A couple mission editor questions....

[EricW]

Hi All, I've just discovered the mission editor and being a PC moron, I thought I'd ask before I just start messing my game up.......

I'm not really interesting in making new custom missions, just tweaking the campaign mode.....I downloaded the guide and it is pretty informative (and rather intimidating) BUT it says in a couple spots that the campaign mode is NOT discussed in this guide.....

I've found the random & scripted traffic files ect. and want to randomize merch/subhunter/convoy speeds, waypoints, crew ratings, things like that.

- are there any known problems with doing this?
-should I even bother while running mods such as TMO, RFB, RSRD, OTC for TMO ?

In most cases, I don't want to "step on" the cool things that these mods do.

I'm kinda daunted by the scope of ALL those files, but I'm pretty sure that I can handle some tweaking if I get pointed in the right direction.

Any help is MUCH appreciated.
Thanks, Eric

[peabody]

Hi All, I've just discovered the mission editor and being a PC moron, I thought I'd ask before I just start messing my game up.......

I'm not really interesting in making new custom missions, just tweaking the campaign mode.....I downloaded the guide and it is pretty informative (and rather intimidating) BUT it says in a couple spots that the campaign mode is NOT discussed in this guide.....

I've found the random & scripted traffic files ect. and want to randomize merch/subhunter/convoy speeds, waypoints, crew ratings, things like that.

- are there any known problems with doing this?
-should I even bother while running mods such as TMO, RFB, RSRD, OTC for TMO ?

In most cases, I don't want to "step on" the cool things that these mods do.

I'm kinda daunted by the scope of ALL those files, but I'm pretty sure that I can handle some tweaking if I get pointed in the right direction.

Any help is MUCH appreciated.
Thanks, Eric

Hi Eric,
The main reason the 'guide' says that the "Campaign MODE" is not discussed is because there is no Campaign MODE to the mission editor. The campaign is simply a bunch of what you call custom missions and linking them all together by using files in the campaign part of the game. The main difference between the Campaign 'mission' and a custom mission/single mission/single patrol is that you do NOT include the players sub in the Campaign missions. That can create a problem depending on how you save the 'mission'. So go to the menu item Mission/Parameters, in that popup screen you will notice a checkbox at the bottom "Ignore Players submarines". This will allow you to save the mission without the game giving an error message, since there is no players sub in it.

I would suggest if you want to try some editing/tweaking that you make it into another MOD and add it after whatever mod you are using. That way you are not messing up the original files. If you don't know how to do that you can ask.

Here is a quick explanation of the 'Campaign MODE" (which as I said does not exist) I will do a quick explanation of the files needed for a campaign. And if you are just tweaking one make sure you do NOT change the filename. I will use the stock game SH4 1.5 and the US Campaign for this so you can see how the pieces fit together. If you actually open the files you can see how it works.
This will show how it was created, but remember if you are just tweaking existing files then you will not have to create files, just edit existing ones.

1. You use the mission editor to create Random traffic, airbases, naval bases, minefields etc and save the files in "Data/Campaigns/Campaign/Whatever.mis". (you could technically put everything into one file, but it would be a mess to work on and the game would load it ALL at one time, and overload your computer, so they are split up into separate files to prevent that)
2. The files you created in the first group are loaded by the game with the "Data/Campaigns/Campaign/Campaign.cfg" file. You can open it with notepad and you will see that it contains the files that were created in step 1 and the dates they are loaded.

Now you have the random traffic, bases, etc in the game. So now you have something to sink.

Now you need a mission to be assigned to your sub so you can go sink the traffic created and loaded by 1 and 2.

3. Create a mission in mission editor and add a "zone" which is your destination, what type of mission by adding an "Objective" using the "zone" name in the correct box. It will normally be a Patrol in the zone for a specific time or "Reach" the zone then get assigned another Objective to sink tonnage after reaching the zone. But it can also be a lifeguard or supply mission etc. The different types of missions and how to set them up should be explained in the guide you are using. Add a mission briefing under Mission/Language Localization.
Now this mission is saved (check "Ignore players submarine) and save to "Data/Campaigns/Campaign/PatrolObjectives/Foldername/foldername.mis" Make sure the folder name and .mis name match, the mission editor will add the .tsr file.

4. The mission created in 3 will have to be added to "Data/UPCData/UPCCampaignData/PatrolObjectives.cfg." (unless you are only editing an existing mission then it will already be there)
You can add custom made missions by copying an existing entry and editing it for filename, dates etc, and renumber it. But one important line here is the "AllMatch=" line.
One other line to note is Objective type. The types are listed in the sample entry at the top of the cfg file.

[Section 13]
ID=ID13
FileName=data/Campaigns/Campaign/PatrolObjectives/Patrol East China Sea 01/Patrol East China Sea 01.mis
StartDate=19411201
EndDate=19450901
GameModes=Career
InclusionProbability=100
MinimumDifficultyRating=0
MinimumPlayerRating=-3
ExclusiveLayer=No
ExclusiveLayerID=1
EvaluationReason=FirstObjective
AllMatch=East China Sea
ObjectiveType=0
BriefingMapName=NULL
BriefingMapIcon=NULL
BriefingMapIconPosX=0
BriefingMapIconPosY=0

5. The missions contained in 4 are loaded from the "Data/UPCData/UPCCampaignData/flotillas.upc"
They will be listed in Flotillas.upc like this:

[Flotilla 1.UserPlayerUnitType 1.Objective 1]
ID= PH1Obj1
NameDisplayable= East China Sea
AvailabilityInterval=1942-01-01, NULL
ObjectiveCode= East China Sea

Notice the line "ObjectiveCode=' this will refer to the line "AllMatch=" in step 4 above. By using this matching system you can make 10 missions to the "East China Sea" and enter each one in the "PatrolObjectives.cfg" but you only need one entry in the "Flotillas.upc" and the game will pick one of the 10, depending on the dates and probability settings. (You would need an entry for each sub in the flotilla if you want them available to every sub in the flotilla)

I hope some of this helps and makes sense. This is why the Mission Editor manual/guide does not include Campaign mode, since they are only written as regular missions and added into the Campaign files. There is not specific Campaign Mode to the editor itself.

There are other files included in the "Campaign" but this covers the basics. There is a section for Dynamic missions which are missions assigned if you radio in to state you are done with your existing mission, but one step at a time.

Peabody

[EricW]

Cool, thanks.
Eric

[Diopos]

peabody,

great piece of info,

almost touching! :yep:

:yeah:

.

[Pisces]

To see how you can make units move at different speeds check this subschool mission. Basically at a waypoint it chooses (randomly) if it wants to go to the next in line, or fork off to a secondary waypoint. In mine I have a sequence of waypoints with different speeds fork-off to one specific waypoint far away. Actually, I have 2 sets, each forking of to either a north-east (iirc WP20) or south-east waypoint. (iirc WP22) The forking-probabilties are arranged such that each speed has more or less equal probability of being chosen.

http://www.gamefront.com/files/17285812/RNDapproach_Subschool_rar

[Armistead]

Pisces seems to be talking about the loop feature which is a good tool. You can set a percentage rating if the group will take the loop. Been awhile, but I think you right click on a waypoint and you can set loops or change speed between waypoints. You can also set the radius here, simply the width of the area the group will spawn if you run into them.

[peabody]

To see how you can make units move at different speeds check this subschool mission. Basically at a waypoint it chooses (randomly) if it wants to go to the next in line, or fork off to a secondary waypoint. In mine I have a sequence of waypoints with different speeds fork-off to one specific waypoint far away. Actually, I have 2 sets, each forking of to either a north-east (iirc WP20) or south-east waypoint. (iirc WP22) The forking-probabilties are arranged such that each speed has more or less equal probability of being chosen.

http://www.gamefront.com/files/17285812/RNDapproach_Subschool_rar

Very clever idea for using the loop probability, expecially for a subschool mission.

Peabody

[Pisces]

'Loops' suggest something comes back on itself, like a circle. So I wouldn't consider what I did as a loop. More like branching. But ok, semantics.

[EDIT] I forgot the mission editor actually calls it the 'loop probability'. Sorry, my mistake. But it's still the wrong meaning.

The radius of a waypoint works to create a random offset to the waypoint location, within that circle. So with that set sufficiently large (like mine) you can't be sure exactly where it is heading. It has nothing to do with the actual spawn location. The random spawn radius is part of the unit properties, which is a different window.