stingray77

Exactly - one on May2009b having the trees coming with the XP (and running red instrument lights at night), the other one on Feb2010 without the trees but other goodies TK included with the updates... So, usually I would be flying on the most modern and up-to-date-patched build (where the lack of trees doesn't hurt), and if I like to take low missions (or Spectre-missions) where the trees blend in just TOO well (ever saw the Spectre's shells going into the woods and all the trees casting shadows? It's an AWESOME effect!), I'd go for the May. That don't sound sensible (enough) for you? Campaign- and pilot's data should be identical, so interchangeable between both...

Hum, well....... I did according to your "guide" yesterday which did not really work out satisfying: - Copying/renaming BOTH the SF2V-folder and the .exe inside was no prob. I put it back to the "program files", ran it and... Strange: it was not the tried and true SF2V-screen I was getting but the SF2 (no V!)-screen with the Phantom instead of the Crusader shown. What's THAT coming from???* ...No big deal - can be tackled later or even left this way... - Exited the game and checked the mod-folders: oh-kay, a newly created mod folder (named the same as the .exe - even using brackets worked well) in there, just as you told... Well so far (except for the new screen). - Next step: copied and renamed my previous May2009b-mod to match the newly created's name and ran the game (deleted the clean new mod-folder first): no go, the mods weren't loaded! Instead there was another clean mod-folder created with the SAME name as the modded one! Read again: identical names! Now THAT'S really weird... Eventually I rolled back again and renamed the .exe (tried it IN the program files itself - "as admin" it went without probs, too) back to before and deleted all newly created mod folders... So, as before I still have the opportunity to play both installs (by selecting the wanted mod folder by deleting either the "March2010" or the "May2009b"-appendix from the mod folder's name and changing Vista Aero to Basis), but still have no solution to my wish each install might pick its mod-folder by itself........ ...I MIGHT load a the newly created mod folder with all the XP-mods again, but (at least for now) that's a lot more of an effort than just renaming the mod-folders before playing... (The more as I am not sure that this will work well then.) Any enlightment on the above "oddities" or other hints maybe??? Thanks Oliver * remember: I have SF2V standalone - no other SF2-series!

jomni, I only renamed the install-folder containing the stock (and unaltered!) SF2.exe... As that one's name remained "Strike Fighters 2", so did the mod-folder. Sorry if I got you wrong on that...

Just to check-back that I really got you: you mean 1) take the whole SF2V-installation file - the WHOLE folder INCLUDING the .exe? - from my C:program files/ThirdWire 2) copy (to desktop, "my name" or whatever) and 3) rename (both the new folder and the SF2V.exe) to say "SF2V2009b" then 4) put it back to C:program files/ThirdWire and run (what you call "core files", right?) does the trick? So the mod-folder's name get's "imported" from the exe's name? Oh-kay, except for renaming the .exe itself that's what I already did... Something new worth the try! Thanks, ezlead!

If it weren't for the (EXCELLENT!) trees, I would stay with the current, too........ Thanks anyhow.

Hum, I thought I did it that way and the mod-folder generated by the "SF2V (May2009b)" was named "Strike Fighters Vietnam", too (no difference to the mod-folder created by the "SF2V" on the Feb 2010....) But I'm not 100% sure, I must admit. I will give it another try this evening and see if it will come up with another name. Lucky you if your trees do work in NF+ and SF2E... I'm not the only one seeing those patterns on SF2V (later than Dec2009) and the Expansion Pack. So maybe/obviously the culprit lies in the GH2-data in the XP and not in the stock SF2-install!?

see the screenies: there is a transparent "slot" right in front of the longitudinal front gear door - in the first pic you can see the blue sky shining through - on the second a part of the splitter plate can be seen... This appears not only on Sundowner's F-4B VF-111-skin seen here, but on the stock F-4B, too. (Other F-4 models? Obviously not all of them - see MaverickMike's pictures in post 6959 in the "Screenshots", page 348 - a B-model, too ... So what problem do I have???)

Ah, interesting to know. Thanks for the info...

Oh, no "overnight" replies? That raises doubts that there is an (easy) solution...... Prove me wrong, please. I re-checked, what I have and in the Mod-folder's "Options.INI"; there is an entry: [Mods] ModsEnabled=TRUE Directory=C:\Users\Oliver\Saved Games\ThirdWire\StrikeFighters2 Vietnam But again, I cannot imagine how the game (May2009b) should "find" this entry, if changed. If I leave both mod-folders named "May2009b" and "March2010", the game started would create a new mod folder "Striker Fighters Vietnam (blank)".... No joy. Even IF the plain virgin generated mod folder would identical, be it from the May2009b- or Feb2010-build, THEN redirecting to (newly created) mod-folders by changing the above entry wouldn't work as I still would need to have two different entries and couldn't make the game find the right one... Ideas, anybody? Thanks Oliver

Thanks, Eric! Everything is fine now. There remains a small gap (in contrast to the May 2009b-build, where there is just a grey "field"), but you can see the retracted strut settled in its bay showing through this gap (don't know if there is such a gap in reality) - but that's perfectly fine with me... No sky or stars shining through there ay more... And - aaaah - back again the white tail with the rest of the Sundowner's special livery. Thanks again.....

'Cause I'm in the office right now (as mostly when posting - *u-hum*) and have to patiently wait some 5 more hours.....

One (last) thing: from your comment that this will "change the tail to white", I assume/hope that other "anomalities" coming with the stock (like the white radome, that with the XP was "repaired" to grey with a curved black antiglare) will remain repaired, right?

The Vietnam Expansion Pack to SF2V does include trees from "Green Hell 2". With the Dec 2009 (and Feb 2010 for that matter) game patch, the trees were poking through the clouds, creating patterns of x-shaped trees on the white clouds. This was due to some alpha layer-change TK incorporated with the Dec 2009. (Workaround incorporated in the XP is to make the trees transparent...) Seems like your trees in SF2E don't produce the same issue...... Lucky you! Maybe someone with more knowledge might know the reason (and be able to produce a solution for SF2V )...

VERY great service - AGAIN! Thanks a big lot!!!

I will - thanks again... And do I need to apply that to the May2009b environment, too? I guess no, but am not sure... Concerning the tail: hum, what comes with the XP then that changes the stock white base to grey then???

Thanks - downloaded and waiting to be installed this evening... Still: I did a completely new install of XP Gold v2.1 over the weekend. Here's what I found out: 1) stock SF2V VF-111 does have the red sunburst on a WHITE tail fin-base. By applying the XP that changes to a GREY base-color... 2) the view through that gap is gone on the stock-install. By applying the XP it's back again... All that's with a fresh install of the XP Gold v2.1 on a "virgin" stock mod-folder. Your F-4_DATA.INIs are included in the v2.1-pack, I guess... ??? And should that fix the grey fin to white, as well? I can/will check your DATA.INIs anyway... (Hum, and I need to check if the grey fin and the gap are there on a "May 2009b"-environment, too. 'Cause while at it, I put a May 2009b and a Feb 2010 side by side - both, base game install and mod-folders... I still need to get them work flawlessly without needing to rename the mod-folder everytime I change from one to the other. But I'll open another thread with a question to this anyway...) Ah, Fubar512 - right with the guns. I just wanted to have some fun in this config....... Thanks again Here's the discussion about the above on the ThirdWire forum and here are some screenies:

TK advised to check the data file for the F-4 to be up to date..... Hum, I only applied the XP Gold over it... I will re-check when going through applying the updated XP to a fresh virgin install - let's see the outcome.

Okay - willdo... Thx

Yeah I just figured that myself when going through the ReadMe.... Sorry for pointing you there again...

See here: Add-On Helicopters for SF1 Nothing for SF2 unfortunately.....

Cool! I am already downloading (perfect time to start all over again with a "fresh" install - instead of "just" adding the "small" updates)... Does the "Terrain Tiles Update" still need to be put on top of that, again? I have my doubts as (i.e.) the aircraft included in that set already appear in the list of aircraft included in the (new) Gold. Thanks for all your work again!

I saw AI-planes (F-4-wingman and MiGs!) dropping flares and chaff when fired at yesterday... I was under the impression these were not in use back then!?!? Your input? Thanks

Roger that... I will keep observing this. Thanks for the info. (Btw might the fitting OV-10-set just released make it to some future updated version of the XP Gold? That would be cool, I think...)

Going downtown at night...

Me too. But since I learnt, they kind of really were like that, I love them... (Still a bit odd whenever I see them...)