Randomising missions

[salmo]

I'm trying the write a script to randomise mission parameters in the "MAIN" section of the mission file; time, weather, cloud height, wind etc. Here's what I have, but it does not work, can anyone help out please?

code removed by author

[41Sqn_Banks]

Hi, first of all the "GamePlay.gpLoadSectionFile(fileName);" doesn't load the mission file into the game engine. It only creates a ISectionFile object that allows to read/write a mission file with the script and do some changes (like you are already do).

To post load a mission file into the running battle you need to call "GamePlay.gpPostMissionLoad(fileName);"

However I don't think it's possible to change the MAIN parameters by a mission file that is post loaded into a running battle.

Anyhow your script should look something like this:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using maddox.game;
using maddox.game.world;
using maddox.GP;
using System.Security.Cryptography;


public class Mission : AMission
{

public override void OnBattleInit()
{
      RandomiseMission();
}

internal ISectionFile RandomiseMission()
{

    //time of day
    bool RandomiseTime = true;
    int minTime = 6;
    int maxTime = 17;
    // WeatherIndex
    bool RandomiseWeatherIndex = true;
    int minWeatherIndex = 0;
    int maxWeatherIndex = 1;
    // cloud height
    bool RandomiseClouds = true;
    int minClouds = 1000;
    int maxClouds = 2000;
    // BreezeActivity
    bool RandomiseBreezeActivity = true;
    int minBreezeActivity = 0;
    int maxBreezeActivity = 3;
    // ThermalActivity
    bool RandomiseThermalActivity = true;
    int minThermalActivity = 0;
    int maxThermalActivity = 2;

    ISectionFile f = GamePlay.gpCreateSectionFile();
    string sect;
    string key;
    string value;
    // time of day
    if (RandomiseTime == true)
    {
        sect = "MAIN";
        key = "TIME";
        value = NextInt(minTime, maxTime).ToString();
        f.add(sect, key, value);
	GamePlay.gpHUDLogCenter("Time: " +  value); // for testing
    }

    // WeatherIndex 
    if (RandomiseWeatherIndex == true)
    {
        sect = "MAIN";
        key = "CloudsHeight";
        value = NextInt(minWeatherIndex, maxWeatherIndex).ToString();
        f.add(sect, key, value);
    }

    // clouds
    if (RandomiseClouds == true)
    {
        sect = "MAIN";
        key = "CloudsHeight";
        value = NextInt(minClouds, maxClouds).ToString();
        f.add(sect, key, value);
    }

    // minBreezeActivity
    if (RandomiseBreezeActivity == true)
    {
        sect = "MAIN";
        key = "BreezeActivity";
        value = NextInt(minBreezeActivity, maxBreezeActivity).ToString();
        f.add(sect, key, value); 
    }

    // ThermalActivity 
    if (RandomiseThermalActivity == true)
    {
        sect = "MAIN";
        key = "ThermalActivity";
        value = NextInt(minThermalActivity, maxThermalActivity).ToString();
        f.add(sect, key, value); 
    }

// This post loads the section file f into the current battle.
// It's also possible to save the section file f first by f.save("filename") and then
// call GamePlay.gpPostMissionLoad("filename"); if you want to save the randomised file
// on your hard disk.
   GamePlay.gpPostMissionLoad(f);
 
   return f;

}

private static int NextInt(int min, int max)
{
    RNGCryptoServiceProvider rng = new RNGCryptoServiceProvider();
    byte[] buffer = new byte[4];

    rng.GetBytes(buffer);
    int result = BitConverter.ToInt32(buffer, 0);

    return new Random(result).Next(min, max);
}

}

[salmo]

The script compiles without errors in the FMB compiler. When I run the mission, I get 2 outcomes in about 50/50 proportion:
(1) mission load & runs OK & time/weather is random
(2) mission load fails & I get an "object reference not set to an instance of an object" error dialog window.

[salmo]

Here's a working (beta) of a script to randomise mission time/cloud height/weather/breeze & thermals. Feedback is very welcome.

code removed by author

[Octocat]

More concise and economical way to generate random numbers:

internal ISectionFile RandomiseMission()
{
    var random = new Random(Environment.TickCount);

    ...
    value = random.Next(minBreezeActivity, maxBreezeActivity).ToString();

    ...
    value = random.Next(minThermalActivity, maxThermalActivity).ToString();

    ...
}

[salmo]

Originally Posted by Octocat

More concise and economical way to generate random numbers:

code removed by author

It's a moot point. The random method certainly uses less resources & therefore is "more efficient", but many argue about the "randomness" of the numbers generated. The Cryptography system method uses more resources, but provides a "better" (more unpredictable) random number set. Of course, to get true randon numbers you would have to seed the generator with something truely random such as cosmic radiation or background noise.

[Octocat]

Here the main idea: do not create an object of Random anew for each use. One would be enough.

[salmo]

Originally Posted by Octocat

Here the main idea: do not create an object of Random anew for each use. One would be enough.

So are you saying that the NextInt routine would be better if the highlighted line were used?

code removed by author

[Octocat]

No, code "return Random(result).Next(min, max);" is syntactic error for C# compiler, because keyword new required.

I saying, you can remove NextInt function completely. Then create single instance of Random class in the RandomizeWeather function, and then use it as many times as you like, as in my example above.

[Octocat]

The random method certainly uses less resources...

Random in not the method, but class.

Line below creates instance of Random class, and assigns the value to variable named random.

var random = new Random(Environment.TickCount);

Now, we can call method "Next" any number of times:

int randomNumber = random.Next(min, max);