Commander Mode & Tactical Logistics Systems

Today, I’m telling it like it is.

When I started this project, I was just an Arma 3 modder with a vision for something truly original—a tactical experience that felt different from anything else on the market. It has been a long, difficult process. There were times when the "whispers" of outside noise tried to guide us down the wrong path, but today, we are steering Direct Contact back to its roots.

We are officially bringing in our original patron supporters—the true backbone of this project—to implement the unit selection system. We have already sent out emails to those of you eligible for this.

I have said it from day one: Arma 3 is the soul of this game, and that inspiration is finally coming to life. For those who know the history, you’ll recognize this as the "Zeus Commander" experience. This is the missing piece that brings Direct Contact in line with the vision I’ve always held for it.

If you were a supporter in the original tier, please check your Discord and reach out so we can get your name integrated into the units.

The path is clear. Let’s get to work.

Below is the complete rundown of the architectural features, squad commands, and the new logistics-driven supply economy.

🕹️ The Commander Mode Experience

By entering Commander Mode, you transition from a boots-on-the-ground operator to a high-altitude tactical supervisor. Your camera detaches, granting you a fully controllable, leashed bird's-eye view centered around your Forward Operating Base (FOB).

• FOB Anchor Leash: To maintain tactical limits, the camera is anchored to your ground character's position. You can pan freely within a 150-meter radius of this anchor, with unrestricted zoom heights.

• Dynamic Audio Feedback: Entering Commander Mode triggers professional, radio-interrupted voice queues. A global voice coordinator manages radio traffic, enforcing a 6-second cooldown to prevent overlapping chatter.

⚙️ Core Tactical Functions & Companion AI Our companion AI has been overhauled to bridge the gap between high-level macro orders and micro-level shooter mechanics.

Unified Squad Management Spawned units are grouped into distinct tactical squads (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie...). Use the sidebar to query and coordinate your forces:

• Stance Control: Toggle the active squad between Standing and Crouching instantly.

• Pacing & Speed: Command operators to transition between Walking and Running speeds.

Firearm Pose & Ready Stances Control how your AI holds their weapons to balance speed and awareness:

• Low Ready: Optimized for peripheral vision and traversal speed.

• High Ready: Optimized for tight CQB, interior clearing, and urban movement.

• Normal Ready: The standard, centered ready position.

Automated Combat Override our AI companions are highly reactive combat operators. When an enemy enters the operator's sensory Field of View (80m range, 90° FOV), the AI automatically overrides the commanded stance, raises their weapon, and engages the threat. Once the threat is neutralized or Line-of-Sight is broken, the AI seamlessly recovers to their previous tactical pose.

Style Path Planning We have implemented a highly advanced spline-based path-planning system that allows you to draw precision navigation vectors directly onto the battlefield.

• Waypoint Splines: Drawing a movement path generates glowing, neon-cyan navigation paths on the terrain.

• Tactical Look-Direction: By holding the cursor still for 1.2 seconds while drawing, you can aim a directional arrow. Upon reaching this node, the companion will halt, perform a tactical sweep in that direction, and then resume their patrol.

• Sector-Hold Destinys: At the final node of a drawn path, your squad will lock their orientation in the commanded direction, establishing a persistent sector-hold.

• Organic Cornering: Intermediate waypoints utilize a 250cm acceptance radius, allowing companions to naturally "cut corners" and maintain momentum, eliminating robotic start-stop stuttering.

📦 Logistics & Supply Economy Spawning combat units and building outposts is now governed by a persistent, simulation-based economy.

Capital & Persistence

• Base Capital: Players start with a default budget of 5,000 supplies.

• AddedPersistent SavesYour supply balance is written directly to disk. Returning to the main menu or starting a new session preserves your logistics budget.

• Insufficient Supplies: Attempting to purchase an asset beyond your budget will trigger an "INSUFFICIENT SUPPLIES!" HUD warning.

Chinook Resupply & Passive Income Your economy is kept alive through active operations and base logistics. Every active Logistics Outpost generates +50 supplies every 5 minutes. Upon income processing, a CH-47 Chinook will spawn high above your logistics structures to execute a heavy supply drop run.

• Physical Crate Drops: The Chinook drops a physical supply crate. Once it makes physical contact with the ground, it triggers AwardSupplies().

• Anti-Stuck Fail-Safe: If a crate gets stuck in the air or on a rooftop, an automated 15-second backup timer triggers to passively award the supplies to your account.

Gather your squads, build up your fortifications, secure the supply lines, and take command, Operator. We'll see you in the field.

This project is still a work in progress, so bugs may happen. Please join our Discord to help out!