An idea that did not work

[Nicholas Bell]

Just thought I'd pass this along so no one else wastes their time.

 

I thought that since one can edit the cloud conditions, and even make clouds appear in clear weather (although not in FE), I could work up a hack to create more variable weather in campaigns. The idea was to create multiple environmentsystem.ini files and use a small program to randomly select and rename the files between missions. Each alternate environmentsystem.ini file would have just one weather condition (eg Overcast) for all weather types, so that if the sim program selected clear weather the environmentsystem.ini would force whatever weather condition the hack called up.

 

No matter, there's more to it than just the cloud data. A few tests so that replacing all cloud types with a single type does not mean that will be the weather condition encountered. Changing all the cloud types data to inclement and selecting clear weather did not make the mission weather inclement. It was either scattered or broken. Similar results were encountered in testing campaign missions.

 

So it appears that cloud condition data in the environmentsystem.ini only modifies or provides limited input into what the executable is controlling.

[Lexx_Luthor]

Yesp. Its bizzare how it all works. For example, I've noticed that overcast kills off the twiglight sky colours when the sun is near the horizon, at least in my modded Enviro file. So, when flying above the overcast, and the sun is rising or setting, you get the same sky coloration as 12 noon, even near the sun -- no twilight colours near the sun.

[Fubar512]

Yesp. Its bizzare how it all works. For example, I've noticed that overcast kills off the twiglight sky colours when the sun is near the horizon, at least in my modded Enviro file. So, when flying above the overcast, and the sun is rising or setting, you get the same sky coloration as 12 noon, even near the sun -- no twilight colours near the sun.

 

Because it's hardcoded that way. Also there are declarations for overcast light and overcast ambient light modifiers in the .dll file.

[gumpy]

It sounds like the boys that are building The Storm of War may have cracked the code.