PWCG for BOS Discussion

[Na-zdorovie]

hey pat, dam this is good thank you for your hard work, only done the one mission so far, but i had so much life to i, really immersive hank you.

m only problem was a the end, i was filling out he mission report, and was only asked about air kills, but we were on a ground attack mission, and the after report on he pilots does show ground kills?

[PatrickAWlson]

1 hour ago, Na-zdorovie said:

hey pat, dam this is good thank you for your hard work, only done the one mission so far, but i had so much life to i, really immersive hank you.

m only problem was a the end, i was filling out he mission report, and was only asked about air kills, but we were on a ground attack mission, and the after report on he pilots does show ground kills?

 

Ground kills are awarded automatically.  

[SCG_motoadve]

Is there a way to use the new Velikiye Luki map on PWCG?

To me its the most beautiful map on the IL2 series.

[Na-zdorovie]

cool thanks for quick answer, sorry bout spelling got a dodgy keyboard

[DaFlou]

Hey everyone, i know it is possible to make female pilots on the soviet side, but is it possible to make one for the allies or even germans? If not within the program maybe by modifying some files?

[71st_AH_Rob_XR-R]

19 hours ago, DaFlou said:

Hey everyone, i know it is possible to make female pilots on the soviet side, but is it possible to make one for the allies or even germans? If not within the program maybe by modifying some files?

Are you asking about in PWGC?  If you are, you can choose whatever name you want for your pilot but Pat doesn't make any changes to the game files.  If you want to mod the game files then you might have better luck asking in the Mods fourm, since this one is just for Pat Wilson's Campaign Generator (PWGC) which is here: https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/forum/114-mods/

 

The players who make mods for the game files might see your request there or it might have already been asked and available.   Good luck and welcome to the PWCG forum!

[PatrickAWlson]

19 hours ago, DaFlou said:

Hey everyone, i know it is possible to make female pilots on the soviet side, but is it possible to make one for the allies or even germans? If not within the program maybe by modifying some files?

 

Out of the box, PWCG does not support female combat pilots for anybody except the VVS.  Still, it would not be hard to do.  As pointed out, you can name your pilot whatever you want.  As for the picture, you can add or change one of the pilot pictures to be a female picture.  

[SCG_motoadve]

@PatrickAWlson

Is there a way to use the new Velikiye Luki map on PWCG?

Its the most beautiful map on the IL2 series.

[PatrickAWlson]

3 hours ago, SCG_motoadve said:

@PatrickAWlson

Is there a way to use the new Velikiye Luki map on PWCG?

Its the most beautiful map on the IL2 series.

 

I have not incorporated the Velikiye Luki or Prokharova maps yet.  There is no realistic way to use them without a fair amount of work, including squadrons, front lines, etc.

[Oskar_GD]

Pat, is it possible to add this note to squadron log in future?

 

I can make notes in Narrative on the first page of the journal as I do it usually but its not much comfortable. Sometimes I forgot make my notes then I have to calculate it from the start.

Edited July 9, 2021 by Oskar_GD

[SCG_motoadve]

 Probably a newbie question, PWCG how do I start a  US campaign?

I dont see an option.

 

 

 

[PatrickAWlson]

@SCG_motoadve How big is your screen? Looks like the US and VVS are getting chopped off.

[Startrek66]

Hi Pat, yesterday I ran a campaign mission to Stalingrad with an escort of two F4 Jg52s. During the flight I noticed that the escort above us had engaged in a duel with two other enemy fighters. However, in the mission report, despite having selected the maximum of information, I did not find the recording of this duel. Why? Thanks as usual.

[PatrickAWlson]

2 hours ago, Startrek66 said:

Hi Pat, yesterday I ran a campaign mission to Stalingrad with an escort of two F4 Jg52s. During the flight I noticed that the escort above us had engaged in a duel with two other enemy fighters. However, in the mission report, despite having selected the maximum of information, I did not find the recording of this duel. Why? Thanks as usual.

 

They might not have shot anything down.  Damage logs are limited to damage done to the player and by the player.  Ai t AI damage is not recorded.  if you were not involved and nobody was shot down the game would not produce any logs related to the fight.

[SCG_motoadve]

On 7/9/2021 at 10:21 PM, PatrickAWlson said:

@SCG_motoadve How big is your screen? Looks like the US and VVS are getting chopped off.

@PatrickAWlson42 inch screen , resolution is 1920x1080 is there a way to make it work?

Edited July 11, 2021 by SCG_motoadve

[Sandmarken]

Whenever i attack trucks and cars in either free hunt or as designated target on the boddenplattemap they are always stuck inside or next to a bridge. Happend atleast 20 times. All trains are at stations, often on top of each other. This only happen in the boddenplattemap, other maps it works very well. 

[Napping-Man]

This happens on the Arras Map, too.

[PatrickAWlson]

Seen that.  All of the truck convoys are started near a bridge.  From the bridge location I back off about 200 meters and put the convoy down. If you put the units on the bridge they end up weird - in the water or stuck in the on ramp.  They are not placed on top of the bridge (they were in RoF but it changed in GB).   

 

Something that I have seen in western European maps is the bridges are a lot bigger. I don't think there is any way to determine the size of the bridge.  Anyway. that's my best guess.  Might be able to do something like back off the convoy further.

 

The trains I have no clue.  Put a train in the station.   Guess the stations are different on western maps but no idea why they should be.   I'll try to figure it out.

 

 

[Highwayman]

Hey Pat, I’ve seen a few request about co-op escort missions and wondered is there a way to simply unlock the equipment transfer page to allow other aircraft to be added to the squadron as a temporary implimentation?

 

For example, I setup a test campaign with A-20’s, but on the equipment transfer screen I could only request A-20’s. Could we modify this to pull any plane from your side?  I know it’s not the perfect solution, but I think it would be a workable band aid method ?

Edited July 21, 2021 by Highwayman

[Stonehouse]

On 7/11/2021 at 12:18 AM, SCG_motoadve said:

@PatrickAWlson42 inch screen , resolution is 1920x1080 is there a way to make it work?

 

Follow the pics below. Should be able to adjust PWCG screen size using controls shown on the 3rd pic to something that allows you see the whole PWCG screen. Usually the auto size option takes care of it for you but sounds like you need to switch it to manual and pick a screen size that works for you.

 

 

Edited July 21, 2021 by Stonehouse

[Wulfkai]

Hi, using pwcg to full extend as a typhoon pilot with diary/narrative after each mission is like reliving all the books from my childhood, however available modifications for the typhoon is fairly few while in game there is plenty? Will these be unlocked as i progress or? If not, what are the standard typhoon setup from pwcg? 3 blades, 4 blades, sabre? 
 

thx

 

best regards

[Yogiflight]

On 7/10/2021 at 4:18 PM, SCG_motoadve said:

@PatrickAWlson42 inch screen , resolution is 1920x1080 is there a way to make it work?

 

Follow the pics below. Should be able to adjust PWCG screen size using controls shown on the 3rd pic to something that allows you see the whole PWCG screen. Usually the auto size option takes care of it for you but sounds like you need to switch it to manual and pick a screen size that works for you.

 

 

Edited July 21 by Stonehouse

 

@SCG_motoadve @Stonehouse instead of doing, what Stonehouse posted above, you can simply change 'Primary Font Size' to 15, and you will be fine.

[Startrek66]

Hi Pat I have a question for you.  Why are the Regia campaigns based on Tormosin?

[Highwayman]

Feature request:

Pat, I'd like to request decimal place support for Turbulence as it does work in the ME, but not in the PWCG. I ask as I'd like to use some, but one of our squad members is particularly vulnerable to it in VR and the setting of 1 is on the high side of his tolerance.

[milktoast]

Would it be possible to implement auto-deletion of the '.mission' file after mission generation for co-op campaigns?

Unless I manually delete it the Dserver defaults to it instead of the '.msnbin' which holds the mission data and is roughly 4x smaller; greatly reducing server & mission load times.

[Startrek66]

I have a question for you.  In the last mission of my Stalingrad map campaign (Regia), we were tasked with escorting bf109s on a mission.  The randevouz point was very far from our base and therefore the formation leader (AI) started following the planned route climbing to 3000m.  At a certain point I noticed that the leader no longer respected the course and began to make tighter and tighter turns and then dive into it.  We followed him, not knowing what he had seen.  We then intercepted some Hurricanes who were attacking AA positions at low altitude.  If I had been the leader, I wouldn't have noticed those Hurricanes.  The question is, do AI pilots have better eyesight?  Seriously, can you explain to me how he could have noticed the intruders?

[Panzerlang]

1 hour ago, Startrek66 said:

I have a question for you.  In the last mission of my Stalingrad map campaign (Regia), we were tasked with escorting bf109s on a mission.  The randevouz point was very far from our base and therefore the formation leader (AI) started following the planned route climbing to 3000m.  At a certain point I noticed that the leader no longer respected the course and began to make tighter and tighter turns and then dive into it.  We followed him, not knowing what he had seen.  We then intercepted some Hurricanes who were attacking AA positions at low altitude.  If I had been the leader, I wouldn't have noticed those Hurricanes.  The question is, do AI pilots have better eyesight?  Seriously, can you explain to me how he could have noticed the intruders?

They don't have eyes like us, they have radar. Lol.

 

[PatrickAWlson]

On 8/14/2021 at 7:56 AM, milktoast said:

Would it be possible to implement auto-deletion of the '.mission' file after mission generation for co-op campaigns?

Unless I manually delete it the Dserver defaults to it instead of the '.msnbin' which holds the mission data and is roughly 4x smaller; greatly reducing server & mission load times.

 

Should be there already in a roundabout way:

Main Menu->Configuration->User Preferences

Set "Past Missions to Save" to 0 (zero)

[grcurmudgeon]

On 8/15/2021 at 6:13 AM, Hetzer-JG51 said:

They don't have eyes like us, they have radar. Lol.

 

And they forget they have a radio to let you know what they are doing...

[milktoast]

5 hours ago, PatrickAWlson said:

Should be there already in a roundabout way:

Main Menu->Configuration->User Preferences

Set "Past Missions to Save" to 0 (zero)

doesnt seem to work on my end. it does as the tooltip describes and only deletes files after AAR

[PatrickAWlson]

22 minutes ago, milktoast said:

doesnt seem to work on my end. it does as the tooltip describes and only deletes files after AAR

 

That is the only time files are deleted.  You're not doing the AAR after a mission?  PWCG depends on that sequence.

[milktoast]

1 hour ago, PatrickAWlson said:

That is the only time files are deleted.  You're not doing the AAR after a mission?  PWCG depends on that sequence.

There may have been some confusion with what I was asking for. Im wanting the '.mission' ie 'example.mission' file to be auto-deleted post generation not for mission files to be deleted post AAR.

Edited August 18, 2021 by milktoast

[Hypertexthero]

Is there a place in the PWCG interface where we can read the narratives we write during the Combat Reports?

 

I am looking in my pilot's logbook but cannot find them.

Or are they only written to the JSON files in IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad > PWCGBoS > User > Campaigns > CampaignName > CombatReports and not available for reading in the program?

Am loving the program and donated $20 as I am starting to stream missions regularly.

Thank you!

Edited August 19, 2021 by Hypertexthero

[raizde2]

Last couple of missions had me fight against 3 squadrons of bombers besides other squadrons... It makes my computer crawl... I think I can limit the number of bombers per squadron and the also the number of fighter squadrons and the number of enemy squadrons... but I can't control the number of enemy bomber squadrons can I?

[PatrickAWlson]

14 hours ago, raizde2 said:

Last couple of missions had me fight against 3 squadrons of bombers besides other squadrons... It makes my computer crawl... I think I can limit the number of bombers per squadron and the also the number of fighter squadrons and the number of enemy squadrons... but I can't control the number of enemy bomber squadrons can I?

 

There is a simple config for "CPU Utilization" that controls things that suck up CPU.  Number of bomber flights is one of them.  Try decreasing that.

[UFA_Bagel]

Hey, @PatrickAWlson! Exploring your generator. Great stuff, nice job!

 

I don't know if it was asked for before but is it possible to add a feature when the flight of 8 is split into 2x flights of 4? That one not under players control is tasked with something like the top cover of the player's flight or flying another altitude/FL or parallel rote. It's to imitate normal tactical structure even though there will be no control over the 2nd flight during the mission (some control is still possible as part of mission planning). I am just sick of 7 wingmen protecting their supreme leader and their formation flying in BoS. Not sure it's technically possible but would love to see such a feature as it would make fights more tactical

Edited August 25, 2021 by ACG_Elegz

[PhilthySpud]

G’day Pat @PatrickAWlson, firstly thanks for all the work you’ve done on this terrific tool. I’ve been watching developments for a while but only recently started to use PWCG and it’s great.

 

I have a question for you though.

 

I’ve noticed that routes are always planned by multiple, apparently randomly selected, waypoints. By randomly selected, I mean that they are not located at any geographical feature of significance. In this era, when the sort of operations we’re simulating were navigated by pilotage, waypoints would almost always have been chosen from prominent visual fix points - e.g. a road, river or railway junction, a village, a peculiarly-shaped wood, and so on. Furthermore, minor changes of track would be avoided unless there was a good reason for it, unlike in the game where we often get several apparently pointless minor track changes.

 

So - I’m wondering whether it lies within your substantial and impressive powers to introduce more realistic route selection based on visual fixes at turning points? I’m aware that the stock career mode exhibits the same behaviour so it may not be, but if you can change it this would make a great improvement in realism.

 

 Thanks again for all your work on PWCG.

 

Cheers, Philthy

 

 

[Highwayman]

I reckon that is near impossible to achieve due to the varied nature of where you will fly from and to. That said, there is nothing stopping you moving most of the waypoints yourself. I do this with every mission I generate for our co-op server to do just what you've said, we use junctions, bridges, distinguishing features for all of our waypoints where we can (Greyed out ones, like rendezvous and Target final are fixed).

 

Here's one from our latest coop Stuka campaign on the Stalingrad map.

 

Edited September 2, 2021 by Highwayman

[PatrickAWlson]

@PhilthySpudSomewhat true.  Definitely not random at all but also not tied to physical map locations.  Lots of different mission plans so lots of variation in logic.

 

Takeoff: some distance straight ahead immediately after takeoff

Climb: From takeoff, a series of 60 degree turns eventually forming a circle (if needed) to allow the player flight to gain altitude before heading to the front.

Ingress/Egress: These waypoints are placed just behind the front lines at the closest point to/from the target area

Target area: If it is a ground attack or bombing mission then there will be a definitive target point with a set of target ingress/egress waypoints (different from flight ingress/egress).  The target is where the target is ... a railway station, bridge, combat zone at the front, etc.  The target ingress and egress are there mostly for AI, to give AI a flight plan that will allow them to execute their mission.

Patrol area: These fall into two areas, pattern and along the front.  Along the front follows the front lines offset deeper into friendly or enemy territory by some distance.  Patterns are search patterns.  The center on a location close to where the target might be and you fly a pattern (extending legs, cross, or circle) around that area.  Intercepts are a good example.  You have a report if an incoming flight and PWCG has you fly a pattern near a predicted area.

Then there are some offensive missions that are tied to a series of landmarks, usually bridges or airfields.

 

I think that these patterns are realistic.  IRL mission planners would have the same problem that I have: landmarks are not necessarily located where the mission needs to go. Sometimes pilots would be expected to fly a pattern based on speed, time, and heading.  What I suspect  would be true IRL is that nearby landmarks would be called out in ways that they are not in PWCG.  I would guess that landmarks would frequently be used as jump off points - get to a well known location and then fly by speed, time, and heading.  If there was a conveniently located landmark then it would certainly be used as a reference.  

 

Interesting ideas.  Thanks for bringing it up.  Would take some thought and effort to change PWCG pathing but there are definitely some things that could be done.

 

[grcurmudgeon]

One suggestion on patrols along the lines - I often get a patrol that starts at the farthest point away from the airfield, fly back towards the airfield then back to the start point, then all the way back to the airfield. Would make for a shorter flight if it started and ended near the airfield.