Lot of questions Please some advice

[Ace of Spades 0]

I am new to this forum. I had FE 1 played it for a year or 2. I just purchased and downloaded FE 2. I notice that many of the object files are locked. Ho can I import some of my saved skins and can I? Also on the sound mods etc., how are they installed in the folders if I can't have access to them. Please direct me to a topic on this thanks.

[+quack74 329]

Hello Ace of Spades. Lets see what you need to do for FE2.

 

First you'll need the CAT pack utility to unlock your game files: http://combatace.com/files/file/10458-catpack-archiving-utility/

 

Once you open these locked files you can select any file you want to mod and place into a new folder under the files main name. For instance if you pull out an unpacked effect file from the "Flight Contents" in the main Flight folder, you'll need to create a new "Effects" folder to put the newly modified effects file into for the game to see a change. Again you'll have to make these new folders. Here is where you make them:

 

C: / Users/ your name/ SavedGames/ Thirdwire/ FirstEagles2/ ***any new folder goes here***.

 

Folders like the Flight folder and the Objects folder are already there for you. Just unpack the "ObjectDATA" files (CAT files) or the "FlightContents" files (CAT files) in them and just place these files outside of the CAT folders but still inside the main Objects or Flight Folders.

 

It sounds a bit confusing because it is at first. It takes a little time to get used to what has to go into what folder. But everyone here is very helpful when it comes to these problems. I'm not sure if I was clear or not so feel free to keep asking questions until you get it right. It took me awile too.

 

Hope this helped a little. quack74

[Ace of Spades 0]

It helps a lot, thank you. My twin boys and myself enjoyed FE 1 and we want to continue FE 2. I had some skins I personalized for the boys aircraft.. I also like the sound effects mods. Thanks. I will post again if I have more questions.

[Ace of Spades 0]

I tried to add some of my own skins and one from the downloads section. They do not show up I used the CAT utility to extract the object data files for the various aircraft. I added the texture info to the aircraft data ini file , nothing shows up. I have tried caps , no space , still no luck. Do these extracted data files have to be re installed in to the original CAt files?. I also tried a sound mod for the Vickers MG. still the default sound came out. I backed up the aboriginal and just reinstalled it.

[+quack74 329]

Sounds like you're doing it right. But lets see.

 

You should have your aircraft skin folders in this location:

 

C:/ Users/ name/ Saved Games/ ThirdWire/ FirstEagles2/ Objects/ Aircraft/ **all aircraft here***/ **all skin texture .bmp's, Decal.ini, and TextureSet.ini's for each particular aircraft here***.

 

That's all you need to do. If you add a skin to a particular aircraft, just drop it into the aircraft's main folder. The game automatically finds the TextureSet to get the aircraft info.

If a skin has a Decals.ini folder "D", then that "D" folder has to go into the main Decals folder (you'll have to create this folder) here:

 

C:/ Users/ .......FE2/ Objects/ Decals/ **aircraft name**/ "D" folder here.

 

If you have this setup right, then I cant imagine why your skins wont show.

 

 

[Ace of Spades 0]

I was putting them in the original folder in the original location, not a newly created folder C: / Users/ your name/ SavedGames/ Thirdwire/ FirstEagles2/. I will make a new on for that location. You did say that in your first post but I thought it was for mods other that skins, like effects etc.. Do I import all of the original or stock skins to that location after they are extracted from the CAT file or just my custom ones? Thank you

[+quack74 329]

I personaly put all my aircraft , stock and add-on, in the new /Objects/ aircraft location. That way I can add skins or new flight models to them all easily.

I also added a short cut folder on my desktop of the C:/....SavedGames/ Thirdwire/ FE2. That way I dont have to always go to My Computer/ C: Users/ etc, etc

 

Hope you get it working

[Ace of Spades 0]

Thanks I got it to work. I put them in the new folders. Funny thing though, I did not create them. Did the CAT program generate it or the update , oh well it works now,

thanks.

[Ace of Spades 0]

I figured out the skins issue,Thanks now I am trying to sort out the sounds etc. I want to use some sounds I downloaded from this site now I have ti figure where to put them. I created a new folder named Flight data in a flight floder but no luck. Do I have to drag the unlocked filee to the new location?then add the mod?

[+quack74 329]

You have to make a "Sounds" folder at C:..User/../../FE2/ Sounds. Place all the unpacked sound files here and any new ones.

 

Then extract the "SoundList.ini" from your FlightContents folder. Place it outside of the FlightContents folder but keep it in your main "Flight" folder Add the new sounds you like (if they have a different name) and then add the next consecutive numbers for the new sound. You'll see how it's done for the others in the SoundList.ini.

 

If the new sounds have the same name as the original then only overwrite the original in the new main "Sound" folder only.

 

 

[Ace of Spades 0]

I am a little confused Do I just put the sound only from the flight data folder into the new sound folder? This folder contains not only sound files but also image files too, Or the whole folder contents images etc. in the new sound folder?

[+quack74 329]

Only the WAV files go into the new Sounds folder.

[Ace of Spades 0]

OK I got it Thanks , The new sounds for the guns work. You are a patient man! Can I or do I import the menu WAV files from the main menu folder also to the sound folder if I want to change the menu music, I did this before in the older version. Also (lots of questions) what does the weopon editor and gun editor utility do. , How can I build a mission with different planes aces from various squadrons and Jastas?

Thanks