Thanks to Creaghorn for the idea and OBD for this wonderful game, I was able to come up with an idea on how to construct custom made campaign missions to follow the life of a famous pilot.

But first, let me introduce my findings....

RNAS 10 campaign mission with A, B and C flight sitting on the field waiting to fly the mission. Even the waypoints are accurate just like it appeared in the mission briefing.




Look at all of these pics that were taken during the same campaign mission. How you can tell that they are from the same mission is to look at each picture and see that they are from a different squad and either A or B flight and the distance in NM signifies how far away it is to my starting point - all different as well.

Now, wasn't that similar to how missions were flown in 1915 - one or two planes?














I can add more planes to the campaign, make specific waypoints and missions, and make a "flight" have either one, two, three or any number of pilots and even specify the names of who will be flying. Now, I see that it's possible to make custom campaign missions with starting airbases and waypoints to fly them and follow the actual missions of a famous pilot during their career.

OldHat, you are something else indeed. I am constantly impressed with your ideas and modding skill.

Sounds fantastic!

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Oh yes, there are many, many things that you can set up in custom missions - add in new aircraft, new towns, new facilities, new flights, etc. I always enjoyed building custom missions. Good on you OldHat for jumping into the deep end of the pond. I look forward to seeing what you create.

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That's cool, Lou. I might need your help later if that's ok with you.

Another thing I found out is that I can make a campaign of say 10 historical missions from the career of a real pilot. Then I go ahead and make/enlist a pilot to fly those missions in succession. Each mission will get recorded inside WOFF's passport page and log everything like flight hours, medals, victories, etc... and if my pilot dies in any of those missions, then that's it - he becomes listed as deceased and I can't use him again...(unless I use Robert's backup utility, of course)

So far, I only can get a maximum of 4 custom waypoints (found a workaround for it) including the altitude to fly at. But I think that should be enough for most missions. I will see if I can find an interesting Ace's career or a squad's role in an offensive to mimic and then try to design a few missions around those events to see if my pilot can follow in their footsteps....

OldHat, let me know if I can help on the historical side. Love doing that kind of research, and have a fairly good starting knowledge.

Hey OldHat I was thinking as I was flying to the front - yes sorry boys using Autopilot.

How would these be implemented, and then used, in a campaign? Can you use them in a campaign?
Or would it be a string of custom missions flown through the QC/Scenario route?

Obviously you know much more of the guts of WOFF then I do but it seems that the campaign engine would overwrite, on start-up, any attempt to place a custom mission into a WOFF campaign via JGSME? Unless it's as simple as "write protecting" the custom mission file? Wonder if that would crash WOFF? Does the current mission in a campaign always have the same name? I'll have to go back and check Creaghorns post on this.

Be very cool if you could place custom missions in a existing campaign. And make them historical.
Every mission doesn't have to be custom in a campaign but perhaps significant events.
For example: I am flying with J11 and let's say it's 21 April 1918 - the date of MvR's death. A custom mission is inserted here with the set-up of the circumstances of his death programmed into the mission as much as possible such as fighting 209 Squadrons Camels in the same numbers for both sides, weather, location, etc, etc. he would still be dead when it's over but much better then flying a random mission and he just disappears at the end of the day.
Or May 7 with Albert Ball. Or any of the great significant aerial events.
Be a hell of a lot of work but, if doable, how cool would that be?

now all you need is a random mission generator with movable waypoints and alt etc...just like in the old RB3d days.

Well sir you have me pondering the "coolness."

Aces: As designated in WOFF? Let's say we have a British pilot who ended up with 7 kills (if using the 5 kill standard) but he didn't make the WOFF Aces list. He would be a generic pilot then? Or are there generic Aces also?
Waypoints: As defined (displayed) on the WOFF map? Are they done by longitude and latitude or some in-game code #. If done by longitude and latitude can you use any location in the game world?
Altitude: I will guess part of the mission file designates an altitude that the flight should be at when it to arrives at a waypoint?
Flights: Does every flight have to be done as a separate entity? Let's say all three flights ended up in a historical fight at a certain time and location. Can all three flights be combined in a huge arse B (the players) flight or (better) a huge AI flight just to make sure they all get there and to save mission writing time? Or is there a limit to the number of aircraft in a flight?
Ground Positions: Using the MvR example, and presuming he died of ground fire, how are land targets handled? Can you place an infantry unit at a longitude and latitude for the ground fire ambiance? Or, if overly complicated, I suppose the fight can be placed in the vicinity of a existing one already placed in-game.
Timing: Let's say a fight took place at a certain location. I will guess you cannot specify a time for a flight to be there. One would use the waypoints and a "by guess and by God" to hopefully get them there at the same time. And/or use "Loiter" at the target area to make sure (as much as possible) they meet up?

Sounds like you have the bulk of the info down already sir!
I was going to mention the Re8's but look at you - names and all already.
Going by memory 209 lost a pilot enroute to mechanical trouble so only 14 actually were in the target area...but since WOFF simulates that already (possibility of failure) may as well start with 15. And these would be Bentley engined Camels but I guess we'll wait for WOFF 3 to worry about that.

Of course this bit of neatness rears its head on a busy Sunday and not Friday when I had all weekend to get names, etc.

Where's JFM when you need him?
Bet he has all this memorized.

OldHat;

It might be worth testing a campaign mission in Italy. Not sure if the WOFF AI would generate central powers flights to contend with, or even if this is possible.

Do you have the capability to generate opposition forces in any theatre?