[DEVELOPMENT] Campaign 4 Development Thread

[milo christiansen]

An array set object is when you do something like this in a vlo:

Code: Select all

ListEntryA[0] int 0
ListEntryB[0] int 1

ListEntryA[1] int 2
ListEntryB[1] int 3

ect.

It works OK but real objects (like JavaScript has) would be much nicer. The main thing I don't like about array sets is that you always need to have an index value which makes code very verbose especially when passing coords to a function through "int[WorldCoords] ToWorld(int TileCoords)"

Its even worse if you use a coord list because you end up with this:

Code: Select all

Count is the loop counter

Toworld(CoordListX[GroupListCoord[Count]]), Toworld(CoordListY[GroupListCoord[Count]])

This will only get you the first coord in the list, to get the next coord you have to get the value of CoordListNextCoord until it == -1.

This is a simplified example from the (almost finished) patrol AI which would actually be more complicated because there is another list in there yet I left out.

The lists make it easyer to edit the AI to fit a new map, but to keep it usable for more complex editing requires a sh** load of functions that all need to be debuged


Any way here is a copy of my current cam 4 working copy. "Working" does not mean it works, it means that it is the copy I'm working on Everything should work up to mission 3. The mission 2 compiled map is a compatibility copy to work with the current scripts, the uncompiled map will work when I get the patrol AI in place. .fmaps are included for the first 4 missions in the "uncomiled maps" folder these are ready to compile and (mostly) tested working.

If anyone wants to help please start on mission 4 and USE THE TEMPLATES!! this will help keep the cam consistent looking and make my life easier.

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Works well so far, Milo. Is the Scav Base that we need to destroy still present in M2? Or did we decide to remove it since we're using a patrol AI for NEXUS Recon.

Anyway it runs great using 2.3.8. I know that'll change once Javascript arrives, and will break the compatibility.

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Couple of things while playing thru the missions that I'd like to modify.

Mission 1:

I'm happy where M1 is, mostly. Couple of changes:

1) The Southwest Oil Derrick is too lightly defended. Should be a small base there.

2) Northwest Oil Derrick (objective blip) needs to be buffed slightly with some defenses there.

Mission 2:

I hope the lack of features and bases is temporary. We've got things to do here aside from picking up Team 2.

1) I want to give Lakeside a base. We can do more with the ample space there. The mission seems too ... well, boring.

2) I'm more or less happy with the Main Base (the one with the T1 factory). I think Team 2's strength isn't properly tested here. I would like to add some additional (and appropriate) structures like Hardcrete Walls and such to the area. I'd like the factory there to be working and producing Viper Machinegun Wheels and Flamers. Give it that New Paradigm feeling.

Mission 3:

1) I need to add Scavenger fortifications at the western Oil Derrick, near the edge of the map and make it a base. We can do more for this area.

2) The "Gateway" town (where you come into the area where the Research Base is) needs to be buffed up. They need a proper base there.

3) The Oil Derrick at the northwestern corner of the lake, near the Research Base, likewise needs to be a small base.

4) I'd really like to get Scavenger Factories working.

The Scavengers seem to be a little too passive at this point of the campaign. The whole point of Cam 4 was to force the player to employ tactics against superior numbers in interesting and unusual ways -- right now it feels too easy, at least where M3 is concerned.

I'm still looking at changes for M4. There's a ton of stuff we can do here to challenge the player.

[milo christiansen]

Any changes you want to do for missions 1-4 should be done to the .fmap for that mission in the uncompiled maps directory.

Make sure you follow the instructions flail posted earlier or the map will not work right!!

for reference do this for a expand mission:
-delete the game.map file and the ttypes.ttp file.
Also when compiling each mission, you should:
- delete all units that aren't within the current scroll area
- delete all units that will already be placed by previous mission

As for the mission 2 map, the reason the compiled copy is bare is because I'm lazy The current scripts need the nexus patrol to be pre-placed but the patrol AI requires the patrol to be spawned in so I didn't want to have to redo the map when the new AI is done. (1 event and a few functions to go... too bad I left the hardest ones for last )

Anything involving a factory will have to wait until the base AI is done. Luckily the base AI is mostly a super-set of the patrol AI

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Cool, thanks Milo. I'm having an issue getting the custom units to save with the .fmap for M1. What I'm thinking about doing is just replacing them with stock template units. It'll make our lives a lot easier, although the ID's are going to change. I can't get custom template anything to work, at least on the 2.3.8 dataset. Since we're pretty much *not* going to target it for the release, it's no biggie. I can't figure out how to get flaME to use 3.0's stuff.

Any changes I make I'll pass along to you to handle the compiling and stuff. You know what you're doing, hehe..

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Alrighty folks. The above changes have been made to the main campaign area, in keeping with the "you need to use tactics" motto. No changes have been made that will break scripting (fingers crossed). New compiles will be posted tomorrow sometime, when I'm finished with fixes.

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Milo, do you want the full Campaign area map (with everything on it) as a reference?

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

I've included the Main Map for reference. These are the .fmap saves for all missions. These are the final changes I plan to make to Cam 4's area.

Milo, please note that to simulate "dynamic maps", M7's map needs to be treated as 'Initial Scenario State". Think of it as the transition from Cam 1 to Cam 2 in the old campaign, but instead we're just using a slightly modded Cam 4 map. Anyone foreseeing any issues by doing this should feel free to chime in. If this presents no problems, Campaigns 5 and 6 will feature even more of this type of methodology.

Anyway, these are the final .fmaps, complete with the scroll limits set for each map. The upload also includes current overviews and the custom (slightly) flaME dataset with the new units in it that I've been using to get everything how it's supposed to be.

Cam4Files080611.zip

Let me know if there are any problems.

[medusa]

how do we run this?

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

You don't. It's not meant for general use yet. It says 'Development Thread" for a reason.

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Updated Mission 4. Mission and dialogue has changed significantly! (Sorry Milo .. you'll like the new one a lot better, though!). Lots of map changes too. Much better overall, imho.

M4Update.zip

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

An addendum to M7 loading: Milo, we'll have to use 'camstart' in the .lev file to get the map to load up properly for that entry.

[milo christiansen]

Looks like things are passing me by I think I need to stop playing fallout 3 and work on scripts

Look for a finished patrol AI, and a finalized M2 script set, in a few days As long I don't find a major bug of course

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Glad I didn't end up rewriting M4 on ya after you've scripted it then.

You'll like M4 a lot better. Far more interesting mission, methinks.

From the looks of things, I'm done with mapping and writing missions for Cam 4. Only bugfixes will be applied from here on.

Hopefully I'm still online in a couple of days. We're letting the cable/internet go for a month or so while we take care of other things. If you guys don't see me for a week or longer, then you'll know. Rest assured I'll be back shortly.

EDIT: Oh, and the flaME dataset is based on 3.0 (I *think .. it's got the extra features). Shouldn't be any problems.

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

That reminds me. Rman, if you don't have the time to do Gibbs audio, let me know soon. I can always do it (and it'll give me something to do while I'm offline).