[MOOSE] RAT - Random Air Traffic

[vctpil]

Hi,

 

This version works great, thanks a lot.

 

I was just trying C-130 before using the example as explained in the second video.

 

Cheers,

Vincent

[vctpil]

Hi,

 

Just to report this problem, but I supposed you know. The spawning point is not always a good one, see on the picture the C-130 at Creech AFB. Obviously, the aircraft disappear as soon as it start taxi.

 

The solution is to place an aircraft at the same spawn point, and the script will find another one.

 

Cheers,

Vincent

Edited January 2, 2019 by vctpil

[funkyfranky]

Just to report this problem, but I supposed you know. The spawning point is not always a good one, see on the picture the C-130 at Creech AFB. Obviously, the aircraft disappear as soon as it start taxi.

Yeah, I know. There is one other solution except the one you found. You can specify the "terminal type" so that it at least would not be spawned under open shelters:

c17=RAT:New("C-17 BIG Plane")
c17:SetTerminalType(AIRBASE.TerminalType.OpenBig) -- Only very big parking spots are used.
c17:Spawn(5)

This does not always work since for some parking spots the terminal type returned by the DCS API is incorrect. But it is definitely worth a shot :)

 

Note that with this setting, only departure airports are allowed, which actually have at least one "big" parking spot.

[vctpil]

Thanks , I'll have a try tomorrow.

[vctpil]

Hi,

 

Is it possible to have several type of aircraft spawning on the same .lua file ? I have tried this one, the C130 appears, but not the F-15 ?

 

local C130=RAT:New("RAT_C130")

C130:SetDeparture("Creech AFB")

C130:SetDestination("Nellis AFB")

C130:Spawn(1)

 

local F15=RAT:New("RAT_F15")

F15:SetDeparture("Tonopah Test Range Airfield")

F15:SetDestination("Nellis AFB")

F15:Spawn(1)

 

Maybe I missed something in the code ?

 

Thanks,

Vincent

[fargo007]

What's the dcs.log say?

 

Have a look at that.

 

The code looks fine, I would double check the airfield names & the name of the F15 in the ME.

[vctpil]

Ok, it works, but if I modify an existing .lua, I have to reload the script in the trigger menu and save the mission.

[Swany]

Yeah, that's a DCS thing. Any time you change a lua file, you need to do the LUA dance. FlightControl built a way into MOOSE so you can "dynamic" load while testing, but, and I may be wrong here, at the end, when you are done, you have to pull all the dynamic stuff out and load the actual MOOSE lua along with any luas you built. I just use the dance ;) it's easy and fast, if a bit annoying at times.

 

You'd think it would be easy to tell the ME, when you save the miz file, THEN you load the current version of that lua into it, not BEFORE. But, I don't know how it works, maybe that's the only way to do it

[Rudel_chw]

One problem I've been having is that sometimes the RAT aircraft spawns on a ramp position already occupied, like this:

 

 

 

 

@FunkyFranky, can you add a check condition on the script so as to avoid this? .. it seems to happen only with helicopters. Thanks a lot, and wonderful script ... I'm using it on almost all my missions.

[MirabelleBenou]

Hello ! I have the same "problem" as Rudel_chw, at least on Caucasus map. Didn't try for PG or NTTR.

Thanks :)

[Delta99]

I believe FunkyFranky already checks for this but he can confirm.

 

DCS API scripting especially for everything around airports is kind of piss poor so its probably a DCS bug that Funky can't fix. But lets see what he has to say.

[Rudel_chw]

DCS API scripting especially for everything around airports is kind of piss poor so its probably a DCS bug that Funky can't fix.

 

 

Since it hasn't happened to me when using RAT with civil planes or military jets, only with helicopters ... I believe that the likely cause isn't the piss poor API :)

[MirabelleBenou]

Will have to check more, but it seems to be with big planes & helo. I add the restriction for big plane (SetTerminalType(AIRBASE.TerminalType.OpenBig)), and it seem to be a lot better now.

[funkyfranky]

Rudel, can you share your script when this happens? Maybe I can give a few tips how to avoid that.

 

What MirabelleBenou said is a good point! Additionally, you can try SetTerminalType(AIRBASE.TerminalType.HelicopterOnly) for the helos. But not all airports have special helo spots.

 

To explain, the script should check, if parking spot is already occupied and not use it. However, if two aircraft are spawned exactly at the same time, the first one is not in the game so that both "think" the spot is free and they land on top of each other. Therefore, one can also play around with the spawning delays and intervals to de-conflict the situation.

[Rudel_chw]

Rudel, can you share your script when this happens? Maybe I can give a few tips how to avoid that.

 

Sure .. here I'm ataching my parameter script, and a Mission where it is used (tough the mission is for the C-101 and uses the VPC Airfield Scenery Mod, so I'm not sure if you will be able to run it).

 

Therefore, one can also play around with the spawning delays and intervals to de-conflict the situation.

 

Dont know how to specify these delays.

 

Also, please keep in mind that with civil aircrafts I have never seen this happen, and now, everytime thay happen, there is an helo involved :(

M01 RAT.lua

C101CC - M01 - Startup, Taxi, Take Off & Landing (by Rudel_chw).miz

[vctpil]

Hi,

 

The commute function seems not working as shown on the video.

 

local C130=RAT:New("RAT_C130")

C130:SetDeparture("Nellis AFB")

C130:SetDestination("Creech AFB")

C130:Commute()

C130:Spawn(3)

 

Three aircrafts are flying to Creech but does not come back to Nellis. I have tried C130:Commute(6), but it is not working.

 

Any idea ?

 

Thanks,

Vincent

[Seance12]

Help with multiple aircraft types in RAT please

 

Ihave tried to setup multiple aircraft as in the .lua file but only the first c130s will work. what am i doing wrong?

commute_C130_fa18c.lua

[funkyfranky]

Ihave tried to setup multiple aircraft as in the .lua file but only the first c130s will work. what am i doing wrong?

 

fa18:[b][color="Red"]c[/color][/b]ommute()

Commute needs to start with a capital "C". You got it right for the C-130 but lower case for the F-18 and the Huey. Lua is case sensitive. So this crashes the script.

[Seance12]

FunkyFranky, thank you!!! I knew it was something simple, but tired eyes!!!

[vctpil]

Hi,

 

I have corrected the syntax, but this one is still not working.

 

local C130=RAT:New("RAT_C130")

C130:SetDeparture("Nellis AFB")

C130:SetDestination("Creech AFB")

C130:commute()

C130:Spawn(3)

 

By the way, the C in the video is in capital.

 

Vincent

 

Edit : If the "c" is in small letter, the C-130 does not appears.

Edited January 19, 2019 by vctpil

[funkyfranky]

Hi,

 

I have corrected the syntax, but this one is still not working.

 

local C130=RAT:New("RAT_C130")

C130:SetDeparture("Nellis AFB")

C130:SetDestination("Creech AFB")

C130:commute()

C130:Spawn(3)

 

By the way, the C in the video is in capital.

 

Vincent

 

Edit : If the "c" is in small letter, the C-130 does not appears.

 

Hi Vincent! Sorry, my reply was aimed at Seance12, who had "Commute" with a lower case "c".

Your script with the capital "C" is correct.

 

You actually have another issue. Believe it or not, a C-130 is too big for Creech AFB.

 

It has nothing to do with RAT, it is a DCS setting. You can try to place a C-130 to takeoff from ramp at Creech AFB and you will see that it snaps to another airbase.

[RogueRunner]

how do you find the skin names (for the C130 for example) to use in the randomize script?

[Rudel_chw]

how do you find the skin names (for the C130 for example) to use in the randomize script?

 

RAT uses the folder name of each skin folder as the skin name ... thus, these Airbus A320 liveries:

 

 

are specified on the script as:

 

local a320skins={"airarabia", "Air Asia", "Air Canada", "Air France", "Al Maha", "Alitalia", "American Airlines", "BRD", "British Airways", "Egyptair", "Easy Jet", "Easy Jet Berlin", "Easy Jet w", "Edelweiss", "Emirates", "Etihad", "Gulf Air", "Iberia", "Iran Air", "Islamic Republic", "Jazeera", "Kish Air", "KLM", "KLM WiFi", "Kuwait Airways", "LAN", "Lufthansa", "Lufthansa New", "MEA", "Nesma", "Nile Air", "Qatar", "SAS", "Saudi Gulf", "Saudia", "SWISS", "Tunis Air", "Turkish Airlines", "UAE", "United"}

 

(didn't specify every livery, as this is a sample from a Persian Gulf Mission and I wanted only a few well known airlines, plus those from the Middle East)

 

Edit: Just realized that my Liveries folder shown above doesnt contain every available A320 livery ... there are also more liveries included within the aircraft's folder, like this:

 

 

:)

Edited January 23, 2019 by Rudel_chw

[RogueRunner]

I cannot find the folder for any of the default aircraft in DCS.

[Rudel_chw]

I cannot find the folder for any of the default aircraft in DCS.

 

 

try \Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World OpenBeta\Bazar\Liveries\C-130