Wrench

ok. yeah, I've seen that before. I don't know what causes it. are you using the 'desert' TE or the WoE/V/I TE?? What I did long ago, is STOPPED using the desert TE, and built a 'WOE_DEsert_TE', using the later, but with all the desert bits. maybe give that a try? Simply make a new TE folder with just the desert bmps, inis, etc, but using the later (slightly) more better one. (you can see I make separate ones for which terrain needs one. I find it less confusing, and can configure and build them exactly as I want. Also, haven't cleaned out the finished ones yet either! -- as is zipped and stored on the backup drives)

it was definitely missing from KAW (and it's younger brother too)

panel and rivets brushes vary, again depending the template size. For a 4096 (like I'm using for Cocas' P-47C), I use a 2 pix round for the panel lines. Color is pure black for both. Opacity changes will do the rest before saving as a bmp or jpg for in game use. For the rivets, I use a 2 pix square, anti-alias OFF, spacing -again depending- anything from 400 pix to 500 pix. Best to experiment and 'see how it looks'. Most of the time, given the game scaling, it's the right size. Speaking of scaling, if one stands next to real aircraft, in the case I studied was Chino's P-47M with a camo scheme, after about 15-20 feet from the aircraft, you can't see the rivets. On natural metal, not that much further. Panel lines about the same. Don't forget, they too, sit flush on the aircraft skin surface. remember, after approx. 1940, 99.9% of all aircraft are using flush rivets. The 3d effect isn't needed, so duplicate and blurr the rivet layer, place it BELOW the 'hard' rivets and use it a collected dirt and dust. main panel and rivets I fade to 25% and then check in game, adjusting as needed. the "blurred" layer usually between 35-40%. Again, study the layers in the uploaded templates my advantage, expecially for WW2 aircraft, is many hours hands-on studying examples of them at the Chino museuams. And very rarely, when stuff showed up here at Santa Monica Airport, and sat by the Museaum of Flying. and Ant, there ain't nothing wrong with YOUR templates!

that's odd. I've never had a problem with autotexture, other than it never gets it right. can you outline your steps, from DEM importation to the crash??

no different that has been explained several dozen times to many people excepting that some people actually have the gumption to try it, especially when explained in a step-by-step from those with knowledge and experience. sorta like the hex editing thread from a week or so ago, eh??

the way I made (ok, make) them, especially in cases like the 3w ones (or even 3rd party ones) is all the same. I keep ALL my templates in a separate folder on the /C, called oddly enough! Templates. so what you do is: extract all the skin bmps (or jpgs depending) place them in a new folder named for the aircraft. We'll use you Crud example. Call it -this is how I do my SF2s - sf2_3w_f8_crusader then, open each one in PS or whatever, blow them up to at MINIMUM!!! 2048 x 2048. Sometimes, 4096 is best, if you have worn out eyes like I do. Then, start creating the layers. One for panel lines One for Rivets One for details (but that is optional, as the eraser tool can come in hand for that later) don't worry about weathering and 'clouds' and such ... that comes much later Then, - this is cool trick part- duplicate the base background layer, and rename it to 'inverted background'. Then, INVERT the colors. this will make the panel and rivet line their opposite colors (white now, instead of faded black). Then start on which ever layer suits you. I'd download those I've done for the 3W birds; the A-7, A-6, F-16A Netz, and whatever others there are. Study those and some of the trick will become apparent. The real bitch is, you will be doing some extrapolations as to where rivets and lines begin and end. This is because of the 'noise' layer TK added. It has a tendancey to blur details badly be ready for long hours, crossed eyes, some frustration, overflowing ashtrays (if you still smoke). Keep a beverage of choice nearby, and unload all fireams, locking the ammo away. Give to the key to someone trustworthy, that won't relinquish it until you're done. good luck!! (it really isn't as hard as I've made it sound)

as a new user, the best thing you can do is browse through the Knowledge Base(s) - there's one for each series. SF/WoE/WoV/WoI -- aka '1stGens'. While older, there's a LOT of information that's still quite valid for SF2 http://combatace.com/forum/99-thirdwire-strike-fighters-1-series-knowledge-base/ and, of course, the SF2 KB: http://combatace.com/forum/268-thirdwire-strike-fighters-2-series-knowledge-base/ 98.6% of all your questions will be answered therein. Also, it EXCEEDINGLY important to READ the readme enclosed with the downloads, and FOLLOW their instructions. If the mod maker has done their job correctly, it's amost (cavet!!) a no-brainer to install. It's also advisable to spend time familiarizing oneself with not only the game's folder structure (aka "the mods folder"), but the various in-game menus and drop downs. skins are selcted on the Loadout screen.

yeah, they are pretty nasty!!! iirc, there's a nuke tipped version around, too (as was in Real Life ™ )

you mean "export height map as bitmap" ?? I can send you mine if you want; mind you it's pretty buggered up what with all my screwing around with it!! (fjords, larger 'bay' ocean regions and so forth) you planning on adding The Great Glen???

look in the Bering Straits, Mid-West USA terrain and there's another I can't remember... base layouts and objects should be in both.

already reworking it ... lot's of paddy tiles to remove (many places are more like open grass fields (using G1 - think of razor or elephant grass), especially in central Burma along the Irrawady). Already added lots of new tiles; my 'specials', and so on. I can tell you right off, running the majority of the rivers is going to be a task! Around Rangoon there's dozens of little streams, rivers, inlets and so on. It's going to take time, for sure. I don't mind hand tiling -- pretty much all my terrain mods are done that way. The flood tool does come in hand, but you've got to be REAL CAREFUELL where you touch!!

the one is the SF2 WW2 planes is Veltro's original, with some reworking by me. Should work fine, other than converting the jpg skins back to bmp. Obviously, some statements in the data ini won't be functional, but I see no reason why it wouldn't work ps: should have said "Marauder" in the first post!!

data ini and loadout ini need updating extract new ones (assuming this is the stock 3w Intruder, as might be the case with the 'built into the aircraft lod' drop tanks)

http://combatace.com/topic/49073-dassault-ouragan-md-450/ sometime, actively looking can give results

he's NOT speaking of the KAW mod -- iirc, this is Spectre's all-in-one thingy (but could be wrong) Ours never have a campaign built for it. Sadly

that's the one I was waiting for!! thanks Raven!!

no, you absolutely NEED the shipping routes!! Otherwise, you'll won't have any auntie-ship missions the 'naval zones' are only for allowing the game engine to generate carrier and surface action battle groups baff: no, that was me in photoshop! Had to do that to make sure the terrain was flat(ish) for the river. I tried 4 times to get the Great Glen in, but just couldn't quite get it right. Pity. I really wanted Loch Ness in there (even if no 3d guy made Nessie for me) Did the same a Stornawy (sp?), too Sometimes you have to sacrifice geophysical reality for how the damn tile system works

what I sad was "SF2:I is not a good base for a WW2 centric mods folder" the 3W installer is the way to go!

you should see the height bmp for the Norway map.....talk about mangled!!! Look at the regions around Glasgow, Kiel, Oslo, Wilhelmshaven, the firths on the eastern UK. To say nothing of the fjords...

File Name: SF2 WW2 Northen Europe/North Sea Fix-It Pak File Submitter: Wrench File Submitted: 22 January 2014 File Category: Full Terrains SF2 WW2 Northen Europe/North Sea Fix-It Pak 1/22/2014 = For Use on the Recently Released WW2 Northern Europe/North Sea Terrain = This fix-it pak contains a modified Norway.ini (main ini) and Norway_Movements.ini. The main ini has the correction to reset the terrain size to the actual size of the terrain, now allowing the in-game planning map to show things where they truely are. The Movements ini has a repositioned 'front line', that now also sits where it's supposed to! The terrain is available at the following URL: http://combatace.com/files/file/14545-sf2-ww2-northern-europenorth-sea-terrain/ This is to be applied on those already downladed. A 'new' version of the terrain will be uploaded with these changes/repairs already added. As always, fairly easy to follow, yet detailed install instructions are included. PLEASE read them!!! Happy Landings! Wrench Kevin Stein Click here to download this file

but I don't have moving trains ...(sad face)

Cocas' new Beau in desert colors

are those my decals??? (and they didn't use Ns -- d-30 & d-40s. I have a whole book on latin American post war jugs) -------- required screenie

allen: you mean the this one (highlighted)???