Stalingrad River Race Yak-1 for CoOp

[Stoopy]

Greetings all!

 

Inspired by some highly memorable times my old squad used to have doing online racing along any convenient winding river, here's a fun little mission that I threw together and am having a blast with flying solo coop, and being a race scenario it ought to be a total gas to fly in a group.  Unfortunately I don't have port forwarding set on my system yet so I can't host a coop.  I'm looking to see if anyone wants to try it out with friends (since I'm too ugly to have any).   And, flying along at close to 500kph a couple of meters above the water Is pretty awesome in VR, I gotta say. 

 

The course has a nice twisty segment at the first half that rewards smooth, precise flying, followed by long straightaways that provide an opportunity to squeeze every bit of straight-line performance out of the engine settings and airframe trim.

 

I'm hopeful that this could even be made to work in MP, which would be the dream, but is beyond my reach at the moment as I don't run a server.  However, I've tried to keep the mission logic simple and well laid out using groups to facilitate any modification that would need to be done to it.   With that in mind, and in the spirit of getting some kind of racing interest going, this is offered as public property of the IL2 community with full usage and modification rights for anyone interested.  Of course, if anyone tries this out and offers suggestions or identifies any issues, I will monitor this thread and do my best to make changes as needed as soon as I can.  I'd LOVE for us to try this out online next weekend during "Sturmovikfest 2020"   ?

 

From the mission briefing:

 

Date: 18 July 1943

Time: 3:30.00 PM

Weather: Medium clouds @ 1200

Wind: 170 @ 2m/s

Your Callsign:  Racer (1-6)

 

Default Aircraft: Yak-1 Ser.69

 

Race up the Don River! Take off and fly straight between the lighthouse markers past the end of the runway, then turn hard left at the river. Stay over water and fly as fast as you can to the finish line!!!

 

IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS AND RACE RULES:

1: When the mission starts and everyone spawns in, the aircraft will be parked on the runway with the engine running.  WAIT for the race countdown to begin (this is in addition to the countdown you see in the game while waiting for the mission to start)

2. At the completion of the countdown, start your takeoff run and fly straight between the lighthouse markers that are beyond the end of the runway.

3. Once through the pair of lighthouses, turn hard LEFT and follow the river course.  The course entry point is also marked by green smoke at lighthouses on both sides of the river.

4. The rest of the course is marked by lighthouses which are typically located on the <i>inside</i> of the turns to help keep you on course.  Ships are placed to block unused tributaries to keep you from making a wrong turn.

5. THE Most Sacred Rule Of All: It's a River Race, ya gotta stay over the water, need we say more?  The reference should be that the centerline of your aircraft is always over water and never over land.  This is based on the honor system, but there's also...

6. A RACE BOSS aircraft that can be flown by someone to act as the race marshall to keep an eye on y'all and call a play-by-play of the race action over comms, etc... and unlike the race aircraft, it's armed in case there are cheaters!

 

That's enough rules and the rest is self-explanatory, so go have fun!

 

Recommended Server Settings: Allow changes to Fuel and Paint Scheme, lock the aircraft weapons loadout, set realism and engine management settings to taste.

Mission Success Criteria:  Complete the race without going for a swim.

Estimated time to complete: 15 Minutes (approx.)

 

Pix & Download for anyone who'd like to give it a spin!

 

 

Download below - Enjoy!  ??

 

(the Stalingrad River Race Folder in this zip should go in the data\Multiplayer\Cooperative folder in your IL2 install folder)

 

Note: Now updated for compatibility with version 4.503 of IL2 BoX:

 

River Racing_v1.1.zip

 

Edited November 25, 2020 by Stoopy

[JimTM]

Looks like fun Stoopy! Keep it under the bridges of course.  

[GregP]

Just gave this a try and it's a blast!  Thanks for sharing.  Would definitely love to partake in a river race during Sturmovikfest.

[GregP]

Couldn't resist trying a run with the A-20 ... a bit slower of course as your speed tops out at about 255 mph, but quite challenging to stay low and avoid dipping the wings into the water.  Fun stuff!

[Stoopy]

1 hour ago, GregP said:

Couldn't resist trying a run with the A-20 ... a bit slower of course as your speed tops out at about 255 mph, but quite challenging to stay low and avoid dipping the wings into the water.  Fun stuff!

 

Dude!  That is AWESOME!!!!!!!  

 

Glad you're having a good time with it and I couldn't help but make two new versions that increase the number of possible racers from 6 to 12, and allow for 4 spectators, so a total of 17 players can be in the mission.  It uses a slightly new layout for the start line to accommodate the additional aircraft.

 

Plus, just to keep morale up on both sides of the conflict, there's an Axis version of the race featuring the BF109 G-2 as the racer, F109-F4's as the spectator aircraft, and a FW190 A-3 as the Race Boss.   Besides being a couple ticks faster, the Bf109 adds a bit more to the race challenge in terms of managing engine timers.

 

If I make any more of these I will use these two missions as the template and just adapt to Bodenplatte or other maps (P-38 vs, P-51 races, anyone?)

 

Here's some pix and a new download:

 

 

Download 

 

Stalingrad Large River Race .zip

 

[ROCKET_KNUT]

31 minutes ago, =[TIA]=Stoopy said:

Download 

 

Stalingrad Large River Race .zip 1.22 MB · 2 downloads

 

Hi @=[TIA]=Stoopy

 

Got a small problem here:

D/L the zip-file, unzipped it, moved the complete folder with all the files in it to C:\IL-2 Sturmovik Great Battles\data\Missions.

Fired up IL2, went to "Missions", can see the folder but when I click on it, there is nothing to choose in it. And the game tells me: "Select mission"

Any idea, what I´m doing wrong?

 

Thank You!

[Stoopy]

8 minutes ago, ROCKET_KNUT said:

Hi @=[TIA]=Stoopy

 

Got a small problem here:

D/L the zip-file, unzipped it, moved the complete folder with all the files in it to C:\IL-2 Sturmovik Great Battles\data\Missions.

Fired up IL2, went to "Missions", can see the folder but when I click on it, there is nothing to choose in it. And the game tells me: "Select mission"

Any idea, what I´m doing wrong?

 

Thank You!

 

No worries.  Because these are Coop missions, they go in a different place:  {installpath}\IL-2 Sturmovik Great Battles\data\Multiplayer\Cooperative\

 

Then to fly them, in the game you start a coop server by going to the Multiplayer menu, choosing Coop, start a server, add the mission to the rotation list, and basically follow the prompts and stuff.  You'll still end up flying alone like in SP until you can set up port forwarding (I'm in my router doing that now and came here to look up the ports, which is how I saw your post).

 

Install as such :

Edited April 18, 2020 by =[TIA]=Stoopy

[ROCKET_KNUT]

Hi @=[TIA]=Stoopy

And a Big Thank you. It works, and it is awesome, great fun, plus, I learned something new today.

Thank You once again!

[Stoopy]

24 minutes ago, ROCKET_KNUT said:

Hi @=[TIA]=Stoopy

And a Big Thank you. It works, and it is awesome, great fun, plus, I learned something new today.

Thank You once again!

 

Glad it worked and that you're enjoying it!  I'm just wrapping up here to go run some late afternoon errands and then dinner, later I'm gonna try to host a coop race or two in 2-3 hours.  Whats fun by itself is an absolute blast with a group   

Edited April 18, 2020 by =[TIA]=Stoopy

[Beebop]

OOOOO!

Air racing!

How cool!

Anybody hosting races with this?

I would be willing to try..  I am West Coast USA GMT -7

 

 

A big thank you for sharing this.

 

ADDENDUM:

I just ran the two Yak races.  What fun.  Definitely interested in either participating or hosting.

If I host would participants prefer mods ON or OFF?

 

These are the tentative Realism settings I would use with the thinking there might some new players unfamiliar with complex engine management/Expert settings.

Edited April 19, 2020 by Beebop

[Stoopy]

Love the enthusiasm!

 

I tried hosting a coop last night from around 7PM - 9:30PM EST but no joiners, although I'd never hosted a coop server and had just enabled port forwarding, so I have no idea if it was working right or not.  I didn't expect any turnout since I hadn't announced it, I just wanted to see what if anything might happen while I chilled on the couch with Frau Stoopy.

 

I'd say, use what settings make it fun and keep it simple until the participants get the feel of things, including allowing mods on (I'd bet there are fewer mods aimed at speed advantages than say, visibility in this game) and things like CEM and so forth can be turned on as we progress.  Kind of like race classes.  Right now we''re in Sportsman class, hopefully working our way up toward Unlimited.   For sure, I think having the icons on so you can get the aircraft icon and map view while flying is important for starters, so you can see the river bends coming up.  

 

Having mods would be kinda like "Run What Ya Brung" in drag racing, which is always a good time.   

 

[GregP]

I didn’t have time to get on last night, but if you are thinking of trying to host a session tonight, I’d definitely get on around 9pm EST.  

[Stoopy]

1 hour ago, GregP said:

I didn’t have time to get on last night, but if you are thinking of trying to host a session tonight, I’d definitely get on around 9pm EST.  

 

I will be there for a race or two!  Sunday 9PM is my bedtime but I cant pass this up!

 

 

Edited April 19, 2020 by =[TIA]=Stoopy

[Beebop]

LOL!  Perfect!

 

I will try and make it too. 

BTW, are there comms?  If so what?  I have both Discord and Teamspeak.  If there is a comms channel please post/PM the info.

 

I am so enthused I have made a personal race skin.  Sadly unless I send it out no one will be able to see it as I'll show the "default" white skin to everyone. 

If this gets off the ground maybe we could make a "Skin Pool" so everyone could see us in our personal or preferred "Racing Duds".  Skins could be put in a folder activated by JSGME.

Anyway, this is what I'll mount (this is a very near finished WIP but should be done by this evening).

 

[Beebop]

Finished and ready to race!

The Beebop Special:

 

[Stoopy]

WOW!!!!!!

 

That's Gorgeous!  

 

Comms would be cool.  Let's use discord. 

[Beebop]

I'll look for an Air Racing Channel?

Kinda new to Discord.

[Stoopy]

Check PM

[Beebop]

Thank you.

 

[Stoopy]

Just wanted to say *THANKS* to everyone for joining up for a race or three last night - I had a blast and it was great to have so much fun, hope you enjoyed it too!  My pulse and adrenaline is still on a high.

 

Great racing by everyone, here's a few pix from the recorded tracks...

 

The Yak Race gets off the ground and heads to the river...

 

And in short order, the water claims it's first victim!

 

Soon we're into the twisties and settling into a groove:

 

 

With nerves of steel and a smooth hand, Central takes the lead and gives the lighthouse keepers a stunning view of the race...

 

But soon there's a challenge for the lead:

 

But Central reigns it in tight in the turns and battles back!

 

Closing the radiators to gain even more speed to battle back for the lead, it' s too little too late as the engine overheats while Central approaches the finish line!

 

Victory flares launch in the air as THE CROWD GOES WILD!!!!!!!

 

Next up was the Bf109 G-2 class.  Another clean start and we're off!

 

 

Once again Central has the lead at the start, with the pack forming up in close pursuit:

 

With the DB605's straining, it's not going to be a cakewalk to win this race!

 

Inching ever closer in the turns...

 

 

After what seems like an eternity of intense close-quarters racing, it's still neck and neck halfway through the 15-minute course!

 

Persistence pays off, at the last bridge crossing, it's a new leader!

 

HORRIDO!!!!!!

 

Edited April 21, 2020 by =[TIA]=Stoopy

[=[TIA]=I-Fly-Central]

 

[Alonzo]

On 4/17/2020 at 7:53 PM, =[TIA]=Stoopy said:

I'm hopeful that this could even be made to work in MP, which would be the dream, but is beyond my reach at the moment as I don't run a server.  However, I've tried to keep the mission logic simple and well laid out using groups to facilitate any modification that would need to be done to it.   With that in mind, and in the spirit of getting some kind of racing interest going, this is offered as public property of the IL2 community with full usage and modification rights for anyone interested.  Of course, if anyone tries this out and offers suggestions or identifies any issues, I will monitor this thread and do my best to make changes as needed as soon as I can.  I'd LOVE for us to try this out online next weekend during "Sturmovikfest 2020"   ?

 

Hi Stoopy! It looks like great minds think alike! The Combat Box admin team have been working on some racing missions, and we're planning to launch for Sturmovikfest next week. Our tracks are on the Kuban map, but maybe there is a way for us to collaborate and share ideas. We'll be doing a limited community/Patreon beta test on Wednesday this week at 1900 UTC (3pm Eastern) and I will PM you the password so if the time works for you, you can join.

 

I'm not sure what mechanics you have in your maps. At the moment I've kept our tracks "mechanics light", aka almost zero. Basically you spawn, there is a start line laid out, gates, and a finish line. It requires either cooperation or a human referee to determine a winner. If we did a co-op race I believe we could better track players hitting all of the gates (since each aircraft is named and you can detect it passing gates) but it felt like refereeing would probably end up being more flexible.

 

Anyhow, great to see you're working on this too.

[Stoopy]

@Alonzo,  Thank you very much and I'd be very happy to participate in any way I could!  

 

I definitely agree on the mission needing a small footprint so as not to incur a lot of overhead on the CPU (or the pilots).  Less is definitely more. There are a few features in the above mission to add to some visuals at a couple of spots in addition to kicking the race off and detecting the finish, but that's about it - you're more than free to take it for a spin and use what you like. Most every type of online air racing I've been involved in before has benefited greatly by having one person dedicated  to keeping things more or less organized for a good start and then calling the race.   I think I get what you mean about setting it up in coop to detect the winner (a complex trigger set for each plane?) and have some other ideas that have popped up overnight regarding setting up start gates à la dirtbike/motocross racing to ensure an even a start as possible.  I will play around with that tonight and would love to collaborate or contribute anything! 

 

Totally stoked about Project R and looking forward to it!

 

?<----- acceptable social distance ----->?

 

Edited April 21, 2020 by =[TIA]=Stoopy

[Alonzo]

7 hours ago, =[TIA]=Stoopy said:

Most every type of online air racing I've been involved in before has benefited greatly by having one person dedicated  to keeping things more or less organized for a good start and then calling the race.   I think I get what you mean about setting it up in coop to detect the winner (a complex trigger set for each plane?) and have some other ideas that have popped up overnight regarding setting up start gates à la dirtbike/motocross racing to ensure an even a start as possible.  I will play around with that tonight and would love to collaborate or contribute anything!

 

 

With co-op mode, you can actually use a Proximity Trigger to detect when each individual plane goes through a gate, as long as you're willing to do all the wiring up (I'd probably do it for 4 player racing, beyond that it would get crazy). Complex triggers are generally pretty heavy, so to be avoided where possible.

 

We're planning to use deathmatch mode as it will allow multiple races at once and for players to kind of come in and out without needing a lobby start. We'll probably use a human referee firing a flare from their plane to start the race. But maybe there are other ways to start a race that are "resettable" for multiplayer.

[Beebop]

Team BBop plane No. 2, Bumblebee:

 

 

 

 

[Beebop]

My latest racing skin effort,
A Gulf Racer for the 109G-2 loosely based on the Porsche 917 that raced at Le Mans in 1970-71;

 

 

 

This is a Final Beta WIP.  I still have to find a couple of niggling bits.

[Stoopy]

16 hours ago, Alonzo said:

 

With co-op mode, you can actually use a Proximity Trigger to detect when each individual plane goes through a gate, as long as you're willing to do all the wiring up (I'd probably do it for 4 player racing, beyond that it would get crazy). Complex triggers are generally pretty heavy, so to be avoided where possible.

 

We're planning to use deathmatch mode as it will allow multiple races at once and for players to kind of come in and out without needing a lobby start. We'll probably use a human referee firing a flare from their plane to start the race. But maybe there are other ways to start a race that are "resettable" for multiplayer.

 

I've been using a flare that fires automatically to signal the start (along with subtitles) after a countdown, which is OK for coop mode but since it still requires that pilots stay honest and don't jump the gun,  I decided to just park a jeep directly 1 meter in front of each plane on the starting line until the countdown reaches zero and the flare fires, at which point I delete all the jeeps.   Although somewhat visually disturbing, it works really well...if you jump the gun, although you can accelerate straight through the jeep without any visible mayhem, it incurs enough engine damage that you can get off the ground and over the river, at which point the engine seizes and into the drink you go.  I don't know how much of that could be implemented, perhaps in a cyclical way to repeat every XX seconds or so, to accommodate newly-spawned players, into your method.  

 

Thanks for the tip on the prox triggers.  I normally avoid complex triggers as well but wanted to experiment a little, only if to finally gain some familiarity with them. ?

 

 

5 hours ago, Beebop said:

My latest racing skin effort,
A Gulf Racer for the 109G-2 loosely based on the Porsche 917 that raced at Le Mans in 1970-71;

 

 

This is a Final Beta WIP.  I still have to find a couple of niggling bits.

 

I call dibs!!!!

 

I have a FW190 A-3 river race coming up for Moscow.  A paint scheme based on Roscoe Turner's Meteor would look pretty swank... just a thought

 

 

[Beebop]

5 hours ago, =[TIA]=Stoopy said:

I have a FW190 A-3 river race coming up for Moscow.  A paint scheme based on Roscoe Turner's Meteor would look pretty swank... just a thought

Something like this?

Mind you, v e r y WIP.  I have a ways to go on my metal skills....

 

[Stoopy]

7 minutes ago, Beebop said:

Something like this?

Mind you, v e r y WIP.  I have a ways to go on my metal skills....

 

 

You just made my whole month!  I'll just assume the aluminum has undergone a high degree of oxidization since being flown to victory in 1939. 

 

I'm glad that Project R is planning to have a skin uploading feature - you're gonna need it!  ?

 

OK you obviously need a more challenging subject - Gee Bee R1/R2?  

 

Edited April 22, 2020 by =[TIA]=Stoopy

[Beebop]

1 minute ago, =[TIA]=Stoopy said:

OK you obviously need a more challenging subject - Gee Bee R1/R2

LOL.  Hmmmm, let me break out the I-16 template....

[Stoopy]

On 4/22/2020 at 1:51 PM, Beebop said:

LOL.  Hmmmm, let me break out the I-16 template....

 

Before you get too deep into variants like the G-2 and other less frequently selected aircraft used in these river racing coops... based on what I saw from participating in some testing yesterday of Project R on Combat Box, I think you would be greatly rewarded by focusing on planes they intend to use in their racing venue - the I-16 is on of them, and was great fun for sure, but the Spits, late model planes like the P-51, P-38,  FW190 Dora and (one would hope?) A-8, and the A-20 for sure (which was a blast) could definitely use your skills and I think your skins will get lots of use.  What Alonzo and the team at Red Flight have cooked up is going to be an awesome offering to the community, it's a different level of racing and not air racing in the classic sense some may expect, but more along the lines of "extreme" racing that I'm sure will be well received due to the level of intensity it brings. I think everyone is going to be very excited when it makes it's debut.

 

I know I would be proud to fly one of your skins to victory on the Project R sever.  And maybe once in a while in an impromptu river race for "old time's sake".   

 

Edited April 23, 2020 by =[TIA]=Stoopy

[szelljr]

...i just find my old* Yak-1b race skin? 

 

 

If anybody need ,here a link:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/olzrm9jtb51fnr5/Yak1Bs127_BIG_RED_MONSTER.dds/file

 

 

Edited April 23, 2020 by szelljr

[Beebop]

Nice Yak szelljr. ? ?

 

@ Stoopy,  I did the G-2 because it was one of the choices in your Stalingrad River Race.  The Meteor is on the 190A-3 but would require some minor tweaks to fit on the A5 and A8.  The D9 is a totally different fish.

Right now I am working on the Gee Bee racer(s), R-1/2 and Z models.  The template is challenging.   Who wraps these planes anyway?

After it is done I will start on P-38's, 51's and A-20's.

I'm having fun though!

 

 

[Stoopy]

19 hours ago, Beebop said:

Nice Yak szelljr. ? ?

 

 

 

Agreed!

 

 

19 hours ago, Beebop said:

@ Stoopy,  I did the G-2 because it was one of the choices in your Stalingrad River Race.  The Meteor is on the 190A-3 but would require some minor tweaks to fit on the A5 and A8.  The D9 is a totally different fish.

Right now I am working on the Gee Bee racer(s), R-1/2 and Z models.  The template is challenging.   Who wraps these planes anyway?

 

Roger, I saw that.  I'm just saying I will be scaling back any other river race development or hosting in light of other options now.

 

I didn't catch that you are also planning a Gee Bee "Z" version, that's awesome...tribute to Lowell Bayles.  That's gonna be COOL.  ?

 

[tjitah]

This does not work anymore. I put the mission in the rotation box, but as soon as I click on continue, it kicks me back to the Server setting screen where I must choose between the coop or dogfight box. Has a recent patch perhaps broken this mission?

 

I'm successfully flying coop missions generated with Easy Mission Generator v38, so I think I'm following the correct process?

[Stoopy]

The last update broke all the custom missions for everyone, they need to be re-saved.  I will update the download file tomorrow.  Thanks for reminding me. 

 

[tjitah]

On 10/24/2020 at 3:08 AM, Stoopy said:

The last update broke all the custom missions for everyone, they need to be re-saved.  I will update the download file tomorrow.  Thanks for reminding me. 

 

Awesome thanks, when can we download? The zip file still seems to contain old versions from April.

[Stoopy]

12 hours ago, tjitah said:

Awesome thanks, when can we download? The zip file still seems to contain old versions from April.

 

Aww ratfarts  - I knew I forgot something!  The download file in the original post at the top of this thread has now been updated.  My apologies and thanks for the reminder yet again.  ?

Edited November 25, 2020 by Stoopy

[DD_Mobius_One]

@Stoopy Still unable to download my man.   hope soon !

 

[Stoopy]

2 hours ago, DD_Mobius_One said:

@Stoopy Still unable to download my man.   hope soon !

 

 

Hmmm... you didn't see it at the very bottom of the first post?  Here it is again:

 

River Racing_v1.1.zip

Edited December 4, 2020 by Stoopy