Template Custom Radio Channels

[Jim]

Just cobbled together another mission using the template (thank you again 2600K) but couldn't see where the extra radio channels have gone to... Is there something I need to switch on?

Thanks

Jim

[Jim]

Doing a bit of trouble shooting to try to figure this out.

It looks as though the signals and extended radio channels do not work for IND/AAF from the template. Playing as either BLU/NATO or OP/CSAT in the Zeus_Server1-master.VR mission gives the Briefing > Signals tab.

Will keep poking about

[Jim]

In mission > radios.sqf there's lots going on for TFAR and ACRE but it seems that the names of the acre channels are called later on by f > radios > fn_radio_init.sqf

Since BLUFOR and OPFOR work fine it maybe _grpIND or f_var_chGuer which is causing the problems.

I recognise _grpIND from building _grpCIV but does anyone know where I'll find "f_var_chGuer" ?

[2600K]

For future reference - Your groups.sqf should only ever contain the necessary groups - Deleting unused side entries.

Server #2:
These channels are defined under mission\radios.sqf > f_radios_settings_longRangeGroups

Server #1:
By default, in a coop mission these channels used will be defined under mission\radios.sqf > f_radios_settings_longRangeGroups

The main issue with #1 is that you can only have a LIMITED number of custom channels (8 MAX), and the above is defined for all sides so you can quickly hit your limit and this really limits separate faction play. (probably why you're not seeing anything for IND, but your mission log file should be packed with errors). For this reason custom channels are not shown for non-coop missions.

All this works by f\radios\custom_init.sqf.

If you want to go further, you can have custom channels per side by adding the radio channel at the end of the group in groups.sqf like:

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["GrpBLU_ASL","Alpha","b_inf","A",_red,"Group1"],
["GrpBLU_BSL","Bravo","b_inf","B",_blue,"Group1"],
["GrpBLU_CSL","Charlie","b_inf","C",_green,"Group2"],
["GrpBLU_DSL","Delta","b_inf","D",_green,"Group2"],

There isn't any support for civilians as they generally mess with the AI (they won't ever be perceived as enemy if they engage due to setRating) and so I didn't imagine anyone requiring it. Should be an easy fix to add the check to f\radios\custom_init.sqf (add private _grpCIV = []; and add civs to the forLoop).


There isn't really much guidance for this aspect of the framework as it's effectively only had relatively little testing and not much feedback, was hoping that the default channels would be sufficient for the majority of cases.

[Jim]

Thanks 2600K.

Its on server 1.

The mission in question is co 48 At What Cost - where we have players IDAP (CIV purple), players AAF (IND green) vs AI FIA (BLUFOR blue). Though its true for any Template mission using IND players.

Because of the two factions do you think that reducing

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f_radios_settings_longRangeGroups = ["COMPANY", "PLTNET 1", "PLTNET 2", "CASNET", "SUPPORT", "LOGISTICS"]; // "NEUTRAL" is shared in ACRE.

to only

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f_radios_settings_longRangeGroups = ["PLTNET 1", "PLTNET 2", "CASNET", "SUPPORT"]; // "NEUTRAL" is shared in ACRE.

would work (giving 2 player factions * 4 custom channels = 8 custom channels total)? Or...

In f > radios > fn_radio_init.sqf

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// Create custom radio channels for base platoons.
if !isMultiplayer exitWith {};
if isServer then {
	private _sidePlayerGroups = []; private _grpBLU = []; private _grpOPF = []; private _grpIND = [];
		
	#include "..\..\mission\groups.sqf";

	f_var_chWest = []; f_var_chEast = []; f_var_chGuer = [];

is this last bit chGuer the culprit? Should it be guerilla? or independent? or am I clutching at straws?


A work around, (and maybe guidance for all missions) rather than a fix, would be to always set all the players to BLU (or OPF), dressed as AAF and use the IND FIA units or attach IND SL to each existing AI unit.

I managed to organise a _grpCIV and documented it at viewtopic.php?f=16&t=833#p7996. everything worked as expected except the custom radio channels.

[Jim]

2600K said:

The main issue with #1 is that you can only have a LIMITED number of custom channels (8 MAX), and the above is defined for all sides so you can quickly hit your limit and this really limits separate faction play. (probably why you're not seeing anything for IND, but your mission log file should be packed with errors). For this reason custom channels are not shown for non-coop missions.

Reducing the number of channels seems to fix it. Are the AI blufor faction hogging 6 of the channels for themselves?

[Jim]

As a work around I have added a three BIS Module Radio Channels and left the Template radio channels in the back ground.

Looking at the log files

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12:14:28 [F3] DEBUG (briefing.sqf): Running for: UnitAAF_REC_SP
12:14:28 [F3] DEBUG (briefing.sqf): UnitAAF_REC_SP side: GUER
12:14:28 [F3] DEBUG (briefing.sqf): Briefing for admin included.
12:14:28 [F3] DEBUG (f_showOrbatNotes.sqf): Running.
12:14:28 [F3] DEBUG (f_showOrbatNotes.sqf): Loaded.
12:14:28 [F3] DEBUG (f_showLoadoutSelect.sqf): Loaded!
12:14:28 "[F3] ERROR Custom channel 'PLTNET 1' creation failed!"  <- East channels (1 success, 5 fails)
12:14:28 "[F3] ERROR Custom channel 'PLTNET 2' creation failed!"
12:14:28 "[F3] ERROR Custom channel 'CASNET' creation failed!"
12:14:28 "[F3] ERROR Custom channel 'SUPPORT' creation failed!"
12:14:28 "[F3] ERROR Custom channel 'LOGISTICS' creation failed!"
12:14:28 "[F3] ERROR Custom channel 'COMPANY' creation failed!"   <- Guer channels start here
12:14:28 "[F3] ERROR Custom channel 'PLTNET 1' creation failed!"
12:14:28 "[F3] ERROR Custom channel 'PLTNET 2' creation failed!"
12:14:28 "[F3] ERROR Custom channel 'CASNET' creation failed!"
12:14:28 "[F3] ERROR Custom channel 'SUPPORT' creation failed!"
12:14:28 "[F3] ERROR Custom channel 'LOGISTICS' creation failed!"
12:14:47 Subgroup B Charlie 4-2:<No leader> (0xadbfd0c0) - network ID 2:3873
12:14:47  - no leader
12:14:47 Network simulation, time = 0.000
12:14:47 No speaker given for 
12:14:47  Mission id: 71089e770544ccc68de6fd27e62527accc0e787a

By placing a template blu unit and template red unit one can see that blu had all their channels, red had only one and green had none. Meaning that with my BIS channels I still had 7 custom channels. 7 into 3 goes twice with 1 remainder. So by reducing the number of available custom channels to just two
means that blu, red and green each get two custom channels.

I've tried reordering

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private _sidePlayerGroups = []; private _grpBLU = []; private _grpOPF = []; private _grpIND = [];

And commenting out

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missionNamespace setVariable [format["f_var_ch%1",_chSide], _tempArr, true];
	} forEach [
			[_grpBLU, west],
			[_grpOPF, east],
			[_grpIND, independent]
		];

_grpBLU and _grpOPF but this breaks things!

TLDR:
Independent side struggle to get custom radio channels. Reducing custom channels puts a sticking plaster on it.

[2600K]

Reducing the number of channels seems to fix it. Are the AI blufor faction hogging 6 of the channels for themselves?

Yes. If there ANY side has groups present in groups.sqf, channels will attempt to be created. Do you need the BLUFOR entries for tracking or something? Otherwise un-used groups should always be removed (watch the last commas).

[Smolof]

What exactly are you trying to achieve? After reading through the posts, I'm still not sure what the end goal is. (Maybe I'm just too tired)

[Jim]

Hi Smolof,

I'm probably not explaining it very well!

I'm working out why IND do not have access to the brilliant BRIEFING > SIGNALS > CUSTOM RADIO CHANNELS using the server 1 template.

2600K mentioned above (and its in the template files) that arma only supports so many von channels.

If you open the Server 1 Template and play the 'mission' in multiplayer as BLUFOR you will find on the map screen, under briefing, signals a page that allows you to join or leave 6 custom radio channels. Magic.

Now abort and reslot as OPFOR. Again go to the map and select briefing, signals. Some custom radio channels.

Now abort and reslot again, this time as INDEPENDENT. Map, Briefing,,,,, signals not there!

So If you wish to use IND in a mission using the template and for them to be able to better organise their comms using the individually joinable radio nets then you need to get down to some messing about in the sqfs.

All my rambling above are me thinking out loud, hoping that someone would know what the solution was!

My solution is to reduce the number of custom von channels, COMPANY, PLTNET 1, PLTNET 2, CASNET, SUPPORT, LOGISTICS to only CASNET, SUPPORT so that as the template assigns the custom channels to each faction (regardless of them being a playable faction in the mission or not) there's still some leg room for IND.

I did try re-ordering the factions but I wasn't able to make it chooch - hopefully someone else can as the custom radio channels are a great resource for the Commander and added something of S2 functionality to the comms on S1.

[Smolof]

Alrighty.

As I understand the code in custom_init.sqf, all you have to do is create grouplists for every side that gets custom radio channels. It doesn't matter what the groups are called.

Example:

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_grpBLU = [
	["GrpBLU_CO","CO","b_hq","CO",_yellow]	
];

_grpOPF = [
	["GrpOPF_CO","CO","b_hq","CO",_yellow]	
];

_grpIND = [
	["GrpIND_CO","CO","b_hq","CO",_yellow]	
];

You also need to make sure that the group does not define a custom channel. So dont put an extra parameter after the color.

The names of the custom channels are defined in the radio.sqf:

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f_radios_settings_longRangeGroups = ["Ground NET","Air NET"];

If this doesn't work i might be able to help you on the weekend.

[Jim]

Thanks Smolof,

I see what you mean but you've nudged me towards trying deleting the un-used _grpBLU and _grpOPF listings to free up some von channels. Hopefully that does the trick!

[Smolof]

I was able to test it now and my assumptions have been confirmed. If you want channels for a certain side, you have to make sure that side has at least 1 group in the grouplist in "groups.sqf". The other grouplists need to be empty if your channel number is too high. Meaning if you declare 8 custom channels, then ofc only one side will be able to get them since you ran out of channels for the other sides. If you want custom channels on 2 sides for example, you could declare 4 channels and fill 2 of the grouplists with groups.

[Jim]

Thanks dude! Got it working just now!