Questions, Questions

[don246 65]

1 This is for Vons and his excellent Tweaked Flight Models and Realism Pack for FE2 how should I set the difficulty at the moment I have it set to NORMAL.

2 In some of the planes I downloaded from here I see files SLOW PROP, FAST PROP, up to now I copy them and paste them into the skins folders is this correct and what about the HOLES files do I move them as well ?

3 Do any of the Ai run out of ammo and can they see me in the clouds Ok I know this is asking a lot from a old (but good sim).

4 Years ago when I had FE2 running I would see Tank battles going on on the ground I no longer see any at all am I missing some files.

5 In a quick mission what is the best setting so I will see the enemy I seem to be flying a lot of quick missions and not seeing any enemy I understand WW1 was a lot of the time pilots never see the enemy .

Ok that,s it for now and a very big thanks to all for making FE2 my fav sim.

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[+VonS 1,424]

Hi Don, all good questions. I'll try to answer them:

 

1. my detailed settings are as follows (all my FMs are tested and tweaked on "hard" FM settings by the way):

enemy skill - normal (this gives the greatest variety of enemy AI)

simulation difficulty - custom

FM - hard

weapons - hard

visual targeting - normal

HUD - normal

landing - hard

collision - hard

ammo - hard

fuel - hard

 

2. fast prop / slow prop / holes / damage files etc. should all be left in the aircraft folder (shouldn't be moved around)...illustrated in pic below

 

3. AI run out of ammo if the realistic settings are applied (as per instructions in no. 1 above); from what I've been able to tell, AI can sometimes lose track of you in the clouds (very realistic AI in FE2)

 

4. ground battles are easiest to see if you choose an "army coop" mission (I've spotted tank battles this way, for example, using the Italian front map)

 

5. to see the enemy as soon as possible, choose "near target" for the "mission start position," when flying quick missions (and yes, sometimes there are not many enemy aircraft, as realistic for WW1)....my recommended "congestion" settings for the fronts are as follows, for the "enemy air activity" setting:

- western front: Aug. 1914 to about Oct. 1916 --- light // Nov. 1916 to about Feb. 1918 --- normal // Mar. 1918 to Aug. 1918 --- heavy // Sept. 1918 to Nov. 1918 - light

- Italian front: May/June 1915 to about July/August 1917 -- light // Aug. or Sept. 1917 to about June/July 1918 --- normal // July/Aug. 1918 to Nov. 1918 - light

- easterm front: Aug. 1914 to about Sept. or Oct. 1916 --- light // Oct. or Nov. 1916 to Dec. 1917 --- light (or normal)...no real, heavy air activity here (if set to normal from about Oct/Nov 1916, simply run as normal to end of operations in Dec. 1917)

- middle eastern front: Jan. 1915 to about May or Jun. 1917 --- light // Jun. or July 1917 to Oct. 1918 --- light (or normal)....again, no heavy air activity here (if set to normal from about Jun/July of 1917, possibly reset to light again from about Jun/July of 1918 to Oct. 1918, as air operations wind down; also keep in mind that while skirmishes already take place by Oct. of 1914 in the middle eastern theater, and bigger battles by Nov. of 1914, no real air activity is there until Jan/Feb of 1915, with the Germans and Ottomans, and then the Entente - British and Australian - show up in the air by the spring of 1915....as tweaked in my modded data inis)

 

Happy flying,

Von S

 

Edited January 10, 2018 by VonS
Fixed typos and added more detailed info for frequency of enemy air activity.

[don246 65]

Thank so much VonS for your very quick reply, you are the man.

[+Trotski 936]

Von S has beaten me to the draw, was going to say pretty much the same as he has, I shall be doing some more skins soon, I have been having a prolonged break from FE/SF as I havent been too well, but keep an eye open for some new bits and bobs.

 

[don246 65]

Thanks for that trotski00 do take care and do not rely on the NHS (only joking ) maybe you can add something I do not like to keep asking VonS all the time. It is the slow prop and the fast prop files without them in the skins folders I do not see the props. As you say you make skins can you or VonS expand on this.

[+Trotski 936]

Well as Von S says the fast propspin and slow propspin  tga files should go in the main directory of the aircraft in question, it doesn't hurt if they are also in the skin folder for the aircraft as well, although to the best of my knowledge they have no effect in the skin file, however you will find  a lot of skins with those files included within the skin file itself,however, just ensure the 2 files are copied into the main aircraft directory, so it should look something like this...........................

 

 

[don246 65]

Thanks for that but like I say I do not see the prop if the files are not in the relavent skin folder, theres always one on a forum and it looks like me today, any way thanks again.

[+Trotski 936]

Hmmmmm no idea why that may be, it certainly shouldnt be like that, the sample file I posted up for you there, there are no prop files in any of the skin folders at all........do me a favour, and download the aircraft I have used as an example, and lay it out exactly the same way as mine is, then let me know what happens please. The sim both FE and SF can sometimes seem to do inexplicable stuff, I spent nearly 3 hours today trying to get decals working on an SF aircraft, and I have no idea why it wouldnt work when all the other 7 skins for the same aircraft did.......I eventually got fed up and copied the skin and decal settings over from basically the same aircraft, but just a differnt mark of the same, and lo and behold, it worked.....weird.......you usually find it is the tinyest thing that is causing a snag, and staring for hours on end at it, swearing a lot, and waving your hands around does sometimes have the desired effect hehehehehehe

 

[Wrench 9,852]

if they're NOT in the aircraft folder, than that aircraft is using the stock 3rd Wire units, which are in one of the object cats.

[+VonS 1,424]

Have now double-checked some of my FE2 installs and looks like most of the fast/slow prop files are, as posted above, in the main aircraft folders. I did notice a few, such as Geezer's Halb. D.V, that contain the fast/slow prop in its skin folder - so it's probably best just to leave the files in the directory where they are originally located (either aircraft folder or skin folder in some exceptions, without moving the files around....damage and holes files on the other hand all seem to be in the aircraft folders, never in a skin folder).

Happy flying,

Von S

[don246 65]

Hi trotsk00 now I downloaded the Fokker DIII as you have in your posting and put it in my aircraft folder and no prop so came out and put both fast/slow prop in the skins folders and there they were I had the prop showing.

So the next thing was to try the Fokker DIII in a new vanilla install of FE2 and guess what the same thing happened to show props the files have to be in the skins folder. So that was a new FE2 NOT modded only the controls for the joystick. 

Not related to the above skins I pressed F7 to cycle the ground objects in a army co-operation and I see Tanks now in my modded FE2 I never see Tanks.

 

[+VonS 1,424]

Hello again gents',

Have now tested this interesting issue further (of the complexities of FE2 directory structure ) and can confirm on my rig at least that it makes no difference if the fast/slow prop files are placed in the general aircraft folder, or in the skins folder of the aircraft folder - tried the experiment with the Halb. D.V and the Nieuport 16 Lewis - and got the same results. Removing the fast/slow prop images completely from the aircraft or skin folder (to the desktop for example) removes the spinning prop completely. The stationary prop is still there, but once it spins up it disappears. Hope some of the info. helps out those struggling with file location in FE2.

Von S

[don246 65]

Hi Vons this sim do's provide us with a lot of fun I think I get more fun modding than flying, with regarding flying you look like you will be sighted in a divorce case my wife says I need to come to bed and stop flying but your flight settings and files have transformed this sim for me in a way it is so much challenging  I tried the Fokker E1 wow now if one brings down a enemy it is more luck than good flying but I do like it thanks again for all you do for this sim you make a old man happy.

[+Trotski 936]

As I said, Sometimes the whole setup defies logic, however, there ALWAYS seem to be work arounds, and eventually pretty much everything works, I in your case, would ensure from now on, that the prop spin files are deposited firmly in both directories, as, firstly they aren't huge files, and secondly that will mos likely end the particular issue you have concerning this, I assume that your coppy of FE2 is fully patched up and sorted.....silly question I know, but sometimes we do forget to do stuff like that, even us old hands.......Well.....this old hand anyway, but then I'm completely head shot, and enjoy getting problems , as this gives me the great satisfaction of swearing horribly at my monitor, I have yet to work out whether this action actually has any beneficial effects on the smooth running of FE/SF I expect Wrench may not agree, 'cos he is a sorted and logical bloke, and must be regarded ( along with several other people ) as a God like creature who must be worshipped, paid lots of baksheesh, and bought beer at any and all opportunities !!! l

Anyhow.....I dissemble, and prevaricate, I agree with your comment about the fun to be had modding the sim, that is what makes this series of sims so brilliant, we have only really scratched the surface of what may actually be possible, however with out access to the original code, we have to soldier on with what we have, and as far as I am concerned, and I have played most flight sims, this series is one of the mos accessible and fun ones available.........And it is nice to see new mrember of FE/SF community coming on board !!

[+VonS 1,424]

8 hours ago, don246 said:

Hi Vons this sim do's provide us with a lot of fun I think I get more fun modding than flying, with regarding flying you look like you will be sighted in a divorce case my wife says I need to come to bed and stop flying but your flight settings and files have transformed this sim for me in a way it is so much challenging  I tried the Fokker E1 wow now if one brings down a enemy it is more luck than good flying but I do like it thanks again for all you do for this sim you make a old man happy.

Glad to hear that FE2 is more challenging now, as historical. The Eindeckers are great fun now - I also recommend the E.II for even stranger handling qualities (usually referred to as the worst of the Eindecker bunch by the early Fokker pilots) - more HP and slightly shorter wingspan on the E.II. When mastered, however, it is the best of the Eindecker types in my opinion. The E.I is slightly underpowered. The E.III has enough power for such an early type but slower roll and response because of the longer wingspan. I personally like the Parabellum-armed E.IIa (faster rate of fire on that one)...a good dogfighter providing you can get enough flight time on it to learn its oddities. For other early, odd-handling types, also check out the Pfalz E.I and E.II, based on the Morane Saulnier G/H body structure, but with stiffer controls, added weight, and slower response (keep your speed and energy up in the early Pfalzes if dogfighting, otherwise they become sitting ducks). And if you really want a tough experience try out the Morane-Saulnier G variants against opponents (hitting anything in those comes down to good luck). As always, avoid high G maneuvers on those types or watch wings and tails disappear.

Von S

[Wrench 9,852]

I get baksheesh?? 

 

back to placement of _holes and props and such...

I know in 1stGen games (SF/Wo*/FE1) they'd reside in the aircraft's main folder (ie: P-51D/fastprop.TGA). For the most part that is still true with NextGens (SF2/FE2). But we also found, especially with add-on aircraft, that having them there doesn't always provide the visual for the item. So, for the props, and sometimes even the canopy TGA (obviously for later than WW1 birds) having them in the individual skin folders sort of forces the game to "see" them. Holes, of course, remain in the main folder. This is how it is in SF2.

I'm going to make the assumption (oh! that word!!!) the same is true for FE2. Overall, it can't hurt!!  :)

[+Trotski 936]

Yes Yes I'll pay you the protection money later....errr....oops seem to have typed that in clear...oh well......harharhar.......Oh by the way Mr Wrench..........you have forgotten to move that Fokker of mine, from golden age of aviation to the place where it should be.......looks sort of odd and out of place over there  could you moves it pleeze fankoo 

[Wrench 9,852]

I'll have to find it, and them move it!

[+Trotski 936]

Thanks mate, much obliged