Arma 2: Multiplayer Framework

This page is about Arma 2 and does not apply to Arma 3. In Arma 3, use remoteExec or remoteExecCall.

Multiplayer Framework (MPF or MPf) is a library that helps MP mission creation, regarding some commands' locality.

• library of scripts that are performing non-global script commands globally on network
• using publicVariable + addPublicVariableEventHandler (EH that fires for each publicVariabled variable on all clients - excluding calling client) + direct call on calling client
• easy use: R-commands match function of single non-global scripting commands (eg. MPF 'rHINT' call is doing 'hint' on clients)
• allows execution only on client where target object is local ("loc" switch)
• allows persistent calls - are performed on JIP client even if server processed given MPF call before client connected to game ("per" switch)

⚠

Do not overwrite RE variable in your missions when using MPF. Do not use rHINT, rSIDECHAT etc Identifiers (see library below)

Remote script execution (RE)

On all clients is public variable eventhandler that executes scripts that corresponds to less-than-100-percent-multiplayer-working script commands. One script for one commands, no string sending that will be compiled and executed for the sake of clarity and easiness of creating MP-friendly commands from the engine MP-unfriendly ones.

Function

1. Script remExWrite.sqf is called with parameters that says: who executes, upon who, [only where local and/or persistent], which scripted command and parameters for scripted command on target client follow
2. remExWrite.sqf writes in public variable remExField
3. Change in remExField triggers execution of eventhandlers on all clients in the network game (initialized in init.sqf), script remExServer.sqf interpretes remExField (remExFP resp.)
4. (if wanted) remExServer.sqf calls script (given as argument) on client that runs even handler

ⓘ

Remote execution executes script also on calling client (if "loc" flag set, or "loc" not set and object is local on caller client)

Usage

How-to

• Include functions module in your mission
• Wait for global variable "BIS_MPF_InitDone" to be defined (and true): waitUntil { !(isNil "BIS_MPF_InitDone"); };
• In scripts or FSMs call: _handler = [...] call RE; (syntax - see below; RE stands for remote execution)

Format

[nil_or_caller, nil_or_target_object, "loc", script_to_execute, par0, par1...] call RE;
[nil_or_caller, nil_or_target_object, "per", script_to_execute, par0, par1...] call RE;
[nil_or_caller, nil_or_target_object, "loc" + "per", script_to_execute, par0, par1...] call RE;

• "loc"...arbitrary parameter - executes remote script only on machine where nil_or_target_object is local
• "per"...arbitrary parameter - executes remote script even on JIP client connectiong *after* this RE call was executed in MP game
• script_to_execute - usually r + uppercase command (see available commands) e.g for hint: rHINT
• RE...remote execution (short for remExWrite.sqf)

Examples

Hint on all clients currently connected to the MP game:

[nil, nil, rHINT, "Enjoy the game."] call RE;

Hint on all clients currently connected to the MP game + executed also on JIP client just after connection

[nil, nil, "per", rHINT, "Enjoy the game."] call RE;

Hint on client where object miles is local:

[nil, miles, "loc", rHINT, "Miles is local here."] call RE;

Hint on client where number 0 from players group is local. If JIP client connects to this slot, he got also his msg displayed:

[nil, (units group player) select 0, "loc" + "per", rHINT, "Hint."] call RE;

Multiple parameters

[objNull, BIS_Rodriguez , "per", rKBADDTOPIC, "armstrongs_speech",  "kb\armstrongs_speech.bikb",  ""] call RE;

ⓘ

"kb\armstrongs_speech.bikb" here becomes (_this select 1) in kbAddTopic.sqf library script.

Implementation

• remExServer
• remExWrite
• library
• custom library (division to library and custom library introduced in Arma 2 v1.03)

Library + custom Library

• library - functionality of single non-global scripting commands
• custom library - enhanced functionality (eg. new parameters to scripting commands or more scripting commands triggered by one MPF call)

Available Commands

name	command	RE equivalent	Additional Information
addAction	addAction	rADDACTION
addMagazine	addMagazine	rADDMAGAZINE
addMagazineCargo	addMagazineCargo	rADDMAGAZINECARGO
addWeapon	addWeapon	rADDWEAPON
addWeaponCargo	addWeaponCargo	rADDWEAPONCARGO
addWPCur	N/A	rADDWPCUR	takes object and for his group on his local sets current WP
animate	animate	rANIMATE
callVar	N/A	rCALLVAR	(1.03) - calls code that is stored in variable on client
clearMagazineCargo	clearMagazineCargo	rCLEARMAGAZINECARGO
clearWeaponCargo	clearWeaponCargo	rCLEARWEAPONCARGO
createDiaryRecord	createDiaryRecord	rCREATEDIARYRECORD
createSimpleTask	createSimpleTask	rCREATESIMPLETASK
createTaskSet	N/A	rCREATETASKSET
debugLog	debugLog	rDEBUGLOG
deleteWP	deleteWaypoint	rDELETEWP
enableSimulation	enableSimulation	rENABLESIMULATION
endMission	endMission	rENDMISSION
execFSM	execFSM	rEXECFSM
execVM	execVM	rEXECVM
fadeMusic	fadeMusic	rFADEMUSIC
fadeSound	fadeSound	rFADESOUND
failMission	failMission	rFAILMISSION
globalChat	globalChat	rGLOBALCHAT
globalRadio	globalRadio	rGLOBALRADIO
groupChat	groupChat	rGROUPCHAT
groupRadio	groupRadio	rGROUPRADIO
hint	hint	rHINT
hintC	hintC	rHINTC
JIPexec	N/A	rJIPEXEC	custom scripting functions
JIPrequest	N/A	rJIPREQUEST	requesting JIP (RE persistent commands) from server by executing this via RE (on server) - parameter: logic local on client
kbAddTopic	kbAddTopic	rKBADDTOPIC
kbReact	kbReact	rKBREACT
kbRemoveTopic	kbRemoveTopic	rKBREMOVETOPIC
kbTell	kbTell	rKBTELL
land	land	rLAND
move	move	rMOVE
moveIn	N/A	rMOVEIN	can replace moveInDriver, moveInGunner, moveInCommander, moveInCargo
playAction	playAction	rPLAYACTION
playActionNow	playActionNow	rPLAYACTIONNOW
playMove	playMove	rPLAYMOVE
playMoveNow	playMoveNow	rPLAYMOVENOW
playMusic	playMusic	rPLAYMUSIC
playSound	playSound	rPLAYSOUND
removeAction	removeAction	rREMOVEACTION
removeAllWeapons	removeAllWeapons	rREMOVEALLWEAPONS
say	say	rSAY
setCaptive	setCaptive	rSETCAPTIVE
setCurrentTask	setCurrentTask	rSETCURRENTTASK
setCurrentTaskArrays	N/A	rSETCURRENTTASKARRAYS
setDate	setDate	rSETDATE
setDir	setDir	rSETDIR	caution: often gets overwritten by the server, tied to setPos
setObjectTexture	setObjectTexture	rSETOBJECTEXTURE
setSimpleTaskDescription	setSimpleTaskDescription	rSETSIMPLETASKDESCRIPTION
setSimpleTaskDestination	setSimpleTaskDestination	rSETSIMPLETASKDESTINATION
setTaskState	setTaskState	rSETTASKSTATE
setWPdesc	setWaypointDescription	rSETWPDESC
setWPtype	setWaypointType	rSETWPTYPE
showCommandingMenu	showCommandingMenu	rSHOWCOMMANDINGMENU
sideChat	sideChat	rSIDECHAT
sideRadio	sideRadio	rSIDERADIO
skipTime	skipTime	rSKIPTIME	bad
spawn	spawn	rSPAWN
switchAction	switchAction	rSWITCHACTION
switchCamera	switchCamera	rSWITCHCAMERA
switchMove	switchMove	rSWITCHMOVE
taskHint	taskHint	rTASKHINT
titleCut	titleCut	rTITLECUT
titleText	titleText	rTITLETEXT