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[UberDemon]

[NOTE:  All updates will be given in further replies to this Post... for latest, scroll down or go to the next pages.]

Latest Update:  https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,65131.0.html


UQMG Upgrade for BAT WAW 4.0.0 Red Core Released.
Get it here:  https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,65131.0.html

ANNOUNCEMENT:  UberQuick Mission Generator (UQMG) for BAT Project on Development (with Progress!)

Greetings,

I have alluded to this in a few posts, with some background in the link below:
https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,64113.msg705699.html#msg705699

Bottom line:  This is an enormous effort, and I am working with 3 separate versions of Visual Basic, plus VB Scripts and good old fashion Batch (".bat") scripting, in addition to Text editing and a lot of Spreadsheet work (not to mention lots of Java Hashing, resolving, decompiling and compiling):

• Visual Basic 6.0:  The Classic UQMG needs some updates to make this all work.  I started this process last night.  It is ancient code from the early 2000s that I am revisiting.
  
• Visual Basic 2010 Express:  This has the code from my abandoned UQMG2013 project, but that I am using most of its code ported into a newer version to automate script creation.
  
• Visual Basic 2019:  This is the core of the work in a new application called UQMG Converter Tool (UCT), which takes information from a variety of sources, including BAT, and converts them to UQMG classic script/initialization format.  The work is brutal.
  
• BAT Scripting:  Uses automated scripts to copy, decompile, parse, modify BAT files in order to be imported by UCT
  
• Storebror's Load Out Lister Tool:  Without this, it would not even be a possibility for me to do this project
  

PROGRESS as of 7 June 2020
=================================

• First successful import of converted files into UQMG Classic (with some modifications in VB 6), but there are bugs I discovered in UCT, I'll have to fix
  
• UQMG Classic now has better Dropdown view in the Flight editor
  
• UCT Progress, very stable, but I found I need to change the syntax of some scripts slightly, other than that, the following files are done, which enabled first test in UQMG:
  
• BAT WAW 383 Aircraft files & Weapons
  
• BAT WAW 383 Dogfight Arena files, as well as Skin Locations
  
• BAT WAW 383 Composite Aircraft files and Weapons (stuff like composite historical ace flights, tugs in tow, towing tugs, drones, motherships with drones, mistel, and for JTW, refuelers and refueling).  This includes new tugs and target banners and messages as well as new gliders like Horsa and Hamilcat
  
• BAT WAW 383 Regiments
  
• BAT WAW 383 Countries
  
• New Aircraft Scroll system based on BAT WAW 383 grouping, and adapted composite flights
  

Let's look at some pictures:


UCT2020, this is where the sausage gets made.  It is not sexy, but the coding is top-notch (yeah right).  Some routines even with the best optimization take multiple minutes to run, with composite aircraft, it is over 1500 total types of aircraft.  Lots of new regiments due to countries etc.


In UQMG Classic, notice the new countries, and wider view in Dropdown.


In UQMG Classic, notice the new Scroll options so you do not have to scroll through 1500+ planes to get what you need.  Notice the composite types in WAW.


In UQMG Classic, notice wider dropdown (it is cut down because how screenshots are processed using Alt+PrintScreen).  For the composite flights you get to select the load for both types of planes.


In UQMG Classic, notice wider dropdown for aircraft, in this case, I scrolled to the Alternate history and quickly got to the Jetman, and selected his Nuke Device.


In UQMG Classic, notice the new countries also have their new Regiments (that is a lot of work, even with automation).


Back in the main UQMG Classic interface, look how quickly you can generate a mission with 36 aircraft of the same type (This of course use the UQMG Cloning feature).  This is the very first mission I generated today, and the first successful test.  Just using an existing map, it is a ground attack mission.  Click Create mission, and VIOLA!  (ha ha...)


In IL-2 1946 WAW BAT, apparently the mission is ready to go.


OK, good, the mission loads in the Briefing screen.


Arming screen shows one of 36 Dragonflies... hopefully it loads.


And it does... there you go, a few clicks you have a massive 36 fighter formation.

Let's see some more screens:




















Project Goals:

• Support for BAT DOF, TGA, WAW, and JTW aircraft (in separate modules)
  
• Quick update as new versions of BAT comes out (in... two weeks!!) due to UQMG converter tool
  
• Future support:  Ground objects
  
• Unknown:  New maps (this will take a lot of work, and I'll tackle it after the main mission components are done), Database overhaul (maybe impossible for a one man show, I'll have something that will semi-work if I can)
  
• Potential:  This may lead to a new UQMG, but I am not ready to revive the abandoned UQMG 2013 yet
  
• Other potential goals, conversion tool to convert old UQMG mission files to be compatible with BAT
  
• Additional Support:  Potentially looking at vanilla SAS Modact, 14.3 and 14.4, but those are secondary
  

This is not ready for prime time yet, today I played (and died...) in the first mission I successfully created for BAT WAW 383.  There is a lot of work to be done, but I am taking it into small chunks to not get overwhelmed... It took a lot of will power to get this going.

Why use it?

• Massive scenarios created in a few seconds
  
• Cloning algorithm allows for massive flights
  
• Way too many features to explain
  
• 3-Mission system:  When you create a mission you generate a Single mission, a Coop mission, and a DF arena based on mission parameters automatically, ready to play in IL-2, no mission management mess to deal with
  
• It's old but still alright...
  
• Mission Briefer with time saving features which are better than FMB's.
  
• Mission Manager with features not available in FMB, for example, you can fly any mission in IL-2 from the perspective of the enemy, with automatic adjustment of mission objectives/targets.  This is called UQMM and it is embedded in UQMG.
  
• Easy, no fuss integration of composite flights, even with massive cloning.  Have you ever wanted to go after 20 He-111Zs which are all towing Me-321 Gigants?  You can in a few clicks.  Or what if you wanted to have 10 He-111s launching flyable Fi-103R-IVs?... and you are flying in one of the V-1s...  yes you can!  Si se puede!
  

Anyway, updates in IL-2 time:  2 weeks.

[rickster]

As I enjoyed the original UQMG,I'm very much looking forward to this.

[greybeard307]

Thanks for the update. I remember the cloning features and the ease with which you could populate the airfields on a map with the original UQMG. This made the game so much more immersive. We appreciate the effort you are making on our behalf.

[raf1659]

THANKS! 

[GEORGES44]

Christmas is coming early!
I spent so much time flying UQMG missions (and still flying some I have adapted for BAT) that I am really looking forward to a BAT-friendly version.

Huge thanks and be sure your efforts are truly appreciated by all the UQMG fan base!

[Vortex]

Wow this dedication and creativitiy is filling my heart with hope. All the best for this! Im an old time user of UQMB, it had brought me a lot of fun. So thanks for that too!

[Vampire_pilot]

excellent!

If you ever need any special info or special access to something in BAT, just drop me a note!

[PO_MAK_249RIP]

Wow! Have always looked froward to this great news!! Will you make it open architecture to allow new maps/planes etc to be added?

[UberDemon]

excellent!

If you ever need any special info or special access to something in BAT, just drop me a note!

Thank you vampire.  The SAS admin team and community have always been very supportive.

[UberDemon]

Wow! Have always looked froward to this great news!! Will you make it open architecture to allow new maps/planes etc to be added?

It is pretty open architecture already, but it is very complicated and labor intensive.  It would take me just as long to explain as to develop, so I choose to develop, at least for now.  However I am thinking if I can create an automated way to create at least a 75% solution for maps, then I would make the tool available so people could do their own.

Adding planes is a much more complicated thing because you are touching several parts of the code... I blame myself for making it so difficult, even to me.  I mean, I am trying to figure out what I was thinking years ago!!!

With that in mind... I am thinking of ways to improve things.  Maybe I can create a separate structure for custom mods.  The baseline will be BAT, I have to pick something, but maybe I can have a parallel structure that allows people to add, say, a new plane, like the Fw-187, or perhaps you want to add an Alpha or Beta mod that is WIP or perhaps the driveable tanks...  I need to think about this, but I need to stay the course for now.

[UberDemon]

UPDATE: 9 June 2020

* I found the problem with the script logic.  This would cause major problems with Blue (Axis in WAW) flights.  That is fixed.

I'll post some pics tomorrow of a simple to create, yet immersive mission of 12x Romanian He-112B-2 intercepting 15x Yermolaev Yer-2 bombers over Kuban peninsula.  Took me about a minute to create.

There are many start/take off options, and in this one it is a long flight mission.  All aircraft start flying over their bases already in formation.  There is plenty of ground scenery, as well as ground and naval units.

Going to bed now.  See ya'll later mates!

[pilotpimpf]

Fantastic news , used the original all the time in the early days.
Thank you so much for doing this mamouth task ,theres dedication for you to this old sim, revitalized once again by people like yourself.

Many thanks Uber Demon