AWACS Script

[dooom]

Hey all,

 

I have seen this script in use on the S77th server as well as the DCS Domination miz. I would like to utilize this for a WWII mission but do not know whom the author is to ask for permission.

 

Does anyone recognize this script and know the author?

 

S!

[xcom]

Can you post the script?

[dooom]

i see it in the DCS Domination mission and S77th Sukhumi vs Nalchik missions... I'd suggest you have a peek at those as I am hesitant to post a script without the authors permission. I looked at it there through the track file but there is very little documentation on how to set it up.

 

It would be great for a larger map WWII prop mission though. I am hoping to reduce my dependency on flak scripts by using a combo of the GCI intercept script with the AWACS script to simulate wartime ground based radar vectoring. I can then save flak for target areas only.

[dooom]

ok - for everyone's reference... the script was made by Ajax and it is available at the 159th public forums

[ESAc_matador]

Can I use it as GCI for the Mi21 Using an EWR.?

[Stonehouse]

Ajax writes nice looking code, I noticed in his awac's script he has the following comments:

 

local testUnit = Unit.getByName(unitTable.unitName)

if not testUnit then -- this works, but there can be significant lag

coaTable[unit] = nil

elseif testUnit:getLife() <= 1 then -- this is almost instantaneous

coaTable[unit] = nil

 

there are a fair number of this sort of test for a nil unit name in the CAP GCI script so I'm wondering if they are part of the MP problem. Interestingly while trying to google why this might cause issues I found a lua tips and traps page that made the comment that setting table entries to nil was a bad idea because it apparently causes the mechanism for getting the number of tables entries (syntactic sugar or something??) to get confused and return the wrong number.

 

eg in the above coaTable[unit] = nil is apparently not a good idea and should be coaTable[unit] = {} or use the remove table entry command because #coaTable will otherwise be inaccurate. I don't really know but it would be nice if someone like Ajax or [FSF]Ian would provide some insight on the lag comment and the setting table entry to nil thing.

[xcom]

I would also be interested in understanding what may cause lag eventually.

We usually run mission for around 60 players and so far we got no lag issues but sometimes we encounter crashes at the start of the mission.

[Stonehouse]

coaTable[unit] = {} type syntax doesn't seem to work for me when I tried replacing a table = nil in the flak script. Have to dig out the delete table entry syntax and give it a go.

[dooom]

Can I use it as GCI for the Mi21 Using an EWR.?

 

as a reference point, i created a template mission with Ajax's awacs script and the autonomous CAP/GCI script. The AWACS script has no problem "Seeing" client or ME placed AI. Unfortuantely, the AWACS script is incapable of seeing the dynamically added flights that are a focus and product of the GCI script.

Powderkeg1.miz

[ajax]

Ajax writes nice looking code, I noticed in his awac's script he has the following comments:

 

local testUnit = Unit.getByName(unitTable.unitName)

if not testUnit then -- this works, but there can be significant lag

coaTable[unit] = nil

elseif testUnit:getLife() <= 1 then -- this is almost instantaneous

coaTable[unit] = nil

 

there are a fair number of this sort of test for a nil unit name in the CAP GCI script so I'm wondering if they are part of the MP problem. Interestingly while trying to google why this might cause issues I found a lua tips and traps page that made the comment that setting table entries to nil was a bad idea because it apparently causes the mechanism for getting the number of tables entries (syntactic sugar or something??) to get confused and return the wrong number.

 

eg in the above coaTable[unit] = nil is apparently not a good idea and should be coaTable[unit] = {} or use the remove table entry command because #coaTable will otherwise be inaccurate. I don't really know but it would be nice if someone like Ajax or [FSF]Ian would provide some insight on the lag comment and the setting table entry to nil thing.

 

There have been some intermittant problems with this script where it sometimes stops working. Perhaps you have pinpointed the source of the problem... thanks!

 

The 'lag' in the code-snippet comment doesn't refer to what we commonly refer to as MP lag -- it refers to the delay that occurs when one of the spawned CAP units is killed. While testing the script I noticed that even though a unit was killed and disappeared from the F10 map, 'if not testUnit' still returned true. Apparently, the unit continues to exist until it hits the ground even though the unit is 'dead'. That's why I put the second test in the code.

[ajax]

as a reference point, i created a template mission with Ajax's awacs script and the autonomous CAP/GCI script. The AWACS script has no problem "Seeing" client or ME placed AI. Unfortuantely, the AWACS script is incapable of seeing the dynamically added flights that are a focus and product of the GCI script.

 

The AWACS script would have worked fine with the GCI script except that this scripting-engine bug was introduced in 1.2.8 (http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=122534) and to-date has still not been fixed.

[Stonehouse]

I was testing the wip version of the CAP/GCI script a bit last night and noticed by chance that the EWR radar unit for the blue side came up in the comms menu. Selecting it gave options like bogey dope, bearing and range to the bullseye, vector to homeplate etc.

 

I couldn't get to hear it because I was flying a P51 and hadn't tried to set the radio freq for the EWR to match one of the 4 channels in the P51 but will try some experiments soon. Theoretically if it works then you will pretty much have an AWACs function available.

[xcom]

Should work only for red, Russian.

I tested this with the Mig-21 when it was released, haven't seen any fix in the change logs, but maybe they did something.

[SNAFU]

Doesn´t work for blue MiG21Bis, that`s why I wrote a little script to get GCI support for blue MIG21s.

 

Since the MiG21bis doesn´t even seem get detected by own EWR I cheated a little with terrain cover to keep it simple.

 

So if you are in a MiG below 150m (?) and farer then 70km away from friendly EWR, you cannot get a direct intercept vektor, but only bulls eye references.

 

You have to define the blue airpsace by the waypoints of a group named "blueborder" and place some blue EWR/ SR systems

 

("1L13 EWR" or unitData.type == "55G6 EWR" or unitData.type == "Hawk sr" or unitData.type == "Patriot str")

 

onto the map. Then you can used the F10 radio menu in a MiG21.

 

But that is not comparable with Ajaxs script, just a little improvisation until this gets fixed some day.

MIST3_5_blueGCI_r1.lua

[ajax]

Dooom,

 

The latest patched fixed the scripting-engine bug. I will revert the AWACS script so that it will work with the other scripts. It might take a day or two.

[dooom]

works like a charm! thanks ajax!!!!!!

[nickexists]

What is the awacs.awacsDisplay variable?

[ajax]

It is the default value for the AWACS display. If set to "off" then no information is displayed (depending on the setting of the next variable, awacs.awacsWarning). If awacsWarning is set to "on" then when an enemy aircraft gets within the specified range, it will be displayed regardless of the setting of awacsDisplay. So, if you want to totally disable the display, both awacsDisplay and awacsWarning need to be set to "off". Note that these are default values. Each client can set them the way they want.

[pepin1234]

I was in the 77 server u I notice too much lag with this script

[nickexists]

If anyone is interested I have partially rewritten this script with the following changes:

 

--uses Mist message system and does not display reciprocal bearing.

--There is also now a chance that enemy contacts will not be identified by type

--Targets that are slow or low are now unlikely to be detected.

--Script now only operates while a friendly awacs is airborne or EWR is active.

--LOS is required between awacs and target rather than player and target.

 

The script can be found here: https://github.com/nanthony21/DCS-Scripts

 

It's the one called Awacs v1.9