Quick autostart script

[SlipHavoc]

I modified the autostart script for the Apache to be much faster, and to set up all the systems as needed for combat (i.e. turning on the CMWS, setting up the TSD options, etc.).  It's available in the user files.  I also have optimized startup scripts for the F-18 and Ka-50, and others that I'll be trying to get polished up and ready for upload in the next few days.

If you're looking for maximum realism or enjoy doing manual cold starts, this mod isn't for you, but if you just want to skip the startup and get into action as soon as possible, you might want to give it a try.  I'd be happy to answer any questions about the lua code or how to modify it to your own preferences as well.

Edit to add a big thanks to @Bailey and this forum post for the inspiration, as well as to ED's programmers who had the foresight to make all of this scriptable and user-editable.

Edited April 27, 2022 by SlipHavoc

[comcat]

Oh I am excited....thank you for this....

[=475FG= Dawger]

33 minutes ago, SlipHavoc said:

I modified the autostart script for the Apache to be much faster, and to set up all the systems as needed for combat (i.e. turning on the CMWS, setting up the TSD options, etc.).  It's available in the user files.  I also have optimized startup scripts for the F-18 and Ka-50, and others that I'll be trying to get polished up and ready for upload in the next few days.

If you're looking for maximum realism or enjoy doing manual cold starts, this mod isn't for you, but if you just want to skip the startup and get into action as soon as possible, you might want to give it a try.  I'd be happy to answer any questions about the lua code or how to modify it to your own preferences as well.

Edit to add a big thanks to @Bailey and this forum post for the inspiration, as well as to ED's programmers who had the foresight to make all of this scriptable and user-editable.

 

I am a big fan of doing this. I have done this for every module I own (where possible). Unfortunately, some third party vendors don't provide access to this file. Examples would be Razbam, Heatblur and Magnitude. Maybe all the third party vendors do this. It has prevented my purchase of more than one module.

Cheers for doing this. I haven't made mine publicly available. Maybe I should but then I would have to track updates, etc.

[SlipHavoc]

55 minutes ago, =475FG= Dawger said:

I am a big fan of doing this. I have done this for every module I own (where possible). Unfortunately, some third party vendors don't provide access to this file. Examples would be Razbam, Heatblur and Magnitude. Maybe all the third party vendors do this. It has prevented my purchase of more than one module.

Cheers for doing this. I haven't made mine publicly available. Maybe I should but then I would have to track updates, etc.

Agreed.  The one that hurts the most for me is the Harrier, which has a very slow default autostart script.  It would be really nice if that were made editable at some point, or even if Razbam themselves simply optimized it and sped it up.  I've thought about using something like DCS BIOS to try to automate the ones I can't do with scripting, but haven't taken the plunge yet.

FWIW, the scripts seem to change very rarely.  I keep a copy of the original script file so I can compare it after each patch, and I've only seen things change a bare handful of times so hopefully keeping these updated won't be too hard.  And I'll be updating them for my own use anyway.  If you have any neat lua tricks or good ideas for startup procedure optimization, I'd be interested.

[=475FG= Dawger]

3 minutes ago, SlipHavoc said:

Agreed.  The one that hurts the most for me is the Harrier, which has a very slow default autostart script.  It would be really nice if that were made editable at some point, or even if Razbam themselves simply optimized it and sped it up.  I've thought about using something like DCS BIOS to try to automate the ones I can't do with scripting, but haven't taken the plunge yet.

FWIW, the scripts seem to change very rarely.  I keep a copy of the original script file so I can compare it after each patch, and I've only seen things change a bare handful of times so hopefully keeping these updated won't be too hard.  And I'll be updating them for my own use anyway.  If you have any neat lua tricks or good ideas for startup procedure optimization, I'd be interested.

I made Macros in my Logitech G13 Gamepad for the Harrier. PITA.

The WWII stuff seems to change pretty regularly and I stopped flying those modules last year. 

Also, mission designers sometimes go nuts with the temperature in a mission, which can affect engine start times. I recently flew an F-86 PvP mission with high temperature causing a slow start, which broke my start script. So be sure you test the script at really high and really low temperatures. No real tricks. There are several different styles of macrosequencies.lua so each one can be a learning adventure.

[SlipHavoc]

2 minutes ago, =475FG= Dawger said:

I made Macros in my Logitech G13 Gamepad for the Harrier. PITA.

The WWII stuff seems to change pretty regularly and I stopped flying those modules last year. 

Also, mission designers sometimes go nuts with the temperature in a mission, which can affect engine start times. I recently flew an F-86 PvP mission with high temperature causing a slow start, which broke my start script. So be sure you test the script at really high and really low temperatures. No real tricks. There are several different styles of macrosequencies.lua so each one can be a learning adventure.

I have done a little testing at extreme temperatures, but not as much as I should, thanks for the reminder.  And yeah, the styles vary wildly, you can really tell the older modules and how ED has learned as they've gone.  My biggest challenge so far was the Ka-50 script, which is probably the oldest in the game.  I did a ton of clean up on it and brought it almost all the way up to the current code standard, but fully updating it would require modifying at least command_defs.lua and maybe other files, and that's more than I want to bite off right now...

[Bailey]

I took a look at the description. Nice work and thank you for the shout out. I am glad the info has been put to good use. Your start contains almost everything my modded one does, and a little more too.

I there are two notable differences. One is that I “spam” the master caution/warnings such that they never go off more than once. The other tips that the very last step in my autostart is the boresight process. To be precise, I stop at the point where the pilot lines up the helmet and presses Cursor Enter. 

Looking forward to using your autostart and the goodies within!