About This File
CloudScape Mod for Strike Fighters Gold, Wings over Europe, and Wings over Israel
This mod has been tested in all the above listed sims. I have every reason to believe it will work in Wings over Vietnam and Strike Fighters Project 1 as well.
For me, an essential part of the immersion in a flight sim is just watching the clouds go by. In real life, I watch clouds often and commonly photograph them. I like clouds that form into interesting and complex shapes.
My intent here was to create cloudscapes that are appealing to the eye and thus increase the immersion into the game.
In 2007, I created a cloud mod for First Eagles with the same idea in mind. When I placed the same mod into WoI and SFG, I felt the image didn't fit with the bluer skies of the modern era sims.
Tweaking the colors didn't work well enough. So I kept the same alpha channel (mask), modded it a lot, and created a completely new image with it. I think this one works better. This new image, on first glance, doesn't look nearly as nice as the default. Don't be put off. Most of the cloud's appearance is managed by the alpha channel embedded into the image.
NOTES
Of the over 60 different clouds I tried, I couldn't decide which one I liked best, so I am including just two and letting you decide which you like best.
If you already have an edited environmentsystem.ini file or a cloud1.tga file you can opt to use just the cloud1.tga file. Always be sure to BACK UP YOUR ORIGINALS! I have tested the image alone with the Widesky mod and it works just fine.
--More information available in the README.txt
Happy Flying!
Eric Wicklund
aka ShrikeHawk