Persistence

The module features a persistence system that allows saving the aircraft's current state, making it available for a subsequent flight - even across missions.

💡 Aircraft persistence can be a great feature for campaign builders, simulating that the pilot has to re-use the same aircraft across several missions of the campaign.

The aircraft state includes all its properties, as well as its components wear, tear and condition. This also includes positions of switches and knobs. Damaged components are automatically repaired between flights.

💡 Depending on the spawn type, the ground crew might change some switches and knobs while preparing the aircraft for the pilot in advance.

With persistence enabled, the state of the aircraft will be automatically saved when the aircraft is successfully left on ground (for example not in-flight or after a crash).

Aircraft Key

A persisted aircraft is saved as file located in the Saved Games folder. A possible path might for example look like:

C:\Users\John Doe\Saved Games\DCS_F4E\cache\persistent_ac

The name of the file is the aircraft key used to identify a particular persisted aircraft.

These keys are either automatically generated based on Livery and Tail Number of the aircraft, or set explicitly by the author of a mission through Mission Editor settings.

Enable

There are two ways to enable the persistence system to save and load the aircraft state.

Special Setting

The user can setup persistency in their Special Settings by checking Persistent Aircraft (by livery and tail number).

The bind Initialize Persistent Aircraft State (LCTRL+P) must be pressed on first use to start tracking this particular aircraft.

The aircraft is tracked by its livery and tail number. Any subsequent mission flown with the same combination of livery and tail number, while aircraft persistence is enabled, will load this particular aircraft.

Mission Editor

The author of a mission can overrule any user made special settings for their mission by enabling or disabling the persistence systems through Mission Editor settings.

The option Spawn Type: Persistent enables the system and Persistent Aircraft Key is used determine which particular tracked aircraft is flown in this mission.