Trying To Get AI Trucks to Follow Player Tank - Solution Found (I think)

[DD_Friar]

Salute.

I hope you all had a peaceful Christmas.

 

Your assistance would be welcomed please.

 

I am currently working on a scenario where I would like a column of AI trucks to "follow" the progress of player tanks.

I am building a dogfight map. What I have done so far is to have a group of AI trucks wait until a player enters a check zone. That check zone activates the first way-point. The trucks then set off until they reach the second way-point which is located near the check zone. 

I currently have them doing a "panic stop" with a formation command.

 

I then have another check zone further down the road, intending that when a players tank enters this zone, the Ai trucks will then "follow on" to this second staging point.

The third way-point for the trucks is not linked to the second one but does object link back to the lead truck and is activated by a player entering the Check Zone.

 

My issue is that the trucks will not continue on their way to the second staging point.

I have tried a "continue moving" formation command" and also a "vehicle off road column".

 

Is anyone able to advise on how I might be able to achieve this scenario?

 

Many thanks and fingers crossed we get a great map in Normandy for all sorts of exciting new tank missions!

Edited December 30, 2021 by DD_Friar

[Sketch]

I'm not sure you'll be able to get exactly what you want. You could try using a cover command...

 

Trucks activate -> Trucks move to waypoint -> Trucks get force complete -> Trucks get Command Cover to Player Tank

 

 

Or you could be sneaky sneaky, and have a second set of trucks that are children of the player tank. Remember anything a leader vehicle does, the children do to. Those second set of trucks would be deactivated the entire mission and only activate after the first set of trucks arrive at their waypoint. So you could make it appear like the 1st set of trucks and the 2nd set of trucks are the same set of trucks to the player, with a little bit of hiding and some quick-like deactivation/activation.

 

1st Trucks activate -> 1st Trucks move to waypoint -> 1st Trucks deactivate -> 2nd Trucks that are children of the player tank activate -> 2nd Trucks do whatever player tank does (and hopefully player has no idea that you've switched the trucks from one set to another)

 

[DD_Friar]

Salute @Sketch thank you for the suggestions.

 

As there will be more than one player tank, I don't think the linking option will not work. I think the only option will be to have a duplicate set of trucks, although not ideal as I was thinking of making them mobile rearm/refuel/repair units, if they got killed because the tanks did not fully secure an area before activating them the tanks would lose their RRR units.

 

I think sometimes I let my imagination run away with me!

[[DBS]Tx_Tip]

5 hours ago, DD_Friar said:

Salute @Sketch thank you for the suggestions.

 

As there will be more than one player tank, I don't think the linking option will not work. I think the only option will be to have a duplicate set of trucks, although not ideal as I was thinking of making them mobile rearm/refuel/repair units, if they got killed because the tanks did not fully secure an area before activating them the tanks would lose their RRR units.

 

I think sometimes I let my imagination run away with me!

No need to have duplicate sets of trucks.

Use a CMD: Behavior MCU to make the RRR Vehicles Vulnerable/Engageable at your discretion or set them that way right off the bat within their properties and forget about 'em

They will of course need a new set of waypoints and/or additional commands once you change them with the CMD:Behavior btw.

 

Good Luck with your Mission Design.

Happy New Year,

Tip

[DD_Friar]

Salute,

I think I may have cracked it!.

 

The trick seems to have been not using the command mcu and having the un-linked way-points on top of each other.

 

Please see the picture below.

Explanation:

The players tanks sets off from the start and drives to the first flag (just as a marker it has no roll in this logic). He enters the check-zone. The first check-zone is target linked to the first way-point to activate it. This gets the ai trucks moving towards the second way-point. When they arrive at their second way-point they stop.

The player can set off for the next flag at any time. When he gets to the check-zone it sends a target link to the third way-point to activate it (which is not linked to the second way-point). It also sends a target link to a deactivate command for the second and first way-points.

The ai then set off towards the next flag (following their new way-points.) they then stop when they get to the end of this route.

 

What this means now is that I can have AI RRR vehicles (one for fuel, one for ammo, an ambulance for health).

[DD_Friar]

Salute,

 

If you are interested, I have just made the mission I created around this scenario available in the Tank Missions section for download