Changing Campaigns

[Toto]

Hello I own the F14B Operation Sandworm and I used to be able, before this update take a mission from the campaign and using the mission editor make changes to the mission Eg add more planes or change the plane just edit the mission myself and make it more desirable for me to use the mission and then save the changes I made and then fly the mission. Well, you cannot do that anymore.   Make changes.!!!!!  The saved button is greyed out.!! and so is the EXIT banner Save, or Save As, is greyed out. What ever happened to the concept of OWNERSHIP!!!! Once you buy it you own it, and you can change it if you want to, BECAUSE you NOW own it

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Edited August 24, 2024 by Toto

[red23]

You own the product, NOT the Software intellectual property, also known as software IP, which is a computer code or program that is protected by law against copying, theft, or other use that is not permitted by the owner. Software IP belongs to the company that either created or purchased the rights to that code or software. If they do not want you to be able to make changes to the mission(s) they reserve the right by law to block any chance of editing it. You would have to buy the SIP or buy into the company at a level that would give you the right the edit the code. Pretty simple really. You could go through and change just enough to call it your own and market their hard work as your own. Not saying that you, yourself would but there are people out there that do.... all the time. 

Edited August 24, 2024 by red23

[Toto]

Ok I don't know enough law and will take your word for it. Figured it had something to do with someone profiting in a dishonest way. It's very disappointing to me because I used to have a lot of FUN doing this. Changing stuff around new planes etc. Add new ground units, different infinitary tactics etc etc. and then flying the mission. Was a lot of fun and never meant anyone any harm in any way.  I guess I am just going to have to buy the book DCS mission editing for DUMMY'S and do it myself.    

[Rudel_chw]

1 hour ago, Toto said:

It's very disappointing to me because I used to have a lot of FUN doing this. Changing stuff around new planes etc. Add new ground units, different infinitary tactics etc etc. and then flying the mission.

 

You can do all that with the free campaigns available at User Files:

 

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/filter/type-is-campaign/unit-is-f-14/sort-is-date_desc/apply/

 

[cfrag]

On 8/25/2024 at 12:45 AM, Toto said:

Figured it had something to do with someone profiting in a dishonest way.

It does, but probably not in the way that you were thinking. Some campaigns are produced for-profit (as opposed to the community-made, free to copy and modify) by third parties as a business venture. They invest funds into creating a title, and they expect a return on investment. And they have a vested interest in making sure that everyone who enjoys their creation also pays for it; turned around, they want to make sure that no-one gains access to their product for free. In a perfect world everyone is honest and makes sure that they reimburse whomever they take from. We do not live in that world, and so many software vendors take measures to protect their goods from theft: the ugly hydra of copy protection rears its head. 

And that is what you are running up against: the title that you have licensed (not bought, but tbh, to me that distinction is irrelevant for everyday tasks, let's just agree to using the word "own", in quotes) is protected against casual theft: you can't simply open a protected campaign, copy/modify the contents and save it so that anyone can access it for free.

What is happening here is that a company protects their interest - unfortunately at the detriment to their paying customers: the inability to curtail a product that they "own". It is unfortunate, a bad trend - but unfortunately also understandable. I don't think that this conundrum can be easily solved, and even if ED somehow manage to integrate license management into ME that would open such a big can of privacy worms that I'd rather not have them try.

tldr: you are running up against anti-piracy efforts; it is disheartening, and a fact of today's life. I don't believe that it's bad faith on the vendor's side.

On 8/25/2024 at 12:45 AM, Toto said:

I guess I am just going to have to buy the book DCS mission editing for DUMMY'S and do it myself.    

And here is the bright side: with just a little luck, you'll discover the fun in creating missions. Maybe, just maybe, DCS has just doubled in entertainment value for you

 

Edited August 26, 2024 by cfrag

[Rudel_chw]

2 hours ago, cfrag said:

And here is the bright side: with just a little luck, you'll discover the fun in creating missions. Maybe, just maybe, DCS has just doubled in entertainment value for you

Fully agree, to me the Mission Editor is a game inside  a game, and I truly enjoy both aspects of DCS: editing a mission, and then flying it.