SF2V / WOV Air & Ground Expansion Packs

[+Dave 2,318]

I haven't even had to rename an ini file. I just copied the exe, renamed it and ran it, bam, another install.

[JediMaster 451]

Oh, it's that easy? Cool. I haven't installed this yet, but it's on my to-do list for the long weekend. I've finally started installing some mods to my SF2 directory, but none to SF2V or SF2E. I'll just make an SF2V copy called SF2VPlus then and put all this in there!

Also means that if beta 3 or the final release isn't happy overwriting this version, I'm not trashing my stock SF2V install to install it.

[+eburger68 195]

Hi All:

 

FixPack #2 for the SF2V Air & Ground War Expansion Pack Beta is now available:

 

http://forum.combatace.com/index.php/topic/46668-sf2v-air-and-ground-war-expansion-pack-v2-0-fixpack-2/

 

This fixpack includes tail serials for a good number of aircraft, new skins for the A-1s and RF-4B, a few new hangar and loading screens, plus a dozen or so other minor fixes for various issues.

 

Please note that FixPack 2 is not cumulative. It should be applied after installing the first FixPack.

 

We anticipate a final Gold release of the Expansion Pack sometime early next week (barring, of course, the discovery of any major problems). If you do spot errors after applying this latest fixpack, please report them here.

 

Eric L. Howes

[stingray77 4]

Sorry guys, I've been "off-line" for a couple of days (short vacation - been fine except for the lack in "combat-time" )...

 

I just downloaded and applied FP2 to my SF2V (after saving another BackUp of the previous). Guess it will take some time to get back to the Campaign-status as before to "verify" your fix - but I have a lot of faith in you!

 

So the Coral Sea was phased out in 1972? Good reason leaving me stranded in the Gulf without a vessel... (Although I also experienced myself getting smashed immediately by the carrier floating through the jungle on July 31 or Aug 1, 1972........ I think/hope not to see that again with the fixes in the Campaign-data.)

 

And, Eric: your Gold will be a new version of the EP2 with the two fixes included, then? Any reason (except for "new bugs" appearing till then and their fixes being included in the Gold) to upgrade from XP2 with FP's 1 and 2 applied then?

 

Thanks, guys, for doing an outstanding job!

 

(PS: I will try not to shed too many tears over the Bronco's missing shadows...)

[stingray77 4]

Forget my last comment about the Bronco's missing shadows - you INCLUDED them!

 

But I find some strange lines attached to the aircraft, instead....

 

I wanted to attach a screenie, which failed - unfortunately. Can you find the problem without a picture?

[+eburger68 195]

Stingray77:

 

Yes, the Gold release will essentially be the original beta, plus the FixPacks and a few new other fixes/add-ons. As there will be some new stuff, there would be a reason to upgrade to the final version.

 

As for the Bronco, I'm obviously not seeing what you're seeing. Try attaching a screenshot again.

 

Eric L. Howes

[stingray77 4]

Hum, there's a note next to the "Attach This File"-button saying that I used 3.06MB of my 3MB global upload quota...

Where/how can I change this? Delete attachments to older posts? (Does that work at all?)

 

So I uploaded the picture "externally" and you can find it here: http://s8.directuplo...euixsrv_jpg.htm

See the strange lines at all the Broncos which look as if they all met at one focal point? You don't have/see them on your system? Now THAT's strange...

 

I had a similar problem with a Voodoo showing such a line at the nose (see the post here: http://forum.combata...ose-t46321.html) - it turned out to be a "hole in the model" which seemed to get fixed rather easily...

 

 

Okay, with some more goodies to be expected, I sure will do the upgrade to "gold" too, then!

 

I can only stress what a great addition your XP is to the SV2F!!! I absolutely love it (very contrarily to my wife...... )

 

All the best and thanks in advance

Oliver

Edited September 7, 2009 by stingray77

[stingray77 4]

Oh, something else to notice, maybe (and without back-up by screenie unfortunately): my flight was attacking the enemy a few miles away from where I was. The smoke was very dark/black and intense in comparison to the "hazy" air/scenery around it (much like the carrier's smoke to be spotted long before the carrier itself on foggy approaches). Can there be something done about THAT, too? (I would expect it - the smoke - to be more "hazy" just like its surroundings, too.)

 

Is it maybe conneted to my settings? I got everything turned up to the "max" except for the (what is it called?) visibility/horizon, which I have adjusted to "normal"...

 

Thanks again...

[+eburger68 195]

Stingray77:

 

OK, now I see those lines -- but only from certain angles. I do not know what causes it -- probably the same kind of problem as you saw in with the RF-101G. If it is a problem with the LOD, then there's nothing I can do to fix it.

 

As for the black smoke, I'm reluctant to start fiddling around with even more effects than we already have.

 

Eric L. Howes

[stingray77 4]

...Okay - was just what I noticed in there. It did not bother me beyond the limits... I might also try out some adjustments of the settings.......

 

Hum, and who might be someone to address with the Broncos? I guess you just "borrowed" the model and implemented it in the XP/Fix. Might the creator be able to solve that, if he was pointed to that direction? Enrico was able to deliver a fix for the Voodoo in no time...... Maybe it is such a "no-brainer"!?

 

But it must/"seems to" be related to your fixing the shadows - see the pic of the situation before FixPack2: http://s12b.directupload.net/file/d/1910/ucazqltf_jpg.htm

 

Thanks for coming back to my post so fast.

[stingray77 4]

I have been testing a bit more yesterday evening.

 

1) Smoke

Changing visibility to "unlimited" does not change the thick black smoke (from carrier - so I guess explosions are the same) standing out before the background...

 

2) OV-10 Bronco

Oh yes, the "strange line" is not showing permanently. When starting at dusk (for example) there is no line seen at all, and at noon (then the line is quite THERE - see below) when moving around the aircraft, the line is not shown from some angles.

Then again, it is not related to any of the skins chosen, so it must be sth. with the craft...

Maybe this helps to some extent.........

 

And concerning my prob with the file attachments - I don't know what or how, but today I can attach again... (See Screenie that I wanted to attach yesterday) Although the text immediately changed back to "used 3.14 MB of your..." - so it appears af if one can attach so and so many MB in a stretch of time - after that time, the "cache" clears again.....

[stingray77 4]

Oh, is this http://forum.combata...s&showfile=2865 the model that was used for the Bronco in the XP? Hum, then Fracture is the builder and he is "lost"??? (Well, at least he has been "active" on the forum not too long ago........ )

 

 

Oh, I'll just start a thread in the "Mods and Skinning" - hope he replies.....

Edited September 8, 2009 by stingray77

[pavel2 0]

i have installed the mod part 1 and 2 and now i don't have the engine sounds... what is it ??

[stingray77 4]

No sounds at all???

Sure you have everything copied/dragged+dropped into the mods folder? Sounds should be there then...

 

Check that back.

 

If you have your back-up (you always should!), you also might try re-doing the XP-application once again.

If you don't have a back-up (and I hope you did not have any other mods then), your only option might be deleting the whole mods folder (copy it some other place just in case, or to get back (copy from there) you pilot's and campaign data), starting the game anew and then applying the XP another time.

[pavel2 0]

radio sounds and music are o.k, but the engine is dead. no i dont hafe the backup files.

[stingray77 4]

Okay, that sounds as if you have deleted/corrupted some "sounds"-files (well, I can hardly imagine how installing the XP might have done that itself - but don't worry).......

 

Did you have any other things modded before? AddOn aircraft, -skins or something? If not, getting you up and running shouldn't be too hard:

- Just clip the whole "ThirdWire"-folder from under "Saved Games" (I guess you are using Vista) and put it some other place like a newly created folder called "SF2V Back Up" (or whatever you like to name it) under "Downloads" for example.

- Then start the "virgin" SF2V once again. The prog will create a new (and virgin) "ThirdWire"-folder under your "Saved Games" again. *

- Just to make sure: check that you have sounds in the game.

- See where the game put the "sounds" (if the "virgin" creates "sounds" at all) - after the XP the "sounds" need to be on the same level again!

- Then apply the XP once again; check that the new/added "sounds" are on the same level as before. *

You should be fine then!

After a check you can delete the folder saved the first (your first BackUp with the missing sounds)...

 

IF you have had any other mods (you feel you need again), you will have to go through installing them all anew * - but if I were you, I would do this before the XP to allow for the XP overwriting old data with new/better ones!

 

 

* indicates where/when you should copy BackUps (named like "virgin Third Wire SF2V", "SF2V with modded planes", "SF2V with XP", "SF2V with XP and FixPack 1 and 2".......) to some other place. Check that things were running properly, so you can always go back to that level, if you "crash" sth. ...

Your "Pilots", "Campaigns" and "Settings"-data (not sure about the lattest, but they ought to be there someplace) can/should always be copied from the latest running version to keep you data current!

Keep in mind that changes on "Campaigns" might/will destroy your latest campaign-effort forcing you to start anew...

 

You can keep as many BackUps (of older versions) as you like, but as a rule, you should always keep one of the last version running! I myself keep a BackUp of the current and the one version before, in case I stumble over sth. in the latest version - then I can always check back against the version before (just exchange the contents of the BackUp with the current)...

 

Hope I did not tell you all the things, you already know........ So, just see this as a "no-brainer"...

Crossing fingers this will get you in the air again!

[+Dave 2,318]

Oh, is this http://forum.combata...s&showfile=2865 the model that was used for the Bronco in the XP? Hum, then Fracture is the builder and he is "lost"??? (Well, at least he has been "active" on the forum not too long ago........ )

 

 

Oh, I'll just start a thread in the "Mods and Skinning" - hope he replies.....

 

Dude Fracture lost the max file for the model therefore it CAN NOT be fixed. If he had it, then I would of had him fix it ages ago. NOW GET OFF IT. Can you beat this dead horse anymore?

[stingray77 4]

Easy, pal.

At the time of my writing here, I was still seeing if this could be ironed out some way - just some German "Gründlichkeit" to check every possible solution. (I "only wanted to see how far the horse might be able to limp...", okay?)

Your reply to my post in the "Mods and Skinning" then terminated this item for me ("now I, too, see the horse is dead") - so no offense!

 

radio sounds and music are o.k, but the engine is dead. no i dont hafe the backup files.

 

How'zit going, Pavel?

[stingray77 4]

Fubar512 gave a hint on the "smoke"-issue. I copy it here:

 

If the "intense black smoke" that you're referring to, is visible through clouds and haze, then all I can suggest is that you check to see if it's attendent effect file has a positive z-buffer value, that can be reset to zero. You can also try the fix for "trees showing through clouds" in the knowledge base, and see if that helps. If it doesn't, then you're out of luck, as it would then be a global graphics engine issue, that only only the original game developer (Third Wire) can fix.

[+eburger68 195]

stingray77:

 

The fix for "trees showing through clouds" from the knowledge base is already implemented in the Expansion Pack. Moreover, the ZBufferOffset for the SmokeMaterial effect is not positive.

 

Eric L. Howes

[stingray77 4]

Thanks for clarifying, Eric.

I only copied Fubar's tips over here, so I cannot reply much contentswise...

 

But "good to hear" that those things have already been taken care of.

And on my yesterday evening's mission I did not find the smoke tooooo disturbing anyhow...

 

 

So, I am patiently waiting for the "gold" to come out soon.....

[stingray77 4]

I've found another (small) item: the F-104 casts only pilot/ejection seat- and loads-shadows...

 

I would not bother too much - just to add to the issues' list!

[+Stary 2,426]

Hello guys,

 

Very nice "little" package! Tested it briefly yesterday, so far looks good. Great to have all the best of the best mods in one download.

 

The only thing I'd like to make clear -included trees graphics were created by Bananimal, redo of my work. He resized originals from Green Hell 2, that's why the trees float few feet over ground.

 

Also please note that the various [alphaobjectmaterial] settings from my readme for GH2 were adjustments for WoV, and there are some significant rendering changes in SF2V, including new shaders; using the old ones won't guarantee described visual results, be cautious with these settings.

[+eburger68 195]

Stary:

 

Thanks for the note. We actually do list Bananimal in the credits. We will add a more specific reference to the Re-scaled Trees package that he put together just make clear where those parts of the terrain actually come from.

 

As for the AlphaObject material section of the terrain DATA.INI, I believe we're using the settings that were recommended for SF2V in various posts here.

 

Best,

 

Eric L. Howes

[+malibu43 142]

Hey folk –here’s a quick update to what’s going on:

 

The SF2V ExpansionPack was 99% there and almost ready for release. Eburger68 started fiddlingaround with adding some new target areas to the maps. This has now turned into:

 

A dozen newbridges

POL StorageAreas

Haiphong Cement Plant

HaiphongThermal Power Plant (East)

rail bridge just west of Haiphong

Xom Bong Munitions Dump (just north of DMZ)

Van DienSAM Support & Vehicle Storage Depot

Gia LamMachine Tools Facility

BarracksFacilities

Train Yards

 

I haven’thad a chance to check these out yet, but they’ve got me pretty excited! This has set the final release back a little,but it should be well worth it!

Edited September 28, 2009 by malibu43