Create your own Hello world

  1. Create Mission script
  2. Get Moose
  3. Create the mission
  4. Add Moose to the mission
  5. Add the mission script
  6. Test the mission
  7. Update mission script
  8. Update Moose
  9. Next step

This page will lead you step by step through the process of creating a mission with MOOSE. This time we include a simple mission script, which sends only a “Hello world” message to all players. But the steps are the same to add another mission script, which will do whatever class(es) you want to use.

Create Mission script

At first we will create the mission script. It is a simple text file and can be changed with a lot of different tools. Theoretically even the Microsoft Notepad editor can be used. But it lacks a lot of features, which helps you to avoid errors.

For this guide we suggest you to download, install and use Notepad++.

Windows hides filename extensions by default. So when you create a text file and name it hello-world.lua it’s name is hello-world.lua.txt in reality. You must activate the display of the file name extension. Open a File Explorer, switch to menu View and find the option File name extensions in the section Show/hide. Activate it.

  • Open a File Explorer.
  • Go to the subfolder Missions of your Saved Games folder.
  • Create a new text file and name it hello-world.lua.

  • Add the following content and save the file:

    MESSAGE:New( "Hello World! This messages is printed by MOOSE", 35, "INFO" ):ToAll()

Get Moose

To download Moose click on the following link:

Press Ctrl + S to save the file on your hard disk next to your mission script.

Create the mission

  • Start DCS.
  • In the main menu choose MISSION EDITOR.
  • Click on create new mission.
  • In the dialog NEW MISSION SETTINGS:
    • Choose map Caucasus.
    • In the drop box upper left choose Modern as coalition preset.
    • Click on OK.
  • The mission editor will load with a fresh new and empty mission.
  • Click on File in the menu bar and SAVE or Press Ctrl + S.
  • Open My Missions and save the file with the name hello-world.miz.

Add Moose to the mission

  • On the left side activate TRIGGERS:

    dcs-triggers-toolbar.png

  • On the right side the TRIGGERS dialog opens with a lot of options.
  • Click on NEW, choose 4 MISSION START as TYPE.
  • Give it the Load MOOSE as NAME.
  • Leave the EVENT option set to NO EVENT.

  • Optional: Choose a color for easy recognition (e.g. yellow).

    dcs-triggers-mission-start-conf.png

  • In the middle part the CONDITIONS will be shown. For this trigger we do not configure any conditions.

    dcs-triggers-mission-start-conditions.png

    The trigger type 4 MISSION START does not support CONDITIONS.
    So CONDITIONS must left blank when using it.
    If you add a condition the trigger will never be executed!

    dcs-triggers-mission-start-actions-conf.png

  • On the right side ACTIONS is shown.
  • We need to click on NEW.
  • Choose ACTION Do SCRIPT FILE and ignore all other actions.
  • Click OPEN and navigate to the downloaded Moose_.lua file.

  • The result should look like this:

    dcs-triggers-mission-start-actions.png

Add the mission script

  • Click on NEW, choose 1 ONCE as TYPE.
  • Give it the Load Mission Script as NAME.
  • Leave the EVENT option set to NO EVENT.
  • Optional: Choose a color for easy recognition (e.g. green).

  • The result should look like this:

    dcs-triggers-once-conf.png

  • Switch to the middle part, the CONDITIONS section.
    For this trigger we add one condition:

    dcs-triggers-once-conditions.png

  • The combination of 1 ONCE with TIME MORE(1) will ensure, that the mission script is executed 1 second after the mission is started.

  • On the right side under ACTIONS you need to add the script:
  • Click on NEW.
  • Choose ACTION Do SCRIPT FILE.
  • Click OPEN and navigate to the created hello-world.lua file.

Most important is the fact, that the mission script (hello-world.lua) is executed after Moose_.lua, because the mission script needs the classes defined in Moose_.lua. And they are only available when Moose_.lua is executed before the mission script.

Test the mission

  • Save the mission again.
  • Click on the green Fly mission cirlce on the left tool side bar.
  • It is an empty mission, so skip BRIEFING with START and then FLY.

  • You spawn as a spectator. After some seconds you will see this message in the upper right corner:

    dcs-message.jpg

This is the same result as already seen in the last chapter, but this time you have create everything on your own.

You can use this mission as a template for your own missions. So you don’t need to do alle these steps again and again.

Update mission script

  • Open the hello-world.lua with Notepad++ again.
  • Change the text a little bit, like Hello Dude! ... and save the file.
  • Run the mission again.
  • The text will not be changed in the mission. Why?

The mission editor copies the script into the mission file when you add it. Every change on the script file on your hard disk is not recognized by mission editor. You have to add the file after each change again!

There is also another method available to dynamically load mission scripts. But this method has some brawbacks and will be explained in the advanced section.

Now we add the mission script again:

  • On the left side of the TRIGGERS dialog click on Load Mission Script.
  • On the right side under ACTIONS you need to add the script again:
    • Click OPEN and navigate to the created hello-world.lua file.
  • Save the mission and test it again.
  • Now the new text should be shown.

Update Moose

Moose is constantly being developed so that new functionallity is added or existing errors are corrected. Also from time to time changes of the DCS scripting engine comes with a new DCS version. It may therefore be useful or necessary to update Moose.

  • To update Moose download it again and add it again in the same way you did with the mission script in the last step.

Next step

Let’s move on to the demo missions.