Co06_Operation Lojack III (review please)

[W0lle]

Author:
W0lle

Version:
v1.13

Required Addons:
None

Mission Description:
Sergeant Richard Moore disappeared three nights ago from one of the last outposts in Chernarus. Normally we would not send in a rescue team until we found out Moore's exact location, but Moore was carrying a prototype of an experimental tracking device, which was being tested by Army Rangers. It seems, whoever is responsible for his disappearance has no knowledge of the tracking device, and Moore has managed to activate the device. Your team goes in and get Moore out of there - alive if possible.

This is an attempt to bring back toadlifes famous 'Operation Lojack' mission back to ArmA II. The original mission was released in 2003 for OFP, I added more road patrols and camps in 2006 for VBS1 and I now converted that enhanced mission for ArmA II. There are 16 possible locations for the captive (6 in the original), numerous patrols on foot and in vehicles to keep you busy for a while.
You can either select a specific camp in the MP setup screen or a random one (default), you can also decide between Night/Day/Random daytime. In SP the default values are used (random camp and day).

Features:
Random location of the hostage, random patrols and strength, random weather conditions

Known Bugs:
On a dedicated server the extraction helicopter may cause problems, e.g. instead landing and waiting for the team to get in its just flying away. In this last version this should be fixed though.

ChangeLog:
Version 1.13 - New helicopter extraction script by Ghost added
- Daytime/Weather selection script by Moerderhoschi added
-Smaller fixes in scripts
Version 1.12 - Converted the soundfiles to wave and back to ogg, maybe they are more  audible  now.
Safehouse marker is hidden until needed to avoid any confusion.
- "Mama Bear" is now displayed as Mama Bear.
- Fixed the problem in the revive version in which the mission ends when there are still players alive. Thanks Norrin!
- Added silenced G36 magazines.
- Added a tiny intro scene so hoz stop naggin'
Version 1.11 - Fixed  the tracking device script which caused a CTD when someone
               other then the teamleader tried to use it.
Version 1.1  - All scripts converted to sqf, only leader can use tracking device
               extraction  script  fixed,  alternative  extraction  changed to a
               safehouse
Version 1.09 - New extraction script (thanks Benny!), group respawn added,
               reinforcement  groups have a 50% chance of appearance, this should
               reduce the amount of enemy units a bit
Version 1.08 - New  briefing  script  by  Shuko,  more  weapons  to  select from,
               ACE2 Version added
Version 1.07 - Overview added, SP Version created, amount of enemy in SP reduced
Version 1.06 - Added an alternative extraction point
Version 1.05 - Fixed screwed up script call in 1.04
Version 1.04 - Removed one script and replaced it with triggers
Version 1.03 - Redefined briefing and tasks
Version 1.02 - Extraction chopper is set to captive, ignores ground targets at all
Version 1.01 - Removed  debug  hint,  added  distance  checker  (active  only when
               tracking device is active)
Version 1.0  - Public release

Latest version:
Operation Lojack III v1.13 @ Armaholic

[hoz]

Looks good can't wait to try it out.

[nominesine]

This was one of my favourite missions, back in the good old days. Glad to see it converted to ArmA2. 

[W0lle]

I uploaded v1.11 (SP only) yesterday in which I fixed the screwed up briefing script call.

Was definitely one of my favorites too. Simply because no matter how often you played it, it was different every time.

[hoz]

WE've played the mission a few times now and have come across a couple of issues. We are playing the revive version.

Firstly, when you're ejected from the helo, you'r ejects a pile of empty chutes and you're likely running the eject script on all machines instead of just the server.

Secondly we get a CTD after using the locator. Here is whats reported in the rpt file, its likely code being run on all machines and probably requires just server side scripting.

Warning: Delete out of order
Error in expression <";
_tracker say "click";
};
};
} else {
titleText["\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Only the Team >
  Error position: <titleText["\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Only the Team >
  Error 1 elements provided, 2 expected
File mpmissions\__CUR_MP.Chernarus\scripts\trackerswitch.sqf, line 25

Some nice features to have would be the steerable parachuts, and also when you start the mission your up pretty high and its pretty blah.  What about having a cut scene on the ground during the first few(30) seconds of play?

We'd keep playing this some more but we've received the ctd a few times.

[W0lle]

Awww hoz you know how much I hate cutscenes, don't you?  

Re. the parachutes: I think that's a problem with the game itself, there are 4 chutes in total - one for each crewmember of the helicopter. Why they are created is a miracle to me.

The CTD no one else reported yet and quite a few people played it yet. Not saying it doesn't exists though.  
Have you checked the mission with a client/server setup or dedicated server?

Need to check with Benny about that error, he changed the locator scripting for me.
Found the problem on my own I guess, the good man forgot to add the 2nd parameter to the titletext line.
Fixed that and will provide a new version asap.

[hoz]

Re. the parachutes: I think that's a problem with the game itself, there are 4 chutes in total - one for each crewmember of the helicopter. Why they are created is a miracle to me.

This happens becuase you are running the eject code on all the clients instead of just the server. You need to run the eject code on just the server. so if your using a trigger to do this.. you need probably move the code to a script and then in the script  run the code only on the server.

Good to see you fixed the CTD, we'll test it out in the next version.

We always test on a dedicated server. Its the only way to properly test a mp mission

[Ironman]

The only version that can be DL'd is the SP.

[nominesine]

This happens becuase you are running the eject code on all the clients instead of just the server... so if your using a trigger to do this... move the code to a script and then in the script  run the code only on the server.

Or you could just leave the trigger as it is and enclose the trigger's activation line with:

if (isServer) then {original code goes here}

The code will then only run on the server. Works very good with script snippets in triggers.

[W0lle]

v1.11 is up, I (hopefully) fixed the parachute issue by adding

if (!local Server) exitWith {};

on top of it. Did a quick test and only seen 6 chutes now.

Also the CTD when trying to use the tracker not as leader should be gone.




No SP yet, if you wanna play SP run a local LAN game with yourself  

@nominesine
That could I have used too. Problem is that for me as n00b scripter it's very hard to decide what must run locally and what on server only.  

[hoz]

Awesome thanks for the updates. Please update the first post as that is where most members know to look for the newest version.

hoz

Edit:

Revive version... The mission is ending prematurely occasionally when there are still players alive. I meant to mention this last time sorry. but we played it a bunch of times tonight with varing results. Sometimes it worked properly and other times it didn't.

No weaponspool ammo for the g36sd.

When we are parachuted in, often 1 or more units are hurt.

[Ironman]

Played it all the way through. We got the prisoner to the Evac site and nothing happened then we went to safe house, still nothing. Maybe ALL blufor needed to be present in these triggers. Due to JIP's we were pretty spread out. Anyways, pretty good mission not hard at all really.

[W0lle]

@hoz
I need to talk with Norrin about this revive version. Somehow I knew why I initially had no interest in adding a version.  
The silenced G36 is using the same magazines as the silenced M4 (30Rnd_556x45_StanagSD), they are just not automatically added when you select that weapon. But I can add the silenced G36 magazines, that is no big deal.

I have that each time that atleast one of us is injured once we landed. No idea why actually but given under the conditions that jump takes place I think this is acceptable.

@Ironman
Yes all team members + the captive (if alive) must be inside the extraction trigger, marked by the blue round marker. In the ACE version one of your team members must also carry the radio in order to call in the extraction.

I'm not sure atm but the safehouse is only used when the extraction helicopter doesn't make it.

[hoz]

I built a quick steerable chutes demo for someone else if your interested in it.

[W0lle]

Sounds like a good idea, I catch you on skype about this.

But there is no blue, round marker showing the extraction area. One could think I know my own missions.... 
However the trigger size is 100 meters, centered on the extraction marker.

v1.12 is coming. So far I changed:

• Converted the soundfiles to wave and back to ogg, maybe they are more audible now.
• Safehouse marker is hidden until needed to avoid any confusion.
• "Mama Bear" is now displayed as Mama Bear.