PRODIGY(R) interactive personal service         07/28/92         6:52 PM
TIME:    07/25 12:37 PM
TO:      MARCUS HARRIS   (BKJD24A)
FROM:    KEITH HEITMANN   (GVXV90A)
SUBJECT: SWOTL GROUP

Here is the information you want promised to you in the other note.
I'm using WHOABABY as the sample mission and PCTOOLS as my hex editor to
supply the addresses.  The necessary bytes are located down in the GROUP
code of the MIS file. These codes are 44 bytes long and always start
with the BLUE group in the mission builder. In this case, the Blue Group
code starts at byte 19C at the right end of the line. The Blue Group
code runs for 43 more bytes to end at 1C8 making 44 bytes in all.  Since
the Blue Group in WHOABABY is the P51D group and the one you fly in it
starts with 04 for the number of planes, and 0B the code for the P51D.
The next codes reflect the pilot skill, mission orders, etc., but not
necessarily in that order.  At byte 01AB you wil find the start of a
series of 01s. With a 02 in it. These indicate that a waypoint has been
set on the map.  on the next like you will normally see a series of 20
4Es.  These are the alititude bytes and are all set for 20,000 feet the
default altitude. However since I changed them the first altitude byte
is located at 1B6 as E8 03, which when turned around and read correctly
is 03 E8 = 1000 ft. the altitude assigned to most of the waypoints of
the Blue Group. The last altitude byte is still 20 4E. I only mention
these other bytes to get you familiar with where you are in the file.
You have to change three bytes of the the 44 byte code to take off and
land at the same airfield.  Each airfield has a code byte assigned to
it. For the US airfield the code byte is 67 02. You can discover the
code byte of each airfield by building a test mission with the mission
builder with only one plane at an airfield on the ground. Save the
mission, then examine the TEST.MIS file with PCTOOLS to discover the
code byte number. Then go back and remove the plane from the first
airfield and then put it on a new airfield repeating the above process.
Okay, back to the GROUP code and the bytes you want.....  Just ahead of
the first altitude byte which is located at 1B6 in WHOABABY, you will
see 67 02 at 1B4 and 1B5. This is the airfield code for US airfield.Now
follow along the lines until you pass the last altitude codes (20 4E)
and you will find a 67 00 67 00 01 00. The first 67 is the home
airfield, the second is the one you land at and the 01 are the number
of waves this group has assigned to it. You do not need the 02 of the 67
02 for these codes, just the 67 will do the trick.  Changing the 67 02,
and the two ending 67s in the code to a new airfield code byte will move
the action to a new location. You can thus change all the other groups
to the same codes as the The German groups follow after the Blue Group
code and start at byte 1C8 and are similarly arranged. I made the fist
German group take off from Erfurt and then changed all the other groups
to the same codes from the airfield codes through the end of the GROUP
code. Once the other groups have been switched to the same airfield code
as the first German group you can either set all the altitude bytes by
using PCTOOLS or by saving the file, exiting PCTOOLS, then loading SWOTL
and the mission into the custom mission builder and change the altitude
bytes to zero there.  Just change those three bytes and you can make all
the planes take off from the same airfield.

Keith Heitmann, GVXV90A

 
RE: HEXING CUSTOM MISSIONS

The next WAVE won't appear until the first wave is destroyed or landed
at its airfield.  You cannot make WAVES of friendly planes or your own.
Be sure  you are changing the correct byte in the GROUP string
following the series of bytes
....204E204E204E204E204EE204E...(ALTITUDE BYTES SET FOR 20,000 FEET)
there is a set of bytes for the home airfield, ..9B00..(for example)
then the landing point ...9B00..(same airfield)
then the WAVES bytes 0100.

If you have a problem locating this byte, create a two plane custom
mission. You as the blue group and one plane as the enemy set for FREE
RANGING FIGHTER. Set the enemy WAVES for 9. SAVE the mission. Then
examine the MIS file with a hex editor (PCTOOLS recommended). Locate
the 204E strings, the first set you find is for your plane (BLUE GROUP)
the second set is for the second group (enemy) a few bytes to the right
you will find the 09 for the WAVES you installed. That is
the WAVE byte.                     Keith Heitmann, GVXV90A
 

TIME:    03/27  7:59 AM
FROM:    KEITH HEITMANN   (GVXV90A)
SUBJECT: SWOTL GROUP

It's been so long since I've done any hexing on the MIS files that I
don't remember all the steps.

All the bases and targets have byte values. These byte values change
according to which base or target is selected.  You simply have to find
out what value a particular base has and then hex that into place.
There is a point in the GROUP STRING that takes the target code, and
three different places for original base, takeoff base, and landing base
codes. These are located around either side of altitude bytes.  The
mission starts with the altitudes set for 20,000 feet.  In the MIS files
these are displayed as a series of 204E bytes. Each group has a series
of these bytes in it. The first series of 204Es for the "Blue Group",
followed by the colors of the other groups in the Mission Builder
following their sequence.

The target bytes go on the line ahead of the altitu de bytes some where.
Each GROUP string is 43 bytes long. It starts   with the number planes
in that group or the type of plane inthat group (I forget which).

The easiest way to figure all this out is to take a B17, andmake a
mission with one plane. First just put it at a base  in England with NO
WAYPOINTS. Save the mission. Pri ntout thehexcode. Next give the plane
a single WAYPOINT of t he GERMANbase you want to use.  Save. Printout
the hexcode. Then compair the group strings. You should find a new byte
listed in the string. This is the byte value of that GERMAN base.  Now
load the mission, move the TAKEOFF base to anot her base.Save. Print out
the hexcode. Then compare this prin tout to the other two printouts.
The byte that is different than theother files is the byte value of the
US BASE. YOu c an then  determine the bytes values of the original and
new US base. Now put the GERMAN base value where the US base value is
andthe US base value where the GERMAN base va lue is and you now have a
take off from Germany and a target in the US.  Do the same theing for
the landing waypoint and you should be able to figure it all out.

See the missions that I built with the HE-111 in them in my series of
SWOTL#x missions.
                                                     Keith H
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