Geezer

LloydNB is making good progress on the Sea Gladiator skins, while I am working on the cockpit.

Very interesting stuff. A couple of SF game maps have been converted to run in FE, so perhaps Wrench or Gepard can suggest how to convert an FE map to run in SF?

File Name: Fortification Objects File Submitter: Geezer File Submitted: 14 December 2014 File Category: First Eagles Object Mods This pack contains a wide selection of fortifications. Some of them, like the Austrian Fort, are enormous and are WW1-specific, but there is also a selection of WW2 Atlantic Wall fortifications, so modders can construct defenses for most any period. The fortifications constructed from concrete, masonry, etc have damage models but the simple trenches have no damage models. I was unable to convincingly design a damage model that replaced one pile of dirt for another. There are six straight trench sections for each major WW1 power, with an appropriate machine gun - Lewis (British), Maxim (German, Russian), French (Hotchkiss), etc. Hopefully, modders can deploy existing figures behind the straight trench walls. For grins and giggles, there is also a zig-zag trench section that more-or-less matches the trench sections of a 1024 FE terrain tile. The straight trench sections are generic enough to also be used in most any other period, even VietNam. None of the guns work, they are simply stage props. But if someone wants to massage files to make the guns operable, contact me and we will discuss the job. My thanks to the map makers - Quack74, gterl, Steven1918, Wrench - for their inputs. If I've forgotten anyone, my apologies - contact me and I'll add your name. Enjoy. Rev1: Fixed the missing art for Fort-12 - thanks to KJakker for spotting that. Also renamed the multiple Fort-4 LODs for correct right/left orientation. Click here to download this file

When I get burned out, I work on ground stuff for a change of pace. WIP shots below are of an Italian artillery battery used in the 1940 desert war. Both sides would often mount a ladder on a truck bed to give an observer a longer view.

Steve - thanks. As Wrench once pointed out, the FE2 software will occasionally switch the .ini file type from ANSI to UNICODE. Also, LloydNB is doing an exceptional job on the Sea Gladiator skins. Despite the holiday, I got a little work done on the cockpit.

Right now, I don't have an answer for your first question as I only run FE2. Has anyone else had a problem running the Halberstadt or CR42 in FE/FEG? First Eagles WW2 is still evolving, so I don't have a crystal clear idea of what it will eventually look like. I am working with several other guys to develop 1930s biplanes/early monoplanes, and we intend to release stuff for FE2 and SF2. Hopefully, a bunch of Gladiators will be released for both FE2/SF2 soon-ish, The CR42 will be released for SF2 pretty soon, plus an update for FE2. 2nd generation software runs faster, plus has other advantages that have not been fully exploited. Consequently, our focus will be on 2nd generation FE2 and SF2. I am also cooperating with other guys in an effort to improve game maps, ground objects, etc - not just aircraft. FE/FE2 software has a clear advantage for the low and slow aerial combat of WW1 through the 1930s. For SF ground tile art to look the same as FE art ingame, the SF art would have to be sixteen times larger, with an obvious frame rate penalty. Also, FE software only draws the cockpit once - for the gamer's aircraft - so large numbers of dog fighting aircraft don't penalize frame rates as much as they would in SF. This all comes together in FE/FE2 because most aerial combat - even in the early days of WW2 - was low level combat. While there are numerous records of combat at "angels one five" in early WW2, there are just as many records of combat occurring at "angels five." Two reasons for that. First, the fighters went to where the bombers/recce aircraft were and they frequently operated at low altitudes because the early bomb sights lost accuracy at high altitude (except the Norden, Loftje, etc). Second was aircrew in open cockpits did not function well at high altitudes. Yes, they could function, but their efficiency fell off at high altitude so there was a natural tendency to plan ops at 10K feet or less - often a LOT less. Two examples below.

I'm busy with Real World stuff, but hope to return soon - I may include the broken pencil and cigarette butt from the Martinsyde G.100.

Lovely.

Personally, I am more interested in airplanes than cockpits. You make a good point, but this is a situation where theory collides head-on with reality. Reality is that modders don't get paid to do unpleasant stuff - they work for fun/satisfaction/whatever. Making cockpits is a complex, time-consuming pain in the ass - an interactive cockpit is MORE work than an airplane. That's why I don't do working instruments. Indeed, I am looking at ways to simplify my cockpits to reduce development time. Bottom line: if it ain't fun, I ain't gonna do it.

Making good progress on the cockpit. First shot shows model before mapping and texturing. Second and third shot shows progress this morning. Last shot shows what the model looked like when mapping. Now you know why most modelers, including myself, don't like making cockpits.

Thanks. The first block of 1940 aircraft, shown below, is coming along nicely. Combined with Lloyd's Sea Gladiator, there should be a bunch of Gladiators ready around Christmas/New Year.

LloydNB and I are making good progress. Shot below of inwork cockpit.

Thanks. To give credit where credit is due, the five shots immediately above feature aircraft/skins by Hinchenbrooke (Gauntlet) and MontyCZ (B534 and Stuka). All I did was adjust the colors a bit and drop them into Gterl's excellent WW1 Italian Front. I've also adjusted some of the the Italian Front's colors, plus used some excellent sky files I got from Quack74. Gterl and I have begun work on a Spanish Civil War mod, but its on hold right now. Two shots below show preliminary work that can also be rolled into other mods.