Pointless Mission Editor Speculation Thread

[No601_Swallow]

I'd like to speculate pointlessly and without any knowledge whatsoever about the BoS FMB "Mission Editor".

 

As we all know, there's a serviceable if un-cuddly mission editor for RoF, which the Devs said they would adapt for BoS and release in an unsupported, at-your-own-risk kind of way. However, there's been no release, just a yawning void. However, the ME has acquired a nice shiny logo:

 

 

These things cause the little BoS-Kremlinologist inside me to speculate that the team may have changed their mind and decided to revamp the tool (perhaps, and I base my speculation on nothing at all, on the advice of Jason) to make it more powerful and more capable and more pleasant to use. Hence the delay in releasing it. Perhaps!

 

Now, I have never used the RoF mission editor. I have, however, spent far too much of my life trying to design CloD missions using the sadly bugged and hobbled CloD FMB. I've also - with help from some wonderful boffins on the ATAG FMB forum - tried to learn some of the scripting that CloD enables. In addition, I've dipped my toe into the very nice DCS mission editor, and had a very superficial look at its approach to scripting and triggering.

 

I'm going to take some things about the BoS ME for granted. Of course it's going to allow creation of multiplayer dogfight missions including AI elements. Of course it'll allow AI waypoints and actions to be triggered at specified locations. Of course it'll allow the construction of "player vs AI" coop-style missions. Of course it'll allow the use of scripting.

 

In addition, we've seen from Veteran66's lovely SP missions that the ME will allow mission buliders to design multi-media briefings, using sound and animation. It'll also allow custom sound files to be built into missions. It'll allow sophisticated use of triggers (like checking to see how far a player has deviated from a specified route). It'll export mission stats (at least to a HUD).

 

For this next paragraph, I should state that I'm not a programmer and I don't understand computer programming and scripting in CloD for me has consisted of cutting and pasting other people's code and hoping I've ended up with the right number of brackets. CloD is epically and comically unhelpful with scripting and triggering, but I've noticed that DCS boffins have developed a range of libraries and tools for "Lua" - the scripting language that DCS allows mission builders to use. Just google DCS + MIST for more info (that I can't understand!). Squinting at Veteran's mission files, I've seen the word "Lua" in his files (that I also can't understand), which leads my inner Sherlock to deduce that the BoS ME will also allow mission builders to use Lua as well (does RoF support Lua?).

 

Anyway, as I say, pointless speculation. But, if anyone who - unlike me - actually knows what he's talking about in this area would like to chip in and say what they think is going to come in the ME, and also what they want, what they really really want in the ME, I'd be interested in reading other people's thoughts on the subject.

 

(Also, let's all pretend that we already know the empty sarcastic put-downs that are doubtless already forming in some forum members' minds. We already know them, we've already heard them, so maybe just this once, save some pixels and don't actually type them.)

Edited February 15, 2015 by No601_Swallow

[SYN_Ricky]

What I like about the ROF ME is that you can create triggers and others stuff without writing any script. Every trigger has a window letting you set all the needed parameters.

The big difference when coming from Il-2 is the way you set waypoints and link them to the airplanes, it's not more difficult, just different.

People are able to create pretty complex and highly randomized missions with that editor, you just have to understand how the triggers work and how you can link them together to get different results. It's really a matter of logic.

Mind that I just created a few missions for myself at the very beginning of ROF, quite basic but I was very quickly able to use some of the most basic triggers to randomize them a bit and make them re-playable.

Other people with more knowledge of the editor will be able to tell you more about it, I know that several new tools and stuff have been added since I last looked at it.

[FlyingNutcase]

That's some intelligent sounding deduction dear Swallow. I wouldn't count on "more powerful and more capable" but "more pleasant" is highly likely if they hit their artistic stride like in so many parts of the game and interface. They certainly have an eye for aesthetics which was missing from the previous incumbent, with regard to interface elements.

[ShamrockOneFive]

I like your thinking Swallow. I had a few of these same thoughts as well but I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high. I'm expecting a steep learning curve and if its not what I expect and its a bit easier than that... Great!

 

Maybe someone can tell me what building a multiplayer match for RoF is like? IL-2 1946 is deadly easy... all you really need is a couple of homebases placed on an airfield and away you go. Is the RoF editor fairly close to that to get started? I spend a lot more time than just plunking down some home bases in the actual design phase and in placing targets for each team to attack. I guess that's the other question... how are or how can team objectives be handled? Ground objects only or would say a stream of AI transport aircraft count too?

[SYN_Ricky]

Maybe someone can tell me what building a multiplayer match for RoF is like? IL-2 1946 is deadly easy... all you really need is a couple of homebases placed on an airfield and away you go. Is the RoF editor fairly close to that to get started? I spend a lot more time than just plunking down some home bases in the actual design phase and in placing targets for each team to attack. I guess that's the other question... how are or how can team objectives be handled? Ground objects only or would say a stream of AI transport aircraft count too?

 

Setting up bases in the ROF editor is pretty straightforward, you can define what type of aircraft is available, how much of each, loadouts, define them as airstarts if you want too...

[No601_Swallow]

Talking of DFs, a week ago in CloD I was trying to get a script to run that would update and display the DF "score" on the HUD every time someone was shot down, in a "Spitfire United 3:2 109 Albion" sort of style (for my own squadron's DF warmup sessions). With the help of a TF supergeek and a boffin from 92 Sqn, I had it working fine in SP testing and in my own testing server, but it refused to work in "real" MP. Grrr-CloD!

 

So, for BoS I'd love a sort of scripting GUI that makes these sorts of tasks easier for someone who's as computer-illiterate as me. You could argue that CloD's semi-functional and very limited system of triggers and actions is something like this, but I'd love something that, y'know, works! 

Edited February 15, 2015 by No601_Swallow

[deleted@31403]

You have a pretty accurate thought on the DCS ME. Its ability to use LUA adds a lot of dynamic to the mission. DCS ME it is almost limitless in things you can do and trigger with that comes complexity. The community in DCS is very helpful in helping those get through that learning curve. Even the LUA took time to evolve with different versions.  It did not come out of box where it is today.  So let the DEV's get something out and hopefully it will evolve like DCS did. Dont expect and demand the mother of all ME's out of box.

I am hoping that same spirit will be in in this community.

 

My two cents.

[Quax]

Maybe someone can tell me what building a multiplayer match for RoF is like?

Although I do know very very little about the RoF editor, I had no problem building own MP missions to run on my server.

 

I just made a library, where I did save parts of missions of guys, who knew what they did. And so my mission making was just past and copy. For changing planesets you have an easy menu.

[ShamrockOneFive]

Setting up bases in the ROF editor is pretty straightforward, you can define what type of aircraft is available, how much of each, loadouts, define them as airstarts if you want too...

 

 

Although I do know very very little about the RoF editor, I had no problem building own MP missions to run on my server.

 

I just made a library, where I did save parts of missions of guys, who knew what they did. And so my mission making was just past and copy. For changing planesets you have an easy menu.

 

Thanks to you both! That makes me feel like I should be able to tackle this fairly easily to get started.

 

How about objectives? I'm used to IL-2 FBDj and Server Commander style systems where you define a target circle or number of X type to destroy to win the match. Something similar exists I hope?