Mission Editor Tutorial

[Ssnake]

I agree. They are a welcome resource, which is why I also added them as a playlist to the eSim Games YouTube channel.

[Gibsonm]

Good idea, but we need to add "Episode 5" (currently not there).

Thanks for adding it.

Edited October 29, 2011 by Gibsonm
Episode 5 added.

[Toyguy]

Part 8 is now up at http://youtu.be/WLCa0arOitU

[Gibsonm]

Thanks.

Keep it up.

Note to Ssnake or whoever looks after the YouTube site - Another one to add to the playlist.

Edited November 14, 2011 by Gibsonm

[DarkAngel]

Good work again Dave.

A couple of notes for you.

In the circumstances that you are using its perfectly acceptable to use the new random variable. New creates a new number every time a unit reaches the waypoint. As you are using just a single unit and not coordinating a move then this is fine. The new is especially useful if you are routing a number of different units to a waypoint and then want them to branch off in a random direction. The X* are most useful for coordinated random branching. Say for example you had 2 units heading to 2 waypoints, each waypoint has 2 routes from it, a left and a right. Using the X* randoms means you can get both units to make the same move either right or left. If the 2 routes for each waypoint used new then their branching would be random.

In the second conditional route for the single tank the second condition is unnecessary. I think I mentioned in a previous point that if you have a conditional route and a non conditional route heading from a single waypoint. If the conditions on the conditional route are true the unit will take the conditional route regardless of the non conditioned route. Conversely if the conditioned route is false it will take the non conditioned route. By the same token a unit will comply to the lowest true condition. So for the first route you are correct ( This unit is unit 4/6/A AND 0<= X1 <50). For the second route you only need the first logic ( This unit is unit 4/6/A). If the unit reaches the branch and X1 < 50 it will take the first route. If not it will take the second route.

For the retreat if you don't need the (this unit is under direct fire). This behavior is inherent to Defend and guard battle positions. I don't remember the exact conditions for departing these types of battle positions but I'm sure its in the wiki.

[Gibsonm]

Toyguy,

Wondering if you can attach a copy of the scenario (with map embedded) as at Episode 8?

I have some trainees who have just started to watch these and it would be good if I could give them a copy so they could follow along with you.

[Toyguy]

In the circumstances that you are using its perfectly acceptable to use the new random variable. New creates a new number every time a unit reaches the waypoint. As you are using just a single unit and not coordinating a move then this is fine. The new is especially useful if you are routing a number of different units to a waypoint and then want them to branch off in a random direction. The X* are most useful for coordinated random branching. Say for example you had 2 units heading to 2 waypoints, each waypoint has 2 routes from it, a left and a right. Using the X* randoms means you can get both units to make the same move either right or left. If the 2 routes for each waypoint used new then their branching would be random.

In the second conditional route for the single tank the second condition is unnecessary. I think I mentioned in a previous point that if you have a conditional route and a non conditional route heading from a single waypoint. If the conditions on the conditional route are true the unit will take the conditional route regardless of the non conditioned route. Conversely if the conditioned route is false it will take the non conditioned route. By the same token a unit will comply to the lowest true condition. So for the first route you are correct ( This unit is unit 4/6/A AND 0<= X1 <50). For the second route you only need the first logic ( This unit is unit 4/6/A). If the unit reaches the branch and X1 < 50 it will take the first route. If not it will take the second route.

For the retreat if you don't need the (this unit is under direct fire). This behavior is inherent to Defend and guard battle positions. I don't remember the exact conditions for departing these types of battle positions but I'm sure its in the wiki.

Thanks man! I really had no idea that the word NEW actually acted to generate a value. I always took it as a reminder to click there and select a variable. That will be very useful.

And you're right on the conditioned vs non-conditioned route. I did that mainly to keep things clear and simple and provide some reinforcement for multiple conditions. I'll definitely mention this in the next episode though.

Also good call on the Defend and Guard tactics. I knew that but had forgotten about it.

[Toyguy]

Wondering if you can attach a copy of the scenario (with map embedded) as at Episode 8?

I have some trainees who have just started to watch these and it would be good if I could give them a copy so they could follow along with you.

Sure thing! In fact, it's a great idea so I'll try and remember to do so with each new episode announcement.

Dave

ME Tutorial Ep8.zip

[Tacbat]

Nice work Toyguy. This will make a terrific reference for future SB users, especially if ESim runs another scenario contest down the road.

[TankHunter]

Very nice tutorial toyguy. I wish this was around when I started out.

[Toyguy]

Part 9 is up at http://youtu.be/4ZWAOM_7nBo

Just a brief one this time, as the holiday is keeping me busy

ME Tutorial - EP9.zip

[DarkAngel]

Text underneath says part 8

[DarkAngel]

In regards to the briefing. Some handsome genius wrote a Briefing creation wizard, this is available on a case by case basis :sonic:.

[Gibsonm]

Cheers,

Looking forward to it.

I’ve harvesting these from YouTube so I don’t have to stream them every time.

[Toyguy]

Text underneath says part 8

Fixed!

[Ssnake]

I guess it's time to open the debate again...

"This is a classic meeting engagement. Secure the objective and eliminate the enemy."

Isn't that rather conflicting?

In a meeting engagement you're not supposed to seek a decision or to secure a certain objective, but to delay the commitment of forces until your next higher commander makes a decision how to deal with the situation. On the other hand, if you are to secure an area and to drive the enemy from it, it sounds more like a "capture" and "search & destroy" kind of mission.

Just sayin...

I'm harpring that point not to show how incredibly well I paid attention at officers' school, but because the mission objectives to a large degree will drive many design decisions for a scenario. Many scenarios that I played suffer from the problem that the scenario author himself apparently wasn't quite clear what kind of a mission he actually wanted to make. And I realize that sometimes these things aren't decided in advance, but emerge in the process of making a scenario. But in such a case I recommend - as an exercise of the mind - to re-evaluate all elements in a scenario, once that the decision was made about the kind of mission and objectives, to see if they all support the purpose of the exercise.

Finally, it's okay to have a misleading mission briefing if you want to set up a scenario with a wrong or incomplete intelligence picture.

I also noticed that you are using a railroad bridge as a possible alternate crossing. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with it (in 2.6 however there will be dedicated railroad bridges). It's just that railroad tracks are NOT roads, so you neither get a speed bonus nor will computer-controlled forces follow the tracks automatically as they do with roads. It's just something to keep in mind.

[Toyguy]

I see your point Ssnake. I thought of it as a meeting engagement simply because both forces are on the move to the objective, with neither necessarily knowing that the other is coming along as well. It does have elements of those other mission types, so perhaps we'll need to update the briefing and summary. It is probably a good opportunity to demonstrate that you can edit the text anyway.

As for the railroad bridges, they are available to provide an alternative for Blue to get across the river, as a last resort, if he chooses, as well as provide some alternate routes for infantry to cross, etc. It will be up to Blue, as it always is, to make sure his units get safely across the bridge. I don't trust the AI to safely cross any type of bridge. Speed advantage really doesn't matter much over such a short distance. Now if Blue routes his tanks down the tracks from the deployment zone, well, he just had a teachable moment

Your suggestion about re-evaluating the design against the mission type is an excellent one, and I may try to incorporate that into the tutorial.

Thanks as always for all the suggestions and insights.

[kylania]

Just discovered this series and am very happy with it. I've learned a ton from it so far, thanks! Looking forward to part 10.

Ah ha! Ask and you shall receive, part 10:

PbE0v4npSxE

Edited December 20, 2011 by kylania

[Toyguy]

Yes, Episode 10 is now live at

This is another simplified one due to the holiday crunch, taking the chance to fix a few errors in the existing design and cover a couple of the new 2.640 features.

The series will be picking up in earnest after the New Year.

Happy Holidays!

Dave

[DarkAngel]

FYI in the free camera mode you can also use n and shift-n to zoom in and out.

[Ssnake]

03:45 - would have been sufficient to delete the waypoint. Any route leading to the waypoint will get deleted with it.

[Ssnake]

04:55

"Cone of observation" actually is more like "focus of attention". Units will observe 360° all the time, but about 25% of all observation time is spent within those arcs. The black bubble is but a reference point to assume a hull-down or turret-down position in the absence of known enemy to which a line of sight has been established.

"Hull-down" or "turret down" defilade only works in relation to someone's location, or some place. As soon as enemy is spotted, their location becomes the new reference for position adjustments.

[Toyguy]

Thanks for the feedback DA and Ssnake. Good information there which I'll make sure to pass on.

[DrDevice]

Continued great work, Toyguy! It's an inspiration to get FRAPS and experiment. Thanks for the hard work.

[TankHunter]

As always great work TG