Wrench

There's always the question of "How Can I get the decals from my 1stGen aircraft, into SF2 the quickest and easiest way" or, you have a skin/decal set you want to add. Well, the simple truth is, it's so easy, it'll make your airplane spin!! Well use in our example, just a something 'pulled out the air', so to speak. All others will be similiar; this is just an example for showing what to move, and what to delete (we'll get to that in a minuite...) You've download and unzipped the aircraft....our example is my older B-66 skin pak.. then, it's a simple copy/paste of the "86BS" folder to the B-66 (note, the 86BS highlighted) now, since the /D (or decals subfolder) is STILL inside the skin folder, the Game Engine ™ will not see them. So, the easiest/simplest/quickest way, is to simply copy/patse the ENTIRE SKIN FOLDER -WITH THE INTACT /D SUBFOLDER to the correspondingly named aircaft foler in the ModFolder's /Decals subfolder... please note the highlighted full file pathway -that'll be important in a minute! Then, simply open this folder, and DELETE everything, but the /D subfolder that leaves you with an empty skin folder --don't need all the stuff, as this is ONLY for the decals. What this does, is keep the decal callout paths exactly the same, without adding the extra work of editing the decals.ini for each and every skins example: [Decal007] MeshName=Nose DecalLevel=0 DecalFacing=Left FilenameFormat=B-66B/84BS/D/NTagL Position=7.3,-0.40 Rotation=0.0 Scale=2.5 MaxLod=3 you'll notice that I've highlighted the MaxLod= line. There are literaly hundreds of old, perfeclty usable 1stGen skin/decal sets that are completly lacking this line. SF2 NEEDS this line and it must be added, or you decals won't show up. This is expecially true on lots of the WW2 stuff. SO, open the decals ini and check it. If not, it's an super esay text edit (you just type it in!!) to add. This is the easiest and simplest way I've found to do it! It works for all skins/decal paks; it'll even work in 08 Level 1stGens too, as they also possess the /Objects/Decals folder. any questions, comments, request for clairifications, post in the SF2 Mods & Skinning Forums wrench kevin stein

We have our new SF2 WW2 Category!! I'd asked Erik to create one for us, where we can put all the aircraft, aircraft mods, and skin sets. Sorry, it's not seperated into Skins, Aircraft, etc. It's all one category. While it may get confusing, at least ALL the stuff will be in one place. Over the next few days, I'll be moving all the WW2 and Post-War (to 1948) Skins and Aircraft Mods into this category. With a little bit of luck, I'll find them and move them all. If anyone finds one (or more!) that I missed, PM me with the file link and I'll take care of it. Also, with a LOT more bits of luck, we can start (re)generating interest in SF2-based WW2, and drag some FM and 3d Gurus -most likely kicking and screaming- along to get some of these "Angry WarBirds" up to SF2-speed. Thank you All, and Thanks To Erik!! So, remember: when uploading for WW2, PLEASE make sure that it [a] goes in the correct category most !!!DEFINATELY!!! has years or a text callout that says "WW2" or immeadeate Post-War in your announcment statement wrench kevin stein

now, what's gonna happen with non-converted stuff you might ask?? expecially all the items (well, MOST of the items) that had been posted on my site. well, since 99.9999999999999% are NOT really SF2 ready (in special reference to FM/data inis), they're going to be posted, in packages in the relevant WW2 sections in the 1stGens Downloads. for instance, the Pearl Harbor/Midway Kate skin & decal paks the 3 TBF/TBM paks -will be combined into one, with 3 seperate internal folders. various and sundry Havoc's, Mitchells, so on and so forth ....blahblahblah. You get the idea. it's a rather simple matter to drop them into a WW2 SF2 mods folder, and move the decals where they need to go. In fact, I'll be writing a short tutorial for the KnowledgeBase on a quickie, simple, easy way to do that. Considering the sheer amount of WW2 mods (yah, a goodly portion by ME!), it's gonna take some time to assemble the require paks and get them uploaded. (read: remembering where I archived them too!!) On a side note, for those folks here NOT CA subscribers, I'd like to ask that you DO become a subscriber, at least for some time (even the minimum monthly) -pay/donate the membership, simply to cover server costs. I'm going to be uploading 100s of megs worth of stuff, and as a thank you to Erik and other Admins that actually pay for CombatAce, it'd be a reallly nice gesture! Just a suggestion. One I'd like you all to think about. Whatever you can afford. It's the very least "Thank You" we can offer. k

yeup, as said above, you MUST open the LOD with a hex editor, and reaname all the dds extensions to bmp. it's not hard at all (BUT =caveat=, back up a copy of the LOD for CYA!!!)

File Name: A-3 Skywarrior Skin/Ini Update Pak (for DAT A-3D) File Submitter: Wrench File Submitted: 26 February 2012 File Category: Other A-3D Skywarror Upgrade/Update Pak = For SF2, Any and All = For the Dev A-Team's A3D-1 *PLEASE NOTE: this is =NOT= a complete aircraft mod! A major component, the aircraft's LOD is NOT included!! This file is propritary of the Dev A-Team, and cannot be shared. You =MUST= be a Registed User ™ at their site, with access to their downloads, to make use of the Pak. If you do not have, or cannot get access, DO NOT DOWNLOAD THIS MOD, AS YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE IT!!!* It should be noted at this time, that while the folder & main ini are called "A3D-1", the aircraft in actuality is an A3D-2 (late)/A3B, as evidenced by the 'shovel nose' radome. Lots of changes have been effected, to try and bring it close to SF2 standards; much more work is STILL needed by those that know how (FM rebuild). A new cockpit, adjusted loads (included a Nuke specific STRIKE loadout, and a Strike_Heavy -with MK.84s, for use with the 3W Mission Editor), a 61kt USN-spec Mk.7 atomic bomb is included (nuke effects are NOT included). All other loadouts use stock in-game items. See "Notes" for partial change list. Wingfold operates by the standard manual animation keystroke, Shift/9. 3 skins and decal sets are included: VAH-1, by ChampionVA56 VAH-3, also by Champ VAH-13, based on Champ's, by me, with all new decals and markings (all markings are decals) Decal Randomization for all skins is set to TRUE. New hangar and loading screens are included (yes, I know the artwork loading screen is the early -1 version, but it's an R.G Smith, Offical Douglas Aircraft ™ litho ... so there ya go!) The base skin for VAH-13, being "clean" can be used for many other units by simply creating new squadon codes and tail markings. 23 600 series modex decals are included (601-624). Serial/Bu numbers should be considered 'generic' in nature, but are 100% accurate for the model depicted. As always, fairly easy to follow, yet detailed install instructions are included. Please read them! Also, the "Notes" section is requied reading, as well. Seriously; READ the Notes ... it contains vital comments and requests. I've done everything I can ... now it's up to someone else. Following DAT policy, all their documentation is included. But NOT the aircraft LOD. Just so's you know for sure. Happy Landings! wrench kevin stein Click here to download this file

this scence just caught my eye, and I liked it! (damn photo-phlash bombs don't work tho... wasted a trip over Havana!)

oh, RATS!!! did I miss those maxlod entires??? Odd, the decal ini in the main folder has them. Shoot!! wonder if I didn't copy over the decls ini!!! ratcrap!! well, it's a simple text edit. ya'll can fix that easy enough

see above: refueling reel/drogue pod. look in the weapons pak for "bdouglas". that's also Buny's EB66, repainted EDIT: this one'll be next out of the hangar ... just have to make new serial decals. all ini/cockpit edits are done

I did forget to mention in the readme, that templates ARE included ... they'll need some reworking (like panel line redrawing), but that'll get folks started. if you don't want folding wings, and a 3d Guru builds a Skywarrior refueling probe, Bunyap's EB66C* can be a good stand-in. Also for the EK-3s as well, as we've had the belly refueling pod since 2007 *=also in the works for SF2 revamping

but i'll sure change the refelection, specular and glossiness in the textureset.inis to be sure!!

don't say that until you try to get back on the boat!!!.... sigh.....I hate falling short (project completion wise. I'm only 5'10" !! )

or, as complete as I can ... given I'd like to finish off the Persian Gulf map before the whole region disappears in a flash of Hydrogen!! I will most definately look at Marcellos! (of, course, they'll probably need major decal work...but that's easy!) thanks allen!

"2 weeks"

Comes with an RAF camo (although a later all-gray will prolly be needed) unfortunately, like the T-45 that's built from it, has some major 'shadow tractor beams' maybe, with the right bribe, we can talk Russo into having a look at the lod???

colors that I know (mostly from WW2 mods, adding fromatin/positin lights): yellow/amber: Color=0.9126,0.8814,0.0429 blue: Color=0.1755,0.275,0.858

Russo did a T.1A a llooooooooooooooooooooggg time ago http://combatace.com/files/file/5888-bae-hawk-t1-by-russouk2002/ (could use some SF2 TLC, however) I wonder why Florian's bird is a the DAT site only??

Wolfsberg Edition???

guys, i'm at my wits end with this POS ... canNOT get the bird back on the boat!!! It just won't catch the wires. I'm gonna try ONE more thing.........then package it with the 'no-carrier functionaly' caveat, and release it "as is". Maybe somebody eles can figure out what hell I missed!

We aim to please, at times! (so, we ask everyone to please aim.... )

AWESOME!!!