How will my A-10C/F-15E mission work if you do not have both modules?

[Bahger]

I'm making a SP mission in DCSW for both a flyable A-10C and F-15C, i.e. I have selected yellow a/c from the drop-down list in the ME and made them "Client" flights. I have also placed AI flights that perform the same mission as the Client flights and coded it so that if you choose the F-15, the AI F-15 will not spawn but the A-10Cs will, and vice versa; it works very well.

 

My question is: If you want to play this mission but you only have DCS A-10, say, and not FC3, will there still be an AI F-15 in the mission? In other words, of course you will not be able to fly the F-15 but will the AI version of that flight spawn and perform its mission as it would in the version of DCSW I have, with both modules? I hope so; it would be a pity to make missions in DCSW for two fyable a/c if the mission breaks for those who do not have both modules plugged in.

[Revelation]

DCS:W brings everything together. You do not need every module to play various missions or online with other people. As long as you setup the AI F-15s to spawn in if the player controlled F-15s are not used then they will still work as you planned.

 

The whole point of DCS:W is to bring everything together...

[GGTharos]

I don't know the answer to your question (or at least I cannot answer it precisely).

 

What I believe will happen is that, in SP, you will need to have both modules.

 

The devs are definitely looking for a way of dealing with the issue you mention.

[SkateZilla]

External Models, Flight Models, Etc are integrated into DCSW.

 

If you dont own the module, you will not be able to fly them, but the AI will, or other players online that have the module

[Bahger]

A slight disagreement here; interesting, I might have to ask someone with only one module to test the .miz.

 

By selecting the aircraft listed in yellow, I am obviously making them flyable for those who own the modules. By programming the AI spawns correctly (thanks, as always, Grimes), the mission will spawn an identically-briefed and equipped AI flight for the Client flight not chosen. This is what makes me suspect that, if a player has the A-10C module but not does not have FC3 and plays this mission in DCSW, because he cannot select the playable F-15, he won't get the option to fly it but will spawn into the Hog and the AI F-15 flight will activate. Maybe that is wishful thinking.

 

I will make an MP version of the .miz when I finish the SP and resolve this issue. It's great to be able to choose whether to fly CAS or CAP, in suitably equipped specialist aircraft, in one mission and then play it again in the other role.

[winz]

I own A-10C, but I don't own FC 3.0, so if you wanna test it feel free to pm me. Doesn't have to be a working mission, just a 'proof of concept'

[Bahger]

Thanks, winz, as soon as I escape my public-holiday family duties I will PM you. Fell free to PM me your email address than i can just send it over without bothering you. I like this mission. m it's my first after a long break from the sim but I know the ME well and welcome the ability to make multi-role missions for the player.

[SkateZilla]

Technically nobody has the F-15E,

 

 

I Fly online in missions that have KA-50 and P-51 Flights, I dont own either of those 2 modules or have them downloaded/installed.

 

Players that join the server show up just fine in KA-50's and P-51s.

[Bahger]

Did I mistakenly refer to it as the F-15E? Can't find where... No it's the flyable F-15C in FC3, and the mission is strictly A2A.

[SkateZilla]

in the thread title.

[Weta43]

Didn't I read that you were going to use triggers to detect the presence of players and substitute AI if they weren't ?

I might be mis-reading your question, but if a player doesn't have a module, they won't be able to take that slot, and your IA will spawn.

[Bahger]

Didn't I read that you were going to use triggers to detect the presence of players and substitute AI if they weren't ?

I might be mis-reading your question, but if a player doesn't have a module, they won't be able to take that slot, and your IA will spawn.

Right. That's what I want, i.e. for the mission to be flyable for someone with A-10C only -- in the A-10C, obviously -- but for the AI F-15C flight to spawn in to perform the CAP mission that this player cannot. Just like if he had both modules but chose the A-10C. Does that make sense? What I want to avoid, is the mission "breaking", i.e. no AI F-15C CAP flight, if the player does not have FC3.

[Bahger]

in the thread title.

 

Oh, whoops, sorry.

 

winz, PM just sent.

[Weta43]

AI are part of DCS world and independant of module ownership...

I think as long as you get your triggers right, all will be well :)

[Lord_Pyro]

The F15 wouldn't spawn, think logically.

 

Imagine they would, let someone with F3 join the Server and pick an Eagle. What should happen? Should he get moved in the F15 already flown by the KI and start midair? Or should the already flying plane be moved back to the airfield instantly?

 

No, the planes won't appear at all, unless picked by some players - NO AI will take them! A workaround without spending too much time would be to create the AI flight but trigger him only to appear as long as no human controlled F15 is on the map.

[Weta43]

"think logically"

I'll try my best :-)

 

If he has a trigger that says "if this client-F-15 unit is not alive, spawn this AI F-15", and no-one takes the client F-15 spot, and AI F-15 will spawn.

If he also has a trigger that says "if this client F-15 is alive, remove this AI F-15", it will disappear if anyone joins & takes that slot later.

 

"Or should the already flying plane be moved back to the airfield instantly?"

 

You misunderstand. They're not actually the same plane(s)

[Bahger]

I've yet to test in MP -- where there will be the usual runaround of having to create flightplans for individual Client a/c within the same flight/group because there is no Client group or flight structure in MP -- but I strongly suspect Weta43 is right. I have both the triggers he mentions above for all duplicate AI/Client roles. The AI flights are set to late activation so that the system has time to calculate whether the client slots connected by trigger are occupied or not. If they are not, the sim considers them non-existent and the AI flights spawn in.

 

As Weta says, these are not the same a/c or flights looking for either AI or Client pilots, they are duplicate a/c or flights that, when they spawn, will always be flown by either AI or the player depending on which platform the player chooses at the beginning of the mission.

 

I'll be using this method a lot in mission design, it's great.

[Home Fries]

Bahger,

 

This sounds like an awesome technique. Could you please post a screenshot of what the trigger example looks like. I'd like to try this for my own missions, and I'll see what I can tweak for multiplayer.

[Bahger]

Fries, check out this thread and after that it might be easier if I send you the WIP .miz so you can see the trigger code first-hand. PM me an email address if you want it. Adapated just a little, grimes' concept for spawning AI flights where the player does not choose that role works perfectly so far.

[Home Fries]

Thanks. PM Sent.

[winz]

Ok, gave it a go, and the results are...interesting :)

SP:

I don't own FC3, yet I'm able to select the F-15C, the flight will spawn. Cockpit view kinda 'works', camera position is right, but the cockpit model is missing - obviously because it's part of the FC3 package I don't own.

I'm also unable to control the plane in any way. :)

 

A-10C:

Everything is working ok. A F-15C AI flight will spawn and take-off, so that trigger is working. :)

[Bahger]

Thanks, winz. It's a little disppointing that DCSW cannot detect the absence of a module and disable your choice of an aircraft from that module when you fly a mission with that aircraft in it. Offering you the choice when it's not an option -- even though most users will realise that they can't fly an F-15C without FC3 -- is not a very elegant front end presentation for missions designed in DCSW.

 

The good news is that the triggers work very well, even if the initial user-interface choices are a little misleading.