Help making a repetitive troop transport script

[NakedSquirrel]

I am hoping to create some helicopter missions for MP that involve troop transport, but I don't want to actually add active AI entities to the map, at least not for very long periods of time.

 

I would simply use CTLD, but AI tend to cost quite a bit of resources when it comes to bandwidth and CPU, so I would really like to limit the amount of time they are actually on the map and active.  Static objects, on the other hand, are pretty much free (except for maybe the GPU load of rendering multiple 3d objects).

 

I have two scenarios in mind.

 

One is a simple evacuation/relocation mission, where helicopters ferry troops and civilians out of one area and drop them off at another designated point.  

 

For this, I figure I wouldn't really need AI, I could just activate/deactivate static objects using flags so the players can have a visual cue of their progress.

 

The trouble is I couldn't get the "Static Activate" trigger working, partly because I don't see any way to cue a static as 'late activation' and there isn't any static deactivate trigger.

 

I figured set internal cargo would work for this one, but I couldn't seem to get that working in MP.

 

The other mission is a simple "We Were Soldiers" style scenario where helicopters ferry infantry  and cargo to an area, and perhaps pick up some weight after landing to represent ferrying out casualties.  

 

For the drop off I could maybe use CTLD, but I'm not sure how to control/remove the spawned AI.  I guess I could find creative ways of murdering them by having them run off to the woods to triggered explosions or some unkillable units that can gun them down, but I would really just prefer to 'delete' them when they run out of view.  Trouble is to get them to run out of the LZ.  AI will sort of move to engage enemy, but I need something a little more elegant that isn't going to confuse AI door gunners and players.

 

Does anyone have examples or suggestions that I could use to create these scenarios?

 

I'm still pretty novice when it comes to .lua and MIST, so any help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

Edited June 25, 2021 by NakedSquirrel