What do I need to learn script a server ?

Hello guys, I am interested in making a server for my squad, I have some ideas in mind, and I would like to develop a little dynamic mission so my friends and I can practice.

I know I need to learn LUA to script, so I was wondering if the best option is to do it with Moose or what do I have to learn in order to make this idea possible ?

I have a little programming background so that should help, but I don't know where to start or what should I learn.

You actually probably dont even need to have to learn lua. To be honest, many of the scripting base files like MIST/MOOSE etc have really good examples on how/where to put the bits of code in to make the magic happen.

My advice to you is to start here:

https://wiki.hoggitworld.com/view/Mission_Scripting_Tools_Documentation

From there you can pick a function like having a group respawn in a zone.... click on it and see the code you need to modify for your miz.. take for example a respawn in a zone from here: https://wiki.hoggitworld.com/view/Mission_Scripting_Tools_Documentation

This respawns a group of a particular name somewhere in a zone of a particular name... so you just change the groupname and zone variables to match what you set in the mission editor.

Now all you need is to load MIST at mission start.. available here: https://github.com/mrSkortch/MissionScriptingTools/releases

... and insert the respawn bit of code using a basic ME trigger where you want to see the logic fired...

This is just an example with MIST. MIST is probably the easiest to jump into but there is some serious developmental depth happening with MOOSE if you want to jump in with that. Everything is found in the following subforum. I'd recommend MIST first and keep it simple for the first few misisons.

Mission Builders Corner SubForum: https://forums.eagle.ru/forumdisplay.php?f=210

Thank you so much dooom. This is the kind of answer I was looking for.

I have seen a couple videos of moose so I will now take a look of mist and then pick one of them.

I have one last question. Is moose and mist working fine on miltiplayer servers?

I'll be brutally honest... I'm not sure I could ever defend either as working "fine" in multiplayer lol... the truth of the matter is scripting brings alot of new tools to bear into mission making but if you let yourself get overly complicated then you will spend more time trying to bug fix your missions and going crazy over odd AI behaviour.

This si not a criticism against the authors of these scripting bases... its just an observation after years of using them that the occasional DCS update *will* break script funcitonality from time to time and you should be prepared for it. That said... the Mission Builders subforum is a fantastic place for any subsequent misery to find company lol.

Keep your first MP missions very simple. Get familiar with how and where to inject the code and look at other players missions too!

Its easy to dissect online missions that you like by simply renaming the .trk file as .miz and having a peek in the ME as to how they inserted scripts and triggers. i cannot recommend that enough. You will find your track files (.trk) in your Saved Games folder. Fly a mission you like, open it in ME and learn something new.

again.... keep it simple. start with respawning units or randomization and move from there.

*edit* this is also an early resource i used to use when i started. the randomization stuff was helpful when i wanted some surprises but didnt want to mess with randomization using scripts... http://en.wiki.eagle.ru/wiki/DCS_Mission_Editor_(ME)

Thank you once again for the advice and tips. I will follow them.

I think you will see me here around this forums posting and researching how to do certain things.