quack74

Gotha raids on London?

104sqn IAF DH.9's approaching Boulay Airfield

Jasta18 at Montingen ready to meet the IAF

Stephen1918 have you ever thought of creating animated parts such as wheel suspension, like on the stock aircraft?  How about damaged modeling using TGA overlay like on the DH2's and others. What's a little more work right?

That's one I've been waiting for for a long time. Thank you Stephen1918. I havnt been around that much in the last couple of years but do check in every now and then. Real world and family life has eaten all my time. But it is nice to see things still being made for FE. I'm thinking a nice Bloody April campaign should be in the works for this Sopwith

I haven’t contributed in a while but I always check in to see what’s going on. This is a good one Stephen. I always liked the CL.ll. Lots of great skins for it. I still fly when I get a chance. I’m definitely getting this one when it’s finished cooking. Thanks Stephen1918

Cant wait for the Sopwith Triplane you are going to work on next! 😉

**How to set up and use a Zeppelin**

This method is the only way I've been able to use a Zeppelin in the game.
This works for user controlled and AI.

The game engine doesn't produce a single aircraft all the time, regardless of how I set up the Formation.INI

parameters. I can set my formation or an AI to only have 1 squadron with 1 flight with 1 aircraft, which would

be my plane or any other AI aircraft that uses the same Formation Parameter.It seems to work sometimes. But for

what ever reason the sim will randomly add a second aircraft (wingman). So some missions my plane or the AI will

be flying solo or every 2nd or third mission will have a wingman. I've tried many times to try to change this

but to no avail.

So, to get a specific aircraft to have its own specialized formation, lets say a Zeppelin, this is what I did:

1. In the "Flight" folder open the NATIONS.INI file and create a new nation and make sure you number it   

consecutively. In my case I created a nation called "GERMANY_Zeppelin". Save when done.
  

[Nation047]
Name=GERMANY_Zeppelin                    <----------- Add new name
DisplayName=German Zeppelin Air Service
Alignment=ENEMY
PilotNameList=NamesGerman.lst
RankList=RanksGAS.lst
CallsignList=
Formation.Fighter=Fighter
Formation.Attack=Attack
Formation.Bomber=Zeppelin                <----------- add new formation name for Bomber ONLY
Formation.Transport=TruckConvoy
Formation.Tank=TankSpread
Formation.MobileAD=AD
PilotTrainingStandard=NORMAL
GenderRatio=0
DebriefSuccessMusic=DebriefSuccess.wav
DebriefFailMusic=DebriefFail.wav
DebriefKilledMusic=DebriefKilled.wav
SpeechFile=
SpeechTextFile=
Medals=MedalsGAS.ini
MedalTextFile=MedalsWWI.str
ActiveDate=06/30/1918
AlternateDecal=GERMANY_Zep01            <------------\
                                                      \
[Nation048]
Name=GERMANY_Zep01                                     ------ Add these parameters for using different decals
ActiveDate=03/20/1918                                         like the "GERMANY" nation uses.
AlternateDecal=GERMANY_Zep02
                                                      /
[Nation049]                             <------------/
Name=GERMANY_Zep02
ActiveDate=01/28/1914

2. Now in the "Flight" folder open the FORMATIONS.INI. You will have to add a few parameters to this file:
   1. Create a new [FormationTypexxx]
   2. Create a new [Squadron] formation style
   3. Create a new [Flight] formation style

add this parameter at the end of the other [FormationTypexxx] parameters. Number it correctly.

[FormationType0xx]                         <------ Add new "Type" number
Name=Zeppelin
BaseLevel=2
Level[01].Name=Squadron
Level[01].Size=1
Level[01].Formation[01]=Squadron_Wall_Zep  <------ will be created below
Level[02].Name=Flight
Level[02].Size=2
Level[02].Formation[01]=Flight_Wall_Zep    <------ will be created below
Level[03].Name=Element
Level[03].Size=1

*************

[Squadron_Wall_Zep]                        <------ Add this parameter down in the Squadron section after
Position[01].Offset=     0,    0,   0             
//Position[02].Offset=   500,    0,   0
//Position[03].Offset=  1000,    0,   0
//Position[04].Offset=  1500,    0,   0

*************

[Flight_Wall_Zep]                          <------ Add this parameter down at the end of the [Flight] section
Position[01].Offset=    0,     0,   0
Position[02].Offset= 6550, -1000,   0      <------ Notice the far spread. this will keep the big Zeppelins
                                                   far away from each other if two appear in a mission

* So even though I created my formation to have 1 Squadron, 1 flight with 1 element, the game will still

accasionaly produce a second aircraft. that is why I created a wide spread in the [Flight_Wall_Zep] parameter.

The Zeppelins, if two appear, will be far enough apart that it will not matter if there are two of them.

Give it a try and see what happens. Hope it works out for you.
Enjoy!

Quack74

10 hours ago, gterl said:

..still building and *cough*, *cough* a Bleriot XI would be a perfect sight

The mountains are going to look incredible in this new terrain. I can only imagine how long this is taking you. Tile by tile is a lot of work.

You have to rename the Data.INI and the Config.INI. Such as "Fokker Dr1_150_DATA" and "Fokker Dr1_150". Also in the new "Config.INI "file rename the data lines at the top under [AircraftData]

[AircraftData]

AircraftFullName=Fokker Dr1_150
AircraftShortName=Fokker Dr1_150
AircraftDataFile=Fokker Dr1_150_data.ini  <------------------- here
LoadoutFile=Fokker Dr1_loadout.ini
UserList=Fokker Dr1_UserList.ini
CockpitDataFile=Fokker Dr1_cockpit.ini
HangarScreen=Fokker Dr1_hangar.JPG
LoadingScreen=Fokker Dr1_Loading.JPG

The Dr.1_150 can use all of the other stock Dr.1 files

I have destroyed buildings in the distance that have small fires and smoke also. I scattered them all around the front as well

Here is one more Vid. Sometimes the effect doesn't show. I'm still testing and trying to figure out when it shows and why. but when it shows its a very cool realistic feel when flying over the front. I can place the "ghost artillery all over the front.

Here is what my "ghost" artillery looks like. Lots of explosions without the gun fire effects and gun fire sounds. only the explosions and dirt spikes.

I was working on this a couple of months ago. I used a destroyed truck .LOD as the main object set as Artillery. I changed the accuracy of the gun so it would fire all over the place at short range to stay within "No-Mans-Land". I placed infantry objects all around certain areas so the new "Artillery" would have something to shoot at. It does work but for some reason only sometimes. I would fly over an area and could see random artillery explosions. The problem is the new artillery object seemed to be firing on the nearest AAA objects. Not the infantry I placed around. And most missions there wouldn't be any action at all. Cant figure out why since the artillery object and infantry are permanently on the map for every mission. Also I removed the gun fire and sound from the new Destroyed Truck .LOD object. So all you hear or see is the secondary explosions. It is very cool to see. looks as if there is a battle down below. I placed several new artillery objects around so there would be a lot more explosions. they never hit anything. Which is good. I have been able to work on it any further. Too busy lately. But it does work.

Great pics Geezer. Good for you. Must be nice and quiet out there.

The J.I looks great! It was one tough plane. The gunner and pilot look amazing. Their detail is outstanding. And it's not even done yet.

I know you have been working on other plans too. Cant wait!

Thank you

We are going to need some Macchi and Lohner types. Hmmmm....who do we know that could make us a couple of seaplanes.....I wonder

I'm not sure of size but I do use all of Stephen1918s' infantry units and they appear to be just fine.

Are the troop columns of 15-16 troops going to be one object or is each soldier separate? If I may make a recommendation, make the long troop columns one object. would be great for placing around camps, roads, and even reinforcements approaching No-Mans-Land.

if you can't figure out a way to do it maybe you can add multiple guns with limited arcs of fire and ranges?

That's a great idea! I can have one object with multiple guns that each have a min and max yaw different from the other. That way they would fire in all directions without overlapping. But would the guns still try to fire on one object? Only one gun would shoot at the target that was in its line of sight until the target is destroyed right? So I ask, can a ground object only engage one target at a time? I'll try it out for now.

Hello all. Is there a way to make an artillery object shoot at multiple targets rather than trying to constantly shoot at one target? I created a ground object (destroyed truck) that I placed in "No-Mans-Land" in First Eagles. I created a Gun in the Gundata.ini called "Active Artillery" for it that uses the same effects as an Artillery gun. But I deleted all the fire effects and sounds so when the "destroyed Truck" shoots all you see is the shells exploding in No-Mans-Land. No muzzle flash or cannon sounds. Technically I don't think I even need the .LOD for the "Destroyed Truck" but I figured I had to place something on the map. Anyway my Idea was to create the constant effect of artillery fire all over the Front without actually having to place artillery everywhere. I changed the accuracy of the new gun type and range so the explosions are kept within No-Mans-Land. I did place a few enemy targets around so my new "Artillery would have something to shoot at. It does work. As I fly over a location I can see random explosions on the ground (because accuracy is way off) without there being an actual battle. But my new Artillery seems to keep shooting at one target even though there are about 10 others near by.

Can an artillery object shoot once at a target then select another without destroying the first? Or is there a way to make the accuracy way off so the explosions are way off to the right or left of its intended target? Trying to make the ground explosions as randomly placed as possible.

Any ideas would be a big help. Thanks

Thank you Geezer!

All of these objects are incredible. I for one will use all of them. The only problem with the large "clutter" buildings and misc objects is the terrain tiles would have to be painted to accept the pattern the objects are laid out. Not that its really a problem but it does look better if the road tiles or town tiles are painted with dark areas where buildings will stand. If they just sit on the grassy areas they tend to look out of place. But I would make a few new town and road tiles to make a nice size town. More Fortifications would be great too. they were everywhere.

Thanks Geezer. Incredible work for sure.

I did so many skins for the Austrian-Italian front. I did almost every available plane. I did research for skins, pilots, Fliks, and squadriglia. I made a campaign and added all the skins and pilots for 1918. I want to post all of it but there is so much. The readme files will take for ever. The skin files would be huge too. Just like my Verdun terrain upgrade, I have to just do it I guess.

I did the same thing a couple years ago for the Austrian Front. I use the Aviatik as an Italian S.I.A7B. I removed the exhaust manifold and added a gun to the upper wing (its a schwarzlose though). I tried to remove the fuselage radiators on the sides but one is part of the fuselage. So I tried to paint them to match the fuselage color.

I could have swarn that Mue added the clone key stroke in his latest upgrade. I was using it not that long ago. I just forgot what key stroke was. I cant find it in any readme files. But it was working.