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Mission Editor Top User Requested Features


NineLine

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#1 with a bullet: DOCUMENTATION OF MISSION EDITOR FUNCTIONS Please put the Version number and Date of the DCS User Guide and the Build number of DCS used to create the guide on the cover, lower right hand cover. When changes are made in a section, please place a black bar on the left-hand side margin on the sentence or entire paragraph that has been changed. Versioning control of all documents for DCS would be fantastic!

 

#2: A 3D visualization mechanism that allows me to make real time edits in the Mission Editor so I can place, preview and adjust ground-based units and scenery objects without having to play a mission, end it and then restart/resave the mission in the Mission Editor. This would also be tied to an undo function.

 

#3: Native support for PDF slides in the Mission Editor Briefing section and Native support for MP3 audio files for use by triggers in the Mission Editor.

 

#4: Some type of airdop parachute object like the CDS bundle or a Personnel parachute that behaves like the Illumination Bomb does as a triggered object. Would give the C-47, C-130, C-17 etc. a job!

 

#5: A method to start a mission with a MP4 "cut scene" video or video briefing. These could be coded to skip ahead or skip entirely with the space bar or some user-defined custom keyboard command. You might even have a VCR style playback control screen overlay to run this.

 

#6: A means to display multiple geographic coordinate system outputs on screen during mission design. It would be nice to see the MGRS coordinate and LAT/LON coordinate and the X/Y/Z coordinates displayed together for multiple reasons.

 

#7: A mouse cursor capture keyboard command to capture the mouse cursor crosshair's geographic position coordinates on the mission editor map screen and the mouse cursor's elevation point in a copy and paste function. For example, put the cursor on a bridge on the map; hit CTRL+J and pull the LAT/LON and Elevation for the mouse cursor crosshair's point. The JTAC should have this ability on the F10 map in game as well.

 

#8: A Mission Editor Coordinate Conversion Tool pop up menu that converts from/to a pull-down set of coordinate types and would also let me copy that data to the clipboard. For example, the pull down menu might ask what coordinate format type do you wish to enter data in on the left side of the pop up window? Then on the right side of the pop up window all supported coordinate types, to include the entry type are displayed. Example:

 

LEFT-SIDE (Convert From) --------------------------------- RIGHT-SIDE (Convert To)

 

Coordinate Entry Format ----------------------------------- Coordinate Output Format

 

 

MGRS -------------------------------------------------- MGRS:

UTM ------------------------------------------------------ UTM:

LAT/LON DD.DDDDD ----------------------------------- LAT/LON DD.DDDDD:

LAT/LON DD.MM.MMM --------------------------------- LAT/LON DD.MM.MMM:

LAT/LON DD.MM.SS.SSS ------------------------------- LAT/LON DD.MM.SS.SSS:

DCS X/Y/Z GRID ---------------------------------------- DCS X/Y/Z GRID:

 

#9- Aircraft Taxi logic and parking space size fixes to ALL airports. The C-130, KC-130, C-17, AN-26, AN-30 and YAK-40 should be able to land and park at every airfield in every DCS terrain. Fix by having a Landing Zone (LZ) editor for prepared and dirt surfaces.

 

#10 - Fix the limitation on small watercraft from going upstream into inland waterways, rivers and lakes.

 

#11 - An ability to see all, some or one route(s) in the mission for all aircraft to see flight planned Time Of Arrival (TOA) at each waypoint based on that aircraft's flight plan. As simple as having a TOA timestamp next to each waypoint. This would act as a primitive route deconfliction tool.

 

#12 - Incorporate all Combat Flight functionality into the Mission Editor.

 

#13 - A way to add custom Landing Zones and improvised aprons into the Mission Editor.

 

#14 - A way to add tactical TACAN stations anywhere on the map (land/sea) via a simple Mission Editor interface like we currently do with Air-to-Air TACANS.

 

#15 - A way in the Mission Editor to place "static" structures/aircraft inside all covered parking spots and place new parking spots on existing apron space on all airfields.

 

#16 - A way to make a Hardened Aircraft Shelter (HAS) door stay open with a Mission Editor toggle switch next to it's parking spot number.

 

#17 - A way to allow all "Tanker, Transport, Bomber" aircraft to fly in custom formation geometries or at a bare minimum trail formation. Link this to A custom formation geometry settings type similar to the Follow action that displays the distances in feet forward/aft, left/right and high/low instead of X,Y, Z values.

 

#18 - A radio load COMM 1 and COMM 2 UHF and VHF presets CH1-CH20 section for all aircraft in a formation.

 

#19 - A Mission Editor check box to turn on Auto-AAR mode for Client and Player aircraft … call it an easy mode for air refueling if you like.

 

#20 - A visibility Line Of Sight tool that would tell me if terrain obstructs the view from origin point to destination point on map. This would be a great aid for setting up AAA or doing low level planning analysis and threat masking.


Edited by Backy 51

I don't need no stinkin' GPS! (except for PGMs :D) :pilotfly:

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

 

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Undo redo

Statics ported to Units in the fortification catagory.

 

Sun moon lighting indicator

Right click entries to log to clipboard;

 

Scenery id collected

Vector coord

Ability to transpose current mission to another map

Natively support spawning, polyzones, coalition swapping

 

Ability to execute more in the running mission... is this not relevant? Things like big smoke syncing in mp being able to be stopped same as small smoke...multiplayer gates

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SIMPLE SCENERY SAVING * SIMPLE GROUP SAVING * SIMPLE STATIC SAVING *

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Multiplayer really needs the ability to dynamically create and remove "client" aircraft, or just not show aircraft of one side when located at an airbase of the other side. Having over 1000 slots on servers where airbases can change sides so that everyone can use every airfield when it's on their side and then using a script to kick people out of slots they can't use is less than efficient.

"Fighter pilots have ice in their veins. They don't have emotions. They think, anticipate. They know that fear and other concerns cloud your mind from what's going on and what you should be involved in." -Buzz Aldrin

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Waypoint Actions / Tasks:

 

  • Add a "Switch Waypoint" command for ships
  • Additional Parameters for role-specific missions such as CAP or Antiship
    • AG engagement range
    • Preferred weapons to employ
    • Fall back if enemy gets too close
    • RTB is enemy gets too close

     

    [*]Set Bingo Fuel Level

    [*]Allow bombers to fly in groups that have formations

    [*]Launch decoy/drone at specific bearing/altitude

    • The lack of this functionality is already a problem for the F-14B as the plane's AI will dive to the deck and shoot it like a rocket.

     

    [*]SAM engagement zone

    • Should be similar to aircraft's "engage enemy in zone" task, just with SAMs

     

New Trigger Actions:

 

  • "Set Flag Value" (i.e.: set flag 9 to exactly 3)
  • "Add Flag to Flag" (and store that result in a Flag)
  • "Subtract Flag from Flag" (and store that result in a Flag)
  • Output Flag values as to messages while in-game (True/False/Numeric Value)
    • If there's a way to do this in a trigger action without writing a script, I am unaware.

     

    [*]Teleport static to location

    [*]Teleport unit to location

    [*]Teleport group to location

    • Currently I "randomize" locations by running a flag randomizer, the result of which activates a hidden group. It would be much easier on both the mission sizes (no need for duplicate unit entries) and the mission makers if we could just teleport around units.

     

    [*]Group Emissions On

    [*]Group Emissions Off

    [*]Switch a country's coalition (i.e.: change Georgia from Red to Blue)

    [*]Switch a unit's country (i.e.: change a specific Hornet from US to Russia)

    [*]A better way to consistently push tasks to the AI via the Push AI action.

    • For example, I am toying with is having a reactive CAP AI that shuffles around the map based on player location. Detect at the north, fly north and patrol. Detect in the south, fly south and patrol.
    • The steps I have to do to achieve this via triggers are obnoxious, mainly because the Push AI Task "Switch Waypoint" action cannot be done in the same trigger and at the same time as the Push AI Task "Search and Destroy In Zone". I don't think it likes that. But why not allow it?
    • Please please please make some changes into how tasking, waypoints, and flags work to ensure consistent changes when sending trigger actions.

     

    [*]Set loadout/ammunition level

    • Changes an air unit's loadout.
    • If that unit is a ground or naval unit, allows for weapons to be reloaded.

     

New Trigger Conditions:

 

  • Missile Out Of Zone
    • Checks if there are zero of a particular missile in a zone

     

    [*]Bomb Out Of Zone

    [*]Unit Has Landed

    • Checks if a plane or helicopter has landed and not destroyed

     

    [*]Unit Has Landed At Particular Airfield

    • Checks if a plane or helicopter has landed and not destroyed and is at a particular airfield / carrier

     

    [*]Group Has Landed

    [*]Group Has Landed At Particular Airfield / Carrier

    [*]Number of coalition in zone

    • Similar to how you can check if there are a number of missiles in a zone, you should be able to test if there are X number of Blue/Red aircraft in a zone.
    • It is advantageous to allow this to be setup like the "missile in zone" flag where you can select multiple classes and the number.
    • Please please please group airplanes, ground vehicles, and ships by type. I would find the Mig-25 until Aircraft > Fighter > Mig-25PD. If I wanted to select all fighters for blue, I should have a parent level checkbox. If I wanted just Hornets and Shilkas for Red, it should allow that too.

     

Moving Trigger Zones:

 

I would prefer a better mechanism for handling these as the current system is not intuitive. Better if we borrow the static object system and attach trigger areas to a specific unit through the GUI than force checking distances from a unit via triggers. I hope this would allow us to have the full suite of functionality we have from normal trigger zones.

 

If we can't do that, then I suggest we add the following trigger conditions:

 

  • Missile In Moving Zone
  • Missile Out Of Moving Zone
  • Part of Group in Moving Zone
  • All of Group In Moving Zone
  • Part of Coalition In Moving Zone
  • All of Coalition in Moving Zone

Other Functionality:

 

  • Templates to be saved / exported between maps
  • Late activation of static objects
    • Useful if we cannot teleport as I suggested above

     

    [*]Allow any unit to be used by any country

    • As a mission designer, I want to be able to make a mission where Switzerland has purchased Foxhounds and Apaches and has built a Nimitz-class Carrier. I should not have the background story I want to tell be confined.

     

    [*]Allow any livery to be used by any country

    • Allow liveries and livery changes to be locked out via GUI for particular airplanes similar to how munitions limits locks out weapons from being loaded on the ground.

     

    [*]Decoys (ADM-141A/B TALDs) should be able to be placed like aircraft

    • This would allow a TALD or other decoy to be loaded/activated at a particular altitude, speed, and bearing.
    • Should be able to be leveraged in the future when you implement decoys like those on the Hornet that can perform course corrections!

     

    [*]Add a "BARCAP" mission type for fighter aircraft.

    • This covers the gap caused by the CAP mission type. The CAP logic basically tells the AI to hunt down anything on the map like a dog chasing a ball, and outside of very simple scenarios I never use it. Instead, I delete the CAP task and select something like "Engage In Area" task.
    • A specific BARCAP mission type could be very flexible to mission designers like myself.
    • In my mind, the BARCAP task is enabled at a waypoint. The task can be edited like other tasks, but this one gives us the option of modifying the BARCAP zone:
      • Which area to look in for a target (aka distance and position)
      • Where to perform a racecar track holding pattern
      • What kinds of targets to engage

       

      [*]Meanwhile, changing your planes' BARCAP position is as easy as just pushing an AI task to change to the next waypoint!

     

    [*]Add some special logic to the "Intercept" mission type, which currently offers no benefit beyond the CAP mission.

    • The mission tasks for "Intercept" are currently limited to:
      • Attack Group
      • Attack Unit
      • Orbit
      • Follow
      • Acrobatics
      • And that's it!

       

      [*]I suggest tying the mission type into some kind of coordination between AWEC/GCI/Static structure and the aircraft.

      [*]Perhaps some kind of exclusion zones? Attack enemies except those located in a particular area?

     


Edited by isotaan
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1. Undo button!

2. Radio Transmission - set an altitude so tx isn’t blocked by terrain

3. Weather Editing (like an ability to “draw” weather into map

4. Add AAA barage fire (Baghdad 1991 tracer effect)

5. Polygon trigger zones please

6. Ability to copy paste attributes between groups (radio freqs, etc)

7. Add more coalitions

 

 

This

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Trigger zones which can have shape modified

 

Trigger zone altitudes; i.e. being able to set a 'floor' and/or 'ceiling' to a zone

 

AAA Barrage fire/flak burst zones

 

Ability to place IR lights/Chem lights for helo landing zones for night ops

 

Paradrop capability

 

Unit erasing - you can spawn in units via script, but you can't delete them from the map, can be problematic at higher unit counts

 

Place-able TACAN, ILS and Runway arresting gear (such as the US Marines use)

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Please fix the wind information between the ME and Briefing pages. At the moment, the wind in the brief will be opposite of what the actual wind is. Wind in the briefing will show where the wind is blowing TO (incorrect) as opposed to where the wind is blowing FROM. (Correct)

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Ability to RESPAWN units. The "ACTIVATE" option should let people respawn their groups as many times as they want so basic mission designs do not have to rely on MIST/MOOSE or any kind of wrapper script.

 

 

Also... possibly a way to "export" each trigger or the entire trigger list to a LUA FILE so we can share triggers easily or just be able to see how triggers are done in LUA only.

 

 

An official lua api doc is non-existent or incomplete. For mission designers to use the editor to its full potential we really need some good documentation.

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Ground handling commands for aircraft, example:

In the current system you can command an AI aircraft to land at an airfield where he will shut down and get out of the aircraft.

 

 

The mission editor should allow commands for the AI aircraft to land and taxi to a position to either rearm/refuel or hold while idling or shut down until it receives further commands.

 

 

Similarly on mission start the designer should be able to issue commands to start idling at a parking space waiting for commands to launch or wait for a command to start up. mass launches for time on target attacks are very difficult in the current system.

 

 

 

The suggestions for polygonal trigger zones (to simulate national borders), undo and redo functions and AAA barrage fire are also very good. I really appreciate the team asking the community for suggestions like this :thumbup:

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Built in Modules like RESPAWN, CAP, CAS (with different Ordnance and attack options), Artillery strikes and such, like in the ARMA Series. Please, Please, Please!

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The ability to do the following with AI:

 

 

Set missile salvo quantity (Eg for silkworm, or a SAM)

Bonus: Set different salvo quantities for different targets

 

 

Set SAM engagement distance, like we have for jets (ie. fire at rmax, according to threat, between rmax and rmin, fire at rtr, etc)

Bonus: Allow setting of an area or object of responsibility or combination thereof

 

 

Set SAM 'radar use' like for fighters: Don't use, use for attack only, use for search, always use.

 

 

 

 

For tankers: Add the ability to choose refueling bank, up to 45 degrees.

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

Reminder: SAM = Speed Bump :D

I used to play flight sims like you, but then I took a slammer to the knee - Yoda

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Some of these I've submitted feature requests for, but might as well re-iterate it.

 

1. Refactor of warehouse code so that the list doesn't get corrupted every patch. Add triggers/scripting functions to add, remove, and check item states with the warehouses. Filter warehouse based on the assets available to the coalition so that the list isn't cluttered with objects that are not relevant.

 

2. Modify coalitions after mission was created. Its not impossible, see my mod.

 

3. Take-off from ground option for all aircraft. If for AI add a simple UI that shows the taxi paths of a given airbase and allow the user to draw a path to connect with the built-in taxiways. Could also be used to create road airfields that AI can use.

 

4. More callsigns.

 

5. Smoke marker controls for colors and size. RGB control would be best but adding more static colors would be fine.

 

6. Parity for triggers/scripts and multiplayer functionality. There are a few triggers that have no corresponding scripting engine function and some features only work in single player. For example setting internal cargo mass has no scripting function and can only be done in single player. Unit emitter on/off is part of CA and triggers but no scripting engine function.

 

7. Triggers/scripting functions to add basic shapes/polys with color and fill options to the F10 map. To "draw" front lines, where things are at, anything you can come up with. Could be used set to load and display information in ABRIS or other future avionics that might have such a capability.

 

8. Temporary or local payload so that we don't constantly get prompted to save a payload before we can even view it. Should be at the top of the list and freely editable without having to save it.

 

9. Better management for usage of mods within a mission. Color code the mods needed for a given mission based on whether or not they are installed. Green for installed, red for not installed. Add an "open anyway" option when trying to open a mission that has mods you don't have.

 

10. Global dataset for radio frequency presets, nav, target, or even waypoints. Basically a whole QOL update to remove the tedious nature of making multiplayer missions that use aircraft with several aircraft specific settings by creating a common data set and telling the aircraft to load information from there. Here is a quick comparison for creating a non waypoint in the avionics to designate a target between the A-10C and Ka-50, Viggen, F-14, AV-8B, etc. For the A-10C: Create an initial point, change settings accordingly; now all A-10Cs on that coalition have EXACTLY the same waypoint information. In the KA-50: Select aircraft, go to "Navigation Target Points" tab, add point. Copy/paste group, realize that the point wasn't copied. Repeat process to add point, alternate selecting both groups so you can more precisely line up the target points.

 

What I'd like to see with this is a way to place points or create a frequency table, then go into the aircrafts tab, and load the specific set of data that you want that aircraft to use. For preset frequencies you could create a numbered table, set the frequencies as desired, then in that aircraft's frequencies tab, and there would be an added option to load a preset. Thus you can easily transfer a common list of preset frequencies between multiple different types of aircraft. The same idea translates to waypoints, navigation target points, etc. Each aircraft would use the same information for a nav target point, if you moved that point for whatever reason, then that move would reflect on group that it was assigned to. No more going through each group one by one realigning the point.

 

Could also be great to be able to save and load the data so that you could create a common radio preset table that all of your missions use without having to recreate it.

The right man in the wrong place makes all the difference in the world.

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Useful Links: Mission Scripting Tools MIST-(GitHub) MIST-(Thread)

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Multiple coalitions with relations that can be changed during the course a mission. This would allow for having, in addition to friendly and hostile forces, civilians and multiple neutral nations. If relations between factions could be changed during a mission, you could have scenarios where entering a neutral nations airspace will make them hostile to you and engage you. You could also have situations where two factions are hostile to each other, but both are friendly with a third faction.

 

Have client aircraft spawn as uncontrolled before being entered by a real player and act as a regular static object until then. If an uncontrolled aircraft gets destroyed a client can't spawn in it.

 

A task option called something like "suppressive fire" where ground units will engage a specific enemy but does no damage to them. This would allow for prolonged firefights where players would have to intervene and eliminate the enemy ground forces for the firefight to be won.

 

AAA firing at random a la Baghdad.

 

Polygonal trigger zones that can be shaped in any way.

 

Ability to control carrier lights through advanced options or scripts.

 

Ability to add radio beacons to naval ships.

 

Add flashing IR strobe as static object with the ability to attach to a unit.

-Col. Russ Everts opinion on surface-to-air missiles: "It makes you feel a little better if it's coming for one of your buddies. However, if it's coming for you, it doesn't make you feel too good, but it does rearrange your priorities."

 

DCS Wishlist:

MC-130E Combat Talon   |   F/A-18F Lot 26   |   HH-60G Pave Hawk   |   E-2 Hawkeye/C-2 Greyhound   |   EA-6A/B Prowler   |   J-35F2/J Draken   |   RA-5C Vigilante

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1. dynamic spawns that enable/disable based on the coalition ownership of the airfield/farp?

2. Undo/redo

3. Ability to add custom kneeboard via the mission editor.

 

Maybe not possible this time around but will ask any way.

 

4. native lua API access to the in-game warehouse system


Edited by goldleader
Forgot one

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More fortifications like HESCO barriers, emplacements, fences and gates for building more realistic FOBs and FARPs.

 

The ability to draw a FLOT and other markers on the F10 map that players can see, almost Arma-style.

 

The ability to interact and affect weapons stored at airfield warehouses so I can, for example, set a trigger to give an airfield 100 Mk82s without having anything delivered from another warehouse.

 

And finally, the ability to place the Viggen as start on ground so we can have starts from road bases.

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

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for me it would be

 

* allow the editor to create no-fly-zones where opfor doesnt agro unless you enter their airspace

* make the day/night cycle visible in the editor

* add something similar to the seek and destroy option in arma where the AI will loiter in an area and look for targets (esp important for ground units)

 

this is more for general gameplay, but it would make mission making a lot more fun

* add an independant faction

* civilian air traffic

* expand civilian sea traffic

* penalties for killing civilians

* make carriers/airstrips act like actual bases with people in them (sending out/redirecting fighters if they have any if they detect a contact)

* add functionality to the subs

* add more naval units

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# GAI task (ground air intercept) : set plane in ramp, task gai. Set max range to activate intercept when enemy is shown in radar or awacs.

 

#Random Groups: Make group -> name it , then when you set flight in map you just select if it belongs to random group (group name here) and every time mission is run it will pick some flight from group. And option to set random % per flight in group.

 

Thanks

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