Co-Ops?

[=FI=Murph]

Has anything been done in the mod patch to address the game's broken co-op mode? I know a great deal was fixed, but I'm wondering if anythings been done yet. If not, is it high on the list of future fixes?

[LG1.Farber]

There is a really simple and effective Coop script on 1c. It could use a GUI in game though. :thumbsup:

[Katdog5]

Has anything been done in the mod patch to address the game's broken co-op mode? I know a great deal was fixed, but I'm wondering if anythings been done yet. If not, is it high on the list of future fixes?

I think technically if you were to run your own server, say with your friends all in the same ts channel, you should be able to spawn at the same airfield, line up and take off together if the mission is set up correctly.

I used to fly exclusively coop and know what you mean.

I havent it tried with this game bc ATAG server so awesome

But I think banks made a coop script over at the banana forums.

[1lokos]

Include sample mission:

http://forum.1cpublishing.eu/showthread.php?p=469199#post469199

Commands in old Warbirds style. :)

Sokol1

[III/JG53_Don]

Yes what we need is a more simple to use coop imho, a functioning GUI. The old il2style coop is unbeattable regarding easy handling... just load a mission, choose a plane and arming, hit "ready" and wait for the others to be ready.
So everyone starts in the exact same second, have clear mission objectives and victory conditions.
There is a reason why the request for a proper Coop Mode was by far the most voted feature in the il2bugtracker. I remember there were more like 100 players that upvoted this request, no other request came anywhere near this relating to upvotes.

I know this may be pretty far down the road, but what about some VOW-like wars. With sth. like this I am 100% certain that a lot of non-playing squads and some sleeping member of squads will knock the doors down. I know that at least 5-6 members of my squad didn't fly CLoD too much, because they want old style coops and no endless dogfighting. The reason why Il2 had such a long successful history of steadily playing squads was Coops imho. Without VOW/VWF/VEF etc. the old il2 would have died many years ago.

I think ATAG server does a great job with the mission objectives to circumvent the players focus of simple dogfighting, but many players want the competitive game with the same starting conditions for everyone.
Honestly for now CloD is for me an - in fact highly entertaining - "occupational therapy" ;) But wars like VOW etc are still the tip of the iceberg :-)

[92 Sqn. Philstyle (QJ-P)]

Can someone explain exactly what the difference is between a co-op and simply hosting a custom made mission with your mates all on the same side?

I can't understand why the existing FMB and user-hosted setup does not satisfy the needs of a cooperative mission against the AI....

[III/JG53_Don]

With the standard coop mission, like e.g. in VOW or similar, you have a clear set of open slots for players on both sides.
e.g. a mission for 16 players has 8 fighters/bomber slots open for each side. best case scenario is that all planes are filled with human players except maybe the in any event nonflyable planes.
So 16 people join this mission and you can see an opening screen with these 16 planes. Every user now chose a plane of his desire. After chosing a plane and therefore chosing a side, he sees the mission objectives for his side and a map with the objectives and the submitted flight path. Now he can chose the arming/skin/fuel amount of his liking (if not server-set).
After all his preparations are done and the tactics of the specific mission are communicated with your mates on your side (usually on TS), you can click that you are ready. Now you're in a waiting room until everyone hits "ready".
Then the mission starts, all players are on the ground in their desired planes and have therefore the exact conditions like everyone else there. Now you try to complete the mission objectives (e.g. shooting down incoming bombers) whereas the enemy side have to protect these.

Whats exactly missing is a fully functional GUI. Last time I tried a coop in CLoD with squad mates you had to chose a "plane dummy" and then struggle with the radio command menue in game to chose right planes etc. YOu didnt have a structured general view including the map, mission objectives etc.
Apart from that there is some kind of holding area needed before the mission even begins. This did the Hyperlobby just perfectly.
2374
There you can see open slots, first one is for the host of a coop. the slightly different saturation of the grey/black colored slots are for the different sides. You necessarily didnt have to rendezvous with team mates for a coop. You just started the Hyperlobby to see what coops are in the pipeline and just take your seat.

What made wars like VOW etc so special is that there was a nearly unlimited pool of (sometimes usermade, sometimes generated) missions (smallermissions for 8-16 players or bigger ones with more slots) every host can request through a specific website. When every slot is filled the game starts and the mission can be loaded by the host. When the mission ends the host uploads the mission file to the website and the kills/KIA/MIA complete or failed mission objectives were uploaded into a databank with stats etc.

This was the fine art of online gameplay :-)

[92 Sqn. Philstyle (QJ-P)]

@ III/JG53_Don

OK, I think I understand.

With the current FMB, you can set a specific number of aircraft slots. Each slot is visible on the map as a spawn point, But when you hover the mouse over it, it becomes a specific aircraft.

But you're right, this lacks two important features;

1. You can not select the slot, or review what slots might be available prior to joining the server and/or loading the map
2. The hoster must have already hit "start battle" before the slots show up, this means that anyone who take s along time to join will be behind the action. Not everybody joins at-the-same-time, like they could in IL2:1946.

The second point is, for me, less of a limitation. The mission maker should ensure that the action happens after providing enough time for slow joiners.
The frist point is more problematic. It's clunky and players have low visibility of what the others are doing. The IL2:1946 system was a lot better - the system where you would "ready" for the flight, and could see which other slots had been occupied.


I think the main problem is the GUI/ joining procedures in CloD.

[III/JG53_Don]

I think the main problem is the GUI/ joining procedures in CloD.

You're right this is the problem exactly. In general everything is already available for a decent coop action gameplaywise as far as I know. As you said, you can define different slots for each side, and (at least I'm guessing) set victory conditions. But the pre-conditions for a coop mission are pretty awkward. In theory you have to arrange a meeting with squad mates AND "enemy" squads for the opponent side for a specific date and time, which is kinda inconvenient.

With Hyperlobby all of this wasn't necessary. Just start the HL, see what players are online atm, occupying a slot and wait for other players to fill the empty space. Because of this you could fly coop missions nearly every time of the day. If we europeans had nighttime, the americans took the place and there were starting coop missions almost 24/7 (during the zenith of famous online wars like VOW/VEF/VWF etc).
http://www.vowreloaded.de/ Look at this site and you get the idea of it. Back in the days there were a minimum of 30-40 missions a day with a looot more players.

So what we need is some kind of waiting room before starting any mission (there is a Beta Hyperlobby for CloD, but maybe this can be even incorporated into the game itself?) and on top of that a simple general view after loading and before starting the mission.
Of course what we are also missing for this is a big pool of missions to fly... this is now more of a problem due to the more sophisticated but also more difficult FMB. In the old Il2 even I was able to build acceptable coop mission (and thats saying something :D).

Hence my question if some system like VOW is realisable right now for CloD and perhaps if someone is already working on it :recon:

[ATAG_Lolsav]

It would be nice to integrate a solution in the forum from one of the wizzards. If a direct connect can be clicked, right here on the forum, a special room for those who wanted to play coop maybe it could be achieved.

1 Its alredy possible to make a "chat", like it happen on hypperlobby
2 The direct connect possibility exists
3 creating a launcher from forum its the next step
4 Stats would had to be client side, from the host i guess


I pass the ball :)

[92 Sqn. Philstyle (QJ-P)]

You're right this is the problem exactly. In general everything is already available for a decent coop action gameplaywise as far as I know. As you said, you can define different slots for each side, and (at least I'm guessing) set victory conditions. But the pre-conditions for a coop mission are pretty awkward. In theory you have to arrange a meeting with squad mates AND "enemy" squads for the opponent side for a specific date and time, which is kinda inconvenient.

Agreed on all points.

[LG1.Farber]

Yes thats the one, by Banks. I tried it out, it works great. No problems at all. :thumbsup: You no longer have to choose a plane dummy tiger moth! You can also set the aircraft for players to scramble and Idle and they wont take off but be sat ready waiting for players on the runway, alternatively you can set to parked and idle and they will sit at spawn points. It is a bit open though, see you can see all the aircraft in the game and you know what you are up against... If a UI like Colanders AAR screen was introduced to select an army then select an aircraft of that army that would be pretty close to old coop of FB.

I tried contacting several TF members two weeks ago but they were to busy to respond or didnt want to know. :( Also a handy feature would be perhaps having an option to stop players coming back into the game once they have crashed, died, bailed etc. - and obviously the other way, so they can!


It would be nice to integrate a solution in the forum from one of the wizzards. If a direct connect can be clicked, right here on the forum, a special room for those who wanted to play coop maybe it could be achieved.

1 Its alredy possible to make a "chat", like it happen on hypperlobby
2 The direct connect possibility exists
3 creating a launcher from forum its the next step
4 Stats would had to be client side, from the host i guess


I pass the ball :)

Yup we need a wizard! Direct connect is optional, you can password the server and give out via chat (HL or prearanged, you could advertise such a thing at Storm of War forums, not a problem, lots of squadrons there.). Dont know what you mean by step 3. This coop works with wild willies clod commander, stats are not a problem for it.

[ATAG_Lolsav]

About item 3 - If anyone here recalls how old MsZone.com used to work, with several rooms for launching games, with a common chatroom, thats what i had in mind. Item 3 is related with 2, more like a extension of it.

[III/JG53_Don]

Yes I had something like this in mind.
Wouldn't it be the easiest way to just use Hyperlobby like in the good old days? :D
As far as I know this is already up and working. The only thing missing would be a coop interface ingame like in Il2 FB/1946.

This combined with some exciting missions (or maybe even an online war... one can dream ;) ) and I would assume we could easily double the amount of online players.

[Katdog5]

I played coop exclusively in IL2. It was the greatest. Flying in a squad of friends on comms is the best.

i.e.. Flying the doolittle raid with 6 friends over kyushu was completely great

coop is so infinitely awesome


Imagine a coop mission on atag say for eagle day where we all start at the same time in different, organized squadrons.

60-120?! Luftwaffe pilots all arriving at the same time. WHOA. Imagine if you can that furball

[III/JG53_Don]

I played coop exclusively in IL2. It was the greatest. Flying in a squad of friends on comms is the best.

i.e.. Flying the doolittle raid with 6 friends over kyushu was completely great

coop is so infinitely awesome


Imagine a coop mission on atag say for eagle day where we all start at the same time in different, organized squadrons.

60-120?! Luftwaffe pilots all arriving at the same time. WHOA. Imagine if you can that furball

hehe thats what I mean, thanks for proving my point here :)
I remember some VOW missions with my squad, 8 flying bombers, 4 did the escort, 4 others doing recon to intercept the bunch of incoming fighters... I get goosebumps when I think of the strain :) No matter how many missions I have flown, I was nervous before every mission :D

Guess if someday we have coop missions with 80 pilots or more... I get a heartattack out of excitement

[92 Sqn. Philstyle (QJ-P)]

60-120?! Luftwaffe pilots all arriving at the same time. WHOA. Imagine if you can that furball

Get yourself into a squad that participates in the ACG storm of War campaigns ;)
They've had 30+ from each side bump into each other before.....

[6BL-Bird-Dog]

I do hope Team Fusion have a stab at the Coop Gui and get something done that can be run some as the old il2 Coop setup .A newer set of options for difficulties would probably be needed though .I could see quite a few returning to Clod and some even purchasing it for the first time if this were implemented.

[III/JG53_Don]

I could see quite a few returning to Clod and some even purchasing it for the first time if this were implemented.

My words exactly! :salute::thumbsup:

[Silver]

we need a GUI for the Banks's Coop script and a good coop mission pack to go with it, that will solve most of the current coop problems.

further improvements can be made to it later.

[1lokos]

But with Banks script (the trick is put the script in the COOP mission folder, make copy and rename with the same name mission you want to play, ex. Coop1.mis & Coop.cs - so any pre-existent mission, even from campaign (copy for COOP folder) can be played as COOP (PvP, PvE, P&EvE, P&EvP, P&EvP&E), the only "difficult" is type:

!aircraft - to see list of availables in the mission *

!select# - to select one these

Host confirm if all players have already select (typing !aircraft) and hit "Start Server".

*Editing the script these names can be sorted for !air... !sel#... !s#...

Seriously the need of type these two commands is excuse for someone not playing? :S

FYI - I know that il-2:1946 COOP system is the "8th wonderful of world" :stoner: , but this exist only in il-2:1946 - And no, il-2:BoS don't come with the same system...

Sokol1

[1lokos]

Starting COOP mission via Lobby allow use chat before start the mission.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=zs7AM04khn8
http://www.airwarfare.com/sow/index.php/downloads/viewdownload/8-coop-missions-multi-player/547-lewes-station-attack-coop

Sokol1