Reinstalled FE2 - questions for the vets!

[Javigato 1]

I reinstalled FE2 last weekend and added a few mods (I really like how the SF2 SARCASM mod works here!!). Besides that I have Jan's terrains. Anyway, I am getting back into it, and I think almost have it where I wanted... except a couple of things: tracers and formations.

 

With the formations, last time I had the game installed, I had the problem. It only seems to happen with my flight's formation, the AI seem OK. Is there a way to get my people to fly in somewhat of a formation? When I look back, I see them all dancing around. Not sure if there's been a fix for it.

 

Tracers, I just can't see where my bullets are going... is there a smoke tracer mod that I can put in?

 

Finally, any other mods out there I should be aware of that will enhance the experience? I saw the armchairs campaigns, looks really cool, but to be honest, all the set up and downloading seems overwhelming :)

[Bulldog 0]

As far as the formations, there's no fix, although most of the 2-seaters I fly seem to do alright in that respect.

 

For the tracers, try this effects pack by Starry: http://combatace.com/files/file/9786-first-eagles-effects-pack-update-1/ There's a tracer mod included.

 

I can imagine if you don't have a lot of the planes already for the Armchair campaigns the set up can seen a bit overwhelming, but believe me, it's worth the effort.

 

I may have to check out the SARCASM mod now.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Bulldog

[Javigato 1]

Thanks Bulldog!! I'll give Stary's effects a try... will they work in FE2?

[+whiteknight06604 934]

most effects for SF2 will work in FE2 there may be a few exceptions but for the most part they work.

[+ojcar 157]

Stary's effects are very good, but they are done for the jet series, so the fires, explosions, etc are way overdone for FE planes and bombs. There is an Stary effect pack for FE, but it doesn't work for FE2. Stary, please, update it!!!!

[Javigato 1]

Ojcar, I actually found this last night, it is an FE2 effects, done by Laton, but using/reusing some of Stary's effects... It looks nice...

 

http://combatace.com/topic/53100-fe2-effects-pack/page__p__387772__hl__stary+fe2+effects__fromsearch__1#entry387772

[+ojcar 157]

Wov, nice pack! I wonder why these effects aren't in the downloads section.

[Javigato 1]

Yea, no idea why was not included, should be in my opinion. I tried it out and it is pretty nice. By the way Ojcar, yo tambien soy de Madrid!! :)

[+ojcar 157]

No tenía ni idea. Como aquí todo el mundo escribe en Inglés....Hay otros españoles y bastantes argentinos también, pero creo que casi todos juegan más a los juegos de reactores. También me gustan mucho, pero prefiero estos cacharretes. Un saludo.

[Javigato 1]

Pues si, aunque llevo viviendo en USA ya algo mas de 16 años... Yo la verdad con el poco tiempo que tengo, solo juego a los de Thirdwire, a veces me da por los reactores, a veces por estos trastos de madera, lo bueno es que para pasar un rato "volando" es lo me mas me gusta, otros ya son muy complicados.

 

Bueno, veras el partido esta noche, no? Yo desde USA si, y espero que ya ganemos al Mandril!!! Del Atleti desde crio, ejjejej!!

[+ojcar 157]

Está la cosa chunga, porque tienen un peazo equipo los muy cabrones, pero ese es el encanto del Atleti. Hoy ganamos (yo también del Atleti) al Madrid y mañana perdemos con la Ponferradina...

[Javigato 1]

Exacto!! Asi es el Atleti! Jjajaja!! Y ya vamos perdiendo, vaya...

[Javigato 1]

Another inquiry to the vets... are Peter01's flight models the best out there? I have never tried them I don't think, just stock. Is it a big improvement? And is this the very latest one available that all "experienced" FE2 pilots have? :)

 

http://combatace.com/files/file/10683-108-fe1-andor-fe2-fms-march-2010/

[+ojcar 157]

In a short word: YES. They are an improvement. They are more demanding than stock FMs, and installing them you'll have a better game, since some original FMs are very old and doesn't work very well in last FE pactch or FE2. All my FM work in Stephen1918 planes are based in Peter works. If you like my FMs, you'll love Peter01 ones!

 

The link you provided are the last set, but you'll also may need:

 

 

 

http://combatace.com/files/file/10695-really-fixed-fe2-game-files-and-4-fe2-fms-2010/

 

http://combatace.com/files/file/10697-fe1-fe2-fms-bristolm1c-fe8-fokd8-schuckert/

[33LIMA 972]

I'm sort of used to Peter's FMs now but I do remember finding them slightly more challenging while feeling more realistic - but not some wild, implausible effort to inject artificial challenge by just making everything frustratingly hard, or exaggerating a plane's reported characteristics - that's one reason I like them. By all accounts I have read, and barring some exceptions (like Moranes) spin recovery in very many WW1 planes (not just BE2's!) was not difficult - unlike, say, RoF, where it can be near impossible unless you employ some strange drill like bobbing a Camel's nose up and down with the elevator, or OFF, where, while recovery is not too hard, departing the envelope seems to vary between extremes, some too mild and others insane - the Palz DIII comes to mind in the latter category. Peter's FM's don't produce such effects - spins will happen and can be scary to get out of if you're low but recovery isn't exaggeratedly difficult. Also because FE has the best stall warning effects I've seen in a sim (visible and audible buffet) you have an idea when you're pushing it too hard, so more realistic (but not exaggerated) FMs need not be such a worry.

 

Another plus is that if you fly on the 'Hard' FM in-game setting, many d/l planes eg A Team come with FMs optimised for the less realistic 'Normal' setting, and won't fly properly in player hands on 'Hard' setting; such planes really do need Peter's FM, if you ever plan on flying them.

 

A disadvantage (to my mind) is that his FMs tone down AI gunners to the point of near-ineffectiveness. If you look at a post here addressed to me a few months back, and Peter's readme, it explains how to re-set gunners to stock or better. I have currently reset them to nearly stock effectiveness levels; higher than stock would be nice when flying 2-seaters yourself but makes it very hard for your flight-mates when you're attacking 2-seaters, as the AI tend to attack incautiously from behind and slug it out with the gunner, resulting in some avoidable casualties. You may be happy with less effective gunners, but if not then it's maybe 20 minutes work to edit them all back to a more dangerous setting.

Edited April 13, 2012 by 33LIMA

[Javigato 1]

Interesting about the gunners, I do find the stock ones very very accurate-deadly... but you are saying Peter's are way too easy... can you set it to something in between?

[33LIMA 972]

Yes Javigato, that is what I have done, not as high as stock settings but a lot closer to that than Peter's settings. Below are what I understand are the relevant parts of a typical Data.ini file, for the A Team Bristol F2b in this case:

 

[AIData]

GunnerFireChance=80 - these two lines, I leave alone [= as per Peter's FM, which I think uses stock values], increasing them will increase gunner effectiveness.

GunnerFireTime=2.5

 

[RearGunner]

PitchAngleRate=30 - these are mine, a little lower in some planes eg double or awkward gun mounts like the BE2; I believe stock FE values are 40 and 60 (degrees per second?); Peter's values are lower, usually 25 and 32.

YawAngleRate=50

 

[RearGun]

GunTypeName=303CAL_LEWIS_MK2 - this is stock- but with Peter's FM, a suffix'_GUNNER' is added this eg '303CAL_LEWIS_MK2_GUNNER' - this is a modded weapon with less effective rounds, so I delete the '_GUNNER' to return it to the stock weapon.

 

Here's the link to the post I mentioned, I'm grateful to Grinseed, who directed me to this useful thread. It also mentions a GunRange setting which can also be adjusted up or down, which I have not done:

 

http://combatace.com/topic/51340-two-seaters-why-wont-my-gunners-open-fire/page__p__382237__hl__the+rear+gunner__fromsearch__1#entry382237