Help installing Janhans F-16C skins with lod editor F4AF

[+dtmdragon 2,704]

Hay guys I'm trying to install janhans F-16CJ/CG/AM skins for Falcon 4 Allied Force but I can't figure out the lod editor. I am following the pdf instructions but when I click view LOD texture it won't work. I pick the same CT number that matches the number of the new texture in janhans package. Eg 2603 for 13th TFS.

 

The first question I should really ask is are janhans skins any better (higher res, more detailed etc) than the F-16c USAF skin pack here at CA?

Edited April 11, 2016 by dtmdragon

[+daddyairplanes 10,243]

My first question.... did you fire the game up once with the new skins in the folder? Gotta do that before majorvchanges like new skins or name changes will show in the lod viewer

[Do335 382]

Don't mess with LE rather... Yes it can edit 3d models but also FU installs. Janhas builds auto installer nowadays.

The stock skins are decent enough imo, AF aint a game for eye candies anyway.

[MigBuster 2,884]

My fave were these by Red bird - the mod pack installer is still on here if you want to go that route:

 

http://combatace.com/files/file/11425-f-16cd-usaf-skin-set/

 

 

I think I installed Jans MLU's at the time.......... they were good but preferred red birds

 

I no longer have AF installed but do have some noted on skin install

[+dtmdragon 2,704]

Cheers. With his (red bird) skins, the graphic settings maxed out in game as well as with the AMD CCC, cockpits.nl high res cockpit, all the F4AF mods/skins here and HiTilesAF it is not bad visually at all. Plus it has great FPS. Unfortunately BMS 4.33 is just to high spec for my older PC. I can fly training missions just but the campaigns destroy my frame rates.

Edited April 11, 2016 by dtmdragon

[Do335 382]

It is nice that you've come to this conclusion but ppl used to call it lame falcon.

But hey I completely agree with your conclusion.

I was also a master of LodEditor ;;)

 

BMS is just a DCS wanna be deep down nowadays <-- entirely my personal opinion. (/me whistles)

 

it is not bad visually at all. Plus it has great FPS.

[MigBuster 2,884]

 

BMS is just a DCS wanna be deep down nowadays <-- entirely my personal opinion. (/me whistles)

 

I sometimes think its the other way round 

[Do335 382]

^aah. What does BMS have that DCS doesn't? DYNAMIC CAMPAIGN. But they don't care much, don't know much and isn't much interested in the campaign side of things, instead mostly focuses on avionics which is their main interest. When i had access to/bothered with the dev foras it was the gist I got. 'twas a shame I reckon. This is a computer game, not a simulator built for air force personnel. But they're pushing it towards the latter, much like DCS. (Ppl tend to think computer games are.. crappier than air force simulators. But they are not, they just have different focuses.)

F4AF however IS the campaign Falcon, with very good DC, very robust AI, and solid database. I could fly it for 2 days straight sustained only by takeouts and movie breaks on singleplayer:) Older graphics, older avionics and its makers' cease & decease letter to BMS notwithstanding!...

Edited April 12, 2016 by Do335

[MigBuster 2,884]

^aah. What does BMS have that DCS doesn't? DYNAMIC CAMPAIGN. But they don't care much, don't know much and isn't much interested in the campaign side of things, instead mostly focuses on avionics which is their main interest. When i had access to/bothered with the dev foras it was the gist I got. 'twas a shame I reckon. This is a computer game, not a simulator built for air force personnel. But they're pushing it towards the latter, much like DCS. (Ppl tend to think computer games are.. crappier than air force simulators. But they are not, they just have different focuses.)

F4AF however IS the campaign Falcon, with very good DC, very robust AI, and solid database. I could fly it for 2 days straight sustained only by takeouts and movie breaks on singleplayer:) Older graphics, older avionics and its makers' cease & decease letter to BMS notwithstanding!...

 

That might have been the impression a few years back with 4.32, but there have been a LOT of changes and fixes in 4.33 and a lot seem to be campaign related (can even move the ground units now like in AF) so I think what you state above is now untrue..........not to mention improvements in AI, weapons behavior and 3D models/skins, terrain, weather system etc etc etc.

 

AF was good in its day but BMS has pretty much surpassed it in almost every aspect now.

 

BMS also has about 6 (?) different F-16s modeled now with cockpits/avionics and also has a handy avionics tool to customize avionics to country type or just your liking.

 

Needless to say this is not going to turn into a BMSvDCS thread because they both do things better and worse than the other.

 

Being 2016 BMS have full authority from the legal owners of Falcon 4.0 (now Tommo) for this Mod so it is as legit as AF ever was.

Edited April 12, 2016 by MigBuster

[Do335 382]

To the usual ppl it for sure is. But if one looks deeper the differences in campaign mode are big. The acclaimed ability to move ground units, even the old ability to manual control ATO, was a much more tedious process compared to allied force. The gist I got was the guy who did this didn't do it outta interest but someone else kept asking him again and again. Can I find my flight in the ATO via a couple mouse clicks and not sift through the sea of package numbers; can i move my ground units with a simple double click and drag; do runways/features magically repair themselves in a few hours and do engineers accelerate repairs; can you hop into a flight that is in egress mode; can player assign runway targets in OCA strike and do AI line up for the bomb drop; is the AI aggressive especially in WVR and not go dumb; are SHORAD/manpad launchers as deadly and not hesitant in engaging overflying flights; do cargo planes actually land; do u get a nice UI notice that your squadron has moved airbase; are the firefights between aggregated 2D ground units visually depicted in 3d; do AI F-16s actually launch their sta. 4/6 weapons after firing off 3/7; do missiles other than AIM120s have refined FMs other than their old SP3 placeholders; do long range IR missiles actually have command guidance; are chaff chance matrix against ARH missiles fubar;
 
I could go on and on. UI control, AI, database, diversity, gameplay elements that make a campaign ala a computer game great. Despite "we are all mighty", BMS is the "avionics Falcon", you for sure can pick different versions and configure their avionics and 'twas old 2011 news but "Campaign falcon" is and likely always will be, Allied force. One can trace this back to Viperops (-->Lead pursuit) and BMS split in the superpak days. This dev priority difference was one of their disagreements. The difference is also clear on the forums. The old AF frugalsworld forums was pretty packed with campaign play threads while the talk on BMS is avionics, gameplay wise. That there is another good indication. For the end user, ofc, this is 2016, you got no better choice. But say my PC isn't that great and I can just run AF. I say hey that there's a blessing in disguise. Actually own plan was to port the BMS hi def .LODs, skins and better FM like topolo's Mig-29 and F-15 back to AF and have fun with them campaigns, after done with SF2 modding. As for that commercial sim don't have a high regard for it myself and not gonna bother with it, it is certainly funny to watch bitchiness that is side effect of consumerism get hold of many.

Edited April 12, 2016 by Do335

[MigBuster 2,884]

From what I have seen so far.........one thing that annoyed me back in AF was default AI loadouts but that has been improved upon.

MANPADs now seem pretty lethal at altitude.

IR versions of R-24 / R-27 now seem to be lethal at range without warning.

Chaff has always had an effect although not something worth commenting on really because there is nothing to compare.

 

The rest you can have fun finding out......

[Do335 382]

The list is not that important but rather an example of what their focus is, I've been heavily involved since 2005 and read a lotta stuff so for some you gotta know where they come from. It is still an awesome game I think most oughtta try it if haven't. Just no longer for me as I think it could be better.

Edited April 12, 2016 by Do335

[+dtmdragon 2,704]

There is worse out there....