Targetting and damage, hard settings

[Javigato 1]

I just got back to playing FE2, after at least 5 year break!  I started flying with the Albatros DIII and DV series just to get familiar with the game again.  My question is, it is very hard to see where my bullets are hitting (or missing) as the tracers are not that visible... is there a recommended mod that can help, or any tips on aiming?  I seem to recall from the past, I was able to shoot and see where it was going, and even pieces of the enemy aircraft falling off, etc.  Now, my few kills, all it seems to do is to shut down the enemy airplane's propeller...

I guess i must have had some mods installed back then, but I have no idea what to look for being out touch for this long... any help, ideas, suggestions, please?

 

PS.  My now older teenagers were laughing their butts off at the graphics... To me it looks great, but for this younger kids it must look prehistoric when compared to the games they play... Oh well, I have fun flying FE2!

[Grinseed 19]

Hi Javigato. Welcome back. I too have recently returned to FE after a few years away. I am surprised at how much I have forgotten. It will all come back. I found re-reading my own posts and thread contributions helped a lot. I found myself asking "did I write that?".

Imagine what your kids will feel when their kids see what primitive graphics they use today.

Perhaps peter01's weapons and fms pack is what you're after?

Edited July 26, 2018 by Grinseed

[Javigato 1]

13 hours ago, Grinseed said:

Hi Javigato. Welcome back. I too have recently returned to FE after a few years away. I am surprised at how much I have forgotten. It will all come back. I found re-reading my own posts and thread contributions helped a lot. I found myself asking "did I write that?".

Imagine what your kids will feel when their kids see what primitive graphics they use today.

Perhaps peter01's weapons and fms pack is what you're after?

Are peter01's weapons and fms available here?  I can't seem to find anything by Peter01...

[+VonS 1,424]

Hello gents',

Tracer effects may be available in some of the FE/FE2 effects packs either by Laton or Stary. Those are available here:

https://combatace.com/files/category/362-first-eagles-wwi-and-early-years-object-mods/?page=2

Peter01's flight model and weapons tweaks are available at the following page:

https://combatace.com/files/category/387-flight-models/

Keep in mind that they have not been updated for nearly 10 yrs., only cover about 10-20 aircraft, and may or may not work properly, depending on the kind of FE/FE2 install you are running.

I recommend my large FM and weapons update pack located at the top of that page (it currently covers over 200 aircraft types for FE/FE2) and is being updated fairly regularly - another 5-6 aircraft types to go. Also, behind the scenes, Geezer and I are working on several new models for FE2, with help from Coupi, Jeanba, Mike Dora and Crawford. Formal release dates are yet to be set for those newer models. My FM tweaks are always tested on "hard" FM mode in the sim. and should be flown at such a setting (no guarantees that they work at easy or normal settings - if you prefer flying at easy or normal FM settings, I recommend sticking with the Ojcar FMs that come stock with several of the aircraft types).

Other helpful links, copied from the Read Me file for my FM update pack, are included below:

Important Files to Install if Setting Up FE2

https://combatace.com/forums/topic/91337-problems-with-my-fe2/?tab=comments#comment-738368

Other Files and Technical Info. Regarding Plane Types

https://combatace.com/forums/topic/91337-problems-with-my-fe2/?tab=comments#comment-738514

Info. on the Upgraded SPAD FMs

https://combatace.com/forums/topic/87403-tweaked-flight-models-and-realism-pack-for-fe2/?page=6&tab=comments#comment-738317

The slightly older "Tweaked Smoke and Balloon Explosion Effects (for better framerates)" pack, mentioned in the "Important Files to Install if Setting Up FE2" link, is now located here:

https://combatace.com/forums/topic/87403-tweaked-flight-models-and-realism-pack-for-fe2/?page=7&tab=comments#comment-744973

Also, my previous Siemens-Schuckert D.1 stand-in for the eastern front folder of my FM packs, mentioned in the "Other Files and Technical Info. Regarding Plane Types" link above, has been replaced by a modified FM for Stephen1918's beautiful SSW D.1 that was posted recently. The info. and link to that FM are located here:

https://combatace.com/forums/topic/87403-tweaked-flight-models-and-realism-pack-for-fe2/?page=7&tab=comments#comment-745201

 

Happy flying,

Von S

Edited July 26, 2018 by VonS

[Grinseed 19]

Thanks for that info Von S and my apologies for not mentioning your realism files. I have downloaded but not installed them as yet because I am working on setting up Ojcars WW1 Redux (whole lotta downloading goin' on) and my memory about peter01 was jogged reading an old post of mine. I want to get all the aircraft loaded first before I apply your work. I also need a new joystick...keyboard flying is hard enough without adding more realism!

Good luck Javigato.

[Crawford 570]

On 26.07.2018 at 12:57 AM, Javigato said:

PS.  My now older teenagers were laughing their butts off at the graphics... To me it looks great, but for this younger kids it must look prehistoric when compared to the games they play... Oh well, I have fun flying FE2!

Show them the great and terrible "Red baron" and say that the old farts all over the world are still fighting in this game. Our FE differs from the Red Baron in the same way as the first Quake from STALKER. )))

Edited July 27, 2018 by Crawford

[Javigato 1]

Wow Crawford, I will show them!  They won't believe is real!

 

So, making progress now, I get exhaust smoke coming out and but so far no luck with any type of tracers or tracer smoke.  Also, I am either really bad at hitting the enemy or they just don't show any damage or engine smoke... could it be something is not right with the particlesystem?

[Crawford 570]

18 hours ago, Javigato said:

Wow Crawford, I will show them!  They won't believe is real!

Well, even when flying in such graphically terrible game, you can have fun.
By the way, the aircraft engines in Red Baron misfire and spit out clouds of filthy smoke. Theirs "tah-tah-tah" sounded like music and seemed very realistic! The sound effects must also be mentioned as a feature because they were really extensive, from the sputtering of the engine every once in a while, to the groan of the pilot as a bullet hits him. It is a pity that in FE such a feature was not implemented ... 

 

[Crawford 570]

20 hours ago, Javigato said:

So, making progress now, I get exhaust smoke coming out and but so far no luck with any type of tracers or tracer smoke.  Also, I am either really bad at hitting the enemy or they just don't show any damage or engine smoke... could it be something is not right with the particlesystem?

The easiest way to verify this is if someone from the community will throw you working files ENVIRONMENTSYSTEM and PARTICLESYSTEM (and, probably, the Effects folder). Unfortunately, I cannot do this, because I only have a 1st Gens.

[Javigato 1]

That would be great Crawford!  Maybe a kind soul will :)

 

In the meantime, question, what is the difference between the entry in PARTICLESYSTEM.ini that has 

[EmitterType030]
Name=TracerSmokeEmitter

and the mods that contain a .ini file named TracerSmokeEmitter.ini?  I can't find such a file with the extractor... so confused as to where this .ini does and comes from...

[+VonS 1,424]

1 hour ago, Javigato said:

That would be great Crawford!  Maybe a kind soul will :)

 

In the meantime, question, what is the difference between the entry in PARTICLESYSTEM.ini that has 

[EmitterType030]
Name=TracerSmokeEmitter

and the mods that contain a .ini file named TracerSmokeEmitter.ini?  I can't find such a file with the extractor... so confused as to where this .ini does and comes from...

The particlesystem.ini file gents' is located in the Flight folder of FE2 (in your user directory for the sim). Individual effect ini files, such as tracersmokeemitter, etc., are located in the Effects folder. Some individual effects are already called up within the particlesystem file in the Flight folder, and therefore are missing individual ini files in the Effects folder. I'm missing several individual effect ini files too, but as long as your particlesystem file is behaving, FE2 should look fine. The particlesystem ini file included with my ver. 9.5 of the FM updates pack is the latest one that I use (and fits with the reverse install for the Laton effects detailed in my post above).

Happy flying,

Von S

 

 

[Javigato 1]

I am ALMOST having as much fun trying to figure things out than actually flying in a campaign :)

Trying to understand something here between entries in the particlesystem.ini and .ini files in the effects folder.  For example, I see the stock particlesystem.ini has an entry for [BurningDebrisMaterial] and the first line is as follows: EffectShaderName=effectFire.fx

 

Then in the effects folder, I have a file named AircraftFuelFireEffect.ini (from some effects mod) and it also has a [BurningDebrisMaterial] entry.  In this case, the first line is: EffectShaderName=twColor1.fx

So, if I have the particlesystem.ini in the flight folder, and the AircraftFuelFireEffect.ini in the effects folder, and both have the section [BurningDebrisMaterial], but with different value for EffectShaderName, which one wins?  This is an example, because there are a lot of things that seem to be in both places.

[+VonS 1,424]

22 minutes ago, Javigato said:

I am ALMOST having as much fun trying to figure things out than actually flying in a campaign :)

Trying to understand something here between entries in the particlesystem.ini and .ini files in the effects folder.  For example, I see the stock particlesystem.ini has an entry for [BurningDebrisMaterial] and the first line is as follows: EffectShaderName=effectFire.fx

 

Then in the effects folder, I have a file named AircraftFuelFireEffect.ini (from some effects mod) and it also has a [BurningDebrisMaterial] entry.  In this case, the first line is: EffectShaderName=twColor1.fx

So, if I have the particlesystem.ini in the flight folder, and the AircraftFuelFireEffect.ini in the effects folder, and both have the section [BurningDebrisMaterial], but with different value for EffectShaderName, which one wins?  This is an example, because there are a lot of things that seem to be in both places.

Some of our particle specialists can pitch in here with more info. if they like, but as far as I remember, those strange differences apply to the "age" of the shader being used...in other words, several of the "fx" entries changed from FE1/FEgold to FE2.

Von S

[Javigato 1]

I see, so I would need to figure out which ones are for FE2.  But another question is, which one does the game read?  Meaning, does it go to the effects folder, checks there for say [BurningDebrisMaterial] , and if it doesn't exist then goes to the flight folder and checks the particlesystem.ini for it?  Or viceversa, goes to flight folder first, and then effects?  I can't imagine it takes it takes both into account...

[+VonS 1,424]

On 8/2/2018 at 1:32 PM, Javigato said:

I see, so I would need to figure out which ones are for FE2.  But another question is, which one does the game read?  Meaning, does it go to the effects folder, checks there for say [BurningDebrisMaterial] , and if it doesn't exist then goes to the flight folder and checks the particlesystem.ini for it?  Or viceversa, goes to flight folder first, and then effects?  I can't imagine it takes it takes both into account...

Yes, I don't have the info. in front of me now - but I think the "twColor" stuff is from FE/FEgold days, while "effectfire," etc., is for FE2. [see post https://combatace.com/forums/topic/92281-targetting-and-damage-hard-settings/?tab=comments#comment-745878 for more details on this]. The game engine first reads the particlesys file for relevant entries, and only goes to look for individual effect ini files, in the Effects folder, if entries are missing from the particlesys file. In short, the particlesystem ini file is the primary one, individual ini effects files are secondary (called up if missing from particlesys).

 

Have PM-ed you my effects folder and particlesys ini file that I use for FE2 - maybe it will be of help.

Von S

 

Edited August 5, 2018 by VonS
Added link to more specific post.

[Javigato 1]

13 minutes ago, VonS said:

Yes, I don't have the info. in front of me now - but I think the "twColor" stuff is from FE/FEgold days, while "effectfire," etc., is for FE2. Have now looked through my Effects and Flight folders and I don't have such "twColor" entries anywhere, from what I've been able to look over.

The game engine I think first reads the particlesys file for relevant entries, and only goes to look for individual effect ini files, in the Effects folder, if entries are missing from the particlesys file. In short, the particlesystem ini file is the primary one, individual ini effects files are secondary (called up if missing from particlesys).

Have PM-ed you my effects folder and particlesys ini file that I use for FE2 - maybe it will be of help.

Von S

 

Thanks VonS, I will give yours a shot tonight when I get home.  One thing I just noticed, your particlesystem.ini you sent, under the xxxMaterial, like SmokeMaterial, does not have a EffectShaderName=effectxxxx.fx lines.  When I extract the game's particlesystem.ini it does.  Here's an example:

 

Your particlesystem.ini:

[SmokeMaterial]
DepthBufferCheck=TRUE
DepthBufferWrite=FALSE
IgnoreRenderOrder=FALSE
AlphaTestEnabled=FALSE
LightEnabled=FALSE
UseLightLevel=TRUE
SpecularEnabled=FALSE
EmissiveEnabled=FALSE
AmbientColor=1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000
DiffuseColor=1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000
ZBufferOffset=0.000000
PriorityLevel=3
BlendOp=BLEND_SRC_ALPHA
NumTextureStages=1
TextureStage[01].TextureName=smoke.tga
TextureStage[01].MipMap=FALSE
TextureStage[01].FilterEnabled=TRUE
TextureStage[01].StageColorOp=TEXTURE_MODULATE_DIFFUSE
TextureStage[01].StageAlphaOp=TEXTURE_MODULATE_DIFFUSE

 

The extracted particlesystem.ini:

[SmokeMaterial]
EffectShaderName=effectLightLevel.fx
DepthBufferCheck=TRUE
DepthBufferWrite=FALSE
IgnoreRenderOrder=FALSE
AlphaTestEnabled=FALSE
LightEnabled=FALSE
UseLightLevel=TRUE
SpecularEnabled=FALSE
EmissiveEnabled=FALSE
AmbientColor=1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000
DiffuseColor=1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000
ZBufferOffset=0.000000
PriorityLevel=3
BlendOp=BLEND_SRC_ALPHA
NumTextureStages=1
TextureStage[01].TextureName=smoke.tga
TextureStage[01].MipMap=FALSE
TextureStage[01].FilterEnabled=TRUE
TextureStage[01].StageColorOp=TEXTURE_MODULATE_DIFFUSE
TextureStage[01].StageAlphaOp=TEXTURE_MODULATE_DIFFUSE

 

The only difference between the two is EffectShaderName=effectLightLevel.fx... I am running Windows 10, and I think/suspect that without that line, any mod or particlesystem.ini will not work properly... I will test tonight :)

[+VonS 1,424]

Yes, the particlesys file I use is a modded Stary particlesys file, but I use it with Laton's effects - might require tweaking on your system to give the best results (I run FE2 in WineSkin on a Mac...with the Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics...1GB system ram used by the integrated card) - effects look fine on my rig but most people aren't running this kind of setup.

Von S

[Javigato 1]

That seems to have done the trick, I added "EffectShaderName=xxxxx.fx" to all the [xxxxMaterial] sections for all the .ini files under the effects folder you sent me.  Now I see the fires, smoke and tracers in all their glory :) 

The bad news is that just last night, as things were looking up, the z axis of my flight stick decided to stop working... its a logitech extreme 3D pro (they are cheap, and have had it for at least 7 years...).  The rudder is now not centered, planes lean left, and does not go fully to the right.  Anyway, makes it challenging.  I was just gonna buy the same one on amazon, since they are 35 bucks only.  But, I thought since you guys have been so helpful, maybe you would have a good recommendation.  Any suggestion gents?  Thanks!

[Wrench 9,848]

those entries with the ".fx" names were added to SF2 and FE2 to support DX10. When bringing something over from SF1/Wo*/FE1, one needs to add the shader and material statments to the effects ini.

OTH, locating updated or SF2/FE2 effects might be easier! (I"m lazy!  )

[+VonS 1,424]

2 hours ago, Javigato said:

That seems to have done the trick, I added "EffectShaderName=xxxxx.fx" to all the [xxxxMaterial] sections for all the .ini files under the effects folder you sent me.  Now I see the fires, smoke and tracers in all their glory :) 

The bad news is that just last night, as things were looking up, the z axis of my flight stick decided to stop working... its a logitech extreme 3D pro (they are cheap, and have had it for at least 7 years...).  The rudder is now not centered, planes lean left, and does not go fully to the right.  Anyway, makes it challenging.  I was just gonna buy the same one on amazon, since they are 35 bucks only.  But, I thought since you guys have been so helpful, maybe you would have a good recommendation.  Any suggestion gents?  Thanks!

Thanks for this info. - I will try the same, might be able to give me DX10 goodness in WineSkin. For joysticks, I still use the old Logitech Attack 3 (easy to rebuild if the springs weaken). For a newer joystick, I'm thinking either of the Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X or maybe this unkown called "PC Joystick YF2009 USB Gaming Controller with Vibration Feedback and Throttle" - although the Hotas seems like a safer choice. For more expensive options, check out the higher-end Hotas variants.

Von S

[+VonS 1,424]

Have now tested the effects inis and particlesys ini with the effectshadername entries added where relevant - didn't notice any difference on my setup since I had the effects working before, but below is a good link to detailed info. for those interested in tinkering with effects results further in FE2 (the info. is for SF2 but is probably applicable):

https://combatace.com/forums/topic/41168-using-custom-effects-in-sf2/

Also below is a snapshot from another forum that summarizes what some of the effects mean.

Happy flying,

Von S

 

[+VonS 1,424]

On 7/27/2018 at 2:59 AM, Crawford said:

Show them the great and terrible "Red baron" and say that the old farts all over the world are still fighting in this game. Our FE differs from the Red Baron in the same way as the first Quake from STALKER. )))

Great pics Crawford....takes me back nicely into the history of WWI flight sims. The sequel "RB3D" with glide/3dfx graphics was a slight upgrade....see representative pics. below...and has inspired a lot of my historical FM tweaks for FE/FE2...especially inspiring were the wonderful Greybeard FMs used in RB3D...those were very hard FMs but I managed to "tip" the Alby. on its nose in the flight below, as seen .

Von S