fng2k

Hi Guys- Sorry for the little bugs. :o I've started a thread over at SimHQ for bug reports and fixes I sse you guys have figured out the EWAWEuro.cat issue. I've already got a fix ready for most of the other issues. pribably have a small updat pack in a week or so depending on what else emerges... Glad you're having fun! cheers fng

Thanks guys. Keith and TK did the real code work. In fact, I just can't get over the clever approach TK took toward terrain creation. Even in it's current rough beta state, it's an amazing utility. Iraq is a particularly dificult area to recreate due to the very diverse terrain. Desert, shore, river, farm, forest all in one region. I made my first set of semi-arid tiles last night, and mere words cannot express just how badly they suck. btw, I mispoke myself... that Vietnam map is actually farther north. That's the Chu Lai area, down the coast from Da Nang. Operation Starlite happened in this area in 1965. Still no Huey's or Loaches yet, (still waiting on a new improved 3DZ editor by the EAW guys), but we still could have Pretzel's AH-1G and OH-58A to play with...

S! Ranger- Looking good! But I just wanted to let you know that TK does plan to release his Terrain Editor app eventually, which will save you lots of time, and help the prevent premature blindness and sleep deprivation caused by manual tile placement. (been there, done that... :D ) I don't know TK's timetable on this, but it's in beta right now, and it's very slick. 8) Code Wizard Keith Bedford and I are also finalizing an adapter utility which will enable the many custom terrain and tiles sets built for European Air Wars by fans to be adapted for use in SF:P1. It will also allow fans to use the Terrain Editor to make new EAW and Gunship maps. More on this over at SimHQ here, and here Here's southern Germany, using SagginB's latest Spring terrain set: And that same map in TK's editor: So stay tuned.... fng

This new .exe has been hex-edited to create new platoons containing Cobras, Hinds and Hokums, as well as platoons with Blackhawks and Kiowas armed with MG's. Also Infantry can now be hidden in some houses, and Red/Blue FARP units are available. Here you go. http://www.simwarrior.com/gunship/utilitie...ship_v2beta.zip Just under 500KB. Very easy to setup. This is really easy to use, so give it a go. It won't make any changes to any other files on your PC. It should work fine for MP, but of course everybody in the mission will need to have it. Here's the readme. Gunship v2.0 Readme This edited gunship.exe file includes the changes listed below. Note that not everything is fully functional on the new helos yet. Consider this public beta version a "Proof of Concept" effort. Files included: gunship_nocd_editbeta2.exe readmeGSv2.txt (this file) (2) test missions: "new platoons red.txt" and "new platoons blue.txt". To use: Save this new "gunship_nocd_editbeta2.exe" file into your Gunship folder, right next to your old gunship.exe file. Save the two test missions into your Gunship!DataBattlesPlayer folder. That's it. Run "gunship_nocd_editbeta2.exe" via double-click or make a shortcut. To run the old version, just run gunship.exe instead. They don't conflict. Multiplayer note: When flying MP via the Microsoft Zone, whichever version of the Gunship executable you ran *last* will be the one launched automatically by the Zone client when the mission starts. This hasn't been tested in MP yet, so I'm not sure what would happen, but to be on the safe side, restart Gunship with the old file once before flying online multiplayer. If everyone in the mission has this same new file, they should all launch this new 2.0 version once before starting a multiplayer session. There are no changes to weapon or aircraft performance in this version. Many thanks to ShadowFax for hex value help, and moral support. Have fun! fng2k Platoon_Desc___________________________________________Side______Role 21 OH-58D w/50 cal MG (1), AH-64A (2) Blue Air Cav *Kiowa has invisible .50APHE as if on a turret. *No external stores or door gunner graphics. Missions: "Hornets' Nest", "Streets of Fire" 30 HMMWV M-2 (1), HEMTTs(2): M978 fuel/M985 cargo, M939 Truck w/inf (1), M577 TOC w/inf(1) Blue FARP UNIT *Modified logistics section 62 Ka-50 Hokum (2), Mi-28 Havoc (2) Red Attack Helo *No weps visible on Hokum's racks Mission: Various Red 67 SRBM TEL FROG (3) Red SRBM BTY *Still doesn't launch (dammit...) Mission: "Frogger" 73 BRDM-2 (1), Zil Truck cargo/fuel (2), ZSU-23-4 ADV (1), BTR-80 (1) Red FARP unit *BTR w/infantry Missions: "Hornets' Nest" 109 UH-60 Blackhawks (3) w/ M-60 7.62 MG, AH-64D Apache (1) Blue Transport Helo *Blackhawk has invisible MG as if on a turret. *No door gunner graphics. Mission: "A Good Hammer" (as opfor) 120 Infantry in house - Red (1) Red Infantry 121 Infantry in house - Blue (1) Blue Infantry *Emplacements use house objects instead of fortified position. *Red and Blue use different houses. Missions: "Frogger", and numerous campaigns 128 Mi-24F Hind (w/inf) (2), Mi-28 Havoc (2) Red Attack Helo *No weps visible on Hind's racks, *Apache cockpits (I have NO idea why...) Mission: Various Red 131 AH-1W Super Cobra (2) Blue Attack Helo *no weps visible on racks *(This replaces rarely used UK WAH-64D unit) Missions: 3 UK campaign missions General Notes: The new Red helos are available in any Red mission. However, to use some of these Blue units, you may need to manually edit a Blue mission (SIDE: 0) to include the new Platoon. This can be done in any text editor by changing any entries of PLATOON: 17 or 18, to PLATOON: 21, 109 or 131. For more infornation on mission editing, see the Mission Editing Handbook available at my site: http://www.simwarrior.com/gunship/index.html To load/unload troops, (Blackhawk/Hind), you MUST use LZ and SAR waypoints to instruct the AI pilot to land, and you must be in CP/G seat (F2/F3) when landing. No known manual load/unload key combo. You can teleport out of the new helos into an original helo, but not the other way. Respawn works OK. [/code] UPDATE 23:00EDT: I just fixed the lack of ATGM's on the Hind and Hokum by arming them the same as the Havoc. (Good enough for now...) Download again if you want full Red weps.

Hi bard- Yeah, try it out! We're working on an Iraqi Freedom add-on, which will have even more enhancements in the exe, as well as a bridge mod so ground units can move across bridges And maybe even ships! 8) I'm off on a sidetrip right now, working with Keith Bedford to adapt TK's amazing Strike Fighter Terrain Editor for use with GS and EAW (and maybe other sims with tiled terrain). This will let us use real Iraq maps like this prototype: So stay tuned... :)

Hi Moses- yea, I get that when going to the arming screen when flying the Kiowa or the Blackhawk. I think the problem is due to the fact the GS is trying to hang more weps on those birds than they have hardpoints for. At this point, I don't have a fix because I don't fully understand how the GUI for the arming screen relates to the tables in the exe. Consider it one of the benefits of using beta software. :D Sorry for the hassle. Just skip the arming screen for missions that launch with you in those helos. (Platoon: 21 or 109 as the first unit in the mission file.)

in case anyone else wants to be able to add specific unit insignia or other details to their Apaches, here's everything you'll need. Includes a readme. Apache skin kit - 336kb The customizable skins for the Eurocopter Tiger and the Mi-28 Havoc are already included in Mod M8. A current project: This is a good project if you want to learn the basics of repainting aircraft and objects. You'll need some kind of graphics program like Paint Shop Pro. I'm thinking of "adopting" a particular unit for The Duration, and try to follow their status as much as OpSec permits. The unit sites often have pics of how they paint their particular aircraft. regards- fng *Honor those who Serve*

Glad you like it! :) I used the gunners sight graphic from M1 Tank Platoon 2. That and more wallpaper at: http://www.simwarrior.com/gunship/modsadds....html#wallpaper

Mod M8 is a mod management application for Gunship, which lets you fly several alternate helos, and also includes both the desert and winter terrain packs, plus three new helicopter skins. If you are already using the new GSv2 edited .exe, it will not conflict with Mod M8. Mod M8 ver. 3.0 uses Adobe Acrobat forms for the interface, can be added to any existing Gunship folder, and will run on any operating system. You will need the free Adobe Acrobat reader if you don't already have it. You can download it here: http://www.simwarrior.com/gunship/modm8v3.html Cheers- fng Here are some new screenies:

I just spent about 7 hours in the Zone with a bunch of great folks. (Wife and kids are away this weekend!) We had a blast flying the new EXE in Multiplayer. It definately works! MP lessons learned: -If you have a firewall which is setup to let gunship.exe pass through, you'll need to set it to allow the new file name through, too. (Your FW may prompt you to do this anyway.) -When flying at the Zone, the Zone client always launches whatever Gunship executable you launched last, so you need to launch the new one offline once and then close it before joining an MP sessions using it. This wouldn't happen in IP to IP sessions. -Selecting a helo before the mission starts can be a bit tricky. The current interface doesn't have pictures of the new helos, since they weren't flyable before. In general, the first 2 helos in each flight are the new ones. The worst that will happen is you'll end up flying in a different helo than you expected. I'll see if there is anything I can do with the interface to make it clearer during MP. -We only tested the troop unloading in the Blackhawk once, and couldn't make it work. I'm not sure who controls the LZ waypoints in MP. More testing needed. But Gunship multiplayer is a fantastic time.... Here's a shot of Warlord_1BHS in a Blackhawk being escorted by either nockmeister or loaf9mm (I fergit..) in an AH-1W Cobra. cheers fng

Thanks for the kind words and the coverage, MJ! This release is a barefaced attempt to interest some higher level codeheads and hexxers to help us exploit and build on what we've learned about the exe structure. Fantastic potential, here... Hi Hedu- The MP action seems to be at the Zone these days. In fact the past few Saturdays have seen quite a few folks flying GS at the Zone. Info in the FAQ. If you want to fly sometime, try posting in this thread: http://www.simhq.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cg...ic;f=9;t=001686 Or just keep one eye on the Zone Direct Play area here: http://www.zone.msn.com/directplay/default.asp?num=818 Of course IP2IP is supported, too. BTW: I've updated the zip file above at 19:30EDT, adding 3 more missions optimized for GSv2. See ya in the crosshairs... fng

Hi guys- I haven't been over here in quite a while, and I love what you've done with the place! Whatcha, hire a decorator? ;) Great to see a Gunship forum. I'll try to stick my head in frequently to see what sort of trouble you guys are getting into... The 1st Bear Hunter Squadron have been doing some GS online at the Zone on weekends. I bet they can whip 195th's butt anyday... ;) (Yes, I'm just stirring up trouble... ;) ) Seriously, they're nice guys and I bet you'd have fun with them. Steel over at Wings of Fury is thinking of trying to get a squad together, too. GS multiplay is just so good it's a shame to waste it. cheers fng

Hiya MadJeff- Thanks for the welcome and the kind words! There's a cluster of renegade GS fans over at the simHQ forum, but I didn't know you had some GS sympathizers skulking about here, too. ;) GS really has incredible potential. We already know how to do some fantastic enhancements, but finding the time to actually do them is always a challenge... here are a few pending and future projects: Maybe I'll take this opportunity to invite any experienced hexxers, 3D modellers or others of that ilk to drop me a note if they are interested in joining our mod group. (My E is in my profile.) In particular, anyone who has worked on European Air Wars or M1 Tank Platoon 2 mods will find that Gunship is very similar in many ways. Anyway, fantastic site you have here! I forsee many hours of browsing around ahead... cheers fng