lead up to my fully playable Campaign Mission called Mission 1: Marooned.

I hope this will be of practical help beyond what I have already spoken to in broad, generic, terms because of the specificity clearly demonstrated.

The first document is what I called "Pseudo Code" for "Mission 1: Marooned". It's in RTF format and can be opened in any word processing software. (It's attached in a .rar archive here.)

The next document I did was the aforementioned "Pre-Scripting Mission Analysis" and I'll share that in my next post. It was after the creation of the "Pre-Scripting Mission Analysis" doc that the actual mission scripting proceeded. Between the "Pseudo Code" & the "Pre-Scripting Mission Analysis" docs the map and modding were created and some changes made to the original concept - and as a result of that procedure no wasted effort on the scripting side.

- Regards, RV
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[Rman Virgil]

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Have not forgotten but will hold off posting the second scripting doc for reasons that seem apparent to me at this time. 'Course that pattern recognition reasoning can be revised with new input presenting itself.

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[XboxJosh]

I just wanted to mention that this thread isn't dead, that I just haven't had time for it recently. I have the next week off, so maybe I'll post something within that time frame.

@Rman Virgil:
Thanks for posting your psuedo-code document, I'm sure it'll help when it comes time to script

[Rman Virgil]

@Rman Virgil:
Thanks for posting your psuedo-code document, I'm sure it'll help when it comes time to script

Sure bud, np. When you are ready for 'em I also have the corresponding "Scripting Analysis Doc" (step 2) and the "Actual Scripts" themselves (step 3) - three stages... may help to see the evolution clearer.

Still think your best bet is to nick the Scav scripts and related Scav files from Original CAM 1 and just change the variables and substitute the Pumpkin map coordinates with the ones gathered from the map Olrox is creating.

L8r, RV
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[XboxJosh]

I've created a placeholder map (Olrox, are you still going to make the map? Just curious.), but now I get errors about the new AI scripts. "player0.slo failed to compile", or something like that.

I've uploaded the script files, is there anything wrong?

EDIT: added the mod I was using them in too

[Rman Virgil]

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I admire your gumption to tackle the challenges involved in making the scripting for this project. Less than a handful have actually tried over the last 10 years.

So many things can cause scripts not to compile. I wanna say "a bazillion" things but it's just a HUGE finite set.

I took a quick look at your files.

Right off I can tell you one thing you need to correct.

8c

No.

From the ground-up it has to be built 2c..... Human Player "0" vs Player "1' .slo / .vlo scripting. That's it. It's a 2 player construct. Have to start there.

- Regards, RV
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[XboxJosh]

Ah, well. Time to remaster my temporary map. Also, I think I figured out which script files correlate to which (Cam1) mission.

I think these are right, but correct me if they're wrong.

Code: Select all

cam1a = Alpha 1
cam1b = Alpha 2
cam1-1 = Alpha 3
cam1-2 = Alpha 4
cam1c = Alpha 5
cam1-3 = Alpha 6
cam1-4a = Alpha 8
cam1-5 = Alpha 9
cam1-7 = Alpha 11

I do not believe that there are script files for Alpha missions 7, 10, or 12. (The "defend" missions)
Correct me if this is wrong.

[Rman Virgil]

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That looks right.... but it doesn't matter to what you're doing.

Pumpkin had to write their scripts with that structure because they were basically doing 3 things you are not.

1.) They sector bounded the map so that

2.) They could tie sub-mission objective messaging (w/assoc scripts) and

3.) Link & control the use of the Tank Transport (store & spawn)

Olrox knows knows how to design the map so that sector-bounding is unnecessary and the rest flows from that as far as your scripting triggers being tied to the players encroachment at specific map locations in an advance that is totally predicated on the geographic design of the map. What your scripting will actually have to bind (that is, on top of defining opposing force triggers) is the tech available, specific artifacts, any research you are opening up and any temporal conditions associated with victory or defeat (if you do use a temporal condition to define defeat I would recommend that instead of the stock "Mission Failed" you go with an "Enemy goes Postal Script" - much more interesting, IMO).

As you can see there is a simultaneity between map design and scripting - they are co-dependent, if you will.

Also - while you use the same File Folder structure.... your files within the folders will be "flat" compared to Pumpkin's multi-level.... for the reasons stated at the out set of this post.

- RV
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[XboxJosh]

Just posting for anybody else to refer to, in case anyone wants to re-do the campaign missions, it'd be nice to know which ones are which.