Certain trigger actions not working after update?

[Raptor9]

I've triple-checked to make sure I haven't missed something in my mission files, so I just wanted to see if anyone else was having this issue.

 

I have training ranges where you can selectively activate/deactivate units for SEAD or live-fire training via the communication F10 menu. Normally, the units' AI would be switched off with a Mission Start trigger, and then turned on and off as clients wish via trigger-generated F10 options.

 

However, ever since the update, all units that normally had their AI turned off at Mission Start, are turned on at mission start (the RWR goes crazy). I can use the F10 menu to switch them "on" and then back off, which gets them back in line, lol. But this is an indicator of other problems with triggers I think.

 

Has anyone else experienced problems with the GROUP AI ON, GROUP AI OFF actions, or with MISSION START triggers?

 

*Yes, I resaved the 1.2.8 mission under 1.2.8-update 1, and yes, I checked the triggers and flags in the ME multiple times.

[Blooze]

I have had issues with MP missions that seem to have been resolved after deleting the slmod folder in the saved games folder and reinstalling it. I would be curious to know if this simple procedure offers you any benefit.

[ENO]

Yeah the mission start triggers haven't been setting and I'm pretty sure this is a known bug. I've had to apply the "once / time is more (1)" to those triggers.

[Raptor9]

Yeah the mission start triggers haven't been setting and I'm pretty sure this is a known bug. I've had to apply the "once / time is more (1)" to those triggers.

 

Alright, I'll give that a try. Thanks Eno.

[ENO]

To add to this a bit- if you had triggers that affect units / unit holds etc, they would be affected by this.

 

I still start MIST at "mission start" and have no problems.

[Raptor9]

Yeah the mission start triggers haven't been setting and I'm pretty sure this is a known bug. I've had to apply the "once / time is more (1)" to those triggers.

 

Well, that didn't work. Also, the briefing seems to be limited now on how many characters you can put in there, so you need to be more concise and/or prioritize what you put in the brief for each coalition.

 

Grrr (sigh) its always something with each update. I'm losing all motivation to upkeep this stuff. :(

 

EDIT: I think I just might take a break from DCS for a while. Not meaning to be a killjoy, but I have better things to do with my time than all this.

Edited June 9, 2014 by Raptor9

[Druid_]

I will take a look into this tomorrow if I get the time. Thanks for bringing it up.

[ENO]

Hmmm- before you give up (take a short break like we all need to and come back and check it out) post the mission here and maybe we can look under the hood a little.

[ENO]

I can't look at it until tomorrow but I'll take a look and I'm sure others will as well. (already have by the looks of it.)

[Raptor9]

I can't look at it until tomorrow but I'll take a look and I'm sure others will as well. (already have by the looks of it.)

 

No worries, appreciate it.

[ENO]

OKay... well if I had to guess just on a hunch- it makes me wonder if the instructions in that action window on your mission start trigger are so abundant (you must have about 100 actions in the one window) I'm wondering if the same thing that is parsing scripts is affecting the "script" that is happening in the background of that trigger. You know, the script that is being set up by the ME in conjunction with the trigger you built.

 

I'm going to try breaking those into 2-3 different trigger sets first... then try stepping them if that doesn't work. Will advise.

[ENO]

Alright Raptor... I'm going to start with this: I can see you put a TON of work into proper positioning of these units and it looks really good.

 

And this isn't really going to be one of those "BUT" moments- since I did check it out and I'm not 100% sure what I'm looking for in terms of AI on and off. I went through and tried it my way and I was having a hard time being able to decide if AI was actually on or off since everything seems to be static. A couple of radars were turning but that was it.

 

So maybe my idea worked, maybe not... but I am going to make suggestion that relates in a different way.

 

All of these vehicles- and I'm talking a LOT of vehicles... probably a hundred or more groups worth- you're leaving AI off at mission start. If possible- and I know how much work is involved in this suggestion since around 1.2.4 we needed to really hack off excess to preserve MP stability and smoothness- you may need to step the AI into the equation in a different fashion so you don't have so many things on the map at once.

 

I have been editing my missions on this computer for about 8 months- and I was doing it on a crappy netbook before this and I've never experienced load times like I did with your mission...

 

 

Anyway take that as you will- it's your mission of course but I suggest you take a look at figuring out a way to late activate units (and show them as visible before start if you want). Now with that being said- if late activating and visual before start is the same as activating with AI off... well... okay-

 

Except that your AI off idea may not be working at start. Late activating the units with them visual before start HAS to work... the units aren't even activated!

 

It will also serve to allow you to bring units on gradually as needed.

 

Anyway- these are my thoughts on it at this early juncture. Let me know your thoughts.

[Raptor9]

:megalol: LOL...that has got to be the most diplomatic response I've ever seen on the forums. Your restraint was palpable.

 

I hear you on the scale and scope of units in the mission. Guess you could say I go big or go home.

 

But regarding your suggestion, I'll try to program in the radar-signal emitting units as you suggested, see what that gives me since they're the easiest to track whether they're on or not. Thanks for the double-check, I'll update this thread when/if I discover anything.

[Raptor9]

So after a break from DCS, I dusted off my mission in the 1.2.10 mission editor.

 

The first trigger was a ONCE trigger with a "Time is more (10)" condition to turn off all AI units that don't need to run at mission start. It was quite a long list of unit groups, so I started splitting them up into several triggers that start at 20 seconds, 25, 30.

 

Next I took your advice Eno and checked the "Late Activation" checkbox on all air defense systems that I didn't want transmitting from the get go (ie: my SEAD training range) and only activated them during the first time clients "switch them on" for SEAD training. After that, they seemed to switch on and off as desired.

 

I noticed this was only necessary on ADA units that were initialized at mission start under RED status. Units under GREEN or AUTO would switch their AI off as programmed by the initial triggers. I haven't done extensive testing to verify RED alert status overrides an initial AI OFF trigger, but like I said, only RED alerted ADA units were transmitting and shooting at me when they should have had inactive AI.

 

So the overall good news is that I'm back in the mission creation biz with some motivation. :thumbup: (Obviously not on the same magnitude as you or Wrecking Crew, but still) Thanks for the jumpstart on the solution Eno, appreciate it.

Edited August 26, 2014 by Raptor9