Wrench

exp pak 1 did the same thing ... you can leave your SF2E alone, and just run the new stuff from the exp2 exe (create new shortcut). This, in effect, gives you 2 completly seperate games to play "To be modded as much or as little as one likes!" Probably the greatest advantage of Gen2s over Gen1s; mods folders completly seperate from core game files. wrench kevin stein

right on, brother!! you guys crack me up!! wrench kevin stein

First off, let me state that the instructions shown here, work the same for ANY of the 3rd Wire sims, be it 1st Gen SF/SFG/WoV/WoE/WoI/FE and with all the SF2 series, including FE2. As all this will do, is show how to keep the AI controled aircraft that have been made User-Flyable, still flyable after patching. With the minimum amount of work. Those that have been around a while, and have been through several rounds of patching, can tell you that one of the things any patch does is remove all extra inis from STOCK aircraft/ships/other ground objects. However, it may NOT remove add-on inis (we'll get to that in bit) that have come with, say, the Fishbed or Fresco cockpit packages. So, what's removed, you might ask? Well, if you've extracted any ini for the aircraft -data, loadout, avionics, cockpit, etc, and modded it (even if it's just to activate the manual canopy animation) the patch exe will remove from the aircraft folder. This can become annoying with the standar player-flyables expecially when you've gotten the loadout and/or lights juuussst where you want them. I'm not going into HOW to get them flyable; that's been covered in dozens of posts, and in the 1st Gen SF/Wo* series Knowledge Base. Your stock, unflyable main aircraft ini looks something like this (our example will be the ever popular MiG-21MF, my personal fav Fishbed): Well, in the case of the aircraft's main ini ), the easiest thing to do is after adding all the lines to make if flyabe, is do the normal "Save". Now, it looks like this: after running a patch, it WILL revert back to the stock configuration as show up above. To prevent this, and having to go back and do it ALL over for all the MiGs, Su-7s, Mirages, Thunderstreaks, Hunters, etc, this is the Easy, Lazy Man's Way ™. REopen the main ini, and do a "Save As..." and name it "xAircraftName.ini" (where AircraftName is the name of the aircraft) In short, just add the X in front of the name. The screenie show the extra ini quietly residing in the aircraft main folder, with all the pointer statements safe and intact. For to be safe, you might want to consider doing that for any/all other inis -including the data ini if extracted- so you can easily transfer any changes to the NEW data/loadout/whatever ini. Be advised, however, that extraction of new data ini IS reccomended, as the latest patch always seems to incorporate Flight Model improvements and such. As to the add-on inis, like for the Fresco and Fishbed or Floggers, just to be safe, you might want to create 'xnamed' copies for them as well. They're small files that don't take up a lot of HD space, and might wind up saving you all kinds of time in running around trying to find them from a backup disc or another install or Mod Folder. wrench kevin stein

Part 3-ish, With Reference to Expansion Pak 2: It updates ALL the exes, so if you've created 'stand alone', theatre/era specific mods folder, the exes for those will need replacing with the new one (for esample, the 1956 Suez mod ... I used the expansion1 exe, and ONLY have stuff for the 56 war) 1) back up ENTIRE mods folder by renaming to something like "z-NameOfModsFolder". Do this for ALL mods folders!!!! 2) run exp2 exe, and allow it to patch all. Use WinDoze Explorer to visually confirm new dates on the main exes - SF2, SF2V, SF2I, SF2E SF2I Exp1 3) Run exes to create new mods folders. 4) Start each game to confirm creation of new mods folders -For ALL installs 5) Delete newly created mods folders 6) Un-rename old mods folders. Be advised, there will probably be changes to some aircraft's data inis. Be ready to re-extract and re-edit. 7) -VERY IMPORTANT!!- Open each Options ini, and scroll down to [singleMission]. You'll need to change the EndYear=, as it reverts to 0, causing the games to have a max year of 1982-ish. 8) If you have stand-alone installs (Korea, DesertStorm, Iran/Iraq, Indo-Pak etc), you'll need to do the same thing with their mods folders as described above. Then, take the SF2.exe, create a copy and rename to to match the one you're replacing. Follow the steps above just like it was a standard install. (ie: run exe, create the mods folder, delete it, un-rename the original, etc) Year Change/Adjustements in Options.ini: Apparently, Exp2 does something (now!) different than before, locking end years. So, edit accordingly. wrench kevin stein

already on it's way!! wrench kevin stein

It updates ALL the exes, so if you've created 'stand alone', theatre/era specific mods folder, the exes for those will need replacing with the new one (for esample, the 1956 Suez mod ... I used the expansion1 exe, and ONLY have stuff for the 56 war) 1) back up ENTIRE mods folder by renaming z-NameOfModsFolder. Do this for ALL mods folders!!!! 2) run exp2 exe, and allow it to patch all. Use WinDoze Explorer to visually confirm new dates on the main exes - SF2, SF2V, SF2I, SF2E SF2I Exp1 3) Run exes to create new mods folders. 4) Start each game to confirm creation of new mods folders -For ALL installs 5) Delete newly created mods folders 6) Un-rename old mods folders. Be advised, there will probably be changes to some aircraft's data inis. Be ready to re-extract and re-edit. 7) -VERY IMPORTANT!!- Open each Options ini, and scroll down to [singleMission]. You'll need to change the EndYear=, as it reverts to 0, causing the games to have a max year of 1982-ish. Apparently, Exp2 does something (now!) different than before, locking end years. So, edit accordingly. wrench kevin stein

Apparently, neither the Red Top or Firestreak has/had a growl. I spent a couple hours researching them yesturday. Even though IR guided, they need to "see" the target via the aircraft radar. Neither track/manuver very well (Red Top was supposed to have limited all-aspect -read VERY limited!) So, lock up the target, close to 2.5 miles or less, and hope for the best. OTH, it's a simple matter to extract the weaponsdata ini from ObjectData001.cat, and edit appropriate line (you'll want to create a NEW weapons' folder for either/both missiles, and place in the /Weapons folder -REPLACING the older 2 from the BunyPak, if used). While not historically accurate ... it may incread PK Don't forget to create matching 'main' inis for the weapons folders wrench kevin stein

Sweet! Been waiting for these!!! BTW, with Expansion Pak 2, the correct 450 gallon drop tanks have magically appeared! wrench kevin stein

Unfortunately, on a lot of Wolfs older birds, the meshes for the control surfaces were never 'cut' in 3DMax to make them animatable (would that be the word?) Also unfortunately, there's nothing that can be done about that, without the source (ie: Max) files to re-create them. Obivously, they DO work, otherwise we couldn't manuver. They just don't move. Think of them a 'virtual control surfaces', like the virtual dive-brakes I'd added the Dauntless. wrench kevin stein

Here's the new _67 A-1H (J is similiar). This is my VA-115 skin, with the new 'body.bmp'; you'll take note of the chaff dispenser just forward of the tailwheel well. wrench kevin stein

I know! But everyone knows I'm crazy! wrench kevin stein

like Stary said, some Exp2 shots... (yes, I added a seat to the Flora, 'opened' the canopy, fixed the flaps angle, made sure the Lightning has enough gas!) Like the new yellow Bort numbers! wrench kevin stein

the Lightning pit is awsum! (I'm starting to wonder how it could be modded for the MiG-27!) BTW, you can still use Russo's Avon sounds with it, just by editing the data ini. Anyone else notice 4 new Objectdata cats?? and the natural metal skins for the Skytrain --WITH-- the antiglare panel!!! And, the _67 model H/J Skyraiders -- who's skin now have the chaff dispensers painted in (much better than the ones I did for the Skyraider Update Pak!) Now, to get the trees/buildings fixed ... cause I'm in the middle of 4 terrain mods and need to know where they are, so I can put all that stuff that Dave loves to bomb! (I guess I"ll be working on it in 08 WoE til the hotfix arrives!) I actually feel bad about being the first one to post a "bitch list"!! Really, I DO wrench kevin stein

that's the first thing I noticed ... the Canberras doing donuts on the runway! Funnier than all get out!. Haven't tested the 6 or 20 yet, but I'll wager they do the same thing Glad you found the fix!! wrench kevin stein

as someone mentioned, not only are the trees missing, but ALL the TOD items (the various and sundry small buildings). Terrain object buildings (mosques, generators, etc) are still there. wrench kevin stein

got it ... installed it, now just rebuilding the 9+ various installs....this is the part I hate! gotta be an easier way (ie: renamed original mods folders, ran the new exes -and created new ones for the KAW, Indo-Pak, Iran-Iraq, etc) and just waiting for the folders to merge. can't wait to fly the Lightning!! (will have the Flora flyable too!) wrench kevin stein

didn't I include them with the newest Libya terrain??? anyway... missile/weapon data: add this to the Blindfire radar: you'll also need a new TGA for the TEWS, and it's addition to all the various and sundry RWR lists there's sooooooooooo many of the 1stGen SAMs/Radars that need updating to SF2 standards .... HAWKs, Nike, Bomarcs, SA-5s, etc....and nobody's doing it wrench kevin stein

File Name: F-86F-40, Imperial Iranian AF File Submitter: Wrench File Submitted: 01 December 2010 File Category: F-86 IIAF F-86F-40 Sabre Aircraft/Skin Pak =For SF2 & SF/SFG/WoV/WoE and maybe WoI @ 08 Levels and above= This package creates a 'nationalized', stand alone aircraft for Zur's F-86F-40, representing Sabres as used by the Imperial Iranian Air Force in the 1960s/70s. aka "Swords of the Shah". Designed to fill in a small gap, between the Imperial Iranian AF prop-jobs (P-47s), and the third sets of jets (F-5A/B/Es and Phantoms; the first set being straight-winged F-84s, and these Sabres that replaced them). This nationalized version was created for specific reasons, outlined in the "Notes" section below. The skin is a basic bare-metal, with serial number decals for 18 aircraft (standard squadron). With information so scarce, some "WAG" had to be used. The number conventions follow those as seen on F-5s and F-4 Phantoms,and a profile I found online, so should be relatively accurate. As always, -READ- the enclosed readme for full, highly detailed, step-by-step install instructions. For those wishing to install to 1st Gen games, =PLEASE= make double damn sure you read the special section for you. I've tried to keep it as simple a possible, while covering all bases. Good Hunting! Wrench kevin stein Click here to download this file

!! Go For It !! one can always say the traditional "two weeks" is a WAG!! wrench kevin stein

"Wild A$$ Guess!" wrench kevin stein

i just put it on the desktop, and it worked fine (in it's own folder, of course). wrench kevin stein

Another in our series of "Visiting World Heritage Sites".... don't forget the ziggurat of Ur! And visit the gift shop for a souviner for the folks at home... wrench kevin stein

I don't do campaigns (never having learned the ins and outs of them), so one of the experts will take care of that. Terrain - only the best guy for the job. Objects - being adapted (from various places, including an unfinished 08 level upgrade). Others will still be needed, however (upgraded from their original state, etc and so forth) remember, it'll be for SF2 only, so .... Time frame: next year wrench kevin stein

Cats 1, Badgers, 0 wrench kevin stein