Madmatt

File Name: Madmatt's Over Flanders Fields Essential Multiplayer Files Autoinstaller File Submitter: Madmatt File Submitted: 4 Jun 2009 File Category: Maps, Missions, and Campaigns Over Flanders Fields Essential Multiplayer Files Autoinstaller June 3rd, 2009 Installer coded by Madmatt PLEASE READ THIS DOCUMENT FULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING!!! Welcome, this simple little autoinstaller was designed to help ease some of the hassle some people have encountered in trying to get all the files they need to join some of the exciting Multiplayer games being hosted every week by members of the "Doves and Hawks" online squadron. This program will install 3 separate sets of files that will allow you to also use the L30 Zeppelin, German Gotha Bomber and see the nice searchlights that are required to play some of the new MP missions that have been created recently. JUST ADDED! This program now installs 23 new multiplayer compatible missions for your flying pleasure! This program can be uninstalled at any time and will not affect your normal Single Player experience in OFF. It does NOT change any stock OFF files, it merely adds some new ones which are needed in some MP missions. Since the "Doves and Hawks" members all play with the Optional Hardcore Damage Model v1.30 released by OBD Software, I have included the option to have this installer connect your web browser to that file. It will NOT install it for you, it merely links to the file online. Please Note: This installer program will scan your aircraft folder and if it detects any older Gotha or Zeppelin files, it will delete them before it copies in the new ones. This is done to ensure everyone is using the SAME version of these files wherever possible. Be aware of this if you have custom Gotha or Zeppelin skins for instance because this installer will delete them. I recommend you back up those folders/files if you do have any custom Gotha or Zeppelin skins you don't want to lose. How To Uninstall: You can uninstall these new files one of two ways. You can use the standard Windows "Add or Remove Programs" option located under the Windows Control Panel or you can browse into the folder called "uninstall MP Essential Files" located in your "CFSWW1 Over Flanders Fields" directory and double-click on the file called unis000.exe. This will uninstall the new MP files only. It will not uninstall your game. Permission by all the original mod authors was obtained where possible and we thank them for their work. Searchlight Mod: Files originally provided by RAF_Louvert in his "Gotha's along the Thames" mission Created by Eurofinn and www.groundcrew.com Gotha: Original Gmax model by Seacondor texture mapping and skin by Capt. Winters L30 Zeppelin: Files originally uploaded on Sim-Outhouse website by british_eh but they have no credits included Mission Credits: (I did rename some of the mission files to create and retain consistentcy): PD-1 stumpjumper Axgrinder Mission Weather template file (used by some of the missions): ghandi Special thanks to the everyone that helped me with testing and assembling the files! Click here to download this file

Great! Thank PD-1. By the way guys, the MP session is now over. Tonight was more of an 'exploratory' session as we may have come up with a way to RADICALLY change what we can do in Multiplayer missions. I don't want to comment too much about this just yet... but let's just say that online missions might never be the same. Stay tuned for more! :D Madmatt

Ax uploaded the files to a hosted file sharing service. You have to have an account to download files from there. You can create one easily enough but if I can get him to just email me the files directly, I will just add them to my Autoinstaller program and could have it ready for tonights MP session. Ax, are you still around? You should have my private email address but if not, PM me and I will send it to you. Madmatt

Hey Ax, I have a new version of my MP file autoinstaller ready as well (email me for the link). In fact, I was just thinking of making a newer version tonight still that INCLUDE many of our favorite MP missions too! Can you email me all of your missions (assuming you give me permission) so I can include them? I want to also see if I can get permission to include PD's (although I hear he is away for a while) and stumps too. As long as I get permission, I will include as many MP missions as I can as my autoinstaller can handle anything we want to add to it. Madmatt

Well, I wouldn't say you NEVER see that stuff in MP missions. I have seen them all, but thankfully it's not all that common and rather isolated. I got some of the very things you mentioned (backwards flying, and warping planes not being where they seemed) the other night in one of the last missions we flew. My guess would be these are simply bandwidth related issues. As long as everyone has a decent (and stable!) connection and the host is running through a good system, those issues seem to not be a problem. Madmatt

Glad everyone had a good time. Also glad that preliminary testing with my MP File Autoinstaller program seemed to be good. I have another new version I am working on tonight and will probably see about getting online sometime Wednesday for some more testing and MP hosting. Madmatt

Answers 1. No, there is no interaction between CFS3 and any of the FS games. 2. So far people have hosted with both XP and Vista. MP does not appear to work under Windows 7 at this time though. I am trying to come up with a way around this but seems to be something due to changes in how Windows 7 works with XML files and may not be fixable. 3. Yes, in a way. I would suggest you read through the MP tutorial stickied above as it details the process or simply join up with us on TS during one of our "Tutorial Gaming Sessions" which we have been doing almost every day this week, and we can help you get all sorted out. Madmatt

Guys, to help everyone be sure they have the neccesary/optional MP files in place, I have completed my new "OFF Essential MP File Autoinstaller"! Contact me via email and I can send it to you so that you can put it up either here or on the Doves & Hawks site so people can download and use it. Here are the details on my autoinstaller. When run, this autoinstaller will: * Automatically detect your current OFF folder (OFF uses the same installer I use at work so this was easy to code) * Install the L30 Zeppelin mod (pylons aren't needed as OFF comes stock with zeppelin pylon files) * Install the Gotha w/pylons mod * Install the searchlights mod * Prompt and enable people to download the Hardcore Damage Model from the OBD website. I added this as a convenienance feature * Includes a "uninstaller" which will remove the mod files without afffecting the core game The file is about 4 megs in size. I have tested it extensively on my end, but it wouldn't hurt to have a few more pairs of eyes look over it before it's released to the public. Madmatt

I will try and pop in for a bit... Madmatt

Hey Griphos, I am glad you combined the files together but unfortunately I see that you are including files that are different than the ones I was using and with the Zeppelin and searchlight archive files especially, there is much confusion about how the files need to be installed or what, if anything needs to be edited. I am trying to make one, all inclusive self executing *MP mod-pack* installer in a easy to use .exe style file that will put all the files necessary into the correct folders for people. All that would be required is just telling the installer where your OFF game folder is, and the installer will do the rest. Making installers is easy (for me anyway), the hard part is just making sure to include the correct files. I would like to get together with a couple of people online so we can compare what files we all have, and decide on the ones to include into this mod-pack, assuming we get permission from the original mod authors of course. My hope is that we can once more streamline the whole process and make is as painless as can be for someone new to MP. I can make myself available for a couple of hours pretty much anytime this week (we can hook up on TS) to do this. Please let me know if you guys are interested in helping me offer this to the OFF community at large. Thanks! Madmatt

Yeah that was great fun! Nice to finally have some Jasta-mates that know how to fly! Once I took over as lead due to your unfortunate *issue*, Alpha8 was about the best wingman I could have prayed for! He was stuck on me like glue and maintained his spacing like a champ! What's great about MP is that you acually, in as much as possible in a video game, get to experience so many of the things we read about in historical pilot accounts. For example, I always found it odd how planes, in formation, can get separated from one another in good weather and not under enemy action, yet I read that this happens all the time. Well, in our MP session, the same happened to Alpha and myself. One moment we are flying top cover for a large formation of Rolands with our flight mates all around us, and then after a few minutes of trying to maintain proper bearing, scanning the skies for enemy fighters and dodging persistent ground fire we looked around and found that we had gotten far removed from everyone else. So much so that they didn't even register on our TAC displays! We eventually linked back up after most of the air-to-air fun was over (and I admit, the navigation fault was mine alone as I got my orientation mixed up) but it just goes to show you how much pilots had to multitask to perform their jobs in this type of environment. I think we redeamed ourselves quite nicely though and let the Tommies on the ground have it good around one well defended airbase we found. Well, that is until my over-eager pilot augered into the top of a enemy hangar! Anyway, it was great fun and I HIGHLY recommend to anyone considering MP, to join up on one of these sessions. Everyone is EXTREMELY polite and informative (and funny!) and their are no ego's at play at all. Everyone is there to have a good time and we all really do! Madmatt

I too use it all the time. In fact, it allowed me to fix a pesky Nvidia driver bug with Vsynch enabled and Vista (and Win 7) in IL-2 that using the normal Nvidia control panel couldn't do. For those that like to overclock their video cards, it's also an essential tool. I also use it's custom fanspeed control profiles that allow me to have my video card's fan automatically kick in to a higher RPM when under heavy loads. Madmatt

I have downloaded all 4 moded xdp's but haven't yet had a chance to try them out yet as I was playing MP earlier today with the stock Hardcore DM. I will give them a whirl this weekend though and let you know what I think. Up until today I had been playing with your Intermediate 1.6 DM and I like the changes a lot, but it might be just a tad too easy still. Seems like my kill rate jumped a bit over my Hardcore DM campaigns. Although the way I was flying tonight in MP, I may just be on a roll! ;) Madmatt

Well well well, score a point for tenacity. I went ahead and installed that TS Overlay plugin anyway on my Windows 7 RC x64 build and it WORKS! Woohoo! Madmatt

Yeah, I already have that tool. No problem, I was just thinking you guys were FLYING with those skins and not just encountering those pilots while playing. I appreciate the effort and I didn't mean to offtrack this post. Please continue with your great pics! Madmatt

Looks like that plugin won't work on a 64bit OS or on Windows 7. But then, that's not the end of the world because neither does OFF Multiplayer (in Win 7 x64 at least) for the time being. I will add that to my TeamSpeak config on my XP partition for tomorrows gaming session, which I hope to be able to attend.. Although not if I am still awake for much later tonight! ;) Madmatt

Winder, I am aware of how to change skins in game, its just that sometimes it's easy to miss one skin for another, especially when the same pilot has multiple skins throughout his career over a period of time, and sometimes even with the same plane. Having the exact skin name posted would help to expedite the search for the exact same paintscheme shown above to fly ingame or perhaps view/edit in an outside graphics program is all. For example, I wanted to try out that Monnington skin for my Alby campaign pilot, and it took me a while to finally locate it. Of course, that could also because I am not so good at ID'ing my Alb DV's, from the V (uprateds) and Va's and Va-200's and I had to look through a few lists before I finally spotted it! ;) Turns out I won't be able to use it unless my pilot survives for a LONG time as I am still putzing around in an early DIII. Madmatt

I know I shouldn't smack a gift horse in the mouth and the real life info your posting is great, but any chance you guys could also list the plane type and the name of the skin so that us 'other' pilots could try them out in our campaigns and QC's? With so many skins to choose from, it's often hard to find the ones you are displaying. Also, OVS, that's great news about the non-ace skins. I just wish OFF would also always see the "players" plan as an ace so that not everyone in our flight shared the same skin. That would be great! Madmatt

Yeah, my bird gotta pretty banged up but after that collision she was awesome on turning to the left, to the right not so much. By the way, what program is giving you that cool little text overlay with all of our names. Is that a TeamSpeak feature? If so I will need to get that activated. I was wondering how you guys always knew who was joining the chat channels without Alt-tabbing in and out. Madmatt

Yeah tonight was a total blast! As much as I love the SP campaign and action, NOTHING competes with some good old fashioned MP butt whooping! If any of you people reading this have been hesitant to bust your MP cherry, you should really check it out. Its like nothing else! To be fair, getting all setup takes a little while, but its well worth it and becomes second nature in no time. Even with the Hardcore DM I was getting plenty of flamers as my aim was dead on tonight. We had at one point 6 or 7 guys flying together in a mission along the English Channel that had our flight of DVII tangling it up with some feisty Tommies. Great fun! Our last mission saw an friendly DVII stray a little close to my upper wing and he went down in a tangled mess and I was left with my left wings torn apart with flailing canvas and splintered wood. I still managed to down another enemy (S.E. 5 I think it was?) but once the skies were cleared I attempted an emergncy landing which left me much more worse for wear. I never did learn who was flying the DVII that clipped my wings.. I think it was an AI as no one admitted it. ;) Thanks to all the Doves&Hawks guys for letting me fly with them. Great bunch of guys and great flying! Can't wait to dirty up the sky some more with ya all! Madmatt p.s. I just wished I had taken some screenshots!

I will try and be on but first I have to reinstall CFS3 then patch it, then reinstall OFF, patch IT and then install Teamspeak to my XP partition! Hopefully I should be done in twenty minutes or so. Are you up on TS right now? Madmatt

I can answer this one as sitting_duck and I did extensive testing with Win 7 and Multiplayer a few weeks back. Unfortunately, while you can get into the lobby and see the game that is being hosted, once you try and select your side, you will get an error and the game won't let you get any further. I tried every different combination of Windows Compatibility setting and various other tricks, but none of them would work. My only option was to load up OFF under my Windows XP partition. The error message seems to indicate that there are problems in various xml script files located in the "dialogs" folder. My guess is that Microsoft has changed some of the xml handling in Windows 7, and what used to work fine in earlier OS's in the past, is now *broken* in Windows 7, or at least is for the time being. I did some digging into those xml files and I can see the exact line entry that causes the error, but I can not see a way to fix it, but then xml coding is not really my strong suit either. Madmatt

Excellent presentation! Well done. My favorite part began at 4:56 when you scored that engine fire hit and then followed the EA all the way down. Moving! I liked how so many different graphic effects seemed to occur at various points as the plane went done. Very realistic and a tribute to the great work that has been put into OFF! I must ask you though, what damage model are you using, Easy, Hardcore, the new Intermediate Mod? While I do get an engine fire now and then, I think I saw more in your video then I have with all the hours I have played this sim. I was also just a bit curious if you increased the gun damage, or reduced the bullet spread or anything like that to help get the effects you were going for. Either way, very impressive flying and gunnery! Madmatt

I am interested but am not clear on what you meant when you said this, "As discovered by Fortiesboy and myself, threshold values control the application of most of the "special effects," such as sound effects and visual damage, including rips and tears, which occur to damaged aircraft in the game. Fortiesboy and I have discovered that lowering these values somewhat result in more effects being seen, both visually and in the actual effects on the flight of damaged aircraft in the game." I get the point that by changing the threshold values, you could trigger the various graphical damage and sound effects, BUT you also said that those changes DO affect the flight characteristics of damaged planes. Now, wouldn't that be yet another Damage Model varient then? And in fact, it would be more of an *Easy* damage model varient I would guess because you are lowering the thresholds, or in other words making those effects occur sooner than normal. I think that's what is a bit confusing to people. Maybe if you could clarify what your "threshold change mod" would do above and beyond what your new intermediate damage mod does, then people would have a better handle on if this is something they want to see or not. Thanks! Madmatt

I loaded the game back up and played back the previous encounter using the Review Mission function. Apparently, within a few seconds right as I was trying to line up that tripe, my Alb took severe damage and according to the log, my plane was rendered "virtually unflyable". The log says that I was still over 4 thousand feet in the air when this occurred ( i guess I dived much more than I had known as I thought I was still at about 10,000) but as I said above, one moment I am flying, and then the next I get the screen that says I was able to land, got captured and escaped. So, am I right in thinking that as soon as my plane reached that unflyable state, it kicked me back to the manager and that it was the manager that decided my ultimate fate? I guess what I have a problem with is that I wasn't able to try and land my plane, or fly it into the ground or anything. I just had the mission end, and then read about all this other stuff that happened that i had no control over. It was said above that you tried hard to code in some uncertainty in a pilots fate, and I appreciate this, but it seems that maybe too much is left to chance in cases like this, and not enough control, such as it is, is left to the player. If my plane was really so damaged as to be unflyable, I would have preferred being able to stay with it in the cockpit all the way down, but that doesn't seem to be possible in the current implementation. If my plane is going down with no possibility for controlled flight, i would just like to be able to experience that directly, instead of *reading* about it later... Madmatt