eburger68

GwynO: First, use the SF2I files only if you've got a merged install that includes SF2I -- in other words, if SF2V and SF2I share the same install folder if not the same Mod Folder. Second, I wouldn't recommend installing the Expansion Pack to such a merged install because of unknown problems that could crop up -- SF2I introduces a lot of changes and is not fully understood. If you want to do it anyway, then: 1. Install the complete Expansion Pack (everything in the To_Mod_Folder from all four RARs). 2. Then proceed with optional installs, with the SF2I files being the last to be dropped in the Mod Folder. Eric Howes

Baming: No problem. I'm just glad we got to the bottom of it. ELH

Baming: I just double-checked the VietnamSEA.CAT -- those LODs are in the CAT file. They are new to SF2V -- they're not in any WOV .CAT file. If they're not in your SF2V VietnamSEA.CAT, then something is wrong with your SF2V install. What do you have installed? SF2V stand-alone or do you have a merged install? If merged, then SF2V plus what else? SF2? SF2E? SF2I? What order did you install them in? Edit: I have various different merged installs on several PCs. I just checked the VietnamSEA.CAT for the following combinations of merged installs: SF2+SF2V SF2+SF2V+SF2E SF2+SF2V+SF2E+SF2I In all three installs those LODs were in the CAT file. Eric L. Howes

Baming: The terrain folder doesn't need to contain copies of those LODs because those are standard models included in the VietnamSEA.CAT. In fact, we made no modifications whatsoever to any of the stock runways in the VietnamSEA terrain. I just double-checked -- the NV runways are showing up fine. We did change the air base tiles, which means that the ground on which the runways lie has changed drastically in appearance. No longer do you see those big green squares for air bases. Take another look -- I'll bet they're there. If they're really not showing up, then there's a problem with your SF2V installation. Edit: one other angle I neglected to mention - we did make some changes to a number of the stock airfields, esp. the ones in the southern panhandle of North Vietnam. We pushed back the start dates for those airfields until 1969-1971, depending on the air base. For those airfields the runways will not appear until their start date. All the airfield buildings will appear, and those target areas are labeled "Barracks" areas. See the ReadMe for a complete list of all the airfields that are affected. Eric Howes

Richard: You asked: There's no patch to bring the beta up to the Gold standard. You can just install right over the top of your existing beta install -- unless, that is, you've modded your beta install from what we originally shipped. I thought about doing such a patch, but the patch itself would have been very large. Eric Howes

DrArrow: Could you describe the flickering you're seeing with the RF-8G in more detail? As for the RF-101C, I'll look into the newer version. Eric Howes

Dave: You wrote: It may be a couple days before I have time to do that and re-upload it. Btw, now that the Gold release is out, all the original beta downloads (2 beta files, three fixpacks, plus the terrain update) can be removed from the Downloads section. Eric L. Howes

Folks: There are four parts to the Gold release of the SF2V Expansion Pack. Here's what's in the RARs: Part 1: Everything but terrains & aircraft Part 2: Terrains Part 3: Aircraft Part 4: Aircraft Please post any comments or bug reports to this discussion thread: http://forum.combatace.com/topic/46246-sf2v-air-ground-expansion-pack-v-20/ Eric L. Howes

DrArrow: But course. That's what it was originally designed for. Eric L. Howes

File Name: SF2V Air & Ground War Expansion Pack v2.0 Gold - Part 4 File Submitter: eburger68 File Submitted: 06 November 2009 File Category: User Made Campaigns "Strike Fighters 2: Vietnam Air and Ground Expansion Pack" by eburger68 and malibu43 V2.1 Final (Gold - Updated) 03.01.10 This is the last of four parts. Click here to download this file

File Name: SF2V Air & Ground War Expansion Pack v2.0 Gold - Part 3 File Submitter: eburger68 File Submitted: 06 November 2009 File Category: User Made Campaigns "Strike Fighters 2: Vietnam Air and Ground Expansion Pack" by eburger68 and malibu43 V2.1 Final (Gold - Updated) 03.01.10 This is the third of four parts. Click here to download this file

File Name: SF2V Air & Ground War Expansion Pack v2.0 Gold - Part 2 File Submitter: eburger68 File Submitted: 06 November 2009 File Category: User Made Campaigns "Strike Fighters 2: Vietnam Air and Ground Expansion Pack" by eburger68 and malibu43 V2.1 Final (Gold - Updated) 03.01.10 This is the second of four parts. Click here to download this file

Hi All: I have uploaded the Gold final release for the SF2V Expansion Pack to CA -- it is awaiting approval. When it does appear in the File Announcements & Downloads sections, you will find that it is a monster. Covering four RARs and weighing in at roughly 851 megs, the Expansion Pack has grown in size by over a third during the extended beta period. Here's what's in the RARs: Part 1: Everything but terrains & aircraft Part 2: Terrains Part 3: Aircraft Part 4: Aircraft And here's a summary of what's been changed and added since FixPack 3 and the Terrain Update: Changes ------- - corrected Nations.INI for SF2I - corrected SquadronList.ini errors - tweaked M35_Quad AAA, M55_Quad AAA, and M163 AAA - added "RadarFamilyName" to all SAMs and radars - corrected texture set names on some ground ground objects - renamed some ships - adjusted UserList service years for some SAMs and radars - changed color of Platte.bmp for Radio Facility (Funkturm) - numerous small corrections to TYPES.INI for both terrains - broke out several bridges into separate target areas in TARGETS.INI - added train tracks and trains to rail road bridge target areas - changed several bridges to use new bridge models - moved location of Dragon's Jaw bridge & added surrounding terrain items - added corrected NV airfield INIs from ravenclaw_007 to add static aircraft to NV air bases - enhanced lone warehouse targets with other structures - swapped out F-104 camo drop tanks for alternate grey tanks - changed EffectsClass for M117 to MediumBombEffects - minor tweaks (incl. lights) to B-57G - tweaked weapon stations on C-123K - added LandingSpeed to Cessna180 & O-1E - tweaked mission radii and ceiling on EA-6A - minor correction to EA-6B cockpit - minor corrections to decals on EF-4C - minor corrections to flight control parameters & decals on F-102A - corrected reversed rudder and landing gear rolling radii on F-104C - swapped out SyAAFCamo1 skin for CzAFSilver1 skin on MiG-19SF Additions --------- - added DebrisCloudEffect - added new texture sets for some ground objects from SF2I - added ZPU-4 AAA and M-42 AAA - added Old Diego's new terrain items - added Old Diego's new ground objects (some to \Optional) - added "docked ship" terrain items w/ reduced ship smoke & incorporated them into harbor target areas - added alternate air base tiles - added alternate flak effects - added Sounds for Old Diego's items - added new guns for Old Diego's ground objects & M-42 AAA - added MK-11 depth charge & MK-13 Torpedo - added SF2I-specific file set to \Optional folder - added P-2H Neptune - added sounds for P-2H Neptune - updated SoundList.ini - added default 3W textures for all MiGs Please report any bugs in this discussion thread. Eric L. Howes

Gerwin: You wrote: That's exactly what I'm saying. I tested my theory once more with another campaign. This time I flew a dedicated ground pounder -- the A-4C with VA-93. I also cut short missions in order to save the MiGs. That means that soon after I achieved my mission objective I ended the mission. Results? Very good. This time the MiGs lasted through mission #11. During those eleven missions I was tasked with hitting the runway at Bac Mai once. I also hit the barracks at Noi Bai once. Every other mission was against targets ranging from just north of the DMZ to north of Kep along the northeast railroad. I'm now on mission fifteen, and the campaign is still playing beautifully. I got two SEAD missions and 2 armed recon missions -- the rest were strikes. I hit bridges, barracks, POL dumps, and even one power plant in addition to the targets I mentioned above. So, yes, I'm saying the lack of a ground war has nothing to do with the problems reported with the WoV campaigns. There are actually several bugs or issues acting in concert with one another. And what makes them esp. nasty is the fact that the stock VietnamSEA terrain is simply target-deprived. The problem of the MiGs getting wiped out early is a problem with the stock campaign. I also think that with some work this problem can be alleviated to a great extent. What's important is that my two test campaigns demonstrate that even while the MiGs are active, the game will not fall into endless-missions-against-Noi-Bai trap as long as the terrain is populated with sufficient targets to keep the ground pounders busy. Eric L. Howess

Baming: Again, you're raising issues that are really beyond our capacity to fix. The game determines the size of SEAD flights. As for helos -- too difficult to implement as things stand. The helo flight models we have at present, though improved over what they were a few years ago, are not really adequate to allow AI to fly them reliably, to say nothing of players (and if we added helos, folks would immediately demand that we make them player-flyable). Also, some of helo models have other issues that make implementation difficult -- too many headaches. Eric L. Howes

11th_AF_Taxman: You can find the Dynamic Campaign Editor here: http://www.lowengrin.com/download.php?list.8 I've never used it, so I can't vouch for it. Eric L. Howes

Baming: Thanks for the suggestions. 1. U.S. air units in SEA: TK's already done plenty of research along these lines and incorporated it into the existing campaigns. While I have the resources to double-check every campaign unit against reputable sources, doing so would significantly delay the release of the Expansion Pack. 2. FACs: the Expansion Pack includes a number of FAC aircraft (O-1, OV-10, etc.). The game simply won't use them as FACs for campaigns or game-generated single missions. It will use them for player-created single missions, though. Nothing we can do about that. TK has said that Snoopy will return -- don't know when, though. 3. Air units at same air base. Again, this behavior is hard-coded into the game -- not in our power to change it. 4. Expanded air bases. It's true we haven't done anything with air bases. As with #1 above, revamping air bases would take time and significantly delay the final release. Perhaps in a future release down the road. Truth be told, though, I am much more focused on adding new enemy target areas, as they have a significant impact on how the game plays (single missions as well as campaigns). I was thinking just yesterday that it would be interesting if TK could figure out a way to implement ROE in SF2V during campaigns so that the campaign would only gradually release targets by type and location based on a schedule. Also missing from the game: air-to-air refueling, which played a huge role in U.S. air operations in SEA. Neither are within our power to implement, unfortunately. Best, Eric Howes

DrArrow: If you do put together a "Green Hell 2 Lite" package with all the necessary files, be sure to include install instructions for two different install scenarios: 1) Install from scratch (following Brain32's re-painted tiles, of course); 2) Install in order to replace an existing GH2 installation. As for the Gold version, in a day or so -- just taking care of a few last little things. Eric L. Howes

Tax: Which game are you playing? Wings Over Vietnam or Strike Fighters 2: Vietnam? VF114 is already included in the Rolling Thunder and Linebacker I campaigns for both games. In WoV, however, that squadron is not player-flyable by default. Eric L. Howes

Folks: Final update on my test campaign: I'm now 26 missions into the campaign. Missions 19-20 the game tasked me with hitting targets at Kep air base. The MiGs also came back those same missions -- and were based at Kep. They were swiftly put down. The game got Vinh-happy for a couple of missions, tasking me with targets at that port for 4-5 missions in a row. Once the targets there were exhausted, the campaign continued against targets elsewhere. I got one armed recon mission total. Even 26 missions into the campaign I'm not even close to exhausting all the targets or target areas that are available in the expanded VietnamSEA terrain. (And, I might add, I never hit Noi Bai airfield.) Based on what I've seen, I think the problems that players have reported with the WoV 2008 campaign are actually the product of several bugs or issues. Start with the fact that the VPAF's MiG force gets wiped out early on in the campaign. After that, any unit capable of doing strikes is doing only strikes -- no air-to-air. Not surprisingly the game runs out of non-airfield targets rather quickly. In the whole terrain there are only four bridges, two power plants, one PT boat base, one factory complex, three harbor areas, and a handful of misc. single warehouses. That's not much to work with. Once the non-airfield targets get pounded to dust, the bug TK mentioned kicks in. With no non-airfield targets left and no MiGs to tangle with, the game tasks players with hitting the one working MiG airfield over and over and over. Expanding the terrain with a wealth of new target areas pretty much breaks that vicious cycle. The lack of a credible MiG threat for long stretches is a problem, but fixable (I think). At any rate, that's the assessment I've come up with. Eric L. Howes

DrArrow: The lightened flak effects definitely make a difference, and they still look fine, so we'll include those in the final release. The lightened Green Hell 2 TOD set will not be included, primarily because I think adding yet another install option that works differently than the other terrain options would simply cause too much confusion. What you ought to do, though, is collect all the files needed for a complete install of your custom GH2 (TODs, TGAs, BMPs), put together a nice ReadMe with install instructions (be sure to include the original GH2 ReadMe), take a few illustrative screenshots, and upload the whole package to CombatAce. You could title it "Green Hell 2 Light" and even mention in the ReadMe that it can be used with the Expansion Pack. Plus it works on both SF2V and WoV. I think other users who see performance lags with standard GH2 would find it useful. Eric Howes

Gerwin: Quick update: I'm now 18 missions into the campaign. Still have yet to hit an airbase -- any airbase, much less Noi Bai. Eric L. Howes