force custom Lables in Multiplayer?

[JG52fldrms]

Hi friends,

 

I am planning to build a "simple" WW2 only scenario with some PVE action for both sides, mainly for aiming & training purposes. Later PVP will be added too maybe with some coop like elements like escorting AI etc.. I just wonder if I can force all clients to use my custom labels setting?

 

I thought of something like the "^" sign for aircrafts. No ranges whatsoever.. With this we could overcome the visibility problem and would all have the same advantageous / disadvantageous starting point.

 

 

 

regards

=JG52=fldrms :joystick:

Edited October 20, 2016 by =JG52=fldrms

[BaD CrC]

Why would you even use labels? Just turn them off and force this option to all clients.

[Weta43]

"With this we could overcome the visibility problem "

[BaD CrC]

Aaah. OK. Need to read post to the end next time. :music_whistling::doh:

[predattak]

Oh boy , this is going to be a long one. You can.

 

For this small tutorial , let's say that the scenario is called Mission1.miz (you will understand later why)

 

So first thing that you want to make is to go to C:\Users\[your name]\Saved Games\DCS\Missions\ and copy the mission you want to force labels on your desktop (or in any working space), in our case Mission1.miz

 

Go to C:\Games\DCS\Config\View\ from here copy the Labels.lua file to your desktop.

 

Open the Labels.lua with notepad or notepadd++

 

First look at these lines:

------------------------------------------------------------

AirOn = true

GroundOn = true

NavyOn = true

WeaponOn = true

------------------------------------------------------------

 

from here you can disable what labels you want, for ex let's say that i only want labels for air units and the rest of them turned OFF, disabled (forced) put false instead of true on all except of "Airon" line

 

Now for the dot only labels with no range and no name:

 

The lines that you are interested in are these:

------------------------------------------------------------

AirFormat = {}

AirFormat[10] = ""

AirFormat[5000] = "}%N%n%D%n%P"

AirFormat[10000] = "}%N%n%D"

AirFormat[20000] = "]%n%D"

AirFormat[30000] = "'"

------------------------------------------------------------

if you want to see only a dot and no other thing, modify the table into this:

------------------------------------------------------------

AirFormat = {}

AirFormat[10] = ""

AirFormat[5000] = "'"

AirFormat[10000] = "'"

AirFormat[20000] = "'"

AirFormat[30000] = "'"

------------------------------------------------------------

 

What you did is this, at all the ranges that labels show up, they will only see a ' instead of full name, range etc.

You can change at what range the labels will show up too , see next to AirFormat there is a number, that is the distance in meters (i advice you to lower it for ww2)

 

Our next stop is at the end, with these lines

---------------------------------------------------------

ColorAliesSide = {255, 0, 0}

ColorEnemiesSide = {0, 0, 255}

---------------------------------------------------------

That is what color your enemy and allied labels will be , for more realism i suggest you to put the same color on both so you and your guys will have no idea if the plane you see is friendly or enemy and it will force you to visually identify the target before engaging. (more realistic)

You can add any color as long as you know the code (see photoshop or google or http://rgb.to/:P) i added a dark orange to mine in one mission.

EX here enemies and allies have the same blue labels

---------------------------------------------------------

ColorAliesSide = {0, 0, 255}

ColorEnemiesSide = {0, 0, 255}

---------------------------------------------------------

 

After you modified the file to your liking, save and close the notepad.

 

 

 

ADDING THE LABELS FILE TO THE MISSION FILE

 

Create a folder named Config, inside it add a folder named View, in this folder add your Labels.lua file

you should have this Config\View\Lables.lua

 

Open your mission , in our case Mission1.miz with winrar or 7 zip (right click open archive)

drag the Config folder that you made into the archive (this will copy the config folder inside your mission.)

 

(sometimes the mission already has the config folder inside so it will ask you to overwrite the file, click yes to all)

 

don't click save archive (it's being saved automatically) close (click X ) the winrar or 7zip and that's it.

 

You are done.

 

Now put your mission (in this tutorial Mission1.miz) back to C:\Users\[your name]\Saved Games\DCS\Missions\ and fly.

 

 

I suggest that you make randomization spawn scripts for your mission that randomly spawn friendly planes too , combined with this .. perfect. If done right not even you, the mission designer will have any idea what plane is in the air, where , from what faction or if there is any plane at all..

 

ALSO, i don't know if you know about this, you should get these mods and have more diversity on the map, note that the list is not full so if you want more planes search for Markindel. The List--> https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=175078

 

 

 

 

If you are having problems with any part of this tutorial please let me know :)

Edited October 25, 2016 by predattak

[JG52fldrms]

Hi Predattak,

 

many thx for your nice tut! Im definitely going to test it! I already knew about editing the lua file but not how to implement it into my "forced labels" multiplayer mission.

 

I am not a big fan of too many customizations so I always aim to keep the game as vanilla as possible. I only use the MIST for scripting AI behaviour, respawn etc. The forced "soft" labels are unfortunately a necessity because DCS visibilty with & above FULLHD is really complicated. I tried most of the time without Labels and the frustation just kept increasing. I never had these problems in IL2 BOS or IL2 COD. So it must be the way DCS draws a planes outline. Unfortunately the ingame-option for drawing Objects (small to big) does not seem to be the ideal way... at least not for me.

 

Anyhow thx for your assistance! Hopefully I can polish my PVE Mission to an extend that makes it play-worthy. Still waiting for the dedicated server ;)

 

 

thx guys!

 

=JG52=fldrms

Edited October 27, 2016 by =JG52=fldrms