Search the Community

Mission State Save Guide Mission State Save is a new feature that will be particularly enjoyed by those of you with basic mission-editing skills that want to play scenarios you have created and play over several sessions whilst preserving and carrying forward mission progress, without complex scripting. Mission Save works by generating a new mission file at any point during the flight. The generated save mission carries over different parameters of missions such as date/time, all units state and location and other mission state relevant parameters. We’ve also added some support for this feature on a dedicated server level. We are releasing this feature in an early Work-in-Progress state to gather actual community usage feedback, which will help us refine and prioritise future improvements. We will also be looking at requests from script creators. Let’s take a look at some details about this feature. Operation basics As was mentioned before mission state save result is just a new .miz file which is just new mission file that you can open in the mission editor for adjustments or just play right away. This concept was used by some of our amazing community content creators, and it is our variation of this approach. Mission State Save is available in multiplayer and single player. It does not work with protected paid single player campaigns, for these, a separate solution is needed. There is a new special format of mission file .sav made specifically for dedicated server just to accommodate some automation, we will see its details below. What is being saved? Making full identical save is quite hard task if done in environment of sophisticated detailed simulation so to make something usable faster we have opted for approach of saving certain parameters that matter for mission theatre. Here is the list of saved parameters with its nuances: Time and date Dead units/groups and statics removed in save Position, speed and waypoints state of groups/units saved (they will start at the same position where they were at the moment of save, save cannot include waypoint advanced parameters for now) Units/groups and statics that were activated or created with the script during mission also will be present in state save Spawn points and internal fuel state of player/client units/groups saved and move to air if you save mission while enroute. In saved mission your spawn will be at the position where you left it in the air or on another airfield. Save process will place aircraft at the minimum altitude of 150 meters if they were flying lower at the moment of save. Player/Client and AI controlled aircraft weapons state is saved (Nuance here is that for now multiple point racks like triple mavericks etc. will be considered used and spent and will be removed from plane loadout in save even if at least one weapon on them is used). Partially used fuel tanks are not accounted for in save as we don’t have partially filled fuel tanks options for aircraft loadout currently. Aircraft malfunctions are applied at the start of saved mission if there were any at the moment of save. (For this aircraft need to have on demand failures modelled and best example will be A-10C) Warehouses state is saved All scripts and triggers are saved as they were in the start of original mission. Saving process does not touch them (there can be many scenarios variations for processing these in the save but as of now there is no clear best process logic for it for us yet. For API scripts authors can take it into account and for triggers you can remove not needed triggers manually in mission editor if you think you won’t need them in next session). We will be looking at feedback to potentially adjust this in future. How to use save mission state? In single player you can find “Save Mission” button in ESC menu: It will open dialogue window where you can name and choose where to save generated save .miz Additionally same button is available in the mission debriefing screen (save time will be moment when you have quit the mission): For Multiplayer Mission State Save will be available only on server side. If you host mission not from dedicated server then as host you will have same “Save Mission” button in ESC menu. For Dedicated Server there is new button in its web GUI interface “save mission as..” which you can use at any time during mission to save current state. We have added new mission format for dedicated server: .sav. It serves only one purpose - automation for running mission autosave. .sav is essentially same as .miz, you can even rename it to be .miz and treat it as such. But dedicated server treats .sav differently and difference being “.sav” mission can be autosaved into same file when you stop server or restart mission if dedicated server option “Autosave .sav files on mission stop” is activated. That way you just need to launch same mission in list to continue from the saved state. The server has a mission list and if you are rotating through missions in list, you may have missions that you want to save automatically and some missions that should not be saved, new “.sav” format helps to differentiate between those. Later we want to add ability to save mission state while mission is running into same file and do not create new one on save for .sav files. New Scripting API: world.getPersistenceData(name) Read persistence data identified by name. Returns Lua-value stored in this miz/sav by a given name or nil if no value found. Name MUST ONLY consist of the following characters: [a-zA-Z0-9_ -], that is Latin alphabet, numbers, space, underscore and dash. This API is to be used in the initialization part of the script. During mission it will always return data stored in the original miz/sav, data is updated ONLY after simulation finishes. See world.setPersistenceHandler(name, handler) for further details. world.setPersistenceHandler(name, handler) Registers a handler for generating persistent data when saving simulation state. Name MUST conform to the same restriction described above. Handler MUST be a Lua-function which takes no arguments and returns persistent data as a Lua-value (boolean, number, string, table). The returned value must be JSON-serializable. The handler will be called every time the simulation state is being saved. Note, that saving a state during mission run-time DOES NOT update the values returned by world.getPersistenceData(name) - these will continue to return persistence data as it was on the start of this simulation. This is done in order to avoid state saving to influence the simulation. Important note about the API: the use of names as keys for persistent data allows scripts to read data from any name they know. This is intentional to support cases where some scripts and frameworks might support data saved by other scripts and frameworks. Defining common names and data formats left up to framework authors. Storage format: Inside .miz/.sav the persistence data is stored as persistence/<name>.json files. Source: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/support/faq/scripting_engine/

Hi DCS Team, It seems, the mission editor does not save all the lines/ polygons/ actions/ triggers/ handles from a mission when saving/ creating a mission template. It just saves all the planes, ships, vehicles, etc. So in other words, when adding an existing template/ mission in to the newly created mission, all the lines/ polygons/ actions/ triggers/ handles, are missing. It would be great if we save a mission template, and load it, that all the triggers are saved as well, not just the materials. Kind regards, RWC

I set custom FoV ("zoom normal") on most aircraft, and I also set "Custom Snap View 5" for looking down the gunsight. Over the last year (give or take) I have had a hell of a time with multiple installs of the game on multiple computers with it saving those settings between load ins. This never used to be a problem, but since 2.9.something it's really been frustrating basically having to reset this weekly or every few days.

When saving a mission objects that were not there before would appear; when reloading a save there was a stinger in a place where it never originally appears; this was also the instant action medium

I need some help in the Mission Editor if anyone could... I am building a mission using the Kola Map. I am using a Static template of an airfield. Once loaded I try to save and just Hangs. I downloaded the .STM from the user download section. I attached some files. to help what I did and am seeing. I Also added the Static Template for the airfield I was using KL - BLUE - Kirkenes.stm DCS Hanging on SAve Eventvwr.txt dcs Eventvwr Error.txt

I have had several saved mission in which units seem to disappear when I load the save. Here is an example; note the MiG-25s in particular do not appear to show up in the saved mission. I am including the original mission, the saved mission, my track file, and my logs. Saved mission bug.7z

I flew the Apache in the Battle of Saipan mission. I started up on the ground, entered in 5 waypoints into the TSD, saved the mission, exited, loaded the mission and suddenly the Apache was 50 feet in the air and I crashed. I loaded and started again (the mission I'd saved with the Apache sitting on the ground), went full throttle, started the game, and flew away. All my waypoints had gone. I had also lost my wingmen, and the option to communicate with them on the radio - it was now blank. Some of my systems that had been on when I saved the mission, were now set off. Does the save mission option not work for helicopters?

I've tested DTC and it seems like options SAVE / SAVE AS just create a temporary session file for as long as we stay in the editor. It doesn't actually save any file. When you quit the editor, you will loose that files. The only way to save file to your disk is EXPORT option. Is it suppose to work that way? "Ghost" files saved only for editor session and "export" for actual save?

After a long day of Mission Building Testing and lots of Saves I end up getting this message. About 3 times now after the last update. It will only Happen after you save your work and then Start to Play the Mission. I Can Save the mission Exit the Mission Editor but I must EXIT the Game and restart DCS World for this message to Stop. The mission will load fine with all the last Saved version edits. But you must exit the game because doing just a reload of the mission after exit to Main Menu will still cause this message.

2025-08-14 09:19:32.800 ERROR LuaGUI (Main): [string "./MissionEditor/modules/me_exportToMiz.lua"]:98: [string "./MissionEditor/modules/me_exportToMiz.lua"]:1835: table index is nil same mission was working fine before last DCS update. dcs.log

I restarted dcs. Recently. Is there a way to save progress whilst playing a campaign game? So i can stop mid mission? And resume another day?

As title, tried to use this new feature for the first time today, saved the mission, but when I loaded it, it just had me started again from scratch..... Is it working?

I configure my Virpil dual throttle as sliders and add a -10 curve to match physical detent with in-game AB detent, but with every restart DCS reverts to the old settings. Axis inversion remains though. This seems to be related to the same issue in the MiG-29

My throttle settings will not save from one DCS session to the next with the MiG-29. I tune the axis by checking the "slider" box and adjust a saturation to 84 to match the AB to my detents. For the rest of the flying session the settings are saved. When I shut down DCS and restart it the only the throttle "slider" and saturation settings are lost. This is the only module that does this. Any suggestions or is this a bug?

Make a route with at least 20 waypoints, edit waypoints from middle of route or somewhere prior to final waypoint. Delete a waypoint, then add a waypoint. Save the route. It will work fine if using that route in the same session. Close and restart DCS, select route from route tool and waypoints will be out of sequence. I noticed in the lua the added waypoints are at the end of the list rather than in sequence, but have correct waypoint numbers. I'll try to get a track of it soon.

Hello, I couldn't find the location where the DTC files are saved on my hard drive. Does anyone know where they are? Sincerely, Michael

Hi, I noticed ongoing efforts with having this issue solved, as per latest patch notes, however I'm still having problems. This morning alone, I made two attempts at saving a very small mission to test out the latest progress on Combined Arms (maximum 40 units; infantry/armor), and had two freezes (causing crash to desktop). This was on the Cold War Germany map. In addition, the saving process of a mission can still take time. For reference; - I have no mods installed. Everything is vanilla, and a fresh install (approx. 2 months ago). - Doing a repair atm. just in case. - PC specs: Intel I9 Ultra 285k OC (Intel stage 2 standardized OC), Corsair Dominator Titanium RGB DDR5 96GB 6000Mhz RAM, Nvidia 5090 FE, MSI MPG Z890I EDGE TI WIFI, Corsair MP700 PRO NVMe M.2 1TB & Corsair MP600 PRO NH NVMe M.2 8TB (DCS is on this one), 1kW Corsair PSU. If there is anything else, like a crash log or so, that I can provide, mention what you need. Also, if anyone still has similar issues in the ME, add to the thread. I'm sure it will only speed up the resolution process. -=zerO=-

Hello, I've seen a lot of threads where people seem to have issues when relocating the "Saved Games" folder, where DCS stores the players data, so I was surprised to see that there isn't yet a Guide about this subject. So, here is my attempt at explaining how to do this chore. First of all, "Saved Games" is a special Windows folder that is made when your Windows account is created. This folder is special because it has additional properties that common folder do not have. If you try to move "Saved Games" by means of copy/paste, you will end up with a common folder that happens to be named "Saved Games" but has none of its special properties. The User Folder: By default, the path to this folder is C:\Users\your-user-name\Saved Games\ ... you can navigate to it by double clicking on your User Folder icon that is on the desktop, like this: If your desktop does not have this icon, then right click on the desktop wallpaper and on the context Menu select "Customize" (this text is customized according to your Windows language, on my spanish Windows it says "Personalizar". Then select "Themes" and then "Desktop Icons", it should show this dialog: Make sure that "User Files" is ticked, like on the illustration. Your User Files should look somewhat like this: Moving "Saved Games": I have highlighted "Saved Games" ("Juegos Guardados" on my spanish Windows). Right click on it and on its context menu select Properties and then select "Location", you should see a dialog like this, with the current location of the folder: It is here that you can move the folder ... simply type a valid path. Please, MAKE SURE to specify a folder name, or else your saved games contents will be placed on the root of the drive. For example: Here, I will move the whole "Saved Games" folder onto my drive F: ... click OK ("Aceptar"), since I have not manually created the "F:\Saved Games" folder, Windows will offer to create it: Click YES, to let Windows create it. Then Windows will ask you if you want it to move the contents of the folder to its new location: Click YES again. Windows will then proceed to move the files, it may take a while depeding on how large the folder is: Once the move finishes, you can go to the destination and confirm that the "Saved Games" folder is actually there: You can tell that the Move was correct, because the folder still has its custom icon. You can also check its properties on your User Folder and confirm its new path, like this: Exception: The above process will move all the folders and files contained on the prior "Saved Games" location, EXCEPT symbolic links. If you use symbolic links, like I do, you will need to re-create them, like this: Why do I use these links? ... to place folders on my cloud drive, so that I have a continous backup of the most important data .. on my case that would be the HOTAS Config, Views & SnapViews, Liveries, Missions, Kneeboards, Pilot Logbook, Static Templates and Screenshots. Once I recreated them, the /Saved Games/DCS/ folder looks like this: The small arrows on the folders, mark them as symbolic links, pointng to another place within the PC's file system. Well, hope that was clear enough and will be useful. Best regards, Eduardo

After a break form flying I came back it at the weekend. As usual, I expected to need to reassign a few things, and for now it seems like assigning buttons and axes is working ok. However, tuning adjustments to those axes is being lost every time I exit DCS. For example, I have a Virpil CM3 throttle, and have physical detents on it. In planes like the Hornet I use the lower one for idle thrust and the upper one for military power, pushing past it for afterburner. I go into the control settings, open the axis tune window and set up as a slider as opposed to axis, set deadzones and curves to match my HOTAS, and then go flying. When I'm done I close down DCS from the main menu. On the next load ALL axis adjustments are gone. Every time. The axis is still assigned properly, but it loses reverts back from slider, has no deadzones and no curves. Somebody on Discord suggested it could be a permissions issue with my Saved Games folder, but as far as I can see any other control changes are being saved just fine. I can remap keys, buttons and axes to other functions and they'll stay like that on subsequent reloads, which would suggest to me that the profile is being saved properly. I have tried manually saving the profile after tuning too, but when I reload the save file the tuning is still missing. It's made flying an utter pointless chore for me at the moment, as I need to spend time setting up each aircraft before I fly it over and over again. Any suggestions?

I had no idea which section to post this in, I tried GFN's forum but got no replies, so I'll try here instead. Does any one here who plays DCS on Geforce Now know a way to save/restore control bindings between sessions? I don't think there is a way tbh, so I won't likely be wasting much time with Geforce Now. Its garbage imo.

Hi, I'm trying to learn the Hornet and am not sure if I watching out of date tutorials, even though they are only around 4 months old. The radar settings in some online YT tutorials show the "set" key on the radar mfd as in the picture. Hwever there is no sign of it on my mfd. Is this the result of an update? Is there any current way to retain radar settings once you have found a config that suits the mission? Cheers o

Hi. I know that the saved game features are still in development, but it would be good to see triggered assets having their waypoints and actions saved. For example, I've tested the features and if an aircraft isn't triggered it will appear on the saved game but without its actions (CAP, AWACS, etc) and without its waypoints. It means currently one has to manage these assets before loading the saved game. It's okay for simple missions but a lot of work for more complex scenarios. Anyhow, it's a great feature but could be fantastic

state of MFDs not saved state of 'SHOW' Threat, targets, etc not saved state of CMAWS add any that seem to bug you as well.

To bring something new to this that only ED can do, I would want to see the routes and tasks that a player gave a unit via Combined arms, saved. This provides a complete RTS game, the ability to alter the battle, then save it, rather than watch all units sit still after saving because they no longer have their original route. Similarly, the routes and tasks that are provided by scripting, should be saved, i.e. what the unit is currently doing, not what it was told at the mission start. There's been so many methods to save unit positions over the years, so many people have had their take on this, including myself. Saving positions, is something. Saving the actual AI state (not even the scripting state, i'm not asking for that) is important because thats a fundamental requirement to restore the mission that we have never had. People don't really know how to ask for this because most of them don't understand about scripting, they just want to start where they left the game and cannot volcalize their needs because they wont know that the AI is just reusing the original mission file in the save game. If they move their carrier, save the game, they will be disappointed to find it sitting still with no route after loading. But even worse, if an AI commander is moving units, these all now stop and the battle is stationary. The request is another request for the ability to getTasks() from an AI controller. There is no API for actually asking for the current task of a AI unit. Some people might be surprised to learn this, others dont really care because they assume soemone can fix something like that, they don't know the scripting API. With this API, the unit position can be saved, as before and then the units route and task can be reliably given back to the AI so it can move to where it was last sent, providing a dynamic save, one that keeps the movement and orders should they have changed. This allows scripting to work freely. Scripters still need to pick up their units control at mission start, but they dont need to task any of the groups. Doing that takes a lot of work in collecting the "orders" in a remote database and tracking all the orders for reissue. I feel this has to be said because folks generally dont provide feedback at this level, so not providing this feedback allows anyone to assume that it wasnt wanted or needed, when it has been dearly wanted for many many years.

After updating to both the first 2.9.15 and 2.9.15.9509 hotfix, wav files located in the saved games folder no longer override the default sounds. Going back to 2.9.14 restores this functionality.