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Module Tasking.Task_Cargo_Transport

Tasking - Models tasks for players to transport cargo.

Specific features:

  • Creates a task to transport #Cargo.Cargo to and between deployment zones.
  • Derived from the TASK_CARGO class, which is derived from the TASK class.
  • Orchestrate the task flow, so go from Planned to Assigned to Success, Failed or Cancelled.
  • Co-operation tasking, so a player joins a group of players executing the same task.

A complete task menu system to allow players to:

  • Join the task, abort the task.
  • Mark the task location on the map.
  • Provide details of the target.
  • Route to the cargo.
  • Route to the deploy zones.
  • Load/Unload cargo.
  • Board/Unboard cargo.
  • Slingload cargo.
  • Display the task briefing.

A complete mission menu system to allow players to:

  • Join a task, abort the task.
  • Display task reports.
  • Display mission statistics.
  • Mark the task locations on the map.
  • Provide details of the targets.
  • Display the mission briefing.
  • Provide status updates as retrieved from the command center.
  • Automatically assign a random task as part of a mission.
  • Manually assign a specific task as part of a mission.

A settings system, using the settings menu:

  • Tweak the duration of the display of messages.
  • Switch between metric and imperial measurement system.
  • Switch between coordinate formats used in messages: BR, BRA, LL DMS, LL DDM, MGRS.
  • Different settings modes for A2G and A2A operations.
  • Various other options.

Developer Note

Note while this class still works, it is no longer supported as the original author stopped active development of MOOSE Therefore, this class is considered to be deprecated


Please read through the #Tasking.Task_Cargo process to understand the mechanisms of tasking and cargo tasking and handling.

Enjoy! FC


Global(s)

Global TASK_CARGO_TRANSPORT

Orchestrates the task for players to transport cargo to or between deployment zones.

#TASK_CARGO_TRANSPORT TASK_CARGO_TRANSPORT

Orchestrates the task for players to transport cargo to or between deployment zones.

Transport tasks are suited to govern the process of transporting cargo to specific deployment zones. Typically, this task is executed by helicopter pilots, but it can also be executed by ground forces!


A transport task can be created manually.

1) Create a transport task manually (code it).

Although it is recommended to use the dispatcher, you can create a transport task yourself as a mission designer. It is easy, as it works just like any other task setup.

1.1) Create a command center.

First you need to create a command center using the Tasking.CommandCenter#COMMANDCENTER.New constructor.

local CommandCenter = COMMANDCENTER
   :New( HQ, "Lima" ) -- Create the CommandCenter.

1.2) Create a mission.

Tasks work in a mission, which groups these tasks to achieve a joint mission goal. A command center can govern multiple missions. Create a new mission, using the Tasking.Mission#MISSION.New constructor.

-- Declare the Mission for the Command Center.
local Mission = MISSION
  :New( CommandCenter, 
        "Overlord", 
        "High", 
        "Transport the cargo to the deploy zones.", 
        coalition.side.RED 
      ) 

1.3) Create the transport cargo task.

So, now that we have a command center and a mission, we now create the transport task. We create the transport task using the #TASK_CARGO_TRANSPORT.New constructor.

Because a transport task will not generate the cargo itself, you'll need to create it first. The cargo in this case will be the downed pilot!

-- Here we define the "cargo set", which is a collection of cargo objects.
-- The cargo set will be the input for the cargo transportation task.
-- So a transportation object is handling a cargo set, which is automatically refreshed when new cargo is added/deleted.
local CargoSet = SET_CARGO:New():FilterTypes( "Cargo" ):FilterStart()

-- Now we add cargo into the battle scene.
local PilotGroup = GROUP:FindByName( "Engineers" )

-- CARGO_GROUP can be used to setup cargo with a GROUP object underneath.
-- We name this group Engineers.
-- Note that the name of the cargo is "Engineers".
-- The cargoset "CargoSet" will embed all defined cargo of type "Pilots" (prefix) into its set.
local CargoGroup = CARGO_GROUP:New( PilotGroup, "Cargo", "Engineer Team 1", 500 )

What is also needed, is to have a set of Wrapper.Groups defined that contains the clients of the players.

-- Allocate the Transport, which are the helicopter to retrieve the pilot, that can be manned by players.
local GroupSet = SET_GROUP:New():FilterPrefixes( "Transport" ):FilterStart()

Now that we have a CargoSet and a GroupSet, we can now create the TransportTask manually.

-- Declare the transport task.
local TransportTask = TASK_CARGO_TRANSPORT
  :New( Mission, 
        GroupSet, 
        "Transport Engineers", 
        CargoSet, 
        "Fly behind enemy lines, and retrieve the downed pilot." 
      )

So you can see, setting up a transport task manually is a lot of work. It is better you use the cargo dispatcher to create transport tasks and it will work as it is intended. By doing this, cargo transport tasking will become a dynamic experience.

2) Create a task using the Tasking.Task_Cargo_Dispatcher module.

Actually, it is better to GENERATE these tasks using the Tasking.Task_Cargo_Dispatcher module. Using the dispatcher module, transport tasks can be created easier.

Find below an example how to use the TASK_CARGO_DISPATCHER class:

   -- Find the HQ group.
   HQ = GROUP:FindByName( "HQ", "Bravo" )

   -- Create the command center with the name "Lima".
   CommandCenter = COMMANDCENTER
     :New( HQ, "Lima" )

   -- Create the mission, for the command center, with the name "Operation Cargo Fun", a "Tactical" mission, with the mission briefing "Transport Cargo", for the BLUE coalition.
   Mission = MISSION
     :New( CommandCenter, "Operation Cargo Fun", "Tactical", "Transport Cargo", coalition.side.BLUE )

   -- Create the SET of GROUPs containing clients (players) that will transport the cargo.
   -- These are have a name that start with "Transport" and are of the "blue" coalition.
   TransportGroups = SET_GROUP:New():FilterCoalitions( "blue" ):FilterPrefixes( "Transport" ):FilterStart()


   -- Here we create the TASK_CARGO_DISPATCHER object! This is where we assign the dispatcher to generate tasks in the Mission for the TransportGroups.
   TaskDispatcher = TASK_CARGO_DISPATCHER:New( Mission, TransportGroups )


   -- Here we declare the SET of CARGOs called "Workmaterials".
   local CargoSetWorkmaterials = SET_CARGO:New():FilterTypes( "Workmaterials" ):FilterStart()

   -- Here we declare (add) CARGO_GROUP objects of various types, that are filtered and added in the CargoSetworkmaterials cargo set.
   -- These cargo objects have the type "Workmaterials" which is exactly the type of cargo the CargoSetworkmaterials is filtering on.
   local EngineerCargoGroup = CARGO_GROUP:New( GROUP:FindByName( "Engineers" ), "Workmaterials", "Engineers", 250 )
   local ConcreteCargo = CARGO_SLINGLOAD:New( STATIC:FindByName( "Concrete" ), "Workmaterials", "Concrete", 150, 50 )
   local CrateCargo = CARGO_CRATE:New( STATIC:FindByName( "Crate" ), "Workmaterials", "Crate", 150, 50 )
   local EnginesCargo = CARGO_CRATE:New( STATIC:FindByName( "Engines" ), "Workmaterials", "Engines", 150, 50 )
   local MetalCargo = CARGO_CRATE:New( STATIC:FindByName( "Metal" ), "Workmaterials", "Metal", 150, 50 )

     -- And here we create a new WorkplaceTask, using the :AddTransportTask method of the TaskDispatcher.
     local WorkplaceTask = TaskDispatcher:AddTransportTask( "Build a Workplace", CargoSetWorkmaterials, "Transport the workers, engineers and the equipment near the Workplace." )
     TaskDispatcher:SetTransportDeployZone( WorkplaceTask, ZONE:New( "Workplace" ) )

3) Handle cargo task events.

When a player is picking up and deploying cargo using his carrier, events are generated by the tasks. These events can be captured and tailored with your own code.

In order to properly capture the events and avoid mistakes using the documentation, it is advised that you execute the following actions:

  • Copy / Paste the code section into your script.
  • Change the "myclass" literal to the task object name you have in your script.
  • Within the function, you can now write your own code!
  • IntelliSense will recognize the type of the variables provided by the function. Note: the From, Event and To variables can be safely ignored, but you need to declare them as they are automatically provided by the event handling system of MOOSE.

You can send messages or fire off any other events within the code section. The sky is the limit!

3.1) Handle the CargoPickedUp event.

Find below an example how to tailor the CargoPickedUp event, generated by the WorkplaceTask:

 function WorkplaceTask:OnAfterCargoPickedUp( From, Event, To, TaskUnit, Cargo )

   MESSAGE:NewType( "Unit " .. TaskUnit:GetName().. " has picked up cargo.", MESSAGE.Type.Information ):ToAll()

 end

If you want to code your own event handler, use this code fragment to tailor the event when a player carrier has picked up a cargo object in the CarrierGroup. You can use this event handler to post messages to players, or provide status updates etc.

 --- CargoPickedUp event handler OnAfter for "myclass".
 -- @param #string From A string that contains the "*from state name*" when the event was triggered.
 -- @param #string Event A string that contains the "*event name*" when the event was triggered.
 -- @param #string To A string that contains the "*to state name*" when the event was triggered.
 -- @param Wrapper.Unit#UNIT TaskUnit The unit (client) of the player that has picked up the cargo.
 -- @param Cargo.Cargo#CARGO Cargo The cargo object that has been picked up. Note that this can be a CARGO_GROUP, CARGO_CRATE or CARGO_SLINGLOAD object!
 function myclass:OnAfterCargoPickedUp( From, Event, To, TaskUnit, Cargo )

   -- Write here your own code.

 end

3.2) Handle the CargoDeployed event.

Find below an example how to tailor the CargoDeployed event, generated by the WorkplaceTask:

 function WorkplaceTask:OnAfterCargoDeployed( From, Event, To, TaskUnit, Cargo, DeployZone )

   MESSAGE:NewType( "Unit " .. TaskUnit:GetName().. " has deployed cargo at zone " .. DeployZone:GetName(), MESSAGE.Type.Information ):ToAll()

   Helos[ math.random(1,#Helos) ]:Spawn()
   EnemyHelos[ math.random(1,#EnemyHelos) ]:Spawn()
 end

If you want to code your own event handler, use this code fragment to tailor the event when a player carrier has deployed a cargo object from the CarrierGroup. You can use this event handler to post messages to players, or provide status updates etc.

 --- CargoDeployed event handler OnAfter foR "myclass".
 -- @param #string From A string that contains the "*from state name*" when the event was triggered.
 -- @param #string Event A string that contains the "*event name*" when the event was triggered.
 -- @param #string To A string that contains the "*to state name*" when the event was triggered.
 -- @param Wrapper.Unit#UNIT TaskUnit The unit (client) of the player that has deployed the cargo.
 -- @param Cargo.Cargo#CARGO Cargo The cargo object that has been deployed. Note that this can be a CARGO_GROUP, CARGO_CRATE or CARGO_SLINGLOAD object!
 -- @param Core.Zone#ZONE DeployZone The zone wherein the cargo is deployed. This can be any zone type, like a ZONE, ZONE_GROUP, ZONE_AIRBASE.
 function myclass:OnAfterCargoDeployed( From, Event, To, TaskUnit, Cargo, DeployZone )

   -- Write here your own code.

 end

Type(s)

Field(s)

Function(s)

Defined in:

TASK_CARGO_TRANSPORT

Return value:

#boolean:

Instantiates a new TASK_CARGO_TRANSPORT.

Defined in:

TASK_CARGO_TRANSPORT

Parameters:

The set of groups for which the Task can be assigned.

#string TaskName

The name of the Task.

The scope of the cargo to be transported.

#string TaskBriefing

The Cargo Task briefing.

Return value:

Defined in:

TASK_CARGO_TRANSPORT

Parameter:

ReportGroup

Defined in:

TASK_CARGO_TRANSPORT

Parameters:

TaskUnit

From

Event

To