FastCargo

What's the very latest version of the SH? They should be folded when parked. FC

Okay, do me a favor and list all the files in your Objects/Pilots/FakePilot and Objects/Pilots/Su27canards directories. FC

Yep, just tested. Made one of my models fixed gear only (removed animation keys with gear down) and changed data.ini to show it as fixed. Compressed on the ground just fine, and stayed extended in the air. Even bounced it several times on the ground and flew back into the air to verify it worked properly in all regimes of flight. FC

That's not right...it should work normally and look correct in the air. FC

I think Brain32 figured out that you could put textures in the aircraft's directory (where all the ini files are) and it would use them as a 'default' texture if you selected a squadron/nation not specified in the Texturelist.ini files or in the main aircraft's ini file. FC

The standard animation is extended to retracted. I think there is an option in the data.ini to reverse it if needed...I think. FC

Uh Russ.... FuelTankNodeName? FC

No. Overwrites only happen for files with the exact same name. Now, go to your Objects/Pilots directory, if you do not have one, create one. Within the Pilots directory, create two new directories: Su27canards and FakePilot. Copy FakePilot.LOD and CompletelyClear.tga from the FakePilot download to the Objects/Pilots/FakePilot directory. Move the 4 files from the previous message (the ones that start with "Su27") to the Objects/Pilots/Su27canards directory. Now, within the FakePilot directory, you will create a new ini file with Notepad. It will be named FakePilot.ini. Within this file, paste the following: Save the file in your Objects/Pilots/FakePilot directory. Within the Su27canards directory, you will create a new ini file with Notepad. It will be named Su27canards.ini. Within this file, paste the following: Save the file in your Objects/Pilots/Su27canards directory. Make sure both of the files you just created are saved as .ini files and not .txt files...or they will not work. Report here with the list of files in both your Objects/Pilots/FakePilot and Objects/Pilots/Su27canards directories. We are almost finished. FC

Okay, you didn't follow the Su-33 readme instructions quite correctly. Aircraft in this case means the Objects/Aircraft directory, not the aircraft's directory. Reattempt to follow the directions correctly, then report back here with the list of files in your Objects/Aircraft directory. There should be four of them. FC

Okay, your links aren't quite working correctly, but I'm assuming you downloaded these: http://marcfighters.combatace.com/arq/Marcfighter_Su-27_v1.0.zip - The Su-27 from MarcFighters. http://combatace.com/files/file/5897-su-33-mod-for-the-tw-series/ - My mod that makes an Su-33 of it. As I stated eariler, download this: http://combatace.com/files/file/7721-fakepilot-addon-for-pilot-method-of-addon-parts/ Now follow the instructions listed in the README for the Su-33, completely. When finished, I want you to report back here with a list of the files in your Objects/Aircraft directory that start with the phrase "Su27"...like Su27canards.OUT. for instance. I also want you to list here the aircraft within your Objects/Aircraft directory that start with the phrase "Su" like Su-27 for instance. Once I see those answers, we will go from there. FC

You betcha! FC

Make sure all EndYear entries in the Options.ini match to the latest year you want. FC

Okay, let's start over. First, post the url of the aircraft you downloaded. Second, download this: http://combatace.com...of-addon-parts/ Report back here with that information. FC

Let me be clear...I am not trying to dissuade you, what I am trying to do is make sure you are very aware of the pitfalls. When it comes to spending money, I want folks to make sure they get their money's worth. FC

F-5B/T-38A Templates uploaded. FC

File Name: F-5B/T-38A Skin Templates File Submitter: FastCargo File Submitted: 13 January 2013 File Category: SF2 Series Add On Skins Skin Templates for F-5B (and derivatives) plus the T-38A. Done by 331KillerBee...thanks Marine! Any skins created using these templates are for freeware only. FastCargo 13 Jan 13 Click here to download this file

No. IRMs are passive weapons for the time period covered by the TW sims. FC

Thanks dude! I'm trying to get a hold of 331KB to see if he'll let me upload his templates of the T-38A/F-5B. FC

I am working to get the templates for the T-38A/F-5B and F-5F out in the next day or so. I didn't realize that they still hadn't been made fully public. FC

You had me curious, so I've started checking. First, the good news is that 'plate' appears to be a separate mesh. Second, the bad news is that it appears to be covered by the cockpit BMP file (PIT2_F-100D_64.BMP)...so you're screwed with using that 'plate'. FC

Well, you wouldn't find just a 'blank plate' entry in the ini file. You actually have to look in the LOD and OUT files to see if there is such a thing. But since the TW sims don't give you the OUT files and the LODs are locked away...you could be screwed. However, there is an another option. Find and extract all the graphics files for the F-100. Eliminate the external model files. Eliminate all the graphics files except BMPs. What you have left is mostly dial faces. Find a dial you aren't using or wouldn't miss and replace the BMP with a blank, black BMP. Find the corresponding entry in the cockpit.ini. You now know the node name of the dial you can turn into a radar/EO screen... FC

To have a separate radar/LGB screen in the cockpit, you have to have a dedicated part of the cockpit for it. That part has to have its own texture too. The RWR screen is a prime example. Now, it could be POSSIBLE that blank panel in the lower left side complies with both of those, in which case, it's pretty easy. If not, it probably can't be done unfortunately. FC

See, a lot of people think the model creation is the most time consuming part...actually, it's probably one of the easier parts of bringing a model into game. Building a 3D object for me is pretty straight forward...at least until the fiddly bits. And the mapping...then it gets ugly and time consuming. Here's the thing...it is kind of rare that a model you can find on a place like Turbosquid is in any way optimized for use in the sim. A lot of times, for the more detailed ones, it has FAR too many polygons. As an example, I have this beautiful B-1B model given to me to bring into the TW series. It has got curves in all the right places, outstanding detail, etc. Believe me, I love what Dels did, but this thing is beyond FSX payware detail. And it's also 100000+ polygons (without landing gear). The Super Hornet is a 40k polygon model and it causes a significant amount of user problems as it is. You can try to run a reducing script on such a model, but that usually creates oddness, especially where there are seams in the mesh. So a lot of times, you have to do it by hand...which takes all sorts of time. Then if the model doesn't have cutouts for things like the gear wells, doors, flight controls, all that has to be done, along with the appropriate fillets. Same thing with the landing gear...separating and tweaking all the parts needed. You have to assign pivot points, animate parts, close certain meshes, build damage nodes. And more than likely, you will need to map the model. This is probably the most tedious part of the job, and why a lot of folks would just rather build their own model from scratch instead of adapting someone else's. There was a guy here, bigal1 I think was his name, who had a couple of the nice models off of Turbosquid (B-1B and XB-70)...he showed screenshots of where he did a slap and dash to put in game (ie you can get it in game quickly, but is totally useless as an actual flyable aircraft). But then he got to the actual work of trying to get them in the game usefully... He never got them out there. I'd imagine he encountered the frustrations I mention below. It was up to Dels and myself to build models from scratch to get them in game. What I'm trying to say is this...what you are offering is admirable. However, you aren't the first person to do this, and as JonathanRL will tell you, there typically aren't a whole lot of (if any) takers for such a project for a reason. FC

But that reply was the most awesome ever.... FC