Attention all modding enthusiasts!
We're here to give you a heads-up regarding the upcoming update. Just a friendly reminder that your beloved community-created mods may require a few adjustments to ensure seamless functionality. We understand that certain mods, especially those with intricate scripts, might need tweaks due to changes in the scripting API. Additionally, we want to emphasize that mods incorporating vehicles may need to adjust their configurations to fully utilize the Server Authority model. Community creations containing character gear might require some fine-tuning or fixes to fully leverage the latest enhancements brought by the Health System update. So, stay prepared and be ready to optimize your mods for the best experience. As always, we appreciate your dedication and support!
If you haven't given it a go already, check out the experimental version and get your mods ready for the update. To do so, go to Steam and find Arma Reforger Experimental and Arma Reforger Experimental Tools - both the game and Workbench, and the game data must match. Once you've done this, launch Workbench and add the Arma Reforger Experimental data following the instructions on the Mod Project Setup wiki page.
Respawn Setup
Game Mode Setup
Make sure the game mode's SCR_RespawnSystemComponent component has a Spawn Logic set (under Respawn System).
Spawn Logic is an object responsible for defining respawn logic.
You can override SCR_SpawnLogic to define your custom respawn behavior.
Right now, there are two Spawn Logic objects defined:SCR_AutoSpawnLogic - spawns the player automatically after assigning a random faction, loadout, and spawn point. You can also define Forced Faction and Forced Loadout, which will assign the player to a specific faction and loadout.
SCR_MenuSpawnLogic - spawning is done via respawn menu. This object notifies the player when they're ready for spawn and opens respawn menu.
You can notice that SCR_RespawnSystemComponent has multiple SCR_SpawnHandlerComponent components as its children. This signifies what types of respawn are possible with the game mode to which it is attached.
SCR_FreeSpawnHandlerComponent - allows for spawning players at a certain position.
SCR_PossessSpawnHandlerComponent - allows for possessing a character by passing its RplId.
SCR_SpawnPointSpawnHandlerComponent - allows for spawning player at a spawn point.
The Deploy menu got an overhaul too. Instead of using a SCR_SuperMenuBase and SCR_SubMenuBase, the deploy menu now consists of 3 separate menus, all inheriting from SCR_DeployMenuBase.
Opening/closing logic of respawn menu screens is handled in SCR_PlayerDeployMenuHandlerComponent, which is attached to the player controller.SCR_WelcomeScreenMenu - serves as an overview of the current game mode, objectives, and rules, similar to what the briefing submenu used to be. Opens only once when the player joins the game.
SCR_RoleSelectionMenu - here you can select your faction, group, and loadout. It opens only for the initial setup when the player does not yet have an assigned faction.
SCR_DeployMenuMain - main deploy menu with a map for selecting spawning points, but you are able to change your loadout and group as well. Opens after the player's death.
Requesting Respawn
If you need to request respawn, you can do it easily by creating a new SCR_SpawnData class and passing it to SCR_RespawnComponent.RequestSpawn(SCR_SpawnData data) method.
Here are examples of requesting respawn for the aforementioned spawn handlers:
SCR_FreeSpawnHandlerComponent
SCR_PossessSpawnHandlerComponent
SCR_SpawnPointSpawnHandlerComponent
Update to Server Authority vehicles
One of the major updates that may have a significant impact on mods is the transition of vehicles to the Server Authority (SA) models. As part of this change, all Arma Reforger vehicles have been adjusted to utilize the new SA configuration. Whether you're modifying existing vehicles or inheriting from prefabs, there's a chance that your mods will be affected by this update.
To smoothly migrate your mods, the easiest approach is to open the affected vehicle prefabs in a text editor and make the following changes: replace "VehicleWheeledSimulation" with "VehicleWheeledSimulation_SA" and "SCR_CarControllerComponent" with "SCR_CarControllerComponent_SA." After applying these changes, remember to restart Workbench for the updates to take effect.
If you plan to use the old vehicle simulation model, make sure that both "VehicleWheeledSimulation" and "SCR_CarControllerComponent" are without the "_SA" suffix. However, it is strongly recommended to try the new model since it's not guaranteed that the old simulation model will be supported in the future.
Weapon improvements
In the latest update, 0.9.9, we've made some significant changes to weapons and their optical attachments. The configuration of optics has been overhauled to ensure a more consistent experience between 2D and PIP modes, while also addressing several issues reported by the community. To guide you through this adjustment, we have prepared a comprehensive tutorial on our Wiki, detailing the process of adding new optical attachments.
Another notable addition in 0.9.9 is the ability to deploy weapons. To ensure compatibility with the new deployment system, some tweaks to the prefab configuration are required. These tweaks are outlined in the updated Weapon Creation tutorial, providing you with the necessary steps to make your weapons deployable.
As a special treat, even though collimators are not available in the vanilla game, we wanted to cater to the community's needs. We have provided a Sample Collimator sight on our official Github repository, along with a detailed tutorial on the Wiki. This will guide you in creating your very own collimator sights, something widely used and appreciated by the community.
Character Health Update
Last but certainly not least, we have the Character Health Update, which introduces changes to the way personal protection functions. One of the key areas you might come across is the issue of helmets providing excessive protection. Fortunately, rectifying this is a straightforward process—simply adjust the material applied to the collider to achieve the desired effect.
It's worth noting that the Health Update may also have an impact on character equipment in other ways. In such cases, we recommend comparing similar assets in Workbench to ensure consistency and make any necessary adjustments. We understand that further clarification on this topic would be beneficial, and we assure you that future modding reports will provide more insight and guidance.
Besides that, there were a bunch of smaller fixes that could interfere in unexpected ways with mods, so it's always worth checking in Workbench if there are no suspicious issues in the Log Console. Of course, if you encounter any issues, we recommend you visit our forums and official Discord Arma Platform, where fellow community members and developers might be able to figure out any unknown bits.
