Journal entry: An assassination near the bus terminal

[Dweller_Benthos]

Got a cell call, someone wanted someone else dead and was willing to pay for it. I took the job, figuring it might as well be me getting the money. And, if you've lived your life in a way that I'm sent after you, I figure you deserve it. It's not me.

The target was in a convoy, trying to stay ahead of whoever might be after him, moving all the time. Luckily, my employer had placed a GPS tracker in the target's car, and I knew exactly where he was at all times. So much for security by motion. I had my map marked with the convoy's itinerary

[smg id=4810]

This was almost too easy.

I took the 9:15 bus out of the south, and slept most of the way there. Bus travel isn't always (ever?) the most glamorous way to travel, but it beats crossing 50 clicks of open country in a truck getting shot at by whoever feels the urge. Rolled into the bus station around noon. Got off the bus and walked around back for a leak and a smoke. Took out my GPS and found my target was going to be riding right past the front of the station. More luck. I let the convoy go past to check out the security. One escort in front, heavily armed truck with a grenade launcher, will have to be careful of them. Then the target vehicle, two guards in front, and the target in back sitting pretty as can be. Then, another escort vehicle armed with a 50cal.

I decided to let them go by and then set myself up on the rocks behind the bus station and see if I could snipe the target with a single AS50 round and make it a clean kill. I could have just as easily set mines along the road and taken them all out with a single push of a button, but where's the fun in that? I didn't get a chance though, sometimes fate hands you a dirty stick, sometimes you get a free ride.

I was waiting for the convoy to get out of range before I headed up to my sniping post when I heard brakes squeal and a truck stop. I saw in the distance the other two vehicles continue on down the road and out of sight. Strange, I wondered, what happened? I didn't have long to wonder, as I heard a sound of footsteps outside the deserted bus station. I snuck a peek out the door and saw a merc carrying an AK47 looking up the hill. Well, can't have that I thought and dropped him with a few rounds of 30cal. I waited some more and then his buddy appeared and also ate some 30cal lead. So much for a single shot ending this mission, I thought.

I wandered down the road to see what had happened to the truck. Seems a couple water buffalo had decided to hang out and became traffic fatalities.

[smg id=4820]

The truck wasn't hardly damaged, so I hopped in and found that it was the grenade truck from the convoy, what dumb, stupid, luck! This changed my strategy a bit, maybe I would just wait for the convoy to approach again, and blast them with their own ordnance, talk about poetic justice! Again, fate had another idea.

Just at that moment, I got the message that the target had been neutralized. Strange, I must be better than even I thought, the target died without me firing a shot at him. I drove my new truck around the road to where the target had been heading and found the problem.

[smg id=4821]

For some reason, they had left the road to drive across country. Not always a smart thing to do. Maybe the driver had malaria, got disoriented, and drove smack into a tree. I know first hand how malaria can mess you up. However it happened, I got paid without firing a shot at the target. I guess he must've lead a really bad life for fate to cut him down like that. Not even the dignity of an assassin's bullet, but a traffic accident! Maybe he was making up for those two water buffalo, I don't know.

I took my new grenade truck and headed back south, I hear Frank Bilders needs me to look into something for him. Seems a decent guy, helped out big time with that barge full of guns when I first arrived. Maybe if I do him a favor, he'll get my back sometime, god knows, in this place, I'll need it.

[spaceboy]

Just perfect.  You should write books.  What a chain of events!  Keep up the journal entries format if you can.

[JRD]

I agree..
Your writing style is excellent, keep up the entries like that... very funny.
I like the part of walking around back the bus station for a leak and a smoke... hahahahahahahahahaha
Reminds me Duke Nuken where you can actually take a leak...

[Dweller_Benthos]

I'll need to take more screenshots from now on, more pictures would be cool. If I'd known this mission was going to turn out so cool, I would have taken more.

[spaceboy]

I like the part of walking around back the bus station for a leak and a smoke... hahahahahahahahahaha
Reminds me Duke Nuken where you can actually take a leak...

..and get 10 health points.  I still think that was one of the funniest and best ways to gain health back in any game...and to this day I often mutter "Muuuch better" after a leak.

[JRD]

I'll need to take more screenshots from now on, more pictures would be cool. If I'd known this mission was going to turn out so cool, I would have taken more.

D_B, do you know how those recorded playbacks works on PC?
They are saved as bsav files (with two other files associated) and I was wondering if we can upload some short clips of mission parts of a particular assault or anything we think deserves to be posted.
I'm trying to google it to see how to convert to mpg, but nothing so far!

[PZ]

That was the best account of a mission I've ever read D_B, fantastic job - I was chuckling, then laughing as I read your experiences; talk about immersion and your ability to relate the flavor of your mission! 

I agree with spaceboy's comment - keep up the Journal format so that we can instantly see that "this topic will be a must read".

As to the recorded playbacks, jrderntl or D_B, please explain - I don't know anything about it (PS3 again...), but it sounds intriguing - what I can offer is experience delivering video online.  I've delivered mp3, wmv using wmv9 professional codec, swf, and am now playing with MS Silverlight.  I was first introduced to Silverlight on the Olympics site where they had HD clips of the events - sounds perfect for recorded playbacks.

[JRD]

As to the recorded playbacks, jrderntl or D_B, please explain - I don't know anything about it (PS3 again...), but it sounds intriguing - what I can offer is experience delivering video online.  I've delivered mp3, wmv using wmv9 professional codec, swf, and am now playing with MS Silverlight.  I was first introduced to Silverlight on the Olympics site where they had HD clips of the events - sounds perfect for recorded playbacks.

On PC, hit numpad 8 and a message "recording playback" appears at the top left corner of your screen.
Saved files goes to a specific folder in your machine. They are .bsav files with other two files with it: .ppl and .npl.
I can record gameplay, but couldn't figure out how to play them or convert to mpg or any other format.
If we can make it w@&k, me and D_D, or anybody playing on PC, will be able to upload small clips of gameplay.
It can improve even more your excellent w@&k, as we can give you short clips of accomplishing missions, a sort of watch the walkthrough thing!

[PZ]

I see said the blind man...
That would be a great addition to our fan site - imagine being able to see clips of these adventures - almost like being there!  I'll do some investigating on my end as well.

[Dweller_Benthos]

I've done the recordings, you have to play it back with the benchmark tool. It should be in your FC2 start menu folder along with the shortcut to the game itself. They sorta w@&k, but usually, at least that I've seen, the bots don't perform the same way on the recording that they did when you actually were playing. Also, even your own movements don't seem to record correctly. I recorded an assault on the fishing village once and my sniper shots were a good 2-3 feet to the left of where they were when I was playing, so therefore, the stuff I was shooting at didn't get shot in the replay. Made it look pretty stupid.

There may have been a proble wiht how I started the recording though, since I was in a truck when I started and it seems that vehicles eally mess it up - they don't even show up in the play back. When you walk up to a truck and get in, during playback, the truck just sits there and you drive away from it with nothing under you. Same goes for hang gliders. I never looked into it further, but maybe there's a special command you have to use to make recordings play back properly. The ones supplied with the benchmark tool seem to w@&k OK, but maybe they were "tweaked".

[JRD]

I noticed that thing with vehicles too. It looks awfull, the jeep disappears and all I see is my gun slithering over the floor, and as I hop off, there's no jeep to be seen! :P
As far as I could see, the benchmark and recorded playbacks are for performance tests on different configs ONLY.
Nothing tells me it was created so users could record their gameplay experience and share it with others, unfortunatelly. I think GTA IV has a recording / editing tool designed for user to do so and it is a blast!!!
Think I'll have to look the web for a good recording and editing software if I get into this short clips thing.
Camtasia maybe?

[PZ]

I've used Camtasia for several years and it works great although the file size is huge.  Camtasia is able to record in it's native camrec format (a form of avi) as well as standard avi (you all know how large they are).  There is a free version of most of the functionality of Camtasia called Jing (haven't tried that one yet, but it is limited in feature set.  Camtasia works well for my purposes, but I wonder if the increased cpu overhead might be too much.

[Dweller_Benthos]

I've heard of people using FRAPS as well, with varied success. If I ever did it, I'd just run the SVHS output of my vid card to a DVR. Suppose I'd have to run a stereo cable from the sound card as well, but would make it simple, and just brun to DVDR and import to an editing program. Would be letter boxed though.

The benchmark/playback function could w@&k for some limited things, though. And wouldn't need any further fiddling with.

[PZ]

... so much to do.... so much to do....

... and so much fun - never thought I could extend the game play fun by doing activities other than the game!

[jhouornsaksa]

Something like that is happened to me too. It was at the airfield in the north, i think. If I remember right, I set some grass on fire, the car with the target inside drove through it and took some damage. Then after some time I got a message that the target was died anfd mission completed. I walked to his car and it was exploded, probably because it drove through the fire.

[PZ]

Fire is a great weapon - useful for direct killing (throw a Molotov at a bunch of mercs), or even as a distraction.  Try throwing a Molotov on one side of an area then sneak in through the opposite side - you can see the backs of the mercs watching the fire...

[Midway]

Fire is a great distraction.  I can have some baddies firing at me and once I threw a Molotov and started a fire they seemed mesmerized by it.  I then can pick them off.

On the mission the OP is relating to (which was a great story, btw  :) ), I climb up the rock behind the weapons building and get on top of the building itself.  I then wait for the convoy to come with a M79 ready for them.

[PZ]

Great idea - I need to climb things more.

There are a couple of areas where I've walked up tree trunks to get somewhere - anyone know of other interesting things to climb onto?

[Dweller_Benthos]

I always try to get the high ground, there are enough rocks around where you can get on top of them for a good view.