Cool man, thanks. The OPCOM's installations setting... Does that happen to only affect mission start?

I normally start with installations low and like 30 units in the isolated zone, but that reinforcements idea may be the long-term ticket.

I'm hearing more and more references to British Steel, so I'll def give that a look.

Thanks again!

-- Crap

So basically I have a mission that starts off with a small set of insurgent groups at one corner of the map with its AC and base area, and then I have say, a majority of the remainder of the map set up as objectives only.

I love the idea of the small groups going out into the map, and sewing seeds of discourse by creating installations like the recruitment centers, weapon depots, etc. but it seems like right from the get-go, at mission start, out there across the map, there are installations like this already in play. And those installations breed insurgents, and more and more groups are put out there, and in less than an hour it's like... Insurgents everywherrrrrre. Total saturation, with the original small insurgent groups having hardly stepped off home plate.

Is that by design?

And that's fine if it is, but the thing that I run into every time when playing with a smaller group across a pretty well-sized map, is that we go clear a town, we flush out the insurgents, we blow up the installations, we make some peace with the locals, and head to the next town over... Like 10~15 minutes will go by and another insurgent group has snuck back into said town, another installation or two has been formed. Another 10~15 minutes and the installation count has doubled yet again, and soon there's like 10 groups back on the streets and it's like we never shoulda' bothered.

It's easy to see that if we had a full server, with enough teams at play, that we could be just about everywhere all the time, but for a smaller group it seems like a never-ending, never-winning battle.

And in a way, that's plenty realistic. But has anyone here come across any particular ALiVE settings, or series of settings, that have worked for them in slowing the propagation of the asymmetric commander, just a bit? Or something in the AC logic that can be worked with to help delay reinforcement or the development of installations without getting rid of them completely? Perhaps a winning formula that cuts back the exponential multiplying of groups off of single installations/areas from over 9000, to something a bit more tame?

Best regards and thanks you for your time,

-- Crap

Had a mission tonight go about 4 hours, and without any sign of desync. But I do recall a time a few versions back when there indeed was desync after just about an hour or so. Same map, mostly the same mods, and similar ALiVE config.

The only major thing I can think of that is different, is that I'm not bothering with a Headless Client this time around.

Haha. The first thing I hear in tonight's session... "Hey, what's up with that square at base?"

It would be appreciated if it just hid those tiles inside the CQB blacklist zones, but no biggie.

Awesome highhead, thank ya. <3

Alrighty, further testing results...

Kunduz using ALiVE 1.0.1 -- Civilians spawn
Takistan using ALiVE 1.0.1 -- Civilians spawn
Kunduz using ALiVE 1.0.2 -- Civilians *do not* spawn
Takistan using ALiVE 1.0.2 -- Civilians spawn

So it does seem Kunduz specific, for some reason.

Repro mission: http://files.enjin.com/800160/test_missions/ALiVE_Kunduz_Repro.Kunduz.pbo.zip

Requirements...
@cba
@alive
@prkz (Kunduz -- No CUP requirement as Heroes points out, if testing Kunduz alone)

Basically the missions are simply the ALiVE (Required) and AI System modules, and the ambient civilian modules all at default/debug values for ease of troubleshooting. Additionally a Zeus GM module is on there to facilitate confirmation of the spawning. Single player NATO officer unit. Non-binarized.

Hopefully that helps.

I'll have to check out Massi's factions 'ere. His NATO/Russian SF weapons pack already sorta came and went for our group, but I'll bring it back if necessary.

You're absolutely correct about that, Heroes. Been running the A2 maps so long, that didn't even occur to me. Will keep it in mind for future troubleshooting and the repro mission for highhead 'ere.

And thanks highhead, heading over to the other thread now.

In further troubleshooting of a separate issue, I've made a couple observations that seem easy enough to reproduce...

1) Under both 1.0.1 and 1.0.2, the Virtual AI System module's Profile Speed Modifier value doesn't appear to save for me (3DEN). Every time the module is clicked on to edit, the value shows None.

2) On Kunduz, using CUP Terrains at least, no ambient civilians or civilian vehicles (regardless of faction) will spawn under 1.0.2 for me, but when I downgrade to 1.0.1, the ambient civilian assets spawn just fine. Under debug, the display of civilian zones seems all the same between the two.

Also, as a footnote, I was seeing (at least under 1.0.2 using the same map as above), the asymmetrical OPCOM was putting up Installations in really weird places, according to the debug markers. IED Factory markers tucked in the corner of a mud wall, for instance. A Recruitment center marker in the middle of a river, etc. Though maybe these markers were merely agents in transit to establish these Installations elsewhere?

Fun!

Y'know... In retrospect, I think my entire problem originally was yet again placing Objectives Only placement modules for the Asymmetrical OPCOM, without giving it an actual TAOR with troop spawns to begin with.

Derp.

The error message was more likely not the OPCOM claiming those faction names as invalid, but it simply not recognizing any placement of groups under those factions.

Now the fun thing is that I can get the factions to spawn groups now under both 1.0.1 and 1.0.2, but get this:

On the Kunduz map under CUP Terrain, I can't get any civilians to appear under 1.0.2, while it works just fine in 1.0.1...

Thanks for your help! Beginning new thread for this separate issue.

Ooh! It just came through. Love you guys long time.