mue

@Wrench I think ponyboy meant the links to thirdwire.com (posted by crusader) are dead. @ponyboy314 The links crusader posted are indeed dead. But as Wrench wrote, you can also download the thirdwire tools here from combatace.com. But I also recommend the cat extractor from mues toolbox. After a small configuration step (i.e. setting the SF2 install directory) the cat extractor (from mues toolbox) searches all CAT files at once. In contrast with the thirdwire cat extractor you must open each cat file separately, meaning you have to know what cat file contains the file you are looking for.

I think Gepard is correct. Maybe the road you added is seen by the game as runway. Can you please check what TargetType the road is? Maybe something like MEDIUM_RUNWAY? I made some tests and it seems that if you add a second runway to a target area then the headings of both runways are added up and the other objects are rotated according to the sum of both headings.

In game at airfields the objects are oriented in reference to the runway orientation. E.g. if you rotate the airfield then the other objects are rotated too. The target area editor also supports this but with the following limitations: The runway object must be the first target in the target area. The offset of the runway must be 0,0. It doesn't matter if you first add the objects and then rotate the runway or the other way around.

You can 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.

You must extract VIEWLIST.INI from FlightData.CAT (located somewhere in the game install directory tree, I think in the Flight folder). To extract the file you need a cat extractor program. You can use the cat extractor from the 3W toolkit or the one from Mues Toolbox. VIEWLIST.INI must be extracted into <mod folder>/Flight/ Neither SF2 games support multiplayer. The multiplayer entries you found are legacy from the SF1 games.

You can disable the view pitch and yaw limit in the VIEWLIST.INI with [ViewClass002] ViewClassName=CockpitViewClass ... LimitPitch=FALSE LimitYaw=FALSE

Back then, as I last played the game (around 2010?), the command bindings were hardcoded to key presses. You couldn't bind commands to your HOTAS from within the game. You had to use the programming software of your HOTAS to map HOTAS buttons to key presses.

EECH brings back memories. I haven't played it for years. BTW, with EECH I started my modding activities. Back in 2008 I implemented the MFD export feature in EECH. Having access to the source code definitely helped (TK, do you hear me? ) Regarding tutorials: have you checked EECH Central? Maybe the original game manuals are also still applicable?

Transparency of the material must be disabled. From the lod_exporter_readme.txt: And maybe you have to add something like [Shadow] CastShadow=TRUE ShadowCastDist=500 MaxVisibleDistance=500 to the object' .ini file.

I only know about two "domains", where the 3D model has an impact on the FM: Ground handling depends on position of the 3D model' gear nodes. Mass balance change by loadout depends on position of the weapon station nodes (e.g. pylon, ...) Are there any further "domains", where the 3D model can influence the FM?

Could it be that you already lost the file while moving the SF Israel mod folder, meaning the game is not to blame for removing the file?

Do you remember if it does happen on random or only after a game/DLC update/install?

I doubt that the game removes any files from the mod folder. I've never experienced such things. But what I think the game indeed does (and then only after a game update or a merged install of another SF2 game or DLC) is to revert stock aircraft and ground object ini files, i.e. Object/Aircraft/<aircraft>.ini and Object/GroundObject/<groundobject>.ini. I think no other files, e.g. *_data.ini files are touched. Can anyone confirm this?

There are no individual Effect.ini files in the CAT archives. All stock effects are defined in particlesystem.ini (contained in FlightData.CAT).

Yes the LODViewer has no problem with spec and bump (normal) maps, ... because the LODViewer completely ignores them

It seems every GIMP user stumbles upon this (myself included, of course ): https://combatace.com/forums/topic/93235-how-do-you-make-serial-number-decals/?do=findComment&comment=753952

Holding the shift key gives you finer control. From the readme: The position and heading of selected objects can be changed with the mouse: -translation (coarse): ctrl + left click + move -translation (fine): ctrl + shift + left click + move -rotation (coarse): ctrl + mouse wheel -rotation (fine): ctrl + shift + mouse wheel

The LODViewer can read the LODs directly from the CAT files. For this you have to set the SF2 install directory and enable CAT file access under Settings->CAT File Access. If you open an aircraft.ini file with the LODViewer and it didn't find the lod file in the same directory then it tries to load the lod file from the CAT files.

Technical explanation: TK uses for decal texturing the "clamp to edge" (or rather its DirectX equivalent) texture wrapping mode. For more info see: https://open.gl/textures

Of course for a switch it won't work. Thats why I wrote "3D objects [that] are not that much extruded", e.g. screws, nuts, bolts, grooves, ...

Actually the whole rendering of a 3D scene onto a (2D) monitor is an illusion. If the 3D objects are not that much extruded it shouldn't make a big difference if the surface normals (for lighting computation) come from a normal map or from a detailed mesh.

Thirdwire forum threads with post form TK were thankfully archived by the combatace user Do335. You can find the TW forum archive here: https://combatace.com/forums/topic/92272-third-wire-forums-no-longer-linked-on-website/?do=findComment&comment=745634 Regarding the question, if that aircraft systems are implemented, TK posted on 10 Dec 2009 the following: Well, I think the answer is No, please check the stock plane's data to see whats implemented. TK Maybe some of those systems were implemented after 2009. I don't know.

Yes, I can recommend the Flugplatzmuseum Cottbus (Sorry, it seems the webpage is in german only). Very nice and friendly people there. I too had the chance to sit in the cockpit of this very Mi-24D. If interested, I can post some cockpit photos.

Yes, a wiki would be a good idea. I know there is a lot of information in this forum and especially the Knowledge Base sub forum. But searching for specifics can sometimes be tedious. A wiki with more structured / linked / updated information would be an improvement. But I have no experience how much effort it is to setup a wiki. And I wonder how many modders are still around and willing to actually contribute to the wiki?

Have you tested the TOD/terrain with the TargetAreaEditor? Are the TOD objects showing up in the TargetAreaEditor? Just to be sure that the TOD file is valid. Alternatively you can send me the TOD file and I will check it.