Wrench

I'll get started on the screens ASAP.... just got the Mushroom Yellow on the D-520, as I don't/didn't know diddly fiddely about it... fascinating aircrft! Outperformed the 109D/E!! Interestering! Also, don't forget we have the French 7.5mm mgs in the WW2 Weapons Pak; courtesy of Heck Mitchell as he made them for my ADA Hawk 75 and DB-7. Battle of France anyone?? (which might mean actually finishing that 25 Squadron Battle skin I started 2 years ago...) wrench kevin stein

To make it more 'shiny', adjust the reflectivity, specular and glossiness in the texturet.ini. For example, you can use the data off the F-100D's natural metal skin, as it's got a nice balance of all 3 Specular=1.000000 Glossiness=0.500000 Reflection=0.800000 My base template is 2048x2048, which gives you a 12,894 meg skin bmp -which is the size I've been releasing on my Mustang skins. (the template weighs in at about 30-odd megs!!, what with all the extra layers and stuff) BTW, some of the niceset, most detailed skins are those done by pappychksix - Pete's got some REAL nice ones. They could concieveably be imported INTO the template, and anyother detailing be added. I'd shoot him a PM, as I don't remember if he's a Freeware signatory (but, knowing what a cool dude he is, prolly is) Remember, you have to START with a large sized template; just resizing the skin bmp UP only tends to blur details (having done that a few times with some of my home-made templates, I can attest to the fact of interior detailing losing sharpness, that even re-sharpening that layer won't bring back) wrench kevin stein

If that's V.3 model, you'll also have to add the callouts for the aileron 'actuator' thingys R_A_Actuator_01 R_A_Actuator_02 L_A_Actuator_01 L_A_Actuator_02 Positions will be the same as the Nation Markings and designator (in this cas KAF) You'll probably want to add the 'shroud' decal around the engine exhaust stacks. You can find the tga and decal positions in my Post-War Generic Metal Mustang skin, here at CA. There's a 56 Suez War Camo Mustang I did a few years pack (and probably for the V2 Lod, so it may need upgrading/adjusting), and I've got the Natural Metal for 1st Fighter that I've never finished (and also need s total overhaul to the V3 Lod) Don't forget, too, we're supposed to get the 'stang with the WoI expansion (and probably SF2:I) whenever TK deciedes to release it wrench kevin stein

WOOT!!! happy birthday, rugg!! wrench kevin stein

Definately need some Vichy skinned ones for whenever I get the "Torch" map finished (and that really means, when it gets started!) edit: You know, Gepard's Israel2 opps-Suez- map would be just the ticket for that....in fact, I have a start on a WW2 version of it around here somewheres.....hmmmm...definately need to redo the 'front line' bits..... wrench kevin stein EDIT: I meant the Suez map ... unfortuantley, missing Alex, as it's just beyond THe Wall. Was looking at it last night;

It's set for MEDIUM airbases only; had that 'don't want to come unstuck from the ground issue' during testing. (which necessicated replacing both US airbases on the WW2 Phillipines map, too!) I'd like to see your tweeks (as in: what did you fix???) wrench kevin stein

Just to let you all know that, NO, I haven't forgotten it. It's coming along nicely (even though it does need more tweeking of the FM). The nose arts are KILLING me!! Going cross-eyes bat-s**t crazy, as pretty much each and every one, for all 3 skins -OD and Black for A and Black for the B, need to be completly redrawn and relettered pretty much by hand. The average is between 1-3 1/2 hours for EACH, depending on the level of detail. Some, obvously were much easier; those with simple "text" without any fancy art work. So, without further ado, here's some shots of the nose arts on the P-61B. This is a VERY large jpg, so I apologize for that. I wanted it as large as possible, so you could see some of the detailing in the decals, skin, etc. Enjoy! wrench kevin stein

Nightfighter Radar Fixes: Whilst working on a few other projects, I noticed that most, if not all, the Luftwaffe & Allied NFs DON'T have the correct radar configurations in their data ini (this was evidenced by my Monica/Serate NOT beeeping at me while a 410 was after me) So, after going over ALL the data inis for these birds: Beaufighter NF.1 Blenheim F.Mk1 Ar-234B (NJ) Bf-110G He-219 Ju-88G6 Ju-188D2 (not really sure this is a NF, but what the heck, right???) Me-262B Me-410A2U2 I found that pretty much all of them had the "RadarType=" set to Ranging. Soorrry!! WRONG!!! These (expecially the RAF style, are "AIR_INTERCEPT" -as I'm sure the FuG/SN for the LW are. Soo...I updated all the ]DectectSystem[ statements in the aformentioned aircraft's data ini. I used the following statement, taken for 'another aircraft with working AI radar', and replaced the ]DetectSystem[ statement. Mind you, you'll have to keep the MaxVisibleDistance= line the same, as I think they're set per aircraft size. This above is a fairly 'generic' statement for the Luftwafee NFs, as it has the "KM" range. Most of the range data is set in the variious avioinics inis at any rate. Not shown above is "RadarName=" line, I'm not exactly sure WHAT that does, other than lable the designator of the onboard radar system. You'll also want to cross-check in each of the avionincs.inis, for this line: Make sure is reads KM, as most have the statement in NM. For the LW birds, this WILL greatly reduce the operational ranges of the radar in the various modes, but I feel this is a little closer to reality. Also, while you're in the various avionics ini, for all the aircraft!!!, double check the following statements: SearchRangeSetting= TrackRangeSetting= BoresightRangeSetting= GroundMapRangeSetting= TerrainAvoidenceRangeSetting= (note: these last 3 are probably NOT used on most aircraft, but check anyway!!) The SearchRangeSetting MUST match the number of settings as listed in the top section of the [AvionicsData] statement. Meaning: For GroundMap & TerrainAvoidence (yes, we KNOW TA didn't really exist in WW2...but the AI/Autopilot may use it for low-level flying -good for intruder missions!), Ranges 1 & 2 should be good. Also, Boresight should ALWAYS be 1. Even if NONE of the available WW2 radars had this ability, make sure the statement is correct. For the most part ALLthe WW2 radars are far stronger and more accurate than their Real World ™ counterparts, but it DOES make for better playability For the Allies, here's the samples directly out of the various aircraft: Blen F.Mk1: Beau Mk.1 NF/Beau Mk.10: You'll note that I have the RWR set to TRUE. Not sure if Monica or Serate were ever installed in the Beau 1NFs and pretty sure it was never in the Blenheims, so whatever! I'll cover adding the audio-only RWR a little later. I'm not covering the P-70 Nighthawk, as it just couldn't ever catch anything. If there's a call, I'll post the relelvant sections. Ok, I mentioned an audio-only RWR, to try and duplicate the Boozer or Monica or Serate or whatever the Luftwaffe used. The procedure is EXACTLY the same as it's always been for adding one to an aircraft that didn't have one before. BTW, this is all listed in the main Knowledge Base. Also, this same "fix" can be applied to the RAF Heavy Bombers as well, even if we don't have (yet!) the ASV radars for ground mapping (but I can fix that, too!) Right ... open up the avionics ini of the aircraft you wish to add it. In our example, we'll use a Mossie FB6. Now, as this is NOT a radar equiped aircraft, we'll have to create a new ini for. Open a blank notepad, or your text editor of choice, and copy/past the following into it: Then do a 'save as...' Mossi_Avionics.INI. Drop it into the FB6's main folder. Open the main ini (Mosquite FBIV.ini, or whatever it's called --mine got edited some years back) and add the following lines at the bottom of the top section, ]AircraftData[ AvionicsDLL=Avionics60.dll AvionicsDataFilename=Mossi_Avionics.INI Save and close. Now, using the cat extractor tool, open the objects.cat, and scroll down until you find the F-4J_RWR.bmp. Extract it; you'll find the bmp in the MAIN object folder. Copy/paste, move however you want to do it, the bmp INTO the mossi's cockpit folder. You can use any RWR bmp, just make you the names match EXACTLY in the avionics ini. For already radar equipped aircraft, just add those texturedata line to the top section, as shown below: (this below is for the Mossi NF.XII project -don't worry about the other lines) Now, as we don't have any radar-controlled Flak batteries (that is, YET -- they're coming, don't you fret none!), the only time it'll "light off" (ok, it'll just beep really) is when a radar-equipped fighter is looked for/at you. I just wish I could attach the function to a light in the cockpit, as is historical. But this WILL work!! That should just about do it! With any luck, this should make the AI wingmen just a bit more agressive and effective against Enemy Aircraft. Any further questions, just PM me or ask in the main PropHeads Forum! Good Hunting! Wrench Kevin Stein

Truth! I d/led some books on it last night ... WOW!! Gonna be interestering! At least the IJA camo is one 2-tone! (182,000,000 lire???? for 20 planes??? plus another 25millon for 10 more???? Ain't that a little expensive??) wrench kevin stein

File Name: Empty Desert Terrain File Submitter: Wrench File Submitted: 14 Sep 2009 File Category: Terrains Empty Desert Terrain for SF/SFG/WoE/WoV, possibly FE & WoI, and SF2 Series This is a 98.6% stripped down version of the STOCK SF desert terrain map. By that, I mean that every target area, citywise is still there, and all but 2 airfields -one large airbase for each side- has been removed. The cities themselves have been cleared out of all 'targets of value'. This creates a fairly 'clean' map, and still allows for ALL mission profiles. However, Strike missions will be confined to the enemy airbases, as no 'valued' targets exist elsewhere on the map. CAS, Armed Recon, Recon, Anti-Ship and all the Fighter mission statements, CAP, Sweep, Intercept are all still valid. This was done to create a fully operational map, where mission/campaign/terrain targets builders can have a relatively clean slate to experiment and test their various projects. This package ONLY contains the inis necessary to get up and running -- there are NO terrain tiles included. As the cat pointer line 'reaches around' back to the existing Stock Desert.cat, this should pose no problems for End Users ™ that already have the needed stock terrain. However, edited Planning Maps for all 3 levels are included. For those End Users ™ WITHOUT the stock SF/SFG/SF2 desert terrain, you'll have to obtain terrain tiles. There are plenty to choose from in the CombatAce downloads section. My preference would be Photo-Real desert by Polak: http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=4461 These are REALLY nice tiles, and enhance the look. The additional cat pointer lines for GermanyCE and VietnamSEA exist, but are commented out. See below for more information of "Selecting the Proper Cat File". It has been tested in SF, WoE and WoV, post 08 patch levels. It should work in FE & WoI (also post Expansion Pak and Post 08 Patch) with the correct cat pointer and existence of the stock SF Desert Terrain -- this has NOT been tested, however. It also works in SF2, as long as you adjust the cat pointer lines in the main ini. It should also be noted the inis herein are in ANSI coding, and may need conversion to Unicode for use in SF2 NextGen series games. This has NOT been tested, as the stock SF2 desert inis ARE still in ANSI. As always, it's reccomended you unzip this archive to a temp folder, or you desktop, to gain access to the rest of the readme for full, detailed install instructions. Happy Landings! Wrench Kevin Stein Click here to download this file

'bout time Buny's old Seahawk is seeing a little love!! Great skins! wrench kevin stein

I feel more bad for TK, having to put up with his nonsense. Having been on the recieving end of his diatribes via PMs and other nastiness, well...it's just a pity TK had to suffer it as well wrench kevin stein

This'll go nicely on the North Africa/Tunisia maps, to say nothing of adding them to the BoB campaign. We'll need an IJAAF skin too, for 1930s China. Looking good Ed!! wrench kevin stein

Right now, the aircraft is 98.6% ™ finished. All the nose arts, serial numbers, skins, ini tweeks, readme, etc are finished. Just need the final screen shots for the release announcement. I'm just awaiting a fixed LOD that adds the fast/slow prop tgas, then the package goes to Veltro for final approval. Then it'll be in all you all's hot little hands. I'll think you'll all be MORE than pleasently surprised! wrench kevin stein

Knew you'd figure it out. Knew it had to be a _types ini problem. BTW, that flag looks familiar.... and yes, I can pretty much name where the cargo ships came from <vbg> wrench kevin stein

Glad it works now! btw, that parts list is from 2004 -- we had the very same 'issue' when WoV was first released, and the Zipper was conspiciously missing from the game. It's from the "wov_starfighter_import_list.txt", that some folks assembled to tell what items were needed to get the F-104G back into WoV (later on, TK re-released it as a stand-alone add on) wrench kevin stein

This idea came to me whilst working on the P-61, as the only other RAF nightfighers we have are the Blenheim F1 and 1 or 2 Beaufighters (which oddly, the Beau's are now ctd'ing on me...with aircraftobject.dll) So, this 'fake' or stand in popped into my head. Now, obviously, it'll need new decals as I'm reusing some from the FBIV Special, and the reskinning isn't quite done (yes, from newly home-made templates, resiezed up to 1024x) The major drawback is the 'thimble nose' not being quite the right shape, and being visible when you're in the 'no cockpit' view (it's set as a fake pilot seat). But it works! As did renamin the 'map' node in the cockpit to radar scope, albeit WAAAYYYY to big, but at least you have a semi-working scope in the pit. Also, the pilot now has a chair to sit in <grin>, and the correct slipper tanks have been 'adapted'. I could even do up an NF.II, if a 3d guy could build the bow & arrow nose transmistter and the 4 small verticle antenna on the wing tips. any interest, even as is??? wrench kevin stein

Covered about 1000 times already, little brother! (also listed in the 'Things You need to update thread' in KB for the 08 patch) Ever since the 08 patch for TOS series, helo rotors got wonkified. IN the data ini, Reduce the main rotor diameter to 6.0 or less, and then they'll start moving again. wrench kevin stein

Can you post the top section of the main ini? (F-104G.ini) Below is from mine, mind you I've diferentiated it from the STOCK 3W version, in both the folder and main ini name, so on the drop-down, you'd see F-104G and F-104G (AJ) This is from my 08 WoE. But I know the cockpits work, as I've 'activated' all the Zippers in my Triple Merged ™ SF2 install. wrench kevin stein

looking good! did you d/l that Warpaint book? Did it help any (other than adding to your collection! <evil grin>?? wrench kevin stein

Easy fix, if you have one of the TOS games (SF/WoE). Extract all the items on the parts list below from the Objects.cat: f104radar.bmp F-104_ATTITUDE.BMP F-104_GAU1.BMP F-104_GAU2.BMP F-104_GAU3.BMP F-104_GAU4.BMP F-104_GAU5.BMP F-104_GAU6.BMP F-104_PIT1.BMP F-104_PIT2.BMP F-104_PIT3.BMP F-104_RADARMODE.TGA F-104_WARN.TGA F-104G_COCKPIT.LOD F-104G_RANGEBAR.TGA F-104G_ROLLTABS.TGA F-104G_SIGHT.TGA F-104REFLEC1.TGA F-104REFLEC2.TGA HUDGLASS.TGA HUDGLASSTOP.TGA HUDGLASS.TGA HUDREFLECTION.TGA Also, don't forget the F-104_AVIONICS.INI and F-104_COCKPIT.INI (as some changes happened in either the 06 or 08 patch; made some gauges that didn't work, to work now) place them in the a /Cockpit folder in the 104G, then copy/paste that folder into Ajundair's in your NextGen install. Move to 2 ini UP into the main folder, where the data ini and hangarscreen and other stuff resides. Edit the main ini if necessary to match the names, and there ya go wrench kevin stein

The items that are disappearing ARE in the GroundObjects folder, right??? They're entry in the types ini state UseGroundObject=TRUE right??? Obviously, you said they're already listed in the targets ini, so I don't think that's an issue (but check anyway that the Name= in the types ini matches the Target]xxx[= in the targets ini) Safe to assume the types in IS named "Desert3_Types.ini"??? (i've made THAT error a few times!!!) ActiveYear= matches that in the GO's data ini?? Also, I'd double check that cat pointer line ... it's not correct. If you're using the stock desert terrain for the terrain objects and tiles, it should only read: CatFile=..\Desert\Desert.cat Unless you've copy/pasted the desert.cat INTO the Desert3 terrain folder and renamed it "Desert3". In that case, you don't need the cat pointer line. Lastly, are you more than 50km away from the objects in question? That seems to be the spawn/despawn distance for GroundObjects existence. that's all I can think of, at the moment wrench kevin stein

Actually, you don't even NEED to delete the cockpit folder. You just edit the "CockpitDataFile=" line.... Example below is the CamelF1, since my FE is fairly 'clean'.... or you can do the 'comment out way, and leave the line intact, just add the double slash marks and it has the same effect. It works this way on ALL 3W sims wrench kevin stein

Jim, need a big favor!! I need to know the mesh or node name of the gauge indicated in the screenie below. I've already found the needles, and moved them out of sight, but I can't figure out the gauge's name!!! EEEKK!!! I know it's a coolant gauge, but still I've looked through the OUT file, looked inside the LOD with a hex editor, and still can't get it. Your help is appriciated, as this will be turned into a radar scope for the Black Widow. I'd have emailed you the request, but I lost your addy!!! Many thanks in advance!! wrench kevin stein

Oh, poop!!! Oh well, I guess I'll just paint in the radar screen, and the End User ™ wil just have to use the 'popup' radar in the upper right corner (on medium or easy mode) Many thanks Jim!!! wrench kevin stein