Editting Weapon Loadouts

[blinky123abc]

Just wondering how i could edit the weapon load outs of squads. ive seen in videos of combat in iraq that most groups of insurgents are packing 2 rpgs,2 pkms, an rpk, an rpd and maybe 4 ak47s. Also, is it possible to put a pkm in a squad were it isnt deployable?

please help so i can make some more realistic scenarios.

[gibsonm]

Just wondering how i could edit the weapon load outs of squads. ive seen in videos of combat in iraq that most groups of insurgents are packing 2 rpgs,2 pkms, an rpk, an rpd and maybe 4 ak47s. Also, is it possible to put a pkm in a squad were it isnt deployable?

please help so i can make some more realistic scenarios.

Welcome to the Forum!

As far as I know, you can't, sorry.

I'll confirm that tonight when I get home and add a post to that effect.

A squad is a squad is a squad.

You can change their kit by adjusting their unit quality etc. but you can't allocate specific weapons to specific people for example.

So a Republican Guard squad will be the same as another Republican Guard squad and a Regular squad will be the same as another Regular squad. But a Republican Guard squad will be different to a Regular squad.

Not sure why you think the current allocations aren't "realistic" given that they are based on Syrian doctrine and Syrian information.

Certainly they may not match some third party outfit that you might be trying to create.

[blinky123abc]

I heard of a Russian studio that was using this engine to make a game on the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, one of the most notable changes was the variety in weaponry available to the mujahideen groups, so one squad would have the members choose from a list of weaponry with anything from an enfield rifle to an rpg to an ak47 to a pkm, you get the idea. I was wondering if i could give that effect to cmsf. but really all i want to do is change load out, which should be possible as it will be somewhere in the data, i just wanted to know where.

[gibsonm]

I heard of a Russian studio that was using this engine to make a game on the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, one of the most notable changes was the variety in weaponry available to the mujahideen groups, so one squad would have the members choose from a list of weaponry with anything from an enfield rifle to an rpg to an ak47 to a pkm, you get the idea. I was wondering if i could give that effect to cmsf. but really all i want to do is change load out, which should be possible as it will be somewhere in the data, i just wanted to know where.

Well I can't comment on the Afghanistan product, but certainly the Afghan's are a bit different to the Syrians.

One is a under / randomly equipped "rag tag" group doing the best with what they have (or can scrounge or get off the CIA, etc.) and the other is a national army with equipment scales, etc.

In that environment (Afghanistan) such a "customisable" allocation of weapons might make sense, but not in CM:SF.

Hence the question of your definition of "realistic"?

If you want to just make changes to see how a squad armed "like this" goes, then good luck finding the code to change.

As I said initially, I'm almost 100% certain that you can't do it in the unit purchase area.

[slug88]

Yes, what you ask is impossible in CMSF. Unless you want to decompile the code, that is.

[blinky123abc]

how can i decompile the code?

[slug88]

Well, you'd have to spend several months doing research and teaching yourself how to do it, and then spend years analyzing and modifying the result. It's probably not worth it .

But, if you're really set on it, you can start here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decompile

[gibsonm]

how can i decompile the code?

Well ....

You buy a copy of a compiler that suits the computer language the game is in (and no doubt try and get a copy of the passwords, etc that BTS / BFC put in place to stop this very thing).

Then when the single executable file has been reduced to 1000's / 1000000's of lines of source code you try and work out which line(s) does / do what you want.

You then need to try and work out what the new variable / variables should be.

Then re-compile the software and hope it now doesn't crash or display the game sideways or some such.

That might change the weapon values for the guy with the AK-47 to those of a M-16 but the graphic would still look like a AK-47.

So then you need to change that too.

Its a bit like cutting a golf ball open, trimming the rubber band and then hoping to put it back together and still play golf with it (i.e. a fairly pointless activity unless you know what you are doing).

Its not a simple case of "right clicking" somewhere and typing in the new value that you want (in the above example replace 7.62 with 5.56).

If the Afghanistan title does what you want then I'd strongly suggest you save yourself a bunch of grief and just buy it.

Unless you want to fight the US / USMC / UK / NATO with your "more realistic" squads? I'm assuming these aren't in an "Afghanistan" title.

[LongLeftFlank]

Just wondering how i could edit the weapon load outs of squads. ive seen in videos of combat in iraq that most groups of insurgents are packing 2 rpgs,2 pkms, an rpk, an rpd and maybe 4 ak47s. Also, is it possible to put a pkm in a squad were it isnt deployable?

please help so i can make some more realistic scenarios.

I can't help you with building customized insurgent teams that operate as teams, but I am (slowly!) working up some Iraq scenarios based on the battles for Ramadi and am getting some decent results using Uncon HQ units, which feature sniper, PKM and RPG teams of 1-2 guys each. Also, by embedding Spies and unarmed vehicle drivers with these units in their fixed positions, I can also create a "respawning" effect -- as the Uncons become casualties, the unarmed guys in the location render buddy aid (first aid) to the casualties and then arm themselves with their weapons and start shooting.

The drawback is that these respawns start with very low ammunition. At some point I might mod up an "invisible BRDM" (all textures set to alpha channel) that can sit around immobilized and crewless inside a building and then be used as an ammo cache. But using that kind of resource is well beyond the capability of the AI side.

The IED triggermen are also armed (and have an annoying tendency to blow their cover by shooting before triggering their bombs)... that's an even simpler way of building ad hoc insurgent units.

Good luck playing around with these ideas if they appeal, and let me know any interesting tricks you find out.

One last unrelated piece of advice: DON'T PUT TOO MANY WINDOWS IN YOUR BUILDINGS. This is a massive realism killer for most urban maps I've seen: the "default" layout has windows on every single wall just like an American suburban house and most designers leave it as is.

Look at photos: there is virtually NO Middle Eastern building, old or modern, that looks like this. Lots and lots of blank windowless walls, and nearly every building surrounded by high walls. Arabs like their privacy.

Blank walls and high-walled compounds totally change the nature of MOUT and massively up the realism. Read "Joker One" or any other Iraq combat memoir and you'll hear about the blind maze of city streets.

[meade95]

I can't help you with building customized insurgent teams that operate as teams, but I am (slowly!) working up some Iraq scenarios based on the battles for Ramadi and am getting some decent results using Uncon HQ units, which feature sniper, PKM and RPG teams of 1-2 guys each. Also, by embedding Spies and unarmed vehicle drivers with these units in their fixed positions, I can also create a "respawning" effect -- as the Uncons become casualties, the unarmed guys in the location render buddy aid (first aid) to the casualties and then arm themselves with their weapons and start shooting.

The drawback is that these respawns start with very low ammunition. At some point I might mod up an "invisible BRDM" (all textures set to alpha channel) that can sit around immobilized and crewless inside a building and then be used as an ammo cache. But using that kind of resource is well beyond the capability of the AI side.

The IED triggermen are also armed (and have an annoying tendency to blow their cover by shooting before triggering their bombs)... that's an even simpler way of building ad hoc insurgent units.

Good luck playing around with these ideas if they appeal, and let me know any interesting tricks you find out.

One last unrelated piece of advice: DON'T PUT TOO MANY WINDOWS IN YOUR BUILDINGS. This is a massive realism killer for most urban maps I've seen: the "default" layout has windows on every single wall just like an American suburban house and most designers leave it as is.

Look at photos: there is virtually NO Middle Eastern building, old or modern, that looks like this. Lots and lots of blank windowless walls, and nearly every building surrounded by high walls. Arabs like their privacy.

Blank walls and high-walled compounds totally change the nature of MOUT and massively up the realism. Read "Joker One" or any other Iraq combat memoir and you'll hear about the blind maze of city streets.

+1 to all of the above here -

Also, I would love if BFC/CMSF would allow for more modding / tweaking of units by customers. For SP play.

I think sales would increase greatly if community modding of weapon loadouts per units were allowed.

[gibsonm]

Also, I would love if BFC/CMSF would allow for more modding / tweaking of units by customers. For SP play.

I think sales would increase greatly if community modding of weapon loadouts per units were allowed.

Well Steve et al have gone on record a few times now about this not going to happen.

[pad152]

I would really like to see the ability to custom edit infantry squads with weapons and load outs, also (spare ammo & weapons) carried by vehicles.

[gibsonm]

Well you may want it, but it isn't going to happen.

[meade95]

Of course it is competely BFC right not to offer these options - I just don't understand why they won't (unless it is engine related and too cumbersome to allow.....though I don't see why that should be the case if the weapon systems themselves are already within the game).

[gibsonm]

Well I suspect if you do a search you'll get an answer.

I believe Steve has outlined BTS / BFC's stance on this, in detail, several times already.