New Server Mission Uploaded With Exciting New Features (well I think so anyway!)

[Friar]

Salute

I have been looking at a mission building assistance utility called "DML".

Using this utility (it is NOT a mod or anything extra people will have to download / install), I now have access to lot of exciting mission elements, more information once I get to grip with it a bit more, but for example we could have the status of mission being saved and re-opened opening up the option of a rolling campaign, it gives the option for helicopter anti-submarine warfare, it can enable zone capture etc it uses random flags in an easier way so the mission will have the potential to be almost different every time it is run.

What I have achieved over the last 3 or 4 days is, and am excited to announce, is the following;

1. I have been able to add populated airfields with I hopefully believe, little or no overhead (so hopefully no (extra) stuttering on load in for people)

2. Each player spawning in gets their own bit of eye candy with localized ground crew with different groups so not are all the same for every player, which are deleted from view once the player starts their taxi out (thus keeping the server load down)

3. Under the Communications menu and F10 option "Other" it is now possible for a player to re-start the mission / server. So if you join the server on your own and would like to re-set the mission (to witness the glorious sun-rise - the mission now starts at 06:05 and in September, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet rather than clear skies mid day in June) or go back to attacking a town someone else who has been on earlier has flattened), you can now do so by calling up the Communication menu and selecting the option. OBVIOUSLY, please do not try "What Does This Do?" when there are lots of other players on the server, it is only good manors to use it by agreement. Once the option is selected, the mission WILL re-start.

Other changes

Using the Data-Link feature that was introduced in 2.9 I have added all the F16's into what I think is the correct shared comms table. I have also done the same for Apache. Needs testing.

I have moved the Carrier further up the coast and added closer targets.

I have added additional Air to Air tankers.

If you use the server when I am not around, please let me know what you think and if you got any performance issues with the populated airfields.

Regards

Friar

[FoolTrottel]

?

[Friar]

Oh @FoolTrottel - poo ....  I will change that today - I know people do not have this - not sure where it is on the map but I will sort it.

Apologies

[Friar]

@FoolTrottel

Hi FT - I am confused - this mission does NOT have the UH60 mod in it?

Could you give me a larger screen shot of where you got this message please?

[Friar]

Are other people getting the same when trying to connect to the mission?

[FoolTrottel]

This it shows if and when I remove all mods from my game:

You must have put that thing in there somewhere ... 

Try and remove the UH-60L from your game and see if you can join   

 

[Friar]

Ok I get the same issue.

As always FT you were right...

Anyone any tips for finding needles in haystacks?

Its not in the list of units so where is it?

 

[Friar]

So...

I have disabled the UH-60 from my game and can not get into the version on our server but can get into the mission when I run a server from my machine.

I have full integrity settings enabled as well? so running it from my machine is doing different checks to our server? 

[Friar]

Ok, Sorted !

I have made a change to the txt mission file which had a section at the start with requirements listed. The UH-60 was in there. I have taken it out. Re saved the mission file to check it did not put it back and all good.

loaded it up to the server and with the module disabled on my machine I was able to connect to our server so FT (and anyone else who does not have it) should be ok.

Not sure why that happened.

 

[Friar]

UPDATE 30/10/2023

Bug Fixes

No more gymnastic ground crew

Changes

 @Sid - Mirage now French so variety of other skins available.

@DD_Fenrir - Recovery Air-to-Air tanker added over carrier. F14's available at main airfield.

Additions

AWACS added

Recovery Air-to-Air Recovery tanker added over carrier.

Other ground scenes added in addition to F16 being repaired. Random choice at mission start of F16, Reaper drone, B17, F-117 (eye candy but has taught me about using random key generator and using templates for later use with SAM sites).

[BluBear]

Thanks Col, appreciate what you're doing! See you tonight

[Friar]

UPDATE 04/11/2023

• Easy Comms now correctly configured so contact for AWACS and TANKERS should be easier when using the communication menu.
• Clouds changed to Scattered 3 High. Cloud base is now at 17,000ft
• Extra Vipers added. There are now 7 available.
• All planes have radios pre-programmed to the channels shown below should we want to use the new DCS comms or SRS. (see below)
• All F16 and F18 have full network configuration for data sharing plus donars (see below)
• Hostage bus will now spawn in at one of 4 random locations within the town.
• There are now consequences if the bus is destroyed by a player. You have been warned.

[Friar]

UPDATE 06/11/2023 Version 1-1

On a recent flying night @wingflyr asked where there any convoys to attack. I directed him to the single one I had on the map, well, now I give you...

"Hell's Highway"

I have now added logic to generate, at random, 1 of 3 possible convoy configurations. The selected convoy will head west from the next big village along from the "hostage location village", which is a fair way along the road.

If it reaches its destination (a small village next door to the "hostage location village") it will be deleted and another generation cycle will take place and a convoy will be selected at random to make the same journey.

If the convoy is completely destroyed on route another generation cycle will take place and one of the 3 possible convoy configurations will be generated again and set off on the same route.

There is no limit to the number of generation cycles. There will only ever be one of these convoys in motion at any time. There is still my original convoy which starts its journey closer to the destination an ends up in the hostage village and remains on the map.

At the moment it is not possible to remove burning wrecks from the map, so it could get messy along this highway.

If it gets too much I will review the process.

Enjoy.  

[Friar]

UPDATE 08/11/2023 Version 1-2

All planes now have 1 way-point at the the home base

Additional convoy added that runs along the south coast road. Its starts just north of Lavan Island and runs West to the power complex up the coast. There are also a number of tankers waiting in the bay. There are two convoy configurations which are picked at random, just as the ones that run to the hostage village do. 

Mirage F1-EE added.

Oh and....

There are now 10 random SAM sites placed around the map, located in towns and villages. The units are picked at random out from a list of 20 units made up of 10 SA-8 and 10 SA-13. So a location may have an SA-8 in one mission, its may have an SA-13 the next time or that location may not be used at all.

Enjoy.

[Friar]

EDIT: the above post is not quite right. I realised in bed last night that my wording is wrong at the moment.

There are 10 sites which could be populated by either a SA-8 or SA-13. I will update the the logic to make 15 or 20 possible sites but only 10 will be populated with either a SA-8 or a SA-13.

Due to have having an electrician in the house today I may not get this amended before tonight but will do my best to change it as soon as he has finished this afternoon.

[Friar]

Had Time - Mission Updated - 15 possible sites - 10 will be populated at random.

[Friar]

SERVER LAG SPIKES

During the session last night (Thursday 9th) we all seemed to be having a number of stutters and lag spikes. I have been looking at the forum this morning and have found the below comment in a thread about the issue https://forum.dcs.world/topic/337162-anyone-else-getting-lags-spikes-in-multiplayer/

Quote

 

Yes. Had two failed events recently. Server froze for several minutes.

It is worse the more AI units you have in game and I think it also depends on units on the move.I have tested a bit but only have had failures. Everything works fine in SP and as soon as you put it on a server and join with 25 people then it runs like 15 minutes after takeoff and dies. Had an instant freeze when attacking a type 52 frigate with about 40 harpoon, and in the second try it died when a SAM starting locking and firing in a group of friendly aircraft. 

None of my 2.9 MP PvE events have succeeded. 

Not one.

My only clue is that a lot of SAMs and ground units OR dropping a whole lot of missiles at the same time seems to be a safe way to nuke the server. 

It seems the only thing possible in PvE is very little ground units, almost no SAMs or... PvP. Getting 20 pilots in a slim mission is going fine. Having a tight IADS with multiple SAMs overlapping each other seems to be a bad idea.

I am very thankful for ideas how to find out what is going on, and for now I am shifting back completely to a sim whose name shall not be mentioned.

I have no clue how to solve it.

Fun fact is that when people disconnect, the server comes back to life again. But it is already over then- strike eagles are missing their wings, F-18s have moved 80nm north over a SA-10 site and everything is a complete mess.

My bet is that something in some AI or radar logic is using a whole insane amount of CPU and then it freezes.

Or the server can't process all the client updates in time, then the next updates from or for clients come and the queue gets longer and longer, effectively freezing everything until the first clients start to disconnect. 

Same mission runs extremely well in singleplayer.

 

I think it will be only right to remove my latest inclusion of the multiple SAM sites and also cut back on the number of moving AI units until a solution has been identified.

[Friar]

UPDATE 10/11/2023 version 1.21

Removed random multiple SAM sites until stuttering is resolved.

Increased Tanker speed to 330 knts

Removed way-points from T90 tanks to cut down on moving objects.

[Friar]

UPDATE 12/01/2024 version 2.0

Added back function of 4 random SAM sites being spawned from a selection of 15 possible locations.

Added FARP for Huey and Apache closer to Hostage town - full re-arm and re-fuel available.

Added hostage rescue mission using Huey (I would like to add the UH-60 mod to the server if everyone has it as well - "Black-hawk" down and all that!). If you feel the town is secure you can go in and pick up groups of hostages. Multiple trips are allowed. Take off from main airport to return hostages to hospital or to the FARP for a local rescue.

Collection and drop off is controlled through the Command / Radio menu then F10 Airborne Troops / Embark / Disembark.

Added multiple enemy planes generated via a random picker. First planes are picked after 10 minutes (2 spawns of 1 pair) from the first Hornet, Viper, Eagle or Tomcat taking off, then when both members of the pair are killed a delay of 15 minutes is triggered before another random selection is made. This selection will only be 1 spawn group that that group could be a single or up to a trio.

The enemy planes have tasks of CAP, SEAD and both airfield / ground attack. There are also helicopters dispatched to attack allied convoys and ground units.

Added cold start options for those that want to.

Enjoy.

Friar

[Friar]

UPDATE 22ND JANUARY 2024 version 2.1

• Refined AI random generation.
• Hostage pickup and return is now only from/to the FARP.
• Added ability to take troops into battle from the airfield. To the south east of the airfield a patrol has located an enemy build up of insurgents and requires you to take elements of the 101st Airborne over to them to assist with the attack on the town. They have marked the landing zone with green smoke. Load up and deployment is via the communication menu.

[Friar]

UPDATE 28TH JANUARY 2024 version 2.2

• New area of operations added North West of the airfield intended for F4 (when available), F5, Mirage F1, A4-E and Bronco. 
  • Random spawned enemy aircraft Mig15, Mig19 and Mig21 only.
  • Currently no active SAM missiles. For practice one SA-3 Search Radar and one SA-3 Tracking radar. One pair of static launchers.
  • Air defenses made up of 57mm flak units only.
  • Ground targets of trucks and road outposts plus 6 bridges with AAA defense.
  • Convoy of trucks heading south east towards town through mountain region.
  • F4 (when available), F5, Mirage F1 and A4-E moved to Northern side of airfield to create own area.
  • Modern jet liner objects deleted from map.
• Sound files added to mission to alert for mission updates.
• F15, F16 Cold start options for now placed in hangers.
• Objective and place labels added to map.

[BluBear]

Brilliant Col!

[Friar]

UPDATE 5TH FEBRUARY 2024 V2.4

• New feature of being able to pick-up the troops once they have completed town assault and search to bring them home.
• Added "Search in Zone then attack" options against AI to try and keep them from straying over in to areas we do not want them (untested at the moment).

[Friar]

UPDATE 10TH FEBRUARY 2024 V2.7

• Changed F16 planes to facilitate "Link16" capability. There are now 2 groups of 4 aircraft "Viper-1" and "Viper-2". This means that the "Link16" can now be used to lock your wing-man or flight lead and be able to track them in the helmet / HUD also to see which targets they are locking etc. Thanks to @fruitbat for technical support and for assistance in testing.
• Link system also now configured correctly for land based F18's to share information. F18's can also donate to F16's and vice versa.
• Added notification for when AI planes are starting to be generated on the Western and Eastern zones.
• Hidden Attack Town reinforcements so that they can not be attacked until the correct time.
• Hidden Attack Town Leader so that the escaping vehicle can not be attacked until the correct time.
• Added 4 x Mosquito, 4 x Spitfire, 3 x P51, 3 x P47 to the airfield for sight-seeing and photo opportunities with the modern fighters. You can of course go ground-target hunting but will be up against modern defenses.
• And also....1 x I16 at the airfield for FT

[Friar]

UPDATE 29TH FEBRUARY 2024 V2.9

• The initial enemy aircraft spawn-in is now controlled by options in the comms menu (F10 - Other). We can now choose when to initiate the first AI spawn in and also from which direction, EAST ZONE or WEST ZONE. Once the first spawn-in has taken place, as each flight is killed (hopefully) another random selection will be generated automatically. We do not have to keep using the Comms option. I have added a random delay of between 5 and 8 minutes for this second and subsequent action to take place. The initial spawn-in is immediate. The map is divided into two zones with planes coming in from the EAST (flying right to left) side of the map (wide range of types) and the WEST side ( flying left to right, older jets e.g. Mig 15, Mig 19, Mig 21 only).
• Added a group of small fast moving attack boats going after a stricken tanker.
• Added a new helicopter FARP down near the south coast with Apache and Huey
• Added a two ship convoy made up of a tanker and a supply ship (if you fancy trying to land on a moving deck) that will pass close to the new southern FARP travelling north to south.

 

• INTELLIGENCE UPDATE - Enemy forces have been monitored moving 2 medium/long range mobile un-guided rocket launchers in a direction that could potentially place them within range of our airfield....