How to modify the damage modelling of enemy planes in QC

[Fortiesboy 3]

Hello, The Devs have very kindly given me permission to publish a step by step guide for folks to

modify the damage modelling of the QC planes in your installations, so that you can create damage like wings coming off sooner, explosions sooner, leaking coolant and oil etc etc.

 

For those of you that want to see more damage , here it is . Please note the disclaimers at the end.

 

I have modified some of the aircraft files in my installation, and the devs have very kindly

given me permission to show how it can be done by you to your aircraft files.

 

You should appreciate that you do this at your own risk, and neither I nor the devs can be liable if your installation plays up- However, with the simple backup there should be no problem.

 

Here is a step by step method of doing so.

 

Using Windows Explorer, Open ( double click on it ) the OBD software folder in your C Drive.

 

You will see many yellow folders, amongst the first of which is the "aircraft" folder.

First thing to do is to back this up. Copy it to a location from which it can be retrieved if needed,

preferably somewhere other than your C Drive.

 

Having backed up the folder, now open it and you will see the folders for a lot of aircraft,

most having several versions identified by a suffix such as AC1 , AC2 etc.

Most of the planes will have a version with the suffix QC.

I have taken this to mean it is the plane used in QC, the others I suppose are campaign planes.

 

So, now open the folder for one of the QC planes, e.g Alb_Dlll. You will see some folders and several files.

There is a file called a XDP file . Open it by right clicking on it. The menu may have an "Open with.."

option. Choose that and Open it with Notepad.

 

Scroll down the text to about a third of the way and you will see that there are several lines about Damage Boxes

Several different parts of the plane are referred to and each has a value/figure after the words

"Probability" and "points"

E.g. elevator_cable" Probability="2" Points="11"/>

 

It is my understanding that if you change these figures to a higher one, then there is more chance that your bullets

may strike and damage that part of the plane.

However, I haven't changed this part of the file - you may wish to do so, by what amount is up to you,

but I wouldn't increase the figures too much.

 

 

The part I have modified is lower down in the file where you see Damage Boxes and the words

 

"Threshold levels"

 

You will see that for each part of the plane there are several threshold level lines. The top line has a low value

and by the time you get to the bottom line it will have a high level of 100.

You can see roughly what each line refers to damage-wise effects, e.g debris etc , with the bottom line saying "break"

 

So you can imagine that, say for a Right Wing, the soonest effect of damage, of debris, is achieved when your bullets

cause the Threshold level value (e.g 30 ) to be reached.

And so it progresses until you hopefully reach 100 and cause the last effect, which is "break."

 

What I have found is that if I lower these values - then the effects, ( in this case, those affecting the wing )will happen

sooner.

I have put values, for example, of 10 all the way down through one of the features- wing, or fuel tank, or engine, etc

and on playing the sim this damage to this component has happened after using not all my bullets!

And this effect does not always happen too soon - there still remains a random factor.

 

Because this seems to be a progessive build up of effects, I have found that the first values for a plane part, eg, again the wing,

must always be lower than the last values, i.e the "break" one.

 

If you find that the values of 10 are too easy- then choose higher ones, but again, always have the last value higher, or the same as, the first value.

 

You can, of course, alter more than one feature, say right wing and fuel tank or whatever. depending on how vulnerable you want that plane to be.

 

When you have finished your alterations go to File at the top and click on Save, then close by using Exit.

Do NOT close by clicking on the top right X sign.

 

Now,---- DO NOT MISS this bit.!

 

Having saved and closed the XDP file, you will see in the aircraft folder some files, such as AIR file and

Aircraft CFG file. One of the other files is called a BDP file.

Right click on this file and delete it - Yes, delete it. Don't worry, next time you start OFF a new bdp file will be created.

If you don't delete this bdp file after making your alterations to the XDP, then those alterations will not "Take".

 

Now you can exit the aircraft folder , select another aircraft folder and make alerations to that xdp file,

and so on, until as many as you want of the QC aircraft have been altered by you.

You probably won't alter them all in the same manner- some the wings, some the coolant, some the engine etc etc.

 

 

 

A couple of tips -

 

If you do a wing, you will see there is a corresponding wing tip box as well. Do that also, because if you leave it unaltered,

you don't want the computer thinking the wing tip is intact, if the wing is gone.!!!

 

There is no reason why these alterations should not work on the tailplane stabilisers, but I haven't seen them fly off exactly

but sometimes the plane has behaved as if they have - i.e crashed !

They probably work on the pilot, too.

 

Have fun!

 

Remember, these are still OBD's files - nothing you do to them means you can use them for gain, or in

anyway contrary to the copyright .

Make the alterations at your own risk - If you have a problem after making the alterations,

then you can always put back the backed up original Aircraft folder- and you will be no worse off than you are now.

 

Cheers.- enjoy the best combat flight sim there is.

 

FB

[Herr Prop-Wasche 7]

Interesting...

 

I have been looking at the damage boxes but had ignored the thresholds settings because I thought (note I did not say "assumed" LOL) the threshold values only told the sim what sound and graphics effects to "play" and did not have any actual effect on flight. So you are saying these values DO have an effect on flight as well? If so, do the damage boxes only have an effect on determining when an item breaks?

 

Furthermore, when altering some of the damage box values, I did not delete the associated .bdp file. Yet, I am positive that my changes had an effect. Are you sure you have to delete the .bdp file? Maybe just for the thresholds values?

 

Incidentally, when poking around the AlbDII QC file, I noticed one or two errors. For instance, towards the end of the file, the setting for the elevators names two left elevators and no right elevator. Should I bring this to the attention of OBD? Oooh, after looking at more of the airplane files, this appears to be a problem for all of the planes. I think I will bring this to the attention of OBD!

 

Nice detective work about the thresholds parameters!

[Fortiesboy 3]

Interesting...

 

So you are saying these values DO have an effect on flight as well? If so, do the damage boxes only have an effect on determining when an item breaks?

 

Furthermore, when altering some of the damage box values, I did not delete the associated .bdp file. Yet, I am positive that my changes had an effect. Are you sure you have to delete the .bdp file? Maybe just for the thresholds values?

 

Hello Prop-Wasche (like the name-lol )

 

I find the threshold values are the main determining factor in getting the wing to "break", i.e come off :) And thus in getting the end effect on the other plane parts too.

You will notice that the "break" value on all the parameters of all the plane parts is 100.

As I understand it, it is only when 100 is reached ( by the action of the bullets hitting and gathering points in Damage Boxes seen earlier in the file ( Probability and Points ) ) that the effect is made, i.e the item "breaks"

In the case of a wing -literally.

 

When the effects listed prior to "break" become activated, it is because their values are reached.

You will notice that most of these effects prior to the "break" have lower values.

Thus your attack normally has debris first, fabric rip next ( or whatever ) etc until finally the end effect ( break ) is reached.

Because this is 100 I was of the opinion that that figure was almost never reached, thus the effect was rarely activated.

So I made all the values for one of the parts of the plane down to 10 - Even the break value.

Then things really did start to break.

(BTW, it's not much use reducing all value to 10 except the break one which is left at 100, if you want to see the final effect)

 

I suggest anyone trying it for the first time uses a value of 10 all through, just to see the difference.

If it is too much damage too soon for you , then change the values back to a bit higher, that suits your idea of how easy the damage should be.

I find that even with the values at 10, it is still somewhat random for the damage to happen early.

 

As for the bdp file, I am not being adamant about this, but I do believe it is necessary. If you find it isn't, fine-

However, as the bdp file is re-made on starting OFF, it seems you just as well delete it as not?

 

 

I'd be interested in what you find :)

 

HTH

[Herr Prop-Wasche 7]

Fortiesboy describes some interesting things to try with the Threshold values in the aircraft .xdp files. I'm not fully convinced that his changes have a huge effect on the flight characteristics of the aircraft, but they do have an effect of what visual and sound effects you will see and hear, and how soon. For instance, if you want to increase the number of bullet holes you see in the wings as you progressively damage an aircraft, try adding this line to one of the <System ID="_wing" > sections:

 

<Threshold Level="40" Effect="Library" Parameter="fx_blt_hit_s" Location="emitter_damage_wing_piece_left"/>

 

Note that the Level="40" is between the values already in the file (30 and 45), so you should get three "bullet hole decals" before you hear the sound of a wing ripping. You can adjust these values any way you wish, within the above limitations already described by Fortiesboy. Personally, I would simply change the line in the wing with Level=25 to Level=20, and not add any additional lines. This should result in the first bullet hole decal being applied slightly earlier in the wings than it is currently in all of the aircraft.

 

In a later post, I will describe some of the changes that can be made to the damagebox section of the .xdp files.

Edited March 27, 2009 by Herr Prop-Wasche

[Herr Prop-Wasche 7]

Oh, I should probably note that if you make any changes to these files and you want to fly multiplayer, you might get an "aircraft mismatch" error. It depends on which "version" of each aircraft you make changes to and the version that multiplayer uses. I believe that multiplayer uses either the QC, AC, SQ, or Sqd version of each aircraft in the aircraft folder, but I do not know which, currently.

[Herr Prop-Wasche 7]

Okay, here is a little bit on altering the damageboxes in the .xdp files of the various aircraft. If you do decide to alter this file, make sure to create a backup first!

 

First, please note that the various parts of the planes are each assigned to a particular damage box. So, the engine, pilot, wings, oil reservoir, elevators, etc. are all assigned to a "Parent" damage box. In turn, several damage boxes are nested inside of larger damage boxes. The "main" damage box appears to be the "damagebox_fuselage." All other damage boxes are "children" of this main damage box. The different pieces of each aircraft are, in turn, "mapped" to a specific "child" damage box.

 

Notice that each piece or component of the aircraft has two variables. One is for "Probabality" and the other is for "Points." Most damage boxes have only one component. In this case, the Probability value is always 100, so, if you hit the associated damage box, you will always hit the component inside the damage box. A few damage boxes have two components (I can't recall seeing any more than two components per damage box, although you could probably have more than two if you wanted). In this case, the Probability value is divided between the two components. For instance, the damagebox_fuselage1 box has two components: the pilot and the center_fuel_tank. The percentage chance of hitting the pilot, if you hit the fuselage1 damage box, is 40%, while the chance of hitting the center_fuel_tank is 60%. If you wanted, you could tweak these values to give a better (or worse) chance of hitting the fuel tank as opposed to the pilot.

 

The Points variable, of course, represents the maximum "hit points" that each component has before it breaks (or dies, in the case of the pilot). So, if you want to strengthen a component, simply increase the hit points. To weaken a component, decrease the hit points. For example, to strengthen the wings on your Fokker Eindecker, simply change the points in the right_wing and left_wing from 70 to whatever value you feel is appropriate.

 

Please note that files other than the .xdp file effect other flight characteristics of the aircraft. For instance, changing the .xdp file should not effect the likelihood of your wing shedding in a dive. The .xdp files only effect damage caused by bullets and FlaK, I believe.

 

Finally, note again that changing the .xdp file may cause an "aircraft mismatch" if you play MP, so you may want to maintain two aircraft folders. Keep an unaltered aircraft folder for MP, and use the altered folder for single-player use. You will either have to use a file-switching program like JSGME (available from the subsim.com forum), or maintain two copies of your aircraft folder (one named aircraft and the other named aircraftSP or something similar) in your OFF program folder. Of course, before using your aircraftSP folder, you would first have to rename the original aircraft folder to something else and then delete "SP" from the end of your altered folder so that the game will use it (not as complicated as it sounds, but a pain to do everytime).

 

Good luck and happy flying!

Edited March 28, 2009 by Herr Prop-Wasche

[Fortiesboy 3]

Some interesting posts there, Prop

 

BTW- before my main thoughts in this post, you will find, as i say, that changing the values to 10 in the threshold section will give plenty of damage, but not every time as to make it arcade.

 

I must experiment with the "Points" system as you have described it.

 

I had it figured somewhat differently, and mine is pure guesstimation, mind - You may have

info direct from the "horse's mouth"

 

I figured that as the bullets hit, the probability factor came into play as to what was likely to get hit most, and then if it got hit, it acquired those points indicated.

Then those points acquired were used to reach a threshold value, which when it was reached, the effect shown came in.

 

So, say X points were needed to reach Threshold value 40, then the effect for 40 ( e.g. which could be debris flying off ) happened.

More points than X would be needed to reach threshold value of 100, and then the effect for 100 ( being "break", ie wing coming off, or explosion ) would happen.

 

So, in my thinking, if you changed the points to a higher figure, then the bullet hits gave you that figure, and that would be the way to reach the threshold value sooner, thus seeing the damage sooner.?

 

This is in contrast to your thinking

" So, if you want to strengthen a component, simply increase the hit points. To weaken a component, decrease the hit points."

 

Frankly, I don't know which is correct. -lol. As I say, mine is assumption, yours may be also, or you may have some inside info.

It's not important to me to be considered correct on this - I've got no ego with it, it's just some interesting messing about, - but I would like to know which it is, because I do find all this somewhat fascinating.

 

Tell you what, - I can just see Winder and Pol having a good old chuckle at this - seeing two punters

wallowing around in their "theories"

 

Wonder if one of 'em will chip in and put us right?

 

cheers

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Fascinating read Gents!

[Herr Prop-Wasche 7]

Frankly, I don't know which is correct. -lol. As I say, mine is assumption, yours may be also, or you may have some inside info.

It's not important to me to be considered correct on this - I've got no ego with it, it's just some interesting messing about, - but I would like to know which it is, because I do find all this somewhat fascinating.

 

Tell you what, - I can just see Winder and Pol having a good old chuckle at this - seeing two punters

wallowing around in their "theories"

 

Wonder if one of 'em will chip in and put us right?

 

cheers

(Looks around, sees no horses). No, I don't have any information from the horse's mouth. Like you, I am working solely on an assumption, and you know what happens when we assume!

 

However, I have based my assumptions based on a loose analysis of the different damage models in the 1.26 and 1.28a patches (I had saved a copy of the 1.26 aircraft folder before I applied the 1.28a patch). Somewhere in another thread (might be the DM thread on the general forum), I posted my observations about the two patches. In the 1.26 patch, I noticed the points values for the wings were roughly 25% of the original DM. In my experience, wings easily broke off after only a little bit of damage with the 1.26 patch. After the 1.28a patch, and using the "hardcore" DM, the point values for the wings was upped to 50% of the original DM. In turn, the wings seem to be more sturdy with the hardcore model. So, I assume that increasing the points values in the damagebox section results in stronger components. But, I could be wrong!

 

OTOH, I think you are right about the Threshold section. Lowering the Threshold levels should result in seeing earlier damage effects. Some damage, like bullet holes, probably doesn't have much of an effect, unless it's a hit to a fuel tank or the pilot. Others, like the sound of wing fabric ripping, probably does have an effect on the flight model of the various aircraft.

 

Based upon your work and mine, I went ahead and made some minor changes to the .xdp files of the aircraft QC folders to see what happens. I'll report back later after I've had a chance to test it out. At this point, I'm not going to delete the .bdp files, as you suggested. If nothing happens, I'll go ahead and do that, too.

 

I'm glad there is at least one other testing geek around here!

[Herr Prop-Wasche 7]

Thanks, Widowmaker!

 

Incidentally, while poking around the .xdp files, I have noticed a few, very minor, errors (mainly text errors that have no effect on the DM). I communicated with OBD about this, and in their usual fashion, they quickly thanked and assured me that they would make any required fixes available in the next patch. Great service!

 

Of course, you can make these changes yourself, but the process is a bit tedious. You really get an appreciation for the super hard work of the OBD team when you start to fiddle around with some of these files.

[Fortiesboy 3]

(Looks around, sees no horses). No, I don't have any information from the horse's mouth. Like you, I am working solely on an assumption, and you know what happens when we assume!

 

However, I have based my assumptions based on a loose analysis of the different damage models in the 1.26 and 1.28a patches (I had saved a copy of the 1.26 aircraft folder before I applied the 1.28a patch). Somewhere in another thread (might be the DM thread on the general forum), I posted my observations about the two patches. In the 1.26 patch, I noticed the points values for the wings were roughly 25% of the original DM. In my experience, wings easily broke off after only a little bit of damage with the 1.26 patch. After the 1.28a patch, and using the "hardcore" DM, the point values for the wings was upped to 50% of the original DM. In turn, the wings seem to be more sturdy with the hardcore model. So, I assume that increasing the points values in the damagebox section results in stronger components. But, I could be wrong!

 

OTOH, I think you are right about the Threshold section. Lowering the Threshold levels should result in seeing earlier damage effects. Some damage, like bullet holes, probably doesn't have much of an effect, unless it's a hit to a fuel tank or the pilot. Others, like the sound of wing fabric ripping, probably does have an effect on the flight model of the various aircraft.

 

Based upon your work and mine, I went ahead and made some minor changes to the .xdp files of the aircraft QC folders to see what happens. I'll report back later after I've had a chance to test it out. At this point, I'm not going to delete the .bdp files, as you suggested. If nothing happens, I'll go ahead and do that, too.

 

I'm glad there is at least one other testing geek around here!

 

Taffy S1

 

Yes, I see your logic re the points in the different patches. I'll try that in one of the QC planes . I'll make some extreme points values ( having backed up first ) to see what happens.

 

Yes, I'm a bit surprised that there aren't one or two more tweakers. They must all be away at war or something

[Herr Prop-Wasche 7]

Yeah, between tweaking, posting, and real-life, I barely have any time for flying!

[Fortiesboy 3]

Hey Prop - how about this - for a laugh.

 

I modded an xml on an Alb so that the threshold value on the engine values were all on 10.Including the last "break"

Guess what happened.? It obviously readily gave the effects, including "break", but it seems that "break" for engine means it shoot out the aircraft pretty much like the pilot jumps out.!!

 

I thought , "what's that come out the plane?" - then i saw it was what looked like an Engine block !

 

So looks like i need to make the "break" at 100 - in fact everything so that the last thing that is 10 is the explosion.!!

 

Can be fun, this modding

[Herr Prop-Wasche 7]

Instead of break, sounds like what is really going on is "Let's break out of here!" You know, as in SCRAM!

[Fortiesboy 3]

Just to bump this thread, so that it may be considered by those wanting to see more effects of damage.

 

I am pretty sure that this will work both in Hardcore damage model or the Normal damage model.

 

Here is a little more explanation as to why i think effects of damage are not seen as often as some of us would like to see

 

I have found that whether the enemy planes succomb to your guns later or sooner ( HardDM or Normal DM ), the planes still fall down intact. They are sustaining damage, yes, which is why they go down- but they are not showing the true extent of the damage- i.e wings coming off, explosions/fire. etc

 

Altering the points value in the damage boxes will make damaging the planes easier or harder, of course, however, I have altered the threshold values so that when those points values are reached, (i.e the damage is inflicted,), the damage effect is also seen, as caused by the threshold values being reached also.

 

It is my belief that if the points value of, say, the damage to the right wing is 52, then the plane will behave as if the right wing is destroyed/broken when 52 points is achieved. If, however, the damage threshold value for "break" of the wing is 100, then the "break" situation isn't going to be reached a lot of the time and the wing doesn't break off.

I found that changing the threshold values to 52 or lower achieves having the wing come off most of the time.

 

A reminder here- we are talking of the QC planes. Unless you want to amend ALL of them-Phew!

 

cheers

FB

[Herr Prop-Wasche 7]

It is my belief that if the points value of, say, the damage to the right wing is 52, then the plane will behave as if the right wing is destroyed/broken when 52 points is achieved. If, however, the damage threshold value for "break" of the wing is 100, then the "break" situation isn't going to be reached a lot of the time and the wing doesn't break off.

I found that changing the threshold values to 52 or lower achieves having the wing come off most of the time.

 

After more testing this weekend, I think I have come to roughly the same conclusion, Fortiesboy. The threshold "break" value is literally that, a value that determines when the given component breaks or flies off. I used to believe the threshold value was a percentage, but now agree that it appears to be a number just like the damage value. If the threshold break value is set significantly higher than the damage value, you don't get the break off effect. Instead, once the damage point level is reached, the component no longer works. This could represent a rudder jamming or a wing which has been damaged to the point it can no longer provide any lift.

 

This may explain why you see so many planes "drifting" down, with wings intact, until they impact the ground: The maximum damage points for the wing has been reached so it no longer works, but since the threshold value has not been met, it does not break off.

 

With these principles in mind, I will continue to work on updates to my intermediate DM. In addition to the existing QC version, I will soon post a campaign version with just the damage point values altered, then work on a complete DM with both damage points and threshold values reworked--that is, if ANYONE is interested.