Vapor's Mission Editor Youtube Series

[[Pb]Vapor]

 I thought it would be handy to create some videos going over the basics of the mission editor, things I have learned and troubles overcome.  This first one is basically a 20+ min overview of the basics but would also like to make a couple more over basic single player and multiplayer maps.

 

Any how, I hope this helps anyone just starting out with the Mission Editor:

 

 

Video over Objects and MCU's in the Mission Editor:

 

 

Video over Template creation, you can use the template in any map you wish.  This is specifically a template for a four plane AI patrol that will patrol a given route and engage any hostiles it finds:

 

Also added a bonus video over the AI patrol template video, it adds some improvements:

 

Mission Objective templates:

 

Video going over AAA batteries, keeping in mind system resources...

Edited February 9, 2018 by FFS_Vapor

[ShamrockOneFive]

Thanks Vapour. I just started but this looks great. I've been working my way through a couple of PDF tutorials but a YouTube one is great and this looks really well done!

[SAS_Storebror]

Subscribed.

Hope you will continue your series!

 

Cheers!

Mike

[[Pb]Vapor]

Added another video over Objects and MCU's.  Made a small mistake in regard to the check zone and attack area height.  You need to adjust the altitude of the "Check zone" and "Attack Area"  MCU's.  This mistake is also mentioned in the video notes.

Edited January 9, 2018 by FFS_Vapor

[ShamrockOneFive]

Added another video over Objects and MCU's.  Made a small mistake in regard to the check zone and attack area height.  You need to adjust the altitude of the "Check zone" and "Attack Area"  MCU's.  This mistake is also mentioned in the video notes.

Thanks Vapor. Going to set aside some time to watch this one too!

[No601_Swallow]

Cool and useful videos!

[RedBravo65]

Most helpful.  Thanks.

[AwesomeSprawvy]

Thanks for creating these videos.

[[Pb]Vapor]

Added two new videos over the creation of AI patrols.  The intent of these videos was to create a template of an AI patrol that could be imported to any map you want.

[Jade_Monkey]

Hi Vapor, nice vids. Thanks for taking the time to make them.

 

One quick comment on the last one regarding the placement of the Fakefield.

 

After creating the linked entity, check out the Edit Chart button. You have to edit the taxi waypoints for start and end and you can adjust the runway length to match the airfield exactly.

[JimTM]

Very nice series Vapour. This should help people a lot.

 

Cheers!

[Jason_Williams]

Thanks for the nice effort Vapor. Much appreciated.

 

Jason

[ShamrockOneFive]

Thanks Vapour! It's going to take me a while to wrap my head around the second and third videos but that's not your fault. Well done! Will be revisiting them frequently.

[[Pb]Vapor]

Hi Vapor, nice vids. Thanks for taking the time to make them.

 

One quick comment on the last one regarding the placement of the Fakefield.

 

After creating the linked entity, check out the Edit Chart button. You have to edit the taxi waypoints for start and end and you can adjust the runway length to match the airfield exactly.

 

Thanks Jade_Monkey ( and thanks to everyone for the feedback).  I admit I haven't used the return to base much in practice, I was previously only using the Land MCU.  Can you edit that taxi path to be apart from the actual MP spawn?  It would be nice to have your players spawn one place and the AI land in a parallel runway.  I have yet to test this.  I will add a note about this to the video.

[Jade_Monkey]

I'm not sure because I only do SP missions. But it sounds like it would be possible.

[[Pb]Vapor]

I went ahead and tested this.  You can indeed set the Landing path via the "Add/Edit Chart" button apart from the actual spawn.  Pretty handy trick.

 

I added this to the video, and will probably revisit the topic in a future video:

EDIT: It was pointed out that you can actually also edit the taxi and landing/takeoff path via the "Edit/Add Chart" button in the airfields properties window (not advanced properties.) This is useful because you can have your planes land in a more realistic manner and also set the MP spawn apart from the AI landing path. In single player this isn't as much of an issue, it just makes your AI landings look more accurate and real.

Edited January 22, 2018 by FFS_Vapor

[Jade_Monkey]

Also helps with SP if your mission starts from parking, the AI planes will taxi to the runway using this path.

[[Pb]Vapor]

Video five added, going over mission objective templates and very basic game mechanics.

[[Pb]Vapor]

Added a sixth video going over AAA done right

 

Cover how to enable an object when your player is near and deactivate when a player moves away from a target.  This can be used with AAA or patrols.

[sammydee]

Excellent series.

[Mesha44]

Thanks a lot for doing these videos, they help a LOT.

[Mysticpuma]

This is going to be hard to get my head around but certainly looking forward to having a play. Thanks for putting this series together, cheers, MP

[No601_Swallow]

Mods! Stickie this thread!

[SCG_ItsDrifter]

How do you just make the same set of aircraft to respawn after death?

[[Pb]Vapor]

 

On 8/12/2018 at 10:04 AM, SCG_DR1FT3R said:

How do you just make the same set of aircraft to respawn after death?

Two popular ways.  First, if it is a single plane you can link it to "respawn" MCU then have the plane trigger that respawn when it dies or is shot down.  You would also want that death trigger to fire your waypoints and the like for that plane.  That method can go on forever.

 

Second, if you want to have multiple planes that are flying in formation you need to make a "bank" of planes.  Think like a magazine for a gun.  You can not have planes respawn in formation with other planes, sadly.  You have to instead "activate" them.  In my maps I will make a magazine/bank of 10 x 2 plane elements that will fire off the next element when they die.  A picutre would probably make more sense...

 

 

 

[OG_FC]

Thank You Outstanding series of Video's

[[DBS]MDS1]

I'm late to the party, (as usual) but I would like to convey my appreciation and thanks for putting together these really helpful videos.

Thanks @[Pb]Vaporfor a noob like me venturing into mission making, these tutorials are solid gold.

 

Kind Regards,

MDS1

[CUJO_1970]

Thank you sir!

[336th_Ripper*]

Hello Vapor

 

I watched the first video and I was able to create a single player mission easy enough, thank you!

 

Is it possible to setup a Multiplayer Coop or Deathmatch, just some get some friends to practise together while I am hosting on the same computer that I am flying in? All of us only have the Bodenplatte at the moment.

 

I tried creating both a dogfight and a coop but when I launch it, there are no aircraft positions to jump in, even though I am using the Stalingrad Summer 1942 map and the P-47D-28 and Spitfire MkIXe which are the only allied planes available. I read the parts of the Mission Editor Manual an followed the instructions but no joy.

 

Thanks! 

Edited January 27, 2019 by 4thFG_Ripper*

[Sketch]

34 minutes ago, 4thFG_Ripper* said:

Hello Vapor

 

I watched the first video and I was able to create a single player mission easy enough, thank you!

 

Is it possible to setup a Multiplayer Coop or Deathmatch, just some get some friends to practise together while I am hosting on the same computer that I am flying in? All of us only have the Bodenplatte at the moment.

 

I tried creating both a dogfight and a coop but when I launch it, there are no aircraft positions to jump in, even though I am using the Stalingrad Summer 1942 map and the P-47D-28 and Spitfire MkIXe which are the only allied planes available. I read the parts of the Mission Editor Manual an followed the instructions but no joy.

 

Thanks! 

A simple search came up with this -> 

 

 

 

[336th_Ripper*]

35 minutes ago, [TWB]Sketch said:

A simple search came up with this -> 

 

 

 

Thanks Vapor. I was under the impression I had to select my planes through the “airfield” object selection instead of “planes” object selection which I beleived was strictly used for single player missions.

 

Thanks I will give this a try tomorrow.

 

Cheers!

[craig2859]

Great set of videos, 

 

One thing I am stuck on, I want to create a basic SP mission, just to fly around, and can do that.

However I want to add 3 AI planes that simply follow me, so its like flying in formation.

 

How can I do that simply?

[Sketch]

I haven't made to many planes follow the player, so I'm probably wrong, but...

 

You should only need to object link the three ai planes to the player plane. Then, in the game they'll do their best to follow the player around.

[craig2859]

30 minutes ago, [TWB]Sketch said:

I haven't made to many planes follow the player, so I'm probably wrong, but...

 

You should only need to object link the three ai planes to the player plane. Then, in the game they'll do their best to follow the player around.

 

How do I 'object link' ?

[Sketch]

There's two types of linking (or connecting) of entities... 

 

Target Link (shift + T) is for telling MCU's which one should 'fire' next. As an example, the below list of MCUs are target linked.

 

Mission Begin -> 3 Second Timer -> Some Smoke Effect

 

 

 

Object Link (shift + O) is for telling objects (usually vehicles and planes) that the should do something. The example below tells the vehicle to go to the waypoint

 

Vehicle <- Waypoint MCU

[craig2859]

Ok, I understand that, but shift O does not allow me to select a plane and a plane

[[Pb]Vapor]

1 hour ago, craig2859 said:

Great set of videos, 

 

One thing I am stuck on, I want to create a basic SP mission, just to fly around, and can do that.

However I want to add 3 AI planes that simply follow me, so its like flying in formation.

 

How can I do that simply?

 

Thanks @craig2859!

 

Pretty much what @[TWB]Sketch said with a small correction.  You want to target link not object link.  You should see a red line with an arrow pointing to your "Lead" aircraft.  That aircraft should be set to "Player" in the AI dropdown box.  You can add how ever may AI wingmen you like but make sure their AI dropdown says Low, Normal, High or Ace.  You can then give commands to them via in game command keys.

Make sure "Player" AI setting is your lead aircraft otherwise they won't follow.  If you want to be their wingman you can define a path for you AI leader aircraft to fly but you have to introduce more complex MCU's and logic.

 

I have been meaning to make a new video going over COOP and AI management.  It's a basic example like you are describing.  Hopefully I can knock that out soon.

 

 

Edited June 4, 2019 by [Pb]Vapor

[craig2859]

Perfect, seems to have linked, lets see

 

[[Pb]Vapor]

Yep make sure you flip them all to a Faction (Faction dropdown I believe), either German or Soviet. That white box means they are neutral.  You should see them as Red or Blue.

Edited June 4, 2019 by [Pb]Vapor

[craig2859]

on it now, thanks

ok it works now when all 4 planes are set to flying.

 

However they don't seem to be in any formation, is that possible?