Jump to content

How to make ownside units invisible on map?


Furia

Recommended Posts

I am creating some scenarios where I would like ownside units icons (other than human controlled units) not to be displayed on the map, at least not until they have been properly and visually identified.

The idea is that the player sees a contact and MUST ID it before opening fire or not "like in real life". Of course I have set that the AI Crew DOES NOT SEE the enemy so no help from our little artificial friends there. :biggrin:

However my problem is that I want the map to "actualize" and work but that specific units not belonging to the human player "company" can not be seen in map 20km away.

It is possible to make them "invisible on map?

Thanks in advance :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is no function in game designed to do exactly that for you. But you could however do it by giving all the blue AI controled units radio damage at the start, and then make a route for them. That way the blue AI unit locations will only be updated at the start of the scenario, and their new location will only be updated once a human controled unit spots them. It's not exactly what you are looking for if i understod you correctly, but it's pretty close and it should achieve the same things more or less.

Just keep in mind that radio damage fixes itself every 5 or so minutes, so you need to repeat the damage for the duration of the scenario.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you're looking to create a target-ID situation, you might try equipping both sides with the same AFV.

The game gives you picture-perfect intel of where your guys are. So far as I know there's no way (currently) to change that. The work-around is to challenge the player by giving each side units which are identical in terms of what AFV are used.

For example, a scenario with tanks should give both sides M1s. A scenario with IPCs should give both sides Pizarros. A combined-arms OB should give both side the same vehicles; you get the idea.

It's true that you'll still have perfect intel on where your side is, but when you're the gunner and you have to decide instantly who's the enemy and who's not, you can make life Chinese-interesting for yourself.

I designed a scenario for TGIF which had identical tanks for both sides. Hilarity ensued.

You'll find also that the AI is (or was, could have been some changes made) not incapable of committing a fratricide. Since the release of 2.328 I've seen the AI do it to itself maybe a half-dozen times, and I don't play all that often.

Which is to say that I think you'll find that giving both sides the same vehicles will make things interesting. You might not get exactly what you're looking for, but you'll get very close.

Shot

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is no function in game designed to do exactly that for you. But you could however do it by giving all the blue AI controled units radio damage at the start, and then make a route for them. That way the blue AI unit locations will only be updated at the start of the scenario, and their new location will only be updated once a human controled unit spots them. It's not exactly what you are looking for if i understod you correctly, but it's pretty close and it should achieve the same things more or less.

Just keep in mind that radio damage fixes itself every 5 or so minutes, so you need to repeat the damage for the duration of the scenario.

Thanks!!

I came to the same conclusion but it is not what I wanted since now players can figure out they will find such and such type of units somewhere on the map but anyway it is good enough.

Thanks anyway :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
If you pre-damage the radios, and then move-to-end-if from a long way off the map, then they will arrive, sight-unseen.

The unit icon will be present, but so far off the map that the player couldn't notice it.

...or simply spawn them behind a hill after the mission has started so they don't appear in plain sight. That way you need not plot a route outside the map where you might run into obstacles or areas of difficult passage.

Radio damage that is set in the Status... Damage... menu will NOT repair itself during the mission, only after parking next to a repair vehicle. The downside to Radio damage is that these units can neither send spot reports nor request artillery.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...or simply spawn them behind a hill after the mission has started so they don't appear in plain sight. That way you need not plot a route outside the map where you might run into obstacles or areas of difficult passage.

Radio damage that is set in the Status... Damage... menu will NOT repair itself during the mission, only after parking next to a repair vehicle. The downside to Radio damage is that these units can neither send spot reports nor request artillery.

Doesn't "move to end if" teleport the unit to the next (first) waypoint? Is it required that the unit be able to drive there?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

With the "Jump to end" condition a unit magically teleports to the waypoint, correct.

But keep in mind that the Jump condition works only on those routes that come directly from the unit itself; they won't work if the route originates from a waypoint. If the jump condition is tied to a random variable only it will be executed before the planning phase, so the unit will already be in a nown position on the map.

I got the impression that this was not desired. In that case it may be a good idea to

  • create the unit
  • set ownership to Computer or Player, if...
  • set a Spawn, if... condition
  • Create routes, of which the ones originating from the unit can be combined with a Jump to end, if... condition

That way

- the unit will be invisible at mission start

- it may start at one of several different locations (can be randomized)

- all routes of this unit will remain invisible to the player (this only works if the unit is owned by the computer before you create routes from this unit).

Of course you still need to apply Radio damage to the unit so that it won't report its location and arrival at waypoints on the map screen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...