Campaign Play: Upping the Ante

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Daiwilletti

Charter Member
In the Knowledgebase Sticky I talk about mods to the uisel.xml file which can improve AI pilot performance (Thread Nos 20, 45).

After lots of experimenting, I've finally written a script using Auto Hot Key that enables the _mission.xml to be modified while you are sitting on the runway, waiting to take off on your campaign mission. When you select a mission to fly in a campaign, and you confirm your loadouts and proceed to the runway to take off on the campaign mission, a new _mission.xml file is written in you AppData pathway for your install, under the Missions folder. What is frustrating is that the pilots who fly in your wing, and the escort flight, all have a skill="1" setting.

Hence the new hotkey. Once the hotkey is running, I can switch the skill levels in the _mission.xml file to 3, with a couple of key strokes. Then I can switch windows and resume takeoff, with more skillful wingmen. Is there any interest in this? Users need to install AutoHotkey unicode version to use the hotkey script.
 
This is very interesting! I wonder what else can be changed? Does this work in regular missions, or just campaign? Can you make changes after takeoff?

Also, are you aware that when you download AHK you can install a compiler that appears in the right click menu when you right click on the script? You can compile your script into an exe that will work even on computers that do not have AHK installed?
 
Yes. If you've tried the Fw 190 animations module, this is how it was created. The Spitfire we're working on uses it as well.
 
gecko said:
This is very interesting! I wonder what else can be changed? Does this work in regular missions, or just campaign? Can you make changes after takeoff?

Also, are you aware that when you download AHK you can install a compiler that appears in the right click menu when you right click on the script? You can compile your script into an exe that will work even on computers that do not have AHK installed?
Click to expand...

Hi Daniel, in terms of regular missions, if the regular missions are written to the _mission.xml file, then yes, skill levels can be changed. Doing the changes after takeoff - yes, I presume so. I just have focussed on campaign play and takeoff because it is more "contained", but perhaps more imaginative uses can be made of the ability to edit the _mission.xml file. However my script is pretty dumb and so far will change ALL instances of Skill="1", to Skill="3". This would radically change some regular missions where the author has put a fair bit of thought into what skill levels apply where.

As for the compiler - I have thought about using the compiler, but a key part of the script is the pathway to the _mission.xml file. Trouble is, this varies from install to install and I thought for uploading, people will need to edit their AppData pathway (and it will also vary from Windows XP, Win 7, and Win 10).

So far I have a hotkey file (*.ahk) for the stock install, so that would work for a lot of people. But after that, the variations in the name of the install, start to grow.

So, thinking about the compiler, I could provide an exe which works for a stock install in Windows 10. I guess quite a few people would have one.
 
Uploaded: Campaign Mission Skill Promoter for Stock CFS3

When the admins have seen and approved, the small package is uploaded under CFS3 other - utilities. If you want to run it in something other than Windows 10, you will have to make extra changes to the Application Data pathway than found in the Readme which is set up for Win 10.

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?catid=159

This little hotkey requires Autohotkey to be installed (the link is provided in the Readme).

When you run the hotkey and follow the instructions, you will have promoted the skill for your wingmen and Escort AI Pilots, when you start a campaign mission, from skill="1" to skill="3".

Have fun!

NB: once you have edited the Skill Promoter.ahk to work for your AppData pathway, you can try what Gecko says and run the compiler which comes with the Auto Hotkey software, and make the .ahk file an exe which protects it from accidental modification.
 
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