Tailspin

Cool! Thanks Mike!

Yeah, I shoulda, but you found it anyway.

Try changing the LOD distance to 6 or 8 Thousand. I don't think you need all that data in the GroundObjectData section. Most look something like this: [GroundObjectData] DamagedModel= DestroyedModel=Crater.LOD DestroyedEffect=VehicleFireEffect EmptyMass=950.00 Component[001]=Base Component[002]=Turret Component[003]=Gun If there are no components then you wouldn't need the component data either. You also have to still make sure you've got all your pertinent data matching and entered in the Types.ini, and other files correctly. Usually requires some trial and error...you'll figure it out though.

Any luck?

I don't know know why it wouldn't work. You'd have to come up with a data.ini. Shouldn't be too difficult to modify one from another GO. I'm pretty sure you'll have to change the line in the Types.ini to UseGroundObject=TRUE. I don't know if that will cause a conflict with the other objects, like Hangars, already in the game? I'm not a terrain/object expert by any means. Wrench, ought to know. (ahem...no pressure, kevin)

Not sure exactly what you want to do, but you can place any object in the terrain Types.ini anywhere on the map. All you need are the coordinates and a target area to put them in. They can be tied to existing target ares or you can create your own target area by adding it to the Targets.ini. Check out one of my Bridge mods to see how its done. Note: I said any object. Thats not quite true. There has to be a coresponding set of lod/bmp(skin)/.ini files either in the terrain.CAT or placed individually in the terrain folder. Some objects listed in the types.ini either do not have the appropriate files included in the game or do not appear for unknown (to me anyway) reasons. As far as I know inanimate objects like buildings don't need to be Ground Objects. You may also find my FE Objects Gallery in the downloads useful. Creating a new Ground Object requires both an .ini file and data.file, I think. I'm not sure there is any advantage to making buildings Ground Objects. Its not necessary for customizing target areas.

Hi Mike. I can't say for sure where the parameters you are looking for are but the AircraftObject.ini makes references to such things like object fires and chances for progression and explosions etc. The other places I can think of are the Particlesystem.ini and the various effects within. Just guessing on my part.

Oblivion. I spent many hours with that one. Now I'm playing it with my 6 year old Grandson.

Well lets give the man credit where credit is due. He's taking the time to get out a version that runs in Vista without user modification. Just because I don't need it, doesn't mean it isn't worthwhile. Just because its easy for me to "fix" the original version to run in Vista doesn't mean others would be so inclined. How many potential buyers see where is isn't Vista ready and simply don't buy it? If people don't buy it then TK will be less inclined to spend precious resources on further development. I think he's trying his best to serve the community while moving forward as he does so. If you don't move forward you will be left behind. That also applies to a bunch of jaded old grumps like us.

Well, for one thing this is a Vista update so "normal" users can buy and run the game without having to extract and edit files. For another the SF2 series' got updated, more historically correct cockpits for various "marks" of aircraft. That was an unannounced bonus. We'll have to wait and see if there are any extra goodies in the FE2. Since I run XP and money is tight right now I won't be buying anyway. AND I do agree 100% about the CRAPPY looking horizon in FE. That issue was definately a huge step backwards introduced in the EP. I am still unclear what benefit was gained by changing it. If a couple of mods can nearly fix it by editing a few .ini lines, then it would stand to reason that TK can fix it for good if he is so inclined. Meanwhile FE plays second fiddle in most every respect. Hell, even a nearly DEFUNCT, completely outdated relic (EAW) gets more forum space. Of course traffic here is dead and stinkin'...but still. As long as we've been here its an insult...at least it is to me. Happy EFF'in New Year!!

Last I saw TK mention was late 2010? ...never mind. That was for the next EP.

Hmmm...I don't fly 2-seaters much but I never had that problem. At least not in my experience with the Brisfit.

Merry Christmas everyone. God bless you and yours.

The patches will update the original game and work without the EP. What you won't have are the Cambrai map, Camel, Dr1 and some other AI planes.

No FF. Flying close to the edge is what its all about. Its just the edge doesn't seem too well defined. Maybe that type of behaviour is accurate for the Fokker DVII which reportedly didn't have any nasty habits but others were surely more abrupt and prone to spin. Even then, with the exception of the SPAD XIII and Camel, stalls and spins were fairly straight forward in recovery. I don't know. Perhaps stall speeds are a little too low?

I have had sound "dropouts" for quite some time now. Sometimes its engine sounds, sometimes gun sounds, sometimes bullet impact sounds, and it varies between them during gameplay. Don't know what is causing it.

I agree about the feel of the FMs. However the video seems to point out one thing lacking in them and that is how quickly you could get into a stall. In game you never get that "Oops! I didn't meant to do that." situation. About the only time I ever stall in game is when I try to climb too quickly without enough airspeed or I hold a turn way too long. You always know its coming.

I agree, Heck. You can see the stall and you can see him push the nose down quickly to recover.

Did you catch the "belly flop" around 50 sec. into the video? I wonder if he did that on purpose.

Yes, you are right.

Thats the idea. The effect can be varied from hardly noticeable unless you yank the stick hard while diving way too fast to bringing the "danger zone" closer to more likely speeds at which you may find yourself in some combat situations. In the case of the Albatros you could set the max. closer to the 5.9 (maybe 5.5 or 5.6) maximum which would effectively penalize flying 215mph (the rather quick result of very limited testing) by limiting manoeverability at that speed due to a "weak" lower wing. G-loads that high shouldn't affect combat. You can put this type of "speed limit" on any airplane. The question is how do you figure out what those speed limits should be.

Diving an Alb D3 from 3200ft., full power vertical, I'm getting around 215-220mph at impact. Climbing to a safer altitude..... Diving to 215mph and pulling full back and holding, the airframe hits about 5.8 - 5.9 G.

Good subject BB. IMHO the whole MaxG thing needs to be looked at in detail. Some hard data from the period would be nice but that is scarce. Seems its mostly, "If you dive aircraft "ABC" too fast, "this" and "that" happens. It'd be nice to know just how fast "too fast" is...for each aircraft. How that affects the AI ?

SPAD..there are free programs available to unzip .rar files. I use 7zip.

I think you've misunderstood. The "nuff said" comment was entirely about A/C and flight models. I'm trying to look at the big picture and the future. IMHO there isn't much future in 3rd party A/C that aren't useable in the latest version of the sim. Now we are reliant on a 4th party to make them work. What happens when no one steps up and does it again? The way I see it is the more A/C we get from TK, the better. The more patches and expansion packs, the better. I can play the stock sim and still enjoy it immensely. As Heck points out we don't just get a couple of A/C for each side and a new terrain. There are always lots of other enhancements included with Thirdwire updates. TK has to make a product that is good enough to stand on its own. I don't know how many people buy the sim and never add a thing except expansion packs, but I would think it is a significant number. I think modders tend to lose that perspective. He has left it open for modding for our enjoyment. No doubt he profits from that, but making every change costs time and money. I think we get our fair share of attention from Thirdwire. Yep. Modding for this type of sim can be a frustrating PITA. But then...you're the one who got yourself into this mess. I apologize if I have offended you. That was not my intent.