Converting single player mission to small coop scenario

[General Tobruk]

Hi all, 

 

How would I go about converting a single player scenario into a multiplayer scenario.

 

I recall in the DCS editor, you could make a single player mission multiplay by simply editing a unit to make it "player". I did not see this option or one like it in SBpro.

 

Any quick advice or directions to a relatively clear guide on creating multiplayer scenarios?

 

Update: Ok I figured out that you can designate a unit by "owner" as either computer or player. If simple set a couple of units (i.e., Tank Platoons) as player, does this make the game multiplayer?

Edited October 13, 2022 by General Tobruk

[Mirzayev]

40 minutes ago, General Tobruk said:

Hi all, 

 

How would I go about converting a single player scenario into a multiplayer scenario.

 

I recall in the DCS editor, you could make a single player mission multiplay by simply editing a unit to make it "player". I did not see this option or one like it in SBpro.

 

Any quick advice or directions to a relatively clear guide on creating multiplayer scenarios?

 

Update: Ok I figured out that you can designate a unit by "owner" as either computer or player. If simple set a couple of units (i.e., Tank Platoons) as player, does this make the game multiplayer?

 

ANY unit that is under the player's control in single-player can be manned in multiplayer.

 

MOST scenarios at the Platoon and above level require no conversion to make them co-op. IE, a tank platoon of four vehicles can support a total of 12 players having roles (4x drivers, 4x gunners, 4x TCs.)

[Gibsonm]

40 minutes ago, General Tobruk said:

Hi all, 

 

How would I go about converting a single player scenario into a multiplayer scenario.

 

Glad you worked it out.

 

41 minutes ago, General Tobruk said:

Update: Ok I figured out that you can designate a unit by "owner" as either computer or player. If simple set a couple of units (i.e., Tank Platoons) as player, does this make the game multiplayer?

 

Yes.

 

It depends on whether you removed the scripting for those units as well.

 

The units on say Red that you have designated as Player controlled will still follow routes, etc. if you haven't removed them. It just means that if there is a player on say Red they can intervene and control them too.

[Ssnake]

Basically, any unit can be taken over by a human players (if they are member of the party to which that unit belongs) unless ownership has been explicitly taken away by making it a computer-owned unit. Likewise access to routes and waypoints. You can make them "hidden" (at which point they cannot be selected by a human player, and therefore not shifted, deleted, or properties changed).

Units are then distributed among players based on the hierarchy in the command structure of the units selected in the Assembly Hall prior to the start of the Planning Phase. Ownership can then be transferred during the execution phase (right-click unit, "Give to...", select player (must be a party member)). Only the owning player may give a unit to someone else. You can't just willy-nilly grab one that you like.

 

In summary, one might say that no special preparations are necessary. However, the actual effort probably lies elsewhere. You probably want to think about the mission score a bit more deeply. What are the TEAM goals, what are rewards for individual units. Do you need penalty zones to prevent players from taking a route that is free of opposition because you don't want to overload the scenario with a full front line; if units are scripted, the mission may break if the human player decides to not follow the script.

Cooperative multiplayer is probably the least problematic; one human vs a team is, most of the time, equally simple to organize. Team vs Team, possibly with many parties (partially) aligned ... well, that's going to be more difficult to pull off successfully.

[General Tobruk]

Thanks Ssnake and Gibsonm, one finally newbie question.

 

To set up a multiplayer round, are the scenarios automatically download from the host once the session is set to begin, or do all players have to download the scenario prior to the play session?

 

[Gibsonm]

8 hours ago, General Tobruk said:

To set up a multiplayer round, are the scenarios automatically download from the host once the session is set to begin, or do all players have to download the scenario prior to the play session?

 

Assuming the client machine doesn't already have them, Yes.

 

They (Client) will get a message saying "you need to download Scenario X".

 

You (Host) will then receive a message prompting you to allow the download.

 

[Mirzayev]

9 hours ago, General Tobruk said:

Thanks Ssnake and Gibsonm

 

Glad to see my response was useless to you.  

[General Tobruk]

Apologies Mirzayev, I honestly missed your helpful response.

 

In any case, I got ahead of myself as both me and my friend (whom I convinced to buy SB) are unable to connect online.  We both are unable to open the necessary ports (2300-2400) to make a network connection.  He has Starlink and Elon doesn't seem to allow port forwarding, and my recent upgrade to a new highspeed modem with Bell Canada appears to be firmware locked to port forwarding. I spent hours last night in the modem settings and playing around with static IP's etc. with no luck. I'm so annoyed because I just upgraded my modem, my previous modem allowed port forwarding.

 

[Gibsonm]

6 hours ago, General Tobruk said:

In any case, I got ahead of myself as both me and my friend (whom I convinced to buy SB) are unable to connect online.  We both are unable to open the necessary ports (2300-2400) to make a network connection.  He has Starlink and Elon doesn't seem to allow port forwarding, and my recent upgrade to a new highspeed modem with Bell Canada appears to be firmware locked to port forwarding. I spent hours last night in the modem settings and playing around with static IP's etc. with no luck. I'm so annoyed because I just upgraded my modem, my previous modem allowed port forwarding.

 

If you are a risk taker, you could always use Hamachi, but that comes with other computer security issues.

[General Tobruk]

4 hours ago, Gibsonm said:

 

If you are a risk taker, you could always use Hamachi, but that comes with other computer security issues.

Well my first step is to see if I can get my ISP to unlock the port forwarding in their modem.  Failing that I will try bridging another router and then opening up the ports through its interface.  LOL you have to become a network expert just to game.

[Ssnake]

You no longer need to open a full range of ports, just 2300. This will then be used just for negotiating the ports between client and host where the actual session handshake (and subsequent transmission) will occur.

Please check the 4.0 and 4.1 release notes respectively for network code related entries.

 

The manual SHOULD be up to date about it, but I'm on the mobile right now and can't verify.

[General Tobruk]

Not sure if this is normal, but when I attempted to host, it auto set the port at 2300

However on my client/friends system it read that it was searching port 2400.  Perhaps because 2300 failed on my end. I tried both in either case and no love.

[Ssnake]

I'm sorry about that, but support for your networking is beyond the scope of what eSim Games can deliver. The multiplayer part of Steel Beasts was designed when things were simpler (and less secure).

 

For version 5, I hope that we'll be able to set up a game session brokerage server. You'd connect to that, and it would then hand over your connection to whatever game session was available. That should make things a lot easier. Unfortunately, it's the future, not what Steel Beasts can do for you right now.

[General Tobruk]

Any time lines on version 5?  Is it the next update or do you go all the way to 4.9?

[Gibsonm]

1 minute ago, General Tobruk said:

Any time lines on version 5?  Is it the next update or do you go all the way to 4.9?

 

Probably 2yrs or so.

 

There may well be intermediate patches (e.g. the move from 4.357 to 4.363) but the jump through the 5.x barrier would likely be a paid for upgrade.

 

Edited October 16, 2022 by Gibsonm

[Ssnake]

I don't think that there's going to be a PE version 5 within two years. We can roll out partial updates to our military customers, but a PE version will require that the full content with all features has been converted (minus items that we bay decide to discontinue). For some elements the conversion will be relatively easy, for others, it's going to be a lot of work. I don't want to kick off a whole new "version 5" debate again. If you search the forum for this keyword, you'll find plenty of statements from me.

The issue at hand is getting the network games with you and your buddy working. If you search this forum for your router brand and model you may find some tips for its configuration.

[General Tobruk]

Thanks SSnake, my network problems are totally on my side not esim games.  My ISP currently has their modem/router locked down preventing port forwarding and PPPoE with external modems.  I'm told that a firmware update in November should fix this.

 

Unfortunately, here in Canada our government has seen to it to limit competition so I don't really have any other options.