Easiest way to get started teaching a CPG in Coop

[McGraw]

I want to teach my Dad how to CPG in the most simplest and straightforward environment/way.

Perfect scenario would be us both on the live firing range. Static military targets and some moving civ traffic perhaps or at least moving military that doesn't shoot back (I know I can set invulnerable but it's an unwanted distraction).

Are we forced to join a server or can I host a scenario?

Thanks.

[admiki]

6 minutes ago, McGraw said:

I want to teach my Dad how to CPG in the most simplest and straightforward environment/way.

Perfect scenario would be us both on the live firing range. Static military targets and some moving civ traffic perhaps or at least moving military that doesn't shoot back (I know I can set invulnerable but it's an unwanted distraction).

Are we forced to join a server or can I host a scenario?

Thanks.

You can host your own server.

Problem with that is that you need to enable port forwarding on your router/modem, which in itself is not complicated to do, but it might be prohibited by your provider.

If you can enable it, my suggestion is for you to create your own simple mission and fly it over joining a public server.

[bradmick]

Memorize every switch, button and page in the front seat. Git gud at puppeteering. Stern commands and yelling also work well.

[McGraw]

2 hours ago, bradmick said:

Memorize every switch, button and page in the front seat. Git gud at puppeteering. Stern commands and yelling also work well.

I can fly both seats I just want an easy way of getting us both in the game. In Ready or Not for instance I just choose friends onlt and he clicks my name...done.

Have I really got to host servers etc?

3 hours ago, admiki said:

You can host your own server.

Problem with that is that you need to enable port forwarding on your router/modem, which in itself is not complicated to do, but it might be prohibited by your provider.

If you can enable it, my suggestion is for you to create your own simple mission and fly it over joining a public server.

Thank you, I'm a complete noob with DCS outside of single player. How do I do the second part of your last sentence?

[admiki]

2 hours ago, bradmick said:

Stern commands and yelling also work well.

I can confirm that this is true. That's how he trained me. Now I only cry sometimes.

 

2 minutes ago, McGraw said:

I can fly both seats I just want an easy way of getting us both in the game. In Ready or Not for instance I just choose friends onlt and he clicks my name...done.

Have I really got to host servers etc?

You don't have to host. You can always join public server, downside is that you are dependant on that particular mission. If it has only cold helicopters, you will have to do start-up, transit and if something goes wrong, do it all over again.

With your mission, you can set targets as you want, set yourself in nice position. If something goes wrong you just restart and you are in nice poisition again. Saves a lot of time when learning stuff.

5 minutes ago, McGraw said:

I can fly both seats I just want an easy way of getting us both in the game. In Ready or Not for instance I just choose friends onlt and he clicks my name...done.

Have I really got to host servers etc?

Thank you, I'm a complete noob with DCS outside of single player. How do I do the second part of your last sentence?

Start DCS, click multiplayer, once list of available servers show up click on public server (public server is the one that is not locked- it doesn't have lock icon to the left of your screen), click join. Your father should do the same, and once you select a helicopter he clicks on CPG spot, which will send a request to you to approve him.

 

[TrichomeCharlie]

I would find a simple user created mission. Even a training mission.

Load it up as a mission in multiplayer. (As long as you have those previously mentioned ports open) he can join you.

I would set him up on a Xbox controller for the CpG seat and give him a pdf to have handy with the important keybinds. You guys can do everything at your own pace. 

Goodluck playing with your Dad. Thats awesome and hope you guys have a blast.

 

[Floyd1212]

Are you living in the same house?  Shouldn't need to mess with your router if you are on the same network in the same household.

[McGraw]

11 hours ago, Floyd1212 said:

Are you living in the same house?  Shouldn't need to mess with your router if you are on the same network in the same household.

No and he spends most of his time living on a site with very fast internet but it's centrally administrated and he can't touch ports etc.

11 hours ago, TrichomeCharlie said:

I would find a simple user created mission. Even a training mission.

Load it up as a mission in multiplayer. (As long as you have those previously mentioned ports open) he can join you.

I would set him up on a Xbox controller for the CpG seat and give him a pdf to have handy with the important keybinds. You guys can do everything at your own pace. 

Goodluck playing with your Dad. Thats awesome and hope you guys have a blast.

 

Thanks I've already set him up with a head tracker and he has an xbox controller. We've been gaming together for years (he's in his 70s now) but only FPS and sports games so we need to make every second of the two week trial count so he can decide whether he wants the module as his Christmas present or not.

[admiki]

1 hour ago, McGraw said:

No and he spends most of his time living on a site with very fast internet but it's centrally administrated and he can't touch ports etc.

Thanks I've already set him up with a head tracker and he has an xbox controller. We've been gaming together for years (he's in his 70s now) but only FPS and sports games so we need to make every second of the two week trial count so he can decide whether he wants the module as his Christmas present or not.

If you are hosting server, he doesn't have to do anything.

Right now, I think it's easiest for you guys to join a public server and fly there.

[Ram69]

Hey, @McGraw  If it's helpful to you at all, I've created a small little mission file you can use that has 48 unarmed somethings to shoot at. You'll start hot and ready for lift off from parking with 50% fuel and a heavy full load of Hellfire missiles. 

There are 8 columns of 4 unarmed vehicles each, sitting in a farm field about 7km south of the airfield you'll start at. Just a basic set of waypoints to include takeoff from parking hot, turning point over the targets, and a refuel and rearm waypoint back at the airfield. 

You can add this to your DCS folder in "Saved Games" (at least on Win 10)
 

Then, in DCS, just head to "Missions" on the right menu, choose "My missions", and then this "shootStuff" mission. You can then hit the "Launch multiplayer server" button at the bottom right:

nullName your server and give it a password. Maybe make it a public one so he can just search for the name in the server browser to easily find it and he can add it as a favorite, which will hopefully persist:

You'll, of course, want to make sure you've opened up the port that you see when you're creating the server so that your dad will be able to see and join it. If you need help with that, reply back with the brand of your wifi router and we can try to find a link online that steps you through it. If it's something you've never done, you'll just type an ip address into your web browser's address bar and load it, then enter the user and password info that's likely listed on the back or underside of your router. That will load the interface to interact with your router's setting where you can enable port forwarding if needed. It'll effectively be a peer to peer connection between him and you, with you acting as the host:

Hope that might help a bit, at least. I'm no mission editor pro, but it's just a basic kind of target practice for you to teach your dad with. Some of the vehicles will start moving once you start shooting at them, so you'll have that as well. 

If your rotor isn't spinning and you can't click anything when loading in, it's because the "server" is likely paused, if you will, with a default setting of "Resume manual". You can change that in the "Advanced" menu (see previous screenshot) to "Resume on load" or "Resume with clients" so you don't have to worry about it moving forward. Or, you can just hit the "Pause" key on your keyboard after your loaded into the mission to resume when ready. 

shootStuff.miz

Edited December 30, 2022 by Ram69

[admiki]

3 hours ago, Ram69 said:

Hey, @McGraw  If it's helpful to you at all, I've created a small little mission file you can use that has 48 unarmed somethings to shoot at. You'll start hot and ready for lift off from parking with 50% fuel and a heavy full load of Hellfire missiles. 

There are 8 columns of 4 unarmed vehicles each, sitting in a farm field about 7km south of the airfield you'll start at. Just a basic set of waypoints to include takeoff from parking hot, turning point over the targets, and a refuel and rearm waypoint back at the airfield. 

You can add this to your DCS folder in "Saved Games" (at least on Win 10)
 

Then, in DCS, just head to "Missions" on the right menu, choose "My missions", and then this "shootStuff" mission. You can then hit the "Launch multiplayer server" button at the bottom right:

nullName your server and give it a password. Maybe make it a public one so he can just search for the name in the server browser to easily find it and he can add it as a favorite, which will hopefully persist:

You'll, of course, want to make sure you've opened up the port that you see when you're creating the server so that your dad will be able to see and join it. If you need help with that, reply back with the brand of your wifi router and we can try to find a link online that steps you through it. If it's something you've never done, you'll just type an ip address into your web browser's address bar and load it, then enter the user and password info that's likely listed on the back or underside of your router. That will load the interface to interact with your router's setting where you can enable port forwarding if needed. It'll effectively be a peer to peer connection between him and you, with you acting as the host:

Hope that might help a bit, at least. I'm no mission editor pro, but it's just a basic kind of target practice for you to teach your dad with. Some of the vehicles will start moving once you start shooting at them, so you'll have that as well. 

If your rotor isn't spinning and you can't click anything when loading in, it's because the "server" is likely paused, if you will, with a default setting of "Resume manual". You can change that in the "Advanced" menu (see previous screenshot) to "Resume on load" or "Resume with clients" so you don't have to worry about it moving forward. Or, you can just hit the "Pause" key on your keyboard after your loaded into the mission to resume when ready. 

shootStuff.miz 8.92 kB · 0 downloads

 

That's if his IP gave him access to open ports. Mine and a lot of others don't let you do that.

[McGraw]

On 12/30/2022 at 2:12 PM, Ram69 said:

Hey, @McGraw  If it's helpful to you at all, I've created a small little mission file you can use

Wow thanks, I'll take a look at this over the next week or so.