Just Bought SF2 NA

[Caesar 305]

CG,

 

I wish!  The modder who did that pit hasn't worked on any other 'pits that I know of for the SF2 series, and unfortunately, I haven't heard of plans for a "D" or "A"-specific pit any time in the near future.  It would be incredibly difficult to model every F-14A pit, especially early on.  The A-model's cockpit had a few different configurations between 1972 and 1983, which is about when it reached the familiar configuration with the two large "STALL" warning lights, ECM and landing on the right and left, respectively, straddling the front windscreen.  Most of the changes wouldn't be noticeable to a player - changes to the right vertical console, master caution advisory panel, UHF, and a few other changes would be made between production blocks 60 and 90 (and later). 

 

If you really wanted to use the ThirdWire pits for your F-14A's, you could always replace the SP pit with the TW ones!  

[CheckGear 1]

CG,

 

I wish!  The modder who did that pit hasn't worked on any other 'pits that I know of for the SF2 series, and unfortunately, I haven't heard of plans for a "D" or "A"-specific pit any time in the near future.  It would be incredibly difficult to model every F-14A pit, especially early on.  The A-model's cockpit had a few different configurations between 1972 and 1983, which is about when it reached the familiar configuration with the two large "STALL" warning lights, ECM and landing on the right and left, respectively, straddling the front windscreen.  Most of the changes wouldn't be noticeable to a player - changes to the right vertical console, master caution advisory panel, UHF, and a few other changes would be made between production blocks 60 and 90 (and later). 

 

If you really wanted to use the ThirdWire pits for your F-14A's, you could always replace the SP pit with the TW ones!  

 

Where can I find information on all the modifications that were ever made to the F-14, or any other fighter, for that matter? This is information that utterly fascinates me.

 

With regards to an F-14A-specific cockpit, I am looking for exactly that - a general look and feel for what our naval aviators were dealing with at the time, if not precisely what they had in a specific year. But I suppose that is what you were aiming for when you made your design decisions?

[Caesar 305]

Will check my sources for you and report back.  For the aircraft itself, I wasn't part of the original team - the Super Pack portion of it began after the original was completed back in 2010, which included the cockpit, aircraft models, initial FM and avionics, etc.  I got added into the effort to release the Super Pack to get the F-14D out, as well as bring the A and B up to SF2:NA standards with the newly available avionics, such as functional TWS, HUD functions, etc.  (The original bird was released before NA), so I can't speak to prior design decisions.  Once part of the SP team, yes, we did wind up going through many revisions to try to make the birds as accurate as possible, especially with the new functionality that NA brought to the sim.

[Barkhorn1x 14]

OK, another question.

 

I modified my HUDDATA.ini and ViewList.ini files. 

 

Where do I put them?

- Leave them in the Extracted Files folder?

- Move them to the Save Game/Flight folder?

- Other?

 

Thanks.

[+Crusader 2,101]

I think we still miss the F-14B UP (or something like that) with integrated GPS Nav and new Sparrowhawk HUD .. which is a different beast than the Kaiser HUD used in the D .

The 'green stuff' was very similar to the D variant though.

I've accumulated a pile of info on that update, but that stuff went poof.

OK, another question.

 

I modified my HUDDATA.ini and ViewList.ini files. 

 

Where do I put them?

- Leave them in the Extracted Files folder?

- Move them to the Save Game/Flight folder?

- Other?

 

Thanks.

 

Move them into Saved Games/Thirdwire/SF2NorthAtlantic/Flight 

The 'mod folder' -  all changed files and add-ons go there , into the respective sub-folders. Some are game-created already.

Others, eg Terrains , simply make a new folder yourself.

[Barkhorn1x 14]

TY Crusader.

[Barkhorn1x 14]

Everything now squared away except the F-14 radar.

 

Here is what I've been doing:

- Turn radar on to RWS mode

- Ask the Hummer where the bad guys are and steer to that heading

- Set the radar range to double the threat range - so if bogeys are at 50 miles I set it to 100 as I should see bogeys half way down the scope - correct?

- Set my AA weapons to AIM-54

- I see a bogey pop up and I press the Next Target (Home) key

- The gates move to that target and I hit the Acquire Target (Enter) key

- Now the manual states that the mode should automatically switch to TWS but it doesn't.  Does it really do this?

- So I switch to TWS manually and keep hitting the Acquire key as that's what the manual states

- All I get is a "blob" of something at the very bottom of the scope vortex lines and the Deselect Target (Delete) key is not working

 

So what am I missing here?

If this is unclear I can post a screenie tonight of the scope "blob"

 

Thanks.

Edited October 10, 2013 by Barkhorn1x

[MigBuster 2,884]

From memory - go to TWS mode

select a target on the radar

lock up

Select another target

Lock up

Select another target

 

etc

 

Then when in range fire, fire, fire etc

 

this only applies to AIM-54s btw 

 

If you are new to the jet + avionics side of things there's a bit to learn I'm afraid.

 

 

Check your key mapping - mine is mapped to a HOTAS which makes it all easier

Edited October 10, 2013 by MigBuster

[+SupGen 79]

  Barkhorn, which F-14 model are you flying? The D models (some?, all?) use the Avionics70.dll and do not have multi-target capability. Try the earlier models; the F-14A+ is my favorite.

[Caesar 305]

SG,

 

I think he's using the baseline ThirdWire F-14's.  THINK being the keyword, the SP discussion was a tangent.  That said, the radars of both TW and SP F-14's operate the same (barring the Av70 optional D).  

 

What MigBuster wrote is the procedure.  Turn the radar on, switch radar to TWS and requisite range, select your AIM-54, select your first radar target, hit lock radar target, then go to the next, lock it, third, etc.  For each target locked, a small number will appear next to the target in the order that the target was locked.  When in range, fire your Phoenix at all designated targets.  Every time you fire, the radar will iterate the numbers down by one (if you designated 6, 6 becomes 5, 5 becomes 4, 4 becomes 3, etc.)  and whichever target is currently "1" is the one being targeted by the AIM-54 you're about to fire.  Once you're out of numbers, you can't fire anymore.

 

Also, the radar won't kick from RWS to TWS even with Phoenix selected.  However, RWS, TWS, and ACM will kick to PDSTT if you've got Sparrow, Sidewinder or Guns selected and you lock a target.

[Barkhorn1x 14]

It was indeed my keyboard. Once I mapped the keys to my stick all worked as advertised.  Thanks all for your help.

[+SupGen 79]

  Bravissimo! Still, as your attorney, I advise you to switch to the Superpack.

[turkeydriver 4]

Everything now squared away except the F-14 radar.

 

Here is what I've been doing:

- Turn radar on to RWS mode

- Ask the Hummer where the bad guys are and steer to that heading

- Set the radar range to double the threat range - so if bogeys are at 50 miles I set it to 100 as I should see bogeys half way down the scope - correct?

- Set my AA weapons to AIM-54

- I see a bogey pop up and I press the Next Target (Home) key

- The gates move to that target and I hit the Acquire Target (Enter) key

- Now the manual states that the mode should automatically switch to TWS but it doesn't.  Does it really do this?

- So I switch to TWS manually and keep hitting the Acquire key as that's what the manual states

- All I get is a "blob" of something at the very bottom of the scope vortex lines and the Deselect Target (Delete) key is not working

 

So what am I missing here?

If this is unclear I can post a screenie tonight of the scope "blob"

 

Thanks.

Depends on the scenario, I keep my weapon as the gun or sparrow in order to attain lock in RWS and then re-designate to go STT. This doesn't allow the multi target ability for all of your AIM-54s but it does give you longer engagement range(you can shoot sooner). Once I'm in STT, I then switch to AIM-54s and let one rip from about 75 miles out, monitor the shot and take another if it misses or engage the next bandit.

 

Quick question in regards to the MODDED North Atlantic campaign....I have all the SF2 titles except the first one (Strike Fighters 2), can I trick the mod into working with everything else merged? What does the first SF2 give you that the others don't have besides an F-104? I tried installing it just to see and it locks up when I try to select the campaign and only missiles show with an invisible jet when I do instant action. Guessing it won't work but if I could edit an .ini to force it to work it would be greatly appreciated.

 

**EDIT** Using RWS and then going STT before switching to AIM-54 leaves the radar in STT for the longest range AIM-54 shot-like MiG Buster said, only good for a HEAD-ON shot. However, some of the enemies have a better RWR than others and pick up an STT lock from a long ways out, so they'll go defensive sooner. IRL during the 70s/80s TWS didn't signal an enemy's RWR that you were shooting, for electronic purposes it looked like you were scanning still if they could even pick you up. That was the big advantage of being able to shoot in TWS mode, then the F-14 said, "I'm gonna shoot 6 at a time in TWS mode, so what do you think about that?"(albeit, the targets had to be fairly close in heading, altitude, and speed to ensure all 6 shots would be successful.) That's what I love about this game. Although its a "survey" sim, it models the technology aspects and tactics pretty well for demonstration purposes. I wish the enemy bomber formations where smarter and attacked your carrier from different directions of the carrier at the same time instead of flying a nice, juicy target-close formation all the way in.

Edited October 16, 2013 by turkeydriver

[Wrench 9,848]

most importantly, SF2 gives you the Desert terrain, which is needed for a lot of our terrain mods as the 'referenced' terrain for the goodies on the ground

Edited October 15, 2013 by Wrench

[turkeydriver 4]

well looks like im gonna buy it then, delete my current merge and reinstall everything.

[Race 0]

Two Questions if you don't mind. One after seeing the upgraded terrain I wanted to download it but noticed that I do Not have an Terrain folder for my NA and it runs fine, do I need to add one?

Next the problem I have with the AIM-54 is i can lock on fine but I don't get the hot trigger light  and if I fire with it off the missle my explodes after launch.  What can I do to do long range launches like my wing men Vs. the 75-50 miles launches I'm doing now?

[MigBuster 2,884]

You only need to create other folders if you want to add mods like new terrain tiles, ground objects etc

 

And you create them in the mod folders NOT where you have installed the game to

 

http://combatace.com/topic/62302-what-is-the-mod-folder/

 

As for the AIM-54A 

 

Advise using TWS mode to lock it (See online instructions on F-14 radar use) - then ensure you are actually in range and not going by some fantasy kinetic range figure quoted on Wiki - range depends on altitude, speed and target aspect - so example if the bombers are head on the further out you will be able to fire.

[Caesar 305]

Race,

 

It sounds to me like your missiles are going stupid right after launch.  Might have to do with Launch Reliability value, but that is one thing that does happen in the TW games - missiles can launch, go dumb, and blow up.  Are you using the ThirdWire AIM-54's or Ravenclaw's or...?

 

With respect to aspect, it is precisely as MB wrote.  A historic example was of an AIM-54 launched at about 115NM to a closing drone target while the Turkey was already at the speed of heat.  The missile itself did not travel 115NM, it traveled 72 because the target was closing, and the extra speed helped it start fast!  If a target is changing aspect to you, the missile's range effectively decreases (happens to all missiles, not just ones that fly a lofted profile).  That said, this does not appear to be your problem, rather, the missile coming off dumb.  If it's happening too much for your taste, you can increase the launch reliability.  If it's still coming off dumb, could you give an idea of where you're launching from and at what?

[saisran 84]

Race, If your not getting the hot trigger light.. this could mean your out of missile range or not in a profile ideal to launch the missile or your being jammed by AI. If your up against newer fighters with advanced ECM suite or if enemy is hidden by terrain or cloud cover you may not be able to get a firing lock even with a tomcat's radar. It happened to me before. I just make sure my nose is pointed in the right direction or change my altitude. i maybe too low or too high. sometimes i get a good lock firing from an angle.