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Author Topic: (Review Completed) [SP] SLA Sniper Team  (Read 7540 times)

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Offline UH60MG

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(Review Completed) [SP] SLA Sniper Team
« on: 12 Mar 2008, 10:20:56 »
You are part of a sniper team operating near the towns of Somato, Gulan, Pesto and Yoro. Primary target is RACS officers.

Mission persists until you kill a total of 10 officers.

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Details:

Author: UH60MG

Content-Type: SP MISSION

Addons needed: None

Game: ArmA

Required ArmA version: 1.08

Name: SLA Sniper Team

Version:  1.0

Version History:


1.0 :


-Initial release

1.1:

-Added helo insertion
-Remove player waypoints
-Increased number of none-officer kills needed to complete objective
-Removed possibility for player to steal enemy M113s
-Increased number of unlocked parked vehicles
-Added patrol APCs
-Decreased chance of APCs in towns

1.2:

-Mission now winnable
-Improved helo insertion

1.3:

-"Officer getting run over by traffic" bug is fixed
-Player now has East side sniper rifle


1.4:

- Enhanced briefing
- Intro added
- Sirens sound in the towns if you're detected.
- Enemy troops in the nearby area head to your location if you're spotted.
- Searching MH-6 when you're spotted.
- Enemy commandos are flown in by chopper to your location if you are detected. They then search the area for you.
- Objects in towns including medical tents.
- More weapon choices on the loadout screen.


1.5:

- Short cutscene when the mission starts
- Scanning search lights at night added to some towns
- The searching MH-6 is now a Cobra which engages you effectively

1.51:

- Error message bug fixed
- Officer being hit by traffic no longer counts as a kill
- Bodies removed after each mission
b:
- Extraction chopper can no longer get shot down by the enemy
« Last Edit: 31 Aug 2008, 13:27:46 by Cheetah »

Offline Cheetah

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (1.2)
« Reply #1 on: 18 Mar 2008, 22:34:44 »
SLA Sniper Team

Overview
You might want to add your name to it.

Intro
None, most sniper missions require a decent atmosphere. Adding an intro would be a good start.

Briefing
No notes section, could do with a story or situation details as none are present. Maybe just something general that is true for all random locations - mission is random right?

Plan section is good looking, working markers and a detailed and not too messy map. However, the objectives are confusing. First I have to kill one officer or 6 soldiers - later 10 officers. Or is it a total of 10 officers or 60 soldiers? That might be it. Either way, it is not all too clear for me at the moment.

Finally, the equipment.. well you want me to start off with a M107 - guess not. I really hate that one, prefer the M24 over it any day as I don't want to lie down in all of my shots (recoil of M107 outside prone is massive). Weapon selection is fine, not too many weapons - fits in the sniper scenario.

Mission
Started out and choose for a daytime setup. Got inserted and made my way towards the waypoint thinking that it was an overwatch position. Arrived, nothing happened and the position was far from ideal considering sniping. Therefor, I moved off towards the highest mountain in the vicinity together with my teammate.

Once there I ordered him to cover me by assigning him with 'scan horizon' in a kneeled position. That should help to get rid of any patrols in my back. While he helps to keep pesty mosquitos out of my back and neck, I concentrate on the enemy area in front of me.
By the way, my current position is the Monte Yorito, providing me with a decent line of sight and high position. The problem is that enemy activity is limited. Managed to spot one 4x4, manned by only one trooper, on the main road. Not worth the effort to start sniping him, he didn't even look like an officer.

I know that there is supposed to be an Ural in the city of Somato, but I can't see it nor can I see any troops accompanying it. I take my time to study any movements I see - very few - until I spot a patrol in Somato. Sadly, the only troopers I recognize are a sniper and regular one. I reposition myself a bit towards the west to get a better view of Somato, zoom back in on the street and spot a blue cap. Yeah, easy target for my M24 - first officer drops. I sprint towards the waypoint while my teammate stays in position and hear that the enemy world is coming back to life. More vehicles are looking for a nasty sniper - me - in the countryside, luckily they don't find me as I move towards the waypoint. Once I arrive the objective is completed, first officer down and I can select the weather to go for a new kill.

I select 2130 hours and go back to my trusty position with my M24. My teammate is still doing a good job at scanning the horizon - luckily he found no intruders. Again, I take my time to look for officers. Just when I want to move I spot one in Pesto, a whole lot of metres away from me. I save before I take the shot and it takes me three reloads and three bullets to take care off the officer ;).

Cheat: -endmission

So far this one, I think that I managed to squeeze most of the gameplay out of it. Playing longer would probably be playing more of the same. While I am no big fan of randomized missions without frills or more to it, this one took the hang of me for about half an hour. Yet, there is room for improvement. Not so much in fixing bugs, but in adding details and improving the atmosphere. Adding patrols that scare the hell out of me if I stay in position for a long time, they might find me - maybe they won't. As long as I'm scared of the enemy, I wasn't. I was more disturbed with my lack of sniper skills, good way to spice them up by the way.

Overall

A few cutscenes of officers, enemy patrols or bases would be welcome. If only to improve the eye value of this mission. Also, killing 10 officers before completing the mission is a bit overdone if you ask me. Three might be a better number as 10 requires a lot of time and is much of the same. Finally, some custom voices for radio chatter would be welcome, again to improve the atmosphere of this mission - sniper missions need a good atmosphere.
Like missions? Help with Beta Testing! or take a look at the OFPEC Missions Depot for reviewed missions!

Offline mathias_eichinger

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (1.2)
« Reply #2 on: 18 Mar 2008, 22:40:30 »
Hi, just tried the mission a couple of times!

Overview

The grainy grayscale picture is really interesting and the text is ok.

Intro

An intro is missing.

Mission

The helo inserts me, I choose a time and I am off to the hunt. But surprisingly enough, once I enter the red marked zone, the first objective of killing some soldiers and 1 officer ticks off. I try to test it, and lo and behold, at the waypoint my mission end without a shot being fired or a single soldier being killed. Part 1 done.

Part 2: I finally found an officer killed him, and was presented with a kill counter. I encounter no resistance on the way to my waypoint and part 2 is concluded.

Part 3: Not yet finished, but the mission concept is already clear: Snipe the enemy.

I have problems understanding the scoring however. Are 10 officers required to be killed in each PART, and the objective ticking off is a bug? Or is the mission meant to end after 10 officers are killed and if I end the mission without killing anybody, it is my fault because I just postpone the end?

Some minor things: The large caliber sniper rifle for the SLA is the KSVK, not the M107. And could you possibly add a weapons selection with each of the East sniper rifles? Just because I hate these large-caliber-large-zoom things, they totally destroy my situational awareness.

Cheers

Mathias

Offline The-Architect

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (1.2)
« Reply #3 on: 27 Mar 2008, 16:35:24 »
You could stop the officers walking accross the roads or make the vehicles move at limited speed whilst moving through built up areas.

Here's my review.
Overview
The overview here is ok. The picture looks like a very low quality photograph but it clearly represents a sniper. It looks clean and fits in the page nicely.
The mission description is too vague. The overview screen should make me want to pick the mission when I'm browsing my SP missions but the tag line here just doesn't fill me with expectation.
I could do without the version number. The readme is the place for that.

Briefing
The briefing was functional and nothing more. I understand that I must kill a certain amount of bad guys but there's no reason why. I'm told that I must insert by chopper but there's no mention of extraction

or firendly/enemy force strengths. I'm going to do a difficult job, probably behind enemy lines and I have no intel about the area whatsoever.
There a weapon selection but it isn't really suited to my task. Yes I can choose from all the sniper weapons but my spotter is left out. A suppressed primary weapon would really give me confidence in him.
A character identity is needed here also. Right now there's me, Bob, the sniper and a guy called Fonseca. Whilst it's nice to have my own identity it doesn't look right when I'm supposed to be an SLA guy.

Intro
There is none. This would be a great place build a background to the mission or at least give me some reason to get in the chopper in the first place.

Mission
After a painfully short chopper ride I was inserted into the area. I was shocked to realise that the helicopter pilot had dropped me only a few hundred yards from the first enemy position. I got off and

waited for the inevitable group of soldiers to come and investigate the landing site. Unfortunatley there were none. If I get dropped this close to the enemy I expect them to send someone to see why a

helicopter has just landed near them. They're not deaf.
Once I was on the ground I quickly figured out what the whole idea of the mission was. The player is tasked with taking down enemy soldiers and then laying up in predetermined laying up positions before

going out again the next day or night to carry on his work of demoralising the enemy. The concept is great but the mission needs a whole lot more work to get it right.
For instance. When I took out the first officer, I sat still and waited to see what effect it had on the rest of the enemy within earshot. The results were disapointing.
The immediate group took evasive action, some armour moved and took up position next to a wall but everything else carried on exactly the way it was going.
It is important to have an effect for the cause. When I start blasting away with my rifle I want the whole area to go nuts. I want patrols to be sent out in all directions, choppers to be launched and a full

scale search to be put out for the shooter, me.
When an enemy soldier did get near to me I had to take my chances and run, or risk giving away my position. My pistol may not have killed him quickly enough to keep me hidden and my spotter was useless

without a supressed rifle. One shot from him and we'd be caught.
After I escaped the immediate area I started for the waypoint or Laying Up Position. Here I made use of my beta testing experience and made my way there without encountering any more baddies. I x4 sped my

way away from the nucleus of activity for about 500m and the skirted around the map to the safety of the waypoint. A simple way to stop the player doing this is to create small groups of bad guys who walk in

interlocking patrols out at a distance from the centre of the action. effectivly surrounding the player. About 5 groups would cover this AO.
Once I got to the waypoint I began the next day and then quit the mission. I had seen all I needed to see as regards the make up of the task and was unwilling to explore further. The mission needs more work

to make it worthwhile at this time.


Outros
Unknown.

Special
Dialogue box to choose operation times.

Summary
it needs more work. The unit placement and current patrol routes are sufficient but that of the jeep and some soldier groups need to be extended past their current waypoints. When the jeep gets about a two

hundred yards past the AO it turns around and comes back. This happens in the player's view and makes the patrol look sloppy. A more rounded patrol would be better suited. More attention needs to be given to

the consequence of being spotted. A general sense of terror should be felt when the enemy realises that they are being shot at. Both for them and the player.
The insert needs to be further away from the centre of the the action or the enemy should send patrols out to investigate the landing.
After the first day of the mission the enemy should be reset to safe and all dead bodies should be removed to give the impression that the area has gone back to some normality after the player has skipped time.
Perhaps some dialogue between the shooter and spotter could be added. A simple shot report could boost the atmosphere.
All in all the mission has promise. Keep working at it and it will be a good one.
James Andrew Wilkinson 1977 - 2005 R.I.P.
"If it ain't the friggin' incoming it's the friggin' outgoing. Only difference is who gets the friggin' grease, and that ain't no friggin' difference at all."

Offline UH60MG

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (1.3)
« Reply #4 on: 02 Jun 2008, 18:51:01 »
The current OFPEC banner reminded me to dig up this old project...

I've done all the work on this that I want to.

Review please.
« Last Edit: 28 Jun 2008, 10:26:33 by UH60MG »

Offline savedbygrace

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.3) (Please review)
« Reply #5 on: 11 Jun 2008, 05:13:14 »
I'll take this one.

Offline UH60MG

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.4) (Please review)
« Reply #6 on: 16 Jun 2008, 00:15:20 »
Version 1.4 is available.

Updates:

- Enhanced briefing
- Intro added
- Sirens sound in the towns if you're detected.
- Enemy troops in the nearby area head to your location if you're spotted.
- Searching MH-6 when you're spotted.
- Enemy commandos are flown in by chopper to your location if you are detected. They then search the area for you.
- Objects in towns including medical tents.
- More weapon choices on the loadout screen.
« Last Edit: 16 Jun 2008, 18:10:46 by UH60MG »

Offline Manzilla

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.4) (Please review)
« Reply #7 on: 16 Jun 2008, 18:27:00 »
UH60MG,

I DL'd a v1.4 yesterday and today I see the first post was updated today with a new v1.4, at least I think. I'm assuming this is a tweaked version since the mission file has a more recent date, June 16th as opposed to June 15th. Is this just a different link to the same mission, or does the newer v1.4 have changes/updates over the file I DL'd yesterday? I just want to make sure.

Thank you for the v1.4 tweaks. It definitely makes a huge difference to the mission, IMHO. :good: 

Offline UH60MG

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.4) (Please review)
« Reply #8 on: 16 Jun 2008, 22:03:18 »
There was some minor issues with the spawning of the enemy helicopters which didn't necessitate the release of a new version.

Offline Manzilla

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.4) (Please review)
« Reply #9 on: 17 Jun 2008, 01:39:18 »
That's what I figured but I wanted to make sure I knew what changes to look for.

Thank you for the reply.

Offline UH60MG

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.5) (Please review)
« Reply #10 on: 18 Jun 2008, 03:27:57 »
Version 1.5 is now done.

I've added search lights to the towns during night missions. They scan the area and zero in on you once you're detected. There is now a searching Cobra which flys in when you're detected, it will shoot you if you don't keep your head down.

Offline loki72

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.5) (Please review)
« Reply #11 on: 19 Jun 2008, 00:17:58 »
greetings,

i'm at this part.. at the time of writing this.




but i figured it was important enough to start my post now.

back to edit after i finish the map.



 as per addons.. yes.. about 8 gigs.. but i don't think its on the client side because i got that error everytime a new wave of ai's would spawn...


about the gameplay...

i liked the hit and run style, contained within a modest a.o.

other than the error.. i liked it. :good:
« Last Edit: 19 Jun 2008, 03:50:33 by loki72 »

Offline UH60MG

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.5) (Please review)
« Reply #12 on: 19 Jun 2008, 00:24:06 »
This is a strange error message.

What version of ArmA are you using. Any unusual addons?

Does anyone else get this error message?
« Last Edit: 28 Jun 2008, 15:46:19 by UH60MG »

Offline savedbygrace

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.5) (Please review)
« Reply #13 on: 20 Jun 2008, 16:32:17 »
Am I reading that right? 62 hours and 23 minutes? Did you kill the farm animals too partner? jk

Offline schuler

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.5) (Please review)
« Reply #14 on: 20 Jun 2008, 21:41:56 »
Quote
Am I reading that right? 62 hours and 23 minutes? Did you kill the farm animals too partner? jk
@savedbygrace yes he has a maid and cooks for staff 'farm animals ':D
i am overwhelmed , i played and got board with the game,,,, i would still score it good. its well done.
@loki time spent ,,,, and it you add retrys OMG 62h  :clap:
you must step down to MD staff and review this one :D adding to your skills and time spent!
@UH60MG this is why beta testing is so important ,,  a bug here or there,,,,, thats why we need more beta testers
your missions are like campaigns , you have a good style too you!
cheers to all , schuler
Semper Fi

Offline UH60MG

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.5) (Please review)
« Reply #15 on: 20 Jun 2008, 22:02:31 »
The hours are a high number because you skip time at the start of each sub mission.

Version 1.51 is done. I think I have ( though don't know for sure what happens on other people's computers ) fixed the error message bug.
« Last Edit: 22 Jun 2008, 01:14:05 by UH60MG »

Offline loki72

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.51b) (Please review)
« Reply #16 on: 22 Jun 2008, 21:52:32 »
@schuler & savedbygrace ..lol.. 62 hrs played.. its was more like 2hrs 23min.. never noticed it... :P

i was looking for a template that when i do play a mission i can write something 'presentable'..
i am happy to add any thing that is useful....
always ready to kill stuff.. let me know if i can help more.

@uh-60 i'll d/l it and try it again... i think this would also make a good 3-5 man MP mission also.

i'll be happy to review it when uh60 is ready.. or at least add my 2 cents. :)
« Last Edit: 22 Jun 2008, 22:03:00 by loki72 »

Offline schuler

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.51b) (Please review)
« Reply #17 on: 23 Jun 2008, 13:06:46 »
Quote
@loki72; to schuler & savedbygrace ..lol.. 62 hrs played.. its was more like 2hrs 23min.. never noticed it..
thats very very nice to know :laugh:,,,, i thought you was a freak loki. 'G bless'  :D

Quote
The hours are a high number because you skip time at the start of each sub mission.
@UH60MG   ok got ya now,,, sorry about that!!!! timeskip  ;)
really sent me for a loop  :blink:

Quote
This is a strange error message.
What version of ArmA are you using. Any unusual addons?
Does anyone else get this error message?
looking again  :good: Version 1.51 is done.
cheers schuler

« Last Edit: 23 Jun 2008, 13:12:13 by schuler »
Semper Fi

Offline Striker

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.51b) (Please review)
« Reply #18 on: 23 Jun 2008, 13:44:43 »
Playing 62h, wouldnt survive that :D

Offline UH60MG

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.51b) (Please review)
« Reply #19 on: 23 Jun 2008, 14:17:11 »
Quote
i'll be happy to review it when uh60 is ready.. or at least add my 2 cents.

SavedByGrace has already started the review apparently.
« Last Edit: 23 Jun 2008, 17:38:43 by UH60MG »

Offline loki72

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.51b) (Please review)
« Reply #20 on: 25 Jun 2008, 03:47:30 »
greetings,

ok.. its seems i'll be doing the review... whoot! thx for the opportunity Mission Depot.

@uh60mg
any last things you want to mention before i put your head on the chopping block..err... i mean review it?

only thing i'd like to see is a title splash at the beginning...
but its not like i'm reviewing it.. :) :P

just a heads up on the status...

 

Offline UH60MG

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.51b) (Please review)
« Reply #21 on: 25 Jun 2008, 18:47:43 »
Download the latest version because I updated it a couple of days ago.

Don't forget to take the random scripting into consideration. The mission uses 50 scripts.

I only have MSPaint and Irfanview so there not much chance of my making a nice title splash.

Offline bert

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.51b) (Please review)
« Reply #22 on: 25 Jun 2008, 22:42:26 »
If you want something a bit more powerful than paint it may be worth trying out GIMP. That stands for GNU Image Manipulation Took by the way :D. Daft name aside, its a very useful bit of software.

bert

Offline loki72

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Re: [SP] SLA Sniper Team (V1.51b) (Review in progress)
« Reply #23 on: 08 Jul 2008, 07:11:38 »
greetings,

the review has been completed.

moderator plz close this thread.

SLA Sniper Team

Feel free to comment on this mission in this thread.

loki
« Last Edit: 12 Aug 2008, 12:54:23 by Cheetah »