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Helocast

This addon adds the capability to Helocast, Kangaroo cast and recover Zodiacs (CRRCs).

This is designed to work in SP, MP and Dedicated with human and AI pilots and boat crew.

This is a Beta release. More features are planned and more aircraft will be supported. I'll be adding a video showcase soon to demonstrate the features.


With this in mind, I'd like to incorporate as many reasonable additions as possible, so keep 'em coming!

***For best results with the RHS CH-47, I recommend the RHS compatibility patch: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2051437300

Supported Aircraft:

• RHS CH-47 series (Helocast & Recover) Compatibility Patch: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2051437300
  
• RHS H-60 series (K-cast)
  
• RHS CH-53 series without rear gun (Helocast & Recover)
  
• Vanilla CH-67 (Helocast)
  
• Vanilla Blackfish (Helocast & Recover) *Note the AI can't hover, so no helocasting with AI pilot
  
• CUP US H-60s (K-Cast)
  
• CUP MH-47E (Helocast & Recover)
  
• CUP US CH-53E (Helocast & Recover)
  
• CUP V-22 (Helocast & Recover) *Note the AI can't hover, so no helocasting with AI pilot
  
• EricJ H-60s (K-Cast)
  
• EricJ H-92s (K-Cast)
  
• EricJ CH-67 (Helocast)
  
• Konyos MH-47 (Helocast & Recover)
  
• Boeing Konyo MH47G SOAR (Patch to Konyo's MH-47) (Helocast & Recover)
  
• OPTRE Pelicans (K-Cast & Recover *goofily*)
  
• Legion Studios' LAAT (Helocast)
  
• FFAA CH-47 (Helocast & Recover)

Supported Boats:

• All Vanilla CRRCs
  
• ZodiacCRRCBoat http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=27272

Features:

• Support for SP, MP and Dedicated
  
• Ability to Helocast, Kangaroo Cast (K-Cast) and Recover 1 or 2 CRRCs depending on aircraft type
  
• Tested & compatible with ALiVE
  
• Automatic setup for supported helos and CRRCs
  
• Add a selectable CRRC to a helo via Eden
  
• Green chemlight automatically added to the CRRC after being cast so swimmers can find the boat at night
  
• Users can remove this marker once they're near the boat
  
• Boat crews are automatically loaded into the helo
  
• Support for all CRRC/Zodiac form factor boats in ARMA 3
  
• Support for addon aircraft without mod dependency
  
• Safety checks to ensure you only helocast onto water
  
• Inter-operable with Feint's Paddle Mod - New 2019-12-27
  
• Logistical Loading/Unloading of CRRCs - New 2019-12-27
  
• Jump animations - New 2019-12-27
  
• Door/ramp animations - New 2019-12-27
  
• Cabin Light operation (RHS assets with AI pilots only) - New 2019-12-27
  
• Should be compatible with Liberation, Antistasi, etc. (Would love testing feedback)
  
• Designed to be compatible with the USS Freedom (Load/Unload CRRC without explosions)
  
• Updates all characters so they're more likely to splash when jumping

Setup:
In the Eden editor, you will see an options to "Add CRRC" under attributes. Check this box and a CRRC will be added to the helo (if supported) when the scenario starts.

Boats are automatically recoverable by supported aircraft without additional setup.

Helicopters are automatically setup for supported Helocast, K-Cast and recovery functions.

Helocast Procedure:
Inside moving helicopter with a boat loaded > Prep for Helocast (Ramp opens, drop altitude and speed) > Helocast (Boat is kicked out/dropped and all non-flight crew jumps out). A marker chemlight is automatically added to the CRRC. It can be removed by the user once they're near the boat.

Recovery Procedure:
Suitable helicopter lands in water with ramp open > pilot CRRC inside the helo > Recover CRRC > The boat is secured, boat crew takes up seats in the helo and the ramp closes.

Prepping and canceling helocast will cause the AI pilot to act accordingly. With human pilots, this only opens and closes the ramps. Your human pilot will need to fly lo and slow for you to see the option to Helocast.

Tips:
The alignment to recover in a CH-47/MH-47 variant is pretty tricky. A tip is to set yourself up so that that inboard edge of the righthand row of seats looks like a straight up & down line. I have a reference image above.

Limitations:

• I'm unable to get this working with the 3CB Merlins - the collision models conflict too much and cause issues.
  
• RHS assets require a compatibility patch
  
• The air crew of the helo needs to be in a different squad than the crew jumping with the boat
  
• The recovery helo must have bench seats (don't use hide seats attribute in Eden because this prevents passengers from being able to take seats in the helo)
  
• In most aircraft, the CRRC is not visible while inside the aircraft with the ramp closed. This is related to the aircraft models and beyond my scope.
  
• The Vanilla CH-67 sinks immediately when touched by a boat - at this time recovery is not supported on the CH-67.
  
• The function that pushes the CRRC out the back of the helo is very simplistic at this time: if you helocast at severe pitch/roll angles weird things will happen.
  
• The AI don't seem to know how to hover VTOLs so you won't be able to helocast with an AI pilot in a VTOL

Planned Updates:

• Configurable CRRC markers (IR strobes, other chemlights, etc.)
  
• Better condition checks for helocast launching (consider pitch, roll, etc.)
  
• Support for additional (appropriate) aircraft per user requests
  
• Add caving ladders to H-60 and similar
  
• Prep for recovery action
  
• AI custom waypoint types to Prep for Helocast, initiate Helocast and Setup for Recovery
  
• Tuned flight profiles so helos don't gain as much altitude when slowing down
  
• Support for appropriate addon boats
  
• Support for addon marker type grenades as available CRRC markers (e.g. my Thermal IFF Strobe: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1543390130)
  
• Code update to require server-side only execution
  
• Zeus ability to add CRRC to helo

Usage Restrictions:
The GNU General Public License v3.0: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.en.html

I know folks are going to dePBO this, so the GPL license just basically asks that you mention me on any work based on this. I will be making my Github for this public once the addon is a bit more mature.

Anyone may add the raw PBOs for this mod into their own addons, etc.

Waypoints:
Until I have the waypoint system integrated, here's an (untested) workaround:

To create a "Prep Helocast" Waypoint, add the code below to the waypoint. You'll need to replace "helo" with the name of the helicopter you want to helocast:
[helo] spawn fatLurch_fnc_prepHelocast;

To create a "Helocast" Waypoint, add the code below to the waypoint.
[helo] spawn fatLurch_fnc_Helocast;

FAQ:
Will/Can this be released as a script? - Unfortunately things like tying into the Eden editor to add the CRRC to a helo aren't possible as a script. I have no plans of pursuing this as a script at this time.

Why can't I see the Helocast action? - The helo must be flying low and slow (<= 10 KPH and between 0.5 - 4.5 meters off the ground) and be over water and have a boat

BIS Forum:
https://forums.bohemia.net/forums/topic/227076-helocasting-kangaroo-casting/

Acknowledgments and Thanks:
Roqarr
commy2
KillzoneKid
GEORGE FLOROS GR
Freddo3000
Enigma and his awesome typeSQF editor: http://typesqf.no-ip.org/
BIS
All of the original content authors for the assets this supports: RHS, CUP, EricJ, Konyo, Get Trippy and OPTRE