FMB Poll

[bolox]

voted occasionally.

the need to use C+ scripting to do anything more than very basic functions without any documentation is a big problem for me and does seem to be holding back the release of much in the way of user generated missions campaigns.

the dev shots of what appeared to be an IL2 fmb gave me great hopes that the community would be able to cover 1C's apparent lack of time/ability to create anything other than rather sterile missions/campaigns, to date this is not happening at anything but a snail's pace

there are a few 'clever' people who are making great efforts to understand scripting/triggers (many thanks to you guys doing this stuff) and hopefully this will eventually 'take up the slack' and show some of the great things that seem to be hiding inside this sim

[Norseman]

ZUTI.. pls help them out..

[ATAG_Dutch]

Use it all the time, but only in a very minor way, i.e. for setting up particular scenarios, usually to make a video clip or summat, and then only using what I know from old IL2.

Also firmly in the 'need a manual' camp.

[David198502]

i really like the FMB....i used it in 1946 and i use it in COD.
but i have to say,...that the old FMB was easier to understand.although the main functions are the same, and also the layout remained.but with the new possibility of scripting, im totally lost.i dont understand a word, if i look at scripts, and never could create one by myself.all i could do is to copy and paste.but i would like to understand how it works, to use the full potential of this feature.
one thing that bugs me most, is that im not even able to start different flights at different times anymore.it was sooo easy in 1946 and now one have to write a script for it....
detailed documentation is really required, but not only for the fmb but also for the planes...

[6BL Bird-Dog]

I have tried it but it realy needs a detailed manual to utilise all its features .I have not tried it since the early game paches and it seemed pretty buggy then.

[dflion]

Originally Posted by David198502

i really like the FMB....i used it in 1946 and i use it in COD.
but i have to say,...that the old FMB was easier to understand.although the main functions are the same, and also the layout remained.but with the new possibility of scripting, im totally lost.i dont understand a word, if i look at scripts, and never could create one by myself.all i could do is to copy and paste.but i would like to understand how it works, to use the full potential of this feature.
one thing that bugs me most, is that im not even able to start different flights at different times anymore.it was sooo easy in 1946 and now one have to write a script for it....
detailed documentation is really required, but not only for the fmb but also for the planes...

I am currently doing some final testing on a 12 mission Ju88 bomber campaign, it is looking very good, the Ju88 is great to fly - just for the 'Bomber members'. The new FMB is similar to the old one, though there has been some 'dislectic decisions' in some of the changes.

I totally agree with David198502 above, taking out the 'time start box' on the flight creating menu, so that you can start flights at different times, is crazy?
I have been experimenting with the scripting, with mixed results, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't?
I am trying to learn C basic, though it takes time. What Ilya and his team could do to help us all, is create a 'basic script' for all missions to get us up and running with FMB campaigns.
This script would have mission 'successfully completed' or 'failed' scripting then some sort of scripting to let us continue to the next campaign mission after 'successfully completing the previous one. This is all we need to get everybody creating some good campaigns.
I have asked Ataros and a few other script writers, for help to create this ''basic script' though, haven't had any responses, that I know of to date?

Sadly, I think Ilya has put the FMB later on his 'to do' list. It needs a lot of work still, some 'auto script programmes' written and a few 'command decisions' to re-introduce some of the the old FMB features that really made IL-2 Sturmovik stand way out from the other flight sims at the time.

DFLion

[Ataros]

Originally Posted by dflion

I have asked Ataros and a few other script writers, for help to create this ''basic script' though, haven't had any responses, that I know of to date?

I am not a script writer, I am rather a "script reader" and can copy and paste scripts sometimes if they are not too complicated. You can search for vetochka campaigns at airwarfare.com which hosts their translated versions. The latest campaign has basic scripts with success criteria and score calculation. Probably other authors of offline campaigns have their own versions of similar scripts which you can start working with.

If you post your script in the FMB section I am sure C# programmers will be ready to give advice and correct your mistakes if any. They need something concrete to start working with, say the above vetochka's scripts which you adopt for your campaign.

I think the most simple way to check for mission success would be to include 4 triggers into each of campaign missions (for target group destroyed by 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) and ask C# programmers to write a specific script that would report results and load new mission depending on which trigger was active in the end of the previous mission. But you have to be very specific about what you need to achieve, e.g. if you want to repeat the previous mission in case of failure, etc.

[dflion]

I will post my script in the FMB section and ask for some help. The script works ok sometimes, then it doesn't? I will have a look at the 'vetochka' campaign scripts, as you suggested.

In the Ju88 campaign there are three flying training/positioning type missions, then the rest are combat missions. Two missions are 'dive-bombing' and the rest are 'pattern bombing'. I won't release it until I am happier with the scripting and hopefully the latest patch will be released, so that I can test it in it.

For the combat missions, all we need is 'a trigger' that says you got over the actual target area ok, then you made it back ok. Not sure what happens if you get 'shot down'?
Anyway, I will see what happens. I am sure I will eventually master writing the scripts, it just is the 'time factor', on top of creating a good interesting historical campaign.

DFLion

[David198502]

Originally Posted by Dutch_851

Use it all the time, but only in a very minor way, i.e. for setting up particular scenarios, usually to make a video clip or summat, and then only using what I know from old IL2.

Also firmly in the 'need a manual' camp.

+1
i use it, but have not much knowledge about it, unfortunately.

[Blackdog_kt]

In all honesty, i don't think we can expect everyone to be up and running with c# in no time at all, it's a full-fledged programming language after all that many people use to earn their living, not a point and click interface.

I think it's great we can use c#, i just don't think it's meant for everyone. So why is it useful?

Well, because people with the required knowledge can pool resources and make their work available to the rest. We might not have extensive pre-made trigger lists just yet, but we will certainly have a few community-made libraries in a few months so that we can simply copy-paste what we need into our mission. The ability to insert interface items into the game might also mean we'll end up with a graphics front-end to use those scripts: you choose a function and what it applies to, the front-end then assigns the variables you specified to a pre-made script and that's it.

I expect that this will take a leap forward with the release of the SDKs.

In short, just because c# scripting is available doesn't mean it's mandatory to use for everything (for some things yes, eg conditions and environment management in dedicated servers, but certainly not for making a simple mission to enjoy with a couple of friends). I think it's more of a case of "here's a tool you can use for more complex missions if you want to, while we finish working on the SDKs that will help you do it in an easier way", rather than a case of "FMB is unusable for non-programmers". As such i don't consider it a drawback, just an optional bonus feature.