May patches released for SFP2 and SFP2V

[GwynO]

Already!! Thirdwire downloads

There are two May patches, the SFP2 patch is only for SFP2 standalone installs, if you have a standalone SFP2V install OR a merged install, you only need to apply the SFP2V patch.

Edited May 12, 2009 by Kopis n Xiphos

[GwynO]

Readme for May 2009 patch SFP2V standalone install or merged install only:

 

=========================

Strike Fighters 2 Vietnam

Readme File

=========================

 

-----------------

Table of Contents

-----------------

 

1. Update Notes

2. Troubleshooting

3. Contacting Customer Support

 

---------------

1. Update Notes

---------------

 

This patch is for Strike Fighters 2 Vietnam, and it works on both

stand-alone install and merged install with Strike Fighters 2.

 

If you have installed any mods to the game, please check the list

of updated files to see any data files you've extracted have been

changed. You must manually delete and/or updated these files, or

the patched game may not run correctly.

 

List of changes in this Update include:

 

May 2009

--------

 

* Screenshot format can now be selected by editing Options.INI,

supported formats are: BMP, JPG and PNG.

 

* The installer updates DirectX correctly now.

 

* Original Strike Fighters 2 missions are no longer listed on Load

Mission Screen unless the game is merged with Strike Fighters 2.

 

* Fixes problem where the original Strike Fighters 2 would no longer

start on some merged install configuration.

 

* Later versions of A-7B/C with updated TF-30-P-408 engine are added.

 

Apr 2009b

---------

 

* 3d model for Mk 84 bomb not displaying is fixed.

 

* F-105D tail hook not being animated is fixed.

 

* Internal ECM and chaff dispenser are removed from A-7D.

 

* Damage textures on A-1 not appearing correctly is fixed.

 

* Serial numbers and squadron decals for A-7D are added.

 

* A-4F assigned wrong engine data is fixed.

 

* ECM pods are added to default loadout for later model F-4s.

 

* F-4D (67)'s RWR not displaying correctly is fixed.

 

* F-4E's radar now have additional range setting of 5 nm.

 

* Bridge spans not aligned in height is fixed.

 

* Hull number decals not showing up on aircraft carrier is fixed.

 

* Squadron pilots roster screen not showing the number of missions

flown is fixed.

 

* Campaign missions always attacking the same runway is fixed.

 

* Campaign end screen not displaying correctly is fixed.

 

------------------

2. Troubleshooting

------------------

 

Troubleshooting Tips

 

Before installing the game, please try the following:

 

- Close all other applications.

- Verify that your system meets the minimum system requirements.

 

If you are experiencing difficulties in getting the game to run,

please try the following solutions:

 

- Obtain the latest drivers for your video and sound card.

 

- Obtain the latest version of Direct X from:

 

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...6A-9B6652CD92A3

 

- Install the latest update for your game from:

 

http://www.thirdwire.com/downloads_sf2.htm

 

- Run scandisk and defragment your drive.

 

------------------------------

3. Contacting Customer Support

------------------------------

 

To obtain further technical assistance regarding this product, please

send an e-mail to:

 

support@thirdwire.com.

 

Please be sure to include the following information in your e-mail:

 

· Processor type and speed

· Operating System version

· Memory (RAM)

· DirectX Version

· Video Card type

· Error messages encountered and where/when you saw them.

 

Or visit our forums at

 

http://bbs.thirdwire.com/phpBB/

 

and leave us a message.

 

For all other comments or suggestions, you can contact us by sending

an e-mail to:

 

info@thirdwire.com

 

--

[GwynO]

Readme for standalone install of SFP2 only, do not apply over merged install!:

 

=================

Strike Fighters 2

Readme File

=================

 

-----------------

Table of Contents

-----------------

 

1. Update Notes

2. Troubleshooting

3. Contacting Customer Support

 

---------------

1. Update Notes

---------------

 

This patch is for stand-alone Strike Fighters 2 install only.

 

If you have Strike Fighters 2 Vietnam merged with Strike Fighters 2,

do not apply this patch, apply the Strike Fighters 2 Vietnam patch

instead.

 

If you have installed any mods to the game, please check the list

of updated files to see any data files you've extracted have been

changed. You must manually delete and/or updated these files, or

the patched game may not run correctly.

 

List of changes in this Update include:

 

May 2009

--------

 

* Brings the game up to the same code level as Strike Fighters 2

Vietnam.

 

* The installer updates DirectX correctly now.

 

* Screenshot format can now be selected by editing Options.INI,

supported formats are: BMP, JPG and PNG.

 

* ECM pods are added to default loadout for later model F-4s.

 

* F-4D (67)'s RWR not displaying correctly is fixed.

 

* F-4E's radar now have additional range setting of 5 nm.

 

* Squadron pilots roster screen not showing the number of missions

flown is fixed.

 

* New updated cockpit model for F-100D is included.

 

* F-100D is separated into two sub-versions, original (56) and (64)

versions. Original 1956 version lacks centerline pylon and other

armament options.

 

Feb 2009

--------

 

* Mach indicator on F-4 cockpits not moving past M1.1 is fixed.

 

* Joystick settings is less likely to be lost even if the joystick

is unplugged.

 

* Screenshots are now saved in .JPG format.

 

* F-4C (67) cockpit air threat indicator always being ON is fixed.

 

* A-4B and C altimeter not working is fixed.

 

* Some of the new 3d models for weapons not showing up is fixed.

 

* Missing Sidewinder rails textures on A-4 is fixed.

 

* One of the F-4D/E (75)'s decoy dispensers not working is fixed.

 

* Create New Pilot pop-up dialog now displays correctly.

 

* F-4E (72) and (75)'s service entry dates have been corrected.

 

* "Desert Fury" campaign having wrong start dates for USN and

USMC squadrons have been fixed.

 

* Font sizes have been adjusted to fit better on different resolutions.

 

* Some of the campaign CTD have been fixed.

 

* Aircraft prices when playing Mercenary campaign have been adjusted

to better account for small differences in their ECM capabilities.

 

* Starting weapons supply has been increased for Mercenary campaigns.

 

* The game no longer searchs for decals outside Decals folder, all

decals must now be placed under Objects\Decals folder.

 

* A-4 and F-100 drop tanks have been added to the external models

so they use individual texture set.

 

------------------

2. Troubleshooting

------------------

 

Troubleshooting Tips

 

Before installing the game, please try the following:

 

- Close all other applications.

- Verify that your system meets the minimum system requirements.

 

If you are experiencing difficulties in getting the game to run,

please try the following solutions:

 

- Obtain the latest drivers for your video and sound card.

 

- Obtain the latest version of Direct X from:

 

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...6A-9B6652CD92A3

 

- Install the latest update for your game from:

 

http://www.thirdwire.com/downloads_sf2.htm

 

- Run scandisk and defragment your drive.

 

------------------------------

3. Contacting Customer Support

------------------------------

 

To obtain further technical assistance regarding this product, please

send an e-mail to:

 

support@thirdwire.com.

 

Please be sure to include the following information in your e-mail:

 

· Processor type and speed

· Operating System version

· Memory (RAM)

· DirectX Version

· Video Card type

· Error messages encountered and where/when you saw them.

 

Or visit our forums at

 

http://bbs.thirdwire.com/phpBB/

 

and leave us a message.

 

For all other comments or suggestions, you can contact us by sending

an e-mail to:

 

info@thirdwire.com

 

--

[Murphy'S]

the non firing guided radar missiles with the 70's dll are fixed in the patch

[zmatt]

So I'm guessing that with the release of SF2 that there will be no updates for the Gen 1 games.

[+FastCargo]

TK has said as much. The '2nd Generation' of TK sims are the future.

 

FC

[+JediMaster]

What about the expansions for WOI and FE?

[+ST0RM]

What about the expansions for WOI and FE?

 

From the indications, they'll be for SF2I and SF2FE or whatever they'll call it. So the legacy sims are done for the most part.

[+gerwin]

From the indications, they'll be for SF2I and SF2FE or whatever they'll call it. So the legacy sims are done for the most part.

 

Not really, TK mentioned some days ago that the Suez addon is for the original WOI. He also wrote that it 'should' work without an additional WOI patch.

 

I think the SFP1 and SF2 series are two different code-sources now, and TK won't have the means to work on them both, I guess.

 

Personally I am not to happy with the new direction of SF2: higher poly aircraft and cockpits, higher res skins. more plane 'variants', and obvious incompatibility with the original games (LOD format). I mean, my systems have a hard enough time with the original patched games, and I think the original aircraft detail was fine. I would have rather seen the original series get expanded with proper helicopters, mission building features, terrain detail and interaction, stuff like that. Fortunately Suez should still work, and SF2 still retains most of the SFP1 series anyways.

[+Dave]

Well embrace SF2 because that is were a lot of us are heading. Its a much better sim that the original series. (except for the terrain as per norm)

[+Brain32]

Personally I am not to happy with the new direction of SF2: higher poly aircraft and cockpits, higher res skins. more plane 'variants', and obvious incompatibility with the original games (LOD format). I mean, my systems have a hard enough time with the original patched games, and I think the original aircraft detail was fine.

 

Well with certain option I have a 100% increase of performance with the new series, and this improvement alone is more than enough for me to forget about the old series...

We have similar priorities but probably different hardware...

[+331Killerbee]

Sometimes "Change" is good and for the better...........

[+gerwin]

Sometimes "Change" is good and for the better...........

 

Sometimes not, but it doesn't matter, I am happy with my single Wings over everything install.

Maybe In the future I will build a fancy system with Solid State Disks and low power but high performance CPU's and GPU's, and buy all the SF2 games for that one. :)

[+Dave]

Sometimes not, but it doesn't matter, I am happy with my single Wings over everything install.

Maybe In the future I will build a fancy system with Solid State Disks and low power but high performance CPU's and GPU's, and buy all the SF2 games for that one. :)

 

 

I have a 3 year old system and SF2 runs better on it than the legacy series.

[+gerwin]

I have a 3 year old system and SF2 runs better on it than the legacy series.

I think it differs from system to system. This is what I measured: With Windows 2K, AMD Sempron 3000+, 1GB+ RAM, and Geforce 6/7's: WOX 2006 a factor 1.35x more FPS then WOX 2008 and seemingly 1.64x more FPS then SF2. I know the advanced shader ini setting, but I haven't tried that one because I understood it was something Vista or Windows 7 specific?

 

I know my system has sure lost its edge in gaming, but I am waiting it out a little until some hardware that I like gets affordable.

Edited May 15, 2009 by gerwin

[GwynO]

... I mean, my systems have a hard enough time with the original patched games, and I think the original aircraft detail was fine...

 

I had exactly the same kind of doubts as you, but I still bought the game just as a way to support Thirdwire at the now and just keep it till I upgrade my system... but... I found out much to my surprise that on a Vista Home Basic laptop, AMD 2Ghz processor, 1GB RAM and onboard NVIDIA GeForce 8200MG the SF2 series gives me better FPS out of the box than a patched up series one game, and this is with some notches on the graphics settings bumped up one in series 2. I can still get a playable 21 FPS in series 2 with cockpit mirrors, reflections, unlimited pit graphics and a modded farscene clip distance, and horizon detail level as well.

 

The mega merged install is something that is now native to series 2 plus you won't see aircraft where they aren't meant to be thanks to the user list ini. One thing I must concede though, once you start adding tons of effects, I see the increased FPS fall back to either the same as a modded series 1 install or slightly lower at effects heavy moments in game, but this is something I can live with for the time being as I'm sure there is a workround, possibly limiting some settings in particle ini for example.

 

I understand the point about direction, here from a guy who complained so bitterly about the fact that avionics keeps getting sweeped under the rug as the focus of the game becomes more and more graphics oriented, but even I like the better graphics now I can have them for free, that is out of the box with no added FPS hit! Plus there are some steps in the right direction in other places, ccip is now a feature of 60 avionics... we don't even know what to expect in 70 because no plane in the current series 2 set use it, so I wait with baited breath!! The new vector display RWR might seem like a small thing on its own but it is so nice to see it was thought of, it indicates that TK is not just throwing all the development fund on high res models and graphics for the uber system people of Saudi Arabia and other rich countries! Little by little series 2 reveals a lot of nice improvements that you will wonder how you will do without, the new weapons format is a dream, having a mod folder to save those precious modded installs when a new patch comes along for example, no longer do you need multiple installs for full game mods, just a separate mod folder and a line switch in the options ini.

 

I don't know about running in Windows 2K though, that might be the problem there, otherwise your processor is better than mine and a lot of Thirdwire games limitations come not from GPU, but like all flight sims, from CPU limitations from the complex nature of the code, a lot of math/physics is involved that doesn't have anything to do with the GPU. Hopefully you won't feel you wasted your money when your new system becomes affordable, just look at it like getting something you will want in the future in advance, like croissants the night before breakfast.

Edited May 15, 2009 by Kopis n Xiphos

[Spinners]

I'm getting consistently better FPS with SF2/SF2V :yes: but the merged install gives me slower loading times .

[GwynO]

I know what you're saying Spinners! Loading was a bit longer for the stock merge SF2/SF2V but worth it! Runs smooth as a babies bottom. Now I have a bit of a Franken modded merge install, loading has become a major PITA, I can now comfortably go to the lavatory for a sit down session, make a cup of chai and drink it, even dunk my hob knob in it as well, and still have time to wait in the time it takes to go from 60 to 90 loading. I don't know exactly what goes on in there for that sector of loading but it totally sucks when all I need is to be in game for 3 minutes to test a weapon or an effect then have to repeat all over again. I'm getting fat from hob knobbing.

[+Dave]

OT for a second, anyone figure out how to make another install?

[GwynO]

OT for a second, anyone figure out how to make another install?

 

Isn't it the case of running the installer and telling it to locate to a different folder? The only thing to watch for then is installing utilities and patches that they point to the one you want. Also check the lines in the utilities ini files because they tend to remember the first installs location.

[+Dave]

Isn't it the case of running the installer and telling it to locate to a different folder? The only thing to watch for then is installing utilities and patches that they point to the one you want. Also check the lines in the utilities ini files because they tend to remember the first installs location.

 

I don't think we can get away with it this time since the sim installs to the untouchable program files area of Vista.

 

My thought, copy the saved game SF2 area and rename it something else?

[+column5]

OT for a second, anyone figure out how to make another install?

 

Yes

[+Dave]

Yes

 

Surely you can't be serious?

[+column5]

Surely you can't be serious?

 

Yes

[GwynO]

Ah got you. Sounds like it might work, all the files the game uses appear in the game folder though don't they? I installed the game to my otherwise empty D drive for example, the only thing that has to remain in the Vista drive is the Thirdwire folder in saved games containing the options.ini, all the other folders I deleted because my mod folder as referenced in the options.ini is inside the SF2 folder on D drive. Now with separate installs the only problem I can see is you won't be able to have two separate Thirdwire folders with two versions of the options.ini for the game. My way around that is to have separate mod folders and to rename them, when one is not in use it become modsx and when in use it becomes mods. Even easier than renaming in the options ini which is the other way around it.