Artillery in missions

[seedhe]

I have a very very basic demo mission of an artillery control interface here (http://hetherton.net/flashpoint/afsacs/afsacs_index.html), along with a few screen shots.

You direct the fire to the target using a dialog with two sliders to set the direction and distance relative to your own. The demo/test mission has dummy targets that can be played in SP or MP with 3 slots, not very imaginative I know but it gives you the basic idea.

[FSPilot]

Great! That's a lot of fun. Can you do it from a moving vehicle though? Maybe if you used another fixed position as your reference point?

[seedhe]

It can be used from a vehicle, and the relative position will be your position at the time you make the request. There is a line in the main script to prevent its use in a vehicle but I have commented it out (I didnt get to test it).

It could be easily modified so that you give the location relative to the "gun/s" or some other object but this would make it more difficult to use accurately. Id have to take a closer look but it would most likely be a change to one line.

[FSPilot]

What about a point and click interface on a map? From the artillery stories I've heard it seems to be more realistic (instead of giving them bearing/range from a certian position, they give them a grid coordinate and then adjust fire). Would that be hard to implement?

[seedhe]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">What about a point and click interface on a map?[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

I&#39;m pretty sure there are scripts available that allow you to do that.

This idea is "loosely" based on a method of controlling fire known as Polar. I found some information about it on a US army web site and went from there.

With the Polar method you identify the destination relative to your position then the adjustments are made relative to the initial round. So I didnt use the Polar idea in its entirety just the most convenient part. http://www.flashpoint1985.com/ikonboard301/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[FSPilot]

I&#39;m sure theres a whole art to calling in and directing artillery. Either way you did a great job. http://www.flashpoint1985.com/ikonboard301/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[radt]

hi,
i add news in my website&#33;

nice work&#33; http://www.flashpoint1985.com/ikonboard301/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Gonamies]

Very nice addon&#33;

Will it work in multiplayer?

Will the future versions include some kind of distance measuring device?


Thanks&#33;


http://www.flashpoint1985.com/ikonboard301/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[seedhe]

It works in multiplayer, see the readme.txt for details.

I wont be adding any way of measuring distances, as it is I think it is a little too user friendly from a realisim point of view. You could do this easily enough with the laser designator and a basic(?) script though http://www.flashpoint1985.com/ikonboard301/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

I have found with a little practice I will rarely need more than one or two marker rounds to get close enough to the target to be effective. Just keep in mind the grid on the map(when zoomed in) forms squares with 128 metre sides which are ~180 diagonally.

[lilwisper]

Doesn&#39;t your crosshairs give you your distance to target? You can use that to find the distance.

[Itchy]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (lilwisper @ Feb. 14 2003,19:38)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Doesn&#39;t your crosshairs give you your distance to target? You can use that to find the distance.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Only with a draganov...or if you are a commander and he&#39;s one of your own men who you have selected. http://www.flashpoint1985.com/ikonboard301/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[lilwisper]

That makes sense then. I usually use a dragonov when i play. It is such a joy to use. I can&#39;t wait to get a chance to try this artillery thing out.