OFP/CWA Simple Bleedout Script [The Lost Art of Trigger-Scripting: How We Played ArmA Before Mods!]

The ArmA series is known for its modding community, but in the age of "click to subscribe" on Steam, the player base seems to have lost touch with one of the features that has made ArmA stand out among mil-sim and tactical shooter games: trigger-scripting.

These days, new players often expect their mods to do everything for them. If they can't find a mod that causes A.I. to behave the way they want, they assume it simply can't be done in the game.

Yet, in the very early days of our favorite series, A.I. didn't do much of anything at all, other than follow waypoints and shoot at enemy units within their (pathetically narrow) field of view. It was up to the players to introduce more complex behaviors via creative scripting. Though tedious, it was a truly rewarding experience for those with a willingness to learn and experiment with basic "computer logic" and game commands.

As an example of how a specific A.I. behavior could have been introduced back in the day without the use of mods, I demonstrate in this video how a simple bleedout mechanic can be introduced for both players and A.I. in Bohemia Interactive's debut installment of the ArmA series -- Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis (ArmA: Cold War Assault).