VonS

Thank you Redwolf for the detailed reports - and yes, the shaders.xml file in my WOFF GPU Tuner patch was intended for the PE variant of WOFF, as a partial substitution for the lack of SweetFX enhancements that I could easily use with ver. 4.18 of WOFF. It turns on extra lighting effects and whatnot, giving more greenery to the grass, etc. (visible in some of the pics. under the "Casual Campaigns" thread over on SimHQ). I don't recommend using the shaders.xml file in BHAH.II since BHAH.II, color-wise, appears to have more stock greenery anyway - unless someone of course likes the further, added brightness that the tweaked shaders.xml file brings to BHAH.II (they are welcome to go wild with the colors as per taste ). Pleased to hear that PR's patch is also handling nicely in BHAH.II - that one was tested on nVidia (mine on AMD vid. cards) - so test everything thoroughly (as you are) and pick the one that works best on your rig. both for max. FPS but also smoothness, and minimal degradation of texture quality. Good luck with the tweaks. Cheers all, Von S

Hello fellow WOFFers, Just a quick update to this mods-compatibility list thread - namely, that Redwolf is currently testing my WOFF GPU Tuner Patch and it is most likely compatible with the BHAH.II edition. Time-permitting, he will also be testing the WOTR GPU Tuner Patch in BHAH.II, and results will be released as to which one is better, for those who are interested in patching/modding the latest WOFF on their rigs. In terms of my FM Tweaks Packages, they are incompatible with BHAH.II. To explain, FM changes in BHAH.II operate "under the hood," so to speak, while stock FM performance data across the xfm files is identical in UE/PE and BHAH.II editions of WOFF, and therefore continues to be moddable. However - seven or eight extra "scrape point" entries have been included in the xfm files in BHAH.II (total of 18 or 19 scrape points), when compared with the 11 or so scrape-point entries in UE/PE WOFF. Scrape points provide ambient rumbling sounds and other goodies when taxiing, ascending, alighting - they also provide aircraft contact points with the ground, further additions to the damage modeling, etc. So, in short, 7 or 8 ambient sounds may be lost while taxiing, and aircraft may also lose the ability to belly land, to lose wheels/gear assemblies, and so on, with my FM mods loaded - my recommendation therefore is to fly stock BHAH.II FMs for the foreseeable future. Currently I have no time to update the xfm files since it will require copying-over of the extra, 7 or 8 scrape point entries in the newer xfm files into more than 500 tweaked xfm files (11 xfm files per aircraft, total of about 50 tweaked aircraft in my FM packages). EDIT: Important changes included in post above, Apr. 9, 2021. (Thanks Pol for the extra info.) Happy flying, Von S

As far as I know, the "Bullet" was a third-party experiment to import/modify the Morane monoplane from First Eagles 2, but that project was eventually abandoned - see the following post, also the several posts that follow it, for more info. on both the M-S Type N and Longhorn/Shorthorn experiment: https://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4561206/re-wish-list-for-woff#Post4561206 I'm sure however that OBD will work on including future, aircraft expansion packs for BHAH.II. Happy flying, Von S

Posts are editable on CombatAce but only once a certain no. of posts are made - the first several posts, I think, are time-dependent editable. Cheers all and thank you Redwolf for the detailed benchmark comparisons - I look forward to your further tests. Happy flying, Von S

Hi Dresam, aircraft folders missing the cockpit.ini file are most likely the stock FE2 aircraft such as the Alb. D.V, etc. In order to find the cockpit.ini files for those aircraft: a) download Mue's Tool Box https://combatace.com/files/file/15942-mues-toolbox/ b) open the "CatExtractor" program that is inside his excellent tool box c) navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\ThirdWire\First Eagles 2\Objects via the CatExtractor (where the actual sim files are located, not your user folders for FE2) d) open ObjectData001, ObjectData002, ObjectData003, ObjectData004 via the CatExtractor and extract any ini files that you are missing from your user folders for FE2, to your desktop e) once extracted, place the relevant ini files into the aircraft folders in your user folders/directory for FE2, and modify to taste, before flying in FE2 With the CatExtractor, you can extract stock aircraft skins, ini files missing from your user folders for FE2, and anything else you would like to modify further - which is one of the other great things about the open-concept design of FE2 (and SF2). Greetings, Von S

Hi Dresam, there should be a cockpit.ini file in each aircraft folder - but they have slightly different names. For example, the Alb. D.II has the following name for its cockpit initialization file - "AlbatrosD2_COCKPIT.INI." When you open that file, you will find the following info. near the top of the file: [CockpitData] Directory=Cockpit [GunsightFront] HasGunsight=FALSE FixedSight=FALSE [CockpitSeat001] ModelName=AlbatrosD2Cockpit.lod HideExternalNodeName=Cockpit OpenCockpit=TRUE ExternalClipDistMin=0.04 Position=0.0,-0.82,0.73 Offset=0.0,0.0,0.00 ViewAngles=0.0,0.0,0.0 MaxYaw=110 MinYaw=-110 MaxPitch=50 The relevant values to tweak are included in bold, above. I don't think it is possible to modify max/min cockpit view values for all aircraft via one file - but if you are willing to experiment try to include the entry below into the "AIRCRAFTOBJECT.INI" file that is located in the "Objects" folder of your FE2 user directory, and save the changes. [CockpitData] MaxYaw=180 MinYaw=-180 MaxPitch=70 I have never tried this myself but it's worth a shot - if it doesn't work, simply remove the entry and re-save the Aircraftobject.ini file again. In terms of TrackIR, I believe there is an unofficial way of getting it to work with the FE2/SF2 sims. - but someone else will have to pitch in with more info. regarding that since I only use the padlock view. The FE2 forums have a few active posters but our forums are small and usually sleepy on weekends. I've managed to memorize most of the FE2 tweaks since I've been modding the FMs for several years, so it's not too much trouble for me to pop in quickly and give advice if necessary. EDIT: Here are some links that may help you regarding TrackIR and FE2/SF2: https://combatace.com/forums/topic/83894-trackir-6dof/ https://combatace.com/forums/topic/93718-track-ir-and-fe-2/ Greetings, Von S

I like WOTR, particularly so because I tend to avoid mid- and late-WW2 sims. since I don't have enough free time for those - so the BoB scenario of WOTR Phase One fits really well with my sim. interests - you get to fly the early WW2 'crates which still have that inter-war feeling to them - some wood construction, some metal, etc. (this is particularly noticeable with the Hurricane Mk.I). The flying is very nice, and with my WOTR GPU Tuner Patch injected via JSGME the FPS stay healthy too (around 70 fps or so) (https://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4507751/gpu-tuner-patch-for-wotr#Post4507751). Also possible to install is XJouve's improved mesh terrain (bumpmapping), ver. 2.0, giving nice hills and undulations (https://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4526713/xjouves-terrain-mesh-water-map-for-wotr-tips#Post4526713). I have yet to fly campaigns in WOTR Phase One (have been in quick combat mode so far) - but the AI is of the same high quality as in WOFF. I recommend checking over the WOTR forums on SimHQ for comments/questions, such as this thread (https://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4524707/1), to get a better sense for that sim. Happy flying, Von S

Greetings Dresam, To increase the field-of-view from within an aircraft's cockpit, open the cockpit.ini file located in the aircraft folder for any aircraft and increase the min/max yaw values, perhaps also the pitch. The relevant entries are: MaxYaw= a positive value MinYaw= a negative value MaxPitch= a positive value I am assuming that this will improve head movement with Track IR and other things too (I only use padlock view so hopefully those with proficiency with Track IR will pitch in with more info.). Map zoom/zoom speeds I have not tinkered with (I think, from usage, that left-click on the mouse speeds up view zoom, when in external aircraft view - it is faster that way than using the scroll wheel on a mouse ... perhaps it's worth trying that out when in map view too). Hopefully more FE2 fliers will be able to give you advice on those topics. Von S

Fellow WOFFers and WOTRers may now download, below, my various Enhancement Packages, GPU Tuners, etc., for the WoFF/WoTR series of sims. "Read Me" files are included in the bigger zipped packages. All packages are JSGME-friendly. This post now includes my small FrankenBHAH Enhancement Hardcore Addon (Ver. 1.15) and that is an optional addon for the main FrankenBHAH Enhancement Package Ver. 1.1 linked to in a separate post below, in this thread. For detailed info. regarding the Hardcore Addon, please see the included "Read Me" file in the relevant, zipped file. In short, the Hardcore Addon makes for more challenging regular flying and dogfights in BH&H2. The Hardcore Addon should always be loaded after - not before - the main FrankenBHAH Enhancement Package Ver. 1.1. The Hardcore Addon Ver. 1.15 is not compatible with the WOTR Enhancement Package. Also included here is my FrankenMiniTuner Ver. 1.2 and that is a compatible add-on to the WOTR Enhancement and FrankenBHAH Enhancement Packages (to install the FrankenMiniTuner, unzip it and place the relevant folder located inside "FrankenMiniTunersVer1.2inside_VonS" - and that is labeled either for BHAH2 or WOTR - into your MODS directory for BH&H2 or WOTR, and make sure to load it only after - not before - the relevant Enhancement Package, allowing the Tuner to replace identical files in that package). The FrankenMiniTuner squeezes out just a bit more FPS than is possible with the base Enhancement Package installs. WOFF (Platinum Ed./BH&H2-compatible) GPU Tuner Patch VonS_WOFFgpuTunerPatchFolderInside.zip WOTR (Phase One) Enhancement Package Ver. 1.0 WOTRenhancementPackageVer1.0_VonS.zip WOTR (Phase Two) Enhancement Package (compatible only with Phase Two of WOTR, the BoF Expansion; see "Read Me" included in Phase One Enhancement for details) WOTRphase2enhancementPackage_VonS.zip WOTR (Phase One) GPU Tuner Patch (obsolete - recommended instead are the WOTR Enhancement Packages located above, for Phase One or Two of WOTR) VonS_WOTRgpuTunerPatchFolderInside.zip FrankenBHAH Enhancement Hardcore Addon Ver. 1.15 (compatible only with the FrankenBHAH Enhancement Package Ver. 1.1, and should be loaded only after that package) FrankenBHAHenhancementHardcoreAddonVer1.15_VonS.zip FrankenMiniTuner Ver. 1.2 (compatible with the WOTR Phase One/Two and FrankenBHAH Ver. 1.1 Enhancement Packages, and should be loaded only after those packages) FrankenMiniTunersVer1.2inside_VonS.zip Performance tips/info. on the stock Hurricane and Spitfire, MK.I, available at the following links: https://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4501461/re-ai-have-better-engines#Post4501461 https://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4501695/re-ai-have-better-engines#Post4501695 For a revised ver. of Lou's excellent "Italy Mod" for the WoFF series, please see the relevant post above in this thread. For other WoFF UE/PE (and BH&H2)-related mods., such as custom shader/preset files, also the FrankenBHAH Enhancement Package, etc., please see the next several posts below. ** For my FM tweaks for the WoFF/WoTR series, please see the main download page that links to this support thread (scroll to the first post in this thread for more info.) - also take note that you need to have an account on CombatAce in order to download the FM tweaks package. WoFF/WoTR-related mods. available under this support thread, on the other hand, do not require an account and may be downloaded by clicking on relevant download links. ** IMPORTANT NOTE: all of my WOFF-related mods. were tested across various patches of WOFF UE (4.18 in particular), PE (5.03 in particular), and also BH&H2 up to the "Recon. Wars" patch 1.36. I will no longer be providing public service information updates regarding my mod.-compatibility and/or WOFF-patch version compatibility on Intel Macs, so tweak/patch as per taste since the mods. are from now on provided "as is," with no further support beyond any Read Me files included with the mods. My WOTR-related mods. have been tested up to "Phase Two" of WOTR, patch 1.02 - so, again, tweak/patch as per taste if you will be upgrading beyond the patch nos. indicated in this note. ** For compatibility info. regarding my various (older) WOTR GPU Tuners and Phase Two of WOTR, see the following post. Also relevant is this post. And further recommended is this follow-up post. ** This note was originally included in this particular post on Apr. 1, 2022, and modified on May 10, 2023. Good WOFFing/WOTRing to all! Happy flying, Von S

Hello Becker, posts may be edited indefinitely as far as I can tell, and attachments may be deleted indefinitely, but an entire post is not possible to delete. In terms of posts over on SimHQ-WOFF, users who are only on CombatAce will not be able to know of updates to your WOFF-compatibility-mod thread unless info. about updates is also indicated here somewhere. For simplicity’s sake (and so that you have less work in the future) - maybe include a note on that SimHQ post that updates will in the future be via CombatAce only, then open a separate thread here for WOFF under the BHAH.II thread in the future - and host the mods-compatibility list here instead for BHAH.II (since the list on SimHQ is for PE-ed. WOFF anyway). EDIT: I have now opened a separate sub-thread for WOFF BH&H 2 mod-related lists/questions under the thread called “WOFF/WOTR - FAQ/Technical Issues.” Feel free to make use of that sub-thread Becker for your mods-lists, and other mod-related questions, if you like. I will also drop by there from time to time. Cheers, Von S

@Becker, as far as I know it is not possible to self-delete postings but you may remove the attachment by clicking on the trash can icon to its right, and then re-save the posting. Hope that helps. Cheers, Von S

Nice to see more and more familiar faces from SimHQ popping in here - I will now be able to visit you gents' more frequently than on SimHQ since you are now digitally next door to the FE2 forums where I am usually lurking/posting about. Shuffling back and forth between CombatAce and SimHQ was perhaps the digital equivalent of a 20-mile walk. Cheers all, Von S

Testing already complete and FMs uploaded for the B.E.2a and 2c variants. Detailed instructions and the FM package are located under this post: https://combatace.com/forums/topic/87403-tweaked-flight-models-and-realism-pack-for-fe2/?page=8&tab=comments#comment-780396 Ave. performance figures are in the post above. Happy flying in 1915, Von S

Mini ver. 9.98 FM update "package" included for download: Mar. 23, 2021 - includes FM upgrades for the A-Team B.E.2a (also a re-skin of Lloyd's skin on CombatAce for the 2a) - as well as FM tweaks for the B.E.2c. In the package you will find a "ForDecalsFolder" - the folder inside that one should be copied to your Decals folders for your middle eastern and western front installs. You will also find a folder called "ForAircraftFolder_MiddleEasternFront" - in there you will find the relevant data ini, general ini file, skin folder, cockpit ini file, hangar/loading screens, etc. - make sure to download the A-Team B.E.2a, then rename as "BE2A" without quotation marks and move over all of the files in my BE2A folder into the A-Team one that has been renamed. Recommended is to remove the old/obsolete files from the A-Team folder, for good measure. To complete your B.E.2a install, download Stephen's B.E.2c if you do not have it, and move the 2c's "cockpit" folder into your now fixed BE2A folder, to get the improved cockpit. The other three folders included in the package are self-explanatory and contain data inis for the western front installation of the B.E.2a, also middle eastern and western front data inis for the B.E.2c. You will also find inside the package a folder called "ForPilotsFolder_Geezer" - inside that one is the relevant pilot folder (with complementary moustache) that goes with the tweaked B.E.2a. It was made by Geezer a few years ago and he has kindly allowed that it be included with some models, publicly, for FE2. Another model that Geezer has allowed to be used publicly is the pilot with the green scarf covering his face, but that one will be included as a bonus once the Anzani Bleriot is completed that Swambast is working on. As well, don't forget to download Stephen's armed observers since one of those observer models is used for the re-worked B.E.2a. Happy flying, Von S EDIT: removed download package - now included in the big, ver. 10.0 FM/realism package.

Brief progress report on the B.E.2a FM - now flies correctly, and barely. Stats: - top speed 118 kph at about 300 m alt. - top speed 95 kph at ceiling limit of about 2800 m alt. - stall buffeting below 70 kph - spins below 55 kph or so (get out of spins as quickly as possible or the g-forces will "borrow" your wings and forget to give them back - I think that's about as obtuse as I can phrase that ) - at SL it is possible to push it to about 121 kph or so - loops are not recommended, and hardly possible on the type, unless you are willing to risk losing flying surfaces - elevators are good in dives to about 200 kph, then the nose comes up again (the B.E.2c dives more effectively) - best climb rate about 1.5 m/s at 90 kph can be sustained to approx. 2000 m alt. ----- Have also modified some aspects of the B.E.2c data ini too, in conjunction with work on the 2a: - bit more power from the engine now - top speed about 121 kph at 300 m alt. - can be pushed to about 126/7 kph near SL (this makes sense since recorded historical top speed of about 116 kph on the B.E.2c, if we believe the stats, was taken at around 1800 m alt.) - have also included some prop RPM changes on the B.E.2c, and more subtle power nos. across different altitudes (engine power changes/drops every 500 m now, or so, instead of the stock 1000 m gap that was in the earlier data ini for the 2c); same types of changes applied to the B.E.2a as well - loops not very manageable on the B.E.2c either, from what I've been able to test - best climb rate about 1.7 m/s at 90 kph can be sustained to approx. 2000 m alt. ----- Now to test how the AI lands the B.E.2a, and also to dogfight against it in an Eindecker E.I - hope to have the finished files uploaded here in a few days. Some representative pics. below. Cheers all, Von S

@RR, I think it was largely an aesthetic trick that is/was used on the SimHQ threads for WOFF - Lou probably knows more about how it’s done - something to the effect of uploading pics. to very old posts that are way down in the threads, but then embedding those pics. themselves in fresh posts - that way you end up with embedded pics., but no mini-pics. present as attachments at the bottom of said fresh posts. Most likely it has nothing to do with disk quotas over on SimHQ. In terms of quotas here on CombatAce, I think it depends on the rank of the user profile (new member, valued, modder, etc.). Cheers, Von S

I hope so as well because there are so many good threads and resources over there on SimHQ that should be transferred here if the move is official. Another great thing about the CombatAce forums is that it is so much easier to post screenshots here than at SimHQ via that strange link/embed/hide-pic.-in-other-post thing that many have to resort to, especially in the DiD Campaigns threads. Again, welcome back to CombatAce! Cheers all, Von S

Hello Crawford and other FE2 fliers, Lots of hard work happening behind the scenes on this Bleriot XI model - but Swambast has been busy with real work and other duties, as have I - so we don't always have an opportunity to work regularly on this model. Keep in mind that the mods. are free so don't expect quick turnover times/releases as for paid sims. - then again, paid sims. aren't always good with deadlines either. We prefer to spend more time on a mod. but to do things as best we can, rather than rushing to release a rough product that will end up being more work in the long-run since it will probably require revisions. A lot of time was also spent researching what would look most historical as a Bleriot XI of 1912-1913 vintage and powered by the 6-cyl. Anzani engine. As a mere data ini cruncher, I will keep supporting Swambast's efforts on the Bleriot whenever he needs help/suggestions. A few pics. below of detailed work on the 6-cylinder Anzani, also other odds and ends - currently being worked on is the wheel/gear assembly - then it's onto the rigging wires for the wings, skid, tail/rudder section, etc. Once this project is completed, FE2 will be the only WW1 sim that has a 6-cylinder Anzani-powered Bleriot of 1913 vintage approximately. Exciting times ahead for FE2. Also, Geezer has kindly sent over his previous files for the two-seater Bleriot to us as well - I will let Swambast figure out what/when changes will be applied to that. It's possible that a two-seater Bleriot of about 1914 vintage will also be released sometime in the future, after the Anzani model - but I can't make any promises regarding the scheduling. I will update this thread again much later, over the next several months, once the Anzani Bleriot reaches flight-testing stage. Happy flying, Von S

Agreed, it is an ancient model indeed. Although a light paint touch-up and shadows improve it a bit (thank you Paint3D). Have now successfully placed Stephen's cockpit for the B.E.2c into the 2a model (since the original 2a cockpit was strange with wood panels intersecting right through dials, gauges, whatnot) - and I think it looks better now. The decals I've "painted on" (inserted onto wings/fuselage, painted onto the rudder) by the way, to avoid bleeding at edges when they are called up via decal.ini files (again thank you Paint3D for your magic). Now onto the FM - will take several days to fix that up since it doesn't even fly in FE2 with the old Skunkworks FM. Cheers all, Von S

Technically not a new aircraft, more so an old one but being "renewed" currently - have gotten rid of the blocky pilot and awful looking gunner, and machine gun, from the old B.E.2a model available over on the Skunkworks website. Now it includes one of Stephen's rifle-armed observers and Geezer's pilot with the healthy moustache. Also did some light re-skinning of the default skin available here on CombatAce for that B.E.2a and done by LloydNB many yrs. ago (thank you Lloyd for that earlier skin). Left is to look over the FM since that requires an entire overhaul ( ) and will base it on the FM tweaks I did a few yrs. earlier for Stephen's lovely B.E.2c model. Always wanted to have this one flying in FE2 - reminds me of the old BBC series 'Wings' (1970s). Will include the completed data ini here (and the re-skinned skin from CombatAce) once I'm done with it. Von S

Every day I hope that TK will pop into these forums - even anonymously - and post relevant code/entries for the Environmentsystem.ini file that will allow for real turbulence effects. Von S

I recommend posting on the WOFF threads over on SimHQ (https://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/forums/372/1/wings-over-flanders-fields) - lots of helpful resources over there and the developers of WOFF pop in too, to respond or give suggestions in case of technical difficulties. Hope you get your install sorted. Cheers, Von S

Also, if buildings still display visual oddities on occasion, or any other objects for that matter - I recommend the following post (helps to get rid of graphics flickering, etc.): https://combatace.com/forums/topic/95723-new-in-fe2/?tab=comments#comment-779025 Happy flying, Von S

I think that most WOFFers are over on the SimHQ threads - it is mostly FE2/SF2 fliers who also have WOFF, and who pop in here from time to time. Von S

Nice to see OBD active again on the CombatAce forums Pol. Welcome back. Cheers, Von S