SF2 Exp2 in individual SF2/V/E/I games ?

[Panama Red]

I know SF2 Exp2-B loads & plays fine in my SF2 Combo-Exp1-Exp2 game, but has anybody tried loading it over their individual SF2, SF2V and SF2I/Exp1 games.

 

Since my individual games have lots of additional mods, I would still like the Quad Core support and new mission editor that is in Exp2 for those games, but I do not want to mess all my individual SF2/V/I games up by overlaying it with Exp2 and have bad things happen.

 

I tried just coping the new appropriate ".exe's" into the individual games, but that just caused an instant CTD, so obiously there is a lot more I need to install from the EXp2 than just the .exe to get Quad core support.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

[Wrench]

It updates ALL the exes, so if you've created 'stand alone', theatre/era specific mods folder, the exes for those will need replacing with the new one (for esample, the 1956 Suez mod ... I used the expansion1 exe, and ONLY have stuff for the 56 war)

 

1) back up ENTIRE mods folder by renaming z-NameOfModsFolder. Do this for ALL mods folders!!!!

2) run exp2 exe, and allow it to patch all. Use WinDoze Explorer to visually confirm new dates on the main exes - SF2, SF2V, SF2I, SF2E SF2I Exp1

3) Run exes to create new mods folders.

4) Start each game to confirm creation of new mods folders -For ALL installs

5) Delete newly created mods folders

6) Un-rename old mods folders. Be advised, there will probably be changes to some aircraft's data inis. Be ready to re-extract and re-edit.

7) -VERY IMPORTANT!!- Open each Options ini, and scroll down to [singleMission]. You'll need to change the EndYear=, as it reverts to 0, causing the games to have a max year of 1982-ish.

 

[singleMission]

AircraftType=F-4E_IRIAF

Service=Iran

MissionMap=DESERT

MissionType=SWEEP

MissionTime=RANDOM

MissionWeather=RANDOM

AirActivity=RANDOM

AirDefenseActivity=RANDOM

FlyAll=FALSE

LoadMission=FALSE

LoadMissionFilename=C:\Users\kevin\Saved Games\ThirdWire\StrikeFighters2\Missions\640802_TONKIN_GULF_INCIDENT.MSN

MissionDate=1975

StartYear=0

EndYear=2050 <-- this is the line in question!!!

EditMission=FALSE

 

 

Apparently, Exp2 does something (now!) different than before, locking end years. So, edit accordingly.

 

wrench

kevin stein

[FalconC45]

It updates ALL the exes, so if you've created 'stand alone', theatre/era specific mods folder, the exes for those will need replacing with the new one (for esample, the 1956 Suez mod ... I used the expansion1 exe, and ONLY have stuff for the 56 war)

 

wrench

kevin stein

 

HMMM. My other destop exes stopped working. I have the SF2 titles merged too.

 

Falcon

[Panama Red]

Thank you sir, that is exactly what I needed to know.

 

You might want to add this to the SF2 Knowledge Base because I suspect others will have the same question.

[Wrench]

already on it's way!!

 

wrench

kevin stein

[FalconC45]

Fixed my desktop exe problem. It was a overlooked fix sheesh I felt stupid!

 

Falcon

[Panama Red]

Wrench:

Unfortunately it's a NO-Go when it comes to SF2 and SF2V. Exp2 will not update those games because it says that it can not find "Strike Fighters 2 Europe".

 

As a result, it stops in mid-update and just hangs there. What do I do now for those games ???

[EricJ]

Well as I understood it Exp2 is for SF2E so naturally if you don't have it, it's not going to install correctly. I have SF2E only and it installed fine.

[dsawan]

Hi, just want to clarify. So in order to create more modded folders, you create a shortcut of sf2exp2 app, start it up, exit out and under saved games a new folder would be created, then move mods to the new one? I tried that and it did notwork unlike the last expansion. How do you replace the other exe when they are in the te thirdwire folder instead of saved games.

[Wrench]

If you DO NOT have SF2:E, it ain't gonna work no matter you do, cause it's looking for the SF2E.exe, that don't exist. AND....without Expansion 1 (and SF2I), you'll loose some bonus items* TKs added for that, that show up in the Full-4 Merged SF2 install.

 

(*just what they are, I've not found out yet)

 

Hi, just want to clarify. So in order to create more modded folders, you create a shortcut of sf2exp2 app, start it up, exit out and under saved games a new folder would be created, then move mods to the new one? I tried that and it did not work unlike the last expansion. How do you replace the other exe when they are in the the thirdwire folder instead of saved games.

 

Answer:

Not only covered in the KB, but it several dozen posts scattered around the site.....some are even illustrated!

 

Now, since I'm old school, so I copy the exe UP on level, to the root of /Third Wire, THEN rename to what I want it to be (IndoPak, MTO, Nerds-vs-Jocks, whatever), THEN move it back to the SF2 main folder, whre all the other exes are.

Others have said, you can copy it back DIRECTLY into the main folder, and Windoze will create it as *nameofexe(2).exe, which can them be just as easily renamed.

Then, run it from the main folder, allow the game to build the mods folder/start, EXIT the game, and then I create the shortcut in my desktops' /Games folder, named to match the install. I even have custome-made Icons for each install, matching what they are. Cause I'm just that way <wink>

 

It's not rocket science, or even really computer science .. it's just simply copy/paste, rename, and recopy back of 1 file.

 

wrench

kevin stein

Edited December 5, 2010 by Wrench

[DWCAce]

As always, Wrench has a handle on the situation!

[FastCargo]

Trust me, it is WAY easier to do than it sounds.

 

FC

[topcat II]

This is Perfect A Great Many Thanks Wrench!!!!

[JediMaster]

Hmmm. The end year lock thing seems to be hitting me no matter what I do, even on my Jun-patch level NF4 install! I'm picking later planes and getting stuck with a single year (ie 2003 only) when picking a plane in single mission, whether that end year = 0 or any real year.

 

Edit: Ah, now I see the problem. My NF4 only has the edits for the GermanyCE terrain. I'm using a merged install there (for the extra planes) and I see if I choose Israel or Vietnam then I hit the range, but if I use Germany it's fine. Time for some ini editing! Sigh...

Edited December 6, 2010 by JediMaster

[Wrench]

Edit the Options ini ... TK added a EndYear= line to the SingleMission statement.

 

Had the very same problem Friday; was frustrated all to hell and gone, until the fix was posted on 3rdWire

 

 

[singleMission]

AircraftType=MIRAGE5D

Service=Libya

MissionMap=DESERT

MissionType=STRIKE

MissionTime=NOON

MissionWeather=CLEAR

AirActivity=HEAVY

AirDefenseActivity=HEAVY

FlyAll=FALSE

LoadMission=TRUE

LoadMissionFilename=C:\Users\kevin\Saved Games\ThirdWire\StrikeFighters2\Missions\targets test iraq.MSN

MissionDate=1975

StartYear=0

EndYear=2050 <-- this here line

EditMission=FALSE

 

wrench

kevin stein

[JediMaster]

Oh I had that, but the terrain .ini files weren't done right. I found it worked in Desert and Germany but not Israel and Vietnam.

 

So to be clear, on an unmodded stock install, you need to edit the options.ini AND each terrain's .ini (after extracting) to get the era out of early 80s.

[Wrench]

ONLY if the terrain has the limited year statement, yes (like VietnamSEA and IsraelME)

 

wrench

kevin stein