Example Code: Random Area Distribution

From left to right:

1. random radius
2. random position in a circle
3. Gaussian normal distribution

Originally from Commy2's forum post, also fully translated on Dedmen's sqf.ovh post.

1.56

Arma 3

ⓘ

• object getPos [distance, direction] has been introduced in 1.56
• Gaussian random [min, mid, max] has been introduced in 1.56

private _center = getPosATL player;					// disc center definition
private _radius = 50;								// radius definition

// random radius
private _angle = random 360;						// angle definition (0..360)
private _distance = random _radius;					// distance from the center definition (0..radius)
private _position = _center getPos [_distance, _angle];

// random position
private _angle = random 360;						// angle definition (0..360)
private _randomSquareRoot = sqrt random 1;			// random square-root to obtain a non-linear 0..1 value
private _distance = _radius * _randomSquareRoot;	// distance from the center definition (0..radius)
private _position = _center getPos [_distance, _angle];

// Gaussian normal distribution
private _angleHalf = random 180;
private _randomGauss = random [-1, 0, 1];
private _distance = _radius * _randomGauss;
private _position = _center getPos [_distance, _angleHalf];

1.03

Arma 2

ⓘ

• getPosATL has been introduced in 1.03

private ["_center", "_radius", "_angle", "_distance", "_offset", "_position"];	// private definitions
_center = getPosATL player;	// disc center definition
private _radius = 50;		// radius definition

// random radius
_angle = random 360;
_distance = random _radius;
_offset = [sin _angle * _distance, cos _angle * _distance, 0];
_position = [_center, _offset] call BIS_fnc_vectorAdd;

// random position
_angle = random 360;
_distance = _radius * sqrt random 1;
_offset = [sin _angle * _distance, cos _angle * _distance, 0];
_position = [_center, _offset] call BIS_fnc_vectorAdd;

1.00 1.85

Armed Assault / Operation Flashpoint: Resistance

ⓘ

• getPosASL has been introduced in 1.00

private ["_center", "_radius", "_angle", "_distance", "_offset", "_position"];	// private definitions
_center = getPos player;	// disc center definition - getPosASL can be used in Armed Assault
private _radius = 50;		// radius definition

// random radius
_angle = random 360;
_distance = random _radius;
_offset = [sin _angle * _distance, cos _angle * _distance];
_position = [(_center select 0) + (_offset select 0), (_center select 1) + (_offset select 1)];

// random position
_angle = random 360;
_distance = _radius * sqrt random 1;
_offset = [sin _angle * _distance, cos _angle * _distance, 0];
_position = [(_center select 0) + (_offset select 0), (_center select 1) + (_offset select 1)];

1.00

Operation Flashpoint

ⓘ

This is an SQS Syntax example.

private ["_center", "_radius", "_angle", "_distance", "_offset", "_position"]	// private definitions
_center = getPos player		// disc center definition
_radius = 50				// radius definition

// random radius
_angle = random 360
_distance = random _radius
_offset = [sin _angle * _distance, cos _angle * _distance]
_position = [(_center select 0) + (_offset select 0), (_center select 1) + (_offset select 1)]

// random position
_angle = random 360
_distance = _radius * sqrt random 1
_offset = [sin _angle * _distance, cos _angle * _distance, 0]
_position = [(_center select 0) + (_offset select 0), (_center select 1) + (_offset select 1)]