Menrva

@JosefK Keep up the good work! The storyline can be improved with the time, what really matters at the moment is an accurate order of battle. SF2 does not really allow any storytelling aside from the written intros and outros of campaigns. Just a reminder (and small thread hijack); I have updated my realSKY mod package. Lightnings are now less noticeable in daylight, but it's a more realistic effect compared to the old one; now you might have difficulties in catching a lightning with the screenshots. Make a backup of the old RainEffect.ini file in case you want to keep the effect you've been showing in the past screenshots.

View File Speech Enhancement & Expansion Speech Enhancement & Expansion February 13th, 2019 (1st Release) by Menrva >For Strike Fighters 2 games This package is my personal enhancement meant to improve the consistency and quality of the in-game English speech. I tweaked the SpeechSystem.ini file to include the additional SF2NA voices ("call the ball" and "Vampire") separately from those of the TACC; the additional SF2NA voices are now meant to be those of a Navy Controller. By chance, I have found and fixed a stock bug in the original SF2 SpeechSystem.ini file. With some .wav editing, I created a generic Hawkeye TACC using the original, female Red Crown voice. Additional .wav files have been created so that in-game flights and Departure mention Hawkeye instead of Red Crown. I hex-edited the .str file so that subtitles properly display Hawkeye instead of Red Crown. Other little fixes were also made; for instance, you'll no longer see "Call the ball" (capital letter after a comma), now it correctly is "call the ball". You get Hawkeye as TACC when flying for naval aviation services, otherwise you get Red Crown. This enhancement is a mixture of Polak's beautiful speech pack for SF1 games, and of SkateZilla's and Rends' improved Hawkeye voices; my thanks for their work! As a bonus, correct and complete or mostly complete speech files have been added for other languages: Italian, Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic, Persian. These languages have been added to the proper aviation services of countries where these languages are official: -Arabic is used for Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Somalia, Chad, Yemen, Oman, Algeria, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Libya, Djibouti. -Spanish is used for Spain, Argentina, Cuba, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic. -Persian is used for Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan. -Vietnamese is used for North Vietnam only. -Italian is used for Italy only. It's highly suggested to install this mod on top of my Nations & Medals Expansion package; the included NATIONS.ini file is entirely based on the one from that mod (hence that mod is required), but with additional edits for enabling different speech packs and callsigns where proper. Mentioned countries feature correct callsigns as heard by the respective audio files (except for Persian, not possible for me to rework them without a transcription). The in-game subtitles have been fully reworked to feature such different callsigns. >Credits (in no particular order): -Polak, for his SF1 mod which enhances all of the original SFP1 speech sound files. -Rends and SkateZilla, for the improved SF2NA Hawkeye voices, which I have tweaked a bit. -GKABS, for producing the (still in progress) Arabic speech pack started for the development of ODS 30AE. -Nguyen Dang Hat and Rhugouvi, for creating the amazing Vietnamese speech pack. -FX Interactive, for producing the Italian and Spanish speech packs for their release of Strike Fighters: Project 1. -Gerwin, for his tips on properly hex-editing the header of .STR files. I included the original readme files from the mentioned mods, to the end of giving proper credit to everyone involved directly or not. >Disclaimer: This is a freeware; yet it can be redistributed ONLY in other CombatACE mods/mod packages. This mod may NOT in any way, shape or form be used in any payware additions. Submitter Menrva Submitted 02/13/2019 Category In Game Speech

Mod package has been updated to Version 1.1; various UI elements have been tweaked, to be closer to SF2 values in terms of size, so no more awful text scaling issues at 1920x1080.

Mod package has been updated to Version 1.1; Inclement weather effects are much better now. I suggest to redownload and check it yourselves.

CombatACE features a very powerful search bar, remember it. I just typed "mq-9" in the search bar, and I immediately found the mod's link: https://combatace.com/files/file/14654-mq-9-new-mod/ That being said, that mod was for SF1, the UAV's flight model is a real mess, it's unflyable.

The MQ-9 we have has the _DATA.ini not up to SF2 standards. So a new one is welcome!

Bloody hell! I never cared about that .LST file and its purpose. Many thanks, mue! This will surely help.

Of all the questions you have given me, I can sum it up by saying that yes, everything seems to be just fine on my end. I don't even bother with the decals.ini file because I am using stock aircraft, and the new decals work if I change ID number to something that already exists. I respected the sequence numbering too. It's funny because I had added the Russian Air Force as an alternate decal to the Soviet one (or the other way around) as ID 215, and it works. I am just trying to add two AI nations like Dhimar and Paran. The IDs 256 and 257 work. Other unused numbers don't, no matter what, the decals won't show up. NationDs are not limited; whichever ID I use, higher or lower than 256, planes spawn with the added nation, just no decals. It's a pity that so much stuff is hardcoded. Thanks for the help, anyway. If you want, I can send you my files (and decals) so that you can check.

Sorry for reviving this not so old thread, but my question is pertinent to this. I am experimenting with what was discussed here. I made a quick terrain with the following, local _NATIONS.ini: [Nation001] NationID=258 Name=Katanga DisplayName=Katangese Air Force Alignment=FRIENDLY //Mercenary=TRUE PilotNameList=NamesMercs.lst RankList=RanksUSAF.lst CallsignList=CallsignsUS.lst Formation.Fighter=USFighter Formation.Attack=USFighter Formation.Bomber=USBomber Formation.Transport=USBomber Formation.Tank=USTank Formation.MobileAD=USAD PilotTrainingStandard=EXCELLENT GenderRatio=0 DebriefSuccessMusic=DebriefSuccess.wav DebriefFailMusic=DebriefFail.wav DebriefKilledMusic=DebriefKilled.wav SpeechFile=USAFSpeech.cat SpeechTextFile=USAFSpeechText.str ActiveDate=1960 EndDate=1963 [Nation002] NationID=259 Name=ONUC DisplayName=United Nations Air Division Alignment=ENEMY Mercenary=FALSE PilotNameList=NamesMercs.lst RankList=RanksUSAF.lst CallsignList=CallsignsUS.lst Formation.Fighter=USFighter Formation.Attack=USFighter Formation.Bomber=USBomber Formation.Transport=USBomber Formation.Tank=USTank Formation.MobileAD=USAD PilotTrainingStandard=EXCELLENT GenderRatio=0 DebriefSuccessMusic=DebriefSuccess.wav DebriefFailMusic=DebriefFail.wav DebriefKilledMusic=DebriefKilled.wav SpeechFile=USAFSpeech.cat SpeechTextFile=USAFSpeechText.str ActiveDate=1961 EndDate=1964 Now, planes with the new nations spawn as they should, just like Dhimar and Paran. Problem is that I cannot get their damned decals (INSIGNIA258 and INSIGNIA259) to work. I tried different solutions. Even lower ID numbers (221 and 222 for instance) do not work. I even added said nations to the global _NATIONS.ini, but nothing. However, when I changed their ID numbers to those of Dhimar and Paran, and changing my new decals to the numbers 256 and 257, it all worked. I don't want to overwrite Paran and Dhimar. For a fictional mod I was making, I substituted the very first nations and decals of the global nations.ini file. It turns out that, for instance, INSIGNIA002 is used for countries 003 and 004 also. There is no way to force it so that countries 003 and 004 use their own decals. This makes me believe that decals have somewhat hardcoded numbering. @Gunrunner You seem to know a lot about this. Any help would be much appreciated.

Mod is coming next week!

This recent article confirms two versions, F-15CX and F-15EX: http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/26305/f-15x-will-come-in-two-variants-and-no-it-wont-cost-100m-per-copy So, is it true that the F-15X can carry 24 air-to-air missiles? And here I thought that Ace Combat videogames were arcade

Good to know! Nothing prevents me from releasing alternative files, for those who prefer Hawkeye instead of Red Crown or viceversa.

I managed to create some sound samples from the original ones; now "Hawkeye" is named by Departure and other flights, instead of Red Crown. I am not 100% happy about the result, but this is the best I could with the original samples saying other things such as "Tomahawk", "High", "Flight", etc.

In theory I could. However, I would need to tweak a number of soundfiles and create arbitrary names from the voices I already have. The result may not be good at all. Basically, I would have to use existent voices (obviously), cut them and join them so they form something that sounds different, like "Hawkeye" or something else. "Hawkeye" sounds nice and generic, but I need to create Hawkeye for Departure, and other entities who name it. I'll see what I can do. If the result is decent enough, expect a change. Otherwise, I can simply remove "Red" from "Red Crown", and "Crown" would sound a bit more generic. Oh, BTW, I guess you recall Red Crown from Jane's USAF instead. I remember that in it there were different AWACS and controllers, like Red Crown, Buck Eye, Magic, etc.

I have been using Polak's beautiful speech package, which enhances stock voices, and recently I decided to tweak the SpeechSystem.ini file to add the missing voices by Hawkeye ("call the ball" and "Vampire"). With some tweaks and .str hex editing I managed to put Red Crown back as the original TACC, while adding Hawkeye's voices as separate for the two mentioned instances. By chance I even fixed the following stock bug: [Concept080] //MSN_SPC_WING_REPLY_NEGATIVE_ENGAGED, TargetFragmentID=SPC_WING_NUMBER BodyFragment002=SPC_WING_REPLY_NO BodyFragment001=SPC_WING_REPLY_PADLOCKED to [Concept080] //MSN_SPC_WING_REPLY_NEGATIVE_ENGAGED, TargetFragmentID=SPC_WING_NUMBER BodyFragment001=SPC_WING_REPLY_NO BodyFragment002=SPC_WING_REPLY_PADLOCKED Below, a screenshot showing a edited .str file. It no longer displays "Call the ball" (capital letter after a comma), instead it displays "call the ball". I made other little fixes like this. Red Crown comes back as it should have been since day one. Hawkeye missed a number of voices and it's not even mentioned by Departure and other flights. The Hawkeye callsign is no longer mentioned, and his additional voices can be considered as those of an aircraft carrier controller, or something like that. Someone might be interested, so I'll release the package when I feel it's ready. It's way more polished than what we got on the stock game. Before you ask, there's no way to add more voices like we had in the past for Snoopy and the Ground forces. They are all mentioned in the SpeechSystem.ini file. TK simply locked some triggers that enabled such dialogues. The mod comes with a plus; there's no need to use two different folders (Speech and SpeechUSN), as long as one edits the NATIONS.ini file so that every country uses the stock USAFSpeech and USAFSpeechText .cat archives; only a Speech folder is really needed.

No need to apologise, IMHO. You seem polite and well educated, in contrast to someone else asking hundreds of questions without looking at the Knowledge Base, and treating those who help him like sh*t.

Seems very interesting. Yeah, I never understood how strategic nodes work exactly. Common users think that to create a campaign is a very easy task. But for a campaign to be complex and play beautifully, it takes a lot of in-game testing and playing. When you feel like, you might want to create your own thread about the campaign. Someone else could be interested.

Very good to know that you've read through the Knowledge Base. A lot of users don't and then claim themselves to be expert modders. Keep me posted and let me know. As for the custom campaign, I'm interested to hear more about it. Not many modders are willing to build campaigns anymore. I had some campaigns for this terrain in the works, RAAF & RNZAF vs. Indonesia over Timor, set in 1950, 1965, 1975 and 1999. Unfortunately, a good campaign needs good aircraft, and there are many needing new skins and upgrades. We'll see what the future brings...

Well, the terrain uses the VietnamSEA.cat archive as a base for stock objects like the runways and most buildings (the only runway models you see should be the two custom ones made by gerwin). If you do not have SF2 Vietnam, you must change which .cat archive to use inside the TimorNO.ini file. Have a look at my last post in the following link, and you should understand: https://combatace.com/forums/topic/92310-all-pilots-scramble-new-terrains-inbound/?tab=comments#comment-746136 I had already posted this link in a previous post. I reckon I never write this stuff in the ReadMe file, so it's my mistake if new users encounter those issues. Let me know if you solve the problem with my suggestion. Otherwise, it would be a very strange bug.

That's great!

Gepard had a hi-res tileset for the Kuril Islands in the works, based on satellite imagery, very nice I can tell you. But it's not seasoned. You might want to join forces with him, but he is currently working on the Faroer terrain. I also made a 250m heightmap from scratch for the Kuril Islands terrain, as well as new planning maps and little tweaks here and there. But it's Gepard's terrain. First, I'd like to see his final product, then I might release a small (not standalone) enhancement package. Back to the thread, keep up the good work, JosefK! I am really liking your screenshots with those lightnings (not the F-35s, LOL!)

Yes, those are the shaders. As for the above statements, the hell I know what they exactly mean or how exactly they affect something. All I know is that they have to do with the level of detail of the terrain mesh. It's sort of self explanatory; distant areas are not full quality. Only when you approach them, the higher quality mesh is fully loaded. But please, first try other terrain packages I have made. I need to know if you have the same issue on them too.

But, out of curiosity, have you only tried Sweden? Because I would be puzzled to see that my other terrain packages work in SF1, then. Give a try at those with a bigger sea area, and report back. Also, if you're using SF1, you should try Fubar512's shaders. He improved both the terrain and water shaders. And of course, re-enable the shader statements in the _data.ini. You're probably the only one testing a 250m heightmap terrain in the SF1 engine. Hence why I guess there is not so much support. Stary discovered that such heightmaps work flawlessly in SF2, with some _data.ini value tweaks. Even 125m heightmaps can work but, according to Stary, only with smaller or stock-sized terrains, otherwise CTDs and visual anomalies like yours could appear. If such terrains don't work with the original values found in my package (except for the material/shader settings, which must be stock SF1), I guess chances are slim. These are the only values worth checking, tweak them and see if anything improves: [TerrainMesh] TextureThreshold=0.80 LowDetailMeshThreshold=0.90 MedDetailMeshThreshold=0.80 RenderMeshVertexCount=4096 RenderMeshIndexCount=16384 [HeightField] DetailScale=1.0 DetailFrequency=1.0 [HeightOffset] MedDetailMesh=-15 LowDetailMesh=-25 WaterMesh=0.8 Have you also considered lowering or increasing the graphics options in the game's menu? This is the only other thing I could ever think of for this issue.

I did. And other hundreds of users who downloaded the terrain did, and have never reported such bug. I built it for SF2, not for SF1. If it doesn't work in SF1, I'm not surprised at all; 250m resolution heightmaps already push the SF2 engine to some limits. No offense, UllyB, but you should know that I am rather obsessed with perfection, and I hate to release stuff which shows bugs whatsoever. And even if I do release bugged stuff, I'm always ready to fix issues later. Not many (paid) developers are like this, nowadays. The terrain has been released for SF2 for quite some time, and no one complained about it to this moment. So, that tells me that it is working and it is rather solid, in SF2, on multiple machines. SF1 is very similar to SF2, but not identical. SF2 can deal with 250m heightmaps easily. SF1 looks like it doesn't. I can only suggest that you try experimenting with values in the _data.ini. That bug you call with "height differences" it's not a bug with height, it's a rendering bug. The height is plain in such areas. You can see it for yourself with gerwin's TFDtool.