[SCRIPT] [WIP] Convoys & Other Hits
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My latest project. I'd like to write a long post but I don't have the time, so you get a few snippets.
No links to download yet, but a video will come soon.
Summary
This script is a mission pack revolving hitting convoys with different goals. As simple as that.... initially.
Philosophy behind the script
The main idea has been, since the start of development, to provide the player with a mission system that gives three things at once.
- A chase/combat system that tests their abilities. AI has common sense, defined roles, and players will need to develop strategies for some of the harder missions.
- The system had to make use of Add-On vehicles, which add to the fun an help A LOT keeping the variety and replayability up.
- The ability to create your own missions and edit the existing ones however you like. Believe me, that's half the fun. Through experimenting, you can get pretty cool setups which are fun to fight against.
I've always despised the way some players tackle games, just bringing the biggest gun possible to the fight.
This script also aims to provide challenges which cannot be solved by brute force. The very thing you need to complete the mission is being driven by the enemies, so you will need a way to efficiently take them out without damaging it.RPGs or tanks wont work, and sometimes, an SMG burst won't either. Some convoys have huge ammounts of backup and WILL overwhelm you. Sometimes, not even an armored vehicle will be enough. But a few rounds of sniper fire, bringing your own backup, or disabling the escorts/backup so they cannot keep up with the chase, that can do the job nicely.
The script also plays on time windows, and its design favors quick, clean jobs. Sometimes, the best way to take a convoy out relies on a fast bike and a stopwatch.
The Missions
While the main procedure for the mission is hardcoded (convoy AI, mission progress, etc), the missions are actually xml files which define almost 100% of the content of the mission and the behavior of the mission entities.
I won't waste time explaining each option. Just take a look at an example of a mission file.
This allows me to create all kinds of setups for the player to go against. Hundreds of combinations can be defined there.From VIP convoys driving an actress to a movie to standard Vagos drug runs, prisoner transfers, Merryweather moving hardware to an unknown location, Humane Labs' van retrieving whatever to their base... The possibilities are, in a way, endless.
Here are some examples of missions I have defined already, 100% working as intended.
While all of that is nice and dandy, there are a few, limited, possible objetives for a mission. You can be asked to retrieve a vehicle, kill a VIP, rescue a person, to name some.
This defines the overall behavior and procedures of the mission, without compromising all the other details you defined.
For example, a Retrieve vehicle mission won't play like a Kill VIP mission, but Retrieve vehicle missions will have the same base procedure (get a hold of the car, drop it off at X location). All other details are still at play, so different Retrieve vehicle missions will vary thanks to that. You can be stealing a luxury vehicle from a rich man, preventing a dangerous military-grade car from reaching the wrong hands, retrieving a car being currently impounded, etc. Each one with the details all still applying, from the file I've shared earlier.The Convoys
A convoy consists of:
- Main vehicle: The vehicle holding the item/person you want.
- Cargo: The entity you want. It can be a person, an item, or another vehicle. It is always held in the main vehicle, even if its a vehicle in itself.
- Escort: Set of vehicles which follow or lead the main vehicle.
- Backup: Set of vehicles which will come to aid the convoy should the main vehicle be compromised.
All four have their own role in the mission and will act according to that. Including the cargo, if it happens to be a person.
Expect the main vehicle to avoid conflict at all costs while trying to get to their destination, while the Escort and Backup focus on the cargo's integrity. And lack of yours, hehe.Convoy Variants
Again, infinite. But I have a few examples of convoys I've already set up.
Not a full list by any means.
The AI
The convoys have a few AI tweaks to make them more competent at their job. This includes:
- Better pathing (read: can go offroad)
- Various driving maneuvers (ram, brakecheck)
And a few others I won't spoil.
Mod Support
The script can make use of add-on peds, vehicles and weapons.
I plan on fully supporting:- RDE
- Vanillaworks Extended
- DispatchWorks
- Dispatch of Variety
- Bolingbroke Penitentiary Prison Vehicles
This simply means you'll see those models used by the script.
By the way, that's support, not requirement. The script will work perfectly without any add-ons, but the missions which require those add-ons won't be able to be played.
Roadmap
- Mission procedures: 70%
- AI: 95%
- Mission spawner: 70%
- Dynamic mission injector: 0%
- Customization via XML: 70%
Release
In the future, don't know when.
I don't have much time to work on it and there's still a lot to be done.
Hope you like what you have read, depending on how well it goes I might release a testing version here for those interested in helping me iron out the bugs and issues. Not sure.
This is a big one for me, so I'm wary of script thieves and sneaky youtubers, and these kind of people. I've seen them at work already.
Any ideas for missions or gameplay elements are always welcome. Also modpacks to support.
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(link url)Thanks you , for the tireless work and effort you keep putting into making this the best it can possibly be.
Looking forward to following the development of this extremely promising ̶m̶o̶d̶ .... S C R I P T.
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Hehe, thanks!
Anyone reading, still working on it. I'm working closely with a few vanillaworks guys to help adding popular features and building ideas for convoys. I've set up a Trello board so people are better informed about what's being worked on, and the overall progress.
Check it out here. Go there to stay tuned daily, doesn't look like this thread is getting attention so I won't post much more here.
Pics of the progress.
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Finally managed to record a decent video. I'll probably try and make a trailer showcasing the main (and most fun) features of the script at release.
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Is this mission based only or can you find random convoys and just blow the door of the stockades? And I had the idea of using police stingers to stop the stockade like in the mission "the big one" that would be cool too
