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stingray77

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Everything posted by stingray77

  1. Hi! With the "CatPack-tool" I have been able to extract ObjectDataXXX.CAT-files from the original TW-data-set. I changed a few entries (just deleted the ShipSmoke from some craft) and now want to put the changed data back... But where do I put it? The tool's instructions don't go into detail exactly where to put the data afterwards... I already tried saving the "new" (i.e. CargoShipDATA.INI) data directly in the Mod-folder under Objects - no use. Same under Objects/Ground Objects. From the instructions I understand to leave the original data-set unchanged - but how can a change be applied if the original data remain the same? Anyone to tell me, where to put those changed files and the logics behind, maybe? Thanks a lot. Oliver
  2. Keeping track of this, yesterday I did some more trying: I have CargoShipDATA.INI, CV-63DATA.INI and TankerDATA.INI lying in my "Objects/Ground Objects"-folder (directly). But there they do not seem to be effective, as their Ship Smoke is still there. Putting EITHER OF THESE into their respective folders under "Ground Objects" (like "Cargo Ship", "Tanker" or "CV-63") makes the sim CTD at around 80% of a mission loaded... I'm lost! Can anyone help? Thanks!!!
  3. VERY true! I love it, too... It SO MUCH adds to the air of SF2V - it's just awesome... I've done some more testing meanwhile. Here are a few things I stumbled over yesterday evening. Flying Fighter Sweep over NV in a F-104 (mission date was rather early like '67 or so)... Issues from "light" to "severe", maybe: - FixPack3 adds a good shadow model to the F-104 - great so! Unfortunately it also adds such a "strange line" from cockpit to same spot in the shadow, that I already experienced with the OV-10... (It seemed as if the line was more visible with the Silver1 model than with the Camo - but that might have been the perspective or sth.) Start a flight in the morning, go to "external" view and orbit over the Starfighter on the runway - you will see that line soon. Anything to be done about this? - applying rudder makes it deflect "the other way round"; apply left rudder, the vertical stabilizer goes RIGHT - THAT's strange! Or does it (for some reason unknown to me) work like this on the Zipper? - and (VERY strange) arriving over the target area, Red Crown directs me towards incoming bogeys. Able to target them, but *whatisthis???* there is just the red rectangle but no aircraft in it! Target info (red lower right corner) names target as "MiG-17PF Fresco-D" - speed 0! Checking back with the ReadMe of the XP2 (FixPack1) it reads that "Fresco-D" would be the original TW-MiG-17-model (the one coming with the XP would be "Fresco-E") - so it seems that when applying the XP, I deleted the MiG-17 coming with it, but have no TW-MiG for I have no merged install. Can THIS cause my problem? (Thought I did everything according to the book!?) Then I should find XP-MiG-17(E)-data in the XP-folder to put back in, right? Or is it that the mission asks for a Fresco-D which I do not have - only the E from the XP!? Thanks for your comments and help... Oliver
  4. @ Eject: in the SF2 series, the basic game-data is saved under the Programs on the C-drive (and remains there unaltered). At first start up, the game (itself) creates an additional folder in the Vista's user-drive under "saved games" (we call it the Mods-folder). There go your (personal) pilots and campaign data. Additinal to this, THIS is the folder where to put your mods (therefore the name). Two big benefits: THAT's the folder to fiddle around with (modding) as the original data remain untouched, and THAT's the folder to make back-ups of the latest well-working environment. (It's - well - quite manageable; my current back-up has a size of 5.7 GB with the SF2V, the Expansion Pack 2.0 with the patches and some few aircraft-skins applied.) Hope this helps... Back to my topic: I did not have too much time to test yesterday evening, but in the Mods-folder I already found "CargoShip", "Tanker" and "CV-63" under the Objects/GroundObjects - so I did not need to create these folders anew. (They already contained the "basic"-INIs like "Tanker.INI" for example. The CV-63-folder also contained a sub-folder "Grey1"...) So I just clipped my changed XXXDATA.INIs from "Objects", put them into the respective folders and checked. Game started, NAVY Campaign started (to check the carrier's deleted smoke first) - and CTD'd when loading the mission data (at around 80% loaded). So THAT was not it - guess I had some conflicting data in there somewhere... (Although I only put those three DATA.INIs from one folder into those sub-folders!? ) I deleted my Mods folder and had to restore from latest back-up. I need to re-check (maybe leave the CV-63 untouched at first), what might have caused this. But for the moment, I do not have a solution... Any further input?
  5. Thanks for your hint - something new to learn... But doesn't this only cut down the size of the plume? I would like to reduce its intensity - like "make it lighter"... Any idea where to find that Russian freighter?
  6. Thanks - I will try again and post if successful - or ask if not!
  7. (To let others learn, maybe, let's stick to English... ) Thanks for confirming, that the original CAT remains as is - I already thought that the game might check the Mods-folder first and "ignore" the original files then... Now I KNOW! In my case I changed some .INIs for the Oiltankers and Cargoships. Some of them - TANKER i.e. - do not already exist in the mods; do I need to create the full "Tanker-folder" (including the changed .INI) under Mods' Ground Objects then? (Might be a good try.) Simply adding the changed .INI to Objects or Ground Objects did not apply my changes, yet.
  8. Thanks a BIG LOT, Eric! From the utility's instructions I (theoretically) understand how to extract the "ObjectDataXXX.CAT" now. And I will find the Tanker's and Russian Freighter's (and maybe/probably the Carrier's) .INIs in the .CATs somewhere? I guess changing the data works just like the above (simply deleting the "ShipSmoke" behind the "ExhaustEmitterName="), right? What's still not that clear to me, is where to put the changed data. The instructions say: "put it in the correct folder in the special mod folders". Does that mean, that if I found the original DATA.INI in a file called "ObjectData006.CAT", I create a folder called "ObjectData006" in the Mods-folder and put my changed DATA.INI in there? Or do I put it into "Objects" (directly - not into "Ground Objects" or sth.), because the original "ObjectData006.CAT" was found inside an "Objects"-folder? Or will I see a proper location (like "Objects/Ground Objects/Tanker") after I extracted the .CAT and simply have to put the changed .INI to the same position? The last sounds most likely/"best" to me - I will have to try this, I guess... And last: the original "ObjectData006.CAT" remains in the "base" ThirdWire- (not Mods-) folder, as we are only tweaking a copy. So by adding another file with the same name in the Mods, the game looks there FIRST when starting the game and ignores the original data? Just to help me understand... Thanks again! And sorry for discussing this modding here - pls. accept my apologies. Oliver
  9. Eric, I had no problem with the following: Sampan1 Sampan2 Sampan3 Supply SmallCargoShip and CargoShip That lit up the "smoky skies" already somewhat. But in the "Tanker"-file there is no DATA.INI that I could change. Neither did I find the Russian Freighters somewhere - not in the Ground Objects and not in the Terrains!? Where can I find those? Guess I still need your help...
  10. Both flyable if you add one of the Expansion Packs from the Download area - which is a great addition anyway! (Forgot to mention: I'm speaking of the SF2V!)
  11. Okay - that's a lot more than I have done so far. (Up to now, I have only been "user" - no "modder".) But to understand (and maybe try myself): key is to go into the named DATA.INI and TYPES.INI files (by means of notepad or similar, I guess) and re-edit those lines. I assume there is a figure right next to the "ExhaustEmitterName=ShipSmoke" which needs to be set from "1" to "0" or so? Or should one fully delete the "ShipSmoke" (or the whole line)? Oh, and is this one possible to perform for the carrier's smoke as well? I guess no, or is it in a file in the mods-folder, too? Sorry for this - maybe - dumb question (or that all this info might be very well seen from the "Knowledgebase" - so, sorry for my try to cut corners)... Then again your hint sounds quite easy to "start with this kind of modding"... Thanks for the info with the "Flaks", Eric . Seeing your "360°-enthusiasm", I already figured you would include it. Oliver
  12. addition to my last post: I re-read the ReadMe a couple of times and finally got the idea behind those "optionals"... Great to let us have some ways to "screw" a bit ourselves (although I prefer to leave it the "standard" you defined - that CAN'T be wrong)... Then another question: do you think of implementing the "Flak Levels" into the "Gold", too? I guess it would fit there quite nicely. (Another one of those "screws"...) Finally: I was "testing" a little yesterday evening again (always sounds like work, what always is BIG FUN). I already wrote about something similar and had to learn, there's not much to do about this - so I don't have high hopes, there might be a "fix" for this - but you never know... I was looking for the added obejects (cranes, ships) around the harbour areas. (Which are many and add a lot of air to the scenery, by the way. ) The ships stood out from a distance, because all of them (well, except for one if I recall correctly) wore a dark black plume of smoke on their stacks. The smoke was much darker/more intense than the hazy air around (same as the original carrier the Navy campaign-missions start from). As there doesn't seem to be a way to "tone down" the darkness (as I had to learn before), is there maybe a way to detach/delete the smoke from the ships (including the original carrier)? Except for some old steamships (whose smoke looks and "flows" differently anyway) the ships smoke is hardly seen in reality, anyhow... Maybe some of you knows a solution to this.
  13. Hi Eric thanks for your immediate reply. It clarifies a lot! Oliver
  14. I added the FP3 right yesterday - and (from the very few things I've been able to try out already) again I can say: it's GREAT! ...So good to find shadows added to the F-104 (and I will not start complaining over the OV-10 again... )! Anyhow I have a few things/questions, that I'm sure you will be able to answer easily: - in the FP3 I did not spot any differences to the same data from FPs1&2 of the M60A1, MiG-17(A) and MiG-17PF; ARE they the same? So you might skip the comment's in the "Optional Installation"-section, as it's already been written and implemented in the previous FPs... Am I right, or what's my error in reasoning? - from the readme I understand that the following are inculded in the FP3 by default: custom exhaust emitters (instead of the original "dirty") BUFFs (included) campaigns high detail tree complexity small/realistically sized trees original TW sun and stars by Cellinsky ("WideSky") and the additional data included in the FP3 allow for changing / reverting those back, right? Great then to allow for those "roll-back-availabilities"! - (I guess I already asked this - so sorry for asking again) what will the "Gold" finally be? Some add-on to put on top of the FPs or some "full version" of XP2 to drop into a "virgin" SF2V-Mod-folder? (The latter would be quite clean, right - only a VERY large package...) I'm asking because I found some data (some sounds, if I recall right) that were in the "objects"-folder directly and not in one the "aircraft"-folders... I would like to have a tidy environment; so my idea was to cut all that "roll-back-data" to some "back-up" and keep my SF-folder as lean as possible. I appreciate your comments. And thanks again for the tremendeous work and effort putting all this together! We owe you - big-time... Oliver
  15. Since a couple of days ago I am unable to upload pictures. Next to the "Attach This File" there's a field saying "Used 3.14MB of your 3MB global upload quota (Max. single file size: 1000MB)". I thought there might have been a time-related limit or something, so after a while those 3.14MB might "vanish" again, but nothing... So, what do I need to do to "clear the cache" again? Then (another one) how do I get ahead from "Junior Member"-status? Obviously not by just posting and posting... Where do I find "rules" for those things?
  16. I've found another (small) item: the F-104 casts only pilot/ejection seat- and loads-shadows... I would not bother too much - just to add to the issues' list!
  17. Phantom Reflections, Mike Mc Carthy (Combat Flying Vietnam - memoirs) Cheating Death, George J Marrett (Combat Air Rescues Vietnam and Laos - memoirs) Vietnam Air War Debrief, Robert F Dorr / Chris Bishop (colorful compilation of history and aircraft used in Vietnam) the other side: MiGs over North Vietnam, Roger Boniface (North Vietnam's People's Air Force in Combat) all non-fiction - all GREAT!
  18. Yesterday I flew my first gunship-mission with a "Shadow" - guys (whoever of you created THIS detail), you did a tremendous job! The effects, tracers bowing downwards, their explosions on the ground - and then the shadows the explosions cast - just plain awesome!!! I just need to learn to fly even curves to make the hits line up... Again and again I get amazed of HOW MUCH detail you put into creating (importing things already there into) that XP...
  19. Thanks for clarifying, Eric. I only copied Fubar's tips over here, so I cannot reply much contentswise... But "good to hear" that those things have already been taken care of. And on my yesterday evening's mission I did not find the smoke tooooo disturbing anyhow... So, I am patiently waiting for the "gold" to come out soon.....
  20. Fubar512 gave a hint on the "smoke"-issue. I copy it here: If the "intense black smoke" that you're referring to, is visible through clouds and haze, then all I can suggest is that you check to see if it's attendent effect file has a positive z-buffer value, that can be reset to zero. You can also try the fix for "trees showing through clouds" in the knowledge base, and see if that helps. If it doesn't, then you're out of luck, as it would then be a global graphics engine issue, that only only the original game developer (Third Wire) can fix.
  21. There is a Bronco included in the "Expansion Pack v.2" to SF2V. I'm not 100% sure, but it seems it is this one http://forum.combata...s&showfile=2865 by Fracture and enhanced by some other modders. After a suitable shadow was added (before that, only the loads' shadows were cast, not the plane's) there are "strange lines" running from the plane (-s - when there are several planes awaiting take-off). (See screeny on page 5 of the thread discussing the "Expansion Pack" http://forum.combata...46-page-80.html) On a similar problem I had, it turned out to be a problem with the LOD that was able to get fixed rather easily - so my hope is, that this can be done, here, too.... Any help is welcome.
  22. The smoke and trees issue refers to the thread "SF2V Air & Ground Expansion Pack v. 2.0 - Beta" in "Mission and Campaign Building" - so I'll copy your tips and include them there.... Thanks
  23. Easy, pal. At the time of my writing here, I was still seeing if this could be ironed out some way - just some German "Gründlichkeit" to check every possible solution. (I "only wanted to see how far the horse might be able to limp...", okay?) Your reply to my post in the "Mods and Skinning" then terminated this item for me ("now I, too, see the horse is dead") - so no offense! How'zit going, Pavel?
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