How do I get this radio chatter to be heard in game?

[ktickner6767 3]

How do I get this cool radio chatter to be heard in the game W.O.V.?

 

http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?autocom=downloads&showfile=1878

 

There are no detailed instructions provided in the download. I really wish there were step by step instructions included in these wonderful modifications but, I think on the most part you are on your own to try and figure it out. I do not understand how to implement this. I've been trying different techniques without success. Your help, guidance and wisdom is much appreciated. Thanks!

[Nightshift82 5]

Add the wav. file to your sounds folder be sure it's named windloop. And go into your soundlist ini. in your flight folder, and you need to change the windloop entry to this:

[WindLoop]

Priority=NORMAL

3DSound=FALSE

FrequencyControl=FALSE

NumBuffers=1

Looped=TRUE

[+ST0RM 145]

The only problem being that if you swap to the map view, the windloop will be started over, so you end up hearing mostly the same part of the radio chatter.

 

Or has this been solved by the entry above?

 

-S

[ktickner6767 3]

Add the wav. file to your sounds folder be sure it's named windloop. And go into your soundlist ini. in your flight folder, and you need to change the windloop entry to this:

[WindLoop]

Priority=NORMAL

3DSound=FALSE

FrequencyControl=FALSE

NumBuffers=1

Looped=TRUE

 

 

Ok. I found the soundlist.ini file. I edited it per your instructions and saved, but when I try to launch the game it simply crashes.

Edited April 21, 2009 by ktickner6767

[FastCargo 412]

You have to extract it.

 

FC

[ktickner6767 3]

You have to extract it.

 

FC

 

 

By using the "SFP1E_Extract_Utility" I assume? But, when I tried using it and browsing to the flight folder of my WOV game all it shows are TEXT.cat files. The sSOUNDLIST.INI does not appear.

[ktickner6767 3]

By using the "SFP1E_Extract_Utility" I assume? But, when I tried using it and browsing to the flight folder of my WOV game all it shows are TEXT.cat files. The sSOUNDLIST.INI does not appear.

 

 

Ok. Next I tried using the WeaponEditor to open the soundlist.INI file, saving it there but, the WeaponEditor doesn't open anything when I select the soundlist.ini file.

 

What am I doing wrong? I've been at this since last night. It really shouldn't be this difficult to simply add a sound file!

[FastCargo 412]

Adding a sound file is easy.

 

Getting it to do what you want...aye, that's the trick.

 

The soundlist.ini file is a plain text file. Use notepad.

 

The weapondata.ini and gundata.ini files are the only ini files requiring a special editor. All other ini files are plain text and can be edited with notepad, no special programs required.

 

Read the Knowledge Base for more information.

 

FC

[ktickner6767 3]

Adding a sound file is easy.

 

Getting it to do what you want...aye, that's the trick.

 

The soundlist.ini file is a plain text file. Use notepad.

 

The weapondata.ini and gundata.ini files are the only ini files requiring a special editor. All other ini files are plain text and can be edited with notepad, no special programs required.

 

Read the Knowledge Base for more information.

 

FC

 

 

Thanks FC. Believe me. I've been reading through the knowledge base all afternoon trying to find a solution to my problem without success. There is a lot of information on how to add planes, skins, campaigns and missions but, not much on sounds. I sure hope it is going to be a lot easier to add sounds and other changes to the next generation of the Third Wire games (Strike Fighters Vietnam 2) I've pulled my hair out in frustration too many nights trying to get what I thought was a simple addition to work.

 

In my opinion, and I stress this... only my opinion. The Third Wire Sims have so much potential to be great if all of these wonderful additions were already part of the game. I would gladly pay more for the kind of detail and additional atmosphere I get with all of these modifications but, it literally takes days to get all of them working and working well together. I just want a simple, single installer without the need to edit code or ini files of any kind. I just want to play a cool flight sim. I don't want to spend hours trying to hack it.

 

I regress... sorry. Sometimes I just get very frustrated with what I thought would be the smallest of additions to the game. It's too bad. I wish it were easier to implement. I think I have completely hosed the game now and I have to start over again. I think I have reinstalled WOV 3 or 4 times because I always seem to destroy the installation after making an attempt to add something like a sound file! LOL! Thanks anyway.

[+ST0RM 145]

You dont have to reinstall for every mistake. Most of the ini files you extracted with the SFPE tool, you can simply delete them from the parent folder. Then go back into the cat file with the SFPE tool, extract it again and viola' you have a fresh copy.

 

Should work for 90% of things and save you time.

 

-S

[ktickner6767 3]

You dont have to reinstall for every mistake. Most of the ini files you extracted with the SFPE tool, you can simply delete them from the parent folder. Then go back into the cat file with the SFPE tool, extract it again and viola' you have a fresh copy.

 

Should work for 90% of things and save you time.

 

-S

 

 

Which file would I "extract" to get the "soundlist.ini" file back. I think that is the file I hosed and is causing the whole game to crash to the desktop after I try to start a mission of any kind.

[FastCargo 412]

Okay, time out.

 

You need to understand how the game works.

 

Simply put, starting with a bone stock game is easy. Install, patch up, go through the menus to select your options (including video, sound, key commands, etc) then save the whole directory to a DVD. You now have a backup copy that you can install anytime by drag and drop...no install menus, uninstalling, whatever. If you ever so totally pooch your install up, you can always just delete the whole directory and start over.

 

Now, the game engine works by simply pulling whatever information it needs from the directories at hand. If it does not find a weapondata.dat for instance, it will go to the Objectdata.CAT file to find it. Everything the game needs to run stock is in the various .CAT files located through the directories. INI files, most bitmaps, etc.

 

Which means that if you screw up an INI file, the easiest way to fix it is to delete it.

 

You must also execute discipline when modding. You do one mod at a time, testing between each modification.

 

Yes, that's right. One aircraft, one terrain, one INI modification at a time. If you pooch something up, then just remove the modification.

 

Most of the time, if a critical core file is damaged due to a hard CTD (rare), all you have to do is recopy the .dll, .exe, and CAT files from the backup DVD you made to your directory...AFTER you remove the modification that caused the crash.

 

Modding this game is easy...but it requires logical and methodical application. A lot of addons have been made over the years, and the game's structure has changed a lot since it was first released. Therefore, the older the mod, the likelyhood increases that it may no longer be fully compatible.

 

Finally, if you need to, make a separate install just to play around in to test modding. That way if you hork something up, no big deal. We learn by doing.

 

FC

[ktickner6767 3]

Okay, time out.

 

You need to understand how the game works.

 

Simply put, starting with a bone stock game is easy. Install, patch up, go through the menus to select your options (including video, sound, key commands, etc) then save the whole directory to a DVD. You now have a backup copy that you can install anytime by drag and drop...no install menus, uninstalling, whatever. If you ever so totally pooch your install up, you can always just delete the whole directory and start over.

 

Now, the game engine works by simply pulling whatever information it needs from the directories at hand. If it does not find a weapondata.dat for instance, it will go to the Objectdata.CAT file to find it. Everything the game needs to run stock is in the various .CAT files located through the directories. INI files, most bitmaps, etc.

 

Which means that if you screw up an INI file, the easiest way to fix it is to delete it.

 

You must also execute discipline when modding. You do one mod at a time, testing between each modification.

 

Yes, that's right. One aircraft, one terrain, one INI modification at a time. If you pooch something up, then just remove the modification.

 

Most of the time, if a critical core file is damaged due to a hard CTD (rare), all you have to do is recopy the .dll, .exe, and CAT files from the backup DVD you made to your directory...AFTER you remove the modification that caused the crash.

 

Modding this game is easy...but it requires logical and methodical application. A lot of addons have been made over the years, and the game's structure has changed a lot since it was first released. Therefore, the older the mod, the likelyhood increases that it may no longer be fully compatible.

 

Finally, if you need to, make a separate install just to play around in to test modding. That way if you hork something up, no big deal. We learn by doing.

 

FC

 

 

Thanks FC. I have the retail version CD of Wings Over Vietnam however, each time I try to pull something off of the disk it request to uninstall the entire game and start fresh each time with a complete new installation of the game.

[FastCargo 412]

Alright, I see the fundamental issue here.

 

Okay, I want you to first find your Wings Over Vietnam directory on your hard drive.

 

Once you find it, I want you to copy it. I don't care where you copy it to/from. Drag and drop the whole directory somewhere...on a DVD, external hard drive, memory stick, etc. Name the new directory something else like "kticker's modded WOV backup" or something.

 

Verify that the contents of your new directory match the contents of your old directory.

 

Now, uninstall WOV. Completely, totally. Delete the old WOV directory once you've uninstalled. DO NOT DELETE YOUR FRESHLY MADE BACKUP DIRECTORY.

 

After you've cleaned out all remains of the old install, reboot. Yep, we are going to start fresh.

 

Now, reinstall WOV from the CD ROM.

 

Once complete, download the newest Oct 08 patch from ThirdWire or here. Install the patch.

 

Remove your WOV CD ROM and store it away somewhere safe. You should never need to touch it again.

 

Now, start WOV and set the settings to your preferences (joystick, video, sound, etc). Verify that the stock game works (fly a mission).

 

If everything is good, shutdown WOV and reboot.

 

(The reboots probably aren't actually necessary, but I'm making triple sure nothing remains in cache).

 

Now, see your shiny new stock WOV directory? Remember how we made a copy before? I want you to do the same thing, but of your new stock WOV directory.

 

Put that new, stock backup directory on a DVD, or better yet, a couple of DVDs (backup of a backup).

 

You now have a backup directory that doesn't need an install...EVER. If you ever need a fresh install of WOV, just copy the whole directory back on your hard drive. WOV (and all the other ThirdWire sims) are completely self contained, heck you can even run them off a USB stick.

 

Anyway, now that you've made your fresh backup DVDs of stock installs, you can now uninstall WOV again for the final time. Clean everything, then put the original backup of your modded install back to where you had it. Make a shortcut on your desktop to start it (or in the start menu, take your pick).

 

You now have your modded install on the hard drive, and backups of stock installs on DVDs in case you need to fix your modded install's core files. No pesky install routines, etc.

 

FC

[ktickner6767 3]

Alright, I see the fundamental issue here.

 

Okay, I want you to first find your Wings Over Vietnam directory on your hard drive.

 

Once you find it, I want you to copy it. I don't care where you copy it to/from. Drag and drop the whole directory somewhere...on a DVD, external hard drive, memory stick, etc. Name the new directory something else like "kticker's modded WOV backup" or something.

 

Verify that the contents of your new directory match the contents of your old directory.

 

Now, uninstall WOV. Completely, totally. Delete the old WOV directory once you've uninstalled. DO NOT DELETE YOUR FRESHLY MADE BACKUP DIRECTORY.

 

After you've cleaned out all remains of the old install, reboot. Yep, we are going to start fresh.

 

Now, reinstall WOV from the CD ROM.

 

Once complete, download the newest Oct 08 patch from ThirdWire or here. Install the patch.

 

Remove your WOV CD ROM and store it away somewhere safe. You should never need to touch it again.

 

Now, start WOV and set the settings to your preferences (joystick, video, sound, etc). Verify that the stock game works (fly a mission).

 

If everything is good, shutdown WOV and reboot.

 

(The reboots probably aren't actually necessary, but I'm making triple sure nothing remains in cache).

 

Now, see your shiny new stock WOV directory? Remember how we made a copy before? I want you to do the same thing, but of your new stock WOV directory.

 

Put that new, stock backup directory on a DVD, or better yet, a couple of DVDs (backup of a backup).

 

You now have a backup directory that doesn't need an install...EVER. If you ever need a fresh install of WOV, just copy the whole directory back on your hard drive. WOV (and all the other ThirdWire sims) are completely self contained, heck you can even run them off a USB stick.

 

Anyway, now that you've made your fresh backup DVDs of stock installs, you can now uninstall WOV again for the final time. Clean everything, then put the original backup of your modded install back to where you had it. Make a shortcut on your desktop to start it (or in the start menu, take your pick).

 

You now have your modded install on the hard drive, and backups of stock installs on DVDs in case you need to fix your modded install's core files. No pesky install routines, etc.

 

FC

 

Wow! Thanks FC! That was very kind of you to provide that detailed instruction to help me in the future and prevent the unnecessary re-installations of W.O.V. every time something goes wrong.

 

However.... lol... I think all I need is a new "soundlist.ini" file that isn't hosed and my extremely modded version of W.O.V. will be okay. I am just having a real difficult time trying to understand where and how I could retrieve it since the stock W.O.V. install disk will not allow me to extract files from it.

[FastCargo 412]

Put the damn install disc away, now.

 

Don't touch it again unless you plan to follow the instructions I gave you.

 

A question, did you read this line in a previous post I made?

 

Now, the game engine works by simply pulling whatever information it needs from the directories at hand. If it does not find a weapondata.dat for instance, it will go to the Objectdata.CAT file to find it. Everything the game needs to run stock is in the various .CAT files located through the directories. INI files, most bitmaps, etc.

 

Note, is there anything referencing the original install disc?

 

FC

[ktickner6767 3]

Put the damn install disc away, now.

 

Don't touch it again unless you plan to follow the instructions I gave you.

 

A question, did you read this line in a previous post I made?

 

 

 

Note, is there anything referencing the original install disc?

 

FC

 

 

?

[ktickner6767 3]

Put the damn install disc away, now.

 

Don't touch it again unless you plan to follow the instructions I gave you.

 

A question, did you read this line in a previous post I made?

 

Now, the game engine works by simply pulling whatever information it needs from the directories at hand. If it does not find a weapondata.dat for instance, it will go to the Objectdata.CAT file to find it. Everything the game needs to run stock is in the various .CAT files located through the directories. INI files, most bitmaps, etc.

 

Note, is there anything referencing the original install disc?

 

FC

 

 

If I am to use the SFP1E - Extract Utility to retrieve a stock soundlist.ini file from existing files and not the stock install disk... where or which .cat file am I to extract it from. That is the big question!

[FastCargo 412]

Ah ha! The light comes on...

 

Okay, now that we understand what to use and what to do to extract your soundlist.ini file, like you said, which onedo you get it from?

 

The particular CAT file is called FlightData.CAT located in the Flight folder in your ThirdWire install.

 

FC

[Shotgun 27 5]

If I am to use the SFP1E - Extract Utility to retrieve a stock soundlist.ini file from existing files and not the stock install disk... where or which .cat file am I to extract it from. That is the big question!

 

It will be in the Flight\FlightData.cat file in your game install directory - in my case it is C:\Games\ThirdWire\Wings Over Europe\Flight\FlightData.cat.

 

Point the SFP1E utility at the FlightData.cat file, highlight soundlist.ini and click Extract file.

 

Edit: Dang, beaten by FC.

Edited April 26, 2009 by Shotgun 27

[ktickner6767 3]

It will be in the Flight\FlightData.cat file in your game install directory - in my case it is C:\Games\ThirdWire\Wings Over Europe\Flight\FlightData.cat.

 

Point the SFP1E utility at the FlightData.cat file, highlight soundlist.ini and click Extract file.

 

Edit: Dang, beaten by FC.

 

 

Okay. I have successfully extracted the soundlist.ini file and saved it back into the flight folder but, the game continues to crash to desktop. Ugh! Is there something else that I yet need to do to get this game working again? All I wanted was a simple sound change.

[FastCargo 412]

It 'sounds' like you messed with something else while trying to incorperate this mod.

 

FC

[Shotgun 27 5]

Okay. I have successfully extracted the soundlist.ini file and saved it back into the flight folder but, the game continues to crash to desktop. Ugh! Is there something else that I yet need to do to get this game working again? All I wanted was a simple sound change.

 

1. Make sure that you put the windloop.wav sound in the \Wings Over Vietnam\Sounds folder.

 

2. Delete soundlist.ini from the \Wings Over Vietnam\Flight folder.

 

3. Re-extract soundlist.ini to \Wings Over Vietnam\Flight.

 

4. Open soundlist.ini in your text editing program. Hit CTRL+F and search for [Windloop]. This will take you to the already existing entry for the Windloop sound file.

 

This is what the default should look like:

 

[WindLoop]
Priority=NORMAL
3DSound=FALSE
NumBuffers=1
Looped=TRUE

 

This is what you need to change it to:

 

[WindLoop]
Priority=NORMAL
3DSound=FALSE
FrequencyControl=FALSE
NumBuffers=1
Looped=TRUE

 

5. Save soundlist.ini to \Wings Over Vietnam\Flight.

 

Keep in mind when I was experimenting with that sound, I did not have to mod the soundlist.ini file; I simply backed up the original windloop.wav file and replaced it with the one from that zip file. It seemed to work out OK and is something you might want to try.

 

Remember that if you mess up editing an ini file, you can always re-extract from one of the CAT files.

Edited April 26, 2009 by Shotgun 27

[ktickner6767 3]

It 'sounds' like you messed with something else while trying to incorperate this mod.

 

FC

 

 

I wonder if I extracted all files from the Flightdata file would repair everything?

[ktickner6767 3]

1. Make sure that you put the windloop.wav sound in the \Wings Over Vietnam\Sounds folder.

 

2. Delete soundlist.ini from the \Wings Over Vietnam\Flight folder.

 

3. Re-extract soundlist.ini to \Wings Over Vietnam\Flight.

 

4. Open soundlist.ini in your text editing program. Hit CTRL+F and search for [Windloop]. This will take you to the already existing entry for the Windloop sound file.

 

This is what the default should look like:

 

[WindLoop]
Priority=NORMAL
3DSound=FALSE
NumBuffers=1
Looped=TRUE

 

This is what you need to change it to:

 

[WindLoop]
Priority=NORMAL
3DSound=FALSE
FrequencyControl=FALSE
NumBuffers=1
Looped=TRUE

 

5. Save soundlist.ini to \Wings Over Vietnam\Flight.

 

Keep in mind when I was experimenting with that sound, I did not have to mod the soundlist.ini file; I simply backed up the original windloop.wav file and replaced it with the one from that zip file. It seemed to work out OK and is something you might want to try.

 

Remember that if you mess up editing an ini file, you can always re-extract from one of the CAT files.

 

Thank you. But, I have tried exactly following these steps and I can not get anything to work. All I ever touched was the soundlist.ini file. I think it is time to throw in the towel and pull out the original installation disk again and start over. I sure would have like to get that new radio chatter working. It is a shame that it is so difficult.