Hello everyone,
UPDATE:
After talking with several modders and learning more about the situations of modding default aircraft selection screen and air.ini. That is where an alternative idea come in for the safe way of adding this, in my theory.
After using UQME for BAT and after viewing aircraft database / library, I got something realized. I think this is very needed in BAT since the number of aircraft being added keep growing. It could be used with JSGME so the people can enable / disable it as they wish. Here is the idea:
It work similar to Hangar screen linked to the aircraft review screen, there would be an entire new screen. the screen would be known as "Aircraft Database", like the way UQME did with their aircraft database. With that, there would be a cloned, modified version of air.ini known as air_Database.ini. By using that, Aircraft Database use the several drop menus used for each categories while java would read '//' first, then take the codes. You will see the 'END' to end the scope of certain grouped aircraft. The categories have the key code "NATION, BRANCH,' and ROLE".
- Nation
- Military branches
- Aircraft roles (Fighter, Interceptor, Fighter Bomber, Attack, Light bomber, etc...)
Here are an example:
// [NATION=CZECHOSLOVKA]
// [BRANCH=Air Force]
//[ROLE=Fighter]
Avia_B135 air.Avia_B135 2 NOINFO g01 SUMMER
AviaB534R air.AVIA_B534R 2 NOINFO g01 SUMMER
AviaB534 air.AVIA_B534 2 NOINFO g01 SUMMER
AviaBk534 air.AVIA_Bk534 2 g01 SUMMER
S-199 air.S_199 2 NOINFO g01 SUMMER
//[ROLE=END]
//[ROLE=Light bomber]
S-328 air.LetovS_328 2 NOINFO g01 SUMMER
//[ROLE=END]
//[ROLE=Medium Bomber (High speed)]
AviaB-71 air.Avia_B_71 2 g01 SUMMER
//[ROLE=END]
//[ROLE=Reconnaissance]
S-328 air.LetovS_328 2 NOINFO g01 SUMMER
//[ROLE=END]
//[ROLE=Trainer]
AviaBa122 air.AVIA_Ba122 2 NOINFO g01 SUMMER
Z-26 air.Z26 1 NOINFO r01 SUMMER
//[ROLE=END]
//[BRANCH=END]
//[BRANCH=Navy (Carrier-based)]
//[ROLE=Fighter]
AviaBk534Sea air.AVIA_B534Sea 2 NOINFO g01 SUMMER
//[ROLE=END]
//[BRANCH=END]
//[BRANCH=Navy (Seaplane)]
//[ROLE=Fighter]
Avia_float air.AVIA_B534_Float 2 g01 SUMMER
//[ROLE=END]
//[BRANCH=END]
//[NATION=END]
You can see how Java can 'group' nation, branch, and role, then display the filtered list when a certain keyword is displayed from the drop menu. For example, if I select USA' from drop menu, then select "USAAF", then "Fighter", I would see the list of USAAF fighter aircraft only from aircraft list.
With ASE, when you want to just select one of aircraft from a very long list, it will make it more dynamic and easier to find it quickly. This especially will be useful for mission building. At the same time, it also will be an educational when it come to learning about the roles and usage of certain aircraft.
I believe this also will open the opportunities for further expansion in the future, if this mod ever get created and implemented into BAT.