[AntiSocialKindaGuy]

The Plan
Produce a helicopter that can lift a single vehicle at a time. The helicopter will need to land to pick up and land to put down.

The Technique
Using bike logic in the well known technique of replacing the rider with a dummy rider when loading something.

The Problem
Picking up an object ( ie. not OCL-ing it in ) will cause the helicopter to explode, unless a move command is given while the helicopter is taking off again.
It seems that picking up an object that ejects the old one causes the "bike" to scuttle, as though there is a brief delay between ejecting and picking up. What is very odd, however, is that this does not occur when the "bike" is moving.

Attempted Workarounds
- Using another dummy to make the helicopter land for pickup.
- Using a ground locomotor [ Immediate explosion unless picked up while moving ]
- Extending the lifetime of the dummy.
- Using a real object OCL'd instead of a dummy.
- Increasing the number of slots available.

The Code

  KindOf = PRELOAD TRANSPORT VEHICLE SELECTABLE SCORE CAN_CAST_REFLECTIONS ;FS_TECHNOLOGY IMMUNE_TO_CAPTURE 

  Behavior = ChinookAIUpdate ModuleTag_07
     RotorWashParticleSystem = HelixRotorWashRing
  End

  Locomotor = SET_NORMAL     CH54Locomotor
  Locomotor = SET_SLUGGISH  CH54LandingLocomotor

  Behavior = RiderChangeContain ModuleTag_Rider
    Rider1 = RiderDummy              RIDER1 WEAPON_RIDER1 STATUS_RIDER1 AmericaDummyRiderCommandSet       SET_NORMAL
    Rider2 = RiderDummyLanded        RIDER2 WEAPON_RIDER1 STATUS_RIDER2 AmericaDummyLandedRiderCommandSet SET_SLUGGISH
	Rider3 = AmericaVehicleDozer     RIDER3 WEAPON_RIDER1 STATUS_RIDER3 AmericaDummyRiderCommandSet       SET_NORMAL
    ScuttleDelay          = 0
    ScuttleStatus         = TOPPLED
    Slots                 = 1
    ScatterNearbyOnExit   = No
    HealthRegen%PerSec    = 0
    BurnedDeathToUnits    = No
    AllowInsideKindOf     = VEHICLE
    ExitDelay         = 250
    NumberOfExitPaths = 1 ; Defaults to 1.  Set 0 to not use ExitStart/ExitEnd, set higher than 1 to use ExitStart01-nn/ExitEnd01-nn
    GoAggressiveOnExit = Yes ; AI Will tell people to set their mood to Aggressive on exiting
    DoorOpenTime = 0
	InitialPayload = RiderDummy 1
  End

  Behavior    = OCLSpecialPower ModuleTag_DitchRider 
    SpecialPowerTemplate = SpecialAbilityDitchRider 
    OCL                  = OCL_RiderDummyLanded
  End
  
  Behavior    = OCLSpecialPower ModuleTag_DitchRiderLanded 
    SpecialPowerTemplate = SpecialAbilityDitchRiderLanded 
    OCL                  = OCL_RiderDummy
  End

Object RiderDummy 
  
  Side = America
  EditorSorting = SYSTEM 
  TransportSlotCount  = 1              
  KindOf = PRELOAD VEHICLE CLICK_THROUGH NO_SELECT IGNORED_IN_GUI 

  Body = ActiveBody ModuleTag_02 
    MaxHealth       = 1 
    InitialHealth   = 1 
  End 

  Behavior = AIUpdateInterface ModuleTag_03 
  End 

  Behavior = DeletionUpdate ModuleTag_05; Not LifetimeUpdate, since I can't die.  This will DestroyObject me. 
    MinLifetime = 1 
    MaxLifetime = 1
  End 

End

Afterword
As always, any suggestions appreciated. Probably just something silly I've missed. Cheers.

[IHM]

Maaan, your over thinking that.

Heres what you should do

Take your skycrane unit, give it chinookaiupdate, that is needed to make it land and take off, which I believe you already know.

Next, on the model, somewhat below the model, add a bone called station01.

Next, in the art module, add ExtraPublicBone = Station01

Lastly, copy the garrisoncontain module from the firebase, and change it to 1 carry size, and add requiredkindof = VEHICLE

Hope that helps

[AntiSocialKindaGuy]

This was considered. but has a critical flaw; if the unit to be shown externally, then when the helicopter rotates the vehicle carried does not move with it. Try it and see.

Hence bike logic must be used with the artwork such that the vehicle & heli are one unit when riding.

[AntiSocialKindaGuy]

Aha, got it! It's the Chinook AI Update module; take that away and replace with a transport ( or possible a regular, I didn't try ) and it's fine.

There is, however, one last problem. When trying to eject the rider, it is simply thrown out while flying. Clicking the land button simply ejects the rider ( even when using two slots ). Anyone think of a way round that?

[2312222]

You could add a MUST_BE_STOPPED in the Evacuation's CommandButton so that the actual evacuation can only happen once the skycrane is hovering.

Second give your TransportAI Module a bone that is almost at ground level so upon evac the unit is "spawned" at that location and then drops to the ground. Of course you'd have to make fitting art assets for that.

[AntiSocialKindaGuy]

Problem there is that if it drops out from just above ground level, it's effectively appeared as if by magic there - and surely adding an unloading animation wouldn't be quick enough ( unless you can delay the ejection? )

[2312222]

Hmm, imagine you have a tank tied underneath the skycrane. A exit bone is positioned exactly where the tank seems to be fixed at the chopper. Now, the user clicks and the actual tank leaves the skycrane at the exit bone (its "hanging" position). It's not perfect but probably the best you can get that done.

[SmokeyDaBear]

wait wait wait... im lost here... so waht you want is for the heli to land and then the units come out...much like the chinook does with vehicles or do you want it to hang via a net?

[AntiSocialKindaGuy]

Chinook does with vehicles

[IHM]

Think Caryall in Tib Sun