The Possibilities of Triggers

[Grimes]

I like triggers, truth is I've be experimenting and learning as much as I can of the Black Shark ME in anticipation for FC2.0. So I've got a few idea's up my sleeve for possible scenarios, the thing is it's kinda opened my eyes up to the possibilities of what we can create for multiplayer.

 

So my question is, are you interested in any of these ideas...

 

1. Triggers used to keep Ground targets random, server also has similar status quo setup in terms of where ground targets are, and flight times.

 

2. Scalable Co-op missions made for large number of players. Requires teamwork to be successful, ATC and voice comms might also be highly recommended.

 

3. You enter a server flying the role you choose. The idea is to somewhat replicate R/L combat operations. For instance a CAP pilot doesn't stray from their cap zone unless they absolutely have to.

 

4. Triggers used to make it slightly more fair and prevent vulching.

 

5. Long Format tries to offer something unique at all times of play. Triggers could be used to randomly launch AI strikes against the enemy base and to keep the mission populated.

 

6. Take the best from FPS and RTS online gamemodes and bring em into LockOn. Black Shark had their TF2 like CTF mission with the game. Perhaps CTF doesn't fit perfectly with a flight sim, but protecting assets, controlling parts of the battlefield, and capturing an airbase do.

Edited March 20, 2010 by Grimes

[Moa]

Hell yes!

 

At the moment I'm working on a mission file parser (among other things). Initially this will be so we can gets stats FC2 (you need to parse the mission file, debrief log and network log to get all the information you used to get in the self-contained mp_log in FC1). Anyway, once we can read and write mission files we can then start to think about (in order of complexity):

* mission randomizer

* mission generator, and (ultimately)

* dynamic campaign.

 

Anyway, just being able to read and write missions is not enough. I noticed the triggers and flags code in the file and noted that I'd have to learn it all one day (once the basics are done). If you could share your wisdom it'd be excellent and move everyone a bit further along in capabilities.

[Grimes]

Well I often thought of creating a app to edit the miz file via text. Thats actually what I usually do whenever I have a ton of triggers or aircraft I need to copy and paste. But creating randomization in the mission is easy enough, 2 and 4 random conditions are easy enough. I just realized we are limited to 100 flags, although that might be just an editor limitation.

[Moa]

100 flags might be a limitation of the editor. It might even be a limitation of DCS, although I doubt it. It certainly is not a limitation of LUA itself.

 

I've finished parsing the 'options' part of the mission. After trying the ANLTR library I ended up hacking a parser myself in a few hours. I'm able to transform the representation between Lua -> Xml -> Java. (Xml useful for people who don't like to use Lua or Java, plus there are a lot of other tools out there, and you can validate against a schema).

 

For the mission file itself I can do Lua -> Xml conversion, but not yet to a Java object representation (since I haven't built all the objects yet). Once it's in Java manipulating the mission programmatically is possible (although there is more work to read the lua weapons tables etc).

 

Anyway, I'm keen to hear your ideas on how to do more with the triggers.

[Grimes]

The thread is also meant to stir discussion on gameplay mechanics that could be created with LockOn. As I see it all of those options are possible to create.

 

But PM on the way ^_^

[Distiler]

I'd really liked the Warbirds simulator continuous war. It was about capturing airbases. But we'll need some way of respawning dead groups are face the burden of putting in the map thousands of hidden groups replacing the ones dying.

[Moa]

A mission generator would handle 'randomization' of the mission (in a much more sophisticated way than possible through mere triggers). So triggers aren't needed so much for that.

 

Where triggers are handy is having the mission 'react' to circumstances that have occurred since the mission was started as a result of AI or player actions.

[104th_Crunch]

Great ideas Grimes. Really, all the options of different ways to use triggers you give as an option are really cool and creative. They show how we will have more options for interesting missions in 2.0 over 1.12. Personally while the Co-Op stuff is great, the PvP stuff is what I am looking forward to.

Edited March 20, 2010 by Crunch

[m0jo]

Grimes said:

1. Triggers used to keep Ground targets random, server also has similar status quo setup in terms of where ground targets are, and flight times.

 

Problem solved, I created a script to shuffle the position of grounds units. I will continue to work on this script to include a dynamic campaign

 

The files can be found at

 

I will create a thread tomorrow detailling the script

Edited December 31, 2023 by m0jo