ACES of the Sky v1.6

[Gunter Severloh 4064]

by

Gunter Severloh & Rydygier

Description

Aces of the Sky is a Modern warfare based mission for pilots. Engage various ground targets, patrolling Apcs, Tanks & Vehicles, or take to the skies
and get into a dogfight with planes spawned from 3 different factions! Use the mission to practice your flying skills against ground targets or targets in the air,
or just have fun destroying targets!

ENGAGE in DOGFIGHTS with the AI!

 

Interested in WW2? See the WW2 version of this mission

https://forums.bohemia.net/forums/topic/238530-knights-of-the-sky-v19/

 

v1.6 - Latest version Demonstration

 

Introduction and review video

Note - The video doesn't represent the latest version of the mission,

the setup has changed, though the vehicles and planes spawning remain the same.

Download

https://steamcommunity.com/workshop/filedetails/?id=2811097956
Features

•    Play Singleplayer (MP Lan) or with 5 other players in coop.
•     Play as Blufor, Opfor, or as an Independent Pilot.
•     Each first role chosen has access to Zeus.
•     Spawn RHS or CUP mod Apc's, Tanks, and Vehicles to engage.
•     Spawn Arma 3, RHS, or CUP planes from 3 factions that will fly and patrol and even dogfight with you!
•     Spawn enemy ground vehicles as many times you want!
•     Spawn enemy fighter planes as many times as you want!
•     Recruit AI crew for your plane or helicopter.
•     Every Patrolling ground target you destroy will delete in 150 seconds.
•     In your action menu you can insert earplugs to lower the sound volume.
•     Adjust view distance settings menu by pressing tab or change the control.
•     Watch your fuel gauge as there is a fuel consumption script.
•     A HUD at the top of the screen will keep track of your plane,vehicle kills and even deaths.
•     Change the weather, time of day, or turn the player statistics on or off in the MP Parameters.
•     While flying instantly Rearm, Repair, and Refuel at 5 different locations, or at the airfield.
•     When you crash or get killed you have the option to respawn mid-flight in your previous plane, or back at the airfield.

Spawn and fly any:

•     RHS Mod Planes
•     CUP Mod Planes.
•     Firewill Mod Planes.
•     Pook's Mod Soviet Planes.
•     CWR3 Mod Planes.
•     Legends of USSR Mod Planes.
•     USAF Mod planes.
•     SOG Prairie Fire DLC Planes or helicopters.

Required Mods?

There are NO required mods to play the mission.
However if you have either RHS, CUP, Firewill, Pooks, CWR3, Legends of USSR,
USAF, or SOG Prairie Fire DLC Planes or helicopters
loaded then you can spawn planes and helicopters to fly from those mods, and spawn patrolling
planes which you can dogfight with!

How do i spawn Enemy Tanks, Vehicles, and Planes

that will drive and fly around?

Ingame you use the support & radio comms numbers on your keyboard, see below:
Press 0-8 Supports

1.     Arma 3 Blufor vehicles
2.     Opfor vehicles
3.     Independent vehicles
4.     Arma 3 Blufor planes
5.     Opfor planes
6.     Independent planes
7.     CUP Blufor planes
8.     Opfor planes
9.     Independent planes

Press 0-0 Radio

1.     Respawn Mode Switch - (respawn in your previous plane mid air, or at the airfield)
2.     CUP Blufor vehicles
3.     Opfor vehicles
4.     Independent vehicles
5.     RHS Blufor vehicles
6.     Opfor vehicles
7.     Independent vehicles
8.     RHS Blufor planes
9.     Opfor planes
10.     Independent planes

NOTE

RHS or CUP will show listed only if their mods are loaded,
if no RHS, or CUP mods are loaded then only Arma 3 Planes and vehicles will
show listed in the comms.

 

How do i respawn in my previous plane/helicopter in mid air
or back at the airfield to pick a new plane or helicopter?

Just press 0-0 radio comm on your keyboard and choose #1 at the top
of the list which is titled Respawn Mode Switch a hint will pop up at the top
right of the screen indicating which mode you chose.

 

Note
If your going to play this mission by yourself, then start a MP lan server (see below).
 
HOW TO PLAY
To play Solo on MP Lan:
1. Go to Multiplayer.  
2. Server browser.  
3. Host Server.   
4. Type in server name, # of players, password.  
5. Choose map on left (Altis) and the mission on right.   
6. Choose player role - remember theres 2 roles per side one has access to Zeus.
7. Adjust the Parameters (top right) in the player lobby before you start the mission.  
================================= 

Recommended mod for changing your plane's Pylons
Planes Loadout Everywhere
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1997001841

Recommended mods for flying
WebKnights Avionics
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2685067743
Reduced Haze Mod v3.1
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1397683809
Credits
- Authors of the Planes mods - RHS, CUP, Firewill, Pook, & CWR3
- Rydygier for VVS code help and writing the RYD_PT patrol Script.
- Tonic for his VVS Script.

- beno_83au for his feedback

- Czarny for his feedback and ideas.
- HBAOplus for his feedback and ideas.
- corporal_lib[br] for his feedback and ideas.

 

Changelog

Spoiler

 

Update: Jul 30

v1.6
- Added mod support for Legends of USSR Planes mod -( you can now spawn and fly these planes).
- Added mod support for USAF planes mod - (you can now spawn and fly these planes).
- Added DLC support for SOG Prairie Fire - (you can now spawn and fly these planes & helicopters).
- Added an option to respawn mid flight in previous chosen plane, or respawn back at the sign at the airfield.
- Added the option to spawn CUP and RHS plane, apcs, tanks, & vehicles as enemies.
- Set the transparency to 0% for the large area map markers - (these are where the enemy ai planes, vehicles spawn).
- Planes to spawn will only show listed on the sign when a mod is loaded for those planes you want to fly.
- Enemy planes, apcs, tanks, & vehicle mods will only show listed under the 0-8 supports & 0-0 radio if mods are loaded.
- Added a HUD for player statistics which will show your plane kills, vehicle kills, and deaths at the top of the screen.
- Updated the briefing, adding a new section of info for spawn functions.

 

Update: Jun 5

v1.5
- Removed the code that would put green dots on the map, every time you
spawned vehicles or planes for any faction.

- adjusted size and moved the taxi trigger.
- misc tweaks

 

Update: May 23

v1.4
- Added support for CWRIII Planes & helicopters, which you can spawn and fly.
- Adjusted the radio comm names so they are better readable.
- Removed the area marker icons as they aren't needed.
- Expanded the patrol markers on Altis.
- Fixed some of the classnames in the patrol script as some of the planes weren't spawning.

 

Update: May 23

v1.3
- Added support for Pook's Soviet Planes, which you can spawn and fly.

- Removed all classnames of helicopters from the air patrols, so now when spawning
planes to dogfight with, only fighter planes will spawn and patrol.

- Updated the briefing.
 

Update: May 21

v1.2
- Repositiponed two of the instant rearm, refuel, repair trigger, making
making them spaced out evenly on the map.

- Changed the color to blue for the rising smoke of the instant rearm, refuel, repair triggers, so now
the smoke should be better seen from the air.

- Changed the spawn aircraft marker to a helipad/triangle.

- Changed the music that plays at the start, now it just plays the intro
of the song and not the whole song.

 

Update: May 17

v1.1
- Disabled simulation on all the VR blocks which are the border markers of the instant
rearm, repair, refuel trigger/zones, the blocks act as a marker of the area so you can see the zone from the air.

- Added more VR blocks to each instant rearm,refuel, repair zones so the "walls" are seen more from the air.

- You can now spawn and fly ALL of Firewill's Planes, provided
you have the plane mods you want to fly loaded when you start the mission.

- Combined all the signs into one, now you can spawn Arma3, RHS, CUP, & Firewill's planes all from one sign.

- Removed all but one spawn plane marker at the start point, also moved it in closer to the signs.

- Extended the Taxi rearm, refuel, repair trigger, making it longer.

- Moved player units in line with the spawn sign, so when you start the
mission the sign is in front of you.

- Expanded the patrol markers for Blufor, OPFOR, and Independent, so now spawned in Apcs, tanks, and vehicles
will travel into further areas of the map.

- Expanded the Area 1 marker which is the patrol marker that the spawned in enemy planes and helicopters
patrol in, so now more of the map will be covered and flown around in by the enemy.

- Added code that will delete the player's body apon respawn.
- Added a song that plays at the start (Iron Eagle - Hide in the Rainbow (singer is DIO).

 

Update: May 15

v1.0
- Release

 

 

 

 

[beno_83au 1369]

Nice Gunter, there needs to be more aircraft missions. Was there any thought towards adding in any of Firewill's planes as well?

 

Also, agreed on the reduced haze mod. It is 100% a must have for these missions! I've also used https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1439605692 for auto pilot in the past, not sure if it's still working though but it was really useful.

[Gunter Severloh 4064]

Thanks! Although this took me about a week to build no thanks to my Knights of the Sky mission which i used as a template

when friday came around and i was hoping to have the mission ready for release and a video ready as that is my deadline day for my channel,

it didn't happen, ran into an issue with code and setup.

Which then i had to ask my good friend @Rydygier to give me a perspective which set me straight, btw the script i use in both this and my Knights of the sky

mission was written by Rydygier which i plan to release separately sometime and the community can check it out 😉

5 hours ago, beno_83au said:

Was there any thought towards adding in any of Firewill's planes as well? 

Ya i was actually looking at some of his planes, thing is and maybe there is or not, i was looking for a "pack" or mod version with all his planes

in it, but after looking at the file size of each plane that probably would be unrealistic.

 

   Regardless i can add any plane to the mission anyone wants, all i need is a classname of the plane and it would take me 5 minutes to add it,

as all im doing is adding the classname to VVS (Virtual Vehicle Spawner ) code i have setup, and to the patrol script and then you can spawn the plane and fly it

and spawn it to patrol that is for the patrol part that would actually be tricky maybe although Rydygier did show me a code i could use as an alternative to spawn planes

instead of a trigger which i think i might mess with.

 

     Dont mind the screenshots so much i posted either, their mainly to just show the simpleness and setup of the starting area

nothing fancy about it, i set it up to do a simple job, so in my mind fun and efficiency dont need to be complex and decorated, the most important

aspect of the whole mission is the fact that you can spawn planes to fly and spawn targets to kill.

   Video imo speaks volumes of the mission thats why i didn't bother with alot of fancy flying screenshots.

 

If there is something i can tweak or adjust, add aside planes, please let me know, maybe the dots showing up on the markers where everything

spawned could be removed? Does that bother you guys or are you ok as its a matter of just a little code in the patrol script.

    Anything else let me know.

Anyone play it yet? besides the 50hrs i put into it this past week 😆

[beno_83au 1369]

3 minutes ago, Gunter Severloh said:

i was looking for a "pack" or mod version with all his planes

 

I don't think he has a "pack" but classnames would be easy enough. Stuck home with covid so I might be able to fetch a few.

[Gunter Severloh 4064]

Cool, i may take a look at some of his planes, there are already a few i like i haven't tried yet, but to save time

i may just create a collection of all the plane mods out there and make it easy for everyone, you know me i hate to search and

chase for everything.

   But ya all i need are some classnames and they can be easily added, any new planes i add aside whats already supported ( RHS and CUP )

i will make a list in the OP, same for on the workshop page this way folks have an idea that if they want to fly

it they can and can just load the respective mod.

 

Port to other maps

Another thought for this mission is, its very easy to port to another map, aside just moving things around, its almost plug and play

so to speak, but if anyone else had other maps they would like to see this mission on, let me know. Cheers!

[beno_83au 1369]

Snakeman has some pretty large, albeit sparse (by necessity obviously), maps - https://www.pmctactical.org/arma3/terrain.php

 

But there's also Deniland - https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1231955722 - 40km x 40km that I've played my own air combat style mission on and it's a really nice effort for a map that large. Definitely a fan of it.

[beno_83au 1369]

Spoiler

BluFor

 

"FIR_AV8B"
"FIR_AV8B_GR9A"

 

"Tornado_AWS_ADV_blu"
"Tornado_AWS_ecr_blu"
"Tornado_AWS_blu"

 

"FIR_A10A"

"FIR_A10C"

 

"FIR_F2A"
"FIR_F2B"

 

"FIR_F14A"
"FIR_F14B"
"FIR_F14D"

 

"FIR_F15A"
"FIR_F15B"
"FIR_F15C"
"FIR_F15D"
"FIR_F15E"
"FIR_F15SE"

 

"FIR_F16C"
"FIR_F16D"

 

"FIR_F18C"
"FIR_F18D"
"FIR_FA18E"
"FIR_FA18F"

 

"FLAN_EA18G"

 

"FIR_F22"

"FIR_F23A"

"FIR_F35B_Standard"

"FIR_MQ81U"

 

OpFor

 

"FIR_Su25SM3"

 

That's most of his work, and I'm not asking you to add them all (there's a lot there) but it's what I've subbed to. There's also tonnes of skinned variants but they all have their own classnames, so the above are "base models" I guess you could say. They also all/mostly require FIR AWS.

 

All of his work can be found on his workshop though - https://steamcommunity.com/id/Firewill/myworkshopfiles/?appid=107410&p=4

[Gunter Severloh 4064]

Great, which ones from each variant should i add?, aside the OPFOR which is only one.

And with these i would only set it up where you can spawn them to fly, fighting against them take a bit more because its not a list where you

can just pick and choose what plane to go against which is possible just that theres another code to do that which i haven't tried yet.

     The normal way is they would be in a group and its random so you dont know who your going against.

 

As for maps i can start with Deniland see how that turns out.

I would also like to port my WW2 version of the mission as they are the same thing, just different context, for the new maps however i probably would leave

out the already stationary ground targets unless you guys like them there.

[beno_83au 1369]

1 hour ago, Gunter Severloh said:

Great, which ones from each variant should i add?

 I guess it comes down to personal preference I suppose. It would probably be enough though for just:

Spoiler

BluFor

 

"FIR_AV8B"

 

"Tornado_AWS_ADV_blu"
"Tornado_AWS_ecr_blu"
"Tornado_AWS_blu"

 

"FIR_A10C"

"FIR_F2B"

"FIR_F14D"

"FIR_F15C"
"FIR_F15E"
"FIR_F15SE"

 

"FIR_F16C"
"FIR_F16D"

"FIR_FA18E"
"FIR_FA18F"

 

"FLAN_EA18G"

 

"FIR_F22"

"FIR_F35B_Standard"

"FIR_MQ81U"

 

OpFor

 

"FIR_Su25SM3"

 

I know that's still quite a few but that's different roles (like the Tornado variants are all different roles) and some are two-seat versions. So I guess it comes down to how much of a pain it is to incorporate them. If I had to narrow it down to my bare minimum preference though, I'd probably say A-10C, F-14D, F-15E, F/A18E. Having worked on my own style of dynamic/procedural aerial mission though I can appreciate the difficulties of making something like this (especially when you don't curb your enthusiasm 😂).

[Gunter Severloh 4064]

Dont really matter tbh, again all im doing is adding the classnames to VVS to be spawned, so after i update the mission

and you go to a new sign, everything for Firewill's planes will be listed in the sign, provided you have those plane mods loaded,

and you can pick and choose which plane you want to fly.

   I'll be back with an update soon, Cheers!

 

[beno_83au 1369]

Mission works well though, been a while since I've actually jumped into Arma and/or flying so was good to get re-acquainted easily.

[Gunter Severloh 4064]

Update

Changelog
v1.1

• Disabled simulation on all the VR blocks which are the border markers of the instant rearm, repair, refuel trigger/zones, the blocks act as a marker of the area so you can see the zones from the air.
• Added more VR blocks to each instant rearm,refuel, repair zones so the "walls" are seen more from the air.
• You can now spawn and fly ALL of Firewill's Planes, provided you have the plane mods you want to fly loaded when you start the mission.
• Combined all the signs into one, now you can spawn Arma3, RHS, CUP & Firewill's planes all from one sign.
• Removed all but one spawn plane marker at the start point, also moved it in closer to the signs.
• Extended the Taxi rearm, refuel, repair trigger, making it longer.
• Moved player units in line with the spawn sign, so when you start the mission the sign is in front of you.
• Expanded the patrol markers for Blufor, OPFOR, and Independent, so now spawned in Apcs, tanks, and vehicles will travel into further areas of the map.
• Expanded the Area 1 marker which is the patrol marker that the spawned in enemy planes and helicopters patrol in, so now more of the map will be covered and flown around in by the enemy.
• Added code that will delete the player's body apon respawn.
• Added a song that plays at the start (Iron Eagle - Hide in the Rainbow (singer is DIO).

==============

As per the notes above, there is one sign, and when you scroll your action menu on the sign, you will get

the options to spawn Arma 3, RHS, CUP, & Firewills planes.

  So i combined all the actions into one list, when you choose any of the lists, they will open on their own lists, not one massive list with arma 3, rhs, cup and firewill, but

each choice on the sign will open up its own list, keeping everything independent, and by itself, just something i tried and worked.

      Also doing this, i removed all the markers except one, the markers that the planes spawn at to fly, so its in front of the sign.

Less walking and running, more choosing and taking off and flying.

 

Warning  do not, i repeat, do not spawn a plane on top of another plane, what im saying is, if you spawn a plane

and then decide you want a different one then either move it, or wait like 5 seconds and then spawn another one. When i tested this

i spawned a plane and then chose another one right away and the plane blew up which killed me, so keep that in mind.

Also play in MP lan or put it on a server but not in SP as its not meant for it.

 

Lastly i have a song that plays as soon as you load in and are staring at the sign in front of you, a song starts

its very fitting considering the type of mission it is, if you dont want to hear the song or have it play when mission starts

just turn your music down to zero in the audio menu of the game as the song only plays once.

 

Any questions or other feedback let me know. Cheers!

[sammael 366]

Is it possible to port this beautiful mission on  this map? 

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1571581816

[Gunter Severloh 4064]

Hi @sammael

Yes i can, im doing Deniland map first as requested by Beno earlier, along with a small update of the mission

in general then i will do that map.

 

Any other maps let me know and from the workshop only please as i want to create a collection of ports.

 

Also aside the mission my WW2 version of this will have an update, i will be setting it up in a similar fashion as

my mission here and be porting that to other maps too.

   Any other things i need to tweak in the mission let me know. Cheers!

[sammael 366]

Also would like to see support of Pook airpack on 122x122klm South Asia Terrain😀

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1595678775

[Gunter Severloh 4064]

Update

v1.2

• Repositiponed two of the instant rearm, refuel, repair trigger, making making them spaced out evenly on the map.
• Changed the color to blue for the rising smoke of the instant rearm, refuel, repair triggers, so now the smoke should be better seen from the air.
• Changed the spawn aircraft marker to a helipad/triangle.
• Changed the music that plays at the start, now it just plays the intro of the song and not the whole song.

Other notes, thanks to Beno for the idea to enable/disable the helis that are among the planes that spawn when you

want to engage in dogfights, this is WIP for now til this can be figured out, currently working with Rydygier on this one

but if i get it figured out then i'll add it in an update.

 

For now i going to focus on a couple of ports to other maps.

12 hours ago, sammael said:

Also would like to see support of Pook airpack on 122x122klm South Asia Terrain😀

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1595678775

I will add the planes to the mission overall, the planes arent actually added to any map, the way it works is if you have that planes mod

loaded when you play then you will have the option to spawn them and fly them, outside that there is no planes, or vehicles placed on the map,

everything is spawned in via classname.

   So all i need to do is just add the classnames of those planes from the Pook mod, i will do that along with another mod i plan to add.

 

Any other maps and or plane mods you guys would like to see?

[Gunter Severloh 4064]

Update - new port

@beno_83au New version port of the mission now on Deniland!

Also created a collection which is linked in the OP in replace of the original mission that was on Altis.

      Here is the collection https://steamcommunity.com/workshop/filedetails/?id=2811097956

 

More ports and updates to come! Cheers!

[Gunter Severloh 4064]

Update - Update & Port

v1.3
- Added support for Pook's Soviet Planes, which you can now spawn and fly.

- Removed all classnames of helicopters from the air patrols, so now when spawning planes to dogfight with, only fighter planes will spawn and patrol.

- Updated the briefing.

- Ported the mission to South Asia.

======

@sammael Pook's Planes supported now and the map was also ported to South Asia. Cheers!

Notes

More ports to be done, just a note huge maps like Deniland, and South Asia are ok but you fly along time before engaging

anything depends, maps about the size of Altis or a tad bigger imo are ideal so just something to keep in mind in terms of ports.

   Next port will be Takistian! Cheers!

[Gunter Severloh 4064]

UPDATE - Update & Port

v1.4

- Added support for CWR3 Planes & helicopters, which you can spawn and fly.
- Adjusted the all the radio comm names so they are better readable.
- Removed the area marker icons as they arent needed.
- Expanded the patrol markers on Altis.
- Fixed some of the classnames in the patrol script as some of the planes weren't spawning planes.

- Port to a new map - Takistan

[Gunter Severloh 4064]

Update - Port

New port to Tanoa map!

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2814188530

See the OP Download link for the other AOS ports!

[Gunter Severloh 4064]

Update - Ports

New ports for the following maps:

 

Stratis

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2815085046

Spoiler

 

Malden

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2815088699

Spoiler

 

[Gunter Severloh 4064]

Update

v1.5

All ports included
====
- Removed the code that would put green dots on the map, every time you
spawned vehicles or planes for any faction.

 

- Adjusted size and moved the taxi trigger.

- Misc tweaks.

[Gunter Severloh 4064]

Update - Port

 

New port to Livonia!

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2820437829

See OP for the other ports!

 

[HBAOplus 14]

Hi, thank you for the effort!

1 Can you please make your 3rd party terrains(eg. takistan) versions Aces of the Sky singleplayer compatible?

2 Can you add USAF mod and Legends of the USSR mod's planes to be usable in  Aces of the Sky?

3 Will ground vehicles from CUP and RHS be Spawnd as live enemies?

[Gunter Severloh 4064]

11 hours ago, HBAOplus said:

1 Can you please make your 3rd party terrains(eg. takistan) versions Aces of the Sky singleplayer compatible?

Already works in singleplayer but not setup for it, although the pilots to choose from will run off, other wise everything works regardless.

Only thing is if you die, you start over back at the airfield, not like it has any tasks anyways.

    The only maps that show in the singleplayer scenarios menu is altis, stratis, malden, and tanoa.

idk why the others dont show up, but ideally to play in singleplayer just run the mission through mp lan, its more

functional that way plus you can change the time of day through the parameters and respawn at the airfield if you get killed or crash.

11 hours ago, HBAOplus said:

2 Can you add USAF mod and Legends of the USSR mod's planes to be usable in  Aces of the Sky?

This mod for the USAF? https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2397371875

3 planes?

Legends of the USSR planes i can add.

12 hours ago, HBAOplus said:

3 Will ground vehicles from CUP and RHS be Spawned as live enemies?

No just vanilla Arma 3 planes and helicopters, if you dont have RHS loaded then Arma 3 planes and helis will spawn.