peter01

Well, no feedback, mmm... Anyway, decided to do this again, and move further away from TKs FM. Its a good 'un ... sure many of you will find it a real pleasure to fly. Different to any other somewhat. Its light (maybe realistic, maybe not, but feels right), you just feel like just throwing it around . Roll is average, as is climb, but with lowish stall speed. Feels good to fly around, feels very good to fly in a dogfight. You will certainly feel superior to any other plane in a dogfight. Stalls are nicely done I think, and this with a lot of motion means a dogfight feels great, despite its superiority. FOKKERDR1_DATA.zip

Welcome to FE MrHowdy. The Pfalz and Fokker planes have rotary engines, but rotary engine sounds do not come with the stock game. You can do one of two things. Download an A-Team rotary plane package, they have done a rotary engine sound, called "RotaryEngine", and place that in your Sounds folder. For example the Airco Dh2 package has a rotary sound included, its available here at CombatAce. Alternately, copy your normal engine sound in your Sounds folder, "PropLoop", and rename copied file to "RotaryEngine".

File Name: Several FMs Updated File Submitter: peter01 File Submitted: 12 Aug 2008 File Category: Flight Models Update to the FM Packs for Oct 2007 EP, the Quick Start (for se5a) and Full Set Packs. Updates have also been made to the main packs. Fokker E3a - fixed having only one gun Dh2, Tripe, N28, PfazD3 - improved, especially Tripe and Dh2 (also fixes double windscreen identified by Southside Bucky) F2b, Dolphin, Se5a - Main reason for the update. Click here to download this file

Arrrggg! Just forget my last post :blush2: , other than saying dagaith and whiteknight have some great ideas to improve the "Quick Combat" experience . Your right Bucky and Tailspin, it does work on month. I remember over a year ago having a problem with some planes turning up, but that related to"End Dates" being a little too generous (most planes were historically available in one way or another for a considerable period, and that was how they were defined in the data inis too). I did change this, again, that was over 1 year ago (and refined somewhat again for current version) for that particular reason - don't know how I forgot this, brain not working this morning... So Bucky, why not do what you intended, setting dates to what you feel maybe more realistic? Quick Combat is, well, Quick Combat, but I suspect many play this quite a bit.

Hi Bucky, Just a couple of things...and don't want to be discouraging, but can't understand how you could fix this... The aircraft start and end dates are accurate already (to the best of my knowledge). Of course end dates are always somewhat problematic. In "Quick Mission" its based on year, so you could fly the Pup in 1916 against planes available in 1916 eg Pfalz E3, Fokker E1 start-end is 1915-1916, or planes with start-end dates of 1916-1917 like Alb D2s. Its not based on month overlaps, because if that were true, you wouldn't meet the Pfalz E3 or Fokker E1 in the Pup (start date late 1916), as end dates for these two german ones are early 1916......no overlap in terms of "real" availablity based on month. But you do, or at least, I do! Also if the game used month, you wouldn't meet N27s and Spad13s (start dates Sep 1917) in the Alb D3 (160) with end date of May 1917 either (but Alb D3 170hp is available in June 1917 to 1918). You can get some very funny encounters at times (eg Dr1 versus Dh2). But thats the way it is. As Dagaith says probably the only solution is to have Month as well as Year in "Quick Mission", and even better, include commonality according to month as WhiteKnight states - Pup first available Oct 1916, maybe peak in May-June 1917. I think at present the only realistic solution can be obtained by creating individual Campaigns for planes (LOL 80-90 of them!), the available planes are created by the designer, they are not spawned.

The opening ceremony of the Olympics... the Chinese put on a real show. My prediction is Australia will top the medal count

Thanks Bandy, it is an interesting article. Funnily enough both well known triplane designs, the Dr1 and the Tripe, were considered to have very good climb, both by contemporary pilots (and others) as well as researchers (as against theoreticians and modellers). For example, the Tripe, from my understanding, wasn't as manoeuvrable as some (eg Pup), but its always noted for its excellent climb! In terms of drag, the Tripe did 115mph, same as Camel with a bigger engine. its a pretty good speed for the Tripe with a 110hp engine. Other factors of course such as 2 guns etc make a difference, but since they were done by the same designer with the same knowledge about such areodynamic effects, and they are similar, you'd think their drag profile in things other than the wings wouldn't be so dissimilar either. So just wonder if three wings in itself increased drag, in level flight or in a climb? The Tripe obviously is different to the Dr1. I guess the rudder stuff on the E3 also partly explains why it and other early planes would have been so hard to fly, especially in combat. I wonder if fixed rudders can be simulated in FE using say flaps or lift devices (as rudders)? Just some thoughts.

He he, it was a little difficult to see through. Thanks for bring it up.

I'd agree, the stall on the se5a could be improved. Mainly after a stall/spin starts. Its a pretty stable plane at higher speeds, and maintains speed well. Its stall speed is around 45-50 mph, much the same as most, and if your flying at less then 70-80 mph and yank the stick around you will start stalling or spinning.

Well couldn't find what it was exactly, but I did restructure the layout so went back to the original, and its fixed. The file i restructured was the latest FM I have, so it'll be a bit different to the one your flying. i'm still tweaking a couple, and maybe update the pack when done. Its performance is about the same, tho roll is a bit slower, mainly redid this so it feels a bit "older". DH2_data.zip

Yes I do, but if your happy with what you have, I wouldn't recommend changing. The planes probably feel a bit different with different joysticks not just stalls, whether FFB or not, so I was just wondering.

Maybe commercial suicide, but maybe not. Certainly a risk. To me it would be a smart move. Look at what Oleg did tackling something different... I doubt Thirdwire will increase sales of First Eagles by adding to what they currently offer with a few new planes like say Nieuports or DH9 or whatever (and most likely done by the community anyhow), as the Dr1, Fokker D7 and Camel is what attracts casual gamers. They have and will continue to buy on that basis. And there are so many add-on planes available for the Western Front thats its like having that last slice when you have eaten almost the whole cake anyhow. Somewhat satisfying, but not critical. Don't get me wrong , I love every plane, and any addition is very welcome. But if they do something to distinguish the game, like a new front , and improve it with better campaigns, well, the benefit is that ww1 simmers that tried the original FE will look at it again, and that is where the $s are I think in the medium term. Its certainly what many of the FE fans here say would like too, I suspect . Its a win-win for Thirdwire ....I know, I know, its not my money on the line . Thirdwire have said they will do a couple more Expansion Packs, so looks like TK is seeing a longer term potential. Maybe we should raise it with Tk, he does seem to listen to suggestions....maybe start a poll at Thirdwire... ... that seems to work for FE.

Thanks Bucky, I'll have a look at it. Peter

File Name: New and Updated FMs File Submitter: peter01 File Submitted: 24 Jul 2008 File Updated: 25 Jul 2008 File Category: Flight Models Several FMs updated. The main package has also been updated. Probably the last lot for a while. Several changes/additions to the main package. Bortdafarms Albatros D1, D2, D2L, Oef are new FMs. Fokker E1, E1a, E3, E3a, E4, E4a are improved FMs - perfomance and feel. Camel F1 130 as torque was wrong, takeoff difficult, torque now as per original stock. 6 FMs changed slightly for feel and/or performance: AlbatrosD3OAW, AlbatrosD3OEF_200, AlbatrosD5, Se5a, F2B, Dolphin 19 other FMs with minor changes, mainlyto AI parameters, damage modelling and for a few, some tweaking of stalls. The planes are mainly early period: Camel F1 150, Spad 7 180, Pfalz D3, Fokker B2, Fokker D2, Fokker D3, Pfalz E1, Pfalz E3, Halberstadt D3, Avro 504D, Martinsyde S1, Martinsyde G100, Dh2, Fe2b, Morane N, Morane H, Morane L, Morane L 2 seater. peter01 July 2008 Click here to download this file

Thanks guys, looks like some interest, and maybe I'm not the only one with that view... Thanks Deep, yes character, its what I like too, and making them different to one another in a way that seems "right" (in my mind, and with the limitations of the FM). TK does this very well too, and for better or worse his Dr1 has loads of character. Do you have a force feedback stick? Anyway, in line with that, this one is a slightly different in feel to any I have done. Seems appropriate both being different and in how it feels, just wouldn't feel right if it was basically the same as all the others. I like TKs Camel very much, partly for that reason too. With this particular FM, I am very keen to know what you think, good or bad. If you don't like it, I don't mind, I'll just include it as an alternative FM in the Dr1 folder in the main download. If you do think its okay, then, I'll put TKs as the alternative :), with my AI changes. FOKKERDR1_DATA.zip

Thanks for the detailed response bezpete. With the cursor and waiting animation (hourglass thingy), I much prefer yours, but, I find the ww1 cursor makes it slightly harder to accurately make selections for example in Notepad (do a lot of that LOL) its not as precise, and the waiting animation seems to cause a longer lag then the default hourglass. Not sure why, its a small graphical animation, but it slows me down a bit. I'll try your alternate ones. Re sounds, I like them very much - engine, music etc. But the music seems to replay continously. Even when say I go into FE, it continues to play for some time until another sound file takes over. It seems like the music file, that is initiated by some cursor actions? What I was wondering is can you disable repeat play, just have it complete one play of the song only? And thanks again, quite novel and very nice - both as a graphical enhancement and for immersion. The rotary sound (Avro gnome eh), especially makes me want to just fly some ww1 planes! Unfortunately, it also reminds me how much the default game engine sounds (and other sounds) need improving :(.

Its a good point Whiteknight, there are few terrains done or available for FE compared to the Jet sims, even WW2. Definitely an area where FE could be improved greatly.

I'd say the WOI and FE (Expansion pack) code is basically the same. But as well as other things, they are a major departure from previous versions of the Flight Model - mainly in the code, but also how the data.inis are done. The difference was maybe not as obvious for jets (TK probably minimised the difference in the transition on purpose), but sure was significant in FE. FMs done pre-Expansion Pack are hardly flyable in new version. The FMs had to be redone completely, lots of work. Probably same for WW2. To get the WW2 FMs working well in WOI means redoing the FMs for the new Flight Model. But if done, work very well, and prop stuff is very good in the new game, far better then in the previous Flight Model. AI is, well, taken several levels further than would be the case in SF etc . Its been improving greatly with every version/patch of FE, extremely good now, and would be for WW2 as well.

Hi bezpete, Finally got around to installing this, only desktop theme though. Very unique, very nice. Certainly if you like WW1, most definitely if you like FE as it does fit very well with GuitarClassic55's excellent menu screens - adds another layer to the immersion Hope you don't mind, but couple of comments: I prefer the standard mouse pointer and hourglass, the ww1 ones are not as precise in selection etc, maybe a bit slower too? The sounds are great (ahh, love those engine sounds, have you thought about doing alternative engine sounds? you seem to have a talent for this), but it seems to repeat for some time. Can that be changed? Thanks again.

Well spotted Czech6, now fixed, thanks

See - File Announcements. Let me know on this thread if any problems, or if any comments. Cheers

Thanks Mikhayl, glad you like it. Its not as bad as it first may seem, but it sure does take some downloading , but worth it as the addon planes make it all worthwhile.

Best terrain IMO is Edwards Flanders terrain: http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?autoc...p;showfile=4424 Dr1 here near bottom of page: http://cplengineeringllc.com/SFP1/Skunworks1.html You need to email Capun to request access to download the dr1 and other planes, this is what is required............. "You need to apply via email to get a username and password, you also need to read and acknowledge our User Agreement before you are allowed to download our files. If you do not hear from us in one week try again, some email providers may be blocked. Please send an email to capun1950 (at) Yahoo (dot) com The instructions are to provide your first and last name, forum username(s), City & State/Country. For free mail services (Hotmail, GMail, Yahoo, etc), we require the name of your ISP (Internet Service Provider) All Information is kept confidential"

"Am I making this too difficult?" No, not really, it does take some working out. The Gotha is here, bottom of the page: http://cplengineeringllc.com/SFP1/Skunworks1.html Tha Cambrai campaign requires a number of add-on planes, I think most available at that site (The A-Teams). The email address is not capun51(at)yahoo(dot)com as in your last post. BTW do not use "real" email addresses in forums - problems with scammers, use (at) (dot) etc. This is their process..... "You need to apply via email to get a username and password, you also need to read and acknowledge our User Agreement before you are allowed to download our files. If you do not hear from us in one week try again, some email providers may be blocked. Please send an email to capun1950(at)Yahoo(dot)com The instructions are to provide your first and last name, forum username(s), City & State/Country. For free mail services (Hotmail, GMail, Yahoo, etc), we require the name of your ISP (Internet Service Provider) All Information is kept confidential"

On the download "FULL SET FMs and Campaigns for Oct 2007 Version EP ONLY". This was the case, but its now fixed. Error message remains, how is this removed?