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New Mac OS Versions and FE2
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VonS, in Thirdwire - First Eagles 1&2
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By VonS
INSTALLING WOFF BHAH 2 IN (CLASSIC) WINESKIN ON A MAC AND/OR THEN TRANSPLANTING THE ENTIRE INSTALL TO WINDOWS 10 BOOTCAMP (info. added May 3, 2021) Directions below should be followed, first to install WOFF BH&H 2 in WineSkin on a Mac, and then (optionally) to transplant the OBDSoftware\WOFF folder to Windows 10 in Bootcamp. This will allow for a BH&H 2 install to co-exist with previous WOFF installs in Windows, and also makes use of the same settings/keys file, to minimize installation and tweaking hassle for us Mac-heads. The steps below assume that you already have an older version of WOFF running in WineSkin on your Mac - because such an older install in WineSkin is necessary to have for the full installation, and testing, of BH&H 2, to complete itself (otherwise the install will fail). These steps also assume that you are familiar with the installation steps, instructions, jargon, etc., located under the long WOFF-on-a-Mac post that is available under the WOFF threads on SimHQ. (Those who do not have a previous version of WOFF installed in classic WineSkin, which is necessary for all of the steps below to be completed, are recommended instead to try either a direct install of BH&H 2 in Win10 on the Bootcamp side/partition of a Mac, or to try installing BH&H 2 into newer WINE wrappers available via the unofficial and newer WineSkin fork available at https://github.com/Gcenx/WineskinServer.) STEP ONE: go to https://sourceforge.net/projects/wineskin/ and download the latest classic, wineskin winery (ver. 1.7 as of this writing), via the green "download" button there STEP TWO: double-click on the program; in the menu that opens click on the plus sign to the left of "new engines available," and in the list that then opens choose WS9Wine1.7.7, download it, and then - when you're back in the main menu - choose "create new blank wrapper" (now wait about 3-4 minutes for your Mac to make the custom wrapper; once finished, the wrapper will be placed in an Applications folder that has been made inside your user folder on OS X and/or macOS) STEP THREE: double-click on the wrapper once again and choose "install software" in the main menu; then "choose setup executable" in the next window that opens and locate your exe file for WOFF BH&H 2 that you purchased; now let the wrapper do its thing to install the game STEP FOUR: once installed, the wrapper will go back to the main menu and you can click "quit" (it may also prompt you to locate the program before it drops to the main menu, the program in this case being the exe file of the game that was just installed - best thing at this point is just to leave this alone and close that window, if it doesn't drop to the main menu automatically) STEP FIVE: once the wrapper has quit, don't double-click on it but "right-click" it and choose the option in the popup menu on OS X and/or macOS that says "show package contents" (this will open the wrapper's folder and should list something like a contents folder, the alias to its c drive, and an app/icon called WineSkin); double-click on the app named WineSkin and you will open the main menu window again, of the wrapper; and choose "advanced" STEP SIX: under the advanced menu, to the right of the box called Windows EXE (that contains a file path), click on "Browse"; this will open up your finder on OS X and/or macOS, and then you can scroll to your desktop or downloads folder on your Mac; look for the latest patch for WOFF BH&H 2 that you should have downloaded separately, from the official WOFF website, and choose that updater exe installer (click "choose"); then you're back in the WineSkin advanced menu with the proper file path for the update patch's exe now listed in the box near the top of the window; now quit that WineSkin preferences window and go back to the main WineSkin app that you previously created - and then double-click on the main WineSkin app icon so that a window opens and which will allow for an installation of the latest update patch to happen (follow directions that pop up in the relevant window, to install the WOFF BH&H 2 update patch); once the process has completed, quit the main WineSkin program again, if it does not close automatically STEP SEVEN: right-click on the main WineSkin wrapper once again, choose "show package contents," and then double-click once more on that secondary WineSkin icon/wrapper mentioned in STEP FIVE above; under its "advanced" menu, to the right of the box called Windows EXE (that contains a file path), click on "Browse"; this will open up your finder on OS X and/or macOS, and then you can scroll into the "drive_c" of the wrapper into which you installed WOFF BH&H 2 and then patched it to its latest version; in "drive_c" look for "OBDSoftware\WOFF" and scroll into there, and keep scrolling until you find "WOFF.exe," and choose that (click "choose"); then you're back in the WineSkin advanced menu with the proper file path for the game's exe now listed in the box near the top of the window; now close that secondary WineSkin wrapper window STEP EIGHT: copy or move the now updated OBDSoftware\WOFF folder that resides in that WineSkin wrapper to your desktop; the WOFF folder is found by right-clicking on the main WineSkin wrapper and choosing "show package contents"; the package is located within the "drive_c" folder, by the way STEP NINE: now locate the WineSkin wrapper for your earlier edition of WOFF, double-click on it and select "show package contents," and navigate to the relevant "drive_c" directory to locate the OBDSoftware\WOFF folder that corresponds with that older variant of WOFF; rename that folder to something like OBDSoftwareOld\WOFF and move it to your desktop; now copy over, to that location instead, the fresh OBDSoftware\WOFF folder that corresponds with BH&H 2, from your desktop STEP TEN: copy and replace the OBDSoftware\WOFF\OBDWW1 Over Flanders Fields\campaigns\CampaignData\Pilots folder in your fresh BH&H 2 folder (that should be in the older WineSkin wrapper by now, as explained in the previous step) with the same folder from OBDSoftwareOld\WOFF that is now on your desktop (this is an important step; otherwise, BH&H 2 will not open in WineSkin unless this older Pilots folder transplant is done) STEP ELEVEN: now close all unnecessary WineSkin windows and double-click the main WineSkin wrapper icon for your earlier edition of WOFF but that now contains the newer OBDSoftware\WOFF folder with the transplanted CampaignData\Pilots folder; allow BH&H 2 to open; recommended is to fly one quick combat mission or one of the other instant missions available, to allow all necessary files to populate successfully in your install; congratulations!, you now have a successful WOFF BH&H 2 install running in (classic) WineSkin; you may now quit WOFF BH&H 2 STEP TWELVE: optional at this point, if you like, is to copy the now functioning and tested WOFF folder that resides in your BH&H 2 WineSkin install (the one located at OBDSoftware\WOFF), to a Windows 10 partition on your Mac, or perhaps to another Mac (or Windows machine) where you already have an older version of WOFF installed; there will be no need to un-install that older version of WOFF that resides in Windows; simply rename that older version to something like WOFF UE or WOFF PE, in order to run BH&H 2; if you want to run the older version of WOFF again, rename the newest WOFF folder to something like WOFF BH2, and the older one simply to WOFF, and the old version then becomes functional; both installs will coexist happily, and will also use the same keys/settings located under AppData\Roaming\OBD_Games\OBDWW1 Over Flanders Fields (recommended, however, is to map extra keys for Lewis gun loading/reloading into the older WOFFKeys.xca file that you have, for full, functional use of that gun in BH&H 2) NOTES: Don't forget to swap back your older OBDSoftware\WOFF folder into your WineSkin WOFF wrapper, on your Mac, if you will not be running BH&H 2 in WineSkin but only in Windows; or, make a copy of your functional WineSkin install instead, place the older WOFF folder into that wrapper, and enjoy running multiple versions of WOFF that way too, directly in OS X/macOS (recommended is to give the multiple WineSkin wrappers different names, to avoid confusion, if you choose such a setup); no guarantees that the instructions posted above will result in a stable install of WOFF BH&H 2 on your Mac, but there is a fine chance that careful following of the instructions will result in a good install ----- ADDENDUM: WOFF BHAH2 BOTTLING (Brief Illustrated Tutorial; info. added May 4, 2021)
Please find included below some tutorial pics. for how to install/extract WOFF BH&H2 into an empty WineSkin bottler that should first be optimized for WOFF BH&H2 bottling and that runs well on Mac OS X versions 10.5 to 10.12 (for macOS versions 10.13 and higher, recommended instead is to see the unofficial WineSkin port for Macs at https://github.com/Gcenx/WineskinServer). Bottler not supplied for download here; recommended is to make your own either via classic WineSkin, and then to install BH&H2 as specified in the pics. below, or to install/bottle via a newer WineSkin as per the link given immediately above.
The "BH&H2 Bottler" in my case, on my Mac Mini, has been set to Windows 7 compatibility, with WINE Wrapper version 2.6.2, and WINE Engine WS9WINE1.7.7. No WineTricks have been installed because this wrapper ONLY installs WOFF BH&H2, and individual patches for BH&H2, into ready and transportable form, but does not serve up a functional, running BH&H2 install within the wrapper itself.
To set up a functional, running install of BH&H2, proceed to look carefully over the final illustrated instruction set provided below, and as well do read over the more thorough installation directions located under this relevant WOFF-on-Mac post (above) or the longer one on SimHQ that also covers installation info. regarding WOFF UE/PE before focusing on BH&H2.
NOTE: Successful transporting of a functional, running install of BH&H2 onto a Win10 partition on your Mac (should you choose not to run BH&H2 in WineSkin) - requires that you also, already have an older version of WOFF installed on the Win10 partition/drive, since that older version has created the necessary Windows registry files for WOFF, as well as other necessary folders that contain keyboard/joystick customizations for WOFF, etc.
Happy bottling, transporting, and flying of WOFF BH&H2,
Von S
Classic WineSkin Main Window - Use "Install Software" button to install BH&H2 and all relevant update patches
Right-Click Maneuver - After BH&H2 has been installed and patched, right-click and choose "Show Package Contents," to display directories
Navigating to C Drive - Double-click on the "drive_c" alias to enter the c drive main level directory
Locating the "OBDSoftware" Folder - The relevant folder will be located inside the main level, c drive directory (see further explanations provided on the pic.)*
* Recommended is to keep a copy somewhere on your Mac of such a bottled, patched, but non-functional WineSkin wrapper with BH&H2 installed and patched inside it - this way you may patch/update the bottled version whenever new patches come out, and then carefully follow the same procedures as explained in the pic. immediately above this note, in order to be able to fly the latest version of BH&H2 either in WineSkin wrappers or in your Win7/8.1/10 Bootcamp partitions.
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By VonS
Hi All,
Have been doing a bit of tinkering lately with my FlightGear install - and results are pleasing enough in what is a free, open-source flight sim. Managed eventually to get accurate photo-scenery working in FG, which is a noticeable improvement over the stock (dated) scenery that has been available in that sim for years on end (see pic. below for photo-scenery at work in FG, in this case in the Mesopotamian/s. Iraqi area; the Alb. D.I is a re-skin and FM-overhaul of a model done by Lester Boffo).
On a hunch, I then converted a bunch of the photo-tiles from FG (stock format is DDS) to BMP format - so that they become visible in the FE2 terrains folder - and it does indeed work - but would require careful, aesthetic choices regarding what tiles to replace in the terrains folder, such as farms, cities, deserts, etc. - for best cohesion and not too many jarring disconnects between tiles.
Nice to see that stock trees and buildings are populating over the satellite/ortho-terrains too, in FE2. Photo-scenery is simply an improved "satellite" carpet that covers the stock scenery and terrain framework in FlightGear - and by extension works the same way in the ThirdWire sims but requires manual conversion to BMP format and manual placement in the terrains folder (perhaps the DDS format would work too, but I didn't bother tinkering with the various settings/text files this time around in the terrains folder).
The other good thing about FlightGear is that it is fully under the GNU GPL (General Public License; i.e., "copy-left" license) - so there are no copyright problems that I know of if one borrows such ortho-scenery for FE2 too (haven't bothered to test with SF2). And if working on such a terrain swap as a personal project - that is of course even simpler.
A few representative pics. below with just a few ortho-scenery tiles placed over Stephen1918's upgrade of the Mesopotamian theater for FE2. Results look pretty good, particularly when flying higher up, and I haven't noticed any FPS drop with the photo-scenery tiles loaded. Some old tiles are still in place in the pics., for comparative purposes. Any empty areas are where I didn't bother to load tiles.
Anyway - I hope you find this post interesting - it's perhaps the "cheapest" way of upgrading tiles across the various theaters available for FE2.
If I find enough free time I might tinker further with this side-project; will post comments if the results prove particularly successful.
Cheers & good flying,
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By Eagle114th
Hello everyone,
I am sharing what I am working on with the team. It is a slow project because we do it for the hobby. We are flowing along with it, and there is no ETA. Initially, I worked on Dhimar and Paran expansion pack without much research, which led me to do a project that made no sense. That was an opportunity for me to learn how to do it properly, especially in a semi-realistic way that makes sense.
I decided to discontinue Dhimar and Paran expansion project because I didn't want to change the stories written by TW. Therefore, I want to honor his work. Thank the community and friends for inspiring me to work on an entirely new fictional nation that I can envision and bring into SF2. A friend of mine recommended I look into the Africa map, where the imaginary nations of Saad and Zafir come in.
What took the longest time was actual research about the nations around the horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and the ancient civilization around that area. The research on the language, cultures, and history was also involved. It taught me many new things, which opened me to Africa and the Arab world.
This is how Saad and Zafir get an enriched history and depths with the cultures, languages, and where they come from. This led me from just making SF2 mods into writing a book. I never thought I would do it, yet I am doing it as a hobby.
Then it came to me; this book is not just for SF2; it can be used for any simulation. It taught me how to be creative with the stories, including the graphic designs (flags, insignia, roundel, pilot badges, and other materials).
After finishing the short history series about Saad and Zafir's ancestors, I can start focusing on finding the right aircraft for Saad and Zafir. It is intended that Saad and Zafir are truly unique to each other and the world of SF2. It won't be another classic "USA aircraft vs. Soviets Aircraft." Instead, they use various aircraft tied to Saad and Zafir history with connections to certain nations from Europe to the Middle East to Asia. They will still use some of the United States and Soviets aircraft, though.
My friend has been a great teacher who taught me a lot about the military system and how they do things. I can make Saad and Zafir military semi-realistic with it, especially when being fictional nations. I intend to bridge the alternative world (SFAW) with this world in balanced ways.
By the way, here is the information about the SFAW project:
I will give you the brief background about Saad and Zafir.
NOTE: I am NOT an expert with the language of Tigrinya. I am still looking for someone who knows the Tigrinya languages. I find them to be very interesting. It is intended that the language of Tigrinya for Saad is one of the native languages. That way, Saad can be fully immersive in the book and SF2.
ሳድ (Saad) - (1920 – Present)
الظافر (Zafir) - (1930 – Present)
FAQs
Cheers!
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By VonS
Hello Gents',
I have been investigating the core string and ini files that make up FE2 - primarily to see if multiplayer can be reintroduced. The relevant files can be found in the MenuData.cat and MenuText.cat files of the "Menu" folder of the actual game (not in the user folder for the game).
I managed to restore the "multiplayer" button to the main screen of the game, but it leads nowhere. Also possible to restore was the "network" button under the options settings - but again this led nowhere when you click on it.
It seems that each STR (string?) file requires a corresponding INI (initialization) file to work at all. Most of the files have both components, such as is the case with OPTIONSSCREEN.INI and OPTIONSSCREEN.STR - the ini file contains the relevant buttons, lists, codes, placements, lots of other things too, and the str component file contains the relevant data calls that correspond with what is called for in the ini file.
I was however stumped to find that most of the network sub-option files have the STR component files in place - but ini files for those are all missing, perhaps having been removed by the game designer - or perhaps there is a more obscure way of calling up those string files that I am not aware of with my very limited knowledge of program/app coding.
As an example, the NETWORKCONNECTIONSCREEN.STR file and the NETWORK.STR file - obviously important ones (and it's obvious what they are for) - cannot be called up in game, likely because corresponding ini files for those are missing. Looking through some of those network option str files shows, in some cases, more than 30 or 40 different data calls. I can only imagine then how much time it would take to create corresponding ini files for all of those different data calls in the str files, with all of the relevant buttons, menus, submenus, toggles created in the corresponding ini files - to get mutliplayer up and fully functional in FE2 - a daunting task that while theoretically possible would probably take a good month at least of full-time work on it (and then there is the risk of how stable the setup would be when done).
Those who are inclined to tinker further with multiplayer possibilities in FE2 are advised to look at the main Options.ini file first that's in the user folder for FE2. The multiplayer settings should read as follows to be enabled:
[MultiplayerOptions]
LobbyLaunched=TRUE
The following should also be toggled but I didn't experiment with correct values:
[Multiplayer]
Connection=0
PlayerColor=0
SessionType=0
GameType=0
Password=MyPassword
MaxPlayers=8
IPAddress=127.0.0.1
In the OPTIONSCREEN.INI file that should be extracted to your "Menu" folder, the following should be toggled:
[NetworkOptionsButton]
StickySelection=TRUE
Active=TRUE
In MAINSCREEN.INI, also to be placed in the "Menu" folder, the following should be toggled:
[MultiplayerHotspot]
Active=TRUE
Enabled=TRUE
Also, the following should be modified to look as you see here, from the same file indicated above:
[MissionControl]
SingleMission=SingleMission
InstantAction=InstantAction
Campaign=Campaign
Multiplayer=Multiplayer
And finally, the relevant STR files that are missing corresponding INI files - or maybe requiring some other kind of call that I'm not aware of, are:
NETWORK.STR
NETWORKCONNECTIONSCREEN.STR
MPDOGFIGHTSCREEN.STR
MPHANGARSCREEN.STR
MPMISSIONSCREEN.STR
MULTIPLAYERSTATUS.STR
PILOTRECORDSCREEN.STR (this one is to enable flight recording in multiplayer)
As far as I can see, it's more feasible to continue improving the single-player side of the game, such as improvements in AI, scenery, also the great plane and skin mods that often come out for FE2. And thanks to all who contribute to this game and make it great. Those interested in pursuing the multiplayer aspect further will hopefully find my post useful. I will not be pursuing this topic further since I don't consider the project to be worthwhile.
Happy flying,
Von S
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