Classification of missions

[Yellonet]

Now that there begins to roll in a few missions for DCS we might try to establish some kind of classification for mission based on difficulty and perhaps mission elements when they don't spoil the mission.

 

Developing something like this would be valuable after a while when there are many missions to choose from you want to download something new.

A classification system would make discerning whether the mission is "for you" or not, be it time requirements, type of action, difficulty or special skills required easier and faster.

 

My suggestion would be to to first make a divider for simulation missions or more arcade style missions, second approximately how much time this mission takes up, third what type of mission it is, i.e. ground attack, CAS, recon and so on, you should be able to select more than one type. Forth, difficulty perhaps on a 1-5 scale with 5 being the most difficult, a 1 would probably be enemy free or with targets that don't shoot back and no time limits or anything like that, just a basic fly out and shoot in your own pace and return, a 5 would be a mission that's only just possible to succeed in for the most skilled pilots. Last you could include what certain skills the mission requires you to master e.g. noe flying, precise navigation, accurate bomb delivery and so on. Any and all of these categories except for sim/arcade would be volontary because sometimes you want a surprise.

 

Possibly we could create some kind of code instead of typing everything out, for example a mission classification could be:

 

A 100% simulation style mission where you and your wingman are called out to try to cut off reinforcements to an enemy position (Interdiction = ID) (with SAMs so you can't attack them directly) that have forced a smaller friendly force of armed vehicles into a defensive position inside a small village. Attack aircraft are on the way but you have to try to delay the enemy or your friends will be wiped out. When you're on your way out you recieve an order to find and destroy enemy artillery that have started shelling the village, effectively making the mission a Search and Destroy (SD) type. So you'll have to find the artillery fast and destroy it before they shell your friends to death then return to the original plan and delay the reinforcements until your attack aircraft comes. Let's say you may need to be able to use the ABRIS effectively to mark targets and threat zones as well as perhaps setting up a search pattern for finding the artillery, and also let's say you need some advanced navigation too. The mission might last around 30 minutes as the attack aircraft reported an ETA of 22 minutes, the difficulty would perhaps be a 4 for something like this.

The code would be something like this: It's a Full Real Simulation (SFR) that takes about 30 minutes (30) with Interdiction (ID) and Search and Destroy (SD) elements it's about 4 (4) on the difficulty scae and you may need good navigation (NAV) and ABRIS (ABR) skills. The final classification code could then be: SFR/30/ID+SD/4/NAV+ABR

 

After you'd seen a few of these codes you could easily tell the mission was something you'd like to fly or not.

 

Now, all this is just a rough idea of what to include and wjat the code could look like, if this is going to work we'll have to discuss and decide as a community, if a classification is at all needed.

Edited January 14, 2009 by Yellonet

[Frederf]

I believe attacking reinforcements en route is technically "interdiction."

 

It sounds like a cool mission though.

[Yellonet]

I believe attacking reinforcements en route is technically "interdiction."

Yes, you're right.

 

It sounds like a cool mission though.

I just made it up in a minute, as an example of how a mission classification code would be based upon the mission, so don't mind the example mission :)

I'm interested to know what you think about the need and structure of a mission classification code system.

[Frederf]

Sorry I admit not really reading your post 100% before replying. Having a unified and informative mission labeling is of course very helpful however I'm not sure it's necessary to compress that information into the title of the mission like that.

 

Websites with missions for download have plenty of spare (presumably) to spell out a "mission summary" a bit more in full, but having a regular format is nice. The mission itself has a summary view in the game as well which would be nice to have in a regular format (I'm sorry but the ED default format is LACKING).

 

Mission Name: XXXXX

Players: (Single or Multi-coop or Multi-adv, +number of)

Task: YYYYY

Time to Complete: ZZZZ

Difficulty: X/5

 

Description: ...

[Yellonet]

Ah. The interest for a classification code seems cool at best. I guess we don't need any discussion about it. Case closed.