Possible glitches in SFP1

[Basher11 0]

I wonder if it is a possible flaw in the game engine, or more optimistic, just a problem of the flight model; any flyable planes won't fly at an altitude of 500ft above ground.  I used the mission editor to make that ceiling but the aircraft just won't follow, aircrafts result in "Kangaroo" flying to at least 1500ft.

 

Can this be fixed?

 

I also notice that once waypoints altitude and speed are altered, airvraft don't land.

[+Gocad 26]

The altitudes aircraft fly at in-game are regulated by the Missioncontrol.ini:

 

[Altitude]

Normal=4575

Low=915

VeryLow=155

High=6100

VeryHigh=7620

(values are in meters)

 

You can change them, but be aware that pressing Alt+N in order to fast forward to the objective/home base may result in a crash should your flight path cross any mountains, etc.

[Basher11 0]

Hello Gocad:

 

I was just wondering if that is controlled by a control file. Than I searched into the Flight Folder.  There I found the flight.cat file and extracted the contents out. Checked all the .INI file no luck! The next closest guess would be missioncontrol.ini so I inspected it. You have confirmed my findings many thanks!!

 

Hello Gocad:

You can change them, but be aware that pressing Alt+N in order to fast forward to the objective/home base may result in a crash should your flight path cross any mountains, etc.

 

That was in fact my next question. So according to your saying, terrain hugging is not really that terrain hugging afterall.  Many years ago, I played another flight sim EF-2000 which simulates the EuroFighter 2000. The fighter is capable of terrain hugging up to 150ft.

 

After making the change, how do I put it back into the .CAT file. The extractor program only does extraction doesn't it?

 

P.S. Would you kindly explain to me what is waypoint size?

Edited March 31, 2008 by Basher11

[BUFF 8]

After making the change, how do I put it back into the .CAT file. The extractor program only does extraction doesn't it?

 

you don't need to put it back into the .CAT, the game will read files outside first.

Good thing about this is if you foul up then deleting that file resets you to using the default .ini.

[+Brainless 1]

P.S. Would you kindly explain to me what is waypoint size?

 

From Buff's Tutorial.

'Size is the distance from the waypoint that must be reached before AI controlled objects will proceed to their next waypoint. If it is too small, then AI controlled objects may fly in continuous circles around a waypoint trying to reach it. If it is too large, the AI will not follow the waypoints very precisely, which could impact AI behavior negatively at those points in the mission.'

 

Use '200' as a guide size. Use my height and altitude numbers I gave you before to start with. Line up the last waypoint with the landing runway and set the last 'Landing Line up' height at max 500mtrs. That should land your flight but sometimes wingmen and others prefer to fly round than land!

[+Gocad 26]

That was in fact my next question. So according to your saying, terrain hugging is not really that terrain hugging afterall.  Many years ago, I played another flight sim EF-2000 which simulates the EuroFighter 2000. The fighter is capable of terrain hugging up to 150ft.

 

We are talking about two different things here:

1) The fast foward function ("Alt+N") that transports you immediately to the initial point (aka Waypoint 4) or to the approach point of your home base (aka Waypoint 8) once the mission has been accomplished. It can fly you straight into a mountain if you don't check the flight plan and altitude during pre-flight.

2) The autopilot ("A") is capable flying close to ground level and will try to maintain a specfic AGL altitude. Be warned, though, it's a rather bumpy flight.

Edited March 31, 2008 by Gocad

[Basher11 0]

From Buff's Tutorial.

'Size is the distance from the waypoint that must be reached before AI controlled objects will proceed to their next waypoint. If it is too small, then AI controlled objects may fly in continuous circles around a waypoint trying to reach it. If it is too large, the AI will not follow the waypoints very precisely, which could impact AI behavior negatively at those points in the mission.'

 

Use '200' as a guide size. Use my height and altitude numbers I gave you before to start with. Line up the last waypoint with the landing runway and set the last 'Landing Line up' height at max 500mtrs. That should land your flight but sometimes wingmen and others prefer to fly round than land!

 

Yes, indeed.  I have found out the successful landing is dependent upon several parameters.  The distance between the TOUCHDOWN and LINEUP waypoints.  That was a guess initially, but after realizing the use of missioncontrol.ini, I have confirmed this parameter.  The waypoint size as I have guessed is the "turning circle" around the waypoint the aircraft reaches.  I tried set it to 100 for TOUCHDOWN and the aircraft never did.  

 

My current trouble is after changing the altitudes to very small values like 100m, the aircraft still won't do low level flying.  Should I leave the modified missioncontrol.ini file inside the flight folder so that the game engine picks it up and bypasses the .CAT file or I should put the missioncontrol.ini file elsewhere?

[Basher11 0]

2) The autopilot ("A") is capable flying close to ground level and will try to maintain a specfic AGL altitude. Be warned, though, it's a rather bumpy flight.

 

Gocad:

 

Thanks for the clarification, I really want to join the Mission Designer post.

 

I tried the following settings:

[Altitude]

Normal=90

Low=90

VeryLow=90

High=90

VeryHigh=90

 

just for testing purposes. Still, it won't fly close to the ground. It still maintains something like 1200ft AGL and as you said very bumpy flights.

 

What have I done wrongly?

[Basher11 0]

After many many hours of testing, an interim conclusion is reached. Aircrafts in SFP1 do not like altitude lower than 500 meters. From Way Point #2 (DEPART) to Way Point #3 (INITIAL POINT), altitude must not be lower than 750 meter. Violating these altitudes results in bumpy flight which typically exhibits behaviour like airbrakes malfunction and afterburner on and off all the time.

 

I attempted to change the various parameters under the ALTITUDE section of the missioncontrol.ini extracted from mission.cat but in vain. All the changes made to that section seems not being picked up by the game engine.

 

Are there any solutions here? Your help will be greatly appreciated!

[MigBuster 2,884]

Yeah was always a problem - flying at 1000ft to save your wingman - or 100ft to save yourself

 

Absolutely no idea about that - havnt tested it myself but are the AI in WOI better at terrain masking?

[+76.IAP-Blackbird 3,557]

It happen very often that you crash in autopilotmode, collisions with the terrain is a daily pain in the A$$

[kesegy 5]

It happen very often that you crash in autopilotmode, collisions with the terrain is a daily pain in the A$

 

yep, that's true.  you finish the mission, bomb the hell out of hanoi, pop the beer can in your cockpit, hit Alt+N, and the next thing you see is your crusader going into a mountain like a freakin dart. life just ain't fair sometimes.

[+EricJ 4,246]

Hello Gocad:

 

I was just wondering if that is controlled by a control file. Than I searched into the Flight Folder.  There I found the flight.cat file and extracted the contents out. Checked all the .INI file no luck! The next closest guess would be missioncontrol.ini so I inspected it. You have confirmed my findings many thanks!!

 

 

 

That was in fact my next question. So according to your saying, terrain hugging is not really that terrain hugging afterall.  Many years ago, I played another flight sim EF-2000 which simulates the EuroFighter 2000. The fighter is capable of terrain hugging up to 150ft.

 

After making the change, how do I put it back into the .CAT file. The extractor program only does extraction doesn't it?

 

P.S. Would you kindly explain to me what is waypoint size?

 

I too have played EF2000 and have yet to find something (or hear about) that equalled it's depth and feel. LOMAC comes a close second..

 

But back on topic, usually I fly terrain hugging manual all the time. Any Strike, Armed Recon/Recon missions I fly solo. CAS, and CAP missions I fly with wingies, but one time I got five kills by myself so not sure anymore...

[Tannethal 2]

flying behavior of AI wingies might also depend on their skill (setting).

Not sure if it's missioncontrol.ini or a other ini file but there are values stored for each skill level.

Among them are some with min safe altitude or something like that.

 

Maybe they would hug the ground a bit better if their min safe flight altitude is lower that the values in missioncontrol.ini.

 

Look for the "uberaimod" by Fubar, that contains said modded file for AI behavior.

 

Then take the stock file and make altitude changes for the ai.

 

S!