_index.md

Introduction

The VEAF Mission Creation Tools contains tools and scripts designed to make it easy to create, share and maintain dynamic missions.

It is composed of:

• the VEAF scripts (modules)
• the community scripts, sometimes edited by VEAF
• a mission creation, edition and publication workflow
• tools to support this workflow
• this documentation

Roles

When you have an interest in the VEAF Mission Creation Tools, you may be a mission programmer or a mission maker.

Mission makers want to use the tools to create, share and maintain a mission.

Mission programmers help us maintain and enhance the tools by adding features, correcting bugs, configuring new data.

How to use the tools as a mission maker

Please have a look at the Misson Maker documentation.

For those looking for a quick start, read the demo mission page to learn how you can fork the demo repository and create your own mission.

How to participate to the development of the tools

The Misson Programmer documentation details all you need to know about that.

You can contact us, we'll guide you into our community.

Workflow

All missions that use the VEAF Mission Creation Tools share some base concepts:

• they integrate (some of) the VEAF and community scripts in a load trigger
• they initialize and configure these scripts in another trigger
• they share a few conventions when naming units and groups

This is easier if the mission folder is organized like that:

• src - all the mission source files
• src/mission - the mission definition (the lua files created by the DCS mission editor and originally compressed into a zipped .miz file)
• src/scripts - (optional) the custom scripts used to configure the VEAF modules specifically for this mission
• src/radioSettings.lua - (optional) the radio frequencies that will be injected
• build.cmd - the build script is responsible for creating the .miz file that will contain all the lua definitions, the scripts, the configuration files, etc.
• extract.cmd - this script will extract the lua definition files from a .miz file freshly edited with the DCS mission editor
• package.json - this allows the build and extract scripts to download the latest version of the VEAF Mission Creation Tools

The easiest way to create such a folder is to fork the demo mission provided by us (please read the demo mission page).

When working on the mission, always follow this workflow:

First, create a mission in the DCS mission editor, and save it in the main folder of your mission (alongside the build and extract scripts)

1. run the extract script to put all the lua definition files in the src folder
2. edit the configuration scripts, the radio presets configuration, update the VEAF Mission Creation Tools, etc.
3. run the build script to assemble all the scripts, the configuration files, and the mission into a .miz file; it'll be generated in the build folder
4. edit the .miz file with the DCS mission editor
5. -> back to step 1; rinse and repeat.

Questions, feature requests, bug reports

There are several ways of getting in touch with the VEAF:

• we have a very nice forum; you can post in the open International Room
• you can create issues and pull requests on the GitHub repository
• our Discord server can be used to chat (both text and voice) with the VEAF members and developpers; we're nice people and some of us even speak english ^^
• you can send emails to the VEAF; they won't be read everyday, so please try and use one of the other communication mediums.

Hall of fame

• David "Zip" Pierron, VEAF
• "Mitch", VEAF