SF2 Weapon Editor Released

[+331Killerbee]

Maybe this is a good time to tell Ya' my Findings on SF2 testing. Keep in mind that I'm running it on XP. But the findings would apply to Vista as well.

 

SF2 Engine and "Core" was done in Unicode. Unicode is the newest Programming Language. Any .Dll, .CAT and .LOD files can not be revirsed and used in SF1/WOX Games. But the "Original" Format of the Game remained the same. With the Exception of how the Weapons File and Decal File is handled. It's basically the same Game. TK divided the Object.CATs into Groups that pretain to themselves. Such as, All Decals in one .CAT. Ground Objects in another, and so on...

 

SF2 was set up to be Vista ready out of the Box. But will run on XP with no Problems. SF2 takes advantage of DX10 Plug-Ins for Visuals and playability in Vista.

 

Most old Mods will work with SF2. The most that I've found that doesn't relate to Terrains.

 

One can Move all Ones Mods to anywhere on their Computer. But the Option.INI must remain in My Documents/ThirdWire/StrikeFighters2 Folder. For Vista Users, that would be UserName/SavedGames/ThirdWire/StrikeFighters2. Be sure that the Options.INI calls out the Path of the relocated Folder.

 

The way that SF2 is set up is brilliant. TK has set it up so each new Addition would be a Module that patches and updates the "Core" Game without disturbing ones Mods while adding new features. So basically doing away with re-installing and mutiple installing as before.

 

Except for most Tree Mods. I've been able to port over most Mods without problems. Some Visual Effects are affected as well. Mainly because of the addition of DX10 Plug-ins.

 

I'm still testing...So stay tuned.

 

 

Semper Fi!

 

331KillerBee

[+gerwin]

SF2 Engine and "Core" was done in Unicode. Unicode is the newest Programming Language......

 

AFAIK Unicode is no programming language at all. It is a data format for text that allows more special characters then ASCII. It uses two bytes for every character in text files, instead of one byte.

[+331Killerbee]

So tell me where I'm going wrong here.

1. I downloaded the TW Gun Editor and installed it in the User Name/Saved Games/ThirdWire/StrikeFighters/Objects folder.

2. I extacted the GunData.ini file from the ObjectData001.cat file and placed it in the User Name/Saved Games/ThirdWire/StrikeFighters/Objects folder.

3. The Gun Editor will work in Win98 compatibility mode. I've requested it to open the GunData.ini file mentioned in No.2 above - no joy

 

 

Damn.....Unicode. Use NotePad to open the Extracted GunData.INI and copy in any new Entries. Use the "Old" Gun Editor to help in generating any new Entries. Add any new Entries after Number [GunDataXXX]. The new Entries being next in line after the last "Stock" Entry. Copy and Paste in NotePad or WordPad and "Save". That should do it.....

[+331Killerbee]

AFAIK Unicode is no programming language at all. It is a data format for text that allows more special characters then ASCII. It uses two bytes for every character in text files, instead of one byte.

 

Granted.....But was trying to make it easy to understand. It's a Sim Forum. Not a Computer Programming Forum.

[+Piecemeal]

Damn.....Unicode. Use NotePad to open the Extracted GunData.INI and copy in any new Entries. Use the "Old" Gun Editor to help in generating any new Entries. Add any new Entries after Number [GunDataXXX]. The new Entries being next in line after the last "Stock" Entry. Copy and Paste in NotePad or WordPad and "Save". That should do it.....

 

 

I'm not trying to add any new entries. All I'm trying to do is to change the sounds to certain guns. Yes; I can hear a lot of you shouting at the monitor 'Just change the f**king name of the .wav file!', but what I'm trying to achieve is different sounds for different guns. For example:

 

Instead of having a default 'Cannon' sound, I'd like to have different sounds for the 20mm Mk.12, 23mm Gsh23, 30mm DEFA and Aden cannons.

 

This has been done successfully with my other TW platforms

 

Not so simple with SF2/Unicode it seems

[+331Killerbee]

I'm not trying to add any new entries. All I'm trying to do is to change the sounds to certain guns. Yes; I can hear a lot of you shouting at the monitor 'Just change the f**king name of the .wav file!', but what I'm trying to achieve is different sounds for different guns. For example:

 

Instead of having a default 'Cannon' sound, I'd like to have different sounds for the 20mm Mk.12, 23mm Gsh23, 30mm DEFA and Aden cannons.

 

This has been done successfully with my other TW platforms

 

Not so simple with SF2/Unicode it seems

 

Man, Sorry.....Haven't tried it like You are doing. I've never changed the Stock Entries. I'll play with it and see if i can come up with something. If You find a way, Please Post it....

[+Piecemeal]

Man, Sorry.....Haven't tried it like You are doing. I've never changed the Stock Entries. I'll play with it and see if i can come up with something. If You find a way, Please Post it....

 

10-4 . BTW thanks for your patience ..... :yes:

[+Fubar512]

Didn't we have this conversation a year or so ago? Is this what you want, Ultramax? http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?autoc...si&img=4066

[+Piecemeal]

Yeah that's true. As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, I've had no problem assigning specific sounds to specific guns on my other installs (SFG, WOV, WOE, WOI). Doing it on them is no problem. There's obviously a different method of applying new sounds to stock guns in SF2. That's what's got us scratching our skulls.

[+Piecemeal]

I just got this info from TK on the Third Wire forum:

 

http://bbs.thirdwire.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=6270

[+331Killerbee]

Yhea.....A round about way I tried to explain it.........

[+Sundowner]

If I try to import/merge an old [pre sf2] weapon data ini, I'm ending up with a lot of folders with a bak/deleted entry in them....whats that all about ? I must be doing summat wrong.

[+331Killerbee]

If I try to import/merge an old [pre sf2] weapon data ini, I'm ending up with a lot of folders with a bak/deleted entry in them....whats that all about ? I must be doing summat wrong.

 

Me too. My guess is that function is based on Unicode. 2 Bytes versus 1 Byte....That's the major reason a new Editor would be needed for that function alone....Had to do mine by Hand....

Edited March 18, 2009 by 331Killerbee

[+Sundowner]

OK, thanks KB....not what I wanted to hear tho......

[+Piecemeal]

Step right on up folks and join the queue for TK's Miracle Gun Editor. Yes-sir-ee; it's comin' soon so grab that spot in the queue and don't forget your coffee and sandwiches

 

Hopefully this new SF2 Gun Editor will cure all our gun related woes of various calibres :yes:

[+331Killerbee]

Sundowner.....

 

Convert the SF2 Gundata.ini with Notepad first from Unicode to ASCII (ASNI). To do this in Notepad, Open with Notepad and re-save it as ASCII Format with the Drop-down in NotePad.(It says "Encoding Type" hint!) Then merge the both....

 

Then take the .DAT and Saved-Merged new GunData.ini to the Objects Folder of SF2.

Edited March 18, 2009 by 331Killerbee

[+331Killerbee]

BTW.....You can save it back to Unicode this way.

[+331Killerbee]

And if You are adding Sounds, be sure that You have created a "Sounds" Folder in Your "StrikeFighters2" folder of SF2 with the new Sounds in it. Ya' know.....UserName/Games/ThirdWire/StrikeFighters2

 

XP would be My Documents/ThirdWire/StrikeFighters2

Edited March 18, 2009 by 331Killerbee

[+331Killerbee]

Here's an Example to Re-Locate a "Modded StrikeFighters2" Folder....My Main Drive is C:...

 

 

[Pilot]

LastName=Pilot

FirstName=Ace

Callsign=Phantom

Service=USAF

 

[Options]

Section=3

 

[GameplayOptions]

MissionStart=2

CockpitView=0

DisplayUnit=0

EnemySkill=1

Simulation=1

FlightModel=1

WeaponEffectiveness=1

Avionics=1

Targeting=1

HUDDisplay=1

Landing=1

Collision=1

Blackout=1

AmmoUsage=1

FuelUsage=1

 

[GraphicsOptions]

DisplayDeviceID=0

DisplayWidth=1024

DisplayHeight=768

DisplayDepth=32

AspectRatio=1.777778

AntiAliasing=0

LensFlare=0

DetailLevel=4

ObjectDetail=2

ObjectTexture=3

CockpitTexture=3

CockpitMirrors=1

CockpitReflection=0

EffectsDetail=2

TerrainDetail=2

TerrainTexture=2

HorizonDistance=2

GroundObjectDensity=3

WaterDetail=2

CloudsDetail=2

Shadow=3

UseAdvancedShaders=0

 

[soundOptions]

SoundVolume=100

SpeechVolume=100

MusicVolume=75

NumChannels=16

ReverseStereo=0

SpeechSubtitles=1

 

[ControlOptions]

ControlMap=Killerbee's.INI

Sensitivity=75

DeadZone=20

ForceFeedback=1

TrackIR=1

 

[MultiplayerOptions]

LobbyLaunched=FALSE

 

[MiscOptions]

HUDDisplay=1

ForceAIPilot=FALSE

 

[instantAction]

AircraftType=F-4E

MissionMap=DESERT

StartTime=16:30:00

StartDate=09/18/1968

StartTimeDeviation=120

TextureSet=0

NationalMarking=0

SquadronMarking=0

AircraftNumber=0

KillMarking=0

 

[singleMission]

AircraftType=F-4B_67

Service=USAF

MissionMap=DESERT

MissionType=STRIKE

MissionTime=NOON

MissionWeather=CLEAR

AirActivity=RANDOM

AirDefenseActivity=RANDOM

LoadMission=FALSE

LoadMissionFilename=F:\STrikeFighters2 MODS\Missions\A-4F_ALPHASTRIKE!.MSN

MissionYear=1979

StartYear=0

EndYear=0

 

[Campaign]

CampaignName=Jay Test

PlayerService=USMC

PlayerUnit=VMA-121 Green Knights

Difficulty=NORMAL

Length=NORMAL

AircraftSupply=NORMAL

WeaponSupply=NORMAL

LoadCampaign=FALSE

CampaignSavename=

 

[Multiplayer]

Connection=0

PlayerColor=0

SessionType=0

GameType=0

Password=MyPassword

MaxPlayers=8

IPAddress=127.0.0.1

 

[DogfightHost]

MissionMap=DESERT

MissionYear=1968

Loadout=0

StartTime=10:30:00

StartTimeDeviation=240

RespawnTime=60

RespawnDistance=4000.000000

MinHeight=5000.000000

MaxHeight=12000.000000

HeightDeviation=5000.000000

ContrailAlt=7000.000000

ScreenshotsDelay=60

StartYear=0

EndYear=0

WeatherType=SCATTERED

 

[DogfightPlayer]

AircraftType=F-4E

TextureSet=DefaultTextureSet

PlayerService=USAF

Squadron=DefaultTextureSet

 

[CoopMission]

MissionMap=DESERT

MissionYear=1968

ContrailAlt=7000.000000

Service1=USAF

Service2=SOVIET

Mission1=SWEEP

AircraftType1=F-4E

AircraftType2=F-4E

AircraftType3=MiG-21PFM

AircraftType4=MiG-21PFM

ScreenshotsDelay=60

StartYear=0

EndYear=0

WeatherType=SCATTERED

 

[Mods]

ModsEnabled=TRUE <<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Directory=F:\STrikeFighters2 MODS\ <<<<<<<<<<<<<< I changed the name to this, just for Me.

 

[Version]

BuildDate=Feb 2009

[+331Killerbee]

You can Re-locate it anywhere as long as the Options.ini remains in the UserName/Games/ThirdWire/StrikeFighters2 Folder. Xp is My Documents/ThirdWire/StrikeFighters2 Folder. Any Modded File or Folder must go into there and can be located anywhere as long as the Options.INI is where I've stated.

 

You can change in the Options.ini, ModsEnabled=FALSE to play the Game unmodded.

 

Please leave the "StrikeFighters2" Folder in "Programs" of Your C: Drive alone. That's the Engine's "Core". You mess with that at Your own risk.

 

It's best to copy over .CATs to a temporary Folder then extract with the new Cat Pack.

Edited March 18, 2009 by 331Killerbee

[+331Killerbee]

As stated before, TK has announced that he'll be releasing a new Gun Editor. Also, He has announced the ThirdWire will be releasing a .CAT Extractor of their own.

[+331Killerbee]

Sundowner,

If You are still here.....I just ran another Test doing the NotePad Instructions above.....Did 4 Merges in one Minute .....But be sure to re-save back to Uni-code in NotePad....It works...

 

When saving back to Uni-code, It'll ask if You want to overwrite......click "Yes"...

Edited March 18, 2009 by 331Killerbee

[+331Killerbee]

One last thing and I'll quit "Hyjackin'" this Thread......

 

If You are changing Sounds or Effects of Guns, Be sure You've created a "Effects" and "Sounds" Folders with the the Modded Files in Your "StrikeFighters2" Folder.

 

Vista- UserName/Games/ThirdWire/StrikeFighters2

XP- MyDocuments/ThirdWire/StikeFighters2

 

..........Or whever You've got it located......

[jomni]

you should start a tutorial sticky or something.