Creating a Campaign for the Campaign Shell

Note: The plan of making major enhancemet in campaign system is now underway.
Visit Flanker Campaign Shell homepage for the latest information.

index:

1. Campaign Overview

A campaign consists of the following files placed in one directory.

2 Basic Steps

Typically, there are four major steps to make a new campaign:
1. Plan the campaign structure.
2. Copy (or create) Mission Files in a new directory.
3. For each mission, create .scf file or write MSCF text in the briefing.
4. Make a Campaign File with CpnEdit.

2.1 Planning Structure of the Campaign

First of all, you have to make a plan of the campaign structure.
A typical campaign consists the three types of the mission files:
a) Intro/Status Report Text (Optional)
b) Victory/Defeat Text
c) Regular Mission File

These mission types are defined in the campaign file editor (explained later).
In a) and b), only mission title and briefing text will be used, and other information (mission time, unit placement, etc) are simply ignored.

Make a list of available mission files and draw a campaign structure plan like Fig.1 on a sheet of paper.


Fig.1 An Example of Campaign Structure

Then, assign 'mission number' for each mission. In Fig.1, for example, the mission number for Intro.mis is 1, the mission number for Antiradar.mis is 2, etc.

The order of the mission is set as follows:

Note: A campaign should be terminated with Victory/Defeat Text.

2.2 Gathering Mission Files

When you are finished with campaign structure plan, Create a new directory and place all the mission files you are going to use in the campaign. Make Intro and Victory/Defeat mission files if necessary.

2.3 Setting Success Conditions

Once you have gathered necessary mission files, set success conditions for Regular Missions. This can be done either by writing success conditions in separate MSCF Files (.scf) or writing the conditions directly in mission briefing text.

For details on Mission Success Conditions, click here.

To create a MSCF File, use 'MSCFEdit' in the 'Utils' directory. This program first asks for the name of the mission file you want to set its condition, then sets the appropriate MSCF file name. In edit window, select the condition type, name of the target, number, and the responsible unit, then press 'Add Condition' button. A new condition line will be added to the condition text area. Repeat the procedure if you want to add more conditions. The condition text can be manually edited. If you want to delete a condition, delete the condition line by hand. When the condition text is done, press 'Save MSCF File' button.

2.4 Campaign file Creation

The basic function of the campaign file is to set mission file type and order of the missions to be played.

To create a campaign file, run 'CPFEdit' in the 'Utils' directory. To edit an existing campaign file, select 'Load Campaign File...' From the 'File' drop-down menu.

Campaign file consists of a number of 'pages'. They corresponds to the mission numbers you assigned to each missions in the campain planning stage.

Set mission file name and mission file type for each page. In the example shown in Fig.1, Intro.mis is set as 'Intro/Status Report', and Victory.mis & Defeat.mis are set as 'Victory/Defeat Text' For regular missions, set the mission number of the next mission in 'If Successful / If Failed' box.

When you are done, select 'Save Campaign File...' from the 'Files' drop-down menu, set the file name and save it.