*update* v1.11 Siberian Sky -- Experimental 3-D Rocket Exhaust

*** Note added August 2013: Decrease the particle generation rate in case of slow flying launching platforms, such as helicoptors or WW2 fighter bombers, to avoid too high density of smoke particles which look bad.

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June 2010. Updated to include the ancient Smoke3.tga. I had always thought this was game stock. I was wrong. Somebody, I don't know who, made the Smoke3.tga for the old Weapons Pack but that pack seems not used much today. So I include it now, finally.

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I'm using 7zip as file compression. I first saw it at Column5's Cold War downloads pages, so I tried it and love it.

7zip ~> http://www.7zip.com/

This project is part of a planned series of grafix effects that may be used in an attempt to simulate classical era strategic strike/interception (Siberian Sky).

In 3D Rocket Exhaust, large numbers of 2D images combine to form 3D flame and smoke trails. The goal is immersive smoke/flame seen from the cockpit, and long range visibility of flame (night) and smoke (day). There can be a cpu performance hit with large numbers of missiles firing off within the defined MaxVisibility distances. Description, development, limitations, and possible employment or improvements of this and future grafix effects are at the ThirdWire webboard thread below...

ThirdWire thread ~> http://bbs.thirdwire.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=4964

PROJECT USE PRE-REQUISITES:

(1) Know how to work the sim's weapons and the Weapon Editor. This editor and some basic tutorials are found here at the CombatAce.

(2) Know how to work the Cat Extractor to extract encrypted text files for editing. This extractor is found here at the CombatAce.

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V 1.11 has Smoke3.tga included.

V 1.1 has...

(1) One additional step smaller rocket exhaust effect, and two effects for smaller unguided rockets -- U1 and U2 are made with greatly reduced particle density in expectation of large rocket volleys.

(2) Better naming system .... R1 (the new smallest effect) to R8 (the old R7 of v1.0).... also U1 and U2.

(3) Hopefully better instructions.