experienced volunteers for Arma mission generator beta test

[_William]

Hi folks,

I've been creating a web based mission generator for ArmA and it's ready for a closed beta test. The mission generator is geared towards large scale battles, generates plans for both sides, integrates (AI) close air support in attacks and defense, integrates AI artillery in attacks, handles transporting dismounts with trucks / IFVs, and mission victory/failure conditions.
The mission generator brings a few scripts of its own and uses some scripts created by others (primarily Mandoble's bombing script). The aim is to stick as much to standard ArmA conventions (waypoints, markers, sensors) as possible in order to achieve good compatibility with the mods available (GL3 doesn't seem suitable to me because of that).

The following tutorial probably clarifies the ideas better: Youtube video (5 mins).
(Make sure to watch in HD. In case you'd like to view the tutorial off-line, download a low quality version from: www.cgf-ai.com).

The corresponding (generated) mission is available here: BMPs_for_breakfast_.abel.zip.
The (generated) readme.txt in the mission's zip file lists the mods required to play the mission. The mission.sqm contains comments (generated), as does init.sqf.

If you have experience with ArmA scripting and mission editing, my request to you is:
- please have a look at the video and mission, and provide me your feedback
   - overall
   - fire support scripts
   - passenger loading (the script cross-loads a group across multiple vehicles of another group)
   - artillery interfacing with Viper
- give the mission editor a try by sending me a proposed account name and a one line description of your editing/scripting work (via PM). I'll provide you access to the web site, and probably learn what you like and don't like.

Thanks in advance,

William

[Spooner]

That sounds really interesting! Even a basic system might find a lot of users, I think. I imagine that most people can place a few units in the editor, but that is very far from making a mission that is worth playing! I've particularly found that a lot of people really struggle to integrate 3rd party scripts, which would be a big boon.

The video is very well done and the interface looks amazing to tell the truth!

Very good luck!

[schuler]

  to the forums
very impressive tute   as MD staff its kinda scary!  

[kju]

William this sounds and looks like a very impressive project.  

More details after a few general thoughts:


• * The video presentation is a great approach; however at times the text
  disappears too fast, and it flickers for me once in a while.
• * The web based interface is outstanding.
• * What tools to do you use to generate your mission?
• * How do you parse the addons to get the needed different type of classes?
• * Would an issue tracker (and other optional features) of interest - if so give http://dev-heaven.net/ a look.
• * Do you consider to let others get part of your effort/team?
• * Or even make the source open at some point?

Thanks!

Did you consider to parse the result of a battle to make an
ongoing war possible - even multiple wars fought by different
players at the same time could add up to a big battlefield.

Spooner and Sickboy work on a project involving google maps.
It could be used for displaying the battlefield.
You seem to have your own map in your system currently,
yet might be of interest for the future.

Looking at the file now and give it an ingame test to add more
feedback.  

Edit 01:


• * Your domain is not yet reserved: http://www.plannedassault.com.  
• * Readme contains a few missing values, yet you are probably aware of this.
• * Why not have debug a global var - YourTag_ProjectName_Debug?
• * Global vars really need your OFPEC tag to avoid conflicts: ldr = leader _group; => YourTag_ldr = leader _group;
  More here: http://www.ofpec.com/tags/index.php

Edit 02:

Can you please provide a non addon mission or ACE only.
Sorry I already have A2 and don't feel to motivation to get
the needed addons.  


• * Please rename your readme.txt to readme_projectName_version.txt.
• * Nice formatting in the mission.sqm and nice to see it commented.
  However I guess if you were to edit and save the mission in the editor,
  that it will drop all that. So you could generate a copy called mission.sqm.txt as documentation
  and leave the mission.sqm without comments.
• * Also for units you could write the comment in the description field to preserve it I think.
  I would recommend to use single quotes ' instead of 2x double quotes in the sqm and
  whereever needed:

Code: [Select]

expActiv="fnRegisterCASAsset = compile loadFile ""firesupport\firesupport_register_asset.sqf""; [""WEST"", ""AMY"", group this, ""FIXED_WING""] call fnRegisterCASAsset;";
to

Code: [Select]

expActiv="fnRegisterCASAsset = compile loadFile 'firesupport\firesupport_register_asset.sqf'; ['WEST', 'AMY', group this, 'FIXED_WING'] call fnRegisterCASAsset;";

[JamesF1]

That is a truly phenomenal piece of work... and totally blasts out of the water my "summer project"   There were a few things I noticed, but kju touched on pretty much all of them.

My only concern would be the practicality of hosting this on a large scale, and how you're going to support that.  From experience of hosting and maintaining large, demanding, web applications, it's never particularly cheap.  Are you planning to support it by yourself, with donations, via subscriptions, or some other means?  The only reason I ask is that I'd hate to see such a project die out after only a few short weeks or months of use.  This was one of the reasons I was planning on approaching the utility from a client-side perspective.  However, feel free to tell me to mind my own business

If you do want any assistance at all with the web work, testing, etc. feel free to drop me a PM.  However, from here, it looks like you've got it all in hand!

[chefd261]

Must say looks very promising sent off my PM today thanks to Spooner for pointing this one out to me.Seems an ideal way to promote mission making in the general community.Vid looks great and would love to give it a spin to see it in action.

Cheer's Chefd
3ID Dev team