Just Bought SF2 NA

[Barkhorn1x 14]

Hello all.  Just purchased SF2 NA.

 

I'm not new to the SF franchise as I own the original SF, WoV and FE.

 

So what do I need to know?

What are some "must have" mods?

Do you need to do anything special to get Track IR to work w/ SF2?

Can I get rid of the "red box"?

 

Thanks all.

[arthur666 65]

Gerwin's Iceland terrain mod is a must have, IMO.

 

You can lose the red box with alt+D.

 

 

Have fun!

[Snailman 517]

Yes, Iceland terrain is essential ) The rest is your preference, what would you like, more spectacular scenes and effects - then I suggest Stary's work. More flyables - you can find many singles, or one in a big mod like NATO fighters, or SF2 Falklands.. or Air-ground Vietnam. There is a big update mod for North-Atlantic, too.

[MigBuster 2,884]

TrackIR should work as default - you may have to mod if you want a bit more head movement but should be fine

[Barkhorn1x 14]

Thanks all!!

[+Soulfreak 6,524]

You need every Mod from Ravenclaw_007 and the L-39 Pack by MontyCZ

[Romflyer 25]

 

Can I get rid of the "red box"?

 

 

 

In your huddata.ini there are a few changes you can make to clean up screen....including the big red boxes

below is what I currently am using, but you can pick and choose which changes you want to use.

You might want to check the D/L section because I think someone recently uploaded a huddata.ini with 'similar' changes to what I have listed below.

 

[infoDisplay]

BackgroundImage=TextBackground.tga

//BottomLeftPosition=0.01,0.985  slashes remove all the text in the bottom corners of the screen

//BottomRightPosition=0.99,0.985

DisplayWidth=0.20

VerticalBorder=0.0015

HorizontalBorder=0.008

EnemyTargetColor=1.0,0.0,0.0,1.0

FriendlyTargetColor=0.0,0.0,1.0,1.0

UnknownTargetColor=1.0,1.0,0.0,1.0

WaypointColor=1.0,1.0,1.0,1.0

TextFile=HUDText.str

NormalColor=1.0,1.0,1.0,1.0

WarningColor1=1.0,1.0,0.0,1.0

WarningColor2=1.0,0.0,0.0,1.0

AGLAltStart=609.6

AGLAltWarning=152.4

 

[Display001]

DisplayType=DIRECTOR

ObjectType=TARGET_ENEMY

ConeSize=15    you can also remove the cone by using 0

BoxSize=2      changing the red box to a red dot on visual target

BoxType=SQUARE

BoxColor=1.0,0.0,0.0,0.75

ConeModelName=redcone

 

[Display002]

DisplayType=DIRECTOR

ObjectType=TARGET_FRIENDLY

ConeSize=15

BoxSize=2

BoxType=SQUARE

BoxColor=0.0,0.0,1.0,0.75

ConeModelName=bluecone

 

[Display003]

DisplayType=DIRECTOR

ObjectType=NEXT_WAYPOINT

ConeSize=0

BoxSize=0     gets rid of the waypoint markers

BoxType=TRIANGLE

BoxColor=1.0,1.0,1.0,0.75

ConeModelName=whitecone

 

[Display004]

DisplayType=RADAR

PosX=0.865

PosY=0.015

Width=0.0    gets rid of the top right radar screen

Height=0.0

Alpha=0.60

InitTime=2.0

 

[Display005]

DisplayType=DIRECTOR

ObjectType=RADAR_TARGET

ConeSize=15

BoxSize=10

BoxType=DIAMOND

BoxColor=1.0,1.0,0.0,0.75

ConeModelName=

[Romflyer 25]

As for TIR like Migbuster said it works seamlessly out of the box, however there are a few changes you can make which improve things dramatically.

SF2 says that supports 6 deg of movement with TIR but in reality it's much closer to about 2 and a half deg of movement.

To change this you first need to go into your  Viewlist.ini
 
In each class find these entries (apply to all jets globally)
 

LimitPitch=FALSE   -----> look up down - FALSE allows more freedom so I use it
LimitYaw=TRUE     ------> Set to FALSE to enable 180 all round 
LimitRoll=FALSE

 

Then go into your favourite planes and add these lines into the cockpit.ini under the [CockpitSeat001] section

 

MinMovementX=-0.16
MaxMovementX=0.18
MinMovementZ=-0.08
MaxMovementZ=0.10

 

Now you will get about 4 and half deg of freedom 

[Peugeot205 2,745]

A must have if you have SFNA:

 

http://combatace.com/files/file/13980-sf2na-expansion-pack-part-1-of-3/

http://combatace.com/files/file/13980-sf2na-expansion-pack-part-2-of-3/

http://combatace.com/files/file/13978-sf2na-expansion-pack-part-3-of-3/

[macelena 1,070]

For the expansion pack, you would need SF2E and SF2V, i think. However, even if you don´t want to buy all what it takes for it to work, that´s what i think you get from other TW stuff if you have money to spend on it:

 

SF2V gives you carriers plus a lot of USN aircraft. That being said, SF2V is my favourite title and with the SF2NA features, you can get single missions from carriers with little editing

 

SF2E gives you, beside the other campaign of this war, a flyable F-4E (75) for the 57th FIS out of Keflavik. Along with two RAF Phantom squadrons as a reinforcement. Along with a lot of USAF and RAF aircraft from the era. RAF harriers use to deploy from the tricky to operate and name  airstrip in the northwest corner of the island in single missions.

 

As of useful DLCs:

 

F-4N is my personal favourite. You get to play with an ass-kicking underdog, easier to land on carriers than Tomcats, and another model for variety in the fighter arena. The model has been fixed and looks superb.

 

F-4Ks would make up the aforementioned RAF reinforcement. Along with French Crusaders, they deploy from USN carriers, but the latter is lacking performance in many areas for the Northern Sabre campaign, could be way too challenging.

 

Also especially useful is the mission editor, either as a DLC stand-alone or from Expansion2. Specially if you want to strike something other than the soviet battlegroup in single missions. Preferably as part of EXP2, since it can be installed now without having SF2E and includes a hell lot of features, including the Lightning variants.

[Barkhorn1x 14]

Thansk all for your feedback and support.  I already d/l'd the expanded NA campaign but will ned to waite till Xmas to get SF2E & SF2V gifted me.  Hey, it's not that far off.

 

In the meantime I will sift through all the other great stuff that you folks provided.

[Barkhorn1x 14]

OK - so how does one access the huddata.ini and viewlist.ini files and where are they?

 

Thanks.

[Caesar 305]

If you want to fly later missions, or in other variants of the F-14, there's the F-14 Super Pack.  You can also get your strike on with the F/A-18 and A-6 packs.

 

EDIT: HUDDATA.ini and Viewlist.ini have to be extracted from the FLIGHTDATA.CAT, using the ThirdWire Extractor utility.  They are normally found in C:\Program Files (x86)\ThirdWire\Strike Fighters 2\Flight folder (or wherever your install resides).  Edit with a normal text editor.  When finished, drop into your mod folder's FlightData folder (e.g. C:\Users\Name\Saved Games\ThirdWire\StrikeFighters2 Europe\Flight).

 

EDIT 2: Thanks, Wrench!

[Wrench 9,851]

actually, the sub-folder in the mods folder is just called /Flight

[Barkhorn1x 14]

TY - I have the CAT extractor now and should be good here.

[Barkhorn1x 14]

I am back w/ questions on F-14 radar functionality. 

 

How does it work exactly?

How does one launch those AIM-54s?

What else do I need to know?

 

Are there any guides one can point me to?

 

Thanks.

[MigBuster 2,884]

You should have a local copy of this as well

 

 

http://www.thirdwire.com/man/sf2/Strike_Fighters_2.htm

[Barkhorn1x 14]

Danke.  I have some studying to do.

[MigBuster 2,884]

Not as bad as it sounds when you try it out

 

Use TWS mode to lock up and launch multiple AIM-54s

[Barkhorn1x 14]

Not as bad as it sounds when you try it out

 

Use TWS mode to lock up and launch multiple AIM-54s

 

TY, I copied the verbiage to the back of my keycard document.

[CheckGear 1]

Gerwin's Iceland terrain mod is a must have, IMO.

 

You can lose the red box with alt+D.

 

 

Have fun!

 

I cannot seem to find this mod. Where is it located for download?

[Wrench 9,851]

iirc, this thread:

 

http://combatace.com/topic/71249-sf2na-iceland-classic-tfdhfd-terrain/

[CheckGear 1]

Thanks for the link! These modders are really trying to outdo Eagle Dynamics, aren't they?

 

I originally intended to start a separate thread for my next question, but, for the sake of consolidation, I will ask it here.

 

I downloaded The Mirage Factory's F-14 Tomcat Superpack. When I read the readmes, I am getting the sense that they utilize the F-14A+/B cockpit for all variants of the Tomcat. Is this really the case, or do the earlier versions of the Tomcat in the superpack utilize the appropriate cockpits and avionics for the time period?

 

Thanks again.

[Caesar 305]

CheckGear,

 

Yes, it is explained in the F-14 Cockpit and Avionics document that the F-14A+/B cockpit is used in all 3 variants, but the avionics, available weapons, and other factors change over time.  The biggest noticeable difference between the F-14B and F-14A 'pits in real life is the ALR-67 display (RHAW display) which does not exist in the F-14A (any block).  The F-14A displayed ECM information on the HSD for the pilot and ECM Display for the RIO.   They still do this in the SP, but the functionality is redundant thanks to the ALR-67 display.  The avionics are tweaked per model, to match the real-world setups as best as we could.  The earlier F-14A's don't have the Sidewinder Seeker or the TCS, and the F-14A_74 uses a different jammer/ECM Suite (ALQ-100/ALR-45) than the 82 & 96 models.  The later F-14A's have the seeker symbology, updated jammer (ALQ-126 & 126/B), locked glove vanes and added BOL chaff/full flare in the boat tail for F-14A(96), etc.  The F-14B used most of the same avionics as the F-14A by the time it arrived, and in game, the most noticeable difference in terms of avionics is the ALR-67 receiver bands (wider than the ALR-50), but the jammer remained the same (ALQ-126/B).  The Radar, VDIG and HSD are all the same in the F-14A and B, as they were in real life until 2003, when the B got the SparrowHawk HUD.  Also, LANTIRN and guided bomb compatibility is not available until 1996 for the F-14A/B/D.

 

The F-14D also uses the same cockpit setup since we don't have an actual F-14D cockpit to use, so we updated the avionics (HUD, Radar, ECM suite, etc).  Until an F-14D pit becomes available, we have to use the stand in.

[CheckGear 1]

CheckGear,

 

Yes, it is explained in the F-14 Cockpit and Avionics document that the F-14A+/B cockpit is used in all 3 variants, but the avionics, available weapons, and other factors change over time.  The biggest noticeable difference between the F-14B and F-14A 'pits in real life is the ALR-67 display (RHAW display) which does not exist in the F-14A (any block).  The F-14A displayed ECM information on the HSD for the pilot and ECM Display for the RIO.   They still do this in the SP, but the functionality is redundant thanks to the ALR-67 display.  The avionics are tweaked per model, to match the real-world setups as best as we could.  The earlier F-14A's don't have the Sidewinder Seeker or the TCS, and the F-14A_74 uses a different jammer/ECM Suite (ALQ-100/ALR-45) than the 82 & 96 models.  The later F-14A's have the seeker symbology, updated jammer (ALQ-126 & 126/B), locked glove vanes and added BOL chaff/full flare in the boat tail for F-14A(96), etc.  The F-14B used most of the same avionics as the F-14A by the time it arrived, and in game, the most noticeable difference in terms of avionics is the ALR-67 receiver bands (wider than the ALR-50), but the jammer remained the same (ALQ-126/B).  The Radar, VDIG and HSD are all the same in the F-14A and B, as they were in real life until 2003, when the B got the SparrowHawk HUD.  Also, LANTIRN and guided bomb compatibility is not available until 1996 for the F-14A/B/D.

 

The F-14D also uses the same cockpit setup since we don't have an actual F-14D cockpit to use, so we updated the avionics (HUD, Radar, ECM suite, etc).  Until an F-14D pit becomes available, we have to use the stand in.

 

Outstandingly explained.

 

Do you have any plans to create an F-14A pit? I know the biggest difference between the F-14A and F-14A+/B cockpit is that RHAW display, but I would love to see something that gives us a sense of what the early Tomcat aviators were looking at.