The new Cooperative multiplayer mode

[[Pb]Vapor]

Anyone know where we can get some more specific information on what this entails? 

 

From https://il2sturmovik.com/news/386/version-3001-launched-battle-kuban-officially-rele/ :

 

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Another important addition is the new Cooperative multiplayer mode. Together with the updated statistics system and other new features, it will give our customers who prefer multiplayer new exciting opportunities.

 

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The new Cooperative multiplayer mode is available along with the classic Dogfight;

 

Edited March 14, 2018 by FFS_Vapor

[JimTM]

Section 8 of the RoF Mission Editor Manual may give you some clues, but I don't know how much has changed in the new BoX version.

[No601_Swallow]

There's an example mission included, which should give us some clues. [But right now trying to run my old missions is my priority!]

 

Edit: Just looking at the example coop mission in the editor, it's 1) "cooperative" in the mission properties box, and 2) it looks like a normal SP mission. 3) I'm guessing that the "cooperative" mode allows players to jump in and "inhabit" the AI aircraft that the mission builder has placed in the mission. 4) Otherwise the mission looks normal enough.

 

I easily found the aircraft I'd taken over when I previously launched the coop. It had its AI level set at "Ace" (not "Player"). And it looks like any other AI aircraft, with waypoints, event links and report links, and a couple of wingmen (AI set to "High") target-linked to it. So if I hadn't taken it over in the coop lobby interface, it would, presumably, flown its waypoints like any other AI aircraft.

Edited March 14, 2018 by No601_Swallow

[[Pb]Vapor]

It could be very fun if we could have players enter into plane objects we have placed in a mission as players, for example what is done in SP.   Would be neat to spawn in a bay or hanger with a buddy.   Interesting concept to have a game just taking place but then allow players to enter at any time in place of any AI.

Pulled from the doc Jim referenced (in other words this is how it was implemented in RoF):

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In fact a coop mission is similar to single-player mission except for the following conditions:
- mission type (see 5.1.) must be “cooperative”;
- for the coop mission to work properly it needs to be saved to \data\Multiplayer\Cooperative\. There must be mission list-file (*.list) placed in the same folder;
- Only one primary task (see 7.7.5) can work (will be accounted as successfully accomplished) in a cooperative mission with settings: Primary Tasks/Order coalition =>Success, since with mission instruments in coop mode you can set only one winner – Order Coalition. Therefore if during a mission Translator:Mission Objective/ Order coalition =>Success doesn’t occur then Opposite Coalition wins automatically. The same restrictions apply also to Secondary tasks, therefore be careful, if there are several “Mission Objective/Order coalition =>Success” in a mission then the mission will count only one – the last one that occurred;
- if after Order coalition accomplishes its task there will be no alive players left in Order coalition then Lost will be automatically awarded to Order coalition;
- if there are no live players left in the mission then draw will be stated;
- for a plane to be available for selection in coop mission lobby “cooperative start” setting must be enabled in plane’s properties (see 7.3.1). This way you can set as airstart, so that ground start also;
- be careful when setting Default Camera Operator for coalitions (see 7.7.2). Don’t forget to set them – one for each coalition, so that players who’ll participate in the mission as spectators appear in the desired place of map after mission loading;
- don’t forget to set Translator:Icon properties correctly (see 7.7.3.);
- in coop mission there can be no plane with AI=Player (see 7.3.1.);
- if in coop mission a plane is not occupied by any player then after mission start this plane will fly as AI with AI level set as in mission settings. The rest: the whole logical mechanism of mission (operation of MCU, AI etc.) will work just as in singleplayer mission.

 

Which means my idea of SP spawns in MP is out most likely    Actually I take that back.  You could just have AI sitting on the AF waiting.

I also wonder, can you spawn into an inactive AI plane?  Or does it have to be enabled?

Edited March 14, 2018 by FFS_Vapor

[Habu]

Here are some informations :

 

If you want 10 players in a mission, you have to put 10 planes in the mission.

 

How to set the plane in the mission editor ?

 

1- Set the kind of mission to cooperative.

2- Put a plane in the mission and create Entity.

3- Go in the advanced properties of the plane.

4- Check the box cooperative, and set the level of the Ai on what you want, but do not use the settings player. Player is only to set a plane for single player.

 

 

You can create some group of plane which will be display in the lobby.

 

The group is based on the name of the plane (nothing else).

 

For exemple :

 

IL2 G01 01 wil be in the same group as :

IL2 G01 02

IL2 G01 03

 

But not in the group

IL2 01

 

You can link AI to the player plane, or be a wingmen of an AI. Ai must be set as in single mission.

 

As soon the mission run, nobody can join as a pilot.

Edited March 14, 2018 by Habu

[[Pb]Vapor]

Interesting, so the coop checkbox is the important factor.

 

Thanks for the info Habu!

[No601_Swallow]

Sorry! I missed that checkbox! But Vapor, I do think you can place the "AI" planes in any situation (eg. inside a hangar or in the air) at the start of the mission and players will be able to jump into them.

 

For my squadron, the big issue will be how to delete aircraft that are not used. Maybe we can set them with no fuel, and players joining the coop will have to manually set their fuel levels. Then, after the players have all taken off, any remaining stationary aircraft could be deleted. I think that would probably work.

[drivertwopoint0]

Anything in particular on ehas to do to host, cant seem to get it working. Always "unable to connect".

[Habu]

39 minutes ago, No601_Swallow said:

For my squadron, the big issue will be how to delete aircraft that are not used. Maybe we can set them with no fuel, and players joining the coop will have to manually set their fuel levels. Then, after the players have all taken off, any remaining stationary aircraft could be deleted. I think that would probably work.

I agree, it's the issue with that mode, because all planes non used by players take ressources.

[No601_Swallow]

9 hours ago, Habu said:

I agree, it's the issue with that mode, because all planes non used by players take ressources.

 

One method that I've just tried out is to have all aircraft delete after, maybe, 3 minutes, but give each aircraft an OnPlaneTookOff event link to a deactivate MCU which stops the deletion. 

[Habu]

Yep, but how do you know if a plane has a player or not, because, if you delete a plane where there is a player (i didn't test), is the player kick from the game ?

[No601_Swallow]

I don't give the aircraft any waypoints, so they'll just sit on the runway. The human players have 3 minutes to get into the air, otherwise they'll be deleted! 

 

Airstart would be more difficult. Perhaps give all aircraft no fuel, so the players have to set fuel levels manually before clicking "ready". Then the deletion could be triggered by an OnBingoFuel event? There'd need to be a safety feature (eg. stop any deletion after, say 5 minutes) in case any player ran out of fuel later on...

Edited March 16, 2018 by No601_Swallow

[56RAF_Roblex]

I know nothing about server design but could you make all pilots test their guns in the first five minutes and test to see if that has happened?

[[DBS]airdoc]

I 'm having trouble getting a coop to work.

 

I 've created a flight of Ju52 (assigned to axis, all AI) and a flight of spits (assigned to allies, AI). I clicked the cooperative start for all planes.

However, when I create the server, the aircrafts do not appear for selection. The mission just starts and aircraft behave as AI. When I try to join as gunner, no aircraft appear on the list.

 

Do I need to set a primary task for the coop to work? If so how do I o it?

 

any help is appreciated

 

EDIT1:

Here's a link to the mission folder : https://1drv.ms/f/s!ApxahBdLv24Tnmt-yRt4rA_CD2gy

 

EDIT2:

If I understand correctly, now with the mods on, one can create airfields anywhere in the map right? I see that I can copy-paste entire runways.

Edited March 17, 2018 by [DBS]airdoc

[Habu]

Did you set the kind of mission as Cooperative instead of single/dogfight ?

 

You have to enable all the plane.

 

I have no time to have a look on your mission, i have to go, but i will take a look later or tomorrow.

 

If you want, you have anexemple provide by the dev, you an open it. The mission is in the diretory Multiplayer/Coopertive

 

[[DBS]airdoc]

2 hours ago, Habu said:

Did you set the kind of mission as Cooperative instead of single/dogfight ?

 

You have to enable all the plane.

 

I have no time to have a look on your mission, i have to go, but i will take a look later or tomorrow.

 

If you want, you have anexemple provide by the dev, you an open it. The mission is in the diretory Multiplayer/Coopertive

 

 

Thanks Habu,

 

yes, all planes are enabled and mission is set as cooperative. But I haven't set mission objectives. I 'm not sure if this is the problem. Don't know how to implement them.

Edited March 17, 2018 by [DBS]airdoc

[Habu]

Ok i found the problem.

 

When you join a cooperative game, you choose a plane. But in your mission, there is no plane to choose. It's your problem. I'lll give you the answer in spoiler to give you the time to search with the help i gave you.

 

You don't need to set any mission objective.

 

Spoiler

The problem is you use a spawn trigger for the plane you want that player use. But when players join the game, as the planes must spawn, they don't exist in the game, so there are no slots for any players. You have to use Activate instead of spawn if you want that player can use it. A unit which will be activate exist in the game even if it's not activated. That's why an activate unit take more ressources than a spawn one.

 

I tried with an activated instead of a spaw, and it works.

 

Edited March 17, 2018 by Habu

[[DBS]airdoc]

Many thanks Habu. Now it works like a charm.

 

I have another question, if you don't mind. In the instructions it says that one can use a camera translate for each coalition.

Is there any way to make this a camera moving? If I create waypoints will it still work?

 

thanks again

[Habu]

No problem for the question, if i can answer i do it.

 

About the camera, it's a subject i don't know. i know that you can have a fix camera, or a moving camera when you join the game, but i never use it. About that, i can't help you, sorry.

 

Haashashin use it in its scripted campaign if i remember, you should check. Have a look on Jim's manual too, maybe he give some information about that.

[coconut]

Has anybody had problems joining coops in the yak7b and the spitfire? I tried with friends yesterday, and unless you are the host, it's a kick or a crash. Every time.

Edited March 18, 2018 by coconut

[Habu]

I'll check asap i have a second player.

[Tuesday]

On 18/03/2018 at 5:19 AM, coconut said:

Has anybody had problems joining coops in the yak7b and the spitfire? I tried with friends yesterday, and unless you are the host, it's a kick or a crash. Every time.

 

Did not have issues with the Yak 7b or the Spitfire - hosted a mission yesterday with 5 other people and all were able to join without being kicked or crashing.

 

 

One issue that I have come across is some missions I've edited / made do not appear in my list in game when I go to host a server. 

[JimTM]

On 3/18/2018 at 5:11 AM, Habu said:

No problem for the question, if i can answer i do it.

 

About the camera, it's a subject i don't know. i know that you can have a fix camera, or a moving camera when you join the game, but i never use it. About that, i can't help you, sorry.

 

Haashashin use it in its scripted campaign if i remember, you should check. Have a look on Jim's manual too, maybe he give some information about that.

 

Sorry, I tested the moving Camera Operator Translator using Camera Point Triggers but it did not work for me in the way described in the RoF Mission Editor Manual sections 7.7.2 and 7.8.2. My manual only describes the Camera Operator Translator with the "Default" setting.

[[DBS]airdoc]

5 minutes ago, JimTM said:

 

Sorry, I tested the moving Camera Operator Translator using Camera Point Triggers but it did not work for me in the way described in the RoF Mission Editor Manual sections 7.7.2 and 7.8.2. My manual only describes the Camera Operator Translator with the "Default" setting.

 

It doesn't work properly if you set a moving camera. I did the testing. Players spawn at the camera and once they hit F1 and go into the cockpit cannot go back with the F12.

If the camera has waypoints, players' view jumps back to the camera at each waypoint. So it's not of use for cinematic purposes. Only for some kind of intro.

 

EDIT:

Unfortunately, at COOPs, the pilots and gunners are missing from each aircraft. Also, one cannot use other people's Alt+F2 views when playing back a recording.

Edited March 19, 2018 by [DBS]airdoc

[JimTM]

16 minutes ago, [DBS]airdoc said:

 

It doesn't work properly if you set a moving camera. I did the testing. Players spawn at the camera and once they hit F1 and go into the cockpit cannot go back with the F12.

If the camera has waypoints, players' view jumps back to the camera at each waypoint. So it's not of use for cinematic purposes. Only for some kind of intro.

...

 

Did you try "External Fixed" option in camera operator. For what it's worth, here are my test notes from long ago:

 

External Fixed
 - View is behind and above the object specified in "First Object". First object can be the camera itself or any object on the map (even if the camera operator translator can't see it).
 - You can change the camera position to change the view. E.g., if you want the view at ground level, place the camera underground by some amount (try -80m).
 - The viewpoint moves in sync with the object specified. E.g., As the plane moves forward, the view moves forward.
 - Once you press F12 to view the next camera operator (assuming the external fixed is the only one) the view goes to the camera position, wherever that may be.

 

 

Edited March 19, 2018 by JimTM

[[DBS]airdoc]

2 minutes ago, JimTM said:

 

Did you try "External Fixed" option in camera operator. For what it's worth, here are my test notes form long ago:

 

External Fixed
 - View is behind and above the object specified in "First Object". First object can be the camera itself or any object on the map (even if the camera operator translator can't see it).
 - You can change the camera position to change the view. E.g., if you want the view at ground level, place the camera underground by some amount (try -80m).
 - The viewpoint moves in sync with the object specified. E.g., As the plane moves forward, the view moves forward.
 - Once you press F12 to view the next camera operator (assuming the external fixed is the only one) the view goes to the camera position, wherever that may be.

 

 

 

Thanks Jim,

 

This is essentially an Alt+F2 camera that is anchored at a non-modifiable position. I don't think that it has something extra to offer for cinematic purposes, but I 'll check it out.

 

cheers

 

 

[JimTM]

1 minute ago, [DBS]airdoc said:

 

Thanks Jim,

 

This is essentially an Alt+F2 camera that is anchored at a non-modifiable position. I don't think that it has something extra to offer for cinematic purposes, but I 'll check it out.

 

cheers

 

 

 

You can modify the camera position as per the second bullet in my notes above.

[[DBS]airdoc]

1 minute ago, JimTM said:

 

You can modify the camera position as per the second bullet in my notes above.

 

Ah, Missed it, thanks.

So would it be possible to create many different similar cameras, each anchored at an aircraft and rotate through them with F12?

[JimTM]

3 minutes ago, [DBS]airdoc said:

 

Ah, Missed it, thanks.

So would it be possible to create many different similar cameras, each anchored at an aircraft and rotate through them with F12?

 

I never tried but it sounds possible. We should probably take this conversation to a new thread if we need to discuss more. 

 

Cheers!

[Habu]

i think so too, it interrest me.

[[DBS]airdoc]

created new thread about it.