OFPEC Forum

Editors Depot - Mission Editing and Scripting => OFP - Editing/Scripting General => Topic started by: Dionysos on 10 Dec 2004, 20:25:13

Title: I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 10 Dec 2004, 20:25:13
I have a very annoying problem. SnYpir has made a truly great faq on how to add a briefing to your missions and I followed it to add a briefing to MY mission. However it does NOT work! The only time I was able to see any of my briefing in the actual game, the only thing I saw was the end-game debriefing and it wasn't even a debrief! My debrief appeared in the briefing book you can use from the map with all the HTML commands still in the text! Can any of you pros tell a "newbie" exactly how to add a working briefing with notes and plan to a mission? :-[
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: bored_onion on 10 Dec 2004, 20:40:05
please show us what you wrote in the html so that we might see where you are going wrong. it might be a simple problem with what youre writing.
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: greg147 on 10 Dec 2004, 20:48:22
This tutorial, did it come with a breifing creator? They are alot easier than making one yourself  ;)

If not, check the first option on this page:

http://www.ofpec.com/editors/browse.php?browsewhat=3&category=3_1

It was the first one I used in my proper missions  ;)
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Tyger on 10 Dec 2004, 20:58:49
we actually want your briefing, mate. THe one you wrote, there might be a problem w/ its code.

Off the top of my head, did you include the section "main" and "plan"? Is it named briefing.html and in the same folder as the mission.sqm? Did you include the tags <html> and </html> in the file?

Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 10 Dec 2004, 21:25:46
This is what I wrote in WordPad:

<html>

<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF">


<h2><a name="Main"></a></h2>
<h6>
<b>Monday, Sep 5, 1986</b>
<br><br>
Dear Diary,<br>
<br>
The war is far from over. All of the men keeps talking about a revoloution.<br>
<br>
Valenci.
</h6>
<hr>





<p><a name="plan"></a>
Today's mission is to infiltrate Lipany and assassinate colonel White.<br>
<br>
Use the east entrance to the town and make sure you are not spotted.<br>
</p>
<hr>




<h2><a name="Debriefing:End1">Mission Complete</a></h2>
<p>
Very good job, corporal.<br>
<br>
The colonel will not lead his men into any more battles against our airfield.
</p>
<br>
<hr>





<h2><a name="Debriefing:End1">Mission Failed</a></h2>
<p>
You are a coward and a traitor, Valenci!<br>
<br>
You lost the fight. Fall back and receive new orders. ;-)
</p>
<hr>





<h2><a name="Debriefing:End3">Unspecified</a></h2>
<p>Debriefing text here</p>
<br>
<hr>






<h2><a name="Debriefing:End4">Unspecified</a></h2>
<p>Debriefing text here</p>
<br>
<hr>





<h2><a name="Debriefing:End5">Unspecified</a></h2>
<p>Debriefing text here</p>
<br>
<hr>
<br>




<h2><a name="Debriefing:End6">Unspecified</a></h2>
<p>Debriefing text here</p>
<br>



</body>
</html>



What did I do wrong? What should I do? ??? ???
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 10 Dec 2004, 23:49:09
Anyone?? :'(
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Triggerhappy on 10 Dec 2004, 23:54:44
you need <br> before each line, not after

correction, surrounding each line
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 11 Dec 2004, 00:55:32
Are you serious? Is that all I have to do?
 >:(
Which lines should be surrounded by <br>? My own text?
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Triggerhappy on 11 Dec 2004, 01:05:36
for example, here is what you put:
Dear Diary,<br>
<br>
The war is far from over. All of the men keeps talking about a revoloution.<br>
<br>
Valenci.
</h6>
<hr>

it should be:
<br>Dear Diary,<br>
<br>The war is far from over. All of the men keeps talking about a revoloution.<br>
<br>Valenci.<br>
</h6>
<hr>

to put spaces like this:
something

something else

add an additional line of <br> s:
<br><br>
then go to the next line like so:
<br>Dear Diary,<br>
<br><br>
<br>The war is far from over. All of the men keeps talking about a revoloution.<br>
<br><br>
<br>Valenci.<br>
</h6>
<hr>
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 11 Dec 2004, 01:07:13
I'll try it right away! Thanks!  ;D ;D
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 11 Dec 2004, 01:21:52
Triggerhappy, I love you! I LOVE YOU!  ;D
It worked! It is beautiful!! You were right!  :D
Just one more thing, though... How do I make the briefing pop up in the beginning of the mission so the player can read through it before entering the action? :-\
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 11 Dec 2004, 01:42:08
Never mind about that! I found out on my own!
However, the title in the briefing says "cur sp" or something like that. How do I get rid of THAT >:( ??
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Triggerhappy on 11 Dec 2004, 01:45:59
<title>Title</title>

maybe, i don't know for sure
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Homefry31464 on 11 Dec 2004, 01:49:59
Never mind about that! I found out on my own!
However, the title in the briefing says "cur sp" or something like that. How do I get rid of THAT >:( ??

Go into the editor, and click on where you would change the Resistance side (or weather, date, etc.... its in the top right-hand corner if you don't know), then where it say's mission name, enter the mission's name.  The mission description is not used, AFAIK.

Good luck with it.
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 11 Dec 2004, 02:46:28
Homefry, I love you to!!
I gave up on the "description" and the "name" in that way when I couldn't get the description to work!! You guys are my heroes, you have improved my editing skills with 70% today!! Thanks a million! :) ;) :D ;D 8) :P
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Triggerhappy on 11 Dec 2004, 03:12:03
MISSED SOME SMILIES:
 :) ;) :D ;D >:( :( :o 8) ??? ::) :P :-[ :-X :-\ :-* :'( :afro: :beat: :cheers: :gunman: :help: :tomato: :wave: :toocool: :moon: :booty: :noo: :joystick: :hmm: :thumbsup: :wow:

hehe, no prob mate
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 12 Dec 2004, 15:23:36
Okay, one more question to ask.
I want my mission to end once the player reaches a certain waypoint. How do I do this??   ::)
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: macguba on 12 Dec 2004, 16:19:54
You don't.     Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES WHATSOEVER.

Never use player waypoints to make things happen.    Players in Veteran mode don't see the waypoints, so they don't even know its there.     Plus you don't really know what Cadet mode players are up to.   In other words, if you try and make something happen from a player waypoint, it probably won't happen at all.

Use a trigger instead.

Activation:   player present (group the player to the trigger, you get new options in the On Activation box)
Type:   End#1
Condition:  this and obj1

obj1 is a variable which is set to true with the command

obj1=true

when the Objective is completed.   Read snYpir's How to use Objectives and init.sqs.

Oh, and if you want my advice, switch to playing in Veteran mode.    Cadet mode is occasionally useful for beta testing but that's about all its good for.     It negates the game's greatest strength - it's openness.    
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 12 Dec 2004, 20:18:31
Well, now macguba is my hero too!! Thank you very much! I had completely forgotten about the waypoints disappearing in Veteran setting and this method is better and funnier!!  ;D ;D ;D ;D :cheers:
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: The-Architect on 13 Dec 2004, 11:15:50
What a great thread to read.

Its good that you're making progress.

But remember Dionysos, the path to enlightenment is a long one.  ;)
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 13 Dec 2004, 15:32:54
I shall remember that.  :)
There is a LOT to learn about editing for FlashPoint. However, you guys are there for me. I thank you for that.  8) :thumbsup:
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Homefry31464 on 13 Dec 2004, 22:06:46
It's what is great about OFPEC... yes?  ;D
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Triggerhappy on 13 Dec 2004, 22:55:18
most definitely
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 15 Dec 2004, 16:52:53
Alright, sorry to bother the pros, but I got a new question, see.

In many of the greatest missions available from the Missions depot, you can update your retry position. E.g. by calling 0-0-0. This would be great, but I also need to be able to create fixed retry updates. For example, when a certain objective is completed, the retry position is updated. How do I do this?  ???
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Triggerhappy on 15 Dec 2004, 21:25:39
i believe it is save
but i'm not sure, i'd have to check the comref
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 15 Dec 2004, 21:36:04
I have a LOT of questions about the complicated aspects of OFP editing. Up till now, I have just been playing around with the editor and I have just realized that there is a lot more to it than having squads of enemies run across a field and stuff. I want to learn, I want to get better and the best way I know is to ask.
I'm going to use this thread to ask my annoying newbie questions and hopefully, there will be people to respond to them...  ;D
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Homefry31464 on 15 Dec 2004, 21:44:10
I have a LOT of questions about the complicated aspects of OFP editing. Up till now, I have just been playing around with the editor and I have just realized that there is a lot more to it than having squads of enemies run across a field and stuff. I want to learn, I want to get better and the best way I know is to ask.
I'm going to use this thread to ask my annoying newbie questions and hopefully, there will be people to respond to them...  ;D

Not a problem, it's why the board is here....

Quote
i believe it is  save
but i'm not sure, i'd have to check the comref
You were close, however the command is saveGame..
 :)
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 15 Dec 2004, 21:47:44
The command is saveGame?
How do I use that?  :-[
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: macguba on 16 Dec 2004, 01:01:46
Trigger

Activation:  as you like
On Activation:   saveGame
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 16 Dec 2004, 08:48:14
Oh! It was that easy?! Even I realized that a trigger would do it but I thought I would need a lorryload of scripting and stuff to make it work! Thanks!
Also, how do I use a radio command to allow the player to do it when he/she wants to?
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: macguba on 16 Dec 2004, 10:04:36
Trigger

Activation:   Radio Alpha (or whatever)       Repeatedly
Text:   Savegame (infinite)
On Activation:    saveGame


Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 16 Dec 2004, 19:02:36
It worked perfectly! New question! A bit more complicated this time, I think. I am making several missions with the same main characters to form a kind of storyline and of course I want the main characters to look the same in each mission. How do I decide which face a character has?
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: macguba on 16 Dec 2004, 21:48:34
Use the command setFace or, better, setIdentity.    Working example in the Tutorial Mission.
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 16 Dec 2004, 22:28:44
Okay, now I feel like a complete nitwit again... :-[
How do I get the tutorial missions and how do I use it? :'(
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Homefry31464 on 16 Dec 2004, 23:02:30
The Editor's Depot mate, normally when macguba refers to something editing related it can be found there.  You can just search for 'tutorial', or something similar.  ;)
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 16 Dec 2004, 23:34:29
Macguba, I have now gone through your excellent tutorial mission with the editor and I found the SetIdentity.
However, as far as I as understand, the SetIdentity's job is to name the main character "Harry Potter", which made me laugh BTW.
Being able to give characters certain names will be very very useful, but I still don't know how to change the appearance of the characters. In one of the missions, you follow a captain who has a certain face and head (moustache, big eyebrows etcetera). I didn't manipulate anything, he just got a random appearance.
Now, I want the captain to look the same in the following mission. How? :P
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: macguba on 16 Dec 2004, 23:51:24
Use the setFace part of the setIdentity thing in the description.ext.    The numbers refer to the list of faces you can see if you click on your name at the top left of the Main Menu screen in the game.     You can also add spectacles or sunglasses.
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 16 Dec 2004, 23:57:33
 :'( :'( :'( :'(
Jeez, I really am worthless at editing like this!
I found the description.ext that came with the tutorial mission... Question is... How do I use it for my own missions?
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: THobson on 17 Dec 2004, 00:00:07
Well you need to edit it so that it does what you want, and save it in your missions folder.  Go to C:\...whatever...\Operation Flashpoint\Users\Your name\missions\nameof your mission.  and save it there.

Edit:  One point to watch when editing description.ext is that changes only get brought in to your mission in the editor when you do a load.  So if you are editing your mission and editing description.ext at the same time you should keep saving and then reloading you mission in the editor.
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 17 Dec 2004, 00:02:16
Done and done! Now to the next problem... How DO I edit it so it does what I want???
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 17 Dec 2004, 00:03:36
Never mind, it was WordPad of course!
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: THobson on 17 Dec 2004, 00:04:27
Do you mean how do you edit it or how do you know what you want it to do?

To edit it just open it in Note or Wordpad or some other text editor.

To know what to change then look at the turorials.
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: THobson on 17 Dec 2004, 00:06:40
This exchange took place so quickly you might have missed an edit in one of my posts - so here it is again:

One point to watch when editing description.ext is that changes only get brought in to your mission in the editor when you do a load.  So if you are editing your mission and editing description.ext at the same time you should keep saving and then reloading you mission in the editor.
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 17 Dec 2004, 00:08:28
Thanks for the help!
Is there a way for me to see all the faces available? There is bound to be quite a lot of them... ;)
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Planck on 17 Dec 2004, 00:10:15
Quote
The numbers refer to the list of faces you can see if you click on your name at the top left of the Main Menu screen in the game.



Planck
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 17 Dec 2004, 00:13:38
OH!! So I can't use faces from the AI soldiers inside the game? Ding dang! That was not good! >:( :'( :(
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Planck on 17 Dec 2004, 00:15:45
Those are the faces used in the game.   ;D


Planck
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 17 Dec 2004, 00:17:21
Hmm... The thing is, in my mission, you are a resistance soldier and I have never seen any of the resistance faces (especially not the one I want the most) in that menu...
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Planck on 17 Dec 2004, 00:26:06
Whats the name of the face you are looking for......the guys name.


Planck
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 17 Dec 2004, 00:33:39
Errr... I really don't know...
As I said, I made a resistance "officer with handgun" and he got this face. I also made a soldier to be the main characters best friend and he also got a very good random face that I would like to use again... :P
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: THobson on 17 Dec 2004, 04:06:02
Make a mission in which you have one other soldier and a radio command to set the guy's face.  Faces go up to Face52 if I remember correctly.
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 17 Dec 2004, 20:43:54
Well, that sounds like a good idea. I made some research and found a list of 52 faces. I went through all the faces in OFP and one of them looks kind of like the captain's face. However, I couldn't find the face I want for the main characters' best friend. How do I do that radio command face thing exactly?
Any other tips on this is greatly appreciated.   ;D
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 18 Dec 2004, 11:47:58
Anyone? Is it impossible? Have I searched through the faces too clumsily? :-[
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Planck on 18 Dec 2004, 13:58:26
We can't really help, we have no idea what faces you are looking for?

Draw a nice picture for us.   ;D


Planck
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: AK-Chester on 18 Dec 2004, 14:24:05
How do I do that radio command face thing exactly?

See attachment.
 ;)
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 18 Dec 2004, 16:36:06
Hmm... I found a face among all the others that might be the one I'm looking for... I'll try the facetest thing now.  :D
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: The-Architect on 19 Dec 2004, 09:47:05
Why is this thread so long and why are there so many different topics in it?
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 19 Dec 2004, 13:25:04
The thread is this long because I am a complete newbie. I am trying to find info in the editors depot, but when I don't understand something in there, I ask the professionals in the forums. Instead of making new threads all the time, I am using my old one. Is there a problem with that?  :'(
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: macguba on 20 Dec 2004, 12:36:56
No, not really, but you are perfectly at liberty to make a new thread each time a new problem comes up.
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 20 Dec 2004, 21:39:34
Thanks for the info, macguba. I'll keep it in mind ;D
However, as long as multi-topic threads is not a violation of board rules, I'll use this.

Alright, new question from the your favorite amateur Dionysos  :P
In one of my missions, the player is on guard duty in a small village. Everything appears calm, but suddenly a huge swarm of western helicopters shows up (mainly Chinooks and Blackhawks). They are supposed to fly across the village so the player can see them and then proceed to an open field where the player will engange them (kind of).
The only problem I with this is the stupid pilots. They keep colliding with each other, crashing and burning. This looks really ugly, as the scene is supposed to make the player feel small and weak. I have set the choppers' speed to "limited" and the behaviour to "safe" to make them use their searchlights.
Is there any way to keep them on a steady course to they won't bring each other down?? :(
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 21 Dec 2004, 00:05:44
Anyone?  :help:
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: THobson on 21 Dec 2004, 07:52:33
Try making them CARELESS that way they will not react to seeing an enemy.  Try having some of them at different heights.

On the subject of one thread or more, there are no rules about having one long one - but a long one is less likely to be helpful to you.  I look at the subject line and if I think I can help or am interested I will check it.  A thread like this that just keeps getting longer will only attract me in if I have more time.  Long threads often mean some 2 or 3 way conversation has started that may be interesting to those involved but often not to others.

My advice:  New question = new thread.
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 21 Dec 2004, 22:05:00
... I never thought about it that way, Thobson... It makes a lot sense actually. I thought long topics would attract people, but I was probably wrong.
Setting their behaviour to "careless"? I'll try that. How do I make them fly on different altitudes?? :-\
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: AK-Chester on 21 Dec 2004, 22:37:23
How do I make them fly on different altitudes?? :-\
unitName flyInHeight 200
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: THobson on 21 Dec 2004, 22:46:58
A 50m separation is easily enough to avoid collisions.  I suggest you also look at Editors Dept/Online References/Commands.

Reading that will help a lot.

Another tip to help others.  Once you have finished with a thread click the solved button
Title: Re:I shouldn't have to ask this question...
Post by: Dionysos on 22 Dec 2004, 07:56:15
Okay, I'm marking this topic as SOLVED now. From now on, I will use different threads for each topic. Please don't get mad at me when my moronic little threads start popping up like mushrooms here and there  ::)