Mission Editor - Create and load waypoints + load after mission start.

[Razorback]

Hi,

I know that it is possible to prepare a navigation plan with waypoints via the mission editor and then load this into the Kiowa after the mission is launched.
Is there a video tutorial to explain this or could someone explain the exact procedure to follow?
Many thanks...

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

I haven’t seen one. I seem to remember Casmo saying on multiple subjects (such as IDM) that he’d make another video about it in his Combat Ready series, but I don’t think he ended up doing it.

The manual is also quite light on details when it comes to “battlefield graphics” (that’s how I remember the manual calling it) you can make and then import in-game, other than saying you need to adhere to the correct naming conventions. Perhaps I missed it, but I haven’t seen any detailed walkthroughs…

 

Basic waypoints are automatically loaded just like any other DCS aircraft with a glass cockpit, but you probably mean the more advanced stuff?

[Ramsay]

3 hours ago, Razorback said:

I know that it is possible to prepare a navigation plan with waypoints via the mission editor and then load this into the Kiowa after the mission is launched.
Is there a video tutorial to explain this ?

Not as far as I know.

3 hours ago, Razorback said:

... could someone explain the exact procedure to follow?

It's covered in the last few pages of the DCS OH-58D User Guide i.e. 24.5 and 24.6 (pages 242-244) and an example mission
"DCS World\Mods\aircraft\OH-58D\Doc\kw_demo_mission.miz" to study, that uses the ME's drawing layers to create battlefield graphics, etc.

The OH-58D Silent Thunder Campaign also makes use of the ME's drawing layers if you want more examples.

Comment

If you need a "simple" video walk though using the ME to create these - I guess I can make one tailored to your needs but I'll need to revise the exact process, layers, etc. myself before making it (as it's not a feature I've used that often - other than testing). 

Edited April 8 by Ramsay

[Vakarian]

4 hours ago, Razorback said:

Hi,

I know that it is possible to prepare a navigation plan with waypoints via the mission editor and then load this into the Kiowa after the mission is launched.
Is there a video tutorial to explain this or could someone explain the exact procedure to follow?

Basically in your saved games folder there's a DCS_OH-58D folder (or something like that, I'm writing from work) and in there you should have 3 .json files, mission1.json, mission2.json and mission3.json.

They are your "DTC"s which you can upload and download data from whenever you wish. To do that, you need to do in the (again, writing from faulty memory) Init -> Data Loader. There you will have option to either Store data or Load data. When storing/loading data for Mission 1/2/3 that data gets stored/loaded in/from the respective json file.

If the folder in the saved games is empty, just go to any instant action mission, go to the Data Loader and store missions to the Mission1, Mission2 and Mission3. Now you will have those 3 json files that you can edit. It stores Waypoints, Radio frequencies, Battlefield graphics, Laser codes and maybe something else.

Now, if you prepare data from the mission editor, you'll already have it preloaded in the bird so it defeats the purpose of the "DTC". However, you can edit those "DTC" files anytime, anywhere and just place them in your saved games folder on the go and load it in the cockpit.

---

One example usecase is the following:

I'm mission commander and I'm building our flightplan for the mission on some MP server. As I can't pre-set everything in the mission editor this is what I would do. 

1. Go to mission editor, drop one KW and start building
2. Add main flight route
3. Draw any battlefield graphics I might need (Ensure that the BindingLayer is set to the same coallition as your aircraft)
4. Set all radio frequencies
5. Start the mission with the hotstarted birt
6. Set laser codes for all presets
7. Go to Data Loader -> Mission 3 -> Store ALL

 

Now I just send the "mission3.json" to my friends, they save it in the SavedGames folder I mentioned earlier and then we can join the MP server, after startup just load the "Mission 3" and we all have the correct flight plan, graphics, radios and laser codes...

[Razorback]

Top, a simple video to explain the "step by step" processe could be great ! 
My resquest is mainly on loading waypoints and routes.

6 minutes ago, Vakarian said:

Basically in your saved games folder there's a DCS_OH-58D folder (or something like that, I'm writing from work) and in there you should have 3 .json files, mission1.json, mission2.json and mission3.json.

They are your "DTC"s which you can upload and download data from whenever you wish. To do that, you need to do in the (again, writing from faulty memory) Init -> Data Loader. There you will have option to either Store data or Load data. When storing/loading data for Mission 1/2/3 that data gets stored/loaded in/from the respective json file.

If the folder in the saved games is empty, just go to any instant action mission, go to the Data Loader and store missions to the Mission1, Mission2 and Mission3. Now you will have those 3 json files that you can edit. It stores Waypoints, Radio frequencies, Battlefield graphics, Laser codes and maybe something else.

Now, if you prepare data from the mission editor, you'll already have it preloaded in the bird so it defeats the purpose of the "DTC". However, you can edit those "DTC" files anytime, anywhere and just place them in your saved games folder on the go and load it in the cockpit.

---

One example usecase is the following:

I'm mission commander and I'm building our flightplan for the mission on some MP server. As I can't pre-set everything in the mission editor this is what I would do. 

1. Go to mission editor, drop one KW and start building
2. Add main flight route
3. Draw any battlefield graphics I might need (Ensure that the BindingLayer is set to the same coallition as your aircraft)
4. Set all radio frequencies
5. Start the mission with the hotstarted birt
6. Set laser codes for all presets
7. Go to Data Loader -> Mission 3 -> Store ALL

 

Now I just send the "mission3.json" to my friends, they save it in the SavedGames folder I mentioned earlier and then we can join the MP server, after startup just load the "Mission 3" and we all have the correct flight plan, graphics, radios and laser codes...

Thx for that, I will for sure try that later today.

[Ramsay]

3 minutes ago, Razorback said:

My request is mainly on loading waypoints and routes.

The default route i.e. route 1  (named "ME" for Mission Editor),  is the regular DCS route created in the ME i.e. waypoints 0 to 4 in the example mission.

The Kiowa can have 2 other pre-programed routes, these are created using the ME drawing tool with the drawn lines given special names that the DCS Kiowa recognises "KW-ROUTE2" and "KW-ROUTE3". These drawn lines add additional waypoints after the last ME waypoint i.e. Route 2 might get waypoints 5 to 9 and Route 3 - waypoints 10 to 13.

[Razorback]

Ok, I am good to go !
It was a litte bit tricky but I finally did it!
Thx for your help !
I will try tomorrow during a multiplayer mission.

It was good to know that the password "58D" is needed if we want to have access on the Data Loader Menu.

Edited April 11 by Razorback