Oh but you can change these to things in the gamemodesconfig.xml :)
I raised the values about 0.5 for me, because I thought they react too slow sometimes ;)
Spoiler
<PlayerAwarenessResetDelay value= "30" />
<LongRangeDetectionDurationLevel1 value="1.5" />
<LongRangeDetectionDurationLevel2 value="5.5" />
<MediumRangeDetectionDurationLevel1 value="0.5" />
<PersonalRangeDetectionDurationLevel1 value="2.5" />
<PersonalRangeDetectionDurationLevel2 value="2.5" />
<IntimateRangeDetectionDurationLevel1 value="0.5" />
<IntimateRangeDetectionDurationLevel2 value="2.5" />
<StareAtDetectionDurationLevel1 value="1.5" />
<StareAtDetectionDurationLevel2 value="3.5" />
<AimingProvocationDetectionDurationLevel1 value="0.5" />
<AimingProvocationDetectionDurationLevel2 value="2.5" />
<AimingProvocationDetectionDurationLevel3 value="2.5" />
<AimingProvocationDetectionDurationLevel4 value="2.5" />
<AimedAtDetectionDurationLevel1 value="0.5" />
<AimedAtDetectionDurationLevel2 value="3.5" />
<AimedAtDetectionDurationLevel3 value="2.5" />
<RaisedWeaponLongRangeDetectionDuration value="2.5" />
<RaisedWeaponPersonalRangeDetectionDuration value="0.5" />
<BumpMinSpeed value="3.1" />
<ChargeMinSpeed value="5.5" />
<ChargeAngle value="10" />
Here you can change the value for the stealthsuit:
<!-- ============= CAMOUFLAGE BONUSES ============ -->
<Plan name="stealth_camouflage">
<bonus attr="stealth" value="1"/>
</Plan>
I found and altered the same section for the merc awareness. Now what I think is interesting is how you and I do opposite things: If you say you raised the values by 0.5 so they reacted faster I indeed lowered them so they reacted slower. My entire section there (your posted code snippet) is set to 0.5 but boy, my mercs are far from reacting slow. :)
The camo suit is something I have set to 5 for fun and giggles but it doesn't do me much good so far. Either it's a toggle value (0/1) or it doesn't w@&k at all. :)
The modded mortar effect (all values set to 0.1) is interesting at least if combined with the "armoured vehicle" which means no/almost no degradation of it due to modded manuals (95% less degradation right now but can be 100%) which are available at the arms dealer.
When you're in your vehicle (tested with AT and swamp boat) the mortar just makes noise :-() When you're on foot, the vehicle will be blown up if hit but you (on easy) will only take one or two health bar units of damage. :)
Sounds like we'll need some experimentation on exactly what the parameters should be set to, i.e., should we raise them, lower them, and by how much.
You're likely correct about the 0/1 toggles on some of the values rather than a numerical gradient.
indeed :)
I changed the hit multipliers for body parts from 12 to 20. Mercs were able to shoot at me through walls ??? That made me think hey, perhaps those values apply to mercs, too, if they shoot at me (would explain why I thought I was playing on hardcore while I was only playing on easy). Now I changed all these values to 1.0 and it looks better now. My player-only weapons (e.g. my 6P9) still dish out a lot of damage because I set their individual values (i.e. damage, accuracy and so forth) to 5 plus I modded the manuals that again buff their values. No one-shot-kills though, but still OK.
The armoured vehicle effect is cool. Apparently mercs aim at the engine mostly and with a non-degrading vehicle, as long as you're in it, they can't blow you up. I tried it with a Carl-G merc who repetitively fired rockets at me and my car shrugged them off. Same goes for bullets as long as they don't hit the windows. Which means, a Jeep Liberty is almost like a real armoured car, the doors and chassis keep most of the bullets away from you :)
That's cool :-X
At first I wasn't going to change the vehicle values, but it sounds like it could be fun.
I liked the way you gave ranges of values of the settings in one of the posts you made - very useful for quick reference. :-X
Quote from: Art Blade on August 31, 2011, 06:11:13 AM
I found and altered the same section for the merc awareness. Now what I think is interesting is how you and I do opposite things: If you say you raised the values by 0.5 so they reacted faster I indeed lowered them so they reacted slower. My entire section there (your posted code snippet) is set to 0.5 but boy, my mercs are far from reacting slow. :)
Not to contradict anyone here, but if you look at identical situations and their corresponding numbers, like this
<LongRangeDetectionDurationLevel1 value="1.5" />
<MediumRangeDetectionDurationLevel1 value="0.5" />
Then it is apparent that there is some confusion. Adding to the numbers, actually decreases the possibility of detection.
I upped all my numbers, to increase the stealthiness, and decrease the mercs reactions, and it seems to have worked.
Quote from: Art Blade
The camo suit is something I have set to 5 for fun and giggles but it doesn't do me much good so far. Either it's a toggle value (0/1) or it doesn't w@&k at all. :)
I think you are right. It seems to be either on or off with that value.
BTW, and I can look it up where I made the change, but reducing the mercs FOV, peripheral vision, and distance they can detect you, the variables being in the desert, the savanah, and the jungle, seems to have made a huge difference too. After all, seeing someone in jungle foilage would require staring straight at them, as opposed to seeing a glint of something in your peripheral vision in the desert. I don't recall exactly where I found those, but I am willing to look them up and post them here.
I don't know it that makes any sense, sometimes I don't express myself just right.
If someone is still interested, I will retrace my steps and figure out where I found and modified those settings.
Just trying to give back a little to the community, so to speak.
Diablo_Lobo
:-D :-X
This stuff is so far from me now.. I'd have to start from scratch to get back into it again to be able to understand what is what. I basically gave up on FC2 quite some time ago and only fired it up maybe twice ever since for nostalgic reasons. I won't do anything any more about FC2 because now I'm playing FC3 :)
Quote from: Diablo_Lobo on December 01, 2012, 10:13:37 PM
If someone is still interested, I will retrace my steps and figure out where I found and modified those settings.
Just trying to give back a little to the community, so to speak.
Diablo_Lobo
That would be great, and we can add it to the Knowledge base for future reference. I noticed that there are new members that are still playing FC2, and they seem to be interested in modding. I periodically go into Africa just for kicks, and to use my silenced AS50, so I'd be interested in how you did it.
;)
Quote from: PZ on December 02, 2012, 02:04:54 PM
That would be great, and we can add it to the Knowledge base for future reference. I noticed that there are new members that are still playing FC2, and they seem to be interested in modding. I periodically go into Africa just for kicks, and to use my silenced AS50, so I'd be interested in how you did it.
;)
Ok, it is in the
player.xml and here is the code. It is listed many times, and I just did a search for the terms, and then changed the values as I saw fit. The camo suit really works now.
code for use with copy/paste
<object type="DesertFOV">
<object type="FocusFOV">
<value name="fLength" type="Float">20</value>
<value name="fAngle" type="Float">30</value>
</object>
<object type="PeripheralFOV">
<value name="fLength" type="Float">20</value>
<value name="fAngle" type="Float">40</value>
</object>
</object>
<object type="SavannahFOV">
<object type="FocusFOV">
<value name="fLength" type="Float">20</value>
<value name="fAngle" type="Float">30</value>
</object>
<object type="PeripheralFOV">
<value name="fLength" type="Float">20</value>
<value name="fAngle" type="Float">30</value>
</object>
</object>
<object type="JungleFOV">
<object type="FocusFOV">
<value name="fLength" type="Float">5</value>
<value name="fAngle" type="Float">20</value>
</object>
<object type="PeripheralFOV">
<value name="fLength" type="Float">5</value>
<value name="fAngle" type="Float">40</value>
</object>
</object>
</object>
My logic (such as it is ) was, that in the desert, focusing on an area to detect something, you would be able to see something much further away, and in a wider field of view. Your peripheral vision works almost solely on movement, if it aint moving you probably would not be able to detect it. In the desert, with less stuff in your peripheral view area moving, a much greater chance of spotting something.
In the jungle, you would really need to be close, and focusing in on a narrow view angle, to detect motion or different contrasting objects. and the enormous amount of stuff moving in your peripheral would really distract from being able to pinpoint objects. The Savannah numbers are a sort of in between.
I have not finished tweaking, but in the differing scenerios, I have been happy with the results. I have had mercs come within about 10 meters of me, but as long as I remain still, and they do not focus in on me, they have walked right by me. Which is a big, big ... a HUGE mistake.
BTW, am not totally positive, but am relatively sure, that it also allows to target and kill an enemy, and his death go undetected by his mates, unless they are looking at him or hear him cry out.
But this has always been the case somewhat in FC2. A merc laying back on his elbows, or sitting with his back against the wall, has always been a target less noticed by those around him. Figured that one out way back when .....
The other stealth parameters I adjusted were those already mentioned in the gamesconfig.xml .
Hope this helps.
Diablo_Lobo
Spoiler
BTW, tried to hide the info in one of those little buttons. it did not w@&k, if someone want to edit this to hide it, I would appreicate it.
Done (I think this is what you meant) :-D -- you can either edit or quote this post to see the forum code how I did it :) /Art
cheers mate :) :-X Kudos +1 for a working camo
..and check your post (I edited it) ^-^
Excellent! Will definitely adjust my player.xml kudos from me as well ;)
I also posted your method as an article in the Knowledge base here (http://www.openworldgames.org/owg/forums/index.php?action=kb;area=article;cont=60;edited)
Quote from: PZ on December 03, 2012, 09:34:42 AM
Excellent! Will definitely adjust my player.xml kudos from me as well ;)
I also posted your method as an article in the Knowledge base here (http://www.openworldgames.org/owg/forums/index.php?action=kb;area=article;cont=60;edited)
Thank you PZ, I feel honored. And thanks to Art for the edit.
Just to update, am in the 2nd act, and am totally satisfied with the results of these settings.
Detection by mercs is much more realistic. In jungle settings, I have had mercs pass by within 2 or 3 meters, close enough that once they are past me, I can make a machete attack, and then blend back into the forest.
It also makes for great fun, using the "shoot em to hurt em, so their friends will come to help" strategy is a real blast.
But I am not so hidden, that they won't or can't spot me, that would not be any fun. I believe that others may want to do some more tweaking, but I am satisfied with what I have.
Again, thanks PZ, I hope others find it useful.
Diablo_Lobo
that is definitely an improvement, one of those things probably every player wanted changed, so you did a great job there :) Thank you, diablo lobo :-X
Just tried the mod and it appears to be working fine. Now it is time to go into Africa >:D
Hit Private Property this evening, and it was a pure pleasure. I'm using a suppressed AS50 and have applied Diablo_Lobo's camo mod and it is much more realistic :-X
I wish the game had been like this from the beginning because it allows much more open world activity. Remember when a merc could see you from several miles away, and if one saw you , they all knew where you were? That is a thing of the past. I was able to use the suppressed AS50 to clear Private Property as you would expect from a suppressed weapon... yeah, I know, there is no such thing as a silent .50 cal, but I like it anyway, and after all that is what gaming is all about - enjoyment of the illusion. :-()
:)
What about the mortar guy(s)? Especially the one on the lake?
I haven't tried that guy yet, but that is a good plan for this evening's episode. Right now, I'm leaving my PC to go play FC3, and will continue the main missions until I get the merc suit - I can't wait to do bad things to them while wearing it >:D
:) have fun, old chap :-D
Quote from: Art Blade on December 15, 2012, 01:06:00 AM
:)
What about the mortar guy(s)? Especially the one on the lake?
*****************
Need some help fellas.
I have updated my original post, with new edits to player.xml. I think that these are even more realistic.
But I don't know how, to change the info in the knowledge base article.
*****************
reply to post
Mortar guy at Dogon Village, I screwed up and popped up looking for him, he spotted me. Just as it should be.
The mortar guy on the island, just NW of the brewery, I have been able to take him out, with the dart rifle, everytime without detection. I have passed by, within the range that he "used to be able" spot me, and nada.
Some people may think that I have overdone it, someone is welcome to tweak it, but like I said, the settings do allow you to be spotted, if you screw up and expose yourself too much. ( :-[ No need for a dirty old man joke )
Again, I am happy with what I have.
I have not yet sound modded any weapons, but the silent ones (Dart, 6P9, and MP5) are MUCH more effective. As long as you, or the dead bodies, are not spotted by a merc, they dont seem to go to alert status as easily.
I killed the entire "Ranch complex", without an alarm being raised, as a matter of fact, never had a shot fired at me. Was spotted, kind of, "what you got there ""I dont know lets check it out", but killed both of them with a burst from the MP5. actually they made it easy, I waited and they lined up so that as I fired, 1 dropped, and the bullets started hitting the 2nd one. No alarm raised.
If someone comes up with more accurate tweaks, please share them, I think we can make FC2 worth playing again, and again, and again.
Thanks to all of those that came before, and those that will come after. You have all inspired me.
The next project I am considering is, the foot-step sounds, and how they affect MERC awareness.
Has anyone run into the settings for that ?
For instance, at the Weelegol Fishing Village SW corner of the map. Sometimes mercs are walking on the raised wooden structure, but sometimes their footsteps make a sound as if they were walking in the grass.
That is probably the MOST irritating thing, because it sounds as if they are at ground level, when they are in fact up on the wooden structure.
Anyone know where that stuff is I will take a look and see what I can do.
Thanks for the reply and all the w@&k you've put into it :) The knowledge base is PZ's love child, maybe he can help you with it :)
Unfortunately I'm far from modding FC2 and it sounds completely alien to me right now. Regarding footsteps, as far as I know they are related to the materials they're walking on. What you describe seems to be either a wrong material of the wooden plank (looks wooden, sounds grassy) which means the attribute of that wood is mistakenly set to grass, or that the ground level grass overrides the top level wood. Hope that helps :)
Quote from: Diablo_Lobo on December 16, 2012, 12:44:14 AM
*****************
Need some help fellas.
I have updated my original post, with new edits to player.xml. I think that these are even more realistic.
But I don't know how, to change the info in the knowledge base article.
*****************
If someone comes up with more accurate tweaks, please share them, I think we can make FC2 worth playing again, and again, and again.
Done ;)
You're correct, FC2 IS worth replaying again and again. Having the modded PC version is so much more fun than vanilla :-X
Kudos for a job well done !
Just did the main mission to destroy the commando gear in Mokuba, with the side mission to Private Property to bully the guy into supplying the incorrect coordinates. My load out was:
- 6P9
- Full auto AR-16
- Silent AS50
The sniper on the balcony of Private Property is an easy kill with the suppressed sniper, and no one was any the wiser. I managed to pick off a few more before I was spotted and made a dash into the building. After bullying the radio operator, I went down the stairs and using the 6P9 mopped up quite a few mercs - it was a pleasure to do one-shot kills with the silent pistol (which also has the firepower to ignite barrels and other flammables). A grenade or two later and Private Property was done.
Now on to Mokuba - hid in the spot above the RPG guy and took him out with the AS50, but must have been careless because a few heard me, but were not able to locate my position. Exercising care, I did a few more before I was caught in the open. Thankfully at least half were killed before this ensued, so I did not have too much problem mopping up the rest before throwing a grenade at the gear in the big truck.
As the truck exploded and it's carcass flew into the air, I became the next carcass as the frame crushed me. Josip saved my a$$. Here's a good side benefit - I did not lose any of my weapons.
The game is so much more fun with modified weapons. ^-^
With all the mods we have gathered here I might give it a try once I've played FC3 until my eyes started to bleed :-()
I started with a save at 4% after having completed the intro mission to Mike's where you purchase the pistol. The only difference is that I have a full arsenal from which I can choose - each weapon at 1 diamond cost. After all, I am a mercenary, so to have anything less than the best in weaponry would be a travesty. :-()
:laugh:
Hi folks,
I am new here but already did some considerable FC2 modding. So, I post my experience here:
I believe Diablo_Lobo is not right about Merc's or enemies awareness. In contrast, the values to be changed appear in enemy_archetypes.xml.
There you get the following parameters that affect merc's behavior before and during combat:
1. This affects the merc's capabilities with firearms. fMissWidth, fTimerToMissTarget are interesting parameters.
<object type="ShootingSystem">
2.This is about how their stance influences their accuracy. With fCrouchingFactor you see that they become better when they are crouching. It's the opposite with fMoveSpeedRunFactor.
<object type="ShooterStatus">
3. Here are the values that were mainly discussed above. Feel free to change them as already stated. But this time they really affect the mercs and not the buddies or whatever.
There are factors like fCombatMultiplier that change their vision or detection capabilities according to the situation. Then the area specific FOV parameters follow: desert, Savannah and jungle.
<object type="SensorySystem">
4. Lastly, you may even change how the vegetation and other environmental factors affect the merc's visibility.
<object type="VisibilityEvaluatorParameters">
I hope that helps. Correct me when I am wrong.
Welcome to OWG Hans,
Very interesting post - FC2 is still one of my favorites and I sometimes fire it up when the mood strikes. It is also quite fun to modify, and I'll try your suggestions - kudos.
Thanks for the welcome.
Has anyone ever tried the following parameters in the very same file?
I think the mercs may even run out of ammo if you like ...
At least some ammo information is given to them in the <InventoryPacks> in gamemodesconfig.xml.
<object type="Inventory">
<value hash="8C965C28" type="String">assault</value>
<value name="packInventoryPack" type="Hash">CCE9D60C</value>
<value name="archGPSVehicleArchetype" type="BinHex">00</value>
<value name="bUnlimitedAmmo" type="Bool">False</value>
hey Hans, nice to have you around and thanks for the post(s) -- I'm sure there are still a few guys here who might give those ideas of yours a shot, so to speak :-()
Also +1 :-X from me for reviving the modding with fresh insight. Keep 'em coming :)
It works:
mercs can now run out of ammo when you set the unlimited ammo flag to false and only allow a few shots for them in the <InventoryPack>, e.g., something like <Ammo type="smg" count="10" />.
:laugh: :-X
That's fantastic - what do they do when the run out of ammo?
It's a bit weird: they still aim at you and keep pulling the trigger ... click ... click ... sounds can be heard.
:laugh:
Sounds just like what those dimwits would do!
:-D
Welcome to the site Hans :) Nice w@&k on the mods so far :-X
FC2 is a classic, I haven't played it for a few years but it's a great favourite of mine. Who knows, I might give it another go one day. It may not have had the array of activities and stuff that later FC titles had, but it's far and away the most immersive one of the series (and with no trippy drug nonsense...)
Nice to see people like yourself keeping it alive with fresh ideas 8)
Thanks for the kind words.
However, when modding enemy_archetypes.xml I have experienced a serious problem: the mercs and the weapon vendor will sometimes become invisible. That means cars are driven by ghosts and only the guns of the mercs keep moving on right the ground. You hear their voices and chatter; they even fire at you (but mostly miss).
Has anyone experienced a similar problem?
I am quite sure that the problem is caused by adding enemy_archetypes.xml to the patch.fat/dat.
It even happens with an original file without any modification. So, the parameters therein do not cause any trouble. Instead, it seems like the entrie file is not well supported during XML conversion and fcb generation.
So far, I have tried different versions like the Steam one supplied by the Bootstrap package for modding and the retail patch version. None seems to w@&k; at a certain point in the game the mercs become invisible. It is strange that the modification has worked quite some time. Otherwise I would not have reported its effects to you.
Any help is welcome.
I have noted this as well, enemies no longer spawn in their vehicles... Which is a little dull, but somewhat relieving ;)
:-D
I have done some changes to enemy_archetypes.xml and now it works a bit better than before: I have just left the main merc types (Blue_Faction.X and Red_Faction.X) active in the file; every other type (various corpses, assassination target) was commented out.
It worked better with the next very patch but after some playing and changing the patch again (other files than enemy_archetypes.xml) the problem was still there: invisible mercs after loading a savegame for a new session.
However, there may be one workaround. At least this works for me now: I have a savegame from ACT II inside the weapon dealer's shop. After loading this one and then switching to a savegame in ACT I the problem is gone - each merc is displayed properly with new modded behavior. It may w@&k for you, too.
Strange.
I remember some "problem" with the game caching information. Eventually it will get flushed out but some info just stays there for quite some time until it suddenly changes. Example, modding the jump height. Even if you did everything right, you'd likely not notice anything. Until eventually it worked. Surprise effect.
I also experienced strange behavior when changing the patch files and using saved games. I recall in at least one instance that I needed to start a new game in order to achieve the effects I wanted while doing away with the undesired ones.
Curiously, I made additional mods to the files, got the new effects, and the old ones persisted when using the old game save.
There must be legacy data embedded in the game saves.
Hi folks,
I have been unable to figure out how to solve the invisible mercs bug when you have included a changed enemy_archetypes.xml. Patching that file remains a problem. So far only the workaround with loading a special old savegame works with the patch.
However, I was able the change the needed FCB files directly with hex editor in order to allow the mercs to run out of ammo. Now, mercs have a limited supply of ammo as you do.
The loading of savegames worked safely. There were no longer invisible mercs.
Therefore, I conclude that there is no problem with embedded legacy data in the savegames. More likely, there is a problem with the conversion of enemy_archetypes.xml back to FCB format in that particular case. I am glad that the other files do w@&k thanks to the tools we have at hand.
In the furure, I try to change more values than the bUnlimitedAmmo flag.
In the meantime, I would like you to suggest suitable values to be included in the FCB files to be altered. Maybe we can arange a common basis to be included in any mod.
Here are mine that worked very well; the mercs are a bit weaker regarding detection (buut not entirely blind) and longer are able to shoot you in impossible positions from 60m plus in dense jungle. Their awareness is much fairer now. Still they are dangerous on infamous level once they have detected you.
<object type="SensorySystem">
<object type="FOVParameters">
<object type="FOVMultipliers">
<value name="fPreCombatMultiplier" type="Float">0.75</value>
<value name="fCombatMultiplier" type="Float">0.95</value> <!-- old: 1 -->
<value name="fPostCombatMultiplier" type="Float">1.15</value> <!-- old: 1.25 -->
<value name="fPlayerInVehicleMultiplier" type="Float">1.75</value> <!-- old: 2 -->
<value name="fNightTimeMultiplier" type="Float">0.5</value>
<value name="fSniperLengthMultiplier" type="Float">6</value>
<value name="fSniperAngleMultiplier" type="Float">0.15</value>
</object>
<object type="DesertFOV">
<object type="FocusFOV">
<value name="fLength" type="Float">60</value>
<value name="fAngle" type="Float">45</value> <!-- old: 60 -->
</object>
<object type="PeripheralFOV">
<value name="fLength" type="Float">35</value> <!-- old: 40 -->
<value name="fAngle" type="Float">100</value> <!-- old: 120 -->
</object>
</object>
<object type="SavannahFOV">
<object type="FocusFOV">
<value name="fLength" type="Float">35</value> <!-- old: 40 -->
<value name="fAngle" type="Float">40</value> <!-- old: 60 -->
</object>
<object type="PeripheralFOV">
<value name="fLength" type="Float">20</value> <!-- old: 30 -->
<value name="fAngle" type="Float">90</value> <!-- old: 120 -->
</object>
</object>
<object type="JungleFOV">
<object type="FocusFOV">
<value name="fLength" type="Float">20</value> <!-- old: 30 -->
<value name="fAngle" type="Float">20</value> <!-- old: 60 -->
</object>
<object type="PeripheralFOV">
<value name="fLength" type="Float">10</value> <!-- old: 20 -->
<value name="fAngle" type="Float">30</value> <!-- old: 120 -->
</object>
</object>
</object>
Cheers,
Hans
Nice w@&k, Hans :-X +1
Yes, it would be nice to have a centralized area for modding, but I'm not sure how that would look just yet. There have been many great modifications, and I often have problems finding them.