Units not being placed where i put them

[toby23]

Hi there,

I'm trying to learn how to use the mission editor in ArmA2.
Every time I place helicopters on my map, they don't actually appear where i put them. They appear about 50m away from where they should be, what am I doing wrong?

I've zoomed right in on the map to place them by the hangars, for example, but they always appear outside the fenced runway area on the grass... ???

They also always appear with 2 units already onboard and I would prefer if they was only a pilot or gunner onboard, how can I define this?

I've been reading Mr Murray's excellent guide but it doesn't help me solve these problems.

Any help would be much appreciated, thanks.

[Manzilla]

Hi there,

I'm trying to learn how to use the mission editor in ArmA2.
Every time I place helicopters on my map, they don't actually appear where i put them. They appear about 50m away from where they should be, what am I doing wrong?

I've zoomed right in on the map to place them by the hangars, for example, but they always appear outside the fenced runway area on the grass... ???

They also always appear with 2 units already onboard and I would prefer if they was only a pilot or gunner onboard, how can I define this?

I've been reading Mr Murray's excellent guide but it doesn't help me solve these problems.

Any help would be much appreciated, thanks.

Is the helicopter grouped with any thing? If there's a line going from the heli to another unit then the heli is part of a group and will fall in to formation. If you see that line click F2 and left click and hold on the heli. Move the cursor a little bit off the heli icon then release the left mouse button. The line should disappear.

[JamesF1]

Alternatively, if they are grouped, you could just set them to not be "In Formation" (in the unit's properties).

[toby23]

Is the helicopter grouped with any thing? If there's a line going from the heli to another unit then the heli is part of a group and will fall in to formation. If you see that line click F2 and left click and hold on the heli. Move the cursor a little bit off the heli icon then release the left mouse button. The line should disappear.

Thx Manzilla,

I will try that tomorrow evening.
Yes there is a line going from my player unit to the 2 helicopters i included.
Maybe that's the problem!

Thanks for your quick reply..


Alternatively, if they are grouped, you could just set them to not be "In Formation" (in the unit's properties).

Thx James,

I thought that when I select 'In Formation' that that unit will follow me. For example, I am a pilot on the ground, I can enter a nearby AH-1 Cobra, take off and head towards my target and the other helicopter will take off and fly with me, like a support unit... Or did I misunderstand that?

[NeoArmageddon]

I thought that when I select 'In Formation' that that unit will follow me. For example, I am a pilot on the ground, I can enter a nearby AH-1 Cobra, take off and head towards my target and the other helicopter will take off and fly with me, like a support unit... Or did I misunderstand that?

No, its just the type of placing the Unit. "In Formation" will but the unit near its leader. "None" will do nothing. "Fly" will make a chopper or plane start flying and "In Cargo" will spawn an infantrieunit in a cargo of a transport in its group.

If you want an empty heli, you must place a heli with side do "empty" not "bluefor" or "opfor".

If you want a manned chopper to guard you, select "group" from the right menu und draw a line from the unit to you. This will make the unit to be a part of your team (group) and it will follow you

[JamesF1]

I thought that when I select 'In Formation' that that unit will follow me. For example, I am a pilot on the ground, I can enter a nearby AH-1 Cobra, take off and head towards my target and the other helicopter will take off and fly with me, like a support unit... Or did I misunderstand that?
As NeoArmageddon said, placing the units as 'In Formation' will put them in a basic wedge formation (in relation to the group leader) at the start of the mission. They will follow you (if they're AI), etc. as normal.

If you place them using 'None', they will spawn where you place them in the editor. However, if they're AI, they will still move to 'return' to formation unless you tell them explicitly to do otherwise (e.g. via a radio command, or via disabling their ability to move).

The other modes, 'Flying' and 'In Cargo' work exactly as NeoArmageddon described.

[toby23]

Thanks for your help guys...
I managed to ungroup the various units.

I have some new questions for you...

1. I can't work out how to add a single unit to an aircraft.
For example, I am a pilot on the ground and next to me is a flyable AH-1 with a Gunner already in it but not a pilot? How do I do that?

I would like to have specific units already in an aircraft, eg pilot but not gunner, so that the player can then enter as pilot but can fly with an active AI controlled gunner, for example...

2. Once I have placed a unit on the map as BLUEFOR, OPFOR, LEER etc I cannot change the type... is that right or is that a bug?

3. As hard as I try, using the HALT waypoint, I cannot get unplayable aircraft, eg F35, to stay still on the runway. They always start jerkily moving around... How can I fix a piloted but unplayable unit to a spot?

3. How can I add a troop unit on the ground that I can order around?
For example, next to the helicopter is a unit that I can order to get into the helicopter as gunner? (similar to the training mission)

Your help is much appreciated,
Thanks,
Toby

[Balschoiw]

I guess it would help to read some editing tutorials first as you will run from problem into problem.
Try this one: Mr. Murray Editing guide for Arma (http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=4847)
The basics for Arma 2 are the same as with Arma 1, so this tutorial should already help you alot.

[Sniperwolf572]

I have some new questions for you...

1. I can't work out how to add a single unit to an aircraft.
For example, I am a pilot on the ground and next to me is a flyable AH-1 with a Gunner already in it but not a pilot? How do I do that?

I would like to have specific units already in an aircraft, eg pilot but not gunner, so that the player can then enter as pilot but can fly with an active AI controlled gunner, for example...

2. Once I have placed a unit on the map as BLUEFOR, OPFOR, LEER etc I cannot change the type... is that right or is that a bug?

3. As hard as I try, using the HALT waypoint, I cannot get unplayable aircraft, eg F35, to stay still on the runway. They always start jerkily moving around... How can I fix a piloted but unplayable unit to a spot?

3. How can I add a troop unit on the ground that I can order around?
For example, next to the helicopter is a unit that I can order to get into the helicopter as gunner? (similar to the training mission)

Your help is much appreciated,
Thanks,
Toby

1. Place an empty helicopter and give it a name (i.e.: choppah), then place a unit which you want to be a gunner next to it, and type this in it's init field:

this moveingunner choppah

2. Working as intended, you cannot change sides for the already placed units

3. Remove the vehicles fuel.

?3?. Group it with yourself. Select the group tool and drag a line from the unit to yourself, make sure you're a higher rank than the unit you're grouping yourself with is.

And what Bals said.

[Odjob]

Thanks for your help guys...
I managed to ungroup the various units.

I have some new questions for you...

1. I can't work out how to add a single unit to an aircraft.
For example, I am a pilot on the ground and next to me is a flyable AH-1 with a Gunner already in it but not a pilot? How do I do that?

I would like to have specific units already in an aircraft, eg pilot but not gunner, so that the player can then enter as pilot but can fly with an active AI controlled gunner, for example...

2. Once I have placed a unit on the map as BLUEFOR, OPFOR, LEER etc I cannot change the type... is that right or is that a bug?

3. As hard as I try, using the HALT waypoint, I cannot get unplayable aircraft, eg F35, to stay still on the runway. They always start jerkily moving around... How can I fix a piloted but unplayable unit to a spot?

3. How can I add a troop unit on the ground that I can order around?
For example, next to the helicopter is a unit that I can order to get into the helicopter as gunner? (similar to the training mission)

Your help is much appreciated,
Thanks,
Toby

1. Place a empty heli named heli1, place a unit and in its init field: this moveincargo heli1. For a gunner use: this moveingunner heli1.

2. Correct, not a bug you have to delete and place a new one.

2. Several ways, one way is to set fuel to zero in its property, give a name eg plane1 and then use a trigger with init line: plane1 setfuel 1 when you want it to get flying.

[toby23]

thanks a lot for your help guys, much appreciated...

i'm working my way through mr murray's guide but it's a steep learning curve for me... i used to make missions for fsx and black shark and they are completely different so i just have to get used to this excellent game/sim...
I've never played Arma before, i only just discovered it...
Beats the cr*p outta crysis for realism :) (and crysis is one of my favourite games)
Thanks again...