Arma 3: Advanced Hints (Field Manual)

Summary

Advanced hints are system of educative/informative hints. There are two place where you can see these hints:

• Field Manual - list of all advanced hints, you can open it from main menu or pause menu
• In Game - mission designer can call any advanced hint by function BIS_fnc_advHint

Specifications:

• There is a set of default advanced hints in the game. Players are able to add own hints.
• Hints can be related only to a mission, campaign or the whole game. Hints related to any mission/campaign are not accessible in other missions/campaigns.
• Showing of advanced hints in mission can be disabled by player in game options.
• If player creates its own hint in config, this hint is added into Field Manual automatically (hint just needs to be defined in the right class, see Config definition)

Calling of hint in mission

• Simple function triggered by the designer at any needed point in the mission flow
• Syntax: [classes, duration1, condition1, duration2, condition2, showing, onlyFullHint, onlyOnce, Sound] call BIS_fnc_advHint;where:
  • Classes - [Array] in format [main class, class] or [main class, class, sub-class]. Main class, class and sub-class are classes in a config (see Config definition part) that includes title, image, description text possibly including keybinds (html formatted); required parameter
  • Duration1 - [Number] An amount of time the SHORT version of hint is shown; optional - default 15 s
  • Condition1 - [String] A condition that hide the SHORT version of hint when becomes true; optional - default nothing
  • Duration2 - [Number] An amount of time the FULL version of hint is shown; optional - default 35 s
  • Condition2 - [String] A condition that hide the FULL version of hint when becomes true; optional - default nothing
  • Showing - [Bool] true show hint even if tutorial hints are disabled via game settings; optional - default false
  • OnlyFullHint - [Bool] true show directly the full hint without using of the short hint, optional - default false
  • OnlyOnce - [Bool] show the hint in a mission only once (true) or multiple times (false), optional - default false
  • Sound - [Bool] show hint with (true) or without (false) sound effect, optional - default true

Config

• System can read definitions from configFile, campaignConfigFile and missionConfigFile (so mission/campaign specific hints are possible).
• Hint must by defined in class CfgHints.
• There can be used sub-hint. Sub-hint is not shown in the Field Manual, but it can be called via BIS_fnc_advHint function. This way you can divide one hint into more hints for showing during mission.

Definition: class CfgHints { class InfantryMovement { // Topic title (displayed only in topic listbox in Field Manual) displayName = "Infantry Controls"; class SteppingOver { // Hint title, filled by arguments from 'arguments' param displayName = "Stepping over obstacles"; // Optional hint subtitle, filled by arguments from 'arguments' param displayNameShort = "Stepping over obstacles"; // Structured text, filled by arguments from 'arguments' param description = "Press %11 to step over low obstacle. Your %13 is %14"; // Optional structured text, filled by arguments from 'arguments' param (first argument is %11, see notes bellow), grey color of text tip = "The free look represents turning the head sideways and up or down."; arguments[] = { {{"getOver"}}, // Double nested array means assigned key (will be specially formatted) {"name"}, // Nested array means element (specially formatted part of text) "name player" // Simple string will be simply compiled and called, String can also link to localization database in case it starts by str_ }; // Optional image image = "\path\image_ca.paa"; // optional parameter for not showing of image in context hint in mission (default false)) noImage = false; // -1 Creates no log in player diary, 0 Creates diary log ( default when not provided ) // if a dlc's appID Number is used ( see getDLCs ) and the user does not have the required dlc installed then the advHint will be replaced with // configfile >> "CfgHints" >> "DlcMessage" >> "Dlc#"; where # is this properties ( dlc appID ) number dlc = -1; class SteppingOver_subHint { // Sub-hint title, filled by arguments from 'arguments' param displayName = "Stepping over obstacles"; // Optional sub-hint subtitle, filled by arguments from 'arguments' param displayNameShort = "Stepping over obstacles"; // Structured text, filled by arguments from 'arguments' param description = "Press %11 to step over low obstacle. Your %13 is %14"; // Optional structured text, filled by arguments from 'arguments' param (first argument is %11, see notes bellow), grey color of text tip = "The free look represents turning the head sideways and up or down."; arguments[] = { {{"getOver"}}, // Double nested array means assigned key (will be specially formatted) {"name"}, // Nested array means element (specially formatted part of text) "name player" // Simple string will be simply compiled and called, String can also link to localization database in case it starts by str_ }; // Optional image image = "\path\image_ca.paa"; // optional parameter for not showing of image in context hint in mission (default false)) noImage = false; // -1 Creates no log in player diary, 0 Creates diary log ( default when not provided ) // if a dlc's appID Number is used ( see getDLCs ) and the user does not have the required dlc installed then the advHint will be replaced with // configfile >> "CfgHints" >> "DlcMessage" >> "Dlc#"; where # is this properties ( dlc appID ) number dlc = -1; }; }; }; };

Definition notes:

• Only the first topic class is used from missionConfigFile and campaignConfigFile, all other topic classes are ignored. This class is renamed automatically to <Mission>. This applies only to the Field Manual.
• First item from arguments field in config is inserted in text via variable %11, second item via %12, etc.
• Variables %1 - %10 are hardcoded:
  • %1 - small empty line
  • %2 - bullet (for item in list)
  • %3 - highlight start
  • %4 - highlight end
  • %5 - warning color formated for using in structured text tag
  • %6 - BLUFOR color attribute
  • %7 - OPFOR color attribute
  • %8 - Independent color attribute
  • %9 - Civilian color attribute
  • %10 - Unknown side color attribute
• color formated for using in structured text is string: "color = 'given_color'"