Save feature feedback.

[Pikey]

To bring something new to this that only ED can do, I would want to see the routes and tasks that a player gave a unit via Combined arms, saved. This provides a complete RTS game, the ability to alter the battle, then save it, rather than watch all units sit still after saving because they no longer have their original route.

Similarly, the routes and tasks that are provided by scripting, should be saved, i.e. what the unit is currently doing, not what it was told at the mission start.

There's been so many methods to save unit positions over the years, so many people have had their take on this, including myself. Saving positions, is something. Saving the actual AI state (not even the scripting state, i'm not asking for that) is important because thats a fundamental requirement to restore the mission that we have never had. People don't really know how to ask for this because most of them don't understand about scripting, they just want to start where they left the game and cannot volcalize their needs because they wont know that the AI is just reusing the original mission file in the save game. If they move their carrier, save the game, they will be disappointed to find it sitting still with no route after loading. But even worse, if an AI commander is moving units, these all now stop and the battle is stationary.

The request is another request for the ability to getTasks() from an AI controller. There is no API for actually asking for the current task of a AI unit. Some people might be surprised to learn this, others dont really care because they assume soemone can fix something like that, they don't know the scripting API. With this API, the unit position can be saved, as before and then the units route and task can be reliably given back to the AI so it can move to where it was last sent, providing a dynamic save, one that keeps the movement and orders should they have changed. This allows scripting to work freely. Scripters still need to pick up their units control at mission start, but they dont need to task any of the groups. Doing that takes a lot of work in collecting the "orders" in a remote database and tracking all the orders for reissue.

I feel this has to be said because folks generally dont provide feedback at this level, so not providing this feedback allows anyone to assume that it wasnt wanted or needed, when it has been dearly wanted for many many years.


 

Edited August 12 by Pikey
tpyo

[antiload]

I love the save game option & the recent damage models staying on the battlefield. However, I don't understand the saved state features.

For example,

• My AWACS does not function when I re-enter the save game.
• Late activated aircraft on an action trigger are there but their waypoints aren't showing. 
• Any triggered actions, such as a convoy moving towards a target return to a late activation state, even when triggered as active in the original mission before the save.

Maybe I don't understand the concept of the saved game option and is still being developed.

Question: will original triggers work in the saved game if not triggered in the original mission?

 

Edited yesterday at 02:01 PM by antiload

[antiload]

@Pikey

Question: will original triggers work in the saved game if not triggered in the original mission?

Fyi - I tested to see if the un-triggered, triggers worked in the saved game & the do. 

[Pikey]

17 hours ago, antiload said:

@Pikey

Question: will original triggers work in the saved game if not triggered in the original mission?

Fyi - I tested to see if the un-triggered, triggers worked in the saved game & the do. 

This isn't related to the request or the post, but the way the save game feature works is it takes the mission file as it was originally, captures the unit placement at the time of saving, updates the route of the units as if they have been following their route (so you are in between wp 3 and 4 then your new waypoint on save is WP4 and your current position is WP0.) Wreckage is persisted (now). scripts and triggers and all ME settings are exactly the same as the original file, the only thing that changes is the positions and routes. However, this cant apply to anything you moved in combined arms or Game Master or Tacitical Commander, those routes are essentially lost and the unit will RTB if air or sit still if ground.
I didnt test scenery, I wasnt aware if that persisted I woudlnt be surprised if buildigns and briudges are handled.