guitarclassic55

I tend to agree with you. I think the campaign weaknesses and being able to use the same pilot for any mission, any country sort of kills the feeling of being a single pilot enlisted in the war effort. I suppose I could create a pilot and JUST use him in a single campaign, but it doesn't have the same sense of drama or life-and-death urgency that RB3D has... or that OFF has for that matter. I'd love to see someone come up with a campaign engine/system that really pulls me in and creates a suspension of disbelief... how would it function? We should start a thread and put our heads together and do something about the situation. hmmm

Thanks guys for passing on your appreciation... nice to know you're enjoying my work!

Working MOVIE version now available.

You're exactly right, happened when I downloaded it too. I'll try to get up an uncorrupted version as soon as possible. Glad you like it!

Could it be possible that the download got corrupted but the uploaded file is good? I'm happy to replace what's there, just getting off work. Can do it in an hour or two. Anyone else having same problem? I thought the files were checked by admin before they are made available.

Happy to oblige, if it is indeed broken. Looks like 18 people have downloaded it up to now, anyone else having the same problem? Guitarclassic55

Hi All, Finally finished! I am uploading two versions of Guitarclassic55's Replacement Menu Screens... one with the MOVIE in the antique watch face on the Main Screen, the other without the MOVIE. The one with the movie is 65 MB, the one without, 31 MB. You can find both versions AFTER THEY GET APPROVED in the Hangar/Loadout/Menu section of the Thirdwire Series downloads. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks to jarrko for the background picture on the mainscreen, used also altered by me for the options screen. Thanks to kout for his original alternate mainscreen, which planted the seed and got me hooked on doing this in the first place. His work is excellent and inspiring. Thanks to sockboy and Barkhorn for their testing. Though brief, it was a pleasure working with you, guys. Thanks to p01ppy for the idea to use a small chalkboard for the hangar screens. He even offered to let me use his hangar screen work as a basis for mine; I initially wanted to but found it too intimidating because his work is also most excellent... so I went in another direction. Thanks to all who have offered support and encouragement on this forum. I hope you enjoy what I've come up with. There's a lot I could change still, but it is after all a game, something to be enjoyed. It was fun putting it all together... too much more though and the fun would begin to go away for me. Perhaps I'll take another pass at it sometime in the future. I just got TrackIR4 for my birthday (three weeks early); it's sitting in the box in this room. Hope to get it up and running and get to some flying soon. Guitarclassic55 [Jim Dickson] Prince Edward Island, Canada May 2008

File Name: Guitarclassic55's Replacement Menu Screens NO MOVIE File Submitter: guitarclassic55 File Submitted: 27 May 2008 File Category: Hanger/Menu/Loadout INTRODUCTION - Guitarclassic55's Replacement Menu Screens NO MOVIE GREETINGS! Thanks for downloading Guitarclassic55's Replacement Menu Screens for First Eagles. I created these because I felt the stock screens were a bit lacking in ambience and I wanted more visual immersion from the WWI era. Unfortunately, because most of the new screens "call" the same global INI files (which I have modified), you can't pick and choose which ones you'd like to use. I'm afraid that for the most part, it's either use these, or the stock ones, or other custom screens by someone else. The one exception: I did create new versions of the stock hangar screens but they should co-exist peacefully with any custom hangar screens that you have already installed along with custom aircraft. WHAT IS INCLUDED There are two versions of Guitarclassic55's Replacement Menu Screens available for download, with only one difference: Version 1. The Main Screen includes a "movie" in the antique watch face. Kind of cool but sometimes takes a little longer to load, and the download size is much larger. (65 MB) Version 2. Same as above, but the Main Screen does not include the movie. (31MB) In every other way, the two are identical. The stock screens that are replaced: Main Screen Campaign Screen Debrief Screen Loadout Screen Medal List Screen Multiplayer Screen Options Screen Pilot Record Screen Planning Map Screen Roster Screen Single Mission Screen In addition, the Hangar screens for the twelve flyable stock planes/variants are included. The Loading screens have not been included but may be added at a later date. One other change - Planning Map Screen Icons - the air and ground icons of the individual countries for the planning map have been reduced to 75% of their original size. I found the maps extremely cluttered at times, so this gives a bit cleaner look in my opinion. Anyone wanting even smaller (50%) icons may contact me for them. If you prefer the original stock size icons, simply open the MENU folder, find the BMP files that begin with "MAPICON..." and delete them. INSTALLATION First, first, and FIRST! – copy the MENU folder (located in the root First Eagles directory, whatever you decided to call it when you installed the game) and all its contents, then paste the copy somewhere safe just in case you want to go back to your previous menus. NOW - unzip the version of the Replacement Menus that you have chosen, then copy the MENU and OBJECT folders and paste them in the root First Eagles directory. You will be warned that the folders already exist. Click YES TO ALL (I believe) and all the contents will go into the proper folders. Read the next paragraph only if you feel you need more explanation. [The object here is to ADD the files, NOT get rid of everything that's already there. So if you followed the directions correctly, assuming that I gave them correctly (crossing fingers) you'll have new files in the MENU folder, and new files in the twelve stock aircraft sub-folders inside AIRCRAFT which is inside OBJECTS.] And guess what... that's it! The wonderful simplicity of ThirdWire's modding system. UNINSTALLING You can: 1. Do a clean re-install of the whole game. Not recommended if you have other custom things, like planes, campaigns, texture sets, maps, etc., OR 2. If you want to get rid of everything from the mod EXCEPT the new hangar screens: A. Locate your backed-up original MENU folder. B. Find the MENU folder in the root directory of your First Eagles (or whatever you named it) folder and delete all contents. C. Paste all contents from the backed up MENU folder into the MENU folder inside the First Eagles root folder. That should do it. 3. If you also want to get rid of the new hangar screens: A. Go to FIRST EAGLES/OBJECTS/AIRCRAFT/AlbatrosD3 and delete the file "AlbatrosD3_hangar.bmp" B. Repeat the same process in the eleven other stock plane folders inside the AIRCRAFT folder. The folders, and files are: AlbatrosD3OAW - delete AlbatrosD3OAW_hangar.bmp AlbatrosD5 - delete AlbatrosD5_hangar.bmp AlbatrosD5A - delete AlbatrosD5_hangar.bmp CamelF1_110 - delete CamelF1_hangar.bmp CamelF1_130 - delete CamelF1_hangar.bmp CamelF1_150 - delete CamelF1_hangar.bmp FokkerD7 - delete FokkerD7_hangar.bmp FokkerD7F - delete FokkerD7_hangar.bmp FokkerDr1 - delete FokkerDr1_hangar.bmp SE5a - delete SE5a_hangar.bmp Spad12 - delete Spad13_hangar.bmp KNOWN ISSUES: The Chat record on the Debriefing Screen may or may not be functional. I've never flown multiplayer so I have no idea whether this works or not. If it does not and you'd like it fixed, let me know and I'll try to do so. I'm not aware of any other problems... but something may surface that I didn't catch. If you find something, please let me know. You can PM me through the forum, or leave a message on the forum itself, or e-mail me directly at jimdickson@fastmail.fm. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks to jarrko for the background picture on the mainscreen, used also altered by me for the options screen. Thanks to kout for his original alternate mainscreen, which planted the seed and got me hooked on doing this in the first place. His work is excellent and inspiring. Thanks to sockboy and Barkhorn for their testing. Though brief, it was a pleasure working with you, guys. Thanks to p01ppy for the idea to use a small chalkboard for the hangar screens. He even offered to let me use his hangar screen work as a basis for mine; I initially wanted to but found it too intimidating because his work is also most excellent... so I went in another direction. I hope you enjoy what I've come up with. There's a lot I could change still, but it is after all a game, something to be enjoyed. It was fun putting it all together... too much more though and the fun would begin to go away for me. Perhaps I'll take another pass at it sometime in the future. Guitarclassic55 [Jim Dickson] Prince Edward Island, Canada May 2008 Click here to download this file

Hi don246, Did you replace the original menu folder with the BETA one, or just add the files from the BETA one into the folder? If you replaced the menu folder then you lost a lot of necessary files. I know that sockboy had the same problem because he accidently REPLACED the menu instead of adding the files into it. And since I gave really really poor installation instructions, it's not surprising. Hope this helps. BTW after sockboy restored his original menu folder then added my files, everything worked like a charm.

Albatross DV...

I never quite warmed up to the BETA version Single Mission screen, so here's a new one... happier with it, and it matches better. Also the Fokker DVII hangar screen.

Hi, thanks for your interest. I hope to have the whole kit-and-kaboodle uploaded relatively soon. Until then, if you'd like you can download the beta version which is incomplete... go to hangers/menus/loadout in the Thirdwire Series section. See my May 3rd post farther up this page for more info. May 3rd... wow this dragging on. Sorry for the delay, new job.

artists... we tend to be a little moody. So I'll get back on that horse and get back to work!

Thanks for the feedback! I was beginning to think I was beating a dead horse here...

I know what you mean about FE... it seems like the enthusiasm is at a pretty low point, I think for the reasons you mentioned. I downloaded OFF Phase 2 about a year ago, then promptly forgot about it, didn't really give it a chance. One of the problems I had with it was all the Heads Up text all over the place, didn't know all of that could be toggled off. Tried it again about a month ago and I was really surprised at how much I liked it. Then my computer died and I had to build a new one, and couldn't find the install files for OFF. Another guy from Canada is sending me a DVD of phase 2 (with the development team's blessing) and I'm pretty excited about getting it, I must say. Since I already have CFS3, I'm on the pre-buy list for Phase 3 too. I think it's pricey but FE with the expansion ran me $60 so it's all relative, I suppose.

Hi guys, I decided to go in a different direction for the hangar screens. p01ppy's hangar screens are fantastic and so are many others... so I decided to do the stock screens and leave the rest alone, so everyone can use the custom ones that came with the custom planes or replacements like those by Alligator Devil. Below is an idea of what the stock plane hangar screens will look like. Thanks for your patience. Guitarclassic55

Thanks for the info. Some of the pics in their gallery look pretty cool, especially the eindecker with the torn canvas.

File Name: FE Menu Screens BETA File Submitter: guitarclassic55 File Submitted: 1 May 2008 File Category: Hanger/Menu/Loadout Here are the screens that I've been working on. If you'd like to test them, please refer to the README enclosed. Click here to download this file

Hi guys, I've uploaded a BETA version of new menu screens for testing purposes. Let me make it clear that these are NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME. However, if you'd like to take a look at them and provide some feedback, they're in DOWNLOADS/THIRDWIRE SERIES/Hanger-Menu-Loadout. If someone would like to add a link, feel free. Not sure how to do that yet. Please refer to the READ THIS FIRST text file before doing anything else. Be sure to back up your MENU folder. I think I actually forgot to explain INSTALLATION but I'm sure you guys probably know all that better than I do! If you're new like me to FE and are in doubt, let me know. KNOWN ISSUES: 1. Included HANGARSCREEN.INI by mistake, that page is a jumbled up mess but functional. Also does away with individual plane hangar screens, that will be changed back before public release. I've also gotten p01ppy's gracious permission to use his fantastic Morane hangarscreen as a basis for mine, so that will replace the current placeholder. This will also allow those of you who wish to use Alligator Devil's hangarscreens based on p01ppy's to do so; should mesh stylistically pretty well. 2. Roster and Mission Map screens need to be created. 3. Roster submenu on the Debriefing screen is not functional at the moment. Next on my to-do list. 4. Multiplayer screen is cheesy at the moment... just a quick attempt to make things mesh stylistically a little better. 5. Others I'm sure that I'm not remembering at the moment. VIDEO -- I'm especially interested in getting feedback on how the main menu animation in the watch face runs on your system. I know on sockboy's lower-end system, the main menu takes a long time to load and doesn't seem to work properly. I'm thinking it's probably because of the 400+ animation files... If you notice a problem, you can disable the animation if you don't mind rolling up your sleeves a bit. Open the MAINSCREEN.INI file and place // in front of the "MenuItem010=MainScreenDogfightHotspot" (line 13). See if that makes a big difference or not. Thanks to jarrko for the background picture on the mainscreen. Thanks to kout for his original alternate mainscreen, which gave me the idea and know-how for my mainscreen. Thanks to sockboy and Barkhorn for their testing. Any other comments, questions, or suggestions are appreciated. Jim Dickson [Guitarclassic55]

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that TK is continuing to update things. It should make for an ever-better experience in the long run. But FM-wise it sounds like things are not quite as good now as that brief "pre-latest patch" moment when everyone was raving about peter01's latest FMs, how more rudder was used, how AI diving had significantly decreased, etc. etc. Seems like posts have dropped off a bit, maybe just my imagination... if so, I wonder if it's because people are playing more now, or are just a little frustrated. In the meantime, I'll try to exercise patience as I decide how many installs to use and what modifications to include.

This whole original install/patch1/Expansion Pack/Apr2008 patch debacle reminds me of the advances in aircraft technology in WWI. Just when we think we've got things figured out, along comes something new that we have to deal with, adapt to, and then try to better. To my regret I was busy working on menu screens and failed to download your latest FMs while they were up, peter01. I can certainly understand why you pulled them and why you're drawing the proverbial line in the proverbial sand.

Hi guys, Thanks to those of you who have agreed to test these screens. I expect to be able to post a beta by next Wednesday. I'm still considering doing an add-on Historical Aces page but if so I'll offer it later. Right now I'm concentrating on the stock screens. Cheers, Guitarclassic55

I'd like to have 5 testers to run the screens first, preferably one with a low-end machine. I just want to make sure I haven't overlooked something, which is certainly a possibility. Also need to implement the new medals option on the pilot's record screen. Haven't touched loadout, map, or roster screens yet but I expect them to be fairly straightforward. If anyone would like to help, please message me. Thanks to all for your continued support.

Attached is a WMV of the mainscreen showing about 3/4 of the animation. Guitarclassic55 First_Eagles_Mainpage.wmv