Guidelines for starting missions in a Hangar

+comrpnt

Posted September 3, 2008

Guidelines for starting a mission in a Hangar

This guide was originally posted in one of the forums, but the details here might prove to be more useful if they were easier to find, so I've elevated it to an entry in the knowledge base.

I thought that I'd just pass on some info on how you start a mission from a hangar (the details here can equally be applied to ramp starts too). The following details can be ported between SFG/SFP1, WOV and WOE.

Hangar Starts

First, you need a hangar. For this example let's use the Stock GroundObject 'ShelterA'. One caveat though, you need to be aware of a mesh collision bug that exists with ShelterA which prevents your aircraft from starting deep inside the hangar (as detailed in a previous post, here: http://bbs.thirdwire.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=2785. BTW, YAP solves this problem by shipping an alternative ShelterA which allows your aircraft to move safely inside.

The rest of this guide assumes that you're using the stock TW ShelterA. It's a fairly long guide but the results are worth the effort.

As an example, for WOV, Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) sheds - a RAF term - can be placed at the Southern end of the runway at Da Nang by inserting the following lines in the 'Da Nang Air Base' entry of the WOV/Terrain/VietnamSEA/VietnamSEA_targets.ini file (reset the index numbers accordingly -- the next available number in my install was 096):

//
//Da Nang Air Base QRA support buildings and vehicles
//
//  QRA crew quarters
Target[096].Type=building2
Target[096].Offset=127,-1276
Target[096].Heading=270
//   Q-shed for A/C-1
Target[097].Type=ShelterA
Target[097].Offset=99,-1276
Target[097].Heading=180
//  Q-shed for A/C-2
Target[098].Type=ShelterA
Target[098].Offset=154,-1276
Target[098].Heading=180
// A/C 1 generator
Target[099].Type=powercart
Target[099].Offset=89,-1283
Target[099].Heading=185
// A/C 2 generator
Target[100].Type=powercart
Target[100].Offset=144,-1283
Target[100].Heading=190
// A/C 1-1
Target[101].Type=bombtrailer
Target[101].Offset=109,-1286
Target[101].Heading=190
// A/C 1-2
Target[102].Type=bombtrailer
Target[102].Offset=109,-1280
Target[102].Heading=195
// A/C 1-3
Target[103].Type=bombtrailer
Target[103].Offset=109,-1275
Target[103].Heading=185
// A/C 2-1
Target[104].Type=bombtrailer
Target[104].Offset=164,-1286
Target[104].Heading=185
// A/C 2-2
Target[105].Type=bombtrailer
Target[105].Offset=164,-1280
Target[105].Heading=190
// A/C 1
Target[106].Type=oildrum6
Target[106].Offset=109,-1270
Target[106].Heading=180
// A/C 2
Target[107].Type=oildrum9
Target[107].Offset=163,-1271
Target[107].Heading=180
// A/C 1
Target[108].Type=fueltank3
Target[108].Offset=99,-1255
Target[108].Heading=90
// A/C 2
Target[109].Type=fueltank3
Target[109].Offset=154,-1255
Target[109].Heading=90
//
//South buildings and vehicles
//   Crew quarters
Target[110].Type=building2
Target[110].Offset=154,1275
Target[110].Heading=270
// Generator
Target[111].Type=powercart
Target[111].Offset=110,1280
Target[111].Heading=355
// Bomb trailer
Target[112].Type=bombtrailer
Target[112].Offset=112,1270
Target[112].Heading=345
// Fuel tank behind hard stand
Target[113].Type=fueltank3
Target[113].Offset=100,1250
Target[113].Heading=270

To light up the QRA complex add the following to the /Terrain/VietnamSEA/vietnamSEA_airfield1.ini file (re-index accordingly):

// QRA anti-collision lights
[LightSet0xx]
LightOn=1.25
Color=1.0,0.0,0.0
Material=LightMaterial
Height=13.0000
Size=00.2000
Directional=FALSE
Direction=360
Prefix=ESPoint
ESPoint001=99,-1262
ESPoint002=99,-1290
ESPoint003=154,-1262
ESPoint004=154,-1290

// QRA Hangar interior lights x3
[LightSet0xx]
LightOn=1.25
Color=0.88,0.88,0.88
Material=LightMaterial
Height=9.5000
Size=00.5000
Directional=FALSE
Direction=360
Prefix=ESPoint
ESPoint001=99,-1264	 //Front
ESPoint002=99,-1276	 //Middle
ESPoint003=99,-1288	 //Back
ESPoint004=154,-1264   //Front
ESPoint005=154,-1276   //Middle
ESPoint006=154,-1288   //Back

This will result in the following additions to the Da Nang airfield...(minus the QRA aircraft for now)...

Now that the QRA complex is complete, we need to write a mission to place our aircraft just inside the hangar. Alas, just inside is the best you'll get with the stock ShelterA due to the aforementioned Collision Bug (see above link). Below is a simple mission that does just that, using F-4Es (a flyable one and a static*)

*Details on creating static aircraft for SFG/SFP1, WOV and WOE can be found in the following uploads:

SFG/SFP1: http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?autoc...p;showfile=4313

WOV: http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?autoc...p;showfile=4314

WOE: http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?autoc...p;showfile=4315

Save the following as a .msn file in your WOV/Missions folder and load it into WOV:

// Sample mission starting from QRA/Alert sheds at Southern end of Da Nang airfield.
//
// Taxi out, launch and head North-East towards following patrol area waypoints.
//
// Waypoints are set for intercept point and then return to Da Nang.
//
// Good luck! (comrpnt)

[MissionHeader]
AircraftType=F-4E
MissionMap=VietnamSEA
MissionType=INTERCEPT
StartDate=10/20/1969
StartTime=08:30

[Weather]
WeatherType=RANDOM
WeatherAlt=1100
WeatherThickness=1000.0
HasHighLayer=FALSE
HighLayerAlt=12000
FogAmount=0.6
ContrailAlt=12000
StartWindDirection=090
StartWindSpeed=3
WindGustingAmount=6

[MissionData]
FriendlyAirActivity=1
EnemyAirActivity=1
EnemyAirDefenseActivity=2
FriendlyAirDefenseActivity=0
PlayerMissionID=1
PlayerPositionID=1
MissionNumber=1
AdjustStartPosition=FALSE
AdjustBaseWaypoint=FALSE

//********************************************************************
//Players QRA Aircraft (Shed 2 - furthest from runway)
[AircraftMission001]
AircraftType=F-4E
Name=Tiger
FormationType=Single
Texture=USAFtng1
Squadron=555TFS
AircraftNumber=1
Size=1
ObjectiveID=1
RatingForSuccess=50
StartOnGround=TRUE
//							Note: nose of aircraft MUST be slightly out of shed
//							to avoid collision mesh bug with ShelterA ground object
Position=636154,490700,0
StartTime=0
Heading=180
Speed=0
Alignment=FRIENDLY
AmmoPercent=100
FuelPercent=100
Loadout=AirToAirLongRange
TracerMixRatio=50
PilotTrainingStandard=EXCELLENT
TargetArea=
Nation=USAF
//							Take off (mandatory WP)
Waypoint[01].Command=TAKEOFF
Waypoint[01].Position=636000,492000,0
Waypoint[01].Size=50
Waypoint[01].Speed=90
//							Depart airfield airspace (mandatory WP)
Waypoint[02].Command=DEPARTURE
Waypoint[02].Position=636000,502000,800
Waypoint[02].Size=50
Waypoint[02].Speed=180
//							Intercept point
Waypoint[03].Command=WAYPOINT
Waypoint[03].Position=720000,632000,7620
Waypoint[03].Speed=220
Waypoint[03].Size=50
//
Waypoint[04].Command=WAYPOINT
Waypoint[04].Position=636000,570000,4000
Waypoint[04].Speed=220
Waypoint[04].Size=50
//							Da Nang approach (from the North)
Waypoint[05].Command=WAYPOINT
Waypoint[05].Position=636000,530000,2000
Waypoint[05].Speed=180
Waypoint[05].Size=50
//
Waypoint[06].Command=APPROACH
Waypoint[06].Position=636000,520000,1200
Waypoint[06].Speed=180
Waypoint[06].Size=50
//							If you made it this far, then you win!
Waypoint[07].Command=LAND_LINEUP
Waypoint[07].Position=636000,510000,800
Waypoint[07].Speed=150
Waypoint[07].Size=50
Waypoint[07].Objective=TRUE
//
Waypoint[08].Command=LAND_TOUCHDOWN
Waypoint[08].Position=636000,492900,0
Waypoint[08].Speed=10
Waypoint[08].Size=1

// Static F4-E (canopy open) in QRA/Alert Shed 1 (nearest runway)
[AircraftMission002]
AircraftType=F-4E_StaticC
Name=Static F4-E on Alert @Da Nang
FormationType=Single
Texture=USAFtng1
Squadron=555TFS
AircraftNumber=2
Size=1
ObjectiveID=
RatingForSuccess=50
StartOnGround=TRUE
//									  Note: static aircraft is safe deep within the hangar 
//									  as it has no active collision mesh
Position=636099,490724,0
StartTime=0
Heading=180
Speed=0
Alignment=FRIENDLY
AmmoPercent=100
FuelPercent=0
Loadout=AirToAirLongRange
PilotTrainingStandard=EXCELLENT
Nation=USAF

The result looks something like this, as soon as the above mission opens...