Real Date And Time In Mission File

[Z80CPU 527]

Hello Everybody!

Have you ever noticed that on your mission that there are no ‘real’ moon cycles?  No stars/constellations moving?  Such as a certain star being in the East during Spring, and it will be in the West come Winter?  Or for example, it is a ‘new moon’ and you never see a full moon which would happen a few weeks later?

Ever notice that the start date and time are basically ‘written in stone’?  Ever struggle with determining how much the time acceleration factor must be to have 3 hours server up time to 60 hours of in-game time?

Afraid of changing these because you might change something you did not intend?  Or maybe causing the dreaded ‘syntax error’?

No more!

Now you can have full moon cycles along with accurate star/constellation movements that occur in REAL LIFE IN REAL TIME!  No more of this ‘static’ settings.  Now, your server can be in REAL TIME with NO intervention from you!

If you set it up, you could have your server start with the current date and time!  Or just the time, or just the date!  YOUR CHOICE!

Want your server to run in REAL TIME?  NO PROBLEM!

Want your server to run in real time and have the correct time in-game EVERY BOOT?  NO PROBLEM!

This program will allow you to change/modify four settings every time it is run:  Date, Time, Server Cycle Time, and In-Game Time Passage.

So for example:

Real Time:  Server starts at 1200  Ends at 1600
Game Time:  In-Game Time start at 1200  Ends at 1600 (28 hours later)

Real Time:  Server starts at 1600  Ends at 2000
Game Time:  In-Game Time start at 1600  Ends at 2000 (28 hours later)

Or

Real Time:  Server starts at 1200  Ends at 1600
Game Time:  In-Game Time start at 1200  Ends at 1600 (4 hours later)

Real Time:  Server starts at 1600  Ends at 2000
Game Time:  In-Game Time start at 1600  Ends at 2000 (4 hours later)

(In other words, the in-game time will be set to the current date and time or to what you selected at every boot)

 

This is accomplished by setting the 'staticTime' value to the value you have set in the program:

        // Uses Dedicated Server time as ingame Time
        useRealTime = 0;

        // Will overide RealTime
        useStaticTime = 1;

        // time in ARMA FORMAT << CONFIG
        // https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/setDate

        staticTime[] = {VALUES YOU HAVE SELECTED};

This mean that it will always use what you have selected.  Even with the bug in v1.04 where 'useRealTime' is flawed and does not work, this does not prevent this program from working.  So with the bug, you can always have the current date and time or any date and time you wish and it will always work - with or without this bug.

 

You now have COMPLETE control over the time and date which was not possible in the past!

I have used this program for 2+ years and works flawlessly.  Once you set it up, which takes about 3 minutes, you will never have to touch it again unless you wish to alter the settings.

This program will create a complete and ‘ready to go’ batch file command that you can easily insert into your ARMA startup batch file.  It takes about 20 seconds to run so there is not a ‘big delay’ with running this.

Proper usage should be that the command is inserted ONE LINE BEFORE the line that contains your ARMA server executable.

Example of your ARMA batch file:

Line 1 – .....
Line 2 – .....
Line 3 – .....
Line 4 – This is where the command line would go
Line 5 – armaserver.exe

Sadly, to use this program you MUST be able to edit your ARMA startup file and have the ability to put EXE’s on the server.  If you do not, you MIGHT be able to get your host to ‘ok it’.

The program itself is approx. 188kb in size and will run on any version of Windows, from Win95 –> Win10.

When you download this program, you will have a choice on a ‘Stand Alone’ version or an ‘Installed’ version.  Try the ‘Stand Alone’ first.  Both will be included in the RAR file.

--->  Make SURE YOU READ THE ‘READ ME’ BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING!  <---

If you like this and wish to show your appreciation in a more tangible manner, please donate to me at:  PayPal.Me/SuperChickenProduct

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to let me know!

 

 

DropBox Link

 

 

Edited August 25, 2018 by Z80CPU

[Brenner 114]

Can it control in game day/night multiplier separately?

[Z80CPU 527]

Hello @Brenner,

Sadly no.  This is one 'conflict' that does exist that I am aware of; My program and the script which does the 'time split' that you mention.

Can my program be 'adjusted' to do such?  Oh yes!  I just have not had the need to implement such.  BUT, you CAN use that 'time script' and my program NOW!  See below.

To make everything 'work', you can do this:

1 - Set up program with all 4 values set.

2 - Run program manually.

3 - Take value for the time acceleration from the InitServer.SQF and put it into your 'time script' and adjust the 'time script' as you like.

4 - Re-Run my program and check the 'IGNORE' for the 'Game Time'.  This will NOT modify the InitSever.SQF file.  See attached pic

If you ALREADY have the 'time script' installed, just go to Step #4.

 

I will point out that since I do not have this script, I am not sure what will happen if you run my program and your mission has this in it.  If it does NOT work, TEMPORARILY put back the ORIGINAL LINE for the acceleration:

// Set time factor here
setTimeMultiplier 4;

Then, after doing the above steps, REMOVE THIS LINE!

Problem solved! 

 

 

You do bring up a good point and I may actually add this option in, that is automatically adding in the 'time script' if the used so desired it.

Thank you for your input!

[Brenner 114]

I am actually using Occupation addon for day/night time multiplier, but will definitely give it a try, thanks for sharing it

[Z80CPU 527]

You're more than welcome!  As stated, you CAN use it, just follow the above steps and it will work happily with your Occupation time script!  Just 'turn off' that feature in my program shown in the attached pic in my above post!