Using Stock Static (Parked) Aircraft for the TW Series

[+comrpnt 16]

Using Stock Static (Parked) Aircraft for the TW Series

Static aircraft, also known as parked aircraft, are special non-flyable aircraft derived from the stock aircraft in the Thirdwire series of games. For SFP1, WOV and WOE packs of the essential INI files required to create static aircraft already exist in the CA downloads section (see here: http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?autoc...amp;showcat=303). Installation instructions are provided with each download.

 

All static aircraft live in the Objects/Aircraft folder and usually have the word _static appended to their name.

 

This short tutorial will explain how to place static aircraft anywhere on the ground, for use with Single Missions.

 

Using WOV as an example

To place a static aircraft on an air base you will need to find the x/y coordinates of the airbase in the current terrain. For this example, let's use the Vietnam terrain of WOV. Locate the file VietnamSEA_targets.ini inside the WOV/Terrain/VietnamSEA folder. Inside this file all of the air bases are listed. (Search on "Air Base")

 

Let's work through a simple example, placing an F-4E_static on the ramp at Da Nang, next to your own F-4E flyable plane. Hopefully this will help you see the steps you need to take to place one on that air base.

 

1. Find "Da Nang Air Base" inside the VietnamSEA_targets.ini file. The entry lists the airport as Position=636000.00,492000.00. We'll use this x/y coord temporarily, just to get us to Da Nang when we test the mission.

 

2. You'll need a new mission file (these live in the WOV/Missions folder). I tend to copy a simple one and delete what I don't need. Use the following as a skeleton:

 

[MissionHeader]
AircraftType=F-4E
MissionMap=VietnamSEA
MissionType=RECON
StartDate=10/20/1969
StartTime=10:00

[Weather]
WeatherType=CLEAR
WeatherAlt=2000
WeatherThickness=50
HasHighLayer=FALSE
HighLayerAlt=4000
FogAmount=0.6
ContrailAlt=4000
StartWindDirection=0.0
StartWindSpeed=0.0

[MissionData]
FriendlyAirActivity=1
FriendlyAirDefenseActivity=0
EnemyAirActivity=1
EnemyAirDefenseActivity=2
PlayerMissionID=1
PlayerPositionID=1
MissionNumber=1
AdjustStartPosition=FALSE
AdjustBaseWaypoint=FALSE

 

3. Next add an entry for your flyable plane - again just to get started (we move it later to it's proper place on the ramp). Add the following to the mission file, using the coordinates for Da Nang we got in step 1.

 

// Player's flyable aircraft - Phantom F4-E
// NOTE - lines starting with a // are comment lines, ignored by the game
[AircraftMission001]
AircraftType=F-4E
Name=Tiger
FormationType=Single
Texture=USAFtng1
Squadron=555TFS
AircraftNumber=1
Size=1
StartTime=0
MissionType=RECON
TargetArea=Da Nang Air Base
ObjectiveID=1
RatingForSuccess=50
StartOnGround=TRUE
//														 notice the initial coordinates
Position=636000,492000,0
//														 notice the initial heading, facing up the runway
Heading=0										
Speed=0
Alignment=FRIENDLY
AmmoPercent=100
FuelPercent=100
Loadout=AirToAir
TracerMixRatio=50
PilotTrainingStandard=EXCELLENT
Nation=USAF

 

4. Save the mission in the WOV/Missions folder with a .msn extension

 

5. Next edit the WOV/Flight/HUDData.ini file* and add the following lines to the top (to enable debug mode in the game when running). *Note that this file resides in the FlightData.CAT file. You may need to extract this file to your Flight folder first (use the SFP1 Extractor utility http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?autoc...mp;showfile=343).

 

[Debug]
DisplayDebug=TRUE
Debug=TRUE

 

6. Now run the game and open up the Options/Controls panel. Go to 'Customize' and make sure that you have a key set to "HUD Toggle" - I use CTRL-H. This key will toggle through the different HUD and debug information text that is displayed on the screen. See here for an example of what this looks like: http://bbs.thirdwire.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=3876

 

7. Now load the mission. When it starts your F-4E should be lined up in the centre of the Da Nang runway facing North.

 

8. You should also notice lots of text on the screen, similar to the screen shots referenced in step 6. For placing aircraft, the top "Cam Pos" value is the most important. Press CTRL-12 to go into 'roving camera view'. Zoom out from your flyable plane (use the zoom keys) and then use the camera keys to face the Da Nang ramp, East of your current position. Point the X cross hair where you want to go and use the zoom keys to get there. For this exercise, simply 'fly' the camera over to the ramp area and point the cross hair where you'd like your planes to be located. Zoom down to ground level for an accurate x/y reading of the location pointed to by the X cross-hair.

 

9. Let assume that you've zoomed over to where you want to place your static. Make a note of the Cam Pos value and exit the game. Edit the

mission file and add a new entry for the static F-4E, like so...

 

// Parked on the ramp. Facing runway
[AircraftMission002]
AircraftType=F-4E_static
Name=Static F-4E #1 on Da Nang ramp 
FormationType=Single
Texture=USAFtng1
Squadron=555TFS
AircraftNumber=2
Size=1
StartTime=0
MissionType=RECON
TargetArea=
ObjectiveID=1
RatingForSuccess=50
StartOnGround=TRUE
//														  notice the new coordinates, where you pointed the roving camera view
Position=636400,491966,0
//														  notice the new heading, facing the runway from the rampHeading=270
Heading=270
Speed=0
Alignment=FRIENDLY
AmmoPercent=100
FuelPercent=0
Loadout=AirToAir
TracerMixRatio=50
PilotTrainingStandard=EXCELLENT
Nation=USAF

 

10. Now change the original entry for your flyable plane, to place it next to the static on the ramp. You entire mission file should read as follows...

 

[MissionHeader]
AircraftType=F-4E
MissionMap=VietnamSEA
MissionType=RECON
StartDate=10/20/1969
StartTime=10:00

[Weather]
WeatherType=CLEAR
WeatherAlt=2000
WeatherThickness=50
HasHighLayer=FALSE
HighLayerAlt=4000
FogAmount=0.6
ContrailAlt=4000
StartWindDirection=0.0
StartWindSpeed=0.0

[MissionData]
FriendlyAirActivity=1
FriendlyAirDefenseActivity=0
EnemyAirActivity=1
EnemyAirDefenseActivity=2
PlayerMissionID=1
PlayerPositionID=1
MissionNumber=1
AdjustStartPosition=FALSE
AdjustBaseWaypoint=FALSE

// Player's flyable aircraft - Phantom F4-E
[AircraftMission001]
AircraftType=F-4E
Name=Tiger
FormationType=Single
Texture=USAFtng1
Squadron=555TFS
AircraftNumber=1
Size=1
StartTime=0
MissionType=RECON
TargetArea=Da Nang Air Base
ObjectiveID=1
RatingForSuccess=50
StartOnGround=TRUE
//														 notice the initial coordinates
Position=636400,491999,0
//														 notice the initial heading, facing up the runway
Heading=270
Speed=0
Alignment=FRIENDLY
AmmoPercent=100
FuelPercent=100
Loadout=AirToAir
TracerMixRatio=50
PilotTrainingStandard=EXCELLENT
Nation=USAF

// Parked on the ramp. Facing runway
[AircraftMission002]
AircraftType=F-4E_static
Name=Static F-4E #1 on Da Nang ramp 
FormationType=Single
Texture=USAFtng1
Squadron=555TFS
AircraftNumber=2
Size=1
StartTime=0
MissionType=RECON
TargetArea=
ObjectiveID=1
RatingForSuccess=50
StartOnGround=TRUE
//														  notice the new coordinates, where you pointed the roving camera view
Position=Position=636400,491966,0
//														  notice the new heading, facing the runway from the rampHeading=270
Heading=270
Speed=0
Alignment=FRIENDLY
AmmoPercent=100
FuelPercent=0
Loadout=AirToAir
TracerMixRatio=50
PilotTrainingStandard=EXCELLENT
Nation=USAF

 

11. You can now calculate the position of other aircraft on the ramp, given the ones you have here. For other parts of the airport, use the roving camera to give you the "Cam Pos", then include that for each new static aircraft you define.

 

comrpnt (09/2008)