Question about group activation

[zamboni]

Earlier today there was a question about one of the stock campaign missions. (Push - 5-1). I opened up the mission in the editor and noticed that it was missing the group activation commands when you select the radio items for them to move.

 

It got me thinking on why they chose to do a group activation of the two groups. In that mission you get a slight pause as the groups spawn and are activated.

 

I was wondering why the columns couldn't be active on mission start at a pre-staging area, told to move and then hold at the first waypoint (have them reach that WP before the radio item ordering them to move will show up). Then when the radio item is selected, they proceed to their destination/next hold point. If you do it this way you wouldn't have that pause when the radio item is selected and the units activated. Is this because the designer is afraid the units may get destroyed too early? or is it something with mission planning that I am unaware of?

[DarkFire]

AFAIK there isn't a "hold at waypoint" condition for ground units (I think - I'm still immersed in FC2 and BS, only tinkering with A-10C as of yet). You could probably model this behaviour using triggers & conditions but it would get horribly complicated. Far simpler and easier on system resources just to have the units appear at their first waypoint.

[Grimes]

There are 3 main ways to 'spawn' land group actions.

1. Group Activate.

2. Waypoint or Triggered Holds

3. AI Off/On

 

Each is useful on their own and each has an advantage of some kind. Its all up to the mission designer to choose which one they want to use and why they want to use it. I typically use all 3. First I selectively activate what is to be in the mission at mission start, then I use either 2 or 3 to prevent the AI from going about their waypoints. I'll use option 2 if the AI are in an area players or enemy AI are likely to be so that they can defend themselves, and option 3 for if they are located someplace random.

[zamboni]

I guess it does come down to the mission writer's preference. I understand the spawning if you want to randomize the use and placement of some units...but in the campaign mission, they are part of the mission objective. In this one, halfway through they hold at a waypoint before being cleared to move further. Was just wondering why they couldnt have just be held at the beginning instead of being spawned in