GMA

 

Mail :     jean.barbs@free.fr

  

                    Generator of Missions for

          Cliffs of Dover -TeamFusion V4.312

 

 

 Menu

1) Presentation

2) Associated files to GM

3) How to create a reference file (or mission)

4) The frame of GM

5) How to create a mission with GM

6) Conclusion

 

1) Presentation  

The objective of GM is to generate quickly not repetitive missions for Cliffs of Dover (CloDo), with the upgrade of TEAM FUSION V4.312, from a reference map. Thank you TeamFusion!

To realize a reference map (or reference mission) is easy and is it made with the editor of mission CloDo from an existing mission or from a single map.

The number of reference maps is not limited and the static objects (buildings, ships, anti-aircraft etc.) are preserved.

Certain dynamic objects are preserved, trains, boats except oil tankers, are preserved.

All the points of road of planes, if they exist, must be deleted.

The GM realizes 5 types of missions: Training, Dog fight, Alert, Attack of German bombers, Attack of English maritime convoy.

Except the attack of bombers and convoy missions, they can be played on one side as on the other.

With each type of mission many settings are easily editable (starting point, number of planes, weather, altitude, etc.).

Warning:

GM uses the point as decimal separator and not the comma (13.8 and not 13,8). This parameter is modifiable in the environment of Windows.

- Open the 'Configuration panel' then ' Region and language '.

- Click the button ' additional Parameters… '

- Modify ' decimal Symbol ' by putting ".". This for Win7, for Xp this parameter is also modifiable, the method is not very different.

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2) Associated files to GM

 In the folder containing GM (GM_CloDo_TF4.exe) includes 3 types of files used by the software: * .cs, *.ini and *.txt.

These files must remain in the same folder as GM and their name should not be changed. 

These files can be edited by the user but it is not recommended.

 

2.1 The script files (* .cs)

 Generic files, a copy is made by GM for each type of mission. This copy is then updated, adapted to the requested mission. Also it is not recommended to change them! These files are written and must be in C#, they are complements of the files ' * .mis ', they allow to handle events during the mission.

If for the missions ' Dog fights' scripts are empty shells, this is not the case of the other and they are all essential to the missions.

 

2.2 The file GM_CloDoV4.0.ini

Before going farther, some information and rules must be respected on this editable file.

  - Null lines are ignored.

  - Line that contains ' // ' is ignored, it is to put information, so ' // ' must not be put in the end of a line containing data because it will be ignored.

  - Semicolon is the character of separation for example langIndex; 0 mean that the variable langIndex of GM will have the value 0, langIndex=0 is not recognized.

GM_CloDoV4.0.ini is composed of 2 parts:

  [Donnees_de_base] part are reserved and updated by GM.

  [Appareils_Info] and the following define planes available, their characteristics and the competence of pilots. These data are editable with caution.

Restart GM to valid the modifications.

 

2.3 file FileLang_CloDoV4.txt

 It uses for the entries according to the selected language. Do not change the numbers at the beginning of each line! However the text can be rewritten in Celtic or other language...

Restart GM to valid the modifications.

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3) How to create a reference file (or mission)

What a reference file?

It is simply a mission file (* .mis).

To run GM must have a map on which figure 2 Red bases, 2 Blue bases, and some points of road to an English tanker.

With what to create this reference file?

We create it with the generator of missions of CloDo, from a file existing mission or from a single map Therefore any map or file mission that acknowledges your configuration can be used, that the mission file used is populated or not. GM adapts to your configuration, do not request special maps. We must recognize that, apart the map of the Channel, the choice is limited!

How can it be done?

Creation of 2 bases and targets for the Red.

(1) Open the editor of mission of CloDo, we load a mission (or map).

If the file contains points of road for planes it is necessary to delete them. It does not have to remain any point ' Takeoff ',  ' Normfly ',  ' Landing ' or other for planes.

You can keep the road points of ships (except English tanker), and trains.

You can keep also all added static objects (buildings, vehicles etc) on this map.

(2) Choose a red plane. 

(3) Placed with this plane a road pt 'Takeoff', then a 'Normfly' pt and a 'Landing' pt.  

(4) Check the player box in the object window, other parameters are indifferent.

(5) Deselect the 3 pts. The base Red 1 is created.

 

 

Do not forget to check the Player’s checkbox of the Red plane

 

 

From a Red plane we define a base, which will be Red, 3pts of road:

1 pt Takeoff

1 pt Normfly (top right corner)

1 pt Landing

 

 
image002.jpg

Picture1 : Red bases.

(6) Did the same, with this plane to create the Red base 2, Deselect the 3 new points, picture1.

(7) Place different road points of an English tanker (1 single tanker), the number of points is indifferent but greater than two. GM will randomly take a point of road as pt's departure of the convoy that it will create. Do not place the road point near the coast, otherwise you risk having tankers on earth when the convoy is created.

We have defined all the necessary information to the GM for the Red camp, picture2

Remarks:

-You must do it in this order, Red base1 then Red base2 then the Red English tanker.

-You must have the landing take-off point different from the take-off point when defining the bases.  

-In the case of a base contains several runways check than you use is the default runway.

 

Every pt of road corresponds to a target for Blue army.

 

 
image021.jpg

Picture2, Red Bases and Red Tanker

 

Creation of the two bases for the Blue.

(8) Repeat this procedure to define the 2 Red bases with a Blue plane, on the same map.

It has not Blue tanker because only the Red convoy attack is planned.

It does not select the checkbox 'Player' it is already done for the Red plane.

The reference file is now complete. It remains to save it, picture3.

Two tips:

They are not obligation but advice.

(1) Add "_Ref" when you backup the file e.g. " *_Ref.mis ", this allows to differentiate it of the 'standard' missions and later when you load it, GM will use a default filter of type "_Ref.mis".

(2) Create two folders in the directory "...1 c SoftClub\il-2 sturmovik cliffs of dover - MOD\missions\Single", one for future missions of GM and the other for reference missions.

 

         

1) With a Blue plane we proceed in the same way to define 2 Blue bases.

 

 

2) We do not select Player it is already made with the Red plane

 

 
BasesRouges_Bleues_Texte.jpg

 Picture3 : 2 Red bases 1 Red Tanker and 2 Bleu Bases.

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4) The frame of GM

After the launch of GM, the following window appears as shown in picture5.

The GM interface consists of 5 main frames and 3 buttons:

-The framework parameters of mission with two sub-frames.     

-Source data

-Weather conditions

-The framework Type of mission.

-The framework squadrons and flights of the player.

-The framework squadrons and flights of the AI.

-The framework Player position in the squadron1

-The three buttons on the GM

 

Picture5. The GM's framework. 

image005.jpg

 

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The menu 'Répertoire des Fichiers'

Indicates the current Reference file, the update is made at each change.

Language

The GM interface is in French or English depending on the selection chosen

 

Reference File

Indicates the current Reference file, the update is made at each change.

Return to GM’s frame

 

The Parameter of mission framework

This part is divided into two frames: Source data and Weather Conditions.

The Source data

There are 4 panels which:

Year of release of planes witch filters the available planes. With the battle of Britain the choice is limited.

Permutation of the bases, GM uses 4 bases 2 Red and 2 Blue, base 1 is still the default base, by checking a box GM switches base1 and base2 for selected army bases.

Weather Conditions

There are 2 panels, Panel weather does not pose problem.

Some remarks on the Activity of the wind: the wind angle varies from 180 to 180 degrees; imposed by CloDo, to make this simpler an indication appears indicating where it came from. For example is means that the wind SE is coming from the SE.

The wind speed is never zero (1 m/s at mini.), which allows to guide the runway in the right direction depending on the direction of the wind. Team Fusion allows making gradients of the wind speed depending of the altitude, but I did not, later perhaps…

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The Type of mission framework

Choice of the mission

A drop-down list allows selecting a type of mission that GM will build. The mission is not created at this time, but depending on the type of chosen mission GM displays some frameworks to define the parameters of the future mission.

Tempo of the appearances of squadrons activated by a trigger

For 2 types of mission "Pursuit of bombers..." we can delay the apparition of the squadron2 of the player and of the AI 2 separately. Delaying the apparition of squadron2 of the IA gives player a few seconds of respite (the mission's scripts are updated).

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The Player position in the squadron1

It sets the position of the player in a flight of the squadron1.

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The Squadrons and flights of the player framework

There are 2 squadrons composed of several flights.

Squadron1 is always the player's squadron, who will fly on the selected plane.

The number of flights depends on the army:

For the Red 2 max flights composed of 6 planes max.

For the Blue 3 max flights max composed of 4 planes max.

The "Formation list" defines, according to the army, the position of planes in air.

If the box "Control by the player" is checked, this means that the planes in the list are flyable, the opposite for "Control by the AI".

If the box "In air departure" appears, this allows, for some type of mission, to begin the air.

If the 2 boxes "In air departure" and "Parking Departure "are not checked the player starts on the runway.

The squadron2 is still handled by the game. Depending on the type of mission the Squadron is available or not. The starting position of these planes is always imposed by GM.

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The Squadrons and flights of the IA framework

They are always the enemy squadrons, so the squadron1 is always present and according to the type of mission the squadron2 also.

Only 'Training 1 & 2 missions' do not use AI squadrons.

The starting position of these aircrafts is imposed by GM. For this reason the 2 box "In air departure" and "Parking Departure "are not present.

Otherwise the choices are identical to the framework "Squadrons and flights of the player".

Return to GM’s frame

 

Three buttons of the GM

The button: Reading a reference file

After launch of GM only this button "Reading of a reference file" is available.

This button is going to allow through a box of selection, to load a reference file created before.

The directory shown in the box of selection is the one defined by path in the file 'GM_CloDoV4.0.ini'.

When GM is active we can change at any time reference file by clicking this button.

To change the folder containing default path use the menu "Répertoire des fichiers".

Once the file loads, the button "Creation of a mission" becomes available.

The full path of the file is displayed in the upper part of the window of GM.

Return to GM’s frame

 

The button: Creation of a mission

After every click this button a mission is created in memory, instead of the previous, if it exists.

The creation is fast, once created any modification has no effect. If you do modifications, to validate its click on this button again.

After the creation of the mission the button "Writing file mission" is available.

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The button: Writing the file mission

After a click on this button a box of selection appears. It saves the mission file.

Now we can play the mission in CloDo.

After every recording this button becomes inaccessible, it is necessary to create a new mission to activate it, this allows to know if we have recorded well the last realized mission.

For every mission GM realizes 3 files. For example if the name of the mission is 'My_mission', the following files are created: 'My_mission.mis' 'My_mission.cs' and 'My_mission.briefing'.

  Return to GM' frame       Menu return

 

5) How to create a mission with the GM

All operations with GM are done with the mouse.  

(1) Before the first use of GM, it is advisable to create 2 folders one for future missions the other for reference files.

(2) Create or retrieve a reference file that you put in the folder of the reference files.

(3) Launch GM. 

During the first use of GM use the drop-down menu "Répertoire des Fichiers" to set the default paths of the 2 previous folders.

(4) Click on the "Reading a reference file" button and load a reference file. 

(5) Choose the type of desired mission.

(6) Set the parameters desired for this mission.

(7) Click on the "Creation of a mission" button. If you return to step (6) you will need to go step (7) to confirm your changes.

(8) Click on the "Writing of the file mission" button and save it. A generic name is proposed, free you to modify it.

Now you can play the mission. 

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6) Conclusion

GM imposes some constraints. If the realization of a reference file does not present problem, the use of the point as decimal separator is more penalizing. An automatic solution during the launch of GM is certainly possible but in case crash it would be necessary to put back manually the configuration of origin, what is more penalizing.

GM is designed to perform solo missions easily and not repetitive (the position of the planes is not fixed).

GM has been tested but bugs are always possible and even inevitable (GM includes a little more than 7000 lines). Thank you to report them.

If somebody wants to translate the window of GM in a language of their choice no problem, do not hesitate to contact me, the procedure is easy.

Thank you for your remarks and suggestions.

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