Autonomous Ground Force Tasking

[IAF.AssafB]

I noticed MIST getting called twice and I posted up that I had an error earlier but I didnt feedback to the thread that I found the issue was in testing another mod with MIST installed locally to it and I believe there's something fishy with the older MISTs and AutoGFT reading them. You could try running just AutoGFT, and if that works then run AUtoGFT first, wait a bit then call MIST. I've no guarantee it works though.

 

Thanks for the tip Pikey,

In this mission I also figured that AutoGFT should be loaded first and MIST second, and it is already done.

It runs great on SP, but shows wired behavior on MP:(

[gromit190]

Hey guys

 

Found a problem and reported it to the GitHub issues page, there is an error thrown when respawning vehicles, at least in my missions and the demo missions, reinforcements might not be affected, untested.

 

For any experiencing the same problem, there's a "collision" with different versions of MIST. This is fixed in the next release (AutoGFT will stop using MIST altogheter).

 

 

Anyone know why this error would pop up:

 

After clicking popup, everything seems to work fine.

 

Thx

 

Ah, this happens because group lead was killed just as the group was about to advance (i.e. a bug in my code). It's a quick fix so I'll try to do it ASAP (issue link), thanks for reporting :)

 

 

Thanks for the tip Pikey,

In this mission I also figured that AutoGFT should be loaded first and MIST second, and it is already done.

It runs great on SP, but shows wired behavior on MP:(

 

I had a look at the logs, but I couldn't see any clues as to why it's failing to work properly in MP. To diagnose I need to create a "minimal" mission where it is failing, unless perhaps you have such a mission that you could share?

[Pikey]

Great news on the fixes, most of them are kindda minor and related to complex multiple script interaction or testing scenarios you can't really forsee without a QA team. AutoGFT remains a must have script for anyone playing with Ground troops and needs some automation. I especially like how i can setup something simple and it will continue to surprise and randomise the ground action, 4 groups, different places and timing and literally anything can happen which is a great success!

[IAF.AssafB]

Attached, I've used the same mission but removed everything that's not directly related to the issue at hand.

SAFE-NORTH reduced test 4.1.miz

[gromit190]

Great news on the fixes, most of them are kindda minor and related to complex multiple script interaction or testing scenarios you can't really forsee without a QA team. AutoGFT remains a must have script for anyone playing with Ground troops and needs some automation. I especially like how i can setup something simple and it will continue to surprise and randomise the ground action, 4 groups, different places and timing and literally anything can happen which is a great success!

 

Awesome!

 

 

Attached, I've used the same mission but removed everything that's not directly related to the issue at hand.

 

Great, thanks! I'll try to give it a go within the next day or two.

[Pikey]

So, in discussion with Grommit on this it looks like there's a massive part of gameplay looking to be exploited here with AutoGFT that for one reason or another has been overlooked thus far. This is is of warehousing, resourcing, dynamic campaign by extending the simple uses of AutoGFT into something more advanced.

 

And it's based on the simple premise that we shouldn't be looking at the autoGFT config file as a static file, but something you can change mid mission. I've already tested part of it and it works. Of course, why shoudn't it.

 

Firstly, what we missed.

If you declare the units TaskForce as a global variable, you can overwrite it mid session according to in game Scripting Engine conditions. So, I just manged to halt reinforcement by destroying a storage bunker in my own mission.

 

Code example:

redgrp2 = autogft_TaskForce:new()
:setCountry(country.id.RUSSIA)   
:addBaseZone("REDSPAWN")   
:startUsingRoads()   
:addIntermidiateZone("FARP1")
:addControlZone("FARP2")
:scanUnits("redgrp1")
:setSkill("Excellent")
:setRespawnTimer(300) 

 

Now, if you create a trigger in game with a condition of say...airbase is blue or unit destroyed you can add this:

 

redgrp2:stopReinforcing()

 

:thumbup:

 

Those amongst you not seeing the possibilities yet will need some further stoking at this point. Here we go with one possible use case:

 

The AutoGFT tool can now be used to flip resourcing and resupply of ground troops with the in game Airbase/Farp capture condition that DCSW uses.

 

1. Step 1. Create a bunch of warehouses, FARPS are great for this because you can place them anywhere as a node but they exist as a proper warehouse and use the DCSW "Flip mechanic" which means they can be captured and owned and that is a trigger that DCSW provides to the event system. For example, lets create two red ones, two blue ones. You could use Airbases also but they are wider spread.

 

2. Create a stable AutoGFT fed neutral combat for both sides, by this i mean a set of groups that attempt to capture each other's bases but can't succeed. Do this by providing more defending units, less attacking units. This will be the majority of your build testing. Ideally setup a mesh on paper of 4 grps per node, 2 blue, 2 red, 1 group to attack, one group in defence, for each side. The attackers should be headed towards other nodes. Don;t forget you can dynamically change routes using the same method above!

 

3. Step three, create SWITCHED CONDITION triggers for the BLUE side 'node flips' and the RED side node flips. Ie create a trigger that stops and starts the AutoGFT process at each node for both by using examples similar to above. This means that whilst the node is red or neutral, Blue can't spawn there and vice-versa.

 

4. Decorate the map and provide player slots in whatever modules you fancy. Desired outcome is that as a player, you help your ground troops by killing the other sides thus breaking the stalemate you first designed. So...you launch an A10, supply CAS and strike for blue troops advancing on red nodes. Blue troops capture the Red node, it turns blue, trigger kicks in, AutoGFT stops spawning red troops there and starts spawning Blue. These in turn defend and attack the last red node. Wow look, it's multiple capture the flags.

 

Obviously the complexity in changing the triggers increases with the amount of nodes. And it doesn't have to be a stable one sided map but can be (my prefered favourite) an asymetrical RED only "Conquest" map to begin with where you start with just a small node of blue and work your way through capturing it. Personally I'd be wanting to marry this with CTLD to provide chopper incentives, especially troop drops to speed up captures and MOOSE Spawning system of aircraft attached to warehousing to provide an airbase system in the same way.

 

I've already got a small example of use done, whereby I simply stopped spawning Red once the Blue destroyed a bunker object. It was a permanent affair, not designed for tug of war like this, but inspired the concept.

 

I'll feedback how I get on doing an example and if anyone is interested in working with me on this then let me know, you can join IM in the AutoGFT Discord channel and discuss. Yes, whilst it might not create Tasks for you (that's another kettle of fish), it's a self sustaining, strategic oriented, conflict scenario that will play out with or with you or your friends until you complete it and really the success of your work impacts the outcome, rather than the *cough* stale, hey, here is 50 points, well done soldier approach.

 

If you find this useful, please rep Grommit as well since he gave us the tool.

[feefifofum]

Now you're cooking with gas, Pikey. Was wondering about some kind of functionality like this when the script was first announced.

 

Eager to watch this develop. :)

[gromit190]

So, in discussion with Grommit on this it looks like there's a massive part of gameplay looking to be exploited here with AutoGFT that for one reason or another has been overlooked thus far. This is is of warehousing, resourcing, dynamic campaign by extending the simple uses of AutoGFT into something more advanced.

 

And it's based on the simple premise that we shouldn't be looking at the autoGFT config file as a static file, but something you can change mid mission. I've already tested part of it and it works. Of course, why shoudn't it.

 

Firstly, what we missed.

If you declare the units TaskForce as a global variable, you can overwrite it mid session according to in game Scripting Engine conditions. So, I just manged to halt reinforcement by destroying a storage bunker in my own mission.

 

Code example:

redgrp2 = autogft_TaskForce:new()
:setCountry(country.id.RUSSIA)   
:addBaseZone("REDSPAWN")   
:startUsingRoads()   
:addIntermidiateZone("FARP1")
:addControlZone("FARP2")
:scanUnits("redgrp1")
:setSkill("Excellent")
:setRespawnTimer(300) 

 

Now, if you create a trigger in game with a condition of say...airbase is blue or unit destroyed you can add this:

 

redgrp2:stopReinforcing()

 

:thumbup:

 

Those amongst you not seeing the possibilities yet will need some further stoking at this point. Here we go with one possible use case:

 

The AutoGFT tool can now be used to flip resourcing and resupply of ground troops with the in game Airbase/Farp capture condition that DCSW uses.

 

1. Step 1. Create a bunch of warehouses, FARPS are great for this because you can place them anywhere as a node but they exist as a proper warehouse and use the DCSW "Flip mechanic" which means they can be captured and owned and that is a trigger that DCSW provides to the event system. For example, lets create two red ones, two blue ones. You could use Airbases also but they are wider spread.

 

2. Create a stable AutoGFT fed neutral combat for both sides, by this i mean a set of groups that attempt to capture each other's bases but can't succeed. Do this by providing more defending units, less attacking units. This will be the majority of your build testing. Ideally setup a mesh on paper of 4 grps per node, 2 blue, 2 red, 1 group to attack, one group in defence, for each side. The attackers should be headed towards other nodes. Don;t forget you can dynamically change routes using the same method above!

 

3. Step three, create SWITCHED CONDITION triggers for the BLUE side 'node flips' and the RED side node flips. Ie create a trigger that stops and starts the AutoGFT process at each node for both by using examples similar to above. This means that whilst the node is red or neutral, Blue can't spawn there and vice-versa.

 

4. Decorate the map and provide player slots in whatever modules you fancy. Desired outcome is that as a player, you help your ground troops by killing the other sides thus breaking the stalemate you first designed. So...you launch an A10, supply CAS and strike for blue troops advancing on red nodes. Blue troops capture the Red node, it turns blue, trigger kicks in, AutoGFT stops spawning red troops there and starts spawning Blue. These in turn defend and attack the last red node. Wow look, it's multiple capture the flags.

 

Obviously the complexity in changing the triggers increases with the amount of nodes. And it doesn't have to be a stable one sided map but can be (my prefered favourite) an asymetrical RED only "Conquest" map to begin with where you start with just a small node of blue and work your way through capturing it. Personally I'd be wanting to marry this with CTLD to provide chopper incentives, especially troop drops to speed up captures and MOOSE Spawning system of aircraft attached to warehousing to provide an airbase system in the same way.

 

I've already got a small example of use done, whereby I simply stopped spawning Red once the Blue destroyed a bunker object. It was a permanent affair, not designed for tug of war like this, but inspired the concept.

 

I'll feedback how I get on doing an example and if anyone is interested in working with me on this then let me know, you can join IM in the AutoGFT Discord channel and discuss. Yes, whilst it might not create Tasks for you (that's another kettle of fish), it's a self sustaining, strategic oriented, conflict scenario that will play out with or with you or your friends until you complete it and really the success of your work impacts the outcome, rather than the *cough* stale, hey, here is 50 points, well done soldier approach.

 

If you find this useful, please rep Grommit as well since he gave us the tool.

 

Cool! AutoGFT should be flexible enough for however you want to implement the task forces.

 

Firstly, what we missed.

If you declare the units TaskForce as a global variable, you can overwrite it mid session according to in game Scripting Engine conditions. So, I just manged to halt reinforcement by destroying a storage bunker in my own mission.

 

Just for the record, EasyEB asked about how to control (override) the task forces during the course of the mission before, here's the walkthrough how to do it:

 

That was quick, thanks!

 

What would I put in the trigger to stop the respawning? Maybe it's clear in the documentation, if so I apologize.

 

It's not very clear, but I can try to show you.

 

Firstly, you need to assign the task force declaration (in the script running on mission start, like the example.lua) to a global variable.

 

Current example

autogft_TaskForce:new()
 :setCountry(country.id.USA)
 (... more example code)

 

Change it to

myTaskForce = autogft_TaskForce:new()
 :setCountry(country.id.USA)
 (... more example code)

 

So now you have variable called "myTaskForce" which you can use later. So then you can add another trigger event, which calls this code

myTaskForce:stopReinforcing()

 

 

And the reinforcing/respawning for the task force should stop. If you want it to happen to multiple task forces you have to declare multiple variables (myTaskForce1, myTaskForce2, ...) and call "stopReinforcing" for each.

 

Hope this helps :)

 

I guess what would really help you would be to have some object that the task force "depends on". Like a base warehouse or similar. When the warehouse is destroyed, the task force will stop respawning. Or would you rather have some other condition for the task force?

Edited February 22, 2017 by gromit190

[Pikey]

So progress in working towards this slightly different use case has continued, albeit its required a beta version that can handle preventing spawn from the start and lots of switched cases and a new error to deal with. However the concept still seems achievable and hope to provide it when we can work out what crashes on the beta, very soon. It will be able to handle triggered spawning and stopping spawning whilst defining all the TF's initially in certain places.

[Wright_GR1]

this is a very interesting project! What sort of number of concurrent (alive and dead) units can you have on the map whilst keeping it stable and running nicely?

[Pikey]

There's no discernible difference in numbers of units that work between not having AutoGFT and having it, DCS has the limit and its unwritten and varies on lots of parameters.

 

The only thing that used to affect performance was long routing, which was solved a few patches back. SO other than that, the usual issues of multiplayer and moving units, exist. I'd never recomend any moving vehicles on something like a public server of 30 people or more.

[dooom]

having not played with Autogft, i am wondering if it is possible to airlift troops close to a combatzone and have them navigate and participate in the battle for control? Or do the battling troops HAVE to originate from the spawn/reinforcement zones?

[gromit190]

... do the battling troops HAVE to originate from the spawn/reinforcement zones?

 

If by "originate" you mean be created or spawned in, then no. AutoGFT will (if scripted to do so) take control of unit(s) that are located in a reinforcement zone, regardless of where the unit originated from.

 

So if you want to airlift your troops and make them battle with AutoGFT you can airlift the troops to a reinforcement zone, and have AutoGFT control them in battle.

Edited April 18, 2017 by gromit190

[gromit190]

Hi all,

 

I just finished version 1.9 for this project. A couple of new features:

 

Respawned units can now be "randomized", meaning you (the mission maker) won't know the exact number of units that will come during reinforcements.

 

Bases can now be "linked" to groups, meaning that you can put some buildings or static units in your mission that will make the base disabled when destroyed.

 

The project no longer uses MIST, now there will be no conflict of MIST versions when using this script with other scripts.

 

Release notes

* Added randomization of units

* Added "base links" feature, bases can now be disabled on destroying units

* Removed MIST from project

* Various improvements and bugfixes

Edited May 15, 2017 by gromit190

[IAF.AssafB]

Hi gromit and all,

Just an update regarding a weird, unresolved problem I've been experiencing when using Autogft in the past few months

(Reminder - all seemed to work great when on either SP or when running my own server, but once trying on MP, all script-activated units seemed to be unresponsive/missing)

 

well, after trying some more I believe I'm experiencing a DCS bug which was reported ~1 year ago by Flightcontrol

See #6 in the opening post

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=165254

 

It's extremely frustrating as I feel like I cannot use this on MP at all. After all how can I tell when a fellow airman is seeing the units, or experiencing the bug without even knowing about it until he's in the air and trying to hunt enemy units which he can't see...:mad::cry::no_sad::wallbash:

If there's any solution out there I don't know about it.

 

Thanks for the effort!

 

Assaf.

[Pikey]

Hi I tried to relate the possible bug to anything I have seen, and I couldn't. Sorry that's not helpful, but I think I need more info to help, like logs, your setup file form AutoGFT and the exact symptom.

 

Hi gromit and all,

Just an update regarding a weird, unresolved problem I've been experiencing when using Autogft in the past few months

(Reminder - all seemed to work great when on either SP or when running my own server, but once trying on MP, all script-activated units seemed to be unresponsive/missing)

 

well, after trying some more I believe I'm experiencing a DCS bug which was reported ~1 year ago by Flightcontrol

See #6 in the opening post

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=165254

 

It's extremely frustrating as I feel like I cannot use this on MP at all. After all how can I tell when a fellow airman is seeing the units, or experiencing the bug without even knowing about it until he's in the air and trying to hunt enemy units which he can't see...:mad::cry::no_sad::wallbash:

If there's any solution out there I don't know about it.

 

Thanks for the effort!

 

Assaf.

[gromit190]

Hi gromit and all,

Just an update regarding a weird, unresolved problem I've been experiencing when using Autogft in the past few months

(Reminder - all seemed to work great when on either SP or when running my own server, but once trying on MP, all script-activated units seemed to be unresponsive/missing)

 

well, after trying some more I believe I'm experiencing a DCS bug which was reported ~1 year ago by Flightcontrol

See #6 in the opening post

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=165254

 

It's extremely frustrating as I feel like I cannot use this on MP at all. After all how can I tell when a fellow airman is seeing the units, or experiencing the bug without even knowing about it until he's in the air and trying to hunt enemy units which he can't see...:mad::cry::no_sad::wallbash:

If there's any solution out there I don't know about it.

 

Thanks for the effort!

 

Assaf.

 

Hi Assaf,

 

 

Sorry to hear you're still having issues. We've been testing autogft with MP for some time now, and it has been working as it should.

 

Could you upload a (simple, minimalistic) example of a mission using autogft where SP works but MP doesn't so I can have a look at what happens?

[IAF.AssafB]

Hi Assaf,

 

 

Sorry to hear you're still having issues. We've been testing autogft with MP for some time now, and it has been working as it should.

 

Could you upload a (simple, minimalistic) example of a mission using autogft where SP works but MP doesn't so I can have a look at what happens?

 

Hi Gromit,

See attached,

After mission start, some red forces are spawned a few miles south of Maykop, heading generally north towards the city.

Near the city, some blue forces spawn and start heading south to meet them.

 

I tried this mission several times on 2 different servers (with me as client) and experienced the same issue from time to time (at least at one occasion it started some time after starting the flight, rather than straight away).

 

Any tip would be much appreciated,

Thanks for the effort!

 

Assaf.

MAYKOP UNDER ATTACK V1.0.miz

[gromit190]

Hi Gromit,

See attached,

After mission start, some red forces are spawned a few miles south of Maykop, heading generally north towards the city.

Near the city, some blue forces spawn and start heading south to meet them.

 

I tried this mission several times on 2 different servers (with me as client) and experienced the same issue from time to time (at least at one occasion it started some time after starting the flight, rather than straight away).

 

Any tip would be much appreciated,

Thanks for the effort!

 

Assaf.

 

Hi,

 

(sorry for the sporadic responses)

I tried hosting your mission (regular MP, not dedicated server), and I'm afraid I can't quite reproduce the errors you are having. Sorry.

 

If you want, could you perhaps make a perfectly minimalistic example of a mission that is not working as it should, run it, and post the log here?

 

 

(EDIT: typo)

Edited June 7, 2017 by gromit190

[SNAFU]

Hi Gromit,

 

do you experience trouble in 1.5.7 with the call:

 

:setCountry(country.id.RUSSIA)-- USA or whatever no response

 

in your missions? For me it doesn´t work anymore and my scripts stop at this line, while they worked previously. Just tried your latest 1.11 version here with the same results. Do you have a clue what might be the reason for this?,

 

PS: I cannot get your examples to work anymore, too. I atteched the miz. file where I try to use your random units example. Here the script stops at

 

:useRandomUnits()

 

attempting to get a Nil value. I atteched your examples.miz file below with the random units lua example.

example-1_11randomunits.miz

Edited August 20, 2017 by SNAFU

[gromit190]

Hi Gromit,

 

do you experience trouble in 1.5.7 with the call:

 

:setCountry(country.id.RUSSIA)-- USA or whatever no response

 

in your missions? For me it doesn´t work anymore and my scripts stop at this line, while they worked previously. Just tried your latest 1.11 version here with the same results. Do you have a clue what might be the reason for this?,

 

PS: I cannot get your examples to work anymore, too. I atteched the miz. file where I try to use your random units example. Here the script stops at

 

:useRandomUnits()

 

attempting to get a Nil value. I atteched your examples.miz file below with the random units lua example.

 

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for giving my project a go!

 

I took a look at you script "random-units.lua". Now, if you consider the following script:

 

autogft_Setup:new()
 :useRandomUnits()
 :setCountry(country.id.USA)
 :addRandomUnitAlternative(10, "M-1 Abrams", 5)
 :addRandomUnitAlternative(8, "M-2 Bradley", 2)
 :addTaskGroup()
 :addRandomUnitAlternative(5, "Vulcan", 0)
 :addBaseZone("SOME_BASE_NAME")

 

Each line here uses the result of the previous line to invoke a function.

 

But in the script in your mission there's other functions between the lines. So try removing the lines containing this from your script:

trigger.action.outText("Line "..string.format(debug.getinfo(1).currentline).." passed", 2)

 

If you want to show the debug info between each line, this should work:

 

local mySetup = autogft_Setup:new()
trigger.action.outText("Line "..string.format(debug.getinfo(1).currentline).." passed", 2)
mySetup:useRandomUnits()
trigger.action.outText("Line "..string.format(debug.getinfo(1).currentline).." passed", 2)
mySetup:setCountry(country.id.USA)
trigger.action.outText("Line "..string.format(debug.getinfo(1).currentline).." passed", 2)
mySetup:addRandomUnitAlternative(10, "M-1 Abrams", 5)
trigger.action.outText("Line "..string.format(debug.getinfo(1).currentline).." passed", 2)
mySetup:addRandomUnitAlternative(8, "M-2 Bradley", 2)
trigger.action.outText("Line "..string.format(debug.getinfo(1).currentline).." passed", 2)
mySetup:addTaskGroup()
trigger.action.outText("Line "..string.format(debug.getinfo(1).currentline).." passed", 2)
mySetup:addRandomUnitAlternative(5, "Vulcan", 0)
trigger.action.outText("Line "..string.format(debug.getinfo(1).currentline).." passed", 2)
mySetup:addBaseZone("SOME_BASE_NAME")
trigger.action.outText("Line "..string.format(debug.getinfo(1).currentline).." passed", 2)

[SNAFU]

Hi Gromit, thanks for taking a look. Did you test this with your modification?

 

Before I tried it and since it didn´t work I added the messages for debugging to find out where the script stops. I didn´t notice the :call for the new() function. Since it didn´t work out for me with your original example luas I am not so optimistic, but will try your correction.

Edited August 21, 2017 by SNAFU

[SNAFU]

Hi Gromit, works as advertised. Thanks for the great script btw. ;)

 

Didn´t notice that you changed the name of the functions somewhere along the change from 1.07 to 1.11. That was the cause for my trouble.

[gromit190]

Awesome! Yeah the function names and usage has changed quite a lot with the latest releases... Glad to hear it's working now

[Tyrannik]

Hi Gromit, having trouble getting your AutoGFT script to work.

 

Using the following code:

--Blue Ground Forces

autogft_Setup:new()

:addBaseZone("BLUE_BASE")

:addControlZone("OBJECTIVE_WEST")

:addControlZone("OBJECTIVE_EAST")

:setCountry(country.id.USA)

:setSkill("High")

:setSpeed(30)

:setMaxRouteDistance(5)

:setAdvancementTimer(300)

:addTaskGroup():addUnits(6, "Leopard-2"):addUnits(8, "Marder")

:addTaskGroup():addUnits(2, "Gepard"):addUnits(2, "M1097 Avenger")

:setReinforceTimer(300)

 

--Red Ground Forces

autogft_Setup:new()

:addBaseZone("RED_BASE")

:addControlZone("OBJECTIVE_EAST")

:addControlZone("OBJECTIVE_WEST")

:addTaskGroup():addUnits(8, "T-72B"):addUnits(10, "BMP-2")

:addTaskGroup():addUnits(4, "ZSU-23-4 Shilka"):addUnits(2, "Strela-10M3")

:setSkill("High")

:setSpeed(30)

:setMaxRouteDistance(5)

:setAdvancementTimer(300)

:setReinforceTimer(300)

 

Doesn't seem to work at all. Anything I'm doing wrong? I have the zones setup in the mission etc, but nothing is spawning, even after waiting the 300 seconds.