How to add a plane AFTER the campaign has started?

[beachav8r]

OK - before I screw up my campaign data, I figured I'd better ask.

First - I've backed up my campaign save files, so hopefully I can't screw anything up too far.

I'm flying a Burning Sands Mercenary campaign and I've earned enough money to upgrade from the F-100D to some other aircraft. In the arming menu drop down list - I see the A-4B, C and E, but in keeping with the Dhimar theme, I'd like to use ValAstur's awesome looking AF-4Dh Desert Skyhawk..but it isn't listed as one of the planes in the dropdown menu. I've been trying to insert the entries into my campaign data files, but the game locks up after my entries. Restoring my original campaign files gets me back to where I was.

Any ideas?

EDIT - SOLVED (I think):

Hey, I had success..although it may be a hack way to do it. I just took the skin files for the AF-4Dh and put them in the A-4E directory, renamed the AF-4Dh file names to match the A-4E naming convention, and now I can pick that skin from the A-4E loading screen in the campaign. Probably not the RIGHT way to do it..but I think it will work...

 

 

Edited June 28, 2018 by beachav8r

[beachav8r]

Actually - and this might be important, after I edit the campaign files, will it perhaps take some time before the added aircraft actually show up as being available (dependency on supply rate?)...

 

[+Menrva]

I might be wrong, but AFAIK it is not advisable to edit campaign files when a campaign has already started. If you want your changes to show up with no kinds of issues, you most likely need to restart the campaign.

[+1977Frenchie]

To fly for the mercenaries, correct me if i'm wrong, but the plane must have the export value set to TRUE in the .ini and in the userlist mercenary must be added?

[beachav8r]

Hey, I had success..although it may be a hack way to do it. I just took the skin files for the AF-4Dh and put them in the A-4E directory, renamed the AF-4Dh file names to match the A-4E naming convention, and now I can pick that skin from the A-4E loading screen in the campaign. Probably not the RIGHT way to do it..but I think it will work...

[+Menrva]

33 minutes ago, beachav8r said:

Hey, I had success..although it may be a hack way to do it. I just took the skin files for the AF-4Dh and put them in the A-4E directory, renamed the AF-4Dh file names to match the A-4E naming convention, and now I can pick that skin from the A-4E loading screen in the campaign. Probably not the RIGHT way to do it..but I think it will work...

It's the ONLY way, and the smartest I'd say. As I recall, whenever TK changed his stock campaigns, he always said that previous saves wouldn't work (they would crash to desktop), because new planes and/or modified OOBs wouldn't match with those of your saves. Your solution might work because the aircraft you've substituted exists already in the pool of those you can buy; basically, it's a matter of tricking the game into thinking that a custom aircraft is a stock one.

[beachav8r]

Yes Menrva..it looks to have worked OK. And I'm thrilled to have upgraded from the F-100D (I survived flying it..! LOL) to the A-4E...

[Nyghtfall]

Good choice!

[+streakeagle]

You could fly an F-15 this way. While there was some very basic file checking for the old SFP1/WoX multiplayer, there were still a lot of files you could change that it wouldn't catch. Match the names/paths the campaign/game engine expect and just about everything else can be whatever you want it to be.