F/A-18E Mission Builder Tutorial and Help

Mission Checklist

The Mission Checklist icon will allow you to add numbered objectives to the Overview Area box. These will flash in sequence in the Overview Area window to the right of the OBJECTIVE pane when the mission loads. In order to use this feature, you MUST have an Overview Area defined.

To use this feature:

1)Click the Mission Checklist Icon
2)Click in the Overview Area box EXACTLY WHERE YOU WANT THE LABEL TO APPEAR.
3)Set the number of the item in the input screen that appears (Start with 0 or 1, DUH)
4)Put in any text associated with the checklist item (e.g. Take off, Ingress to target, Attack Oil Refinery etc..)
5)Click OK.

NOTE: If you place a NUMBER without associated text, you will not be able to remove it. Always make sure there is text associated with the checklist item.

You cannot move these items once placed. To alter them, you must remove the entire checklist item (using either the Remove GPS Marker Icon or the Delete Map Label Icon. Click the remove icon, then click in the checklist item. It should disappear. Be careful if using the Remove GPS Marker as you may inadvertently remove a GPS marker nearby.

Why should you use this feature?

1)It gives the Player an overview of the mission objectives, mission route, or targetting information in an easy to read manner at the same screen as the Summary Briefing, as the entire mission map is sometimes crowded and hard to read.

2) The little checklist items flashing around the screen look very cool :-)

Filter

Use this function to create user-defined map-view filters. Check those items which you want to be displayed on the map. Push the Set button, then push the numbered button (1-5) you want to assign this filter to. You can setup 5 different filters. The filter used depends on which User Filter button (located at the bottom of the Mission Builder toolbar) you select.

Builder Options

Use this function to configure the displayed labels layout for the aircraft and waypoints. If you want the last mission you worked on to be loaded when you start the Mission Builder, check the Load Last Mission check box. To configure the displayed label for an aircraft, click on the Aircraft button. The Aircraft Layout dialog box will be displayed. Select the numbered position you want to change, then select the information you want to display there. Follow the same procedure for changing the waypoint label layout.

Map Label Functions

Map Label
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Delete Map Label
This function is used to delete a Map Label, and can also be used to delete a Mission Checklist Item. Click on the ICON, then click on the label or checklist item to be removed. Use a high ZOOM level to be sure that you are pointing at the correct item.

Overview Area

Add Overview Area

The Overview Area Icon allows you to specify a part of the map to appear as a 'preview' in the pane to the right of the OBJECTIVE Graphic during mission loading.

The Overview Area box is not manually scalable, but will change scale depending on the current map zoom setting to encompass most of the viewing area. When you click on the icon, the blue bordered box appears (NOTE: This can easily be mistaken for an area event box when looking at a mission in the mission builder). Set the box over your desired overview area. Only geographical features and static ground targets will appear. Moving vehicles, aircraft, mission labels etc. will not be available.

To set an Overview Area:

A) Zoom the map to the desired level
B) Click on the OVERVIEW AREA Icon
C) Move the blue box around and click the LMB to set it over the desired area.

Note: Once placed, you cannot move it again. It must be deleted using the Remove Overview Area Icon and replaced as above.

There are at least 2 good reasons to use this feature:

1] Large area overview

Used in conjunction with the Mission Checklist you can show the player the expected flight path and mission objectives in a very easy to read manner. Note, as above, that the aircraft, carrier, or any other ships will not be visible.

2) Small area overview

Zoom in on the target area (e.g. factory) and the player can get some idea of what he will be hitting without having to go to the Mission Map and targetting screen. Used in conjunction with the Mission Checklist you can also specify ground targets for attack.

Remove Overview Area
The Overview Area bounding box cannot be resized once placed. You must use this function to REMOVE the existing Overview Area box and then replace it. Alternatively, you can just remove an un-needed Overview Area from the map.

GPS Marker Functions

Add GPS Marker
GPS markers can be placed on any Target. They are used in conjunction with the GPS Guided Weapons (JDAM, JSOW, SLAM, HARM) and it is required that GPS markers be placed in the MISSION BUILDER before GPS GUIDED weapons can be used in PB (Pre-Briefed) mode.

The GPS marker specifies particular map coordinates, so it does not make sense to use them to Pre-Brief an attack on moving vehicles. They may be used for stationary vehicles or any ground target. Use a HIGH zoom level to make sure your GPS marker is placed correctly. Once placed, the GPS marker cannot be moved. It must be REMOVED using the REMOVE GPS function (see below) and replaced.

When you place a GPS marker, you are asked to enter a descriptive name for the target and a short name. The SHORT NAME is what will appear in the SMS page when you select the PRE-BRIEFED targets, so try to keep it below about 6 characters for readability.

Remove GPS Marker
Once a GPS Marker is placed, it cannot be moved, so you must use this function to REMOVE it, and then replace it. Alternatively, you can simply remove un-needed GPS markers from the map. You can also use this function to remove MISSION CHECKLIST items.

GPS Marker Info
This functions will show a list of GPS markers placed by the NAME entered in the box. Sometimes this listed gets corrupted, and some strange things are displayed, but the GPS markers continue to work properly.

Weapon Area Goal Functions

Weapon Area Goal
The WEAPON AREA GOAL is a special case of the AREA GOAL, which measures accuracy of weapon delivery my looking at the ratio of weapons falling within its boundaries to the number of weapons released. The Weapon Area Goal applies to a single weapon type, and is used most often to score Mine laying missions, assuring that Captor Mines or QuickStrike Mines are released at the briefed site. As with the AREA GOAL, there can only be one per mission, and only the PLAYER’s ordnance is counted.

Remove Weapon Area Goal
This is used to Remove an existing Weapon-Area Goal. Since the Weapon-Area Goal box cannot be resized once placed, you must Remove it and start over.