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Wrench

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Posts posted by Wrench

  2. Posted

    Ok, lets go over this one more time....

     

    (assuming NOT WoI, which places parked aircraft. The rest of the games will get theirs when the next patch comes out; even then the older terrains will need their airfield data ini rebuilt to the new standard.)

     

    *note: I've not tested comprnt's parked statics, so can't speak to those. -- this is how I've done it with terrains*

     

    1) you cannot use the stock aircraft lod for parked aircraft. Period. They have their 'world center' set too low.

    2) you must use something that has been built for a static. Several are available, unfortunatley, not readily available to the General Public . They can be obtained by registering with the Dev A-Team, and D/L from Capuns site.

     

    3) If you look in the NG terrain folder, you'll see the lods and bmps for the static aircraft.

     

    Static aircraft, to aviod all kinds of ugliness, MUST be (pre-WoI) added to the terrain targets and types inis. If you'll look at any of the WW2 terrain's targets and types ini, you'll find their positions listed in targets, and the object themselves listed in the types.

     

    If you want to remove the parked aircraft, do this to EACH AND EVERYONE OF THEIR ENTRIES IN THE TARGETS.INI:

     

    NOTE: this is just an example,

    Target[089].Type=//P40E

    Target[089].Offset=540,-230

    Target[089].Heading=270

    Target[090].Type=//P40E

    Target[090].Offset=540,-75

    Target[090].Heading=270

    Target[091].Type=//P40E

    Target[091].Offset=540,75

     

    You'll note the commented out P-40E's. I discovered this quite by accident, whilst working on the Libya update. The Game Engine will skip over those entries, and go on to the next. Or you can simply delete them (the "P-40E"), leaving it blank. If the entries are at the END of the target listing, the full entries can be deleted. If they, as some are, somewheres in the middle of the target list, you can switch them out for something innoccuious - maybe oildrum1.

     

    Or you can rebuild the terrain targets and types inis to relfect modern usage, leaving out the parked aircraft. Like I did with the 'modern Darwin' rebuild.

     

    Another issue you'll run into is 'misplacement'. When I was adding parked statics to SoCal, in particular some parked transports at one of the enemy bases, the offsets didn't match the placement of the aircraft statics. I believe this has to do with the airfield being 'turned' to historical headings. All the stock SF-ish runways are 0/180, so any object placement reflects this. This is easy to fix, by 'twisting the base around' to the stock heading, playing a mission, locating the offset, placing the object, playing another mission, then twisting the base back around to it's original heading.

     

    It's a lot of work. So, that leaves several choices:

     

    1) Live with the WW2 statics

    2) delete them

    3) wait for the patch, and rebuild the data inis

     

    And there ya go! PIA, isn't it??? :wink:

     

    Wrench

    kevin stein

  5. Posted

    Knowing what game you want to install it to would be nice, as well.

     

    If, I can assume, you're going to install it into WoI, you'll need EVERYTHING that relates to the F-4B you'll need:

     

    main ini

    data ini

    loadout ini

    cockpit ini

    avionics ini

    hangar screen

     

    the ENTIRE cockpit folder (which means extracting ALL the bmps, tgas, and cockipt lod), as it's a completely different pit from the E

     

    All the aircraft lods.

     

    All the skin bmps, decals, etc. Decals will have to be placed

    1) in the /decals folder (in the main /Objects folder or

    2) in a /d subfolder in the whichever skin is used or

    3) in a F-4B/Decals subfolder, with the decals ini pointer adjusted <- which would need doing in any case

     

    All the above will make it super easy to transfer the entire aircrft folder between games. No different than putting the WoV A-7, A-6 or F-8 into SF, WoE or WoI

     

    So, there's your parts list!! Now, get to work!!!! :wink: The CO wants them up and running within the hour!!

     

    Wrench

    kevin stein

  6. Posted

    Soulfreak: Tell me about it!!! I"d love to have a 'coventional' airport terminal building to replace the hangars on Airfield 4. But I wonder what the next patch will bring, vis-a-vis 'parked airplanes.

     

    I know there's another tower, more civilian looking around here somewhere, and grampotusmos' (potmi??) radar facility; I plan in switching out a few thing, plus there's the Objects Pak Polac, albeit mostly WW2 PTO style building, but I've already used some of them (Quonset Hut).

    And there's always the new flags I've raised :wink:

     

    After setting all the NATO side, I guess I'll go back and double check the Libyan side. Just to make sure

     

    Wrench

    kevin stein

  7. Posted

    To the list above, add 2 more airbases:

     

    Tunis-Carthage International (runway4)

    Melita Airport (runway3)

     

    coming soon:

     

    Camp Dido

    Camp Hamilcar

    Camp Hannibal

     

    You can guess where they are! :wink:

     

    Looking at the ground attack routes, they seem to follow a historical pattern.....west to east along the coast road. Hmm....I seem to remember doing this once before; perhaps long ago, perhaps in a dream....

     

    Wrench

    kevin stein

  8. Posted

    Right! I've to 2 different -4 Corsairs here ... one is probably NOT Wolfs, and apparently NOT a TMF one either!!! (actually, there's also a -4L to diferentiate yet ANOTHER variant!)

     

    I'd use the F4U-7 (AeroNavale) for the base aircraft, to create a -4.

    Do the 'create a nation specific aircraft' ini tweeks,

    Then do a few renames of the skin bmps from the AU-1 to (re)create the USN/USMC -4/5

    All the TMF Corsairs are mapped the same.

     

    Not too much work; getting the planes would take the most time.

     

    Wrench

    kevin

  9. Posted

    The -4 I built was/is based off Wolf's -1. Just some simple ini edits to create the hardpoints and loadouts.

     

    The Aero Navale -7 is/was pretty similiar to our -4; the skin mapping should be the same, switch over to one of the USN/USMC skins and create an 'new' aircraft. Should be relatevily easy...

     

    As to the carrier problem, I think the problem is with the ships themselves, but don't know the cure.

     

    Wrench

    kevin stein

  11. Posted

    Ok...got a lot more worked on last night. There is, unfortunately, a major problem with Panataleria....

     

    new_libya-8_pantelleria.jpg

     

    This shot is from last night, using Runway1. I put every stinking airfield on that island (which seems to have a 'silting up' problem on the shorline --nothng I can do about that, as I don't want to mess with that stuff), and none of them worked - runways 1,2,5 and 6 ... they never flattened usably on the southern end (on the right). -- been a fraking nightmare with that one!!!

    So, in frustration, I just dropped in my modified runway3 (paved version as seen in SoCal). Being a small airfield, none of the larger birds; ie those set to use MEDIUM runways, want to fly from it. It seems to be usable, but in trying to build a mission just to take off from there, the install of WoE I was using went titsup. Didn't damage the terrains, but all the effects and graphics are wonky. Good thing about having myriads of installs...just copy the terrain into another one!

     

    So, we'll just have to live with it as it. Valetta has a harbor, populated with some shipping, Messinna exists as a blank city tile with a commbuilding (something for Sparko to attack, if he flys for the Bad Guys). Siracusa, without a harbor (should I add something???). I'll probably drop some kind of 'urban module' at Palermo and Trapani (if needed). Runway headings are pretty close, depening on terrain (high mountains make the AI crash)

    On the NATO side we have usable:

     

    Andravida, GR

    Tito Minniti

    NAS Signoella

    Catania

    Trapani Briggi

    Luqa, Malta

     

    All the Libyan stuff remains pretty much the same, with the exception of some airfields have been changed from Runway 4 (LARGE) to 1,5,6 (Medium).

     

    BTW, is Tunisia friendly or enemy? I dropped a commbuliding at Tunis, but it's set as NEUTRAL. Nearby is the USAF/NATO listening post/spy center :wink: . It's mostly used as an anchor for the front line, which has been fixed.

     

    All NATO bases have an associated defense site (HAWKs), plus their internal AAA units. Libya...well, you know about them! SAMs & AAA everywhere!!!

     

    The Kadaffi's Defense Miinstry center got a building upgrade, too. You all can guess what I used :haha:

     

    veltro: sorry, about Sardinia, bro! But there's plenty of other usable places. I even looked at Edwards WW2 Tunisia & North Africa maps....but switching sides is REAL bugger...never have quite gotten it right.

     

    Hopefully, by the weekend for release. It'll be EVERYTHING needed - all the inis and other bits, tiles; excepting some of the GroundObjects, but everyone should have them anyway. Should be usable in just about ANY version of the game, from SF to WoI, as long as you have the proper cat pointer (I use WoE)

     

    Wrench

    kevin stein

  16. Posted

    I am stupid....found Signonella by simply scrolling further south. :blush:

     

    Got all the new one's installed, relatively close. Remember,too we're working on a 63% scale map, so things can get a little crowded.

     

    Panatella just gets a single runway (airfield 5 or 6 - can't remember). Not quite enough room. Trapani Briggi right now is using airfield 4, which we know to be wrong. I just wanted one LARGE ab for bomber useage.

     

    Tiling issues....well, using the TOD Trick, creates some interesting visual anomalies. Like tall building sitting in the middle of the sea (ok, just off the beach, but you get the drift - nautical joke!)

     

    Going back to the stock tiles looks like the best option....

    libya_stocktiles.jpg

     

    pretty much the same view as in the 1st post. Using the stock TODs gives us plenty of smaller, single/double/triple story buildings on the city tiles. In some cases...which means adding little 'urban modules' where I have named cities (mostly in Sicily)

     

    Using them creates OTHER problems....and some solutions! There's a nice 'exclusion' spot pretty much where it's needed between Tripoli and al Azzizzzza. More moves!!! plus some nice round 'oasis' spots for SAM batteries ... they should fit nicely.

    Of course, this meams -once agian-- going over the entire Libyan coastline, back to version 1.4, for object placement for the ships an other port thingys.

     

    More delays.... well, at least I know the NATO side is pretty much set. Although, there is some tiling strangeness in Greece, as it originally was never meant to be seen, let alone played from.

     

    Back to work...

     

    Wrench

    kevin stein

  17. Posted

    thanks guys, that just what's needed.

     

    The SFMap thingy dosen't quite place things where they are. In game, thing will be 'relatively' as they say, close to RL . I've placed things as close as I can, given some of the small flaws (lack of some of the bays and inlets - the Strait of Messina is definately NOT quite right)

     

    Catania is going to be changed (yet again!) to a smaller airfiled --- i'm getting the same 'stickiness' on the southerly take off heading (this may be do to proximity to the sea - had/have this same issue with the NAS at the east side of San Friscisco Bay in the SoCal map). Probably change the orientation as well. It should be noted, that all stock airfields are 0/180 orientated. You have to make any changes to base objects BEFORE rotating...cause once you do that, the offsets are not longer valid.

     

    Tripol In't is where it is due to the city tiles (this is true for a couple of others as well) Its further west and south than it's RL position, as are a few of the others. Same can be said for the site of Wheelus (or ex-Wheelus) -- it's suposed to be on the coast, but it's all covered with city tiles and buildings (Polak's tods)

     

    Since I can't retile....those are all moot points. Other than using the stock desert tiles...which I find to be too orangy, and we'd loose all those nice tall buildings. Unless I do the Fubars renaming trick.

     

    Interesting to note, Sigonella dosen't show in Google Earth!!! Blows me mind!! If I get the coords, I can always addit back. Could probably use the site of USBase 1 from the original map. It's still flat, and ready to have something dropped on to it.

     

    Definately try for Panatellara, an historicaly important site. As long as it's more than 80km from the map edge...

     

    Interesting note on Trapani ... in GE, when you zoom down to about 2000 feet, you can see F-16s parked there, and and F-86D on display near some buildings.

     

    As for GroundAttack movements, there will be none. As inthe original, ver 1.3/1.4. Anti-shipping routes, both sides and Armed Recon yes.

     

    Wrench

    kevin stein

  19. Posted

    No, that's not a typo (which, as everyone knows, I'm prone too!!)

     

    Got the NATO/Italian airfields straightened out, moved and renamed more or less properly. They reside, withing a few KM of their real live positions. (more or less... :wink: ). I'm sure our Italian/European members can point out any mistakes I might make along the way....

     

    Modified planning map: NOTE-this is a LARGISH image!

     

    planningmap3.jpg

     

    Since I've been working on Sunny Southern Italy, I thought it would be nice to fly AMI planes....

     

    104S-ASA-M over Messina, and to quote Rick Wakeman/Jules Verne, with 'the frightening Mount Etna' in the background...

     

    new_libya-4.jpg

     

    Some airfield shots...

    Looking across the Strait of Messina, west to Sicily

    new_libya-5.jpg

     

    Yet another view of Mt Etna..

     

    new_libya-6.jpg

     

    Luqa is active. Still have to build Valletta and it's harbor. Unfortunately, the coastline isn't quite right, but it's workable.

     

    new_libya-7.jpg

     

    Next up, checking ALL the mission types. It's progressing a lot faster than I'd thought. Some tiling issues at the transitions, but nothing show stopping. It's a combination of my 1.4, FLHaussers .5 version, with more of my special tweeks, using Polak's tiles.

     

    Wrench

    kevin stein

  24. Posted

    My Venom update????

     

    This is from the readme:

     

    All loadouts have been adjusted to fit the latest WepPak, and the aircraft now carries RAF (well, UK actually) nation specific bombs/rockets. This fix was posted by me as well at Buny's Weapons Wiki.

     

    The loadouts are all fixed --- you don't need to frack with them. I've done all your work for you. :yes:

     

    Now, since the 60#s aren't showing, I can guess that you're probably using the TMF pack???

    Guess what...they ain't in there.

    You'll have to add them.

    You'll need the info (data section) from the Bunyap Pak, plus the lod and bmp

     

    Might want to let us know, next time, which pack you're using??? Makes it easier to get things sorted.

    Remember, too, the TMF pack is VERY much a work in progress, and mostly designed ONLY for their aircraft (and the stock ones). Everything else MUST be added.

    Another hint: look at the weapons listings IN the weaponsdata inis. A missing weapon can be easily found by it's absence....

     

    Wrench

    kevin stein

  25. Posted

    Ok, some very quick, and very dirty skins...

     

    US/Federal P-40E, circa 1943:

     

    cw_us_p40.jpg

     

    94th Pursuit Squadon (still have to place the Hat in the Ring)

     

    I forgot about the decal bleed on the r/s fues, so I'll have to paint the insignia on the template. I remember in one of the books, the fighter pilot sees/mentions something about 'the American Eagles on the wings'. I'm making the assumption of that being the North's markings.

     

    Rebel/CSA Spit 1:

     

    cw_csa_spit.jpg

     

    7th Fighter, Tennessee (TN flag on tail)

     

    There's some misalignmet on the rudder/vert fin so I'll have to move the TN fin flash forward or make it slightly smaller. I want the blue striipe to show. Fues numbers should be moved aft of the insignia. And...my damn "CS Army" underwing tag is backwards, have to tweek that too.

     

    Ways to got still on both...

     

    Just thought you'd like some samples

     

    Wrench

    kevin stein

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