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Hosted Projects - Non-FreeSpace => MechCommander OmniTech => Topic started by: LeviathanChiken on March 28, 2011, 11:53:23 am

Title: Map Help thread.
Post by: LeviathanChiken on March 28, 2011, 11:53:23 am
Well since star suggested that i make a thread so here it is. Anyways i just started with mission one and its looking nice right now.
Heres some screens.
(http://img864.imageshack.us/img864/5079/80351363qhoz.jpg) (http://img864.imageshack.us/i/80351363qhoz.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)
(http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/5853/32012116.jpg) (http://img850.imageshack.us/i/32012116.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)
(http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/4317/70014712.jpg) (http://img577.imageshack.us/i/70014712.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)
(http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/7900/64402074.jpg) (http://img811.imageshack.us/i/64402074.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)
(http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/8987/68471790.jpg) (http://img708.imageshack.us/i/68471790.jpg/)

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Anyways how do i set starting places for say my team and set the mechs etc to guard or attack?
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: Starman01 on March 28, 2011, 12:15:01 pm
Quote
Anyways how do i set starting places for say my team and set the mechs etc to guard or attack?

The starting position will be set more or less automatically. It's the first unit of Team0 (player) that is placed on the map. If there is only one player units, it's place is the starting position. If you place more, the one posted the most earliest will be. Note, currently there aren't multiple starting locations possible, if you need something like that it's more like selecting units by moving to them (can explain to you if necessary).

For moving units (mechs and vehicles) that are controlled by the AI you must specify a so called brain file to them. Those must then be set manually into the missionfit file (atm there is no tool that is compatible with MCO for that, but hopefully we will be able to bind this as additional editor function in the future).

There are simple ones, like simply let the mechs guard a area, and when an attacker comes within activation range, they attack it. Also you easy specifiy patrolpaths and so on.

I will upload you a couple of brainfiles in a few hours from now on and a short info where to place it in the mission.fit file (This file can be edited with a text editor, but be careful what you do, otherwise your map won't load anymore.)
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: Starman01 on March 28, 2011, 01:54:05 pm
So, here are the abl files  (the unit brain files) I have in use. Note, not all work, but most should ;)

http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/downloads/abl.rar

And here some crash course how to edit that to a brain file to a unit.

You can edit the brain files easily with a text editor. Note the "fsm" name at the start. In the entire MCO installation are now two brainfiles allowed, that share the same fsdm. So start right, and make logical syntax name, makes it easier for you too (example : m1_unit12_walk)

In the editor, if you open the object editor you notice that each unit has a squad ID. (Note, you can have more than one unit sharing this ID, so you can all assign the same brain, I learned that too late :D)

Open your mission.fit file, and search for your object entry. Usually it looks like this (it's only the beginning part I post) :

Code: [Select]
[Warrior5]
st Profile = "PMWVeteran"
st Brain = "gg_Guard100m"
l NumCells = 3
l NumStaticVars = 0

Note the second line on top starting with "st Brain ". Simply enter there the name of the brain file (the filename, NOT the fsm name, if you make them differently), without the file extension.

Check the brain files, usually the stuff for editing is way on top. Usually you just have to edit squad ID's, waypoints or objective numbers (important, Objective 1 in the editor, is refered to as Objective 0 in the code or brain file, so be sure to count right and don't let it fool you :) )

Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: SaberUnit on March 29, 2011, 02:55:49 am
Can you set these brain files you posted in the links to actually perform "offensive" tasks like search and destroy functions?

I am downloading them now ATM and studying it; I am currently making my own campaign but got stuck in the AI functions. I wanted at least 4 factions fighting in the first mission of my campaign but I am still a newb (noob) in setting patrol paths etc etc and more importantly how to figure out to set the AI on the offensive so this thread is a great start for me to study the how's and do's of AI programming :)

thanks a bunch
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: Starman01 on March 29, 2011, 03:46:38 am
First off, 4 factions is afaik not possibile atm. I know magic was working on that, but I'm not sure if this is already in the code. If not, than there are only three factions possible. Player (team 0) , Enemy (team 1) , and allies (team 2-0 + neutral)

As for the brains, there are offensive brains in there too. With some minor code knowledge they can be even enhance more. There are brains for "move to destroy" or "move to capture" or "move to guard". :)
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: LeviathanChiken on March 29, 2011, 10:11:20 am
THe map is crashing when i load campaign what else do i need?
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: Starman01 on March 29, 2011, 10:46:21 am
Had the same problem too yesterday :) Have you set the mission to "single player mode" ? Is located in the top menu, "Mission/Mission setting", right side
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: LeviathanChiken on March 29, 2011, 10:50:14 am
NO i hadnt lol silly me. Will test in a min when im done with mw2 on MCO.
Still crashed.
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: Starman01 on March 29, 2011, 10:59:57 am
Any Error message ?
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: LeviathanChiken on March 29, 2011, 11:13:35 am
you asked for it:p

EXCEPTION : Attempt to read from address 0x6B6F6D5B in MC2REL! (+0xE7E43)
Address   : 0x004E8E43
Location  : MC2REL! (+0xE7E43)

(edited by starman)
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: Starman01 on March 29, 2011, 12:05:52 pm
The first lines are enough :) Stupid standard error message. Does it happen everytime ? When exactly ? When you click on the campaign button, or while the mission loading bar is shown ?
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: LeviathanChiken on March 29, 2011, 12:49:13 pm
happens when i click on my Cermak campaign and click load.
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: Starman01 on March 29, 2011, 01:17:58 pm
OK, and you have changed the mission to single player, right ? Please post your campaign fit file
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: LeviathanChiken on March 29, 2011, 01:50:36 pm
keep in mind im new to mapping for this game. IM a pro at making hw 2 maps.
http://www.mediafire.com/?0qw33076ppw27dd
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: Starman01 on March 29, 2011, 02:19:45 pm
Ok, I see the problem :) You haven't completed the campaign file. Technically you only created the header, but you haven't add any missions to it. Also, *.fit files are just textfiles for easy edit with a text editor, you don't need to upload that crap :)

This is, how a campaign file with two missions in two seperate groups must look like :

Code: [Select]
FITini
FITini

[Campaign]
b NameUseResourceString = FALSE
st CampaignName = "200 Test"
l CBills = 300000
st FinalVideo = ""
l GroupCount = 1

[Group0]
st Label = "1"
l NumberToComplete = 1
st OperationFile = "mcl_cm_op_sample"
st Video = ""
st PreVideo = ""
l Tune = 0
l MissionCount = 2

[Group0Mission0]
st FileName = "200_1"
b Mandatory = TRUE
st PurchaseFile = "purchase_All"
b PlayLogistics = TRUE
b PlaySalvage = TRUE
b PlayPilotPromotion = TRUE
b PlayPurchasing = TRUE
b PlaySelection = TRUE

[Group0Mission1]
st FileName = "200_2"
b Mandatory = TRUE
st PurchaseFile = "purchase_All"
b PlayLogistics = TRUE
b PlaySalvage = TRUE
b PlayPilotPromotion = TRUE
b PlayPurchasing = TRUE
b PlaySelection = TRUE
FITend

Do this :

Open your campaign file in the Campaign Editor again:

Click " add" to add a new group. A group is technically a "planet". Remember some of the missions from carver 5 where you can paralell select from two or missions on one planet ? That's a group. If you only want one mission for more linear line of order, make one mission per group.

"Operation file" is the planet map with the mission selection spots.

Click "add" again, so you can add missions to the group. You can now also control per mission if you want to have mechlab or if you want to allow after mission salvage etc. Click ok until you back at the first campaign editor screen, don't forget to save.

Also, here is original mechcommander editorhandbook : Download Handbook (http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/downloads/MC2_Mission_Editor.rtf)
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: LeviathanChiken on March 30, 2011, 02:08:09 am
Okay it loads now but only problem is that i dont have any c bills to purchase mechs but what i really want to do is start this group off with 5 mechs. Cermak stock , commando, raven, centurion, bushwacker, and jager. Also how do i set c bills?
Edit just realized how to do it aka cbill setting -_-.
Edit again
ran into another problem as soon as one of my mechs captured the mobile HQ instant mission failed :P
Okay fixed that and got extraction to work, also how do i set rewards for completeing objectives?
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: Starman01 on March 30, 2011, 04:58:09 am
Check the objektive window in the editor. In in the upper right, where you can set the logistic model. There is also the field for the mission reward , Field "C-Bills". :) This is the reward for the goal
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: LeviathanChiken on March 30, 2011, 07:39:03 am
how do i add in water cause i cant figure thatout --_-
Edit
Almost forgot to ask how do i create my own purchase file?
Edit
Just finished with mission one, would anyone like to try it and give feed back?
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: Karl on March 30, 2011, 02:08:03 pm
Yep upload it somewhere and people will download it!
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: Starman01 on March 30, 2011, 02:23:35 pm
Quote
how do i add in water cause i cant figure thatout

Well, make sinkholes in the terrain. Be sure that you know on which elevation you want to work. Then opens the water menu in the "others" topmenu. For the different values best check the handbook I posted. You can then set the evalation, which will be the water surface. Note : This goes for the entire map. So you cannot have one lake at the one side , and a deeper lying dry hole on the other side. Everything on the map below the water evalation value will be automatically filled with water.

Quote
Quote
how do i add in water cause i cant figure thatout

For the synthax, just check the ones included in the download. If you want two bushwackers available in the purchase, you need to enter the line doubled.

This purchase files will then be connected to a mission inside the campaign editor, and there in the group subpart. Seach for the line.

You can make new stuff available for the new mission, or (theoretically) over goals in a mission, but this practically broken afaik :) Need to test this.
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: LeviathanChiken on March 31, 2011, 04:23:01 am
IM currently working on base nomad and got the base it self up and the terrain etc but i was wondering how do i get enemy units to spawn at a certain time and then move to attack a specific structure en route and if intercepted by your units attack them? Cause i want some of the units to follow the same path they would take in MCG.
Edit
How do i give my team mechs off the start instead of buying?
Edit
base nomad is crashing while loading any ideas?
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: Starman01 on March 31, 2011, 11:24:16 am
Quote
IM currently working on base nomad and got the base it self up and the terrain etc but i was wondering how do i get enemy units to spawn at a certain time and then move to attack a specific structure en route and if intercepted by your units attack them? Cause i want some of the units to follow the same path they would take in MCG.

Theoretically, if you place them in the outside of the map in the blue fog, only one or two tiles (Careful : Crashing danger when moving with a selected unit in the outside) AFAIK there is also a way to "spawn" units, but this requires coding in the mission brain file, and I don't know if you can give them specific brains after that.

Quote
How do i give my team mechs off the start instead of buying?

Only way I know is, that this only works for the first campaign mission. THere you have to deselect the pre-mission logistic checks

Quote
base nomad is crashing while loading any ideas?

Just a guess :) If you don't get any error messages in the editor, and the game chrashes with about half the mission loading bar done, then it's most certainly a error in the script files (the vehicles brain files)

First, check if you have named them correctly in the mission.fit file. If so, start removing them until you find the one causing the problem. :pimp: :pimp:
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: LeviathanChiken on March 31, 2011, 12:20:39 pm
With regards to the brains i only used default ones aka when i placed the unit on the map thats what it got.
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: Starman01 on March 31, 2011, 01:52:40 pm
Well, that's usually the reason for a crash like this. If it would be a map problem (with goals or so, the editor would mock). Have you checked if you didn't make any typo in the mission.fit file while assigning the brain names to the units ?
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: LeviathanChiken on March 31, 2011, 01:54:04 pm
i didnt assign anything just default brains for the units that were put on the map.
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: Starman01 on March 31, 2011, 01:56:16 pm
Well, then you can only go the hard way. Make a copy of the finished thing. Then start removing items piece by piece, start by goals and other stuff. Maybe you placed items under water or something else. Sorry, can't give any better advice, that's what I would do now too :)
Title: Re: Map Help thread.
Post by: LeviathanChiken on March 31, 2011, 02:07:50 pm
regardless heres mission one for anyone that wants a look.
http://www.gamefront.com/files/20176871/data.rar
Im having trouble getting water to show right.