Take On Helicopters: Sample Mission 2

Overview

This mission is designed to specifically build upon the techniques introduced by sample mission 1.

• Introduces users to scripting outside of the game
• Demonstrates the use of tasks
• Introduces some simple randomisation

Below you'll find a step-by-step guide to creating sample mission 2. Or you can find and download the completed scenario here! Note, unzip the file, and put the entire unzipped folder in: [USER]\Documents\Take On Helicopters\missions\

Text Guide

Continuing

1. Load the simple sample mission 1
   • This 'advanced' sample mission guide is designed to work from the simple mission (mission 1)
   • Load the mission, or, if you do not have it, either make it, or download the sample source.
2. Save the mission
   • Save the mission and rename it sampleMissonAdvanced
   • This will create a new save directory, so you don't overwrite your previous work.
     • note, this will only re-create the mission.sqm file in a new directory. If you had any other content in the original mission directory (like a script or text file), it would not be duplicated in the new directory, and you would need to manually copy it across.

Modifying the Mission

1. Unlink the helicopter
   • Desynchronize the heli from the heliport:
     1. Select the synchronize icon
     2. Click on the helicopter
     3. Click and hold the LMB (Left Mouse Button) and drag your cursor into empty space
     4. Release the LMB
2. Rename the Helicopter
   • In the 'Variable Name' field, type HSim_Heli
3. Move the player into the pilot seat
   • The player needs to be manually added to the helicopter's pilot seat
   • To do this, we use a script command
   • Double click on the Player and, in the 'initialization' field, type this moveInDriver HSim_Heli;

• 

  Unlink the helicopter

• 

  Rename the Helicopter

• 

  Move the player into the pilot seat

Using Script Files

1. Modify the Attach Waypoint Args
   • Double click on the Scripted Waypoint ('SCRIPTED (hsim_Player)') where you attach the cargo.
   • Change the 'Arguments' field of the attach waypoint to:
     [5, { [false] execVM "end.sqf" }]
   • Here, we're handling a failure condition, telling the game that - if the rope breaks - it should execute the scripts contained within 'end.sqf'
2. Create end.sqf
   • We need to create our script outside of the game, using our favourite text-editor.
   • Create a new document in [USER]\Documents\Take On Helicopters\missions\sampleMissonAdvanced\ and save it as'end.sqf'.
     • note, the file type must be '.sqf'; however, sometimes the security permission on your computer will create a file as '.sqf.txt'. Make sure you have the required privileges to change file extensions, and that it is saved in the correct format!
   • This script will control the possible endings for the missions by passing simple arguments to it.
   • In this case, they can be either true or false. True has the successful ending, false has the failure ending.
   • In the end.sqf file, Type:
     _HSim_IsSuccess = _this select 0; // Here, we're checking to see which ending was passed to the script. if (_HSim_IsSuccess) then // If _HSim_IsSuccess is true, that means the player has successfully landed. { [ "HSim_Land", "SUCCEEDED", false, // We do not want it to save the game as the mission is about to end. true ] call BIS_fnc_taskSetState; HSim_EndText = ""; // Since this is the correct ending, there is no need for any ending text. } else // If _HSim_IsSuccess is not true, this will be called. { { // We can apply these to multiple tasks, so we use the forEach syntax. [ _x, // This _x variable is where the game will automatically substitute the variables you use with forEach. "FAILED", false, // We again do not want the game to save as the mission is going to fail. true ] call BIS_fnc_taskSetState; } forEach ["HSim_DropOff", "HSim_Land"]; // These are the variables forEach is applying this code to. HSim_EndText = "The rope was cut!"; // Since this is not the correct ending, we do want text to be shown. }; titleCut [format ["%1",HSim_EndText],"BLACK OUT",4]; // This will black out the screen over 4 seconds. 4 fadeSound 0; // This will fade out all sound over 4 seconds. 4 fadeMusic 0; // This will fade out all music over 4 seconds. 4 fadeSpeech 0; // And this will fade out all speech over 4 seconds. sleep 4; // Now we need to wait 4 seconds for it to black out and mute. if (_HSim_IsSuccess) then { endMission "END1"; // End the mission with endMission and the proper ending if it is successful. } else { failMission "END2"; // Or fail the mission with failMission and the proper ending. };
3. Modify the Attach Waypoint Initialisation
   • We can handle assigning tasks in a cleaner way, by calling another script once we've successfully attached the crate to our helicopter.
   • Change the On Act.: line of the attach waypoint to: 0 = 0 execVM "attached.sqf"
4. Create 'attached.sqf'
   • Create another file in the \sampleMissionAdvanced\ Directory, this time name naming it 'attached.sqf'.
   • We're going to make use of the function BIS_fnc_taskSetState.
   • It too needs parameters passed to it, which are made-up as follows: ["task ID", "task state", saveGame, showTaskHint] call BIS_fnc_taskSetState
   • In the attached.sqf file, type:
     [ "HSim_PickUp", // In this case, the task we're focusing on is "HSim_PickUp". "SUCCEEDED", // We want it to be marked as "SUCCEEDED". true, // We also want it to save the game. true // And we want it to show the task hint. ] call BIS_fnc_taskSetState;
   • Next, we're using the function BIS_fnc_taskSetCurrent to assign the next objective to the player.
   • It has only one parameter passed to it, which is the ID of the task we wish to assign: ["task ID"] call BIS_fnc_taskSetCurrent
   • In the attached.sqf file, type:
     [ "HSim_DropOff" // In this example, we are going to set "HSim_DropOff" as the next task. ] call BIS_fnc_taskSetCurrent;
5. Modify the Detach Slingload Arguments
   • We want to force the player to maintain a stable hover to detach the cargo
   • To achieve this, double click the detach slingload waypoint and modify the 'Arguments' field to: [5]
6. Modify the Detach Slingload Activation
   • We want to handle updating the Player's tasks once the crate is successfully detached.
   • To do this, we'll call another script file, similar to the way in which we handled the task of attaching the sling-load
   • Change the 'On Act.:' line of the detach waypoint to: 0 = 0 execVM "detached.sqf"
7. Create 'detached.sqf'
   • Once again, create an .sqf file in the mission directory, names 'detached.sqf'
   • In the detached.sqf file, Type:
     [ "HSim_DropOff", // We want to focus on the task "HSim_DropOff". "SUCCEEDED", // We want it to be marked as "SUCCEEDED". true, // We also want it to save the game. true // And we want it to show the task hint. ] call BIS_fnc_taskSetState; [ "HSim_Land" // In this case, we want to make the next assigned objective "HSim_Land". ] call BIS_fnc_taskSetCurrent;
8. Modify the Land Waypoint
   • We want to trigger a script when we successfully complete the landing waypoint
   • Change the 'On Act.:' line of the land waypoint to: 0 = [true] execVM "end.sqf"
9. Create the Tasks
   • In the same mission directory, create another sqf file, called 'init.sqf'.
   • It is perfect for setting parameters before the mission properly starts, which is exactly what we're going to use it for.
     • note, the init.sqf is called automatically, immediately after the mission reaches the briefing screen. It processes all lines up to the first instance of a sleep or waitUntil command.
   • So far, we've placed triggers for scripts in the waypoints, which relate to tasks for the player.
   • We need to define these tasks, and add information, so the player knows what to do, using BIS_fnc_taskCreate.
   • Task create's parameters are made up like so: [unit, "task ID", ["task description", "task title", "GUI task title"], taskDestination, setAsCurrentTask] call BIS_fnc_taskCreate
     • Note: you can preview the function in the Functions Viewer under configFile >> All >> Tasks >> BIS_fnc_taskCreate
   • In the 'init.sqf', type:
     [ HSim_Player, // In this example, the task only has to be given to the player unit, HSim_Player. "HSim_Land", // Each task is given a unique ID to be referenced with later commands. In this case, it is "HSim_Land". [ "Land on the helipad once you have dropped off the crate.", // The task description. "Land on the helipad", // The task title. "LAND" // The GUI title. ], 3, // Here we're going to have it reference waypoint 3 belonging to HSim_Player, which will automatically hide the waypoint. false // And finally, we do not want it to be the current task just yet, so we set this to false. ] call BIS_fnc_taskCreate; [ HSim_Player, "HSim_DropOff", [ "Once the crate is successfully attached to your helicopter, fly it back to your heliport and drop it off safely.", "Drop off the crate", "DROP OFF" ], 2, false ] call BIS_fnc_taskCreate; [ HSim_Player, "HSim_PickUp", [ "Fly to the cargo ship and safely pick up the crate.", "Pick up the crate", "PICK UP" ], 1, true // We do, however, want this task to be the current task. So, we set this parameter to true. ] call BIS_fnc_taskCreate;

Finishing Up

1. Create the briefing.html
   • A single html file can be used to define all of the possible ending conditions for the mission.
   • Create an html file in the mission directory, naming it 'briefing'.
   • In 'briefing.html', type:

     <html>
     <head>
     	<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">
     </head>
     <body>
     	<h2><a name="debriefing:end1"></a><br>	<!-- here we are defining a particular mission ending -->
     	Mission Complete!
     	</h2>
     	<br>
     	<p>
     		You have successfully transported the crate back to your heliport!
     	</p>
     	<br>
     	<hr>
     
     	<h2><a name="debriefing:end2"></a><br>	<!-- here we are defining another (failure) -->
     		Mission Failed!
     	</h2>
     	<br>
     	<p>
     		The rope was cut!
     	</p>
     	<br>
     	<hr>
     </body>
     </html>
     

2. Randomize the Date
   • To randomise the date and time, we pass random parameters to the setDate command.
   • setDate parameters are made up like so:
     setDate [year,month,day,hour,minute]
   • At the top of the 'init.sqf' file, type:
     setDate [ date select 0, // We want to keep the current year. date select 1, // Keep the current month. date select 2, // Keep the current day. 7 + random 12, // But we want to choose a random hour. In this case, between 7AM (07:00) and 7PM (19:00) random 60 // And we also want to choose a random minute, in this case anything up to 60 minutes. ];