SF2 Missions - Restricting Time of Day

[Mike Dora 171]

I am trying to put together a private WW2 Night Bomber Offensive version of SF2, with Lancasters, Halifaxes, Wellingtons etc, vs the usual suspects: Bf110s, Ju88s, Do217s etc.

Am frustrated just now though by the Time of Day issue. The standard SF2  Mission Creator system offers the normal, full range of SF2 times, from Dawn through to Night.

Is there any way one can limit the range of mission times to just Dusk, Night and Dawn? Seems rather unbalanced to set heavy bombers against heavy fighters in broad daylight. (In the real world, we learned that lesson the hard way at Wilhelmshaven in December 1939..  )

 

Cheers

Mike

[Wrench 9,460]

Maybe try changing this:

Quote

[MissionData]
NationName=RAF
ServiceStartDate=3/1942
ServiceEndDate=12/1946
AircraftRole=BOMBER
AircraftCapability=DAY_AND_NIGHT  <-----
Availability=VERY_COMMON
Exported=FALSE
ExportStartDate=
ExportEndDate=
ExportAvailability=
PrimaryRoles=STRIKE
SecondaryRoles=ANTI_SHIP
NormalMissionRadius=1065
MaxMissionRadius=1425
Ceiling=7465
MinBaseSize=MEDIUM

to "Night_Only". That's what I did with the NF Beaus and Mossies.

worth a try a least

[+Crusader 2,050]

You can manually adjust the time with ALT+T, goes in steps of 15 mins (iirc)
Fight at any time you like

[Gatling20 748]

The SF2 AircraftObject.DLL file has three parameters for aircraft missions: DAY_ONLY, NIGHT_ONLY and DAY_AND_NIGHT.

So changing the Data.INI files of all the aircraft in your WW2 Night Bomber mod to AircraftCapability=NIGHT_ONLY  should work.

 

Not to hijack this thread, but while checking on this I just noticed that the AircraftObject.DLL file has five parameters for aircraft role: HELO, FIGHTER,ATTACK,BOMBER and TRANSPORT

Has anyone ever worked out if the HELO role works in the sim, or is it one of the non-functional things, like the BALLOON_BUSTING mission type?

 

Edited July 17, 2022 by Gatling20

[+Menrva 3,996]

23 minutes ago, Gatling20 said:

Has anyone ever worked out if the HELO role works in the sim, or is it one of the non-functional things, like the BALLOON_BUSTING mission type?

It doesn't work. I had added the HELO role to helicopters when we still had those in the ODS 30AE mod. It doesn't do anything. You can use it but helos will still behave like fixed-wing aircraft. I think TK considered helicopters for SF2NA as AI-only before dropping the idea for good.

BALLOON_BUSTING is one of First Eagles' mission types. Those don't work in SF2, they must have been disabled or cut in the game code.

[Gatling20 748]

Thanks Menrva, that saves me checking. 

[Wilches 1,156]

Guys, I read sometime ago that with SFNA installed the night missions does not work. Is it true?

[+Menrva 3,996]

16 minutes ago, Wilches said:

Guys, I read sometime ago that with SFNA installed the night missions does not work. Is it true?

Not exactly. If the campaign is set to NavalCampaign=TRUE, then you'd get only day missions during the campaign. TK's cheap solution for not bothering about proper illumination for aircraft carrier landings at night.

Edited July 17, 2022 by Menrva

[Mike Dora 171]

Thanks everyone,

It seems that the AircraftCapability parameter controls whether auto-generated ac turn up in non-player flights, depending on time of day.. So if one selects a nighttime mission, DAY_ONLY ac won’t show up and vice-versa.

Not actually what I was trying to do, was hoping that if I selected a NIGHT_ONLY ac in the “Single Mission” screen, then only Night (plus Dusk & Dawn?) times would be available.

No big problem, can just select the dark times manually.

 

Cheers

Mike