[On the prowl over Italy]

15 minutes to generate a mission?  I really need to go in and optimize some code!  

[Lonestar's Create an External DCG Campaign PDF]

Lonestar created this document many years ago but it's still relevant for designing (and modding) campaigns.

Create an external DCG campaign.pdf

[DCG 3.50 Open Beta]

Yes, depending on the mod you are using....

First you have to find the supporting DCG files for that mod (if they exist) and add them.  Then you can either just generate a stock campaign and then use the DCG app to change your plane.  Or you can modify the campaign files and then generate a new campaign.  (There are instructions on how to modify/create campaigns around here somewhere....)*

If there are no DCG files to support the mod, then it's a lot more work because then you'll have to modify the stock ones for the modded planes.

 

 

*Edit: Look for Lonestar's campaign design document here.

[DCG 3.50 Open Beta]

The beta is on the previous page.  Click the arrow in the top right of the quote box to link.

 

[DCG 3.50 Open Beta]

 Yes, that's it.  An example of every timetable command should be in the timetable.dcg file.  Just do a search and you shall find.

[DCG 3.50 Open Beta]

22 hours ago, wheelsup_cavu said:

I mentioned a few posts back in this thread that the original USAAF and RAF campaign files hosted at Netwings that you reference in the Installation and Settings Instructions.txt file had been lost to time or were only available at the internet archive when it came to the RAF campaign files, which is still true, but I just found updated versions of "the Real Deal" USAAF and RAF campaigns at M4T. I do not know if these would work in place of the original files that were hosted at Netwings all those years ago. Someone who understands DCG and how to use it a lot better than me would need to test them.

So I just looked at these and they're both static campaigns.  What DCG users can do with them though is take the skins, pilot photos and sound files and drop them in the appropriate folders for use.

[DCG 3.50 Open Beta]

PriorityLandingSite works for Odessa_Harbor only.  It's intended for naval landings not just shipping stuff in.

TWithdrawl will remove any troops of the designated side at the specified location.    Example:

• 19410724 TWithdraw Allied Bolgrad

Aggressor is strictly for air missions.  A side that has been made the aggressor will more likely spawn fighter sweeps, fighter-bomber missions or escorts than interceptions or defensive patrols.

[DCG and user campaigns]

In order for them to appear in sequence, you have to add/link them to the grandcampaign.dcg file.  It's a case of copying and editing similar snippets of code to do.  For example, here's the snippet that links the Operation Barbarossa (Smolensk map) to Operation Typhoon (Moscow map):

[Barbarossa to Typhoon] Blue
  Campaign=Grand_Campaign
  Map=Moscow
  Front=Vyazma_Factory_District
  DeHome=the_Smolensk_Road
  RuHome=Lesno_Gorodok
  DeBase=Vyazma_Airfield
  RuBase=Kubinka_Airfield
  Locale1=Vyazma_Bridge195
  Locale2=Vyazma
  Locale3=
  Locale4=
  Locale5=
  Locale6=
  Locale7=
  Locale8=
  Locale9=

Just copying this bit and changing the header can link Crimea41 to it.

[Crimea41 to Typhoon] Blue
  Campaign=Grand_Campaign
  Map=Moscow
  Front=Vyazma_Factory_District
  DeHome=the_Smolensk_Road
  RuHome=Lesno_Gorodok
  DeBase=Vyazma_Airfield
  RuBase=Kubinka_Airfield
  Locale1=Vyazma_Bridge195
  Locale2=Vyazma
  Locale3=
  Locale4=
  Locale5=
  Locale6=
  Locale7=
  Locale8=
  Locale9=

Note that if the maps are shifting in favour of the Germans, they're noted as "Blue".  If their shifting because the Russians won, their "Red".

[DCG 3.50 Open Beta]

Latest beta (after more than six months).

This one just adds a new timetable command:  RemoveStatic.

For example:

•  19420102 RemoveStatic 99_Static

 

[Add command RemoveStatic?]

Check the latest beta.

The format for this new command is:

•  19420102 RemoveStatic 99_Static

I suspect they may reappear for one mission if a resupply column/train drives by and then disappear again the next.  It'll take some new code in the guts of the stationary routine to fix this....

[Add command RemoveStatic?]

Yes, a RemoveStatic would be an obvious addition to the list.  I'll make a note of it. 

[Adding The B-24]

Excellent!

[Two bases or revive specific dead column on specific place]

They won't move unless for some reason the Russian buildup is so big at point j it triggers them to retreat.

[Adding The B-24]

You can generally get all the info you need from an aircraft through the mission builder - just save the plane in a bunch of different configurations (to get payloads).  To get the dogfight ID, just create a home base and make the B-24D active on it.  When you look at the saved mission file, it should be there.  Then take that id and if there isn't a folder in the skins with that exact name, create one.

And don't forget to put the crew positions in the crewseats.dcg file if you're planning to all fly in the same plane.

[Two bases or revive specific dead column on specific place]

Chief columns advance toward the enemy supply zone not towards any particular enemy unit type or types.

[Two bases or revive specific dead column on specific place]

Because you can't define where a dead unit respawns, there's no way to avoid this problem.  Sorry.

[Time Passage option]

Normal = one mission a day.

Extremely Slow = up to four missions a day (but this will depend on the start time of your first mission, how long each mission takes and any time restrictions you've set).

The other "slow" settings fall between these two.

[Midway Fighter Spawns]

Past reports of this kind of behaviour usually have to do with using a mod.  Are you using one?

If so, it may be the configuration of loadouts.  A loadout has been selected for a plane type that can't use it.  This sometimes happens even with non-modded games - if I don't catch the change in the latest patch or add one incorrectly to the payload tables, it can happen. 

If you upload/post the mission file here, I can have a look.

[Two location problems]

I don't know what IL-2 uses.  DCG uses good old ANSI.

[Two location problems]

As I can't think of anything else, it may be the "ó".  Try changing it to your standard "o" in both files.

[Two location problems]

Zielona_Góra_Airfield needs to be added as a locale in the allcampaign file.  Because the map is defined as "Axis" controlled, all locations are German unless specified there.

As for rail bridges and stations, they take the "side" of the nearest road location.

[Squadron Management Potential Feature Request if Possible]

I don't think IL2 would let you have a substitute pilot in the same campaign.  The campaign is linked to the pilot created in the game.  If you really wanted to continue the campaign with a new pilot, you can always create a new pilot, generate a new campaign (of the one you're currently in) and then dump most/all(?) the data files from the old campaign into the new one.  And then run DCG and hit the generate mission button.

I'm not 100% it would work without some trial and error, but unless you want to continue the old campaign with the old pilot (his stats reset to zero, but his name stays the same), it's clunky.

[Two location problems]

Looking at the original Berlin.rds file, it seems I made it a bit of a mess.  I don't understand why Swiebodzin and Swiebodzin_Airfield never linked to each other.  It makes sense that you added a link. 

Your route between Swiebodzin and Swiebodzin_Airfield needs to be plotted out in that order.  All routes must go from the German "side" to the "Russian" side.  So it must start in Swiebodzin and end at Swiebodzin_Airfield.

I think I see another potential issue.  Zielona_Góra_Airfield is a dead end.  It should link up with Polish_Border_Bridge69.  If you don't, there is a good chance German units will travel up to it and then respawn back in their home location.  And Russian units will never be able to recapture it.

[Two location problems]

Second problem first.  It's probably just by accident the columns appeared near the front the first time.  You're probably better to add them to the timetable.dcg file so you can define exactly where they start.  For example:

  19410808 NewColumn 38_Chief Armor.4-T26_Early 1 @Russian_Depot $Armor_Group_2 ~L

The first problem is more difficult to figure out.  The airfield has to be both in the allcampaigns.dcg file (to tell the game it's Allied) AND it has to be set up properly in the berlin.rds file.  If it's in both, it needs to be spelled exactly the same in each (and if it's in the rds file multiple times, off course, those have to all be the same as well). 

If you cut and paste here the Berlin entry in the allcampaigns.dcg and cut and paste the relevant parts of the rds file, maybe I can figure it out.

[Squadron Management Potential Feature Request if Possible]

2 hours ago, bweiss said:

1. Does an increased skill level make the IL2 AI pilot a better maneuvering pilot, or just a better deflection gunner, or a more accurate bomb dropper, or a better formation pilot, or all the above?

As far as I know, increased skill level makes them better in every respect.  IL-2 has no separation of skills by type.

 

2 hours ago, bweiss said:

2. Are the number of flights completed the only factor used for increasing the pilot skill levels (do kill scores, or anything else factor in)?

In DCG, the three combine for an overall skill level.

 

2 hours ago, bweiss said:

3. How exactly does DCG determine AI squadron pilot flight assignment(s) (is it purely rank and historical precedence based only)? (Historical precedence meaning, 1=Flight leader, 2=noob or lesser skill/rank, 3=second senior rank in flt, 4=lesser rank/perhaps higher skill set as second rank pilots wingman)?

DCG takes the highest ranking pilot (or most experienced in the case of the same rank) and makes them the first flight leader (and therefore mission leader).  It takes the second highest rank for the second flight, etc. down the line tossing in the player pilot as appropriate. 

That is, unless you use Squadron Management, then you set it yourself.

 

2 hours ago, bweiss said:

4. Can the skill factors be used by DCG to correlate an assignment priority for which then DCG would assign squadron pilots to best accomplish required mission - for AI squadrons and player squadron? (While the player does not know AI squadron mission requirements unless they pop open the files and decipher), DCG knows or at least has the data, but does DCG recognize and understand those mission objectives)? Does it know i.e., that say 78IAP2 is on an intercept mission over Ura-Guba, and therefore could be made to prioritize the best deflection gunners (shooters), into that flight?

DCG could calculate "best" by number of air kills vs ground kills depending on the type of mission (and could get even more granular if I decided to break off ships from other ground targets).  However, as soon as the mission starts, the AI would treat even good ground-pounders as good dogfighters no matter what DCG has determined.

 

2 hours ago, bweiss said:

5. If for these latter two questions (4 and 5), the answer is affirmative, could then DCG be made to use a created list of priorities (TBD), and assign pilots and squadron leaders for the entire campaign(s) squadrons (player and AI), in priority order rather than just purely static or random for each mission. Circling back to, how does DCG currently assign AI pilots to the squadron(s), based upon what factors as determined where in the data?

I've never been totally happy with the squadron management.  For example, there are always 16 pilots in a squadron regardless of the number of flights/planes for that squadron.  The "excess" pilots are just hidden from view.  Nor have I particularly liked that the CO flies every mission.  You'd think he'd be busy with paperwork sometimes.  ;)

But the way AI works with the game, there's no particular reason to assign pilots based on ability to missions (since their ability in all things is fixed).  Sure, for player immersion, you could assign the guy with the most ground kills to lead a ground-attack mission, but he's not going to be any better than the ace who has no ground kills.