Merc awareness and camo effectiveness

[TheStranger]

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>

[Art Blade]

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. :)

[Art Blade]

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.  :)

[PZ]

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.

[Art Blade]

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 :)

[PZ]

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

[Diablo_Lobo]

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.

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

[Art Blade]

 :-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  :)

[PZ]

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.

;)

[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.

;)

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

Code Select Expand



                  <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

[Art Blade]

cheers mate  :) :-X Kudos +1 for a working camo

..and check your post (I edited it)  ^-^

[PZ]

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

[Diablo_Lobo]

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

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

[Art Blade]

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

[PZ]

Just tried the mod and it appears to be working fine.  Now it is time to go into Africa  >:D

[PZ]

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.  :-()

[Art Blade]

:)

What about the mortar guy(s)? Especially the one on the lake?

[PZ]

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

[Art Blade]

 :) have fun, old chap  :-D

[Diablo_Lobo]

:)

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.

[Art Blade]

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 :)

[PZ]

*****************

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 !

[PZ]

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.  ^-^

[Art Blade]

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  :-()

[PZ]

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.  :-()