Gladiator

[dsawan 613]

what he said

[+Geezer 3,569]

Thanks.  The first block of 1940 aircraft, shown below, is coming along nicely.  Combined with Lloyd's Sea Gladiator, there should be a bunch of Gladiators ready around Christmas/New Year.

 

Edited November 20, 2015 by Geezer

[+Geezer 3,569]

Making good progress on the cockpit.  First shot shows model before mapping and texturing.  Second and third shot shows progress this morning.  Last shot shows what the model looked like when mapping.  Now you know why most modelers, including myself, don't like making cockpits. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[+Crusader 2,057]

But cockpits are the most important models, since they are the player's "office" .. and bad cockpits mean that the plane in quesiton

is not used often or at all...

If you make instruments with needles, model them with a logical position, i.e. set them to 0 value of the scale/dial or center/neutral position

in case of slip balls or turn direction indicators.... that makes it easy to set them up in the cockpit ini

[+Geezer 3,569]

But cockpits are the most important models, since they are the player's "office" .. and bad cockpits mean that the plane in quesiton

is not used often or at all...

If you make instruments with needles, model them with a logical position, i.e. set them to 0 value of the scale/dial or center/neutral position

in case of slip balls or turn direction indicators.... that makes it easy to set them up in the cockpit ini

 

Personally, I am more interested in airplanes than cockpits.

 

You make a good point, but this is a situation where theory collides head-on with reality. Reality is that modders don't get paid to do unpleasant stuff - they work for fun/satisfaction/whatever.

 

Making cockpits is a complex, time-consuming pain in the ass - an interactive cockpit is MORE work than an airplane.  That's why I don't do working instruments.  Indeed, I am looking at ways to simplify my cockpits to reduce development time.

 

Bottom line: if it ain't fun, I ain't gonna do it.

Edited November 21, 2015 by Geezer

[+Crusader 2,057]

LOL yep

And thats the good part of SF... everyone can find "his" field of interest .. some just planes.. skins..... other cockpits .. then  there are the "aerodynamists" ;D

[+Coupi 4,279]

Geezer,

 

I like your very accurate cockpits because we can see internal structures, pretty colors and plenty other "environmental" détails!

 

Best regards,

 

Coupi.

[+Geezer 3,569]

Geezer,

 

I like your very accurate cockpits because we can see internal structures, pretty colors and plenty other "environmental" détails!

 

Best regards,

 

Coupi.

 

I'm busy with Real World stuff, but hope to return soon - I may include the broken pencil and cigarette butt from the Martinsyde G.100. 

[Guest]

Great work geezer, but just curious are these models all for FE2 or are they FEG compatible? The Martinsydes work fine in FEG but the Cr-42 and Halberstadt don't; they don't show up in the drop down selection menu under Single mission and thus can't select to fly them; First Eagles WWII is that also planned for FE2 exclusively? Any clarifications in this regard would be greatly appreciated

Edited November 25, 2015 by Guest

[+Geezer 3,569]

Great work geezer, but just curious are these models all for FE2 or are they FEG compatible? The Martinsydes work fine in FEG but the Cr-42 and Halberstadt don't; they don't show up in the drop down selection menu under Single mission and thus can't select to fly them; First Eagles WWII is that also planned for FE2 exclusively? Any clarifications in this regard would be greatly appreciated

 

Right now, I don't have an answer for your first question as I only run FE2.  Has anyone else had a problem running the Halberstadt or CR42 in FE/FEG? 

 

First Eagles WW2 is still evolving, so I don't have a crystal clear idea of what it will eventually look like.  I am working with several other guys to develop 1930s biplanes/early monoplanes, and we intend to release stuff for FE2 and SF2.  Hopefully, a bunch of Gladiators will be released for both FE2/SF2 soon-ish,  The CR42 will be released for SF2 pretty soon, plus an update for FE2. 

 

2nd generation software runs faster, plus has other advantages that have not been fully exploited.  Consequently, our focus will be on 2nd generation FE2 and SF2.  I am also cooperating with other guys in an effort to improve game maps, ground objects, etc - not just aircraft. 

 

FE/FE2 software has a clear advantage for the low and slow aerial combat of WW1 through the 1930s.  For SF ground tile art to look the same as FE art ingame, the SF art would have to be sixteen times larger, with an obvious frame rate penalty.  Also, FE software only draws the cockpit once - for the gamer's aircraft - so large numbers of dog fighting aircraft don't penalize frame rates as much as they would in SF.

 

This all comes together in FE/FE2 because most aerial combat - even in the early days of WW2 - was low level combat.  While there are numerous records of combat at "angels one five" in early WW2, there are just as many records of combat occurring at "angels five."  Two reasons for that.  First, the fighters went to where the bombers/recce aircraft were and they frequently operated at low altitudes because the early bomb sights lost accuracy at high altitude (except the Norden, Loftje, etc).  Second was aircrew in open cockpits did not function well at high altitudes.  Yes, they could function, but their efficiency fell off at high altitude so there was a natural tendency to plan ops at 10K feet or less - often a LOT less.  Two examples below.

[Guest]

Danke schön, alles klar :)

[+Stephen1918 1,473]

bhaskar2789 - make sure all the ini files are saved in ANSI instead of Unicode. Open the file (I use Notepad) then do a "Save As." At the bottom of the save window is a drop menu to change from Unicode to ANSI. I have all of Geezer's planes flying in FE1, I think that was only change I had to make.

[+Geezer 3,569]

bhaskar2789 - make sure all the ini files are saved in ANSI instead of Unicode. Open the file (I use Notepad) then do a "Save As." At the bottom of the save window is a drop menu to change from Unicode to ANSI. I have all of Geezer's planes flying in FE1, I think that was only change I had to make.

 

Steve - thanks.  As Wrench once pointed out, the FE2 software will occasionally switch the .ini file type from ANSI to UNICODE.

 

Also, LloydNB is doing an exceptional job on the Sea Gladiator skins. 

 

Despite the holiday, I got a little work done on the cockpit.

 

 

 

[+Geezer 3,569]

LloydNB is making good progress on the Sea Gladiator skins, while I am working on the cockpit.

 

[+Stephen1918 1,473]

I started making a 1930s install of First Eagles. I found a few planes from Strike Fighters, but not many.

 

Nice detail on this one. I'm looking forward to it.

[+Geezer 3,569]

I started making a 1930s install of First Eagles. I found a few planes from Strike Fighters, but not many.

 

Nice detail on this one. I'm looking forward to it.

 

Hmm...sometime, I'll make a list of SF aircraft that are quick/easy to adapt to FE.  Shots of development fun below.  First shot shows the massacre of a JU52.  Second shot shows quick and dirty test of new RAF winter pilot interrupted by B534s.  Last shot is of aggressive B534s happily blasting away at Gladiators.

 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2015 by Geezer

[+Coupi 4,279]

The artist!!!

[+Stephen1918 1,473]

In addition to the Fiat CR-42, I have Hinchinbrooke's Gauntlet from First Eagles - MontyCZ's Letov S-328 and  Avia B-534 from Strike Fighter 1. They all came into First Eagles 1 pretty well, I changed the pilots to the "New" WWI pilots and had to install some weapons, but they seem to be flying OK. I really like the Avia! I'll do more as I find them. I will appreciate knowing of any others you have found.

[+Geezer 3,569]

I REALLY like the Avia B534 too!  MontyCZ did an outstanding job on that aircraft, and many additional camo schemes are possible - some samples below.  Slovak B534s fought Hungarian FIAT CR32s over the Carpathian mountains in 1939!

 

More 1930s aircraft from the SF1 download section.  As you have discovered, SF1 stuff usually drops into FE/FE2 with a minimum of file work.  I have experienced massive problems with some SF2 models in FE2, and only recommend them if you are willing to do a LOT of file bashing.

 

Export Boeing P-26 (China, Spain)

http://combatace.com/files/file/7608-p-26-peashooter-chinese-air-force/

 

Export Curtiss Hawk 3 (China, Thailand)

http://combatace.com/files/file/7607-curtis-hawk-3-export-chinese-air-force/

 

Blackburn Baffin/Ripon (Britain, Finland)

http://combatace.com/files/file/9871-blackburn-b-5-baffin/

 

PZL.11 (Poland, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Latvia)

http://combatace.com/files/file/1896-pzl-p11c-alpha-20/

Edited December 3, 2015 by Geezer

[+Geezer 3,569]

Thought I'd add this - the chaps got a bit carried away while massacring a JU52! 

 

[+Stephen1918 1,473]

More 1930s aircraft from the SF1 download section...

 

Thanks Geezer. I'll try them. I must say that I'm enjoying flying "new" planes. I think I've got all the planes (and their skins) from First Eagles already installed...

[Wrench 9,479]

WOW!!! I'd totally forgotten I'd done the Peashooter and Hawk.!!!  Time does fly!

I'm sure they both need updated FMs, for SF2/FE2.... since it's been 8 years since they've been touched!!

[+Geezer 3,569]

WOW!!! I'd totally forgotten I'd done the Peashooter and Hawk.!!!  Time does fly!

I'm sure they both need updated FMs, for SF2/FE2.... since it's been 8 years since they've been touched!!

 

Eventually, I'll finish newer versions.  One, the Hawk 3 shown below.

 

[+Geezer 3,569]

Once again, Stephen1918 has helped this old Geezer solve some problems!  Thanks Steve.

 

WIP cockpit for MK1 (with ring sight) flying ingame.

 

 

 

[+Geezer 3,569]

More progress shots of my Gladiator MK1 and LloydNB's Sea Gladiator.  My cowling artwork is finished and now I'll work my way aft along the fuselage, adding details to the artwork.