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Simple Coop tutorial


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*HmS*Trevor

Sun Oct 05 2008

Registered Member #35

Joined: Tue Dec 30 2003
Location: Lincolnshire England
Posts: 2080

This is a demonstration on how to set up a simple COOP map.
There are 4 elements we’ll be using to set up this map.

1.) Events
2.) Area Triggers
3.) Waypoints
4.) Groups

Open the MED and select a terrain.

Place a START PLAYER on a flat area of the terrain.
Highlight the START PLAYER icon and then click on the white area with dark text at the bottom area of the MED to bring up the Item Attributes. Notice that this player is automatically assigned to BLUE TEAM. There are no other options.

NEXT:
Press CTRL-W to bring up the waypoint list. The number 1 is highlighted on the left. In the description box, type BLUE. Next, put a check in the boxes next to “WAYPOINT does not loop: and “Blue Team Waypoint”. CLICK OK

NEXT:
Place 3 waypoints on the map . . . 1 about 100m ahead of the start player, one to the right about 45 degrees to the right and 100m ahead of the 1st waypoint and the 3rd to the left of the 2nd waypoint and 200m away.

NEXT:
Highlight ALL of the waypoints and bring up the Item Attributes again. In the waypoints section there’s a box called “List”. Select the down arrow button to the right of the box and select “Blue”. This makes the Waypoint list a Blue Waypoint List. CLICK OK.

NEXT:
Unselect all the waypoints then select only the first waypoint and bring up the Item Attributes again. In the same area, select the drop list next to the NAME box and select “Alpha”. The default number to the right should be the number 0. Click OK

Unselect all the waypoints then select only the second waypoint and bring up the Item Attributes again. Next to the waypoint list (blue) there should be a number 1. If not, enter a 1. In the same area, select the drop list next to the NAME box and select “Bravo” and Click OK

Unselect all the waypoints then select only the third waypoint and bring up the Item Attributes again. Next to the waypoint list (blue) there should be a number 2. If not, enter a 2. In the same area, select the drop list next to the NAME box and select “Charlie” and Click OK

To this point we have waypoints set up for the Blue team. These waypoints will be the guide directing players to each objective. Before continuing BE SURE EVERYTHING IS UNSELECTED.

Setting up GROUPS.
Groups are used to classify related items, such as a squad of enemy soldiers or vehicles or other objects and set an identity for events and waypoints to occur.

Press CTRL-G to bring up the groups. You’ll see Blue and Red Players already entered. Leave them. Start with line 3.
Highlight #3 and in the description box type “Bad Guys”.
Highlight #4 and in the description box type “Crates”.
Highlight #5 and in the description box type “Trucks”.
Click OK.

Setting Up AREA TRIGGERS
Press CTRL-T to bring up Area Triggers. You’ll see nothing has been entered yet. Be sure number 1 is highlighted and type AREA 1 in the description Box. Click OK.

Right-click and select Insert Mode. From the MARKERS Section select Area Trigger. Place this marker slightly below and to the right of the START PLAYER icon. Repeat this and put the icon to the top-left of the start player. Now select BOTH of the area triggers then bring up the Item Attributes. In the Dropdown list in the Waypoints section, select “Area 1". Click OK
You should see orange lines connecting the area triggers. Be sure the Start Player icon is INSIDE the borders of the Area Trigger.

Setting the OBJECTIVES
Press CTRL-I to bring up the General Information screen. In the Win Conditions section, make these 3 selections:
“Eliminate All Resistance”
“Eliminate All Weapon Crates”
“Destroy Supply Trucks”

Click OK

Inserting Items.

Place a bad Guy at waypoint 0
Place a Weapons Crate at waypoint 1
Place a Supply Truck at waypoint 2

Assigning Items to GROUPS
Select ONLY the badguy, Press CTRL-G and select Group 3. Click OK
DO UNSELECT ALL
Select ONLY the Weapons Crate, Press CTRL-G and select Group 4. Click OK
DO UNSELECT ALL
Select ONLY the Supply Truck, Press CTRL-G and select Group 5. Click OK
DO UNSELECT ALL

All of this above is prep work that should be done before events can be set up properly. By doing all this in advance, you eliminate a lot of back and forth motion that can be really irritating.

SETTING THE EVENTS

Press CTRL-E to bring up the events window.
On the left side of this popup you’ll probably see [0] Event 0. Below that you will see New Event

There are 2 components to and event . . . the IF (Triggers) and THEN (Actions).

ALL OF THE TRIGGERS AND EVENTS WILL BE SET UP NOW. DON’T PRESS OK ON THE MAIN WINDOW UNTIL FINISHED.

You’ll see the first event is named “Event 0". It’s a good idea to actually Name the events. It will come in very handy later on.

Name the (0)Event 0 Start of Game/RD to WP0 by typing over Event 0 in the Name box above.
Name the next event Alpha Destroyed/RD to WP1
Name the next event Bravo Destroyed/RD to WP2
Name the next event Trucks Destroyed/End Game
(Note: RD = Redirect, WP = Waypoint)

SETTING TRIGGER for Start of Game/RD to WP0 Event.

Double click on New Trigger to bring up the Event Trigger Window.
In Trigger Type select Group
In Trigger Condition select Area Trigger
In the Trigger Variables section, select Blue Players
In the Area drop down list, select 1 - area 1
Click OK
next

Double-click New Action in the THEN (Actions) section.
Select Show Win Subgoal in the Action Type
Select 1 - Eliminate All Resistance in the Subgoal Number
Select 1 from Mission Variables. (1 means yes, show the objective in the mission objectives on the game screen, 0 means no, don’t show it. You always want to show the mission objective)
Click OK
next

Double-click New Action again in the THEN (Actions) section.
Select Redirect Group in the Action Type
Select Blue Players in the Group Drop Down List
Select Blue in the Waypoint List Drop Down List”
Select 0 in the Waypoint number Drop Down List
Click OK
next

Select Alpha Destroyed/RD to WP1 IN THE Events section

SETTING TRIGGER FOR Alpha Destroyed/RD to WP1 Event
Double click on New Trigger to bring up the Event Trigger Window.
In Trigger Type select Group
In Trigger Condition select All Destroyed
In Trigger Variables, Group 1, select 3 - bad guys
next

Double-click New Action
Select Win Subgoal in the Action Type
Select 1-Eliminate All Resistance in the Sub Goal number section.
Click OK

next - double-click New Action.
Select Show Win Subgoal in the Action Type
Select 2 - Eliminate Weapon Crates
Click OK

next - double-click New Action.
Select Redirect Group in the Action Type
Select Blue Players in the Group Drop Down List
Select Blue in the Waypoint List Drop Down List”
Click OK

SETTING TRIGGER FOR Bravo Destroyed/RD to WP2 Event
Select Bravo Destroyed/RD to WP2 in the Events section.

Double click on New Trigger
In Trigger Type select Group
In Trigger Condition select All Destroyed
In Trigger Variables, Group 1, select 4 - Weapon Crates

SETTING THEN (Actions) Bravo Destroyed/RD to WP2
Double-click New Action in the THEN section again.
Select Win Subgoal in the Action Type
Select 2 - Eliminate All Weapon Crates
click OK

next - double-click New Action.
Select Show Win Subgoal
Select Destroy Supply Trucks
Select Variable Status 1
click OK

next - double-click New Action.
Select Redirect Group in the Action Type
Select Blue Players in the Group Drop Down List
Select Blue in the Waypoint List Drop Down List
Select 2 in the Waypoint number Drop Down List
Click OK

SETTING TRIGGER FOR Trucks Destroyed/Win Game
Select Trucks Destroyed/Win Game in the Events section

Double click on New Trigger
In Trigger Type select Group
In Trigger Condition select All Destroyed
In Trigger Variables, Group 1, select 5 - Supply Trucks
Click OK

next - double-click New Action.
Select Win Subgoal
Select Subgoal number 3 - Destroy Supply Trucks
Click OK

next - double-click New Action.
Select Win Blue

The Game Will be over.

THIS IS THE FINAL STEP - SETTING UP ADVANCEMENT EVENTS

The purpose for having Advancement Events is so once an objective is completed you want to direct the players to the next waypoint where the next objective is located. This is why I set up my events with names like Bravo Destroyed/RD to WP2 instead of Event 1, Event 2, etc.
The name tells me which waypoint to send the players to once an event has been completed. This is important because in setting up the Advancement Event, the drop down shows the actual names of the events.

In the 1st event, Start of Game/RD to WP0, the Advancement is generated by an Area Trigger. You can’t set up an Advancement Event for an Area Trigger - it’s already there. So, we’ll start with the 2nd event - Alpha Destroyed/RD to WP1
Here’s how to set it up. Be sure there is NOTHING highlighted on the Map.

1.) Highlight waypoint number 0
2.) Open the Item Attributes window
3.) Click on the drop down arrow next to the Advancement Event Box.
Remember, we’re redirecting from waypoint 0 to waypoint 1
4.) Select the event that RD to WP 1
Click OK
UNSELECT WAYPOINT 0
next
1.) Highlight waypoint 1
2.) Open the Item Attributes window
3.) Click on the drop down arrow next to the Advancement Event Box.
4.) Select the event that RD to WP2

That’s it . . .

From http://www.mapmakersheaven.org

MichaBen

Sun Oct 05 2008

Registered Member #1336

Joined: Tue Jul 25 2006
Location: Netherlands (Rotterdam)
Posts: 267

I thought those advancement events only worked in single player and are totally useless in COOP, at least in JO? At least I never saw them working for anybody else then the host, meaning you still had to press F7 all the time (unless the old waypoints are vaporized that is and there is a very large waypoint at X).

[ Edited Sun Oct 05 2008 ]


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