Ponton bridges - help needed

[LotusDragon]

Hello,

I tried to recreate some historic battles along the suez channel and I wanted to set up ponton bridges.

Any ideas if there are some mods which could help here? So far I have found nothing to create ponton bridges.

The only solution I found is to use single helipads. This seems to be the only structure, which I can place on the water.

Units can even drive on it, but the AI pathfinding does not work here. Just for amphibious units it is possible that they also drive over the immersed helipads accidentaly, while driving through the water.

[LotusDragon]

This is how it should look like:

Edited July 10, 2023 by LotusDragon

[Coupon4Coffin]

In order to make AI vehicles pass through water, you have to add this line:

canSwim = true,

or/and

canWade = true,

to the GT_t.CH_t.[vehicle name] table in the vehicle's database.lua (which means that you can edit only mods, not dcs vanilla vehicles)

In regards to static objects, you can make them position on water by having these lines:

SeaObject    =     true,
 isPutToWater =  true,
 positioning  =     "YES",
 classname    =  "lOilPlatform",

in the table that defines the object in the database.lua

example:

local function add_structure(f)
    if(f) then
        f.shape_table_data =
        {
            {
                file          = f.ShapeName,
                life        = f.Life,
                username    = f.Name,
                desrt       = f.ShapeNameDestr or "self",
                classname     = f.classname   or "lLandVehicle",
                positioning = f.positioning or "BYNORMAL"    --available: {"BYNORMAL", "ONLYHEIGTH", "BY_XZ", "ADD_HEIGTH"}
            }
        }
        if f.ShapeNameDestr then
            f.shape_table_data[#f.shape_table_data + 1] =
            {
                name  = f.ShapeName,
                file  = f.ShapeNameDestr,    
            }
        end
        
        
        --f.mapclasskey = "P0091000076";
        f.attribute = {wsType_Static, wsType_Standing} -- if 'attribute' == nil then insertion will be aborted
        
        add_surface_unit(f)
        GT = nil;
    else
        error("Can't add structure")
    end;
end

add_structure({
    Name          =  "myPontoon",
    DisplayName  = _("Pontoon"),
    ShapeName     =   "myPontoon",
    Life         =  1000,
    Rate         =  100,
    category     =  'Fortification',
    SeaObject    =     true,
    isPutToWater =  true,
    positioning  =     "YES",
    classname    =  "lOilPlatform",
    })

 

[Hawkeye60]

I created a tank which will deploy a pontoon bridge.

 

 

[LotusDragon]

@Coupon4Coffin @Hawkeye60 Thanks for the great answers! I have not made any mods myself so far, but I will try if I can implement these modifications.

And I will try out this ponton laying tank now! Thanks a lot for the link.

[LotusDragon]

The M60 bridge tank is great! I will try to modify a copy of it, so that it is floating and can start in an extended state.

[LotusDragon]

@Hawkeye60 I added the 'canSwim' property to the M60. Now I can drive or place it in the water. But I can not controll how to unfold the bridge.

Is there an option or a command to do this?

[Hawkeye60]

Yes, use it like a cannon.

Fire at point.

Do not make the point too far away or it may not deploy.

Takes a bit of experimentation to get it right.

Sadly, the bridge can not be left behind.

I am not sure how to go about doing this,

If I make it a weapon, it will explode, destroying the tank! LOL

Need to think on that.

And  have the bridge do bridge duties!

Allow any vehicle to traverse it.

If you could drive across that is the goal

Makes river crossings a thing!

[Hawkeye60]

Found this model on Sketch Fab.

Came without any textures.

But THIS is what we are looking for!

Early look.

WIP

So far, no vehicle will use it.

We will see what can be done.

Stay tuned!

 

 

 

[NRG-Vampire]

10 minutes ago, Hawkeye60 said:

...So far, no vehicle will use it... 

  ( AI or human ? )

IMHO, just made/add a simple double-sided collision model as a roadway of the bridge (from the original 3D model) 

 

Edited July 24, 2023 by NRG-Vampire

[LotusDragon]

@Hawkeye60that would be great to have a working bridge. 

With the M60 Bridetank I have the problem, that it does not stay unfolded on the suez channel. I trigger the animation with fire at point and its constantly folding/unfolding. Maybe the water is too large and it needs to reach the bank?

[Hawkeye60]

You may have placed the fire at point location too far away.

It is tricky to get right.

Let me see about getting the pontoon bridge above working for river/canal  crossings.

 

[Hawkeye60]

Try this.

I still see the ai avoiding it and driving around.

But see if using CA you can drive across.

I added a collision shell and damage code to match.

I also added a wooden version for WWII

Up-dated the textures as well.

Do not get wet!

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/g9onsydbxms9dsmqbnq1f/Pontoon-Bridge-V1.0.zip?rlkey=u1v9v4abzfbcf08po446q0txl&dl=0

 

 

 

[NRG-Vampire]

1 hour ago, Hawkeye60 said:

...I still see the ai avoiding it and driving around...

Unfortunately AI is not smart enough to discover and use later-added bridges.  Needs predefined RoadNetwork/Routes (files) 

Edited July 27, 2023 by NRG-Vampire