5.5. MDS section

Note

Russian version

MDSSectionParser is responsible for parsing MDS section. It contains one key-value pair per each line. Section describes different conditions in mission including Fog of War (FoW), AI and some other settings.

Note

MDS FoW functions are only enabled if the difficulty option “No FoW Icons” is not selected. This is a convenient way for server host to disable all FoW features without editing all mission files separately.

Section example:

[MDS]
  MDS_Radar_SetRadarToAdvanceMode 1
  MDS_Radar_RefreshInterval 0
  MDS_Radar_DisableVectoring 0
  MDS_Radar_EnableTowerCommunications 1
  MDS_Radar_ShipsAsRadar 0
  MDS_Radar_ShipRadar_MaxRange 100
  MDS_Radar_ShipRadar_MinHeight 100
  MDS_Radar_ShipRadar_MaxHeight 5000
  MDS_Radar_ShipSmallRadar_MaxRange 25
  MDS_Radar_ShipSmallRadar_MinHeight 0
  MDS_Radar_ShipSmallRadar_MaxHeight 2000
  MDS_Radar_ScoutsAsRadar 0
  MDS_Radar_ScoutRadar_MaxRange 2
  MDS_Radar_ScoutRadar_DeltaHeight 1500
  MDS_Radar_ScoutGroundObjects_Alpha 5
  MDS_Radar_ScoutCompleteRecon 0
  MDS_Misc_DisableAIRadioChatter 0
  MDS_Misc_DespawnAIPlanesAfterLanding 1
  MDS_Radar_HideUnpopulatedAirstripsFromMinimap 0
  MDS_Misc_HidePlayersCountOnHomeBase 0
  MDS_Misc_BombsCat1_CratersVisibilityMultiplier 1.0
  MDS_Misc_BombsCat2_CratersVisibilityMultiplier 1.0
  MDS_Misc_BombsCat3_CratersVisibilityMultiplier 1.0

Output example:

{
    'conditions': {
        'radar': {
            'advanced_mode': True,
            'refresh_interval': 0,
            'ships': {
                'big': {
                    'max_range': 100,
                    'min_height': 100,
                    'max_height': 5000,
                },
                'small': {
                    'max_range': 25,
                    'min_height': 0,
                    'max_height': 2000,
                },
            },
            'scouts': {
                'max_range': 2,
                'max_height': 1500,
                'alpha': 5,
            },
        },
        'scouting': {
            'scouts_affect_radar': False,
            'ships_affect_radar': False,
            'only_scouts_complete_targets': False,
        },
        'home_bases': {
            'hide_unpopulated': False,
            'hide_players_count': False,
            'hide_ai_aircrafts_after_landing': True,
        },
        'communication': {
            'vectoring': True,
            'tower_communication': True,
            'ai_radio_silence': False,
        },
        'crater_visibility_muptipliers': {
            'le_100kg': 1.0,
            'le_1000kg': 1.0,
            'gt_1000kg': 1.0,
        },
    },
}

Output contains a dict with a conditions element.

Description:

5.5.1. Radar

MDS_Radar_SetRadarToAdvanceMode

Sets FoW to advanced mode: if this option is enabled, all FoW spotters on the map will show only those planes that are located inside assigned range & height limits. Range parameters are set for each home base object individually under home base Base FoW tab. If option is not set, player’s side will see units’ icons as long as it has at least one live radar.

Output path:conditions.radar.advance_mode Output type:bool Output value:True if 1, False otherwise

MDS_Radar_RefreshInterval

Radar refresh period (in seconds): tells the game how fast positions of detected objects are refreshed. Works with or without advanced radar mode.

Output path:conditions.radar.refresh_interval Output type:int Output value:original value converted to integer number

MDS_Radar_ShipRadar_MaxRange

Maximum range (in km) of detection of air targets by big ships.

Output path:conditions.radar.ships.big.max_range Output type:int Output value:original value converted to integer number

MDS_Radar_ShipRadar_MinHeight

Minimum height (in meters) of detection of air targets by big ships.

Output path:conditions.radar.ships.big.min_height Output type:int Output value:original value converted to integer number

MDS_Radar_ShipRadar_MaxHeight

Maximum height (in meters) of detection of air targets by big ships.

Output path:conditions.radar.ships.big.max_height Output type:int Output value:original value converted to integer number

MDS_Radar_ShipSmallRadar_MaxRange

Maximum range (in km) of detection of air targets by small ships.

Output path:conditions.radar.ships.small.max_range Output type:int Output value:original value converted to integer number

MDS_Radar_ShipSmallRadar_MinHeight

Minimum height (in meters) of detection of air targets by small ships.

Output path:conditions.radar.ships.small.min_height Output type:int Output value:original value converted to integer number

MDS_Radar_ShipSmallRadar_MaxHeight

Maximum height (in meters) of detection of air targets by small ships.

Output path:conditions.radar.ships.small.max_height Output type:int Output value:original value converted to integer number

MDS_Radar_ScoutRadar_MaxRange

Maximum scan range: determines the range (in km) in which scouts can identify other aircrafts.

Output path:conditions.radar.scouts.max_range Output type:int Output value:original value converted to integer number

MDS_Radar_ScoutRadar_DeltaHeight

Height limit of detection zone (in meters): defines the maximum altitude at which the reconnaissance aircraft can detect enemy ground targets.

Output path:conditions.radar.scouts.max_height Output type:int Output value:original value converted to integer number

MDS_Radar_ScoutGroundObjects_Alpha

Angle (in degrees) of earth scanning: determines the angle at which reconnaissance aircraft can detect enemy ground targets.

Output path:conditions.radar.scouts.alpha Output type:int Output value:original value converted to integer number

Note

Scan delta height & scan alpha determine the range for which scouts can identify ground objects. The formula behind this is:

\[range = height * tan(alpha)\]

So, the higher the scouts are, the more area they cover.

Warning

The more scout planes you assign, the slower your game might run!

5.5.2. Scouting

MDS_Radar_ShipsAsRadar

Treat ships as FoW spotters: makes ships spot enemy planes with their radars. Ships are divided into two groups. “Big Ships” that have powerful, long range radars and “Small Ships” that have less powerful, short range radars. If you want only big ships to act as FoW spotters, set all small ship settings to 0 and vice versa.

Note

Big Ships with powerful, long range radar

All CVs (aircraft carriers), all battleships and all cruisers.

Small Ships with less powerful, short range radar

All destroyers.

Output path:conditions.scouting.ships_affect_radar Output type:bool Output value:True if 1, False otherwise

MDS_Radar_ScoutsAsRadar

Recon planes are FoW spotters: this will enable selected recon planes to spot ground units. Only selected recon planes are able to identify ground units (see MDS_Scouts section).

Output path:conditions.scouting.scouts_affect_radar Output type:bool Output value:True if 1, False otherwise

MDS_Radar_ScoutCompleteRecon

Determines whether reconnaissance aircrafts are the only aircrafts allowed to complete recon targets.

Output path:conditions.scouting.only_scouts_complete_targets Output type:bool Output value:True if 1, False otherwise

5.5.3. Homebases

MDS_Radar_HideUnpopulatedAirstripsFromMinimap

Hide enemy and unused airfields from minimap.

Output path:conditions.home_bases.hide_unpopulated Output type:bool Output value:True if 1, False otherwise

MDS_Misc_HidePlayersCountOnHomeBase

This option, if enabled, will hide number of players that is displayed beside each home base object on your map on briefing screen.

Output path:conditions.home_bases.hide_players_count Output type:bool Output value:True if 1, False otherwise

MDS_Misc_DespawnAIPlanesAfterLanding

Despawn AI aircrafts after they land and park: in dog fight mode when AI aircraft land and park, they will vanish from the map and release game resources. They will also not interfere with live players.

Output path:conditions.home_bases.hide_ai_aircrafts_after_landing Output type:bool Output value:True if 1, False otherwise

5.5.4. Communication

MDS_Radar_DisableVectoring

Disables two vectoring commands from ground control orders menu: Vector to target and Vector to home. This can simulate early war scenarios where own planes couldn’t be tracked by means of radar, Y-Verfahren, etc. Works also in single player & coop missions.

Output path:conditions.communication.vectoring Output type:bool Output value:inverted original value converted to integer number: True if 0, False otherwise

MDS_Radar_EnableTowerCommunications

Enables communications menu (tab key by default) for human players in dogfight.

Output path:conditions.communication.tower_communication Output type:bool Output value:True if 1, False otherwise

MDS_Misc_DisableAIRadioChatter

Disable radio messages sent by AI planes in dogfight.

Output path:conditions.communication.ai_radio_silence Output type:bool Output value:True if 1, False otherwise

5.5.5. Craters

You can modify time before bomb/gun/rockets craters disappear. Default multiplier is set to 1.0 (80 seconds) for all of them. By changing multipliers, you can make craters visible for longer time. However this only works in single player mission and coop missions. Setting long crater durations in dogfight missions would cause inconsistency between players, since dogfight mode allows joining anytime.

MDS_Misc_BombsCat1_CratersVisibilityMultiplier

Multiplier for visibility time for craters caused by guns and rockets and bombs which weight is less then or equal 100 kg.

Output path:conditions.crater_visibility_muptipliers.le_100kg Output type:float Output value:original value converted to float number

MDS_Misc_BombsCat2_CratersVisibilityMultiplier

Multiplier for visibility time for craters caused by torpedoes, TinyTim and bombs which weight is less then or equal 1000 kg.

Output path:conditions.crater_visibility_muptipliers.le_1000kg Output type:float Output value:original value converted to float number

MDS_Misc_BombsCat3_CratersVisibilityMultiplier

Multiplier for visibility time for craters caused by bombs which weight is greater then 1000 kg.

Output path:conditions.crater_visibility_muptipliers.gt_1000kg Output type:float Output value:original value converted to float number