updating Operation Tainted Cigar (Cuban mod) - any help?

[~LemonTea~ 0]

Hello all,

 

I'm trying to get OTC 2.0 up to October '08 patch standards, and I'm wondering if there's anyone who'd like to help me.

 

Here's a list of what I think should be addressed:

 

Update the UI

- Remove references to Aircraft Supply & Campaign Length (I've done this), and get Weapon Supply working properly in Campaign (also done)

- Brighten up some of the text (it's a little too dark in places IMO), and increase text size in some places (since most people are likely to be using higher resolutions now)

- Include an alternate loading.wav (the Kennedy clip is atmospheric the first few listens, but gets old after that)

- Provide a choice of loading screens for different screen ratios, so that the screens aren't stretched or otherwise distorted (I've done this for the default loading screen 'What If No-One Blinked', but not yet for the A/C screens)

- Remove the 'Lockeed Crap' text at the bottom of the main screen (done, I guess it was left in by mistake)

- Fix the odd typo here and there

 

Targets, Terrain, Ground Objects

- Get cuba_data.ini up to October '08 standard (remove references to heightmaps to fix carriers, update the water effects - both already done)

- Maybe beef up the Soviet/Cuban air defences - they don't seem sufficiently threatening at the moment, and SAMs launch only rarely.

- Make sure all ground objects are fully up to date and working.

 

Weapons

- Make sure they're all up to date, and that the bundled weapondata.ini is compatible with the latest patch (to avoid the 'no weapons' problem).

 

Aircraft

- Update aircraftobject.ini so that controls work properly, and AI is up to date (first already done, second in progress)

- Add the RF-101A (played an important role in the Cuban Missile Crisis). Note that a USAF skin needs to be made for the RF-101A. According to my research, the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing flew the recon Voodoo during the crisis. Anyone up for doing the skin?

- Add the RF-8A (also flew important recon missions during the '62 stand-off). As yet, no-one to my knowledge has made an RF-8 model. At a push a F-8B model could be used, although it wouldn't look correct because the the RF-8's were unarmed, they didn't have the cannon housings up at the front of the fuselage.

- Possibly add a medium bomber or two for the US side. If a (non-nuclear) war had broken out in the Caribbean in the early 60s, perhaps the US would have used some heavier firepower against the Cubans & Soviets. Possible candidates might be the B-47 and the A-5.

- Add the U-2C, if feasible (it's prominent in the UI screens after all). AFAIK, only a U-2A model has been released, but a bigger problem is getting the AI to fly the U-2 at high altitude (around 70,000 feet). Recon missions use the 'Attack Altitude' variable in the MissionControl.ini to set the target waypoint altitude. This can be changed to the metric equivalent of 70,000 feet, but then this messes up other mission types which use this variable, like CAS. So, AFAIK there isn't a good way to implement the U-2 in the campaign. It could be included for single missions however, perhaps custom-built missions.

 

Flyables

- Ensure that the Soviet/Cuban addon for OTC 1.0 is properly integrated into the new OTC, so that red aircraft are flyable in single missions, and in campaign.

 

Misc

- Add in some miscellaneous mods, like huddata.ini fix to remove the radar at the top-right of the screen, deuces' comms mod to get wingman to call out your number when they spot a SAM or bandit.

- Implement the 'faster takeoff' mod for all airbases.

 

One thing I don't know is if there is a full, working ground war in OTC. I haven't tested the campaign enough to find out. Can anyone confirm that is / isn't? If not, it would be great to add one, get a US invasion of Cuba going with Marine ships, vehicles and troops.

 

As a side note, I think it'd be worth re-using the Cuban terrain for another scenario. I'm thinking of a 1980s campaign, a 'Cold War gone hot' type scenario, or possibly a campaign based on the ill-fated Bay Of Pigs invasion, using B-26's (these were flown by Cuban exiles and CIA contract aircrews during the operation) and T-33's for Castro's forces.

[+Dave 2,322]

We (JSF Aggie and the rest of our team who released it) is actually going to upgrade this after we get done with the DS Mod patch. So please standby.

[~LemonTea~ 0]

Ah, ok.

 

Didn't realise that.

Some of the campaigns seem to become orphaned from the creators, and I wondered if this might be one of them.

 

So, if there's anything I can do to help...

 

Maybe I could work on one of the additional campaign ideas I mentioned.

[Charlie 14 0]

Don't now if this is still in the works or not, but I thought I'd bump it back to the top and offer any grateful words of encouragement I could to the talented folks who take on these tasks. I'd love to play that campaign.

[+Dave 2,322]

Yes we are working it.

[Charlie 14 0]

Yes we are working it.

 

I wish I had the talent to do more than just say thank you, but, well....I don't...But thank you, Sir.