Spad13

FE2 is an upgrade in so many ways,grafix,AI,FM,ease of modding just to name a few. 99% of the current mods work fine with either no or miner tweeking.Some are pains in the @ss though.There are a few differences in how the game is modded but once you learn the basics it's far easier.Look in the knowlegebase here and the SF2 KB as SF2 is very similar in how it's modded.

I was using FEG, too. Then I decided to try FE2 after some folks recommended it. I, too, have XP. All's I can say is...

WHAT A FRIKKIN DIFFERENCE! The whole game just flies better and is much more challenging. Your crew may still get shot down, but they usually do trying to keep the enemy off your tail.

Now it is set up differently on your PC- aircraft are stored in a different location apart from the program part... but if a techno slob like I could do it, you can. The folks on here are glad to help. And with all the downloadable A/C, you can fly just about anything.

Do not feel to bad, it took me a while to get his terrains to work too. Until I figured out that nothing is suppose to go into the original FE2/SF2 game folders, I had CTD's too.

 

A big help is going to the SF2 Knowledge section and reading how SF2 handles mods, since FE2, is just the WW1 version of TK's game.

See, what confuses me is that I have not really touched the way the game was when it downloaded. It came with terrains (Cambrai and Verdun) in the program folder, not in the mods folder. Now to test what you told me, I took the stuff out of the program folder that you said doesn't belong there and put it in the mods folder. When I tried it- it doesn't work. It abends. I put that file back in the program files, created a new folder in the mod files labeled "terrains" and dropped Jan's stuff in it. Now it works.

I am also confused as to why Cambrai and Verdun are "security catalogs" and not file folders.

So I have a terrains folder in program files that has Cambrai and Verdun. I have a terrains file in the mod files, with Jan's downloads. And the tiles do now change seasons. I get a nice autumn look for October, and a snowy landscape in February. So as long as it works, I'm not going to muck with it.

I do appreciate all the help! And I appreciate the wonderful job you modders have done in making this a very satisfying WW1 sim.

And I will check out that SF2 knowledge section!

I repeat, nothing and I mean nothing goes into any 2nd Gen Thirdwire original game folders, period. If you do, it creats problems. TK's 2nd Gen games create a mod folder someplace else, and that is where you put all your changes/mods.

 

In XP, the FE2 mod folder location is: My Computer / Documents and Settings / User / My Documents / ThirdWire / FirstEagles2

Ok. Thanks.

Hmmm... I just tried it again, and for Cambrai and Verdun the winter terrains are showing up now when I set the weather to inclement (duh). Flanders and Vosegen still abend. I'm not too worried about that, though- I was more wondering how to get the terrain changed. I think it all goes back to those security catalogs somehow. I guess. Should I just remove the terrain folder from the program files?

Gee, now let's see how I muck up the airfield mods.

Spad13:

To answer your question, yes, Jan's terrains work just fine in FE2.

 

To start with, you did not say what operating system you are using, two where did you put his terrains ???

 

ALL Thirdware Second Generation games use a mod folder, for example look under the C:User/Saved Games/Thirdwire/ FirstEagles2.

 

as a result, you put Jan's ferrain folders inside the Terrains folder in the FirstEagles2 mod folder, not inside the game folder. Tk created this method so you never have to touch the original game folders, everything now goes into the mod folder (as mentioned above), unlike the original FE1 game.

 

My FirsttEagle2 mod folder looks like this:

C:/User/Saved Games/Thirdwire/FirstEagles2/Terrains/ with the folowing folders under Terrains = Flanders, seasonal_tiles, Vogesen, wwiCambrai, wwiVerdun

Ok, let me see here- I'm using Windows XP- and it runs on it.

Two, let me ask- do you mean by the "mod folder" the one in "My Documents" and not "Program Files"?

Now here's where everything was when I downloaded the game. "Terrains" was in the program files, there was no terrains file in "my docs". The files looked odd- security catalogs?

The Cambrai and Verdun terrains didn't even have folders anymore, just security catalogs. I dropped the Flanders folder into this folder, and the game didn't read it. It was not available as a selection.

Now, I made a Terrains folder and put it in "my docs", and put Jan's mods in there:

which looks to me like what you have down, even though the path is worded a bit differently.

The terrains now show up on the screen choices:

but if I click Flanders or Vosgesen, the computer abends, It will work for Verdun and Cambrai, which also happen to be the two files downloaded with the game in their "security catalogs", but I'm not getting any snow in January 1917 in those terrains. Or is that not how it works?

Any ideas, gentlemen?

I tried downloading one of the seasonal terrains by Jan. I found that his folder is named "terrain" whereas the folder in FE 2 is "terrains". Just for giggles I swapped them out, and I found that my FE 2 would ab-end. Switching them back, it worked again. I also noticed the original terrains setup for Verdun and Cambrai is different from FE I.

So I'm wondering if these mods work for FE 2 or not? I'd like a change of seasons and a worn airfield if I can make it work.

Thanks!

Menckhoff was later shot down by US airman Walter Avery and captured. Menckhoff was "annoyed" to find out he had been shot down by a novice pilot. Avery cut the "M" off of Menckhoff's plane. After the war they somehow came in contact, and Avery returned his "M" to him.

Ok, that makes sense. How do I make them open up at say 100 meters instead of 50? Thanks!

Never mind, I found it. Does this help, Mike? From Peter01:

If the gunner is firing, but not often or very long, you can change it easily enough. You are probably using values I did, and if so, the 2-seater gunners I did/do don't fire as much (and are less accurate) because I always felt they were too lethal as AI.

On the other hand, if you are flying the plane, the gunners don't seem to shoot much - and even less for player than as AI. Must admit that ain't much fun if your a 2-seater flyer sort of guy.

You can change that:

In the [AIData] section change GunnerFireTime=2.5 (what TK uses usually) to something like 5.0. Increases lengths of bursts.

In the Crew section, in [Gunner] section, increase the yaw and pitch rates as the gunners will fire more often and be more accurate if the can swing their guns around to shoot. If too slow, they never get a bead on the enemy plane. Change the following to these values (used by TK):

PitchAngleRate=40

and .....

YawAngleRate=60

The ones I used were much less .... 25 and 32 respectively.

Looks like this tells you how to adjust the accuracy of the gunners.- Spad13 aka Dave.

It's Meters, not yards. All measurments in TKs games are metric

 

wrench

kevin stein

Ok, that makes sense. How do I make them open up at say 100 meters instead of 50? Thanks!

Been trying that, thanks, but so far not detecting any significant differences - too much variance in the results.

In my FE EXP, the two seaters would turn my plane into Swiss Cheese on the first pass. In FE2, it's nowhere near as bad. I tried to find the AIData files and such to see what mine was set at, but I can't find it or "gunneroffset". Even using a search... Here's all I could find for the AEG:

[AircraftData]

AircraftFullName=AEG G.IV

AircraftShortName=AEG G.IV

AircraftDataFile=AEG_G4_data.ini

LoadoutFile=AEG_G4_Loadout.ini

UserList=AEG_G4_UserList.ini

[LOD001]

Filename=AEG_G4.LOD

Distance=100

[LOD002]

Filename=AEG_G4_LOD2.lod

Distance=200

[LOD003]

Filename=AEG_G4_LOD3.lod

Distance=400

[LOD004]

Filename=AEG_G4_LOD4.lod

Distance=1600

[LOD005]

Filename=AEG_G4_LOD5.lod

Distance=10000

[DamageTexture]

DamagedPostFix=_holes.DDS

[shadow]

CastShadow=TRUE

ShadowCastDist=10000

MaxVisibleDistance=800

[TextureSet001]

Directory=GermanCamo1

Name=German Lozenge

Nation=GERMANY

Specular=0.400000

Glossiness=0.150000

Reflection=0.200000

However, I looked up the Aviatik, which also is not as accurate in FE2, and here's the settings:

[AIData]

AileronDeltaRoll=1.2

AileronRollRate=-1.0

ElevatorDeltaPitch=1.0

ElevatorPitchRate=-0.1

ThrottleDeltaSpeed=0.1

ThrottleVelocity=-0.005

MaxPitchForAltitude=25.0

MinPitchForAltitude=-15.0

PitchForThrottle=0.005

PitchForAltitude=0.01

PitchForVerticalVelocity=-0.01

RollForHeading=1.0

RollForHeadingRate=-0.05

MinRollHeading=0.0

MaxRollForHeading=30.0

PitchForRoll=0.23

FormationSpeedForPosition=0.8

FormationSpeedForRate=0.5

GunnerFireChance=80

GunnerFireTime=2.5

GunnerAimOffset=0.0050

MaxRollCombat=30.0

MaxRollFormation=15.0

MaxPitchCombat=30.0

My guess would be the lower the number, the less accurate?

BTW, how would one increase the distance in which they open fire? Say at 100 yds rather than 50? Thanks.

Yes, you have to delete and start over.

 

Of course, with Stachel, we all know what happend to him...Death by Ursla Undress (what a way to go!! hubba hubba!)

Nice to see Biggles flying again, though. Just keep him away from JetRangers! (note to self: find the 1stGen install, and rebuild the "secret sound weapon" site again)

 

wrench

kevin stein

What a hoot! "If you can fly a Sopwith Camel, you can fly anything!".

I'm starting to run up some high numbers in victories, and was wondering if there was a way to reset my pilot's scores? I have 5 of them that I named after movie aces- Bruno Stachel, Erich Von Stalheim, Reed Cassidy, James Bigglesworth, and Ace Drummond. It'd be nice if I could reset them and start over.

Thanks!

Hey SPAD13,

 

I've been trying to think of a solution. But I'm not sure why you keep getting the random markings either.

Is it all a stock install or have you messed around with the "TextureSets", aircraft DATA.ini's, or Nation names?

 

FE2, right?

FE2, yes. Stock Install. I have not messed around with any of those things, since I didn't know what I would be doing, except for texture sets trying to see if say "Insignia007" = Belgium or something. But I changed those back when I got no change. I did set up a decals folder for some of the imported planes that required it. Those are working fine, thanks to Kevin's advice on correcting the "1" to "3".

I just played a few rounds, and everything seemed to be working ok now. Glad I got a print screen to show it really happened.

I did notice that when I select the Sopwith to fly, the default is the USAS, rather than RAF that it was in FE EXP.

I think Thirdwire should take all the mods you guys have made to date, put out FE 3 that combines them all into a simple download, and pay you folks royalties.

BTW, FE 2 is cool- glad I took your advice to get it.

Dave

I'll work on getting the answers here. But actually, the Sopwiths are ones downloaded with the game. I played around with it, and now they have French Roundels. I'll get a screenshot. I checked the nation names, and they are accurate. The years I haven't found a pattern yet but I'll check.

 

 

I'm playing around with it, since I was able to fix the Hanriot and Ne27 (don't know exactly what I did, either) - but to prove I'm not crazy, here you see where the AI came up with a French Sopwith- I was flying a Fokker.

I'll work on getting the answers here. But actually, the Sopwiths are ones downloaded with the game. I played around with it, and now they have French Roundels. I'll get a screenshot. I checked the nation names, and they are accurate. The years I haven't found a pattern yet but I'll check.

Is any particular terrain associated with the glitch? Is the LimitedNations=TRUE statement active on said terrain(s) (extraction of the main terrain ini may be necessary to confirm/deny this)

 

Of the above listed aircraft, assuming 3rdParty addons, have they're decals inis and textureset inis been brought up to FE2 standard nomenclature? Do the aformentioned aircraft have the proper NationName, as stated in the game's Nations.ini?

 

What are the operational years flying does this glitch occur? Do the Service start and end years fall within the allowable year spread of the game?

Are these aircraft set to Exported=TRUE, and if so, do the exported years fall within the allowable year spread of the game?

 

Also, can you post a screenshot of the "offending" insignia as they appear on the wrong sides aircraft?

 

wrench

kevin stein

To rephrase an earlier question to make it more clear, for some reason in my FE2, whenever I'm flying a German plane, many of the enemy fighters wear American roundels. Hanriots, Nieuport 27s, and now Sopwith Camels are flying in American colors. Any idea what's causing that and how I can fix it so they wear their appropriate roundels? Much obliged.

Are you talking about what they start to show/discuss at ~ 6:30 into this episode?

 

http://www.youtube.c...1&v=Wg8Wa1fMfQE

 

I'm pretty sure that was greatly exhagerated. I can't say for sure, since I've never flown a Foker. But I'm pretty sure what you see there is not physically possible. You can't bring the nose around like that and then accelerate forward and continue to maintain control. If for some reason you could get the nose of the plane around that fast, the aircraft would be stalled and you'd have to recover from the stall - not bank ninety degrees and accelerate onto the tail of your attacker!

I thought so, too, until I read in a book McCudden's take on Voss's maneuver:

"Voss turned in what a startled McCudden referred to as a "sort of flat half-spin".

Which I think is what DOGFIGHTS illustrates. Don't get me wrong- a number of folks on the AERODROME forum have questioned the DOGFIGHT's realism.

Flat half-spin

I'll check. But it's when the game picks AI enemy fighters that they show up as American. For example, I was flying an Albatros, and the enemy plane was an NE27 with American Roundels. I've found that happened with the Hanriot, too. Not correct, especially for 1917!

look to the NationName= the skin's textureset.ini

 

also, check the drop down Nationality selector on the Single Mission page, you can change it from there

 

wrench

kevin stein

Can anyone tell me what the FilenameFormat= for British Roundels, Belgium Roundels, and French Roundels? Right now most of my enemy Allied planes are flying American Roundels. The (FilenameFormat=Insignia) is what I imagine is what's making them all American planes. Thanks!

Hi all, i am 2 weeks into first eagle gold and I have a few more questions

that needs answers.

1. How do I know if my wingmen was shot down by flak and not by

enemy aircraft? If one of your guys is shot down by flak, does the debrief log

tells you so?

 

2. On the campaign map,it seems that all the airbase have a supply

Percentage, how does it affect the campaign?

 

3. Now this is a weird discovery, when I was badly shot up and I managed

To land my plane on the ground safely, I press the escape button and it shows

That I am killed. ????? I managed to land safely already, why killed? Later I discover that

If I press shift escape to bail even I land my damaged plane, I have a chance to escape. Bug?

 

4. I discover enemy plane which seems not damaged in battle start emitting smoke all of a sudden and then crash. Is that a bug?

There are folks here who are more experienced than I am, but let me tell you what I noticed:

1. In all the times I've played, only once have I seen a plane hit by flak, and that was me. Odds are really against anyone getting zapped regularly by flak.

3. I've had that happen. I assumed it meant I was so badly wounded that I died after landing. Unlike other games, like even Red Baron, you don't know that you've been wounded.

4. You're a better shot than you thought! :)

Kevin-

Sonuvagun- I changed that number to 3, and now it works! Unbelievable! Thank you sooo much!

Dave aka Spad13

Sorry I lost it there, Wrench. I really do appreciate the help. I'm not a modder of any sort- I'm a middle aged fellow (WW 1 air buff, too) who doesn't like TV so I like to play games on my PC in the evening. Plug & Play is my speed, and sometimes I get frustrated at my lack of techno skills.

Got another question though. The Roland DVI doesn't have a "D" file. It has a "Decals" file with this in it:

[Decal001]

MeshName=Fuselage

DecalLevel=0

DecalFacing=RIGHT

FilenameFormat=Insignia

Position=-2.28,0.04

Scale=0.5

DecalMaxLOD=1

[Decal002]

MeshName=Fuselage

DecalLevel=0

DecalFacing=LEFT

FilenameFormat=Insignia

Position=-2.28,0.04

Scale=0.5

DecalMaxLOD=1

[Decal003]

MeshName=WingTO_L

DecalLevel=0

DecalFacing=Top

FilenameFormat=Insignia

Position=-3.379,0.261

Scale=1.3

DecalMaxLOD=1

[Decal004]

MeshName=WingTO_R

DecalLevel=0

DecalFacing=Top

But no "D" file with pics or whatever in it. So the crosses aren't showing up. Can I make a D folder, and if so, what would I put in it?

Thanks!!

Thanks! That's it exactly.

Ok, I found a step by step tutorial by a fellow named Heck that describes what to do.

What a pain in the butt. The should just paint the darn decals onto the fuselage instead of having to set up a whole new Decals folder with aircraft subfolders and subfolders to the subfolders to each D file you have. Geez.

DL= down load

 

the set up should be exactly the same as SF2, meaning, objects/decals/*aircraftfoldername*/*skinname*/D (subfolder)

 

wrench

kevin stein

"DL"?

The format for decals is different in FE2. It isn't difficult, just different.

 

You can compare by DL both versions of my recent Sopwith 1A2 Strutter.

 

http://combatace.com...ry/381-sopwith/

 

I posted the correct form for both. If you need more help, let me know.