Winston DoRight

Want to see your tracers and smoke trails better? This simple mod will allow you to better see the tracers and smoke trails fired AT or AROUND you and also quite often you can see your own smoke trails (sky and windscreen conditions permitting) from within your cockpit view, especially when you just can't resist taking that long range deflection shot to help one of your wingmen out. They are not overdone but a good bit more visible than original. Kinda reminds me of the "Flyboys" movie and if you don't like it you can always revert back. Step 1: Download rabu's tracers here: http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?showt...4&hl=tracer Step 2: After backing up your original files, place Rabu's tracer files in your folder \OBDSoftware\CFSWW1 Over Flanders Fields\effects\fxtextures Step 3: Go to your folder: \OBDSoftware\CFSWW1 Over Flanders Fields\ and backup your effects.xml file. Now find these lines in your effects.xml file by opening it with notepad: <Tracer_and_Smoke ClassName="TracerEffect" TracerLength="1.7" TracerWidth="1.7" TracerRorationSpeed="500" TracerBlendMode="Add" TracerSideTexture="TracerSide5.dds" TracerEndTexture="tracerEnd5.dds" SmokeLength="50" SmokeWidth="1.4" SmokeRorationSpeed="1200" SmokeBlendMode="QuadSprite" SmokeSideTexture="tracerSmoke4.dds" SmokeEndTexture="black.DDS"/> <Tracer_and_Smoke_L ClassName="TracerEffect" TracerLength="2.5" TracerWidth="2.5" TracerRorationSpeed="500" TracerBlendMode="Add" TracerSideTexture="TracerSide5.dds" TracerEndTexture="tracerEnd5.dds" SmokeLength="90" SmokeWidth="2" SmokeRorationSpeed="1200" SmokeBlendMode="QuadSprite" SmokeSideTexture="tracerSmoke4.dds" SmokeEndTexture="black.DDS"/> <Tracer_sans_Smoke ClassName="TracerEffect" TracerLength="1.7" TracerWidth="1.7" TracerRorationSpeed="500" TracerBlendMode="Add" TracerSideTexture="TracerSide5.dds" TracerEndTexture="tracerEnd5.dds" SmokeLength="0" SmokeWidth="0" SmokeRorationSpeed="0" SmokeBlendMode="QuadSprite" SmokeSideTexture="tracerSmoke4.dds" SmokeEndTexture="black.DDS"/> Replace that section of text with the following: <Tracer_and_Smoke ClassName="TracerEffect" TracerLength="2.5" TracerWidth="2.5" TracerRorationSpeed="500" TracerBlendMode="Add" TracerSideTexture="TracerSide5.dds" TracerEndTexture="tracerEnd5.dds" SmokeLength="1000" SmokeWidth="5" SmokeRorationSpeed="1200" SmokeBlendMode="QuadSprite" SmokeSideTexture="tracerSmoke4.dds" SmokeEndTexture="black.DDS"/> <Tracer_and_Smoke_L ClassName="TracerEffect" TracerLength="3.5" TracerWidth="3.5" TracerRorationSpeed="500" TracerBlendMode="Add" TracerSideTexture="TracerSide5.dds" TracerEndTexture="tracerEnd5.dds" SmokeLength="1000" SmokeWidth="5" SmokeRorationSpeed="1200" SmokeBlendMode="QuadSprite" SmokeSideTexture="tracerSmoke4.dds" SmokeEndTexture="black.DDS"/> <Tracer_sans_Smoke ClassName="TracerEffect" TracerLength="2.5" TracerWidth="2.5" TracerRorationSpeed="500" TracerBlendMode="Add" TracerSideTexture="TracerSide5.dds" TracerEndTexture="tracerEnd5.dds" SmokeLength="1000" SmokeWidth="5" SmokeRorationSpeed="1220" SmokeBlendMode="QuadSprite" SmokeSideTexture="tracerSmoke4.dds" SmokeEndTexture="black.DDS"/> Or if the text editor here doesn't get the spaces right, just manually change the TracerLength, TracerWidth, SmokeLength and SmokeWidth values from the original effects.xml file to my modified ones. I hope I explained that well enough?

After 1.30 patch I went back to "normal" damage. Seems more real this way. After flying on "hard" DM for a long time I liked the way my plane could take more than one hit, but it is way too hard to bring down some enemy planes on "hard" IMHO.

Rabu, actually more is changed in my mod. Smoke length and smoke width will have to be modified as well. Here's an idea, I don't know why I didn't think of this before as it's the only mod I've ever made to the effects.xml file, here's a effects.xml file that's already modified you can download and use as a replacement for your original file. Make sure you backup your original before placing this one in your OFF folder. Don't forget you still need rabu's modified tracers and smoke AND rabu's latest tracersmoke4.dds file.

DiD is valid I suppose. I always select DiD in the workshop for death outcome, but really find some of the other many settings too irresistable not to try them occasionally, and change somewhat the way the game is played. After all..... I play OFF for enjoyment....... not punishment.

I see it's getting a few more DVD releases lately. I enjoyed this movie immensly. I've watched it several times already mostly for the flying scenes in Dolby Digital surround on my Sony 40" XBR LCD. I watched Flyboys a few times but somehow this movie makes me feel more "at home" after flying OFF for so long. I have the NTSC Chinese knockoff version and was surprised to see that this film, although made in Germany with German actors, English is the spoken language and for the German version they had to dub it to German. How strange is that? I think I'll make a pot of coffee and watch it again right now so my joystick hand san get a break from OFF. I'm always startled by the scene that starts from a fade out of a very quiet moment to a scene of a bomb exploding on the front lines that's just been dropped by a Handly Page bomber. My subwolfer rattles my whole living room with that explosion!

Use the "Find" function in the pull down menus of notepad. Search for tracersmoke. It'll take you right down to the 3 lines you need to change.

Of course the Camel doesn't like to be yanked hard in any direction even tho it's natural to do so after flying some of the less responsive aircraft in this sim. Yank it too hard and you'll spin or the engine will stop. Just take it easy on the control surfaces and you'll soon see that less is better. It's a great kite for split S's, immelmans, loops. It does more and does it better than most of the other allied planes available.

Bullethead, my tracers and smoke mod are actually larger than what you get in the stock OFF settings. From: TracerLength="1.7" TracerWidth="1.7 TracerLength="2.5" TracerWidth="2.5" To: TracerLength="2.5" TracerWidth="2.5" TracerLength="3.5" TracerWidth="3.5" I would have made them bigger but there's a point where they look too big going away from your machine gun(s) that I had to back off a bit. I was getting the look that I had just fired a tennis ball sized projectile from a .30 cal barrel. Don't confuse my mod with what Creaghorn has done with his, he made them smaller, I made them bigger; to match the bigger smoke trails. I think you'll find a much larger bullet coming at you now. But you can always go back if you want the smaller tracers and smoke trails. Actually I was going for visibility here and not realism. I wanted to see where the fire that hits me came from and got exactly the results I was going for. Last night while playing I got suckered down low over the front by an enemy Ace that I just couldn't let go of. I was amazed at how the machine gun fire from the ground was much more visible. I originally only wanted to see my own smoke trails from the cockpit when making a long deflection shot to help out my wingmen. I got a much better result overall than what I set out to do. OT, what are the color of the russian made small arms tracers these days? When I was in the military you had to duck the green meanies.

Creaghorn, be sure to try Rabu's new tracersmoke4.dds file in post #14 above. It's a bit lighter grey color and looks just perfect now I think.

BIG THANKS Rabu! That color is MUCH more visible in the grey overcast skies and I think it will also be better when I get some clear weather. I suggest everyone download your new tracersmoke4.dds file to go with my mods to the effects.xml file.

Glad to be of help. .... and if you ever make your tracersmoke4.dds just a bit lighter in color, I'd like to try it. Now, with the grey color it's too much like the overcast sky color that always seems to be present.

I can't believe the manufacturer doesn't realize that some people don't use a headset. I've too much invested in my soundcard, surround amp and surround speakers to go with the headset option. Why don't they offer this product in a "hat clip-on" configuration? They're missing a lot of sales IMHO.

Creaghorn, did you modify Rabu's tracersmoke4.dds file to a lighter grey? I'd love to have my smoke trails just a bit lighter but I have not enough knowledge to do this myself. I think Rabu's tracersmoke4.dds is excellent albeit a bit too dark for me.

Look in this path: C:\Documents and Settings\(your user name)\Application Data\Microsoft\CFSWW1 Over Flanders Fields for the flie: ViewUI.xml make a copy of it and then you can edit the original file to change colors. for example to change the HUD colors: original dark blue value: <HUDText Color="0xFF0000FF"/> modified neon blue value: <HUDText Color="0xFF00FFFF"/> Look at this website for the HTML color chart: http://www.immigration-usa.com/html_colors.html you must ignore the beginning 4 characters in the line, 0xFF , and change only the last 6 characters of a color code. <HUDText Color="0xFF0000FF"/> --------------------------->|_____|<------ change these values only <HUDText Color="0xFF0000FF"/> --------------------->|___|<-------------- ignore these values

Sorry I couldn't get a clear blue sky day where these look great. Every setting I made in QC for spring and summer gave me a grey sky and clouds. Is it really like that in Europe in the summer? First shot is a headon pass at a DVa Second is tracers and smoke from in the cockpit (look closely, shows better when the sky is clear blue) Third a DV firing at me from behind, long range Fourth a DV firing at me from behind at close range

Tough to get info on this title. Here's what I've been able to gather so far. DVD release dates: Finland: 4 February 2009 Sweden: 4 February 2009 Germany: 6 February 2009 China: 10 February 2009 Iceland: 16 April 2009 There's supposed to be a Blu-Ray version out as well I'm told.

Wow! I bet you have a REALLY big microwave oven?

Too bad there's no way to see the smoke trails from within the cockpit. It must have something to do with the same limitation that prevents you from seeing the prop spinning. I've modified the smoketrails so they appear VERY large when coming at you (better to see who's shooting at/near you) or when viewing your plane from an outside view. but you get nothing from cockpit view at all. Any comments on this from the Dev's or anyone in the know?

In both QC and campaign the Pfalz fighter is no longer available in patch 1.30. Im using hardcore dm.

Yes, there's a bit of a learning curve. I most noticed my lack of flying skill when I tried to go back to flying the ETO modded original CFS3. I was jerking my plane all over the sky, still used to the large amount of input that was required with OFF. I imagine this would be true coming into OFF from another sim where the aircraft were more sensitive. Don't give up on the rudder pedals. It's the best way to fly this sim. At first I couldn't keep a pilot alive more than a few missions. Now I have a pretty good feel for what's required here. Here's some tips for when you get into a campaign. 1. Check behind you. 2. Skip any campaign sorties where you have less than 3 in your flight. 3. Check behind you. 4. Get very close before firing. 5. Learn some ACM. Just turning isn't going to work. 6. Did I mention, check behind you... often. Keep at it old boy! It'll soon seem second nature.

5,4,4,5,3 is what I'm using now.

Overrides settings: Disable Intro Movie High Resolution Z Buffer (deselect Dual Pass Render) Terrain Detail Texture Disable Validate Device Disable Write-Only Vertex Buffers Disable Write-Only Index Buffers Texture Info: Composite Terrain Texture Usage ....... Render Target Composite Terrain Texture Pool ........ Managed Composite Aircraft Texture Usage ....... Render Target Composite Aircraft Texture Pool ........ Managed Vertex Buffer Pool ....... D3DPool_Default Index Buffer Pool ........ D3DPool_Default Full Screen Swap Effect .. D3DSwapEffect_Discard Nvidia control panel settings: Anisotropic Filtering 8x Antialiasing On Antialiasing Mode Override Antialiasing Setting 8xQ Antialiasing Transparency Multisampling Conformant Texture Clamp Use Hardware Error Reporting Off Extention Limits Off Force Mipmaps Bilinear Max Pre-rendered Frames 6 Multi-display/Mutilple Display Performance Mode Texture Filtering-Anisotropic Sample Opitmizaion Off Texture Filtering-NEG LOD bias Clamp SLI performance mode Force split-frame rendering Texture Filtering Quality Quality Triple buffering On Texture Filtering Trilinear Optimization On Texture Filtering Ansiotropic mip filter opt... OFF Threaded Optimization Auto Vertical Sync Force On I'm using an intel E8600 (not overclocked) with my 2 GTX 260's and I get an average of 60fps (45-50 in really bad weather) Hope this helps, but go ahead and try some different things too. It might make a difference.

Here's some notes I made for Nvidia card systems. Works great with my GTX 260's. Make sure you have the latest Nvidia drivers. I got a 10fps boost when I recently upgraded mine. Overrides settings: High Resolution Z Buffer ( deselect Dual Pass Render ) Terrian Detail Texture Disable Validate Device Disable Write-Only Vertex Buffers Disable Write-Only Index Buffers Texture Info: Composite Terrian Texture Usage ....... Render Target Composite Terrian Texture Pool .......... Managed Composite Aircraft Texture Usage ....... Render Target Composite Aircraft Texture Pool .......... Managed Those are the OFF tweaks. If you need help with the actual Nvidia control panel SLI tweaks let me know.

Hello. My name's Winston and I'm an OFFaholic. (crowd echos) Hi, Winston. I haven't played OFF in the last 12 minutes. My wife first noticed a difference in me a few weeks ago and began to ask the following questions: 1. "Honey, why are you constantly looking backwards over your shoulder?" 2. "Dear, why are your hands sweating and shaking so much lately?" 3. "Sweety, you're talking in your sleep again, and just what exactly is an Albatros?" 4: "Darling, was that you in the family room late last night at 3:00am watching "The Red Baron" ........ again?" and finally: 5. "You bastard! You spent how much on a new motherboard, CPU and video card?"

The DVD's are on the way, boys! My roomie is flying home with them right now. I'll post a new topic with all info and a snapshot of the DVD case as soon as he gets here tomorrow or monday. Anyone who wants one can reply there or PM me for the final info/specs. I've watched this 3 times already and it just gets better each time!