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Hallo everyone, Anyone who have made a mission for lockon in the missioneditor will know that to make such a misison one have to have very very much patience. I am working on a tool to solve that issue. Objective of my tool: Enable mission designers to copy units inclusive of their flight routes, attack points etc. so as to prevent repetitive manual labour mission edititng taks. Take this scenario of a 169th_dedicated server for example: * A red vs Blue online mission consisting of red and blue air/ground units. * Various grond units for red side, ground units for blue side. * Air units for red, and blue, AI or human client players. * Blue flight departs from airbase sochi: 4*F15, 4*Su-25, 4*A10 --> red departs from Novorossisjks with a smililair configuration. The daunting task as curernt mission editor: * Create 4 F15 units, assign routes. etc. That in itself if done properly could take about 30 minutes of a misison designers time. * Now do the same for A10, Su-25 etc etc. * You end up begin busy maybe 4 hours to create such a mission. To most of us who have a fulltime job, a family etc thats quite a effort. No wonder people are reluctant to create new missions:mad:. My solution: A little c# windows forms application that: * Allows a user to open a lockon .mis mission file. * See a list of all individual flights/units of both ground, air, ship units. * Provide the user with a inputbox, to specify how many copies he want to make of the unit. * Allow the user to click a command button which wil create nn-number of copies of the selected unit. * Allow the user to save this modified mission as a new lockon .mis file in the lockon .mis-format so ast to play the mission in lockon. The difference will be: * As per the 169th example, the misison designer create ONE flight of F15 then in my app do duplicate 3 times, and the same for the flight of Su-25, Su-27 etc etc, or SAM units whatever you want. * Mission design time will be 30 minutes and not 4 or more hours. The technical implementation: * The code is written in Visual Studio.NET2003, programming language C#. * My problem: i read the .mis file, append the units , then write the file back to lockon.mis format, but lockon wont accept the file, it complans about bad file. * What i do to create the output file is: ---> read the source .mis file, translate XML part to XML. ---> Append the new units to the source XML. ---> Copy the first 1535 butes header into a storage byte array which is 1535 + size of new XML. ---> Write the complete byte array as binary stream to a file, with extension .mis. For example: Original total .mis filesize 23456 bytes XML for the new units: 1000 bytes New output file size: 24456 bytes. Now the problem is, when the file is wrriten back to disk, that some bytes of the header file are mysteriously modified (by C#???). I cant know HOW it happens! I think that that is the reason why lockon will not read my ffile, coz the C# dotnet compler messes around with the byte values. I made these code to: * read a example misison file ("Su-25 Night Strike.mis") as binary. * Get the first 1535 as binary header. * Get the XML from a mission file such as "Su-25 Night Strike.mis". * Append XML from a mission file to the header. * Return a byte array, to write to file using a System.IO.Binarywriter. Prob is the first 1535 bytes of the output bytes are not equal to "Su-25 Night Strike.mis". Any ideas? See here belwo the program code used to append bytes, and write it back to file. Send me a email if you want the complete source code, all weighing in at 1.8Mb. BTW, this post is related to this thread. #region Converts the XML missionfile to MIS. /// <summary> /// Converts the XML to lockon internal' MIS-fileformat. /// </summary> /// <param name="xDocToConvert">The xml missionfile source to convert.</param> /// <returns></returns> public byte[] GetXMLtoMIS(XmlDocument xDocToConvert) { byte[] bytMissionHeader = null; byte[] bytResult = null; try { string strBaseMissionName = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory + @".\" + ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings["LockonMissionHeader"]; FileStream fs = new FileStream(strBaseMissionName, FileMode.Open); BinaryReader brInput1 = new BinaryReader(fs); //Open die voorbeeld lockon .mis-bestand, zoek naar <Lockon en vervangen met eigen misison XML. if(brInput1 != null) { bytMissionHeader = brInput1.ReadBytes(Convert.ToInt32(brInput1.BaseStream.Length)); int intMissionHeaderEndpos = int.Parse(ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings["MissionHeaderEndpos"]); byte[] bytMissionXML = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(xDocToConvert.OuterXml.Replace("<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>", "")); //Recerveer een deel van geheugen, hier gaat de mission file tijdelijk in worden aangemaakt. byte[] bytTemp1 = new byte[intMissionHeaderEndpos + bytMissionXML.Length]; //kopieer mission header definite, van Eagle Dynamics. for(int intTeller = 0; intTeller < intMissionHeaderEndpos; intTeller++) { bytTemp1[intTeller] = bytMissionHeader[intTeller]; } //Plak de nieuwe door gebruiker gemaakt XML achter aan die header van ED missionfile. int tel2 = 0; for(int intTeller = intMissionHeaderEndpos + 1; intTeller < intMissionHeaderEndpos + bytMissionXML.Length; intTeller++) { bytTemp1[intTeller] = bytMissionXML[tel2]; tel2++; } bytResult = bytTemp1; } } catch(Exception ex) { throw new Exception(ex.Message + "; " + ex.StackTrace); } return bytResult; } #endregion This code writes a .mis file: public void WriteMISfile() { try { byte[] bytMIS = new clsMissionFile().GetXMLtoMIS(_xDocNewMission1); FileStream fs = new FileStream(objSaveMap.Filename, FileMode.OpenOrCreate); BinaryWriter bwOutMIS = new BinaryWriter(fs); if(bwOutMIS != null) { for(int intMisPos = 0 ; intMisPos < bytMIS.Length; intMisPos++) { bwOutMIS.Write(bytMIS[intMisPos]); } bwOutMIS.Close(); } } catch(Exception ex) { MessageBox.Show("Error: " + ex.Message + "; " + ex.StackTrace, _appNaam, MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Exclamation); } } PM me then i'll send you the complete source code, all about 1.8mb.

Here is a new eight mission campaign for the Su-27. http://www.dpsflight.com/Su27OStur.htm No time is wasted taxiing and taking-off. Each of the missions starts with you already en route to your first target, and deft use of sim acceleration will have you in the thick of the action in just a couple of minutes. If you really want to fly it from off-chocks declassify with Ctrl+SHIFT+D password Motherland and drag your flight to Sochi-Adler AFB and adjust timings as required. I’m still encountering an occasional problem with some static objects not appearing. When you launch each mission use F12 to check that they are visible. If not Esc, close and FLY again. I had to do this four times in mission 6 in order to see all the M-2s. Some of the objectives in the latter ground attack missions will have to be located by the player – and some of the FAC marker rockets are falling hundreds of metres from the targets. If you want to make them easier to find just declassify and assign all the goals in the targeting section of ME. DPS. Operation Sturgeon Autumn 1996. The Great Patriotic War has entered its 56th year and the Western Allies are threatening to overrun the Krasnodar Administrative Region. American and German forces are established along a front stretching from Arhipo Osipovka in the south-east to Slavjansk-Na-Kubani in the north-west. Our valiant 17th Armoured Brigade, spearheaded by the heroic tank crews of the 149th Armoured Division, has launched a massive offensive against the bourgeois forces of the US/German CXVIII Corps. You are to lead a flight of Russian Federation Air Force (VVS) Su-27 fighters from the 1054th Fighter Aviation Regiment flying from Sochi-Adler Air Base. Your main task will be to provide air cover for our CAS missions over the battlefield. Mission 1 TARCAP at Slavjansk-Na-Kubani. Day 1, 11:50 Hrs. This mission starts with you already flying a TARCAP at 4,000 metres over Slavjansk-Na-Kubani. Su-17s of 1060th Attack Regiment have been tasked to attack American self-propelled artillery that has just been spotted 30 kilometres south-west of the town. Engage any enemy aircraft that approach your TARCAP location. Weather fine with scattered cloud at 1000 metres. Temperature 20 deg. An A-50 AWACS is on station north-west of Majkop. Mission 2 TARCAP at Pshada. Day 1, 16:50 Hrs. This mission starts with you already flying a TARCAP at 4,000 metres over Pshada. A pair of Su-25Ts from 9368th Shturmovik Aviation Regiment have been tasked to attack German armour in the town at 17:00 Hrs. You are to ensure that the Su-25Ts are able to complete their task without being intercepted by enemy fighters. The mission will be considered a failure if the Su-25Ts are unable to destroy their targets. Weather fine with scattered cloud at 1000 metres. Temperature 20 deg. An A-50 AWACS is on station north-west of Majkop. Mission 3 BARCAP at Abinsk. Day 2, 06:45 Hrs. This mission starts with you already flying a BARCAP at 4,000 metres over Abinsk. It has been over 24 hours since the 17th Armoured Brigade engaged the enemy and we still haven’t gained air superiority. German Air Force Tornadoes of Jagdbombergeschwader 311 “Neukölln” have been attacking our armour with impunity and the offensive is losing its momentum. You must ensure that no enemy aircraft penetrate east of Abinsk. Weather fine with scattered cloud at 1,500 metres. Temperature 2 deg. An A-50 AWACS is on station over the Sea of Azov. Mission 4 BARCAP at Krymsk. Day 2, 19:50 Hrs. This mission starts with you already flying a BARCAP at 5,000 metres over Krymsk. The left flank of the German 41st Panzergrenadierdivision (Pankow) has collapsed and our forces are poised to retake the town of Jerivanskaja . Our Early Warning Radar at Novosevastopol’skoe has detected three groups of bandits crossing the coast at Taman heading towards the Gelendzhik sector. You must intercept and destroy these enemy aircraft. Be advised, the German Air Force elite all-female Jagdgeschwader 174 “Kreuzberg", lead by the renowned fighter ace Oberstleutnant Élise von Krieg (353 kills) and her wingman Oberleutnant Anke Volltreffer has been patrolling over the Sea of Azov . Weather fine with scattered cloud at 2,000 metres. Temperature 5 deg. An A-50 AWACS is on station over the Krasnodar. Mission 5 Ground Attack at Vozrozhdenie. Day 3. 10:40 Hrs. The 1054th Fighter Aviation Regiment’s role has now changed to that of ground attack. If the 17th Armoured Brigade can break through to Gelendzhik the 41st Panzergrenadierdivision will be separated from the rest of the CXVIII Corps and the enemy units in Krasnodar Region will be easily defeated. You are already en route to your assigned target area at Vozrozhdenie (SP3) loaded-out with FAB-500 general purpose bombs. Take care not to drop any ordnance close to the NTV television news team who are filming from civilian vehicles very close to the action near the river at the eastern end of the town. Weather fine with sky clear. Temperature 10 deg. AWACS not available. Mission 6 Interdiction at Kabardinka. Day 3. 15:10 Hrs. The Americans are reinforcing their units to the west of the town of Gelendzhik . You are already en route to your assigned target area at Kabardinka loaded-out with KMGU-2 dispensers. Attack the armoured infantry unit parked just to the west of Mar’ina Roscha (SP3). This target will be marked with smoke at 15:20 Hrs. Then move on to SP4 and find and destroy the supply trucks coming down the road from Novorossijsk. Weather fine with scattered cloud at 1,000 metres. Temperature 13 deg. AWACS not available. Mission 7 Close Air Support at Divnomorskoe. Day 3. 19:45 Hrs. American reinforcements have made an amphibious landing east of Gelendzhik supported by attack helicopters in order to bolster the German units to the east of the town. You are already en route to your assigned target area at Divnomorskoe (SP3) loaded-out with KMGU-2 dispensers. As you arrive, two groups of enemy vehicles, mainly LVPT-7s and M-2s will be designated for you by helicopters firing rockets at 19:55 Hrs. Be advised, enemy units are well defended by self-propelled AAA and MANPADs. Weather fine with scattered cloud at 800 metres. Temperature 11 deg. AWACS not available. Mission 8 Air Strike at Anapa Airport. Day 4. 10:25 Hrs. Our glorious 17th Armoured Brigade has overwhelmed the enemy, who are now in full retreat. The commander of the US/German CXVIII Corps, General Jack D. Ripper, is about to flee the region in a helicopter from Anapa airport. You are already en route to Anapa loaded-out with KMGU-2 dispensers. Destroy any aircraft that you find on the ground or attempting to get airborne from the airport (SP3). Expect a barrage of radar directed anti-aircraft fire as you approach the target. Weather fine with scattered cloud at 800 metres. Temperature 11 deg. AWACS not available.

The online community for any game speak the most and shout the loudest! But the truth is they are a very (I mean VERY )small minority of any game. No more than 5% of the people who bought IL2 play online and even less online players in LOMAC. I very much doubt that ED are that concerned with online community revenue apart from the online community are the most active in all the game forums the most, giving an illusion that games are played more online than in single player mode. Take a look at Quake III/ it was designed for online play almost exclusively. iD addmitted they got it wrong and developed Doom III which was mainly centred around single play mode to sell it! and of course Quake 4 had a strong emphasis on single play mode. Half life is another example and so on..... :) It's the old maxim, he who shouts the loadest....gets heard. Btw I am not knocking the online community, its a game and one can play it any way they like. But the real truth is in market figures and how successful LOMAC is ..... is in the business statistics and we are not privy to EDs business knowledge ;) Mizzy

Someone needs to do real interview with ED (and by that I don't mean asking when Blach Shark will be ready). Questions should be along the lines of: - tell us why you decided to do helicopter addon, not another airplane - What makes Ka-50 easy to implement, what parts are difficult? - Where would you like to see your company 5 years from now? - What limitations of current hardware do you see the most showstoppers for flight sim market? - What technologies do you forsee in the near future to emerge/advance to make your job easier making flight sims: physics engine, graphics, multicore processors? ...and many many more. You know, real interview :)

Pretty much BRD. Rep inbound. -Matt

I understand your frustration Thomas ol' buddy, I really do. I also can't wait for the next release. But I can also understand the Dev's reluctance to put out too much detail. In the past they have been more forthcoming than any Software Company that I have ever worked for concerning their product plans and timescales. But then, when the inevitable timescale issues (that happen on any Software project bigger than 1 man-year effort) force them to make tough decisions about what is in and what is out of the product, they get burned on the Forums.... "You promised it on this date", "You promised it would have feature X and feature Y", etc. A few of us with Software development experience understand it when that happens, but many, many others b*tch about it. You've been around long enough to have witnessed the bouts of fury on the forums in the past 2 years regarding patches, and FC release, etc... If I was the boss of ED, I wouldn't tell us a damn thing, other than " We released it yesterday". But that's just me. ;)