Themes For Single Player Missions

[Stwa]

Hi All,

 

I am still playing the game. Alot now days. And I wanted to share with everyone something I have been doing with the SF1 series.

 

I haven't upgraded to SF2, because I am still using XP and the same computer I have had since 2001, which runs WOV/WOE nicely.

 

 

Anyway,

 

Over time I have put together what I call themes, that you can click on and run, before playing the game. The themes will modify the games available aircraft, set the default bird (and its hanger and loading screen), for each available aircraft, and will determine which enemy planes you might encounter, when playing using the Single Player "Create Mission" feature.

 

These were easy to make, albeit they are very installation specific. (i.e. your installation is probably very different than mine). But they were a lot of fun to make.

 

So, if people want to follow this thread, then over the next few post, I will explain how I did this, and talk about how it has enhanced my game. Some of these things may be accounted for in SF2 now, don't really know.

 

 

Edited February 21, 2012 by Stwa

[Stwa]

So what is a Strike Fighters Theme (on my system anyway)?

 

A theme is a cmd file, that conatains CPY commands that copy game files into the games folders, generally overwriting existing files of the same name.

 

After the cmd file has been tested and shown to work properly, I then use a freeware tool that will convert the cmd file into an exe file, and the exe file will also contain all the WOV/WOE ini files that it intends to copy into the game's folders.

 

Each theme more or less does the same thing as follows.

 

1. Changes the main game screen.

2. Changes the credit screen. (not the credits themselves, but the artwork behind the credits)

3. Changes the icons internal to the game, that are used to select various game options, like the campaign screen, etc.

4. Changes the default theater or the nationality of the default aircraft for each aircraft type in the game. (so you don't have to use the loadout screen to select the aircraft you want by default).

5. Changes the default squadron to one appropriate for the aircraft determined in 4 above.

6. Changes the hangar and loading screens to match what was determined in 4 above.

7. Changes the enemy aircraft that will be present when using "Create Mission", since each theme is also based on a theater of operation, like Central Europe (CE).

 

To do all this, each theme, must copy into the game folders a number of ini files. All the art files, are already present in the game folders, but of course use different file names, but the theme will copy various ini files that will in-turn "point" to the art files it wants to use.

 

The pic shows a folder that holds all the material necessary to create the RAF Central Europe theme.

 

Edited February 20, 2012 by Stwa

[+JonathanRL]

Sounds alot like a SF1 Solution of the built-in SF2 System where you can create pretty much an infinite number of mod folders.

[Stwa]

Ahah,

 

So, SF2 has a built in mod system. Well that would be nicer than what I have for sure.

 

I am assuming, you just put files in the mod folder, and instruct the game, usually through a specific shortcut, where the mod folder is, and then it will substitue your modded files for the actual game files it would ordinarily use?

 

If so, I would be able to eliminate the exe files that copy in the mod files. I assume I would need the shortcuts (see first post), or is there some way to select the mod you want from inside the game. This is how Delta Force Xtreme handles mod folders / game expansions.

 

I am not ready to go to SF2, partly because I am worried I will lose a lot of functionality in my modified Strike Fighters game. It just is hard to express to people, how cool this game is and I really mean WOV/WOE. I have done flight sims for a long time, and I was doing CFS3 when I saw an article on WOV, which was being built at the time. And I remember saying, "Oh, that will never run on my system." But it did, and WOE was even better.

 

Anyway, I have way to many custom terrains, that I either did myself, or I "borrowed" HFD's from others. I re-tiled most of them to use either the WOE or the WOV terrain tiles. The one I like the best is Gepards Israel 2, which wrench modified. I took that (the smooth HFD) and retiled it using WOV tiles + some custom tiles I made using the desert tiles from the old DES tile set.

 

This way, all my terrains from equatorial or temperate regions use basically the same tile set (some combination of WOV/WOE + a few DES tiles).

 

Anyway, thanks a lot for the post.

[Stwa]

OK, I just a read a few brief passages in some of the posts regarding SF2 mod folders. On first read, there doesn't seem to be functionaly any difference than SF1 (I am probably missing something). It seems, on the surface, the mod folders are a method to get around security constaints in the Vista and Windows 7 operating systems.

 

For, instance, to do the themes I am using for SF1, You would still need them, to install the ini files into a SF2 mod folder.

 

If I am not understanding correctly would someone please help me out here.

Edited February 23, 2012 by Stwa

[Stwa]

Since, these theme mods might be viable for SF2 as well, I thought I would continue on with how they work.

 

If you look back at the last post, that shows the ini files necessary to create the RAF CE theme, you will first notice that there is an ini file for each enemy plane in the game.

 

Since this theme, is about CE (Central Europe), it is important to be sure that aircraft that are typical of another theater, like SEA (South East Asia), or SA (South Atlantic), not appear in the game.

 

So, as an example, here is the top few lines from the MIG-21PFV_DATA.INI file. Notice it changes the nation name of the aircraft from NVietnam, to MERC.

 

[MissionData]

NationName=MERC

ServiceStartYear=1967

ServiceEndYear=1972

AircraftRole=FIGHTER

...

 

In so doing, this aircraft will not appear in ANY theater if selected. But if you select the Germany CE terrain, which is the assumption, since you applied the RAF CE theme, then Vietnamese MiGs will not appear.

 

Also, the A4-P, and A4-Q, which are used in the SA (South Atlantic) theater, are also "TURNED OFF", by setting their NationName to "MERC".

[+Wrench]

that's what the LimitedNations=TRUE statement does in a terrain's main ini, and what the terrains _Nations.ini does.

been around since the 08 patch

[Stwa]

WOW, I am still on the last 06 patch.

 

The 08 stuff, bogged WOE down like crazy with all the parked planes and stuff. I really do need a new box.

 

But going forward, you are saying, that LimitedNations=TRUE in conjuction with the terrain_nations.ini file, does this (i.e. you need both) ?

 

If you wouldn't mind saying, where does the LimitedNations=TRUE statement go, under the [Terrains] header? (in the main ini)

 

I thought the nations ini was to tell if you were captured, and some other stuff like formations, etc...

 

But in the end, if I try to immplement these themes in SF2, the terrains nation ini file will be all I need to modify?

[+Wrench]

Yes, you MUST upgrade! IF you're staying with 1stGens -- which to be bluntly honest, just about none of the 'Name Modders' build for anymore. SF/Wo* is dead. The WoI expansion pak in 2009 (??iirc) is/was the end. Its not being supported by 3w any more, so...... there ya go!

 

SF2 is already set up for it.

 

08 Parked planes: you can EASILY remove the game-generated statics for all terrains by a simple extraction of each of the airfield inis (there's 6 normally, plus the slightly renamed ones in GermanyCE & VietnamSEA), and delete the 'parking positions' lines. Mabye 5 minutes work.

 

as to the nation limits....

 

[Terrain]

TerrainFullName=Vietnam, Southeast Asia

DataFile=VietnamSEA_data.INI

TargetFile=VietnamSEA_targets.INI

TargetTypeFile=VietnamSEA_types.INI

MovementFile=VietnamSEA_movement.INI

NationsFile=VietnamSEA_nations.INI

LocationMap=VietnamSEA_Location.bmp

WaterMap=VietnamSEA_Water.bmp

BriefingText=VietnamSEA_briefing.INI

DogfightFile=VietnamSEA_dogfight.INI

DogfightOnly=FALSE

Longitude=106

Latitude=16

LimitedNations=TRUE

GroundObjectTexture=green

 

right from an 08 level VietNamSEA.ini

 

the terrain nations ini says who gets to play in that sandbox.

 

also from 08 level WoV:

 

[Theater]

TheaterName=Southeast Asia

Location001=South Vietnam

Location001.Nation=South Vietnam

Location002=Thailand

Location003=North Vietnam

Location004=Cambodia

Location005=Laos

Location006=China

Location007=Burma

Location008=Hainan Island

Location009=Gulf of Tonkin

Location010=South China Sea

 

[LimitedNationList]

FriendlyNation001=USAF

FriendlyNation002=USN

FriendlyNation003=USMC

FriendlyNation004=SVietnam

EnemyNation001=NVietnam

 

what I don't remember is, does 08 support these statements, also in the terrains' main ini (just generic years shown):

 

[AllowedMissionTypes]

FriendlyMissionTypes=SWEEP,CAP,ESCORT,STRIKE,CAS,SEAD,ARMED_RECON,RECON

EnemyMissionTypes=SWEEP,CAP,ESCORT,INTERCEPT,STRIKE,CAS,SEAD,RECON

 

[AllowedDates]

StartDate=9/1/1939

EndDate=12/21/2012*

 

(*=joke! for the Mayans!)

Edited February 23, 2012 by Wrench
edit: forgot something!

[Stwa]

Hey wrench,

 

thanks for all the intersting info and your enthusiasm. As you might imagine, it is more complicated than it seems on the surface, and of course part of the problem, is the limited information, on the various patches, new titles, etc, and functionality going forward.

 

I thought I would make some inquiries, before seriously looking at the SF2 stuff. Its really not a money issue, its a hassle issue, and it is not TK's fault, It seems I am going to ride XP for several more years.

 

I don't really expect, people to drop what they are doing to answer all my questions, but what really got me started, is when I saw a thread, where some guy was trying to create a "merged" installation of SF2, SF2:V, SF2:E, etc..

 

Anyway, the 08 patches broke my video card, especially, when you tried the Water Effects, but I never really cared for the reflections anyway, but the little triangles would appear in other cases.

 

What is interesting, is my son has a new laptop with Windows 7, so we installed there just for fun, and the SF1 stuff worked great, no triangles, just the water reflections didn't work. (i.e. his box is using a different video card).

 

But I am going to reinstall, with 08, and try out what you just explained. Part of the problem here used to be, the merged install for WOV/WOE. Once merged, when new patches arrive (i.e. 08), do you just use the WOE patch and call it done.

 

Regards,

 

Stwa

[Stwa]

OK Guys,

 

Based on wrench's post, I made a Strike Fighters 2008 folder (yipee).

 

Needless to say all that nation list stuff didn't work. I knew it wouldn't its more complicated than that. I will explain later, if anyone still following the thread.

 

The good news

 

The frames aren't as bad as I remember them. I probably tried this update in 2008.

 

The anti-aliasing is not auto selected by the game, as with WOE 2006, so I have to set it from the ATI control panel, which is a drag, but some poor slobs reported that they couldn't get anti-alias to work at all on some of the older ATI cards, which is what I have (Radeon 9600). TK kinda evaded this issue. He probably never really had an ATI graphics card.

 

The water effects are hosed, once you go to normal and above, but that might be partly terrain specific since I do have modded terrain data ini files.

 

I set the water to low, and I am ok with that.

 

The clear sky box looks goofy, but it may be WAD (working as designed). Anyway I will change it if I have time.

 

The inclement weather has changed, its more like overcast, just worse. :yes:

 

The randomized weather commands and season commands in the terrain ini work fine. (I expected this, but I probably never use them).

 

The static aircraft dont really seem to be a problem, as I reported to Wrench. I will wait until I fly a campaign.

 

Anyway, it took a few hours, so basically a time waster.

 

So, until I get Win 7 and Direct X 10, this is about as far as I can go.

[Stwa]

Well thanks all,

 

You guys have a real cool site here, and its helped me alot, in understanding what the SF2 series is all about.

 

I posted this thread, to try to get some read on what mods from SF1 I might be able to move over.

 

I got some of the questions answered, and I will probably move along and come back when I get SF2.

 

Some time soon I hope.

 

Anyway cya,

 

Stwa

[Stwa]

OK Guys,

 

I am done with the Limited Nations wild good chase. Here is the basic issue, on my system at least.

 

While limted nations, is probably good for most installs, the Themes that I have presented here, limit at the AIRCRAFT LEVEL.

 

Falkland Islands and Israel being the most complicated to date.

 

But, as an easy example ... a terrain/theater might NOT want the Soviet fighters, but is DOES want the Soviet bombers.

 

ANOTHER time wasting goose chase, but I am glad I did it, becuase I couldn't remember anyway and maybe I am still not understanding Wrench.

 

If anyone has any other feedback or usefull infomation on what SF2 can do in regards to this Theme concept, please let me know.

 

Thanks,

 

[Stwa]

Well,

 

Now that Iceland and Persian Gulf terrains are finished, and also because I have fetched serveral terrains from my backup files, I have decided to proceed with a few more Themes.

 

I am hoping that going forward, these themes will still be usefull, and hopefully SF2 won't prohibit their use.

 

Currently though, I think I have cleared the task list to a point where I can give the SF1 2008 update another shot.

 

Here is a final screenie of where it all stands as of today. I stll need and AK (Alaska theme) and a SWP (Southwest Pacific theme).

 

And, this discussion got me thinking at least about isolating the enemy aircraft into their own "themes" that should be used in conjunciton with any of the others that have to do with friendly aircraft. I have three of them done, but I still need the dreaded Falkland Islands.

 

Edited March 18, 2012 by Stwa

[Stwa]

Apart from trying to modify the behavior of the random mission generator in the Create Mission option, the best alternative to using the "available aircraft" attributes of a Theme (as I have presented), is creating a campaign.

 

A campaign does not have to be elaborate, and can be scaled down, and remain enjoyable. Sometimes such a campaign goes best with a reduced size, simple terrain. I have presented some ideas on those, in this thread --->

 

The Curse of Uniformity

 

In a campaign, you have more control over the forces that are present, and contrary to popular belief, they are not hard to make at all. I have many, so many, I can't keep up with them. Once you have a few, you can clone and rip, and your imagination takes hold.

 

But here is one, I just started, and as an example for this thread, I decided to clone and rip Linebacker I. Now all I have done is make some text substitutions to get the campaign operational. I have also deleted scads of stuff, because this campaign is just not as complicated as Linebacker I.

 

This campaign is Cactus Air Force 1958, and I have use China as the enemy, until I can get a fantasy Indonesian force together.

 

The friendlies are the RAF and its 1 squadron at Henderson Field in my Solomon Islands terrain against 3 enemy squadrons, which are all based at Enemy Airbase, which is actually off map.

 

Anyway, here is all it takes to get this operational, and from here you can tweak until you puke.

 

FROM THE INI FILE --->

 

[CampaignData]

CampaignName=SWP 1958 Cactus Air Force

DataFile=CactusAirForce_data.ini

CampaignMap=SolomonIsSWP

Service001=RAF

 

[RAFUnit001]

UnitName=No. 14 Squadron

ForceID=1

UnitID=1

StartDate=1958

DescFile=CactusAirForce_desc.txt

StartText=CactusAirForce_start.txt

StartScreen=BaseScreens\HendersonField.bmp

CampaignBaseScreen=BaseScreens\HendersonField.bmp

 

FROM THE DATA FILE --->

 

[CampaignData]

[CampaignData]

StartDate=05/08/1958

StartDateDeviation=0

EndDate=10/23/1958

ForceWithInitiative=1

MaxMissions=25

NormalMissionRate=50

NormalMissionRateDeviation=10

OffensiveMissionRate=1

OffensiveMissionRateDeviation=0

StartScreen=

StartText=

CampaignBaseScreen=

CampaignEndWinScreen=BaseScreens\HendersonField.bmp

CampaignEndLoseScreen=BaseScreens\HendersonField.bmp

CampaignEndStallScreen=BaseScreens\HendersonField.bmp

CampaignEndWinText=CactusAirforce_win.txt

CampaignEndLoseText=CactusAirForce_lose.txt

CampaignEndStallText=CactusAirForce_end.txt

 

[Force001]

Alignment=FRIENDLY

Nation=RAF

BaseArea=Henderson Field

AirOffensive[001].Primary=WAREHOUSE

AirOffensive[001].Secondary=FUEL_STORAGE

AirOffensive[002].Primary=OIL_REFINERY,FUEL_STORAGE

AirOffensive[002].Secondary=COMM_BUILDING

AirOffensive[003].Primary=SMALL_RUNWAY

AirOffensive[003].Secondary=WAREHOUSE,POWER_PLANT

AirOffensive[004].Primary=COMM_BUILDING,POWER_PLANT

AirOffensive[004].Secondary=OIL_REFINERY,FUEL_STORAGE

AirOffensive[005].Primary=MEDIUM_RUNWAY

AirOffensive[005].Secondary=HANGAR,AMMO_STORAGE

AirOffensive[006].Primary=OIL_REFINERY,POWER_PLANT

AirOffensive[006].Secondary=COMM_BUILDING

AirOffensive[007].Primary=LARGE_RUNWAY

AirOffensive[007].Secondary=MEDIUM_RUNWAY,SMALL_RUNWAY

AirOffensive[008].Primary=CHEMICAL_WEAPONS_PLANT

AirOffensive[008].Secondary=OIL_REFINERY,COMM_BUILDING,POWER_PLANT

AirOffensive[009].Primary=COMMAND_BUILDING

AirOffensive[009].Secondary=LARGE_RUNWAY,MEDIUM_RUNWAY,CHEMICAL_WEAPONS_PLANT

AirOffensive[010].Primary=ANY

AirOffensive[010].Secondary=ANY

StartGroundOffensive=100

StartInterdiction=100

Morale=100

Supply=100

NormalSupplyRate=50

OffensiveSupplyRate=-5

DefensiveSupplyRate=-5

SupplyForOffensive=60

AircraftReplacementTime=30

AircraftReplacement=60

GroundUnitReplacementTime=60

GroundUnitReplacement=100

RandomTransportType=ANY

WeaponResupplyTime=15

StartAirDefenseLevel=0

 

[Force002]

Alignment=ENEMY

Nation=China

BaseArea=Visala

AirOffensive[001].Primary=WAREHOUSE

AirOffensive[001].Secondary=FUEL_STORAGE

AirOffensive[002].Primary=OIL_REFINERY,FUEL_STORAGE

AirOffensive[002].Secondary=COMM_BUILDING

AirOffensive[003].Primary=SMALL_RUNWAY

AirOffensive[003].Secondary=WAREHOUSE,POWER_PLANT

AirOffensive[004].Primary=COMM_BUILDING,POWER_PLANT

AirOffensive[004].Secondary=OIL_REFINERY,FUEL_STORAGE

AirOffensive[005].Primary=MEDIUM_RUNWAY

AirOffensive[005].Secondary=HANGAR,AMMO_STORAGE

AirOffensive[006].Primary=OIL_REFINERY,POWER_PLANT

AirOffensive[006].Secondary=COMM_BUILDING

AirOffensive[007].Primary=LARGE_RUNWAY

AirOffensive[007].Secondary=MEDIUM_RUNWAY,SMALL_RUNWAY

AirOffensive[008].Primary=CHEMICAL_WEAPONS_PLANT

AirOffensive[008].Secondary=OIL_REFINERY,COMM_BUILDING,POWER_PLANT

AirOffensive[009].Primary=COMMAND_BUILDING

AirOffensive[009].Secondary=LARGE_RUNWAY,MEDIUM_RUNWAY,CHEMICAL_WEAPONS_PLANT

AirOffensive[010].Primary=ANY

AirOffensive[010].Secondary=ANY

StartGroundOffensive=100

StartInterdiction=100

Morale=100

Supply=45

NormalSupplyRate=20

OffensiveSupplyRate=-20

DefensiveSupplyRate=-5

SupplyForOffensive=100

AircraftReplacementTime=30

AircraftReplacement=10

GroundUnitReplacementTime=30

GroundUnitReplacement=100

RandomTransportType=ANY

WeaponResupplyTime=50

StartAirDefenseLevel=2

 

//----- Player Unit

[AirUnit001]

AircraftType=HunterF6

Squadron=14RAF

ForceID=1

Nation=RAF

DefaultTexture=RAFCamo1

BaseArea=Henderson Field

BaseMoveChance=0

RandomChance=100

MaxAircraft=16

StartAircraft=16

MaxPilots=16

StartPilots=16

Experience=100

Morale=100

Supply=50

MissionChance[sWEEP]=0

MissionChance[CAP]=50

MissionChance[iNTERCEPT]=20

MissionChance[ESCORT]=0

MissionChance=20

MissionChance[CAS]=0

MissionChance[sEAD]=0

MissionChance[ARMED_RECON]=0

MissionChance[ANTI_SHIP]=10

MissionChance[RECON]=0

UpgradeType=NEVER

Supply[001].WeaponType=UK500LB

Supply[001].Quantity=2880

Supply[002].WeaponType=UK1000LB

Supply[002].Quantity=1440

Supply[003].WeaponType=Matra-155

Supply[003].Quantity=240

Supply[004].WeaponType=Tank100_Hunter

Supply[004].Quantity=480

 

 

//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

//---- CPAF Unit

 

 

[AirUnit002]

AircraftType=MiG-17F

UnitName=1/Indonesian Volunteer

ForceID=2

Nation=China

DefaultTexture=VPAFCamo1

StartNumber=10

BaseArea=Enemy Airbase

BaseMoveChance=0

RandomChance=100

MaxAircraft=9

StartAircraft=9

MaxPilots=10

StartPilots=10

Experience=80

Intelligence=80

Morale=100

Supply=50

MissionChance[sWEEP]=100

MissionChance[CAP]=0

MissionChance[iNTERCEPT]=0

MissionChance[ESCORT]=0

MissionChance=0

MissionChance[CAS]=0

MissionChance[sEAD]=0

MissionChance[ARMED_RECON]=0

MissionChance[ANTI_SHIP]=0

MissionChance[RECON]=0

UpgradeType=NEVER

 

[AirUnit003]

AircraftType=MiG-17F

UnitName=2/Indonesian Volunteer

ForceID=2

Nation=China

DefaultTexture=VPAFCamo2

StartNumber=20

BaseArea=Enemy Airbase

BaseMoveChance=0

RandomChance=100

MaxAircraft=9

StartAircraft=9

MaxPilots=10

StartPilots=10

Experience=60

Intelligence=60

Morale=100

Supply=50

MissionChance[sWEEP]=100

MissionChance[CAP]=0

MissionChance[iNTERCEPT]=0

MissionChance[ESCORT]=0

MissionChance=0

MissionChance[CAS]=0

MissionChance[sEAD]=0

MissionChance[ARMED_RECON]=0

MissionChance[ANTI_SHIP]=0

MissionChance[RECON]=0

UpgradeType=NEVER

 

[AirUnit004]

AircraftType=MiG-17F

UnitName=3/Indonesian Volunteer

ForceID=2

Nation=China

DefaultTexture=VPAFCamo3

StartNumber=30

BaseArea=Enemy Airbase

BaseMoveChance=0

RandomChance=100

MaxAircraft=9

StartAircraft=9

MaxPilots=10

StartPilots=10

Experience=40

Intelligence=40

Morale=100

Supply=50

MissionChance[sWEEP]=100

MissionChance[CAP]=0

MissionChance[iNTERCEPT]=0

MissionChance[ESCORT]=0

MissionChance=0

MissionChance[CAS]=0

MissionChance[sEAD]=0

MissionChance[ARMED_RECON]=0

MissionChance[ANTI_SHIP]=0

MissionChance[RECON]=0

UpgradeType=NEVER

 

 

//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

// Other air units go here

 

//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[GroundUnit001]

GroundObjectType=M113

UnitName=1st RAF Maintenance Brigade

ForceID=1

Nation=RAF

BaseArea=Henderson Field

RandomChance=100

StartObjects=80

MaxObjects=100

Experience=60

Morale=40

Supply=40

UpgradeType=NEVER

 

 

//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

// Carriers go here

 

 

//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

[strategicNode001]

Area=Visala

ConnectTo[001].Target=Visala

ConnectTo[001].BasePoint=125000,229500

 

[strategicNode002]

Area=Henderson Field

ConnectTo[001].Target=Hendeson Field

ConnectTo[001].BasePoint=183000,200875

Edited March 20, 2012 by Stwa

[Lexx_Luthor]

really do need a new box

 

what I have (Radeon 9600).

 

Wow.

 

What are your upgrade options? Can you build a box from inexpensive, say, 2009 era parts, which would be *astonomically* faster than what you have now?

[Stwa]

Hehe Lexx,

 

It is not a money issue.

 

And I did not want to mention this, because I have been going on and on about my computer in the threads I have been doing.

 

But, the computer did ACTUALLY fail, for good, last Thursday morning. I have been predicting its demise for several years. My first one lasted from 1993 (I think) to about 2000. It was an AMD 386/40. This one lasted from about 2001 (AMD Duron later upgraded the processor to Athelon) to 2012.

 

But here is what happened. Apparently, I purchased these MSI system boards, on sale way back when, and I got 2 of them. One for me, and one for my wife. But she ended up doing something different, so I put the spare main board into the closet, and forget about it, until last Thursday. BTW, the box just locked up, so I had to reboot, but when re-booting, the diagnostic part of the system would not allow a post, and indicated that the processor had failed. It lied.

 

Anyway, I took everything out of the case, and re-consturcted the system, using the now 10+ year old system board that all this time had been sitting in the closet. It too has a lithium battery, but I wonder just how long it can go, because it is already 10 years down the road. Anyway, I unseated the Athelon 2000 processor from the dead system board, and dropped it into the socket A on the "closet" main board. The processor was dingy, brown/bronze, gooky look to it. I vacked every component, including the Radeon 9600.

 

Anyway, after everything was installed back in the case (its a 19" rackmount, sitting in between a lot of other crazy stuff), I booted the system, ... AND IT WAS ALIVE.

 

If feels like I got a new system, FOR FREE ! You would be shocked how well this runs Strike Fighters.

 

Well, I wanna get SF2, I saw the screnshots of the NA stuff. Looks great. But if you will allow me to be honest here, I have to address the what for. This game is what it is, as most are. This one happens to be a good one, but all games have a repetitive nature to them, and you never know when you will put them down for a while.

 

That is partly why I don't get real carried away with the modding. If it can't be done in an hour or so, I just dont try it or ever get around it. This is why I have "excuse me" terrains. They were easy to make, and I didn't have to go for month's making them.

 

Same way with these themes, and the menu system. It is easier to make up one of these themes, then to TEST a campaign. As you know, campaigns, sometimes have the habit of ending for some of the most arbitrary reasons.

 

Anyway, this box does full screen video. I can play DVD, I have a on-board DTV tuner (for OTA channels), and I can stream live video from the net, so I am good. However, I douubt seriously, that it could hack WOI. So I just didn't get WOI. It just all falls into the "someday" category.

[Lexx_Luthor]

Yea I loved the K-7 Athalons. For years I ran MSI 6378s as they carried an integrated Trident video chipset. That sounds bad but Trident had one of the fastest 2D video chips around -- not 3D -- so Trident (and MSI in general) was bashed by gamers whining on hardware forums but you ignore them. I did tons of Fortran programming in DOS and my Fortran compatible grafix talked to the Trident -- very fast 2d. Still use it when I run my old stuff.

 

Interestingly, for software using x87 maths like my (1990s) Fortran, the old Athalons are actually faster than the new Intel i5 2500k Sandy. Intel just dropped support for the ancient x87 is all, begining as far back as Pentium 4, while AMD did not. For the SF and any other Windows stuff that uses the newer maths, Intel rules now though. Its amazing the jump in the number of AI aircraft/surface units I can run in SF-1 now under Sandy Bridge ... thousands instead of just hundreds.

 

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Your box is great, but you really need to upgrade your AGP card (or is it PCI?). Get a used replacement, say 9800Pro even, or X-something. The 9600 is really holding you back, and a used replacement should not be too much. Dunno. Look roundabout.

Edited March 22, 2012 by Lexx_Luthor

[Stwa]

Hi Lexx,

 

Well, what I have now is a 6380, and its AGP bus, and yes I have been looking on the net. I might go HOG WILD and try one of the HD 3485, directX 10 cards.

 

However, I don't want the box to become a space heater. That is one of the reasons I have kept it the way it was. I have tuned it back up, setting the FSB at 133, etc, multiple of 2 with AMD, I believe. But I just recently found out I can put a Athelon 2700 (I have 2000)into socket A as well, and 6380 will support FSB 166 (CPU 333).

 

Your remarks about the Sandy bridge, duly noted.