mue

The main technical problem is, that thirdwire hasn't published the lod file format(s). I asked thirdwire about it already but got no answer. With the help of 3dsmax guys (thanks logan4 and angelp) I could already reconstruct 80 percent of the lod format. And I'm quite optimistic to reconstruct further 10 - 15 percent. I think that should be sufficient to write an exporter (e.g. for blender).

I have a big request for 3dsmax user. Currently I'm analysing the material parameter definitions within the lod file format. In its current state the lodviewer only reads the diffuse texture map filename and I plan to use additional material parameter (bump map, specular map, ...) For making the analysis easier for me to identify the material parameter, can someone please create and send me lod files (and the corresponding out files) with the following specifications (I know it's a bit of work, but it would really help me. I would do it myself but I don't have access to 3dsmax.): 1. lod file: -simple geometry, e.g. only one node: a simple cube -no assigned maps -ambient color: red=10, green=20, blue=30 -diffuse color: red=40, green=50, blue=60 -specular color: red=70, green=80, blue=90 -no self illumination -opacity=100 -specular level=33 -glossiness=22 -soften=0.11 (but I think it's not used?) 2. lod file: -same as 1.) but with -opacity=66 3. lod file: -same as 1.) -enabled self illumination = 44 4. lod file: -same as 1.) -diffuse texture map assigned, amount = 55 5. lod file: -same as 1.) -diffuse texture map assigned, amount = 55 -bump map assigned, amount = 66 6. lod file: -same as 1.) -diffuse texture map assigned, amount = 55 -bump map assigned, amount = 66 -specular map assigned, amount = 77 AFAIK there are two exporter plugins for the SF2/FE2 games: Feb2010 and Dec2010-C. What are the differences between the two? Of course it would be perfect if I could get lod files created with both plugins. Thanks in advance!

Thank you!

To enable fading terrain objects in FE2 you can try this: http://combatace.com/topic/86103-fading-tod-objects/

Mmh.. it seems the readme is imprecise here: translation is ctrl (+ shift) + left mouse button hold + move. Have you tried this? Ok, noted on my todo list.

Grundsätzlich kann der Ordner "Gespeicherte Spiele" verschoben werden: Im Explorer rechts Klick auf "Gespeicherte Spiele" -> Eigenschaften -> Pfad. Aber leider beachten die SF2 Games mit Ausnahme von SF2:NA den neuen Pfad nicht. Es scheint, dass der Pfad "<Benutzer-Verzeichnis>\Saved Games" hardkodiert ist. Zur Lösung deines Problems, kann aber, wie 7eleven schon richtig geschrieben hat, der Mod Verzeichnis Pfad in der Datei C:\Users\<Benutzername>\Saved Games\ThirdWire\<SF2 Game>\options.ini angepasst werden: [Mods] Directory=<Pfad zum neuen Mod Verzeichnis> In C:\Users\<Benutzername>\Saved Games\ThirdWire\<SF2 Game>\ müssen sich dann nur noch options.ini und ich glaube version.ini befinden.

The size of the targeting boxes are defined by the BoxSize= entries in the huddata.ini You can also try the dot label mod: http://combatace.com/topic/86215-showing-label-as-a-dot-mod/ This mod overlays all friendly/enemy objects within a 10 nm radius with a blue/red dot. The disadvantage of this mod is, you lose the target info box.

If you are looking for all effects (*.fx) files inside your cat files, you can use my catextractor: In the upper list box (1) select all cat files. In the filter field (2) type "*fx". Then all fx files are shown in the lower list box (3) and can be extractedl.

Geezer, I don't understand why you are so offended. Maybe you find my post too harsh or direct? Then I apologize, that was not my intention. English isn't my first language. I only wanted to express my opinion about the downscaling and back it up with arguments. Not because to criticize your work, quite the contrary, your models are fantastic and thats the reason I want them to be usable with other (not downscaled) tiles and objects. You write a lot about professionalism, but instead of responding to my arguments you insulted me (calling me stupid and dumb shit). That's not professional, is it?

The more I think about the downscaling, the more I'm of the opinion that's a bad idea: 1.)The visual appearance is deteriorated. Say you have a 2048px texture that represents a 500m tile in real life. Thus you have a resolution of 2048px / 500m = 4 pixels per meter. If you downscale (say 60%) then the tile represents 833m (500m / 0.6) in real life. Then the resolution is 2048px / 833m = 2.5 pixels per meter. So the resolution has deteriorated. I don't see how downscaling should help to improve the visual appearance? Maybe you can elaborate. 2.)The downscaled terrain textures and objects don't match the full scale physics of the game engine. E.g. if you fly low over the terrain the velocity appears to be 1.666 (1.0/0.6) times the real life velocity. 3.)The downscaled terrain textures and objects don't match the stock objects (including aircrafts, cockpits,...). I know you don't want to use stock ground objects, that's ok. But what about flying with stock aircraft over your terrain? The aircraft and cockpit appears to be 1.666 times larger than the terrain. Furthermore your downscaled objects can't be used in other terrains. I really think, it's better to scale your tile texture art to match the 500m tile size and not to downscale the objects to match your downscaled tile texture art.

I think Wilches is right. Don't scale the ground objects. They wouldn't match the stock objects. I think the stock objects are all 100% scale. (Or can someone show me a stock object that is not 100% scale?) Rather scale your tile art textures so that they match the 500m size (FE Terrain). The ominous ~60% map scale isn't caused by the game engine itself. This scaling is caused by the terrain editor while importing GOTOPS30 height data. TK explained it here: I think the tile textures and the tod and lod objects are not scaled. Only the imported height field data is scaled.

Yes, the sensation of speed is mostly dependend on FOV, and LOD of the scenery. The influence of FOV you can easily notice while taking off. Just zoom in and out (= changing FOV) while you move down the runway. Fully zoomed in (= small FOV) the speed seems very slow compared to fully zoomed out (= big FOV). In the HFD file you can define arbitrary vertex spacing. But I don't know how the graphic engine will handle it. I think TK mentioned once that the HFD resolution should (or must) be 4 times the TFD resolution. Or in other words if the tile size is 2000m then the height field vertex spacing must be 500m. Maybe we should just test it, if the engine can handle smaller vertex spacings.

Ok, but thats not a good reason, at least for us modders.

I'm curious, what is a "Good Reason" for not freely distribute those tools?

Sabro, if I understand you correctly, you have problems with spotting other airplanes in SF2? Try the dot label mod: http://combatace.com/topic/86215-showing-label-as-a-dot-mod/ It displays a red/blue "dot" over enemy/friendly airplanes which are within a radius of 10 nm.

@FalconC45: Could you please post your options.ini, flightengine.ini and the fx files.

The flickering is caused by z-fighting. In this case the top face of the red box z-fights with the top face of the underlying green box. To prevent z-fighting issues: 1) Don't put objects on top of (or near) other objects and 2.) Use only convex geometries.

I'm curious about what are the problems with using the flightgear engine for a combat game?

As proof of concept for creating arbitrary 3D mesh tod objects, I "converted and assembled" multiple lods (hangars that share the same texture) into a tod file. The result: It's time to start a new project: TOD Editor.

I used the lod files and converted them into a tod file. The tod file only contains vertex position, normals and texture coordinates. No additional material properties (opacity, specular or self illumination) can be defined in the tod file . For this test I didn't do any atlas mapping since I only used objects (your hangars) that used the same texture.

I had the same problem. It happens with large FOV. I use a FOV of 90 degrees. Setting the Horizon Distance to Very Far fixed it for me. I assume the flickering objects you mean are caused by z-buffer-fighting. I wrote a post how to get rid of this flickering: http://combatace.com/topic/85970-shimmering-tods-and-target-objects/ Short summary: try to increase ExternalClipDistMin= in <aircraft>_cockpit.ini as much as possible (however it can't be increased very much without cockpit clipping issues) and use the modified terrain shaders from the above mentioned post.

ShelterA is a stock lod item and should be in the cat files. Have you enabled cat file access and set the sf2 install directory in Extras->Settings correctly? Right mouse click in the toolbar opens a menu where you can select "Target Types" to show the target types window.

The game engine only needs the tod file and in the <terrain>_data.ini the texture (atlas) for solid / alpha objects must be set. The <name of tile>.ini are only needed by the TE. That's correct. TOD objects are non-collidable and there is nothing I can do about it

Bugfix Update: Target Area Editor V0.2.2: -bugfix: crashes while reading 24 bit tga files It's actually an old bug, that I fixed already last year in the LODViewer. But for unknown reasons the bugfix never went into the Target Area Editor. Copy the content of the zip file into the MuesToolBox folder. TargetAreaEditor_V0.2.2_Update.zip

I downloaded this terrain: http://combatace.com/files/file/15093-formosa-ww2-pto-terrain-for-sf2/ But I couldn't reproduce the CTD. I selected every target area without any CTD. Maybe you meant another Formosa terrain? Or you have a modified one? @all who experience CTDs: can you send me your terrain or a download link of the terrain, so that I can debug it. Thanks!