Battle of Britain Campaign Feedback

[+Stary 2,427]

The WW2 effects like tracer trails and fire on burning acft looks just superb.

 

Wait until I finish those:

 

 

may have some use in the campaign

[WDH 0]

Authentic looking searchlights that's for sure.And the color pick of the lights is right on!

 

Brady

[mppd 16]

Kevin,

Here is the tailwheel - the texture of the entire base art seems mistakenly mapped to it - a pretty minor issue if you ask me - I would never have looked that close!!

 

Mike

[Wrench 9,850]

Well, we could cheat and just cover it with a 'metallic' decal. I just did the same thing on the 2 Buffalo skins I just released:

 

 

the landing gear struts are ALL covered with a decal. Just wish I could get a better handle on metallic colors.

I've done this on several mods of our (DAT) planes, to add a little 'extra flavor'.

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[+Stary 2,427]

You Decals Masters are doing incredible work chaps!

[mppd 16]

Excellent suggestion!! I never would have thought of that. I'll try it tonight - a little trial and error for location.

 

Mike

[Wrench 9,850]

Capun performed a stupendeous great service for us all by including the OUT files with our aircraft releases (hence the removal of the exhaust stack outlets on the A-20A Havoc, and the decaled belly turret on the B-25B/C)

 

Try this for the mesh name:

 

TailGear

 

oddly enough, on the Buffalo , I used a 0,0 coordinate, and it worked. For the Hurri, you might need to guestimate from the tail light position, moving down and forward

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[mppd 16]

Bingo! That did it - -4.26 aft, -0.72 dn with a 0.5 scale 100 pixel .TGA. Also had to add "Tailhub" to cover the yoke portion.

 

Working on adapting some textures - mostly borrowed (Forgive the quality from my laptop). Trying to figure out where things are mapped. This is the "B" scheme by the way.

 

Mike

Edited December 23, 2008 by mppd

[mppd 16]

Decals work on new textures. Looks like the roundel needs to be on the base art though, as it does bleed to the bottom of the fuselage. Can't figure out where the radio mast got colored white though! I'll decal it like Wrench said...

 

Mike

[Wrench 9,850]

Is that simulated fabric I see on the aft fuse and fin??!!!

 

Oh, I hhhope so!!

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[mppd 16]

Neg - I tried the only plug-in texture filters Photoshop 4 had, and at 2048 pixels, the canvas effects were way too gross. I figured out my antenna map area. Was driving me nuts at first...As I said, mostly stolen from the best I can find.

 

I'm just about ready to start doing units. Dug up all of my RAF references. A neat website I found also:

 

http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/index.html

 

Lists losses by squadron - good reference. The Internet is a wonderful thing!!

 

What would it take to do up a battle of France campaign??

[Wrench 9,850]

Probably for me to finish of 3 or 4 RAF skins....

I know I started an AASF Battle, a Hurri and something else that I disremember right now.

The AdA Hawk 75 and DB-7 already exist, but we're missing all the other French aircraft. Plus anything the Belgian AF might have had. We've got a Fokker XXI, so a Dutch fighter is covered. What else would be on the Allies side?

 

I have to go back and find my notes and whatnot...I'd started some work when the BoB map came out, as some folks were expressing intrest in the BoF set...but nearly 2 years (?) ago??

 

Editating the BoB map/campaign data for BoF would be left up to Baltika ... I'm just a skin and ini kinda guy!

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[mppd 16]

I too am more a skinner than anything else, but sometimes when you get going on a project, it helps to spread the word around to see if anyone wants to jump onboard, and perhaps start some project that's connected somehow (or has already done it but never uploaded it!). We all bring to the table whatever we can. Eventually I somehow envision every airplane, every campaign, every color scheme done and available to everyone!! The Third Wire sims are just amazing in this way.

 

Can't thank the entire CombatAce community enough for all that they've done and shared for free with everyone else! Thanks again to all.

 

Mike D.

[+Stary 2,427]

@Baltika: Steven, check your PM's, they're full

 

EDIT: erased duplicate entry

Edited January 1, 2009 by CA_Stary

[+Baltika 85]

Hi CA,

 

I have cleared out my inbox but nothing has come through, please could you send again

 

Cheers and Happy New Year everyone

[+Stary 2,427]

Hi CA,

 

I have cleared out my inbox but nothing has come through, please could you send again

 

Cheers and Happy New Year everyone

 

I'll post it here.

 

As you know, currently when Hurri or Spit pilot bails out, whole cockpit compartment falls off, leaving big hole in the fuselage. A bit ugly if you ask me. So here's little ini tweak, that fixes this. If it was posted somewhere earlier, sorry, I haven't checked.

 

So open your Hurricane (1, 2A, 2B or 2C) or Spitfire (1A, 2A) _data.ini, and change under [Pilot] tab:

 

for Hurricanes:

 

CanopyNodeName=CanopyFrame

 

for Spitfires:

 

CanopyNodeName=Canopy

 

Previously it was set as "cockpit", detaching whole part, now should look better.

 

BTW Happy New Year!

[+Baltika 85]

Great tip, thanks

 

That always kinda bugged me, but I had no idea how to fix it.

 

Cheers

Edited January 4, 2009 by Baltika

[+Brain32 265]

Are you guys planning a new update for the whole thing?

[+Baltika 85]

Are you guys planning a new update for the whole thing?

 

 

Hi Brain,

 

v0.61 has been on the drawing board for a l o n g time now. Gepard's TE tutorials and the PTO in particular (nevermind RL ) has meant that progress has been minimal. In the works, are upgrades to make all of the BoB skins/planes released by Wrench flyable squadrons. I had also been messing with a little project to make all the Hurri squadrons show the correct markings (and enabled as flyables) and similarly with Spit squadrons - thanks to Gocad's Spit skins based on Wrench's templates. So far as the Hurris are concerned, that has likely been superseded by mppd's superlative Hurri skin - with more promised, can't wait, cheers Mike

 

On my wishlist (i.e. I have poked around a bit but made no real progress) are data.ini edits to improve the Bf-109 FM for the different BoB variants, at least so far as engine rating, gross weights and armamant are concerned. B Bandy RFC and Heck have been doing some good work re the 109 FM, see here:

 

http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?showtopic=31665

 

mppd has also pointed out that the code exists to make the RAF units move around airbases in historical progression, and that is a simple enough job to implement, if somewhat time-consuming.

 

Hmmm, what else? Bandy has done some great work on implementing hitboxes for Luftwaffe bomber gunner positions, which would be really good to see included

 

Oh yeah, (but don't mention this to Gepard ) I have a little notion for another BoB-themed speechpack to complement my previously released RAF one - again, not really a difficult job, but very time consuming and very tedious. And my German is a bit rusty

 

When any of the above will materialise in any coherent form is impossible to say. For all the usual reasons, my development cycles have stretched out to months rather than weeks, so expect any upgrade when you see it. And, to be clear, there is no coherent plan, strategy or "team" at work here. One of the things I really enjoy about this project is that when people come across it, they get enthusiastic, and contribute. It is a very organic process, and doesn't run to any sort of timetable.

 

I've said it before, but it's worth saying again - thanks to everyone whose work is featured, and who has contributed in any way, be it by mods, feedback, encouragement, suggestions, or simply by d/ling the package and giving it a whirl.

 

Tally-ho!

Edited January 5, 2009 by Baltika

[mppd 16]

My Hurricane markings became back-burnered by Dave and Enrico who requested a few more F-101 Voodoo skins, but I'll get back to them in a few days. Thanks for the compliments by the way. I'll try to do the Spit textures too.

 

Mike D.

[+Stary 2,427]

Yes, we need better 109 FMs, that's for sure. Good to know it's not abandoned . Moved my install to OCT08 version. Testing it

[+Stary 2,427]

I've uploaded that searchlights mod if you're interested, there's simple BOB mission included (night intercept)

[+Baltika 85]

Hi Przemek,

 

Interesting work on the searchlights mod - just a shame about the current limitations. But, perhaps for a dedicated nightfighter install, or missionset, it works really well. Good stuff

 

 

In general, as to BoB campaign updates, I have now completed an upgrade of the RAF OOB to include a selection of Bomber and Coastal Command Squadrons, now that we have some great birds such as the Wellington and Hudson - Cheers Veltro Plus added in the DAT Beaufort-equipped Squadrons which I inexplicably missed out earlier I have also added in a couple of RN FAA squadrons who flew Gladiators, Buffalos and the Grumman Martlet in the BoB timeframe.

 

I have also added in a number of Fighter Command Squadrons who were unlucky enough to be equipped with Gladiators and Defiants. Currently I am using Hinch's Gauntlet as a stand-in for the Gladiator (with CA_Stary's P-26 pit as a stand-in, cheers again Przemek ), and the DAT Fairey Battle as a stand in for the Defiant, as close-enough-for-now alternatives. Believe me, you don't really want to be flying any of them against the 109

 

I have also completed the task of creating squadron code .tga files for all the RAF squadrons, spurred on by the Hurri skin created by mppd, and the Spit skin from Gocad. I have also updated the campaign_data.ini file so that now all RAF Spit, Hurri and Blenheim squadrons show the correct squadron markings. Going hand-in-hand with that update is the expansion of the flyable list to include all RAF squadrons - that's still a WIP, although I am now up to 23 RAF flyable squadrons (and 1 RCAF :yes: ) which covers all the available types.

 

I have been poking at the 109 FM with a very long stick, spurred on by Charles' (I think) 109 FM from the DAT Spanish Civil War mod (great work there, btw, grab it if you can), and following tips from Heck and B Bandy RFC, but that is a very early WIP.

 

Thanks to all concerned, but a special mention due to Brain32, whose Hi-Res BoB beta tileset has spurred on this flourish of activity in BoB land.

 

And now that Gepard has released his German speech pak, we can all take a 109 for a spin with a lot more immersion than before - having put a speech pak together myself, I know the work involved there, so, cheers to Gepard for that one

 

Like I said before, don't hold your breath, but v0.61 just got a whole lot closer

 

Tally-ho!

 

or should that be,

 

Achtung! Indianer!

 

 

 

PS, How could I forget I have also incorporated Wrench's 610 Sqdn skin as flyable, together with his RAF ETO Tomahawk for 54(?) Sqdn - great for knocking down bombers, but watch those pesky escorts

 

Still not sure where to use your BoB Movie squadron skin, though, Wrench - I think I'll just create a special squadron for the purpose, then you can take your "A1" Spit for a spin in campaign mode, and pretend like you're Michael Caine :yes:

Edited January 10, 2009 by Baltika

[dsawan 624]

Hi, Balitka. Will the bf1-0 e4 and 4b be in .61?

[+Stary 2,427]

New OOB looks promising Veltro's planes are greatly needed addition in general.

 

Some Italian planes for CAI maybe? Don't remember the exact types and numbers used, don't have my sources here.

Edited January 11, 2009 by CA_Stary