Operation Darius Part 1

[+Dave]

Operation Darius Part 1

View File

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Here's a summary of what this version of OpDarius is

 

- two blue campaigns -- one w/ a ground war; one w/o a ground war

- ground campaign is not a full fledged invasion of Iran, rather border skirmishes (still very fun, esp. in the A-10C)

- one red campaign w/o a ground campaign

- new Iranian weapons, incl. AAMs, SAMs and MRBMs

- new Iranian ground objects, incl. mobile SAM launchers, static SAM launchers, AAA, tanks, APCs, and MRBM launchers

- two different versions of the F-14 included, one equipped with the Sedjeel missile (based on the Hawk)

- dozens of new target areas added, incl. SAM sites, MRBM sites, nuclear research sites, and uranium processing/enrichment sites

- overhauled TYPES.INI to better prioritize targets in campaigns

- a number of aircraft added incl.the Gripen, Turkish/Greek F-4s and F-16s, the Greek A-7E(H), the new J-7ME, A-10C (w/ the new cockpit), AV-8B Plus, F-35A, F-111C (Late), CF-18_07, & Su-30MKM, A310 MRTT

- some aircraft removed (F-4E_86, AT-6B, the AlphaJets, excess C-130s & Mirage 2000s, and a few others)

-plenty of other unnecessary cruft removed, incl. gigabytes of unused aircraft skins

- new menu screens (nothing radical)

- plenty of fixes to just about every area of the mod to get things updated to SF2 standards and working correctly

 

The only remaining problem that I know of is the SA-10, which for the life of me I cannot get to launch no matter what I try or what version from whatever mod I use. I've got the damn thing working in WOE, but it doesn't work in SF2.

 

I did try to preserve as much as possible of the original Op Darius package (incl. basing arrangements for the participating units). So, if someone was really into the first version, they ought to like this version as well.

 

It's essentially Op Darius, cleaned up, updated, fixed, expanded, and now sporting spiffy new campaigns so that you can play it like a traditional Strike Fighters all-in-one mod.

 

Note that this version should NOT be installed over the previous version that Wrench released.

 

Eric Howes

 

Install in this order:

 

OpDarius_Part1

OpDarius_Part2

OpDarius_Part3

OpDarius_Part4

 

 

1. OpDarius - a blue side campaign without a ground war. Primary focus for the campaign is bombing Iranian nuclear and military sites.

 

2. OpMarathon - a blue side campaign with a ground war. The only units tasked with CAS missions, though, are the A-10, AH-64D, and AV-8 units, so if want CAS missions you need to select one of those units. The ground war consists of border skirmishes along the Iran/Iraq border, not a full-fledged invasion of Iran.

 

3. OpShamshir - a red side campaign without a ground war.

---

• Submitter
  Dave
• Submitted
  01/07/2012
• Category
  User Made Campaigns

 

[+SidDogg]

sooooooo.....

 

i am assuming yall have accurate carrier battle groups in here, with respective squadrons/skins.....

 

...or must i go and add them?

 

 

 

 

 

SidDogg

[+eburger68]

SidDogg:

 

Why don't you take a look and tell us what you think? If you have suggestions or corrections, let us know.

 

Eric Howes

[+SidDogg]

...ROGE-----O.

 

i had modified the old one in the past...

 

i'll see what i can do.

 

 

 

 

SidDogg

[+SidDogg]

HEYY!!! Back again...

 

I made an updated version of VFA-115 skin, with updated tailcode for CAG-5...it's in the SF2 Download section.

 

That would be more appropriate for this scenario.

 

I also did a complete REDUX of my VFA-102 skin...the old one wasn't sharp at all.

 

That's in the SF2 download section as well.

 

I have been swinging in between working on my new terrain, and making skins...

 

...got some new Growler stuff on the way!

 

...umm...let me get this straight.

 

IS that the new F/A-18C, that has been storied for sooo long?

 

...and if so, ARE we cleared to use it?

 

Been hankering to share me a tad bit of wealth...

 

WELL! That's what I've seen so far for now.

 

Everything else is quite sublime

 

But umm.....the baby Hornet.

 

Get---Get at me about that.

 

 

 

 

 

SidDogg

[+Wrench]

might I inquire as to why the targets ini was so heavily re-edited? And as to why certain Iranian Air Defense units were removed? Don't you think they were placed there for a reason?

 

I can understand adding some 'new' things for GA or Amphib assault or strategic strike, but why the removals? Everything is done for a reason, based on Real Life positioning and/or tactical doctrine, playability (or just being sneaky).

 

I find it quite disturbing, and more than a little --cant even think of a word here--

Edited January 7, 2012 by Wrench

[+eburger68]

SidDogg:

 

The F/A-18C has been out for a good while now and is included in other mods. It's essentially a modified F/A-18A.

 

I'll see if I can find the skins you reference.

 

Eric Howes

[+Coupi]

Fantastic stuff... many many thanks!!!

[+eburger68]

Wrench:

 

The TARGETS.INI was heavily re-edited for several reasons:

 

1. To add nuclear sites that were not adequately represented and also add a few more MRBM sites to give players more stuff to bomb.

 

2. To boost the SAM threat and add SAM sites to defend some of new nuclear sites and MRBM sites.

 

3. To enable a ground war that consisted of border skirmishes -- constant ground action with very little movement of the front line.

 

4. Reduce the likelihood that the player would see carriers plowing across the Saudi desert on return from a long strike mission.

 

The biggest reason for re-editing the TARGETS.INI, though, was to address a nasty bug that I hit early on in my testing -- SAMs & SSMs (weapons) not being added to the SAM launchers & Silkworm launchers (and even the SA-2 transports) in Iranian target areas. The launchers were there, but the game would not added the missiles themselves to the launchers beyond a point in the TARGETS.INI, presumably after a certain number of launchers had been populated with missiles.

 

It took me a good, utterly maddening week to figure that out. (I had previously assumed some kind of error on my part with a mis-edited INI, until I had ruled out every other conceivable cause through trial and error.)

 

Once I had determined that to be the problem, I needed to do three things:

 

1) Reduce the number of active launchers in the TARGETS.INI (this, after adding plenty of new SAM sites, was quite frustrating);

 

2) Re-order the TARGETS.INI to give priority to Iranian target areas (push them to the top of the TARGETS.INI), since I assumed that most players would be flying blue campaigns and would appreciate (or rue) a credible Iranian SAM threat;

 

3) Determine which Allied SAM sites were most likely to play a role and give them secondary priority to increase the probability that the game would populate the launchers in those areas with missiles.

 

So, it essentially came down to a triage effort. I would have preferred to keep everything, but alas that was not possible. So, in choosing which launchers to disable, I elected to focus on launchers that were not part of a dedicated SAM site or AD battery. That's why you see what you see in the TARGETS.INI, and that was produced only as a last resort -- after I had tried everything else.

 

Btw, this all would have been explained in a proper ReadMe (still being constructed), but the mod was released a bit prematurely. That's my fault, as I failed to communicate to Dave that what I had privately uploaded for him was a test version and was lacking a proper ReadMe.

 

Eric Howes

Edited January 7, 2012 by eburger68

[+eburger68]

Folks:

 

Should have added that I do plan on uploading an updated version of the mod -- perhaps this coming week.I already know of two minor errors, and I'm sure there are others that intrepid users will uncover. So, please do post bug reports, corrections, and suggestions.

 

Eric Howes

[+Dave]

 

 

Btw, this all would have been explained in a proper ReadMe (still being constructed), but the mod was released a bit prematurely. That's my fault, as I failed to communicate to Dave that what I had privately uploaded for him was a test version and was lacking a proper ReadMe.

 

Eric Howes

 

Kevin and Eric

 

It was my fault, I released this. I thought it was ready. My apologies.

[+Spectre8750]

SidDogg:

 

The F/A-18C has been out for a good while now and is included in other mods. It's essentially a modified F/A-18A.

 

I'll see if I can find the skins you reference.

 

Eric Howes

Hey Guys

if you can't find the Skin you need for the F/A-18C check the War for Israel, has VMFA-115 and a bunch of other if you need. Also Modern Warfare Korea and Tiawan has some too.

Edited January 7, 2012 by Spectre8750

[+eburger68]

Spectre8750:

 

Thanks, I'll take a look. The mod does have a VMFA-115 skin -- just not the most recent one, apparently.

 

Eric Howes

[+Spectre8750]

Also the Ural and Gaz trucks have been updated so they are detectible on Armed-Recon now. And the desert colored skins have been updated. The F/A-18C i use has updated pit with slightly smoother frame. I've tried to keep it updated. AN/APG-73 AESA AN/APX-113 reserched best i could. Weapons all fit perfect and has ATFLIR 38 made just for it.

BTW here's the latest on that Squad.

 

VMFA-115 VE Silver Eagles FA-18A++ MCAS Beaufort, SC MAG-31 [ Underway ]

Edited January 7, 2012 by Spectre8750

[+Wrench]

the urals and gaz's were fixed in the original OpDarius GroundObject pak (visual distance errors), as they weren't targetable

 

eric: thank you for your explination; it also answered another question (the missing missiles) that I'd also experienced.

 

and everyone knows how I feel about proper readmes!!!

Edited January 7, 2012 by Wrench

[Canadair]

Which objects should I delete from mods objects folder before installing this?

[+eburger68]

Canadair:

 

You can delete everything.

 

Eric Howes

[Canadair]

Am I doing something wrong or some tiles are missing here?

 

This is the island in front of kuwait city. All other tiles in the terrain seem to be good.

Also, IHMO, another waterffect is needed. This one from high altitude is very umpleasing to the eye IMHO

Edited January 19, 2012 by Canadair

[+Wrench]

Falika Island?? It's supposed to look like that. If you'd gotten closer (less than 100m alt), you'll see how it blends to the surrounding tiles.

 

That's the city 'on the corner', right next to the 7-11. (look in the terrain folder for sea2city-mountain25b.tga)

 

and the water effect is just fine for the region it's representing (nobody else has ever complained, since ODS -same tileset/effects- and the original Iran/Iraq mods were released 5+ years ago)

Edited January 19, 2012 by Wrench

[DrRaptor]

I've downloaded and installed this mod and all flights have this nasty haze and full overcast. Have I done something wrong?

[+eburger68]

DrRaptor:

 

Are you flying Single Missions or Campaigns? What patch level are you on?

 

Eric Howes

[DrRaptor]

Flying both Single Missions and Campaign on the terrain. Merged SF2:I with Expansion packs updated to Nov 2011.

Edited January 25, 2012 by DrRaptor

[+eburger68]

DrRaptor:

 

There's something wrong with your installation, then. I don't know what it is -- I've never encountered it, and no one else who has installed this mod has reported it. But there is something wrong if the weather is locked in both Single Missions and Campaign Missions. It might be your particular install of this mod; it might be the underlying install of SF2 that you're working with.

 

The only thing I can suggest is to try a reinstall from scratch.

 

Eric Howes

[DrRaptor]

I don't think it's the weather though. I've never seen weather in Strike Fighters that makes it nearly impossible to see above about 100 feet, nor is it affecting any of the other terrains installed. It's specific to the Iran Terrain.

Edited January 26, 2012 by DrRaptor

[+eburger68]

DrRaptor:

 

If it's terrain specific, then that points to some problem on your system with the terrain's DATA.INI or its interaction with the EnvironmentSystem.INI. I made no changes to the DATA.INI from the one that appeared in the original OpDarius mod by Wrench.

 

You could try removing the custom EnvironmentSystem.INI and Cloud1.tga from the \Flight folder and see if that makes a difference.

 

What other custom terrains do you have installed in that mod folder? Where did they come from?

 

Eric Howes