Helmut_AUT

For WinXP and DX9, TK himself says right now there isn't any big reason to upgrade. It certainly is not anywhere near the functionality improvements that for example made going from WoE to SF2E a deal. I think his main idea is to get all game platforms lined up on the same codebase again, make them easy install with the current Windows Versions and add some goodies along the way.

The reason it's called FE2 even though it's very much FEG with minor addons is that Vista/7 upgrade. TK simple must have been aiming for a coherent naming sheme. I think TK is very upfront and honest (in that post linked above and other places) about who should/might want to buy it, and who not. Personally, I forgot how good FEG looks, and fell for the GFX of FE2. I find now that the improvements are minor, but worth it to me, and TK deserved more than 20USD for FEG anyway, in my opinion. OTOH I would never buy more than SF2E, because other theatres don't interest me. But within the same setting (First Eagles and Strike Fighters Europe) I'll always keep the latest version.

Likely he only had time to code the new effects for the new DX10 shader/lighting mode.

Bandy, that sounds highly interesting but is way over my skill level. I'll let someone else test... BTW, I'm still fascinated by that "High Gloss" Dr1 Screenshot. It does look remarkable close to Rise of Flight already, although the landscape needs some beefing up.

As the title says - since the game is brand new released, it is already in the "Game Updates" for TIR v4 software?

It doesn't make sense. If your system can run FEG but not FE2, even though using same detail settings, low shaders, DX9, it just shouldn't make a difference. Put the question to TK on the official board... Maybe you can find a 9800GT Green Edition GFX card somewhere, they are cheap and would be tons faster than your current onboard solution.

Hhmm... I liked how in FE Gold, the Terrain simple was "colored over" to different shades of green, brown and white. I don't think that were different tiles, just a shader effect to color the ground depending on time of year. Green Cambrain in November is a bit of a step-back.

Speaking of flight models, I really hope Neg G engine cutout makes it into the expansion or maybe a patch for FE2. That's the only major realism omission in that game.

Just ordered. Viper, does the terrain still change color with time of year? I didn't find that such a bad solution.

Aye, now we're talking! Those last shots (thanks for making the effort) clearly show a difference. TK replied to me here http://bbs.thirdwire.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=7352 and also pointed out what to look for, and that it matters in movement more than on a still image, since it's basically a light/shadow illusion. It also seems to me the DX10 Renderer makes the light more colorful, for example the redish influence on the Fokker skin (last screen, with the Obs Balloon). Might be worth it after all, especially if an Exp. pack will need FE2.

Hey, Mission Saving is helluva cool. Wasn't that me and a bunch of others who wanted this? Plane Wreckage is a nice addition I guess. Still not sure I'm seeing enough of an GFX update to shell out the 20 bucks, OTOH for the next Expansion pack we're gonna need Version 2 I suppose.

That MG shot also caught my eye. So this would mean the shadows in the wing rips on the fabric are now real bumped, not paint-on?

Neither can I, to be honest. FE Gold is already a damn pretty game, at least as far as Aircraft Models and Shadows are concerned. Also, I was mistaken in believing that FE2 would introduce a few new Aircraft... I'd buy it for the bump mapping alone I guess, and since it might be required anyway for the next expansion, but right now it seems like FE Gold screenshots. The one thing I can't say for sure about is the sun reflection on the Obs Balloon. Was that in FEGold?

Hi all... I browsed the board but can't find any clear conclusions... I'm very interested in installing the latest patch for SF2 Europe, running Win7 I could use DX10. But I also saw reports on broken items after an "Update" and I'm not sure the GFX improvements would be worth risking technical errors. My install is quite standard, just some little campaign edits and Argies Highway strips. I don't need any of the other patch improvements, but if the GFX are much improved...?

No worries Dave, I suppose there isn't an "official verdict" anyway and the thread has done it's Job. Thanks for the pointer to the screenshots thread, but in there it's hard to tell which settings people use, what mods they use, and what is default improvement. I was hoping someone had done some basic DX9 vs. DX10 comparisons, I'm still not even sure what exactly DX10 is supposed to add. Of course if the patch was guaranteed 100% problem free it'd be a no brainer, but still seeing people with errors... I don't want to have to fix things afterwards.

Good point. Since it's easy to revert with TWs way of patching... but I'm curious why no one seems to have posted any screens of the DX10 improvements anywhere?

Hi all With Aggies excellent Highway Airfields, I'm now finally starting my first complete and "serious" SF2E campaign ever since I had the game. Aiming for "Dead is Dead", so to make it trough the whole war without dying once. Well, that was the plan anyway - but flying a GR3 doesn't make things that easy. The wingmans will break formation if I fly below 1500 feet (Above Sea, might be less Above Ground). I can hear the RWR beeping but have no visual indicator. I have no chaff, flares or ECM. And I'm not even sure the Sidewinder has a proper HUD display when locked? Any hints what one can do to survive in a GR3? I seriously suck at visual awareness - had some green tracers come past me yesterday, went into a break turn to see past my headrest on the boogie - lost sight of my wingman AND the boogie. It's something I've always liked about TW sims - the aircraft there really "appear and are gone" visually, just as often descriped by RL pilots. But that means without electronic sensors I'm utter crap at fighting. Also a surprise: Doing some CAS, I found the T-72s were escorted by mobile Triple-A. I never saw that in single missions - just luck for them, or is that a function of the campaign engine to give armor an AAA escort? Thanks for any hints to help me stay alive.

Are the GFX worth it?

Please re-read what I wrote. The mod doesn't work in DX10, SF2 Series are now DX10 games.

The HDR .dll will only kick in if you are running DX9 render mode. Since you have Vista, it will by default now run in DX10 mode.

Are the DX10 shaders worth it? The other improvements I don't really need (I already have A-7D in campaign and stuff, don't need no subtitles...). With the ENBSeries mod, DX9 rendering is very fast also. But if DX10 does visually improve the look of the game, I might risk the update.

Hi all I was just wondering, as I flew along between tons of reported boogies in my little tiny Harrier (which can do nothing out of visual range) if the early radar model problems with look down performance and ground clutter were modeled? It might not save me against the MiG-23 models, but for example versus a MiG-21, would flying low to the ground bring an advantage in the simulation? later Helmut

Thanks, this might just extend my virtual life a few more hours. Thankfully the trees aren't collision-checked...

Hi all I know we have the Highway Strip "improvised Air Fields" working in NF4+, but the whole NF4+ install 1) still gives me quite low framerate even on new system 2) takes a massive 5GB chunk out of my 128GB SSD and 3) I really don't need all those aircraft Is it possible to get just the Highway Strips for use in the normal campaign with normal terrain, or would I also need the Four-Seasons Terrain to go with it? I know I would have to edit the Campaign Files for the default campaign to get the Harrier Squadrons relocated, but that might be the easiest part. Thanks for helping.

Loaded them up yesterday, it's really amazing what a "simple" change of airfield can do for the immersion of flying the Harrier. One note: I tried a few based from the readme in the campaign, and one of them makes the game crash to desktop. I didn't find time to pinpoint which one that was (I was testing three at the same time) but it's one from the middle of the list in the readme. Really excellent addon you made here, Aggie.