[DEPRECIATED] Campaign 4 (Old thread)

[milo christiansen]

Downloading 15c now. Look for a test report later (aka in a couple of days)

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Good stuff, Milo. Hope you enjoy it!

I've finished the work of recalculating the new missions and INTMESSAGE locations ... and I was right. It's about double the number of what the player will see in Release-15c. Everything on the latest iteration of the map is marked now as it will appear in the scripts. I recommend anyone who decides that they want to make a campaign of their own for Warzone should also make sure they label and position everything they want on the map or in the scripts in the Map Editor first so that they can track problems much more easily and eliminate guesswork. It'll save one a LOT of time. Wish I had done this before.

I'm still concerned somewhat about shifting over to Master (3.2). I want to use the new API functions (many only available in 3.2!), but I wonder how much will change between now and release day. Food for thought.

[aubergine]

Once you're in JS scripts it's a lot easier to keep things up-to-date. I've been tracking every little change in the JS API since 3.1 master releases a year or so ago, and despite there being lots of changes it's been easy to keep up -- JS is easy to chop and change. Most of the updates have been things like bug fixes or new features. Only rarely do functions get changed or removed (and if they get removed, it's always because something significantly better has just been added).

So do go for the 3.2 branch, it will allow you to do vast amounts of cool stuff. But keep testing on 3.1 as well, as I would imagine 3.1 will be around for some time before 3.2 is released (particularly if 3.2 goal is to port cam1 to JS).

As for labelling stuff, I concur with your observation above. In doing experiments with cam1a, I've found labels to be very useful indeed. One thing I've taken to doing is making an object to list all labels at top of my script in format {labelName:TYPE} -- I can use Object.keys() to then iterate through the properties of my object (label names) then label() function to get the label and check its the right type. This means that if labels are missing, you instantly find out about it. Keep in mind that labels of game objects will be removed if their game object is destroyed though.

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Which reminds me, I meant to ask this before: Are the labels and areas done in the Map Editor automatically available to scripts as they are in the compiled folder? For example, when loading the map in Campaign Mode, could I simply make calls to those markers / areas and they're good to use, or do I still need to define them in the script? That would be a REAL timesaver if it were so tightly integrated, and save me a LOT of script-writing.

So I guess I'm asking if the game does indeed use the labels and areas done in the map editor, and if not, can it be made to make use of them?

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Anyway while that question is answered I've gone ahead and tested the map changes I've made thus far. Very promising indeed, and I even have a couple more map change ideas for the M1-M2 arena to seal the deal as it concerns "Two Paths".

Here's my train of thought: The player needs to make a choice about what to do first. We see the beginnings of this during the opening attacks -- you either run, or you stay and fight. Your choices this early on can and do affect the M2 stage, but that's not the real clincher.

The real clincher event comes when you destroy the second base. You have two directions you can go. Direction A will allow you to save Transport Two, but in so doing you find the previous path inaccessible and have to turn southward.

The other direction is the one where you continue north, then west, destroying the remaining Scavenger bases associated with the Complex. You essentially sentence Transport Two to its' fate (not necessarily death!) and eventually have to rescue them in another scenario (yet to be determined). You also find the route east has been cut off.

That's what I have so far.

[Rman Virgil]

Anyway while that question is answered I've gone ahead and tested the map changes I've made thus far. Very promising indeed, and I even have a couple more map change ideas for the M1-M2 arena to seal the deal as it concerns "Two Paths".

Here's my train of thought: The player needs to make a choice about what to do first. We see the beginnings of this during the opening attacks -- you either run, or you stay and fight. Your choices this early on can and do affect the M2 stage, but that's not the real clincher.

The real clincher event comes when you destroy the second base. You have two directions you can go. Direction A will allow you to save Transport Two, but in so doing you find the previous path inaccessible and have to turn southward.

The other direction is the one where you continue north, then west, destroying the remaining Scavenger bases associated with the Complex. You essentially sentence Transport Two to its' fate (not necessarily death!) and eventually have to rescue them in another scenario (yet to be determined). You also find the route east has been cut off.

That's what I have so far.

Interesting. So if you choose the path that rescues the transport, can you use it ? Are there reinforcements in it ? Is there a builder unit in Transport 2 in either scenario ? I guess that all adds up to is there a tangible reward for rescueing Transport 2 ? Also ... rescueing implies sustained damage and in need of repairs, so to control that damage is it's health determined in scripts at the outset or is it vulnerable to roving scavs ? Will there be a sitrep from Transport 2 indicating position and damage urgency ? Sorry, that's a mouthful of questions. Just intrigued by your description so far.

.

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

You always bring up new ideas that I never considered, Rman.

I had an idea to repair and reuse Transport Two for M5, and for the player to salvage the Construction Equipment with which to use to build Delta Base. Changed my mind and had the player steal them from Nexus instead.

Yes, there are reinforcements on Transport Two, including Sgt. Wilkes (Hero unit). That Twin Assault Cannon is worth it's weight in gold versus Base Structures.

So yes, there's an advantage to rescuing Transport Two.

I haven't worked out what advantages there would be for not rescuing them, yet.

[Rman Virgil]

.

Ideas are endless. The real challenge is picking and implementing because you have to draw the line of feasibility - even if you just focused on great ideas you couldn't realistically do 'em all, for one reason or another. Being selective turns out to be at the heart of your artistry as much as a rich imagination, I believe.

…

Steal from Nexus - I like that a lot.

I haven't worked out what advantages there would be for not rescuing them, yet.

Hmmm... that's a ponder.

Steal from Nexus.... a troop transport ?

Only one unit in your contingent could board it, and would need to as a condition for you to be able to use it. Could serve as a scout for your land-bound combat group. Then you'd have to counter with heavy enemy AA or choppers to seriously harrass it when it crossed certain air spaces. Lot more work. Dunno if it would be worth it. Could very well be more elegant alternatives.
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[milo christiansen]

Bugs I found:
1) Gibbs still talks about setting up a perimiter around the transport after it is dead.
As far as I can tell there are no checks to see if the transport is alive, this leads to odd things like transport techs saying things after they are dead and/or unloading stuff from a non-existant transport

2) The transport is imposible to defend, a morter on the other side of the mountain shells it to death even if you can keep all the scavs and nexus off it (which is not too hard)

3) At the point where you are to capture the base no amount of firing with the nexus link(s) will capture a building. The little progress bar decresses until it is all black but the building never transfers to your control.

4) I expected wilks to be mission critical.

Otherwise verry good.

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

All of the above issues have been tagged in the 3.2 prototype I'm working on (the one that uses the new API). It's going to be a while before the next release, as I'm porting over the campaign to the .js API found on Master branches (3.2).

If it doesn't work I can always restore from the backup and continue on where I left off (needing to fix the above issues). No biggie at all.

[Per]

So I guess I'm asking if the game does indeed use the labels and areas done in the map editor

Yes, that's the whole point

No more need to put map coordinates and object IDs in a campaign script.

[aubergine]

I sent Goth some links last night, but for anyone else wanting to use labels for stuff these are the JS API features to look out for:

* enumLabels() -- get a list of all defined labels
* label() -- get the object associated with a label
* addLabel() -- associate a label with an object
* eventArea<label>() -- triggers when a droid enters a labelled object

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

I'm a little confused about the 'no need to put object ID's in. I thought that was how objects get specified .. unless I'm supposed to label them (which would make sense, really) in FlaME.

Do I still need to specify units and structures that I'm spawning in by assigning them variables (like in the .vlo), or can I just spawn them in anytime on-the-fly without needing to define them first?

[Per]

Yes, you are meant to label them in the map editor, then grab them by their label.

And yes, you can spawn units on the fly. No need to specify them in advance.

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Excellent! Exactly what I needed. Thanks guys.