gerwin

The skin is now finished; Redone textures and added tail markings. Enjoy. When desired I could also upload my modified F-16 templates, to make it easier for other people to make skins for this aircraft model.

Yes I had that idea too, such an all-inclusive merged install is what I eventually hope to have on my Disk, (I am only waiting for the older games to get WOI flight-models with the expected patches) Good to hear it works, thanks for the feedback. Attached is a new version of CatPack. (You can delete the old one) Features: -Unpacking of cat archives (by dropping a cat file on the icon). -Much more error checking. -No seperate dll required. PS. you can press ctrl+break to interrupt+quit the program. CatPack.zip

Already looked up the Dassault Mysteres (IV) but they do not match the picture, I can only make it an F-84.

Okay, it took me a long evening, but look what I attached already! It is a little Cat Archiver program. It does not have much of a user interface, neither does it work with parameters, since these are hard to use in windows for most people. Instead it archives all files in the folder that it is started from, and always outputs to catpack.cat. But I figure that should enable modders to make any desired cat files reasonably easy. I am a bit unpatient to post it, it could use some more testing and finetuning, so please check what you create with it. So far I tested it with the files of menutext.cat and it produced a 100% exactly the same cat file. It also managed to repack all files from SFP1 objectdata.cat (quite fast) and it gave a functionally indentical file, except that the file order in my Cat file was sorted A-Z. So now I am curious too in what way this tool can be of use. (As I suggested before I suspect WOI by default will read from objectdata02.cat objectdata03.cat objectdata04.cat etc. when available) I am afraid I currently don't see any easy way to produce an enhanced file extractor. the coding libraries I work with have either poor or verry complicated handling of big file lists... they are not much use for making a selection of files to extract. PS1. the unidentified value of 2 in my first post refers to the number of file-extensions, which are listed right after the filename index. PS2. cat files do not contain any folder information by design. PS3. About CatPack: Freeware Beta version, use at your own risk. CatPack_Beta.zip

could also be the amount of cycles concerning game logic (not graphics), where it calculates things as movement and interaction of objects etc. just guessing

I personally did not think about writing things back to an existing cat file.. I was thinking since WOI has objectdata.cat and objectdata01.cat IIRC, maybe it will also read objectdataXX.cat with XX being any number. So you might put a specific aircraft LOD's and textures in objectdata02.cat or something? Admitted, also because cat files remain uncompressed, the usage of a packer is debatable...

I was looking at the cat file format, and with the aid of skypats extractor, it really is as simple as can be. 99% of the format is illustrated in the attached image. only the '2' (cyan underlined) value I have not yet traced, cat version maybe? It should not be to diffucult to make a combined extractor/packer for this. though I am not too familiar with writing winapi (the usual windows dialog programs).

I was considering painting some alternate tails for the WOI F-16A, but I just found that the game already contains a few nice ones. Especially the Flying Dragons look slick. Here are some pics.

View File Generic Hill Scheme F-16A (Netz) Skin for TW model Generic Hill Scheme F-16A (Netz) Skin for TW model version 1.0 by Gerwin 15..22-9-2008 DESCRIPTION: The F-16A Netz in Wings over Israel looks and flies great, but by default lacks an USAF Hill scheme in which most of the worlds F-16's are seen. This package contains such a Hill grey scheme and matching USAF markings. This is basically a cleverly recolored version of the original IDF camo skin. INSTALLATION: Copy the included folder with contents to the folder that contains the F-16A Netz files, for example: WOI\Objects\Aircraft\F-16A_Netz When in the game select the skin in the loadout screen. THANKS TO: Third Wire for the Strike Fighters Based Games Column5.us for their F-16A skin (colors reference) and tail code decals Submitter gerwin Submitted 09/15/2008 Category F-16 Fighting Falcon Skins

As far as I can see that is not the case with most of the stock aircraft, as the file names are the code only (like F-15A) Whilst the aircraft display name usually has additional characters (like F-15A Eagle). But thanks for the tip. I will try it out.

Just made a copy of the original F-15A folder and named it F-15C, changed the ini filenames to F-15C and edited F-15C.ini to point to the renamed files. That's all I did and then one gets a flyable aircraft which again messes op the aircraft list as described earlier.

Actually I did... Stock Wgerman and British F-4 phantoms behave fine, Non-Stock USAF F-16A and Wgerman F-104 do not. So the nationname does not seem to cause it.

Maybe.. So I removed all non-stock aircraft from the WOE installation, and then the aircraft selection list behaves properly :) . Unfortunately as soon as I add even one custom aircraft to the installation (A-7 or F-104 or F-16a or MiG-21) the list begins to mix up the selection. Like i select an F-100 but get the F-104, or the other way around.

I started fiddling with the thirdwire games again, and now I tried to add a playable mercenary unit to a WOE campaign. Now I don't own SFP1, so I just tried to find some ini settings on the internet and also I peeked in the existing ini files. I got it working 90% pretty easily. I did notice the game lacked an invoice background so I made one myself. Now I can choose a Merc. unit, buy weapons and aircraft, and earn money with missions. The only problem is the aircraft list in the loadout screen: the entries listed in the listbox do not trigger the proper aircraft. Example: I select an A-4 in the list, but everything else shows I selected an F-100. Any ideas on how to fix this, Maybe I am missing some mercenery related ini-file? I attached my current WOE-mercenery mod to this post. woe_mercs.zip

sure, except that is exactly what I wrote, so where did I write something not true? beats me.

The linked article showed the reviewer having to reinstall after using the weapons pack, I didn't know there was a workaround yet as you showed. anyway it sucks to read your quoted remark, can you be more subtile..

That weapons pack will mess up your WOI installation: http://www.simhq.com/_air11/air_345d.html use this instead (haven't tried it myself though): Mirage Factory Weapons Pack for Wings Over Israel

I might have a suspicion of the cause: When waiting for my bank-to-paypal credit transfer to buy WOI. I stumled opun a 90MB game rip of the game on the web (hard to avoid if you google "wings over israel"). Curious me tried it, and it is messed up like described above. I know what the actual problem is, but hey lets keep it a secret.

The photoshop path tool, I just tried it and it indeed works well for lines as you can later decide the thickness. thanks for the tip. For me I am afraid it doesn't really sound appealing. I like my skins to be in the same style and resolution as the default ones, and therefore I re-use as much of it as possible.

Well I cannot currently post at the thirdwire forums... guess I wont bother the good man. Just complain here a bit ;)

Just checked out the first two WOI skin templates at thirdwire.com and I noticed the "lines and rivets" layers are not seperate, as with earlier releases. As far as I can see there is not much added value compared to the bitmaps in the game itself. I know there is the 3d studio max unfolded layer and a legend but I hardly use these anyways... Any Ideas?

View File Gull Grey A-6 Intruder Skin for Third-Wire model V1.1 Gull Grey A-6 Intruder Skin for Third-Wire model V1.1 Update by Gerwin 6-4-2008..2-5-2008 DESCRIPTION: I noticed the Navy Aircraft skins in WOV have been skinned quite consistend in color and style ...except for the A-6A that is. This skin seems to be a more blue-ish grey and the weathering is rather thick and black. I tried to overhaul the original existing skin to better fit between the other aircraft: The Base colors are now exactly the same as the F-8 and A-7. The weathering was toned down and various details have been adjusted. Also I replaced the style of the nose cone and the fuselage air-brakes. On itself the white and yellow nose cones and the white/grey airbrakes represent real-life appearance, yet I do not know in which squadrons and in what combination they actually appeared. This skin does not include custom decals. UPDATE: In version 1.1 I weathered the skin in a way that is consistent with the other navy aircraft. The insides of the jet intakes have been recolored. The grey/white transitions have been slightly relocated. The white bottom is lighter now. The red color under the flaps does not shine trough so much now. INSTALLATION: Copy the included folder with contents to the folder that contains the A-6 files, for example: WOV\Objects\Aircraft\A-6A When in the game select the skin in the loadout screen. If you prefer the white nose cone you have to rename: A-6_Texture5.bmp to A-6_Texture5_yellownose.bmp A-6_Texture5_whitenose.bmp to A-6_Texture5.bmp THANKS TO: Third Wire for the Strike Fighters Based Games JSF_Aggie for the recolored nose cone parts Submitter gerwin Submitted 05/02/2008 Category A-6/EA-6 Intruder Skins

File Name: MiG-21MF/bis WOI-Style Silver Skin File Submitter: gerwin File Submitted: 1 May 2008 File Updated: 4 May 2008 File Category: Mig-21 MiG-21MF/bis WOI-Style Silver Skin (for Third Wire model) Posted by Gerwin 1-5-2008 UPDATE 1.1: Added orange lines around the canopy. DESCRIPTION: With Wings over Isreal the 'MiG-17/19/21 + Su-7 + Il-28' series of enemy aircraft have received higher resolution skins with some subtile weathering effects. All aircraft have either one or more desert camo skins and one silver skin... Except the MiG-21MF and bis which have no silver skin available. Using parts of the sand camo MF skins and parts of other MiG-21 variants I compiled a silver skin for the MiG-21MF. It can also be used (as TW does) for the MiG-21 bis. The decals and numbers configuration files included are a copy of the default soviet configuration. TIP FOR WINGS OVER EUROPE USERS: You can copy the WOI silver skins of the 'MiG-17/19/21 + Su-7 + Il-28' to each matching WOE aircraft. This will give you sharp and consistent skins for all adversary fighters. INSTALLATION: Copy the included folder with contents to the folder that contains the MiG-21MF files, for example: WOI\Objects\Aircraft\MiG-21MF When in the game select the skin in the loadout screen. THANKS TO: Third Wire for the Strike Fighters Based Games, including the MiG-21MF model and skins. Click here to download this file