AIRBOSS is now an "application"

[Ettico]

After several initial failures followed by months of neglect, I finally got around to figuring out how to compile a QBasic program.

Don't even ask why it took so long. The bottom line is, I can now convert QBasic programs into click-and-run applications. So now AIRBOSS is no longer a QBasic program that has to be run from the QBasic editor. It's now one click, one run. I have a shortcut on my desktop. I click the shortcut. It runs.

I've also been modifying the AIRBOSS program. Now, in addition to what I had the program doing before, the new "application" also has the capability to use multiple "squadrons" files which allows things to happen that I don't really want to try to explain right now. Suffice it to say that many more squadrons can now be in a DCG campaign without overloading the missions. Also, opposing carrier forces will no longer automatically find and launch strikes at each other at the same time. Which means I can now do a DCG Midway campaign.

Another modification allows AIRBOSS to track damage done to airfield infrastructure and grounded aircraft, and reduce the airfields' launch capability accordingly. IOW, airfields can be suppressed by attacking them, but can recover if not attacked for a while.

Also, a DCG bug which caused DCG to send strikes against destroyed task forces has been dealt with. And, unlike the previous version which did this trick, this version will work with Vista.

My current plan is to put together a package which will include the new AIRBOSS application, an enhanced Coral Sea campaign, a Midway campaign, an enhanced version of my previously uploaded "Enterprise vs Japan" campaign, and a Bougainville campaign featuring the Black Sheep squadron. I also plan to include some modified stock carriers with new paint jobs and the indispensible Pen32win DP files. I have all the campaigns done except the Midway campaign.

I'm still considering building a monster DCG campaign, using a special version of AIRBOSS which can swap out campaign files, causing the monster campaign to progress through up to 3 successive phases. Later.

Not saying when all this is going to happen. Just saying. Plan A shouldn't take too long. I already have most of the parts. It's just a matter of putting it all together into a package.

[JapLance]

I'm eagerly awaiting that, Ettico.

I could never run your Qbasic AIRBOSS version (maybe you remember the thread with the problems I had then), but was salivating with the changes you said it was doing to DCG missions. Hopefully I could use this "21st Century Reloaded" version of AIRBOSS :jump:.

That one's for you :guinness: :applause:

[Ettico]

I'm eagerly awaiting that, Ettico.

I could never run your Qbasic AIRBOSS version (maybe you remember the thread with the problems I had then), but was salivating with the changes you said it was doing to DCG missions. Hopefully I could use this "21st Century Reloaded" version of AIRBOSS :jump:.

That one's for you :guinness: :applause:


I don't see any reason why you can't run this one. I run it with no problem.

If I recall correctly, the version you tried to use was the version that did a directory change in order to get from the "mission" file to the campaign files. The new version does not attempt any directory changes, which means there are no DOS calls or attempts to read the long Windows directory names. There is no longer any need to type in the campaign folder name. The application modules are already residing where they need to be, and their appropriately-named shortcuts are on the desktop.

There is an "AIRBOSS" application residing in the "campaigns" folder which modifies the DCG "mission" file which DCG puts there when you generate a mission. There is another application residing in the campaign folder which works on some of the campaign files. Both applications can be run by simply clicking on shortcut icons on your desktop.

You click on a shortcut which has the same name as the campaign you're running. The housekeeping application appears on screen for a moment and then disappears. Then you use DCG to generate a mission. Then you click on the AIRBOSS shortcut, and the AIRBOSS application runs and does it's thing to the generated mission.

There is a bit of player interaction with the AIRBOSS application when you tell AIRBOSS how you want it to handle escorts, and if you want to change the player squadron loadouts. Other than that, it's basically click and run.

The housekeeping application is optional for "normal" campaigns. IOW, it doesn't have to be run or even exist in a campaign which doesn't have multiple "squadrons" files. But it is useful if there is a need in the campaign to suppress airfields.

All the above aside, anyone who wants to run DCG campaigns needs AIRBOSS. Un-airbossed DCG campaigns are plagued with air-to-air collisions. AIRBOSS reduces these to a minimum by simply spreading the formations so the AI has some elbow room.

Anyone who wants to run DCG campaigns involving ships, also needs Pen32win's ship DP's, which provide more realistic AA fire and ship damage, and also tells the AI bombers which ships to attack first.

[Ghostrider]

Sounds awesome, Ettico! I will look forward to seeing the finished product! My CFS2 install(s) are getting to the point that they are saturated with every conceivable aircraft. skin, airfield, scenery, on and on, that I am remotely interested in. More and more, I'm getting out of the 'tinkering' mode, into the "I just want to fly" mode. Bring on the missions, campaigns, and this would be a fantastic addition to CFS2. Re-enacting carrier battles, and land-based campaigns with different results and different missions every time would be great! It will give me something to do with all of the add-ons we have now, other than just a quick free flight - "Yep, that works" and then done. Thanks!

[Ettico]

Thanks, ghostrider.

I should add that the latest version of DCG works much better than previous versions, even without the help of AIRBOSS. I did find that the latest version produces an occasional syntax error, most of which I was able to program AIRBOSS to look for and fix. I think there is still a possibility for a syntax error in the "squadrons" file, which I think happens sometimes when DCG transferrs squadrons to different airfields. I haven't gotten around to trying to fix that one, because I haven't seen an occurrence of it recently, and I don't recall exactly what it looks like.

There is still the occasional glitch. Sometimes, when I switch to a different campaign, DCG somehow gets the idea that my carrier has been sunk, or my airfield has been overrun, and goes into panic mode. When this happens, I just switch to another campaign, generate a mission in that campaign, and then switch back to the campaign I want to run, and the problem disappears.

With AIRBOSS fixing most of the minor syntax errors, I find that DCG operates much more smoothly.

Still, I think DCG is a rather awesome piece of work, when you think about all the myriad complex tasks it performs, usually without a hitch. It can read a set of campaign files and then produce, in a couple of seconds, a mission of a complexity which would take an expert mission builder all day to produce, with every element of the mission in conformity with the current state of the campaign. There is the occasional "corrupt mission file" error, but most missions run smoothly, as intended. But DCG doesn't stop there. It also applies the results of the mission you just flew to the campaign files, so that each mission alters the campaign to some extent. The ace you shot down in the last mission, or the ship that was sunk, won't be back.

That's why I decided to try to get DCG working as perfectly as possible. Once you get it going, it produces an endless stream of contextual, variable missions.

However, if I had known what I was getting into when I made that foolishly optimistic decision, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I'm glad we're having it, but we wouldn't be having it, if only I had known...

[Ettico]

All the icons are click-and-run applications.

If I want to fly a mission in the Bougainville campaign, for example, I do the following:


1. select the campaign and a pilot through DCG

2. select the same pilot and campaign through CFS2

3. minimize CFS2

4. double click on the "Bougainville" icon to run the housekeeping application.

5. double click on the DCG icon to start DCG and generate a mission. DCG can then be left open or can be closed.

6. double click on the "AIRBOSS Pacific" icon to run AIRBOSS.

7. Maximize CFS2 and fly the mission.

Repeat steps 3 through 7 to fly another mission.