Anyone Ready For a New FM?

[Herr Prop-Wasche 7]

I figured it is about that time to foist (love that word!) another update of my FM on the unsuspecting public, so here it is: the HPW FM and EW Campaign Mod 4.0.0 is now ready and waiting to be approved for download by the admins. This is a major update of my FM and I encourage everyone to try it out at least once. You will either be able to download and install it either as a stand-alone mod, or, using Lothar's handy self-installer, in conjunction with Lothar's OFFice and OFFbase programs.

 

Here are some excerpts from the readme file which explain some of the major changes to the FM in my new update:

 

This important update changes many FM settings on most of the aircraft currently existing in OFF. The most significant include changes to the elevator, rudder, and center of gravity (CoG) and center of lift (CoL) values in order to reduce the sluggish turn performance of several aircraft in version 3.0 of the FM mod. In addition to being more tail-heavy, most aircraft should feel more nimble and will now require a more delicate touch on the controls. As a result, while you will be able to fly much closer to the edge of an aircraft's "envelope" with this FM, you also bear the increased risk of possibly stalling and spinning your aircraft if you are not careful! This update also revises the moment of inertia (MOI) values of many aircraft in order to improve the performance of AI controlled aircraft, particularly at low altitude. Although I do not have access to and have not changed any of the AI routines, it is hoped that changes to the MOI values will result in the AI being somewhat more likely to "choose" turn, rather than climb-n-stall, tactics at low altitudes.

 

Update History

 

FM 4.0.0

 

--Major update with substantial FM revisions to many aircraft.

--Elevator values and pitch damping values modified in order to eliminate the "sluggish" turn performance of several aircraft in FM 3.0.

--Center of gravity (CoG) and center of lift (CoL) locations adjusted to give many aircraft a more tail-heavy feel. In contrast to the original OFF FM and previous versions of my FM mod, all planes (including Albatros series) will now stall and spin if not flown with care.

--Unnecessarily high positive and negative G-force settings lowered for several aircraft, particularly two-seaters.

--Rudder values adjusted on a few aircraft in order to improve rudder control and avoid excessive side-slipping.

--Adjusted empty weight and parasitic drag settings of RAF Fe2b, RAF Be2c, RAF Re8, Sopwith Pup 80 HP, and Halberstadt to eliminate crashing into trees and hills at end of runway problem.

--Moment of Inertia (MOI) values adjusted further on every aircraft in order to improve the performance of AI controlled aircraft, particularly at low altitude.

--Numerous other changes

 

Please note that this update only includes updates to the FM and empty weight of campaign aircraft. While all QC aircraft get the FM update, the empty weight values are the same for both human and AI aircraft. If there is a great clamoring for an update to the Quick Battle aircraft, I will consider it, but right now I want to sit back and take a bit of a rest!

 

Here is the link for the new and improved FM: http://combatace.com/files/file/13417-hpw-fm-and-ew-mods-for-campaign-and-qc-battles/

 

Thanks!

Edited February 7, 2013 by Herr Prop-Wasche

[+Lothar of the Hill People 6]

Hope to get out the update to OFFice/OFFbase with version 4.0.0 of the FM (and a ton of other improvements) soon, wrangling a few bugs.

[rjw 48]

I figured it is about that time to foist (love that word!) another update of my FM on the unsuspecting public, so here it is: the HPW FM and EW Campaign Mod 4.0.0 is now ready and waiting to be approved for download by the admins. This is a major update of my FM and I encourage everyone to try it out at least once. You will either be able to download and install it either as a stand-alone mod, or, using Lothar's handy self-installer, in conjunction with Lothar's OFFice and OFFbase programs.

 

Here are some excerpts from the readme file which explain some of the major changes to the FM in my new update:

 

 

 

 

 

Please note that this update only includes updates to the FM and empty weight of campaign aircraft. While all QC aircraft get the FM update, the empty weight values are the same for both human and AI aircraft. If there is a great clamoring for an update to the Quick Battle aircraft, I will consider it, but right now I want to sit back and take a bit of a rest!

 

Here is the link for the new and improved FM: http://combatace.com...and-qc-battles/

 

Thanks!

 

I downloaded the mod last night and it ran fine, but may I make a suggestion that you append the designation 4.0 to the folder name so people will be able to know what version they are looking at in the JSGME mod. Have a great day.

[+Lothar of the Hill People 6]

I downloaded the mod last night and it ran fine, but may I make a suggestion that you append the designation 4.0 to the folder name so people will be able to know what version they are looking at in the JSGME mod. Have a great day.

 

Actually, that's the last thing you want to do. If you rename the folder, OFFice will no longer recognize it. JSGME mods should absolutely NOT include version numbers in the folder name so they can be upgraded transparently.

 

The documentation installed alongside the JSGME mod folder indicates the version.

[Herr Prop-Wasche 7]

Lothar,

 

rjw has a point, it can be confusing for someone to know what version of a mod they are running. Also, some people like to compare different versions of a mod to see which one they like best. Is there any way for REBOL to handle version numbers in file names? Maybe something like v4_0_0?

[rjw 48]

The documentation installed alongside the JSGME mod folder indicates the version.

 

Lothar;

 

When I install the dowloaded files, the documentation does not get installed in the specific JSGME mod folder. It never has for any of the mod folders. It does show up in the high level MODS folder but would be better placed in the specific folder for that mod that it applies to and would be replaced with every further update, otherwise every update change results in mutiple levels of documentation all lumped under the "MODS" high level folder which is very messy.

Edited February 7, 2013 by rjw

[+Lothar of the Hill People 6]

rjw has a point, it can be confusing for someone to know what version of a mod they are running. Also, some people like to compare different versions of a mod to see which one they like best. Is there any way for REBOL to handle version numbers in file names? Maybe something like v4_0_0?

 

Epic rant posted here at SimHQ, my last word on this subject. In short: supporting multiple versions is a nightmare on a number of levels and the very thought makes me want to never touch OFF again. People who "like to compare different versions of a mod" can muck up their systems with no help from me.

[+Lothar of the Hill People 6]

When I install the dowloaded files, the documentation does not get installed in the specific JSGME mod folder. It never has for any of the mod folders. It does show up in the high level MODS folder but would be better placed in the specific folder for that mod that it applies to and would be replaced with every further update, otherwise every update change results in mutiple levels of documentation all lumped under the "MODS" high level folder which is very messy.

 

That's because the documentation doesn't really make sense within the individual mod folder itself--forces JSGME to copy all the documentation into the main OFF install folder every time you activate a mod, and delete it on deactivation. This slows down activation/deactivation unnecessarily (slowing down OFFramp and OFFbase) and litters your main OBDSoftware folder with all the mod documentation.

 

That's why my installers haven't been putting version numbers in the documentation files either. Thus updates don't litter your JSGME mod folders with multiple versions of documentation--only one version of both the mod and the readme occur in the JSGME mods folder, and both go together, and you can read the documentation to check the version. So never mind, going to leave the installers as is, putting a version-free readme in JSGME mods alongside the version-free mod folder. If you use the installer .exe versions of the mods, you'll only have one copy of the mod and its documentation in your JSGME mods folder at a time--whichever version you've installed last.

 

The above only applies to stand-alone installers of the mods. The versions packed with OFFice include the documentation in the OFFice\docs\ folder so they're all readily accessible in one place and OFFice can link directly to documentation from the OFFramp interface. And if you keep your OFFice up-to-date you always the latest version of the mods without having to worry about any of this.

 

But I haven't actually gotten out the OFFice update because of all this worrying about versions when the whole point of OFFice is to end the worry about versions! ARGH!!! So really, last I have to say on the subject.

[Herr Prop-Wasche 7]

I propose the following compromise: Those who use Lothar's program to manage their mods or in order to play OFFbase will use the self-installer put together by Lothar. This version of my mod will not contain a version number.

 

For those who prefer not to use OFFbase, I will upload a version of the mod which contains a version number in the filename.

 

I will revise the readme file to clarify the installation instructions depending on whether you use OFFbase or not.

 

Now can we please return to the thread topic?

Edited February 8, 2013 by Herr Prop-Wasche

[+Lothar of the Hill People 6]

For those who prefer not to use OFFbase, I will upload a version of the mod which contains a version number in the filename.

 

I will revise the readme file to clarify the installation instructions depending on whether you use OFFbase or not.

 

Now can we please return to the thread topic?

 

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO! Please, having two separate versions out there with different names and different install procedures is going to cause vast amounts of the kind of havok I have worked greatly to avoid. Seriously, please do not do this. The installer version works fine for EVERYBODY automatically whether they use OFFbase or not. If anything you should stop providing the manual .7z version.

 

It's fine to put the version number in the installer file name (HPW FM and EW Mod 4.0.0.exe) so people know what version they're installing. And I've talked to Robert about a metadata format that is a good compromise (did you see that message?). We're both happy with it, and it can be expanded in the future to do more stuff like handle mod dependencies.

[+Lothar of the Hill People 6]

Okay the OFFbase update including HPW's FM mod 4.0.0 is now available, which will patch OFFice 0.9.8 to version 0.9.9. The full OFFice 0.9.9 is currently uploading and should be available soon.