¶ Spawn Units Module
¶ Why was this module made and when to use it?
This module was made to reduce the amount of units existing and acting (walking, patroling, spotting) on the server (usually as a result of pre-placing units in 3DEN Editor). Those units have a tendency of putting unnecessary strain on the server and bombs player's FPS, which decreases the quality of the mission as a whole.
This module was meant to be used together with 3DEN Triggers, which would allow a mission maker to create areas where enemies will spawn if some conditions are met (mostly if the player enters an area). This gives the mission maker the ability to automatically spawn units only when needed, to both make Zeusing easy and keep performance as good as possible.
¶ Step 1 - Setting up the Composition
First you need to setup the squad and vehicle composition (basically units and vehicles that the script will be using). On the right-hand side of the 3DEN Editor do the following:
- Select
Modules (F5) - Find
FUM - Modules - Select
Setup Compositionmodule - Place the module anywhere on the map
After placing the module down, 2 menus will pop up, one for Squad Composition, the other for Vehicle Composition. Select units you want to use for each designated role and do the same for vehicles. Vehicles are side bound.
When you've finished the setup, double click on the module and do the following:
- Give the module a
variable name(variable name is usually found at the top of the attributes menu) - Squad composition, vehicle composition and side are automatically generated based on your selection
- Use custom loadouts (check this if you want to use custom loadouts instead)
- Custom loadouts for SL, Medic, Rifleman, Fireteam Member 1, Fireteam Member 2, Fireteam Member 3.
If you set the SIDE opposite of the unit FACTION, the units will start killing each other.
¶ Step 2 - Spawning the module
On the right-hand side of the 3DEN Editor do the following:
- Select
Modules (F5) - Find
FUM - Modules - Select
Spawn Unitsmodule - Place the module on the desired spot
Position of the module will be used as the origin point.
¶ Step 3 - Setting up the module
Once placed, you can start setting up the module. The module has an Area around it that defines the Spawn Radius, you can change that using size widget in the 3DEN toolbar.
There are 6 other settings that you can change:
- Composition Setup Variable Name - here you need to type in the
variable nameof theSetup Compositionmodule - Spawn type - this determines the type of the spawn
a) Defenders - units will casually patrol around the spawn area in a given radius (6th option)
b) Attackers - units will charge towards the given objective marker (7th option) - Group type - gives you an option to select what kind of group will you spawn and which vehicle they will use
a) Squad - group of 8 men
b) Fireteam - group of 4 men
c) Technical - group of 3 men in a technical or an MRAP
d) APC - group of 2-3 men in an APC
e) Tank - group of 3-4 men in a tank
f) Helicopter - group of 2-3 men in a helicopter
g) Plane - group of 1-2 men in a plane
h) QRF Truck group of 12 men in a truck (mostly has no purpose in Defend spawn type)
i) QRF Helicopter group of 12 men, not including pilots, in a helicopter (has no purpose in Defend spawn type) - Spawn number - defines how many units of that type will spawn with current settings
- Patrol radius - defines the radius in which units will make their patrol route (used only in Defend spawn type)
- Attack marker - defines a marker (use variable name of the marker, example: marker_0, marker_1, etc...) where units will charge towards (used only in Attack spawn type)
Performance wise, it is better to use less groups of more units, than more groups of less units, this is because Arma units use less processing when in a group, as they share all information with others in their group.
Leaving the Composition empty will result in selection of civilians by default.
Leaving Attack Marker empty while Spawn Type is Attackers will result in script error, and FUSU module will not start.
¶ Step 4 - Placing the trigger
Next, to make the module active, you must place down a trigger that will activate it. To do that do the following:
- Select Triggers (F3)
- Select desired trigger
- Place the trigger on the desired spot
¶ Step 5 - Syncing with the trigger
Now you have to Sync, or connect, the FUSU module with the Trigger. To do that do the following:
- Right-click on the FUSU module
- Select "Connect"
- Select "Sync to"
- Left-click on Trigger
If you have multiple FUSU modules, you can select all of them, then right-click one of them and do the procedure above. This will sync all modules with the trigger at the same time.
If FUSU module is synced with multiple triggers, it will select one of those as it's one and only trigger.
FUSU module will not start if you do not sync it with a trigger.
¶ Step 6 - Setting up the trigger
Now you have to set up the trigger for it to activate the FUSU module under certain conditions. To do that open the trigger settings by double clicking it and then do the following:
- Change the Size radius to fit your spawning needs:
A) X-axis radius
B) Y-axis radius
C) Z-axis radius - Set Activation to AnyPlayer - any player will be able to activate the trigger
- Set Activation Type to Present - present, as in, in a particular place, or within the trigger
- Turn on the Server Only - the trigger will be executed on the server
- Leave Condition as it is - the Condition is used to check if certain conditions are met and when they are, the trigger will be activated. The lone
thisrepresents all conditions we have set in the trigger above (Type, Activation, Activation Type)
It is good practice to have the Trigger Size radius be twice as big (even bigger if you plan on spawning vehicles) as the FUSU spawning radius to prevent players from seeing units pop in.
While it is not an error to leave Server Only off, it is usually a good practice to have it on. Leaving it off means that the trigger will be spawned on every client and it will be executed by every client upon completion.
Deleting
thisin Condition will prevent trigger from activating.
¶ Optional Step - Custom Loadouts
Now we'll go over how to set up Custom loadouts for FUSU module. The way it works is that Custom loadouts completely override any default faction loadouts the units have. To make the loadouts work you must fill all the Custom Loadout - Role fields with exported loadouts.
First, you must make your own loadouts, so spawn 3-6 units that would represent your common squad composition. Edit them in the ACE Arsenal and when you feel like you're done, do the following for each unit:
- Open ACE Arsenal of Role
- Click EXPORT - this should copy the loadout of the unit into your clipboard
- Close ACE Arsenal of Role
- Open FUSU module
- Delete whatever is currently in Custom Loadout - Role, most likely
[] - Paste the exported loadout in Custom Loadout - Role
- Repeat for each role until you fill up all fields
This is what the finished FUSU module should look like:
Example of CSAT spies dressed in NATO gear:
Any faction can be used.
Units will keep their skins and voices from the used faction, so you can use that to your advantage if you want your units to be from certain ethnic group.
You don't have to specifically fill all Custom Loadout fields with different loadouts, you can put all fields to be the same, if you feel like players won't notice.
If you leave but one of the Custom Loadout fields empty
[], the custom loadouts will not be used.
Do not put anything else in Custom Loadout fields, as that will result in script error.