how to edit "hidden" .ini files

[Must1rd]

basically, i see that modded aircraft like MarcFighter's Sukhoi 27 have loadout.ini and data.ini and whatnot in their folders, but vanilla aircraft from SF1 do not, from my experience this means the files are packed, idk if it is the case with this game too, so is there any tool to unpack files and edit them or anything at all? I was trying to add air to air missiles to the vanilla F-104G from WoV and add it to the WoE campaigns in German squadrons, i know there are already mods of the German Starfighter but i am still waiting to complete the 15 day waiting period to download them so i gave it a try at modding it myself

[DoctorQuest]

I would start poking around here...

https://combatace.com/files/category/30-utilities-editors/

There are a couple of extracting utilities available that will get you the INIs you need.

Yes, by default, the only INI you will see for a stock aircraft is the AIRCRAFT NAME.INI. You will need to extract others and place them in the aircraft folder. 

It might also help to look around here regarding modding questions.

https://combatace.com/forums/forum/8-modsskinning-discussion/

You could also browse the aircraft downloads and see if someone may have done something similar to what you want to do. You could then examine those INIs for hints and tips.

Edited March 20 by DoctorQuest
Fat fingers

[Wrench]

It's called the F-104S, SA, and SASA(M)

should still be available in the 1stGen downloads, when you've been activated

[Must1rd]

I noticed the existence of both the extractor tool and the modified F-104s, thx for the help

Btw, do you know if the extractor really works with all kind of files within the game, because apparently, you need a tool to extract the files of an aircraft in order to modify it, but it seems that you also need to do the same if you wanna modify a campaign to, for example, make a German squadron use the F-104 instead of the F-4F, since it looks like you need to modify the squadron's UserID (or whatever it's called)

[Wrench]

yes, that's how it works.

Just curious, WHICH games are you trying to mod??? This is the SF/Wo* forums, NOT the SF2. Might want to let us know, so we can be of more exact help

========

edit 

Since you seem to have so many questions, have you not availed yourself of our handy-dandy Knowledge Base??? Most everything, with some exceptions, are answered therein

https://combatace.com/forums/forum/349-strike-fighters-knowledge-base/

start at the beginning, and go from there

[Must1rd]

i am trying to mod WoE, so basically SF1, which was the cheapest way to get into the saga as it was only 2€ on steam. and i, in fact, have not availed myself with your Knowledge Base, but now i will and i hope i will find all of the answers to my questions, thank you fine sir

[Flanker562]

Yeah just found it actually after looking. So here it is Wrench:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/281580/Wings_Over_Europe/

[Must1rd]

so after a few days of mixed results, trying to mod campaigns to add squadrons, i installed the NATO fighters upgrades to the default campaigns of WoE and after testing on the Red Lightning campaign, i found is something weird. for some reason, i can modify any aspect of an already existing squadron within the file, i can take generic wgermany squadron #1 and change its name, change its airbase or its aircraft and everythings just fine, i can swap ID numbers beteween generic wgermany squadron #1 and generic wgermany squadron #2 succesfully too, basically it acts normal. now, if i add a squadron to the file, it will always default it to UnitID1 (which happens to be USAF's 7th Bunyaps) no matter what i do. i have followed the tutorials, adding the squadron in the right order or AirUnit###, with //----- Player Unit, copypasting the entire line of code from another usable and already existing squadron modifying pertaining lines to ensure no typos/misspellings/overlaps etc, ive made sure to create a new squadron in squadronlist.ini (obviously following the right numeration order and of course it is in the pilotdata folder, not in the flight folder) to match the new squadron added (which by the way was JBG33) and blablabla, everthing seems to be useless, it will always default it to the 7th Bunyaps squadron, it is extremely weird.

edit: and yes i am aware that this is not the correct discussion category and that if i have a modding question i should create a new topic there, i am sorry for that

Edited Thursday at 03:14 AM by Must1rd

[Wrench]

Don't bother or worry about it !!! It'll be easier to keep track of things this way!

Sorry that I don't have an actual answer to your campaign question -- hopefully someone more knowledgeable than me on campaigns will pop in.

[Must1rd]

thx fam, ill mess with it some more and see if i can get anything out of it, thanks for the help guys

its a shame because i feel like i am 20 years late into this game

[Flanker562]

Even Wrench admitted that most of us have moved on from SF1 and supporting SF2 more due to better features, that's my take on the situation. I mean if TW decides to upload more of it's games to Steam, like SF2, then I'll move from keeping the file handy to using that to keep playing it, whenever I do.

[Nyghtfall]

12 hours ago, Must1rd said:

its a shame because i feel like i am 20 years late into this game

Welcome to the club. Move on to SF2 and you will feel just 10 years late into that game.