Laer

It's a shame... There's so much that I like about this sim... The quality in the graphics and flight model alone have always impressed me, as well as the scope. But little things just drive me nuts on it... the painful map/waypoint system... the annoying voiceovers (....the sound of the voices are great, but the performances are annoying (the hyper Russian guy shouting repeatedly), and either overly excited or way too relaxed.... American:'Someone get him off me....(yawn)..... Please....').... and the terribly disappointing 'lawnmower' engine sound.

The bombing runs (heavy bombers) drove me crazy for the longest time (mostly the waypoint system and autopilot switchover systems), but just recently I got it working and did a successful run (of a mission I've failed countless times, much to my violent disappointment...). I figured out some of the things I did wrong, but am still struggling with things like the waypoint system.

Shame it's not more modable.... I'd love for someone to make a b17...

Ya, I have the campaign generator. I'll have to fire that up again and see.

Thanks for the responses!

Okay, thanks... I just thought I heard of some solution (or at least mention of the problem) in some forum long ago. Couldn't remember if it was resolved or not.

Cheers...

Seems like you can't change anything once you start a career... Locks all the settings down.

I can see why they do that, but they SHOULD allow you to turn off an aid (like labels) anytime. Not allowing the turning ON aids during a career is understandable.... although, frankly, I think in all games/sims the player should have freedom of choice, and not have it treated like it's some competition that has to have fair rules, etc.

Ah, well... I just started a new career with the aids off. Problem solved... just not the way I'd like.

Is there a keyboard command to toggle lables on/off? For some reason, labels are suddenly on, and I'd like to get rid of them.

Are there keyboard commands for the map, so I don't have to use the mouse to click in them to zoom, etc?

Are the standard Pilot Careers dynamic by default, or do I need to do something to have that?

I can't get past the first mission (...and am getting really tired of it). Is there any way to skip it, or have a different mission generated instead?

Is there a fix for the TrackIR Pro controlling the external view (...I'd like for the hat switch to do it, not the TrackIR Pro... as it's awkard twisting your head to view the other sides of the plane)?

All the mods like RV and OF and such have included manuals in PDF form I believe. Just browse thru the directories. The original manual is relevant to the generic stuff, but specific switchology and procedures may be incorrect/incomplete with the mods.

True enough... but which manual in the F4 docs folder? There are several manuals there (as well as other documents and folders). No 'Open Falcon' one... So I'm assuming that it's the SP4 one?... I thought SP4 was a different 'mod' than Open Falcon. I was surprised to find it there... along with some of the other ones.

Regarding the full merged IL2 (Aces, Pacific, etc) sim...

1) Is there a way to change the current waypoint on the map display? It's annoying that it seems to insist you fly to each next waypoint, regardless of the situation ...like if I'm already 2 waypoints ahead of it, due to having to take a detour, yet it wants me to go back and hit the first one... or if I am badly damaged, and want to head straight for home, it still insists I hit all the waypoints.

2) Is there a way to declutter the map (remove all the gun icons) AFTER a career is started? You should be able to toggle them on/off if you have selected to have them on in your career difficulty settings. Most of the time, the target area is completely covered by icons, so you can't look at terrain/landmarks.

3) Why is it that you have to switch autopilot off in order to turn the wing leveler on/off... even though the wing leveler can be on with autopilot on or off?

4) Why is it that you can't adjust the bombsite (altitude, speed, viewing angle) while autopilot is on for the pilot? Those are two separate positions. Why are they treated as one in terms of autopilot?

5) Is there no way to see what altitudes you are supposed to be at for each waypoint on the briefing map?

6) Why is it that very often, it seems that I can't slow down the bombsite speed enough to prevent drift? Is there a minimum altitude you can use the bombsite at? I have the other settings correct, yet even at the slowest speed, the bombsite targeter is sliding down faster than the ground.

7) Is there no way to accelerate time faster than 8x? Meaning, is there no 'jump to next waypoint' feature?

8) How are the altitude and airspeed guages in the bombing deck read? The altitude seems to be way higher than the sim info panel altitude. Are they in different units? If so, why the heck would they do that? (The plane makers, not the programmers)

9) Are there any fighterplane campaigns that focus on ground attacks, rather than dogfighting?

Thanks...

Anyone know if/where there are settings for the default distance the F2 camera is from your jet? I'd like to set the distance farther than the default.

As well, can you also set the 'drifting camera' (CTRL J) as on by default, and the info bar (Y) as off by default?.... or does it remember whatever setting you last had? I can't remember...

Shift+Backspace. All the keycommands are in your LockOn/Doc folder.

Must have missed that one somehow... Thanks.

I hear ya... The ones I've been interested in (and previously installed) were things like the fps helper, complete soundpacks (the new jet sounds and heavy breathing really help), landing light fix, F4 view mod (further forward to include pilot), tree shader, landscape mod (more detail on airports)... fairly basic stuff... mostly to improve fps or graphics. The only 'new plane' mod I've been interested in is the f16 one, but was always frightened away by the fact that it saves over your hotfiles. I think it was the fps mod that killed my install... parts of it were not installed (modman showed them as red), as they saved over hotfiles. I tried doing a 'file by file' install of the one graphic.ini one in that fps mod, and that seemed to screw up things (...at least, in the long run).

The f16 one DOES look nice... but I won't install it if it's risky. I've recently dusted off Falcon 4 (...I actually have the original sim), and discovered Open Falcon, so that may address my f16 need.

I'm in the process of installing LOMAC/FC right now. Just doing the FC patch now, and I'm done. Then, I'll do a complete backup of the folders/files somewhere so that I don't have to go through the full install again if one of the modman mods goes bad on me.

My fps is good, but I'm going to tinker some more to see what I can do to help it. Really, only the SU25's tv monitor kills me... everything else is just occasional stutters, etc.

Oh, regarding your soundpack... Ya, I actually saw it before, when I was downloading all the mods. I'm downloading it now again, just in case I didn't have it before. I'll try that instead. Sounds like it's a good 'best of' type thing. Thanks!

Is there some way to have LOMAC display the FPS?

That worked, BTW... Thanks!

I'm wondering if anyone has made any mods for the map display in LOMAC/FC... specifically zoom/position controls.

I've always found it a bit frustrating that there were no keyboard shortcuts for zoom in/out and center display to you. The existing zoom system is really inefficient (click on zoom in/out tool, click on map)... even having the map zoom in/out when you click on the +/- buttons would be better than the 2 step process it currently is. I never understood why they did it that way. Better still, just have a keyboard shortcut for zoom in, zoom out, and center map to player.

It would be nice if you could select whether the sim pauses when you go to the map. I pretty much HAVE to pause it anyway, as I often go to the map, only to find it's displaying a section that I'm nowhere near.... so I have to click on the - key, click on the map repeatedly to zoom out to see where my plane is, deselect the zoom out tool, scroll the map to center my plane, select the zoom in tool, then repeatedly click on the map to zoom in. Crazy stuff... especially when you're damaged, and struggling to keep your plane level and above ground!

A shame there's no small popup version of the map you could view in the cockpit too...

[LATE ADDITION]

(Slaps head) Well, I just accidentally discovered the mouse wheel zoom in/out.... That's much better! Still, a center map to player feature would be nice (rather than zooming out, finding your plane, then zooming in).

Next question... Wouldn't a pilot have a flight plane with them (that shows waypoints, and their altitudes/speeds, etc)? You get it at the mission briefing, but don't have access to it during the mission itself... or did I miss something again?

Here's the link for NET Framework 1.1.

Excellent! That worked. Not sure what it was that I was installing before (...first one was v2... or so it seemed), then I had another one that was 1.1, but seemed to be an update (rather than full install), so it said it couldn't update.

The link you sent me worked, and LMR installed and seems to be working. Have to test it out.

My installation of LOMAC seems to have been permanently screwed. No engine/flare noise on ANYTHING now, even with mods uninstalled. So, I'll have to do a clean install.

I'm curious... What mods are you running? Any I should avoid? Any I should definitely run? I'm using Modman 6. Which soundpack do you prefer?

Thanks so much for your help with this. Very much appreciated!

I wanted to use LMR, but it doesn't seem to think I have NETFramework installed, despite me re-installing it again, so it won't let me install LMR.

So, I'd like to try LOMU... which runs, but the one thing it doesn't seem to do is actually save out a file when I click Save Randomized (...after loading a LOMAC mission from the standard LOMAC install). Everything seems to work, except the Save Randomized. Even Save Mission works.

Anyone have any theories on what's happening?

I can only find the Beta version. I guess that's the only one that came out.

Can't seem to resolve the NETFramework thing... LMR doesn't seem to recognize v2... only 1.1.

You should be able to get Net 1.1 Framework from the Microsoft site. That's the version you need. Net Framework is like an addon, it doesn't come with Windows.

Yup, did that... but the installation program only lets me Repair or Uninstall. So it seems like I have it already (...I do think I installed it previously for LMR), but LMR doesn't seem to want to acknowledge it. Not sure what I can do now.

I appear to have the beta version of LMR, and it seems v1 exists. Can't find it in the usual download places. You know where I might find it?

Another question for you...

I'm trying to install LMR, and it's giving me that 'you must have NETFramework.... etc, etc'. I thought I installed that already, but anyway, I tried installing it again.

A bit confusing (the MS site for NETFramework). For one thing, it's not clear what to download. I'm running XP SP2, so I'm thinking the '82' one... which I believe is for non-64 bit machines.... not that I really understand that fully.

When I run that, it only gives me the option to Repair or Uninstall.... giving me the impression that I have that version already installed. However, LMR still cries out for NETFramework (....1.1 something, specifically). So, maybe LMR only looks for 1.1 (...something), as opposed to making sure it's at LEAST 1.1.

Any help you can throw my way on this?...

I was an 'original F4' player long ago... and then I upgraded to the SP3, which was certainly better. I recently dusted off F4, and explored the different mods. I couldn't find Red Viper... Free Falcon installed easily, but seemed unstable, and had some things I hoped would have been updated... Open Falcon installed easily, and I was impressed with both the (relatively good) stability and improved graphics. Without much experience in either, I'd say Open Falcon is your best bet. It's free (unlike AF, which also doesn't seem as updated/impressive).

You'll find people liking one or the other... but that's my personal pick... as I was in the same boat just a month ago...

Cheers!

I have the original Falcon 4 sim (with the wicked manual), and (years ago) was using the SP3 mod. I've dusted off F4, and looked into what was new. I looked into AF, but was disappointed in what SEEMED to be not much improvement (for a paid update). I was blown away by the Red Viper vids, but couldn't find RV... other than FF3. I tried FF3, and was impressed with the easy install, but unimpressed with the stability. I then tried Open Falcon, and was impressed with both the easy install and the seemingly better stability (...and the fact that, despite thinking that FF was the more graphically superior, OF looks really great).

Anyway, what I'm getting at is, I'm reading up on how to play F4 again (...it's been a while!). I'm reading the original manual, but already noticed that there are some changes in Falcon compared to the manual with the OF update. One that comes to mind is the Air To Air modes... In the manual, you have RWS, TWS, VS, etc.... whereas in the OF cockpit, there seems to be RWS, TWS, and then some DIFFERENT modes that seem new and not covered in the manual.

Are the modes the same, and the display codes are different... or have the avionics been updated in OF?

Main question is, is there a further manual that I should be reading after the main F4 manual?

(My appologies to all those who died of old age reading that longwinded question....)

I've got the fps helper mod and all that, but I'm just curious which graphic/audio settings are the worst fps killers. I have my resolution down fairly low, and heat effects off (from day one)... but I'm still looking for ways to improve the framerate. Generally, it plays quite nicely (with a few hicups now and then).... Really, the only time it's kind of painful is with the SU-25T tv monitor on.

I was surprised the fps helper mod puts the heat effect on... so, I'm wondering if any other features/settings are turned on/increased by it that I would normally have lower.

16bit colour is fine, right? I know 32 was overkill (or something) previously...

When you make an LMR mission, you have to change the file extension for the generator to recognize it. Read the instructions carefully and you'll get it figured out. ;)

Ah, there's a clue! Actually, I didn't see that in the readme. I'll read it over again. I was actually hoping they would have put in a bit more of an instruction manual. The one for LOMU was kind of brutal, if memory serves... Thorough, but confusing... I'll look into it all again. First, I got to get my a10 audio back! (groan....)

What I meant to say was to use Modman 6, it will install the older mods correctly. Most of the mods out there aren't LOMAN or ModMan compatible.

Yup, okay. I'm using Modman 6. I like how it (apparently) has fixed that CCD(?) issue (.....CCCD?.... You know what I mean...)

I'll let you know if I discover anything. It's weird... I removed the one ZZZSpace (non-bitching betty) mod zip, and used the Archer Soundpack instead... which initially worked, but again did the same effect (engine/flare sounds gone on the A10 only).

Wel this may sound dumb...I thought it was when I first heard it, but thake the effects sound folder contens and place them in the root directory.

 

This worked for me.

 

Joe

These were installed using Modman 6... It actually worked initially, for days... then only the a10 engine sounds (and flares) went silent. All other sounds still worked, including the other 2 ZZZSpace zips.

I'll have to tinker with it. The sound files didn't get corrupted, as they do work individually. So, I'm thinking some init file got messed up or something...