"Nihon Hitori 2020" Single Mission Pak Development Thread

[JosefK]

Hey @Stratos, the above is supremely awesome and gives me a few ideas for a more plausible casus belli.  Maybe a few more partisan Japanese civilians try to take a Kuril Island and that starts the shooting?

That said, little update guys.  I am just pulling my hair out about trying to get a Su-35BM or Su-35S into my single mission pak.  About to have to give up... and maybe make a V 1.1 that has a modified Su-27 :-(.

For now, enjoy the visuals of a rather dangerous F-15J intercept attempt to get a Su-30 to jink clearly by in itself creating a diplomatic incident:

[+allenjb42]

Looks great! Looking forward to it.

Regarding land based anti ship missiles, I think there may be Iranian Silkworms in some of the Persian Gulf terrains or campaign packs that you could use or at least the data.ini may give you a steer to edit a Scud to simulate the more modern Russian systems.

[+Menrva]

@JosefK Keep up the good work! The storyline can be improved with the time, what really matters at the moment is an accurate order of battle. SF2 does not really allow any storytelling aside from the written intros and outros of campaigns. Just a reminder (and small thread hijack); I have updated my realSKY mod package. Lightnings are now less noticeable in daylight, but it's a more realistic effect compared to the old one; now you might have difficulties in catching a lightning with the screenshots. Make a backup of the old RainEffect.ini file in case you want to keep the effect you've been showing in the past screenshots.

Edited February 13, 2019 by Menrva

[JosefK]

OK folks, it's been a little while since I've posted an update.  Something about, "Fly, Fight and Do Admin" from the book about the modern Dambusters comes to mind with all the awesome GR.1 Tornado screenshots of late.

Before you see my new spreadsheet...

a) I found I was a bit underwhelmed by the number of single missions I had under some state of development.  

b) This is very much a living document.  Filenames will obviously change, times will likely change between here and 25 March (fingers crossed).  

c) I'd love to set things up where you've got a mission 100% separate from a strike package... 

With that, here goes:

OF course, once I get the air defenses on both sides all synced up... I need to make loading screens (which should be easy as I have the templates, loads of great screenshots, and Photoshop as part of my Adobe Creative Cloud membership) and get a soundtrack into this package (kinda easy).  Also working too slowly on getting enough video footage for a video.  Finally, need to start writing up a README with credits.

As time permits before my deadline I do want to do some work with the F-2A and the JS Asagiri.  The SF2 F-2A needs to be able to carry IR bombs like the real-life version and the latter needs a jammer to protect itself from anti-ship missiles.

For V 1.1, I will throw together some kind of kit-bashed late model Flanker to replace the early-model Flankers in the missions now.  Got most of the pieces, but want to do some professional research not just WikiPedia research.  Obviously any 1.1 will have to address any found bugs.

With that, enjoy a Flanker lifting off to intercept some F-2As...

[JosefK]

Uh... I have this book published 28 November 2018 on 2-day delivery so you will please pardon me if there aren't that many updates for the next week or so... I have some genuine research to do and not a lot of time to do it.  When I report back, you will be seeing screenshots of (and hopefully Win10 video) why.

Edited February 20, 2019 by JosefK
Grammar

[JosefK]

Been busy testing a Tornado for a SF2 wingman, so haven't had too much time to test & play.  Plus waiting for the above book to arrive...

 

But for now, enjoy this:

 

 

[JosefK]

Well my book finally arrived.  I've just decided considering the real world ORBAT of the Russian Air Forces to spend my SF2 time this weekend trying to get an acceptable - to me - version of THIS into SF2:

One of my standards will be to program thrust vectoring in but also get a cockpit that you can use if flipping the tables is desired... something that I find rather interesting.

This will significantly up the risk of a release delay into April, but I want to get close to realism.  NOT a flag-waving, Russians jets bad, Japanese flown US jets good, type-type-trigger arcade game.

[JosefK]

I'm going to keep this brief and take questions as they come in.  But due to several projects by other CombatAce members and my photography calendar I 100% doubt very seriously I will reach the 25 March release date:

The new goal is 24 April - 30 additional days.  There is also just too much backroom stuff - making screens, adding music, fine-tuning aircraft (e.g. the F-2A should have some TV-guided bombs, the Su-XX project or projects), checking mission times, and properly locating SAMs - to address a few hours a few evenings a week and meet my goal.  Plus again, I want to add a late-model Sukhoi right now in development possibly two.  Needless to say, you're going to get a download that's all-inclusive and I need to make the time to check that everything is in place for the end-users to have a good time.

That said, let me assure you that you're going to get something for the price of... free that is going to make you really are fighting Putin's best:

[Stratos]

Looking forward to see this!

[+yakarov79]

21 hours ago, JosefK said:

I 100% doubt very seriously I will reach the 25 March release date:

In case of significant delays CA's protocol requires only statement that mod will be available in two weeks. 

[JosefK]

Some pointed thoughts for this update:

1. Well 24 April is in two days and I'm not ready to release yet.  Life got in the way.  But still working away... got almost everything for this addon in its own boot-up folder now like some of our community's fav add-ons like the F*lklands War & ODS.  A lot of admin stuff that doesn't make for sexy screenshots like writing credits and an intro.
2. 8 May - or two weeks and two days - seems likely for a release date.  :-)
3. Finally, had to check ORBAT for the Russian side again.  Let's just say without a Su-34 available for at least V1, things will be really interesting.  At least there's an A-50 Mainstay now... 
4. There will 100% sadly not be a Kirov-class battlecruiser in the game as the Pacific Fleet's battlecruiser Admiral Lazarev currently in mothballs near Vladivostok with its nuclear fuel removed (if one trusts a WikiPedia article) will be one of the two scrapped and the other two are based (logically) in Russia's Northern and Western fleets.  That said, you will have a Slava cruiser and lesser ships to take on in V1...
5. You will have in the game for the Japanese for substantial participation one destroyer, two 1-Go escort boats, AH-64Js, KC-767s, E-767s, E-2As, F-15Js, F-2As, and yes you betcha F-35As.

OK, I can give you all one screenshot of the kind of action to expect around the Kuril Islands...

[+Nightshade/PR]

Once again...BRILLIANT!!

[JosefK]

Well guys just wrote another mission of a JASDF F-35 stalking and slaying a Russian A-50 Mainstay...

 

Also finding some bugs to quash here with 13 days to go before release... things like the control file, the RWR list needing porting over, those kinda annoying things new developers learn only by doing.

[JosefK]

On 4/24/2019 at 3:01 PM, Nightshade/PR said:

Once again...BRILLIANT!!

Thanks fellow Deep Space Nine fan.  I am going for at least Kira Nerys-levels of brilliance here.  Sorry but I'll never be as smart as Dax or Sisko ;-).  Ought to as well say here the plan is to use the JASDF F-35As the way Starfleet would use the Defiant-class of starships... be brief, be brutal, be gone.

[JosefK]

Well I just had to fix a bug in @Veltro2k's Mainstay.  Apparently the primary roles and secondary roles in A-50_DATA weren't changed from the Il-76 Candid to an AWACS bird.  So here's my mission data fix for now:

Quote

[MissionData]
NationName=SOVIET
ServiceStartYear=1974
ServiceEndYear=2050
AircraftRole=TRANSPORT
AircraftCapability=DAY_AND_NIGHT
Availability=VERY_RARE
Exported=TRUE
ExportStartDate=1975
PrimaryRoles=EARLY_WARNING
SecondaryRoles=NAVAL_SEARCH
NormalMissionRadius=5550
MaxMissionRadius=3705
Ceiling=17675
MinBaseSize=MEDIUM
ParkingAnimationID=9

Figured I'd publish here for those who might want to take a look.  I've got at least one mission possibly more where a Mainstay is going to be present as an AWACS.

That said: Yes, it's little bugs like this with now 12 days to go - I go on US Pacific Daylight Savings Time so it's 0038 hours as I write this - that I'm after.

[+Menrva]

Take your time, I look forward to it! Oh, BTW, I noticed from your screenshots that some Sukhois are still using the old Soviet Red star insignia. Since 2010 the Russian Air Force is using a new one. With my decals mod, stock SF2 aircraft dynamically change the Soviet star insignia according to the chosen mission year. However, third-party aircraft might use fixed decals, hence why you see the old Soviet star on them. Might be worth looking at.

Edited April 27, 2019 by Menrva

[JosefK]

10 hours ago, Menrva said:

Take your time, I look forward to it! Oh, BTW, I noticed from your screenshots that some Sukhois are still using the old Soviet Red star insignia. Since 2010 the Russian Air Force is using a new one. With my decals mod, stock SF2 aircraft dynamically change the Soviet star insignia according to the chosen mission year. However, third-party aircraft might use fixed decals, hence why you see the old Soviet star on them. Might be worth looking at.

Thanks much, also thinking of doing some repaints if I find the time.  I've noticed at least one Mainstay has this dark grey repaint in real life.  Also the Su-30SMs I see in real life have that same kinda topside color so going to repaint the one released to that color...

Problem is, next weekend long story short I'll be away from the home computer...  Solution: Release a future V 1.1 with the repaints and squash any bugs found by CombatACE users.

Edited April 27, 2019 by JosefK
Made up my mind

[Stratos]

IIRC we have some Su-24 ready for "Escort_Jammer" mission. Maybe you can use them.

[JosefK]

11 minutes ago, Stratos said:

IIRC we have some Su-24 ready for "Escort_Jammer" mission. Maybe you can use them.

I certainly can.  There's one mission I'd love to add some jammer support... would sincerely appreciate another obstacle for the 201st and 203rd JASDF Fighter Squadrons to overcome!

[JosefK]

Having some serious game-stopping difficulties here.

For a slice of them - go here: 

 

For now, enjoy a screenshot of a new mission that I've pretty much got to work:

[JosefK]

Well looks like I have a fix folks.... thanks @Crusader:

Also here's why the Acrids and why I went into at least ten (10!) hours of trouble to get the SF2 Foxhound some Acrids:

Edited May 19, 2019 by JosefK
Forgot to add Air Forces Monthly clipping

[JosefK]

Sorry this thread's been dead for so long.  Work has continued on an "as able" basis.  Although I admit playing around with the F-111 is a bit more fun than backroom stuff.

Backroom Stuff

Backroom stuff?  Just made these two screens today:

Granted, I'm probably going to replace the top one in the near future.  But at least now when I boot this build up, it looks like a JASDF 2020 SF2 sim and not a Vietnam War sim!

Working on background music as well.  Hit a brick wall this morning importing this very JASDF song so went to this instead.

GOT SOME NEW JETS...

You'll have to pay close attention to see all of the new red jets coming.  But the new MiG-31 is going to be a big hit. 

Also the Su-30SM with a more realistic/timely skin will be a but not the primary adversary for the F-15Js.  Below are a couple preview shots:

Finally, one more red jet announcement: You will be splashing Il-72s also. 

Yet you'll also be flying sorties in the JASDF F-35A & F-2A.    Stealth will be important with the big radars of big jets you'll be up against, but also you'll be leading the grand finale maritime strike needing both ASM-3s and IR bombs.

"WHAT IF"

Also I've had some ideas of some "What If" scenarios that will be uploaded separately.  Scenarios like:

• What if there was a JMSDF AEGIS destroyer helping cover the cargo ships getting away from the Kurils?
• What if that same JMSDF Aegis Destroyer was returning when the Russians mounted their alpha strike?
• What if a JASDF F-4 Phantom attempted a photo recon run of Russian ships?  How close could it get before getting shot down, even with say... F-2A and/or F-15J escort?
• What if the JASDF bought from the RAAF as an interim strike-fighter the... RAAF F-111.  To keep the F-111 airworthy for 10-15 years until sufficient F-35As would come online, the F-111 would be only for maritime strike and maritime reconnaissance with a Japanese F-2A radar & such to support the latest JASDF weapons.  Rarely flown as the F-111s serve as JASDF's "big stick" against invasion attempts of its outlying islands to replace the F-1 + F-4 + a significant number of F-2Bs destroyed in the 2011 tsunami at a bargain basement cost.

Figure this update should whet our shared appetites.

Edited February 24, 2020 by JosefK
Forgot link to "Best Guy" song

[+Menrva]

@JosefK Try to make screens so that the F-15 appears more to the left side, not close to the black, semi-transparent menu overlay, so to speak.

If you're going to plan anything what-if, don't forget the upcoming Raptor add-on; the skinpack includes the JASDF 2-tone blue camo for it. I am working on fixing some things, the cockpit is mostly new, and we still need to iron out a few issues before release.

Edited February 24, 2020 by Menrva

[JosefK]

7 hours ago, Menrva said:

@JosefK Try to make screens so that the F-15 appears more to the left side, not close to the black, semi-transparent menu overlay, so to speak.

If you're going to plan anything what-if, don't forget the upcoming Raptor add-on; the skinpack includes the JASDF 2-tone blue camo for it. I am working on fixing some things, the cockpit is mostly new, and we still need to iron out a few issues before release.

There's the mission five (aka "go" in Japanese) I was looking for in my brain yesterday!!!!

[Stratos]

I supose you're planning tons of Anti Ship missions, right? If you include new ships please considere modding the MAX Visibility Distance so those ships can be targetted further away so Anti Ship missiles could be properly used. Thanks!