Flyable F-104s for SF2

[Wrench 9,904]

The following will give you instructions on how to get cockpits, and the associated inis (cockpit and avionics)

and making the 4 F-104s in SF2 (mostly for a full-4 merged) install. Also, this information CAN be used to add the F-104G to those 1st Gen games (SF/SFG/WoE/WoV/WoI) that do not have the Zipper as a stock aircraft.

 

First off, you'll need to download the 3rd Wire Free add-on F-104G (originally released for SFG) from Third Wire or here at CombatAce at the following URL:

 

http://combatace.com/files/file/1485-f-104g/

 

Now, here's where it starts to get tricky....the installer exe will be looking for ther SFG.exe, as this was the game it was designed for. It will also be looking for a "Third Wire" folder, where the SFG.exe is residing.

 

The easiest and simplest way to this, is take one of the SF2 exes; use whichever one you want. In your SavedGames folder (for Vista/Win7) or Documents & Settings/-YOURNAME-/My Documents/ThridWire/ folder you'll have to create a NEW subfolder, and name it SFG.

 

Take the SF2.exe, drop it into the new SFG folder, and then -this is IMPORTANT!!!- rename the sf2.ext to SFG.exe. Don't worry that there's nothing there .. this is the 'fakeout' to get the aircraft's install exe to run and create the new aircraft.

 

So, double click the F-104G_addon_EXE, and following the on screen prompts, point the installer to the SFG folder. It'll run through it's little install program, and create the new folder, containing EVERYTHING from the F-104G. As TK kindly gave us the full aircraft, with all the lods, skins, inis and most importantly -- THE ENTIRE COMPLETE COCKPIT FOLDER!

 

The cockpit folder is actually the only thing we're instersted in, so just ignore everything else but the /cockit folder and these 2 inis:

 

F-104G_Cockpit.ini

F-104G_Avionics.ini

 

So, now that we have our parts, let's get one of the supplied Zippers flyable. For our example, we're going to use the AI controled F-104G that came with SF2:E (don't forget, there's also CF-104s that will need doing too!)

 

So, take the /Cockpit folder from the newly "installed" Zipper, and drop it into the SF2 F-104G's main folder. Then, take the 2 inis listed above, and drop them into the SF2's F-104G main folder.

 

Now, we need to edit the stock F-104G.ini to add the lines to make it flyable. Open it up in your favorite text editor (notepad is just fine)

As it stands, originally is like this:

 

[AircraftData]

AircraftFullName=F-104G Starfighter

AircraftShortName=F-104

AircraftDataFile=F-104G_data.ini

LoadoutFile=F-104G_loadout.ini

UserList=F-104G_UserList.ini

 

 

You'll need to add the relevenat lines, just like we've been doing for years with the Red Air birds.

 

This is what it looks like with the added line, including a hangar screen and loadout image (note, these are still in bmp format. Expect an upload of a new SF2 dedicated hangar and loadout image in the near future)

 

[AircraftData]

AircraftFullName=F-104G Starfighter

AircraftShortName=F-104

AircraftDataFile=F-104G_data.ini

LoadoutFile=F-104G_loadout.ini

UserList=F-104G_UserList.ini

CockpitDataFile=F-104G_cockpit.ini

HangarScreen=F-104G_hangar.bmp

LoadoutImage=F-104G_loadout.bmp

AvionicsDLL=Avionics60.dll

AvionicsDataFilename=F-104G_avionics.ini

 

In fact, if you're lazy like me, you can just copy the data above, and paste it into the the ini. Save some typing! <grin>

 

Save and close the ini, and you now have a flyable F-104G. Do the same for the RCAF CF-104s, and off you go!!

 

With thanks to Jet-Z, who first figured this out; and to Fubar512 for the sf2 exe rename trick.

 

Comments? Questions? Elaborations? Post in the General or Mods and Skinning Forums.

 

Happy Landings!

Wrench

kevin stein

Edited July 7, 2010 by Wrench

[Fubar512 1,350]

I recommend that one also install Batman78's excellent hi-res F-104G cockpit textures, over the default TW versions. They go a long way toward's upgrading the ThirdWire F-104G first-gen 'pit to almost SF2 quality.

 

The download link for it is: http://combatace.com/files/file/1707-f-104g-high-resolution-cockpit/

 

 

Edited September 3, 2011 by Fubar512