@ual002 I have very, very VERY good news for you, I'd wager! ;-)

There is a ready-to-use script from Incontinentia for persisting all non-playable AI Teammates (position, health, equipment, ammo count), may they be editor placed or may they have been spawned & recruited by ALIVE or any other system. The script, however, requires you to to use ALIVE saving to make it work.

Here is the link to the Github Download page:

https://github.com/1ncontinentia/Incon-Persistence

And here the link to the BIS Forums thread where I discussed with the friendly & helpful author a few questions about his script:

https://forums.bohemia.net/forums/topic/198348-release-incon-scripts-a3/

If any AI temmate persisted with INCON squad persistence gets killed, he is gone for good/dead-is-dead-killed.

Since this DOES NOT work for playable AI units, I had to come up with a "duct tape/improvised solution" for them. If that's what you want to do, just ask and I post my clumsy workaround here - at least something that works for the playble units, even if my code is laughable and primitive.

Kind regards

tourist

@All: this year I gave the saving of custom variables a try (again!) but once more with no luck. I tried to execute the code from debug console running my mission on dedicated server. All the other ALIVE saving & loading operations work as desired. My intention is to save the variables/player stats from RAVAGE and Vandeason's Apocalypse and I used the code from the ALIVE WIKI for saving in local environment (saving set to local database). While each variant of the saving commands I executed returned "true" in the console window, none of the loading code variants had any effect. Hopefully someone here can give me directions on how to improve my code:

["hunger",_value] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;
_value = "hunger" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;  

["thirst",_value] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;
_value = "thirst" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;  

["radiation",_value] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;
_value = "radiation" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
 
["Vand_isbleeding",_value] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;
_value = "Vand_isbleeding" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;  

["Vand_blood",_value] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;
_value = "Vand_blood" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;  

["Vand_infected",_value] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;
_value = "Vand_infected" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;  


PACKAGE FOR SAVING TRIGGER OR DEBUG CONSOLE EXECUTION:

["hunger",_value] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;
["thirst",_value] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;
["radiation",_value] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;
["Vand_isbleeding",_value] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;
["Vand_blood",_value] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;
["Vand_infected",_value] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;

PACKAGE FOR SAVING NAMED VALUES TRIGGER OR DEBUG CONSOLE EXECUTION:

["hunger",_value_hunger] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;
["thirst",_value_thirst] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;
["radiation",_value_rads] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;
["Vand_isbleeding",_value_bleed] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;
["Vand_blood",_value_blood] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;
["Vand_infected",_value_infect] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;

PACKAGE FOR LOADING SAVEGAME TRIGGER OR DEBUG CONSOLE EXECUTION:

_value = "hunger" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value = "thirst" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value = "radiation" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value = "Vand_isbleeding" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value = "Vand_blood" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value = "Vand_infected" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;

PACKAGE FOR LOADING NAMED VARS SAVEGAME TRIGGER OR DEBUG CONSOLE EXECUTION:

_value_hunger = "hunger" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value_thirst = "thirst" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value_rads = "radiation" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value_bleed = "Vand_isbleeding" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value_blood = "Vand_blood" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value_infect = "Vand_infected" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;

ALTERNATIVE SYNTAX WITH [] PACKAGE FOR LOADING SAVEGAME TRIGGER OR DEBUG CONSOLE EXECUTION:

_value = ["hunger"] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value = ["thirst"] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value = ["radiation"] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value = ["Vand_isbleeding"] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value = ["Vand_blood"] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value = ["Vand_infected"] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;

OR

_value_hunger = ["hunger"] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value_thirst = ["thirst"] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value_rads = ["radiation"] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value_bleed = ["Vand_isbleeding"] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value_blood = ["Vand_blood"] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
_value_infect = ["Vand_infected"] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;

  

FIXED!

in most recent CBA patch! I have tested it yesterday after patch release in SWS.

Hi folks,

just wanted to share a piece of wisdom I gathered recently when trying to build a RAVAGE mission on the ATTOW non-indexed masterwork of mapmaking, Rosche.

First things first: I didn't have the intention to build a full ALIVE campaign of army vs. army or army vs. insurgents. Although I recall that a few versions back it was possible to get this running to some extent by placing custom objectives, I doubt this is working anymore.

But be that as it may, all I wanted was to make certain groups of editor placed AI groups persistent (i.e their losses/combat effectiveness) for storytelling needs in my mission which uses local saving. I did so by setting the VAI Module to "only virtualize synched units".

On an indexed map, this works perfectly with vanilla or mod units in SP or on the dedi server, but on a non-indexed map, even vanilla units don't persist - after loading the save on either SP or MP dedi, the groups were complete and in the same state as originally placed in editor.

IDK if this is important enough to justify a more thorough investigation by the Devs, but I hope to save other mission makers some headache by sharing this caveat you have to keep in mind when building missions on non-indexed maps.

Best Regards to all & Happy New Year!

tourist

Hi Sanchez & THX for your suggestion. Unfortunately if I put your code into init.sqf and set the task to "succeeded" by linking a task state module (set to "succeeded") with a trigger whose

CONDITION is

!alive hvt_1

and whose

ONACTIVATION result is

killed_hvt_1=true

Maybe I was still to stupid to understand when & from where to call the code you posted? Was init.sqf wrong?

The task completes immediately upon starting the mission. OFC I did rename the PBO and thus started a fresh ALIVE session for trying your code in order to avoid conflicts with the older ALIVE savegame made with a different "Life Hack/McGyvver/Duct Tape Style" of saving the killing event.

BTW, here I'm going to post this primitive way of checking for the kill - just in case. It's simply utilizing the fact that ALIVE saves always the player's inventory. Heros Survive has a skull that isn't a map prop but an inventory item. So I reflected the RL practice of proving a kill by showing a severed body part of the target to the superior officer/person who set out the bounty and placed a group of triggers which does the following:

1) Place target person & name him "hvt_1"

2) Place a BIS task module and then place a BIS task state module set to "succeeded" & synced it to the task module.

3) Sync the task state module to the 5th Trigger of the following setup:

1st TRIGGER:take_his_head_as_proof

CONDITION:

!alive hvt_1;

ONACTIVATION:

player addItem "herl_o_Skull";

2nd TRIGGER:show_head_as_proof

CONDITION:

"herl_o_Skull" in items player;

ONACTIVATION:

killed_hvt_1=true;

3nd TRIGGER:kill_him_again_by_showing_him_his_severed_head_so_he_HAS_to_believe_he_is_REALLY_REALLY_DEAD

CONDITION:

killed_hvt_1

ONACTIVATION:

hvt_1 setdamage 1;

COUNTDOWN 5-5-5

4th TRIGGER:bury_him_in_a_shallow_grave

CONDITION:

killed_hvt_1

ONACTIVATION:

deleteVehicle hvt_1;

COUNTDOWN 10-10-10

5th TRIGGER:report_your_torough_your_very_very_very_thorough_and_ultimately_successful_task_completion

CONDITION:

killed_hvt_1

ONACTIVATION:

nothing stated; 5th Trigger is synced to a BIS Task State Module that is set to "succeeded"

Tested with local saving & WORKS! after loading the save, playing some more, saving again, quitting game, starting game, loading ALIVE save.

Anyway, THX for your help so far & hopefully you can give me some more directions

Hi Devs & ALiVE Wiseguys,

I tried invain to save & retrieve a custom variable in the way the WIKI shows it. I use local saving from testing the mission in SP Editor mode. First I've built a classic BIS task with the modules and have a trigger which, upon the death of my Editor placed HVT (trigger condition: !alive hvt_1), sets the task as succeeded and sets the variable killed_hvt_1 to true. And also deletes him, to be sure: deleteVehicle hvt_1.

Ingame, I see the task as succeeded and the body vanishes.

Then I type this into the console:

["killed_hvt_1",_true] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;

The mission's init.sqf has this code:

_true = "killed_hvt_1" call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceLoad;
 
if (isnil "_killed_hvt_1" || {!_true}) then {
    // start script
    ["killed_hvt_1", true] call ALiVE_fnc_ProfileNameSpaceSave;
};

Upon loading the persistent save, the usual stuff like markers or player position& health, ammo etc. are restored correctly. But the wretched HVT has returned from the dead!

How can I save that kind of task state as custom variable?

THX in advance for any insights/ help!

@Riksen, HeroesandvillainsOS and Devs:

I have tried Riksen's suggested way and achieved an error message upon loading the ALIVE save. Sadly it flashed only briefly so I couldn't get adecent screenshot, but the word "data" was in it... ;-)

Would be so cool if that could be made to work, but I have to admit it's way over my head to figure out how to save & load the custom variables.

@all:

I have tested my above written idea on how to get the Reddiem vehicles into an ORBAT faction - with mixed results...

The good news are that I actually managed to get two different Reddiem vehicles into my faction. First I copied all autogen.hpp entries of a similar vehicle from another mod (BWMOD) which is known to be working and then I changed all classnames in the copied entry to the Reddiem vehicles. I did NOT delete the known working vehicles!

Finally I added them to some of the inf or mechanized inf groups as those group's vehicles. Now I have tested it in editor and indeed have working groups with the manually added vehicles while the other group that have BWMOD vehicles still work.

So, where's the problem?

Well, now I can't add ANY other vehicle to the ORBAT FAction when trying to edit it. Whatever vehicle I try to add, I always get an error message claiming that the base class 'turrets' weren't defined upon launching ARMA with a .pbo that

1) is based on the autogen.hpp containing the manually added Reddiem Vehicles

and

2) has afterwards been edited in the way that other vehicles like e.g. the CUP USMC motorbike are added to the faction

As soon as I delete the new entries resulting from the usual copy-pasting of the code into autogen.hpp and cfgpatches.hpp and repack the very same pbo, it works again and the error message is NOT thrown!

Also the Reddiem Marder IFV now incorporated in my ORBAT faction uses it's turret just fine if manned with AI. The Reddiem Fuchs MG cannot be used by AI, so that is to be expected. But the error message claims that the Marder turret had it's base class not defined - although THAT vehicle works perfectly with AI gunners after being added to my ORBAT faction!

Here are my files if anyone can spare the time to look at them; no need to load all the addons; just check if you can find a config error that prevents me fromadding any further vehicles after I added the Reddiem vehicles named "Marder" and "Fuchs"

https://www.dropbox.com/s/z360x9nvk891qry/tourist_orbat_troubles.7z?dl=0

@HeroesandvillainsOS & @Tupolov:

THX for your fast response! I have found out that ORBAT also created a folder named "bw_afg_hist" (without the quotes ofc) in my ARMA root dirrectory. In this folder the file "script_component.hpp" does exist, but isn't detected for some reason. Simply renaming this "bw_afg_hist" folder to something else also stopped the error from popping up & I can now use the old @BW_AFG_HIST folder again.

Will do my faction in one go today with the recommended autogen method then.

BTW, is there a way I can add mod vehicles that don't have a side or a crew like the Reddiem Bundeswehr APC's/IFV's?

https://forums.bohemia.net/forums/topic/210296-reddntank-vehicles/

Like, copying the code from a working APC entry and then change the classname to that of the Reddiem vehicle after exporting the faction which before exporting has other working APC or IFV classes (e.g. the BWMOD Puma & some vehicles from the BW Retex mods can be ORBATTED)?

@Devs:

I ran into a massive problem when trying to use the new "write to file" option. Had to quit the game before being completely done with editing an older ORBAT faction I had made into a .pbo:

1) Started game with all the mods that went into the old ORBAT faction plus the new mods from which I wanted to pull additional units

2) opened a mission with the ORBAT module placed, started it and went into ORBAT GUI

3) Chose to "Edit Faction"

4) Made a few edits, then selected "Full Faction to file"

5) Quitted the game

6) Came back to the game, only to see it fail on startup with the following message: "include file bw_afg_hist\script_component.hpp not found"

The name of my old ORBAT faction's .pbo is bw_afg_hist.pbo - but it IS ofc still present in the addons subfolder of the very same @BW_AFG_HIST folder I had used to load it up for editing it.

Where can I find this script_component.hpp file or where can I create it? Without it, I can no longer load the game with the old ORBAT modfolder active! Always get the above mentioned error!

THX in advance for any advice

tourist