Is there a way to hold the AI from taxing until told to do so?
Basically I have an F18 and an F14 starting on a carrier, Im in the 18, can I have the 14 hold until i say taxi so we can take off close to the same time?
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Late activation?
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Are you familiar with flags, trigger rules and all that jazz?
If so, you can try to use the “Group AI Off” at mission start and then use “Group AI On” (either after a defined time or through the F10 radio menu) to bring it back to life.
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I thought about late activation but i would like the 14 on ramp with engines running if possible.
Ill.look into group AI, never really used that one.
The F10 menu is kinda what i was looking for, sort of a radio call to the 14 saying im ready lets go.
I’ve just checked and it doesn’t work with aircraft. My bad.
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Its all good, might need to read up on uncontrolled aircraft.
Oh right, I completely forgot about that. It should do the trick.
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@schurem late activation set to a hot start works. I added a F10 option that I het when im ready to taxi.
Was going to do an uncontrolled aircraft but you cant do a hot start with that.
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I’m assuming you are referring to other AI flights and NOT your AI wingmen, correct? If so, the way I do it is I give all AI Flights on the carrier an “Uncontrolled” condition, so they sit there all fat and empty in their slots. I then create in the “Special Commands” section of their waypoint tabs “Start Commands.” I then create radio commands for my F10 radio menu and link those to the “Start Commands.”
I go through my start up procedure on what-ever aircraft I’m flying and when I’m ready for the show to begin, I then go to my F10 menu, look for F10 Radio command for the specific AI Flight I want to taxi to catapult first and give them the command. The AI Flight begins their start-up process, I sit and watch like I’m a real pilot on the deck waiting his/her turn. Once the first AI Flight is pretty much at their catapults, I’ll then F10 the second AI Flight and so on until I want to taxi to catapult and take-off. Works very well but you must take care of who you start first because some AI Flights may be blocking others from moving etc., so take care where AI Flights are placed and who you move first.
If you need, I can send you missions I’ve made so you can look under the hood and see how I’ve done this. Cheers.
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FWIW, from my [growing] list of DCS scripting “Tips and Stuff” section pertaining to this, with AI group flights…
Late STARTUP (Not LateActivation) for acft groups
If you want the plane to wait on the ramp prior to takeoff, select the group and check the “uncontrolled” box next to late activation. In triggered actions add PERFORM COMMAND → START. The plane will appear unoccupied on the ramp at mission start. When an AI TASK PUSH activates their start command, a pilot will appear inside the jet and it will spool up and perform its assigned tasking.
I have some lua code to do the above too if you need it. I’ve kinda, sorta, timed various types of aircraft (small sample) and they all seem to taxi within, oh, about 2 minutes.
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I do the same as @RedBravo65 with the uncontrolled AI triggered to start via the F10 menu. One thing to watch out for is the spawn/parking order. I like to space each group’s spawn time out 1 second or so (mission spawn, not start command) so they don’t block the Sixpack or otherwise cause taxi shenanigans.
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Thanks guys,
Whats the timing on uncontrolled start up?
Right now i have late activation and i ise the F10 menu to bring them alive. Its instant when im ready. Which is what im looking for.
@NineLine
Is there anyway to get these period correct Barriers into The Mission Editor? They would be fantastic for FAB’s and Forts
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