[Collab] F2 - 2-7-0 - Better than Appletini!

[fer]

Success accrues to the Party, but we take personal responsibility for failure.

There's a obvious avenue to upgrade support, which is to slam much of F2 into an addon. My understanding is that ShackTac took that route when it developed STMF, which is their current mission framework (ST used to use a customised version of F2). This has very clear advantages in situations where you want to effect some kind of policy change, like giving everyone Aimpoints where once they had only iron sights, or changing the spectator script.

Another option is to become even more brutal about keeping each component of F2 standalone, but the way key files like unit.sqm and description.ext work makes that tricky at times. It also doesn't work too well with the SQM file unless ...

... we decouple the framework and template elements of F2. For example, ditch the pre-placed platoons from the core, and reduce the scope of the supporting marker and group ID components - then develop mission *templates* that take the core and implement specific platoons, markers etc. using a unique mission.sqm file and standalone configuration files.

I think it's a fair criticism of F2 that today it struggles to reconcile its official 'framework' and de facto [Folk] 'template' roles.

[Tigershark]

That was more or less where I was headed Fer. Both are valuable. But I wonder if they need to be decoupled or we can come of creative ways to decouple it without appearing like we have. I dunno. Was just spit balling.

Black mamba. Stop touching me.

[Black Mamba]

C'mon dude, it was just a gentle friendly touch.

Addons are always better in my mind as they offer a lot more possibilities (especially regarding retroactive changes and minor gameplay fixes).
Though they do get in the way of the no-addon policy on Folk. And believe, me, if there's one person that wouldn't mind having ninety-five addons to connect to a server, that's me. But I do believe the vanilla policy is a large part in the increasing playercounts you have. And the more players, the more people for Tigershark to rape in a dark chernarussian barn.

As for the decoupling thing, my idea would be to have some "default" configs inside the framework, that basically match the average Folk platoon, markers, loadout and other stuff. Then the possibility to include to the mission folder other configs files that would override the default on a per-mission basis. Those configs templates would of course have to be released.
I just thought, I think the DAC addon does stuff like that. Checks if the configs are in the folder , and if not backs to default.

[wolfenswan]

here's my suggestion for the vehicle loadouts.
If there are no objections I'll adapt all assignGear scripts.

note that it's TOTAL cargo items, interestingly ARMA doesn't take inventory size into account for vehicle cargo.

All vehicles are filled to the brim. The load outs are oriented along car->1FT, IFV->2FT, Truck->Squad. Truck carries a few more RAT rounds.

Code: Select all

// CARGO: CAR - room for 10 weapons and 50 cargo items
	case "v_car":
	{
		clearWeaponCargoGlobal _unit;
		clearMagazineCargoGlobal _unit;
		_unit addWeaponCargoGlobal [_carbine, 2];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_riflemag, 8];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_glriflemag, 8];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_carbinemag, 10];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_armag, 5];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_ratmag, 1];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_grenade, 4];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_smokegrenade, 4];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_smokegrenadegreen, 2];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_glmag, 4];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_glsmokewhite, 4];
	};	
	
// CARGO: TRUCK - room for 50 weapons and 200 cargo items
	case "v_tr":
	{
		clearWeaponCargoGlobal _unit;
		clearMagazineCargoGlobal _unit;
		_unit addWeaponCargoGlobal [_carbine, 10];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_riflemag, 40];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_glriflemag, 40];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_carbinemag, 40];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_armag, 22];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_ratmag, 6];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_grenade, 12];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_smokegrenade, 12];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_smokegrenadegreen, 4];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_glmag, 12];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_glsmokewhite, 12];
	};
	
// CARGO: IFV - room for 10 weapons and 100 cargo items
	case "v_ifv":
	{
		clearWeaponCargoGlobal _unit;
		clearMagazineCargoGlobal _unit;
		_unit addWeaponCargoGlobal [_carbine, 4];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_riflemag, 20];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_glriflemag, 20];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_carbinemag, 20];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_armag, 8];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_ratmag, 2];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_grenade, 8];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_smokegrenade, 8];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_smokegrenadegreen, 2];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_glmag, 8];
		_unit addMagazineCargoGlobal [_glsmokewhite, 4];
	};

Should there be preplaced 4x4/trucks in F2 with the gear scripts? Should all IFVs come with the F2 loadout? What about Transport helos? Similar to trucks or more?

[fer]

The load outs are oriented along car->1FT, IFV->2FT, Truck->Squad. Truck carries a few more RAT rounds.

That sounds like a sensible approach. Let's run with that.

Should there be preplaced 4x4/trucks in F2 with the gear scripts?

It probably can't hurt to place some for each platoon, but let's focus on the main part (it gets complicated quickly if we attempt to provide for attachments/JIPs):

• 3 x Truck (placed above Alpha, Bravo, Charlie squads)
• 1 x 4x4 (placed by CO/Medic)

Should all IFVs come with the F2 loadout?

Yes, this should apply to the pre-placed IFVs.

What about Transport helos? Similar to trucks or more?

My preference would be to shoot for truck-equivalent, but with a unique name so it can be tweaked easily by mission makers without impacting any trucks in the mission.

[Ferrard Carson]

The specific loadouts look good.

With regards to modifying pre-placed vehicles, I'd stipulate that we should have

• x1 4x4 for Platoon Command elements
• x1 4x4 per attachment
• x1 Truck and x1 4x4 per squad

This is to account for the way that on BluFor, only the CDF have a truck big enough to load a full-strength squad, MTVR's only carrying 12 n' all. With regards to providing vics for attachments, ya might as well. If the mission maker doesn't think they're necessary, then they'll go poof, but if they do, why not motorize the entire platoon in the most flexible way possible?

Re: Transport Helo loadouts - I think that might be more trouble than it's worth unless we start using our helos as more than insertion / extraction elements at the start / end of missions.

~ Ferrard

[fer]

Good point about the truck capacity for BLUFOR squads - but if it's ONLY those 3 factions (US Army, USMC and BAF), then let's not flood the other 9 factions with UAZs that they won't need. As for giving each attachment a 4x4, I think we could do that in one the planned templates (for motorised/mechanised), rather than in the base F2.

[Ferrard Carson]

Good point about the truck capacity for BLUFOR squads - but if it's ONLY those 3 factions (US Army, USMC and BAF), then let's not flood the other 9 factions with UAZs that they won't need. As for giving each attachment a 4x4, I think we could do that in one the planned templates (for motorised/mechanised), rather than in the base F2.

Fair enough on both points. Technically, the BIS_TK_INS faction (Takistani Militia) doesn't have any transport unique to them, but they can (and probably do) use TK vehicles without looking weird. It'd be a little immersion breaking for BLUFOR to ride around in Urals though

~ Ferrard

[Black Mamba]

unless we start using our helos as more than insertion / extraction elements at the start / end of missions.

I certainly hope that we do!
Although some kind of heliborne template would probably be better to handle those cases.

[Ferrard Carson]

unless we start using our helos as more than insertion / extraction elements at the start / end of missions.

I certainly hope that we do!
Although some kind of heliborne template would probably be better to handle those cases.

A Heliborne template would be pretty interesting... but hell on trying to get a good resupply loadout. The only helos with enough re-supply to support a squad or parts of a squad are:

• Mi-24 Hinds (all varieties)
• AH-11 Lynx
• CH-47 - BRITISH ONLY
• AW-101 Merlin
• MH-60S Seahawk
• UH-1Y Venom

Nothing else has cargo capacity worth a damn. Yes, that includes US Army Blackhawks and Russian / Takistani Hips. Even the US Army Chinook has 3 weapon-slots and 20 ammo-slots. Madness. Technically, you could do a VDV squad in Hinds and it would work, but that'd be a strange mission to balance.

~ Ferrard