VonS

I can't comment specifically on FE1/gold, but I'm sure some flyers of FE1 will pitch in soon with helpful tips. I wouldn't be surprised if similar tips that work for FE2 will also work well for FE1. FE2, for example, works fine on Win10 - I do however recommend running it, and SF2, in Win7 compatibility mode. Also, for FE2, I recommend checking over my post linked to below, in case you get poor frame rates in Win10: https://combatace.com/forums/topic/92932-windows-10/?tab=comments#comment-752183 Happy flying, Von S

I have ave. fps in IL2-1946 of about 100 - graphics are acceptable with the vp modpack installed - but as indicated in one of my other posts here on the FE2 threads, I don't like the padlock views in IL2-1946 as much as in the ThirdWire and OBD sims. ROF padlock views are so-so. In "46" on the other hand, once a locked target is out of your front field of view for a few seconds, padlock automatically disengages - and then it's mouse-view or external aircraft-to-target view before you find the bandit again (cumbersome and sometimes it breaks immersion). Also I find high-density forests strange in "46" - with those spring coil effects, and then a downed aircraft disappears below the "spring-coil" forest ceiling. Maybe I'm just too nit-picky but I prefer how forests are done in the TW and OBD sims (better than in ROF). One thing I'll give to "46" is that there's subtle movement of trees (very subtle but can be spotted, would be nice to introduce such an effect into the TW/OBD sims). Also, feel free to turn off "complex engine management" and "wing flutter" in "46" since they don't seem to be modeled correctly - you'll get more FM realism with those options turned off. Happy flying, Von S

Yes, even though I'm a Mac guy, I have a soft spot for Win7 (Ultimate ed. in my case) - smooth-sailing system and very tweakable too - as I mentioned in my previous posts, I think Win7 is/was the high point of Windows operating systems. I now run FE2/SF2/WOFF/WOTR/ROF/IL2-1946 (vp modpack) on Windows 10 Pro (ver. 1809) on the BootCamp side of my Mac Pro - so far it's been a good system since I've tried to lock down/avoid excessive updates...chose to postpone big updates by 365 days and security updates by one month. I don't know if I'll upgrade to ver. 1909 anytime soon, in BootCamp, since my primary use for Win10 is simming and FM tweaking - my work stuff is on the Mac side. The primary deciding factors will be: a) if ver. 1909 has fps in the sims as good as, if not better, than in ver. 1809 of Win10 - lower fps will be a no-go b) if it will be even possible to do a "normal" upgrade in BootCamp from one ver. of Win10 to another I might as well expand this post slightly since it may be of use to Windows users, and those interested in sticking with Windows 7 for the next few (more) years. If you want to remain on a "fixed" ver. of Win10 or if you want to maintain Win7 on your rigs, not only for ThirdWire sim compatibility but other reasons too, I recommend: 1. use a browser other than IE or Edge (I like Firefox loaded up with AdBlockPlus and PrivacyBadger - also good is the Pale Moon Browser, a fork of the slightly older Firefox before Quantum, with the AdBlockLatitude plugin) 2. for email, use a desktop program that doesn't support html - I like Sylpheed (not Sylpheed Claws but the plain old Sylpheed - works well enough and html emails can easily be opened in your web browser if you click on such emails) 3. on Win7, install MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials) and set it to work as your malware "wall," instead of the old Windows Defender that comes with Win7, since definitions in the old Defender only go up to about 2012 - on Win10, the baked-in newer ver. of Defender is fine as your malware wall 4. look into downloading "ClamWin" (free, barebones antivirus program - it can be scheduled to run weekly, daily, etc. - has no "real-time" scanning but I like that since it doesn't bog down system resources) - ClamWin is simply a graphical front end to ClamAV and is updated regularly 5. on both Win10 and Win7, go into the "system" settings in the control panels window, and make sure to "enable DEP for all programs" and reboot to take effect (you will have to toggle this to "DEP for essential programs only" if you want to run IL2-1946 however) 6. set up a "standard user" account on Win7 and use that for regular computing, instead of an administrative account (a good tip for Win10 as well, if you are running an unsupported ver. of Win10) 7. for Win7 only, since official support has ended, download and install what's referred to as the "0patch" app - this patches vulnerabilities on the fly, only while you are running vulnerable programs, on Win7, and comes in a free edition - seems legit. from what I've been able to test on my Win7 installs (0patch is available at the following link https://0patch.com/) 8. download OSArmor for Win7 (and Win10), and enable it using the default settings that are already selected in it - the program blocks various connections to your computer (available here https://www.novirusthanks.org/products/osarmor/) 9. go into your firewall settings and select "block all incoming connections" for all profiles available, including public, home, etc. 10. go into your wireless/ethernet adapter settings (available under the advanced tab in "networking"), and disable, in the properties section of the adapter, "IPv6," if you're not using it and only relying on IPv4 for network connections Happy flying (and computing), Von S

Tinkering further with the ver. 9.9 FM update pack and decided to post a few more pics caught during testing. Von S Testing out "STOL" characteristics with the Nieu. 17 in the Italian theater Pleased to see that I was eventually blown off of the hill by the wind, and went for a short glide (wind effects really do work in FE2 but are best when treated subtly, light wind, occasional gusts, etc.) Couldn't resist doing some sight-seeing again with gTerl's maps Making sure that post-damage effects work well (I can be spotted in the far background on the pic.) One of the best dogfights I've ever had in any sim (the AI on this earlier Austrian Alby. was superb, we both got shots into one another but the fight was inconclusive, lasted for about 20 mins. I think) The Spad 13 200hp can do limited turn fighting, but keep your speed up and take advantage of acceleration in dives (good turn speeds are around 160-170 kph) - also good is rudder and opposite aileron for tighter turns and skids but watch your speed And we went our separate ways eventually (the Spad 200 hp can slowly outrun this variant of the Alb. D.III)

I set up my single missions using the in-sim menu in FE2 - the great thing about it is that (as in WW1) you don't know what type of enemy aircraft you will encounter, or the number of aircraft - although congestion settings can be controlled to some extent via the in-sim menu, and further congestion files (the "formation.ini" file that goes into the Flight folder of the user folder for FE2 - some of those are included with my FM update packs for FE2). For recommended flight congestion settings in the in-sim menu, for those who like to fly historically, I recommend point no. 7 under my "Rules for DiD Style Single Missions in FE2" available at the link below (where I attempted to imitate the DiD campaigns/missions that are constantly going on at the WOFF forum on the SimHQ website - in my opinion FE2 is excellent for DiD, "dead is dead," style missions and campaigns): https://combatace.com/forums/topic/92423-did-style-single-missions-for-fe2/ Happy flying, Von S

For aircraft that seem to be missing engine sounds (if you are using the data inis from my FM update packs), I recommend the two links called "List of My Engine Sound Names and Original Engine Sound Names" and "Engine Sounds Pack," from the following post: https://combatace.com/forums/topic/91337-problems-with-my-fe2/?tab=comments#comment-738368 In terms of Caporetto campaign questions, hopefully someone with more experience with campaigns will pitch in with helpful info. (I have the terrain installed but usually fly single missions over it). Von S

Also, it doesn't hurt to run SF2 (and FE2) in Win7 compatibility mode too - on Win10. I run them that way and I've had no CTDs at all. Same advice applies to the OBD sims (WOFF/WOTR), as well as IL2-1946.** For ROF I haven't noticed any benefits to running in Win7 comp. mode. **For IL2-1946, don't forget also to enable "DEP protection" only for essential programs (in the relevant setting in the control panels, "system"), otherwise it doesn't load on Win10. Happy flying, Von S

Here's another looker I've been tweaking the FM for - will include this one also with an update to the early WW2 SF2 FM package. An "early" Tony - Ki-60 and/or very early Ki-61 - model is by A-team and it took a while to rework the FM but I like the results - top speed about 560 kph @ 4500 m alt. Best climb around 350 kph, 13 m/s or so. Ailerons are okay above about 300 kph but horribly ineffective below 250 kph. Rudder is ok. Also avoid loops if your speed is less than about 300 kph, tends to spin out. Other peculiarities on the type - tends to "sink" if flying too slowly - rather than entering a typical stall. No wonder pilots didn't really like the Ki-60 prototypes and early Ki-61 batch, compared to the more pleasant Ki-43 ("Army Zero"). Having said that, it's a fast type for the early war and works just fine if you avoid tight dogfights with it. Good for slash-and-dash attacks. Von S

Busy with FM tweaks for Stephen's Polikarpov I-15 (gull wing variant) to fit it into the early WW2 SF2 package. Top speed around 350 kph at 3000 m alt. (with the earlier M22 engine variant), very maneuverable and good climb rate of about 15 m/s if you maintain about 200 kph. Also improved environsys and flightengine ini files - will include the atmospherics tweaks either with my ver. 9.9 FM update pack for FE2 or the early WW2 SF2 package. Next up is an early Ki-61 or the prototype Ki-60, also for the early WW2 package, then to circle back to further FE2 tweaks. (The PTO theater used a small number of gull-wing I-15's as trainers so it doesn't hurt to include them since we're missing the 15bis variant.) Von S

Hello gents', The relevant info. I have in the data ini for the "Spider" (located in the ver. 9.7 folder of my update pack, see the eastern front and Italian front folders) - is as follows: GunTypeName=8MM_SCHWARZLOSE_M0712unsync InputName=FIRE_PRIMARY_GUN GunGroup=1 MuzzlePosition=0.00,1.19,1.215 LightPosition=0.00,1.19,1.215 AimAngles=0.0,4.0,-0.1 MaxAmmo=250 EjectShells=TRUE I've been liberal with the max ammo setting (250) but may reduce this further to about 150-200. Also take note that the rate of fire is slightly faster on the unsynchronized than the early synchronized versions of the 07/12 Schwarzlose. I've therefore linked the Spider's gun type name with the un-synced variant of the early Schwarzlose. The relevant folder can be found in the "Guns" folder available in the larger ver. 9.5 consolidated update pack folder that's also available in the ver. 9.7 download. My general ini files for FE2 have shadows set to false on my rig, to preserve frame rates, but I will eventually get to setting them to "medium" - eventually - in SF2 I have them at medium settings and they work fine on the Mac Pro (2013). Hopefully setting them to medium in FE2 won't shave off too many fps. Happy flying, Von S

Yes indeed, the TW sims have some of the best views in the business (padlock, hat switches, panoramic views, etc.) - I'm always impressed by the precision of the padlock view in dogfights in both FE2 and also in the high-speed prop aircraft in my 40s/50s SF2 installs - a great sense of immersion and neck craning to see your opponent. ROF and WOFF/WOTR also have good view systems but the views/toggling only feels fully organic (and the most precise) to me in the TW sims. Also picked up IL2-1946 for two dollars recently on Steam, largely as a novelty, and while the graphics look acceptable for a mid-2000s sim (with the "vp modpack" installed) - the padlock view leaves something to be desired and is often hit-or-miss, while toggling between cockpit and external aircraft-to-target view during dogfights really breaks immersion in that sim. Obligatory FE2 screenies below. Von S

More testing of the ver. 9.9 FM update pack...FE2 always delivers with tight, white-knuckle dogfights, and with the 4GB patch applied to the FE2 exe, I think I'm getting even smoother fps and better viewing distances. Representative pics. below - a rare encounter with some single-bay Fokker D.II (B.II) variants used by Austria, Sept. 1916. (Have now removed armor from the pilot and nose area on the B.II, for more realistic damage chances - didn't spot that before today's flights.) Von S Looks like something out of the books. Enjoying the better mesh views. Let's go up higher and admire the maps. Time for some higher-alt. action. Managed to put a few shots into this fellow. He then went into a spin and never recovered (great variety of AI response). Had part of a wing knocked off by this other fellow who came too close - but I still had some flying surfaces left for another try (didn't end successfully).

Thank you for these tweaks Crawford - I will revisit the data ini eventually on the Junkers J.I since it's been a while since I flight tested the model. The FM is largely complete but the ground contact points were somewhat strange - glad you were able to fix the tail skid problem. Take your time with the skins - I won't post the Junkers model under the new aircraft thread until we can call it a 99% complete model. As far as I know Geezer never made any skins for it. I'm still dreaming of a complete Bleriot XI for FE/FE2. Von S

Ojcar's FMs are my favorite to tweak/tune since he has done most of the hard work in the data inis anyway - I usually look at climb rates, top speeds near SL, max. control movement, control sensitivity, and a few other details on them. I'll see if I have time to comb over the data ini for the Halb. CL.II for my mini ver. 9.9 FM update pack, but will most likely leave that for a ver. 10.0 pack. In terms of FM "tweakability," a brief hierarchy follows below: 1. Ojcar FMs - best out of the box so to speak and very "moddable" since logically implemented 2. Laton/Texmurphy FMs - some of the older monoplanes and Nieups. featured these FMs - not bad overall for moddability, although some oddities required more time to deal with (particularly the vertical stabilizer and/or rudder sections, and drag values); many of these were then further tweaked for Geezer's latest aircraft under the relevant thread, although already tweaked for my previous-version FM packs 3. Charles and company FMs (for A-Team stuff) - a mixed bag, the WWI data inis required major overhauls to work well in FE2 (the WW2 stuff for SF2 is much easier to work with, although it still requires some fixes for SF2) 4. Bortdafarm FMs - I've only dipped my toes into doing the FM for the single-bay Austrian version of the Fokk. D.II (the B.II), and that required a couple of weeks of tweaking approximately (not worth so much time on a per data ini basis ) - I always wanted to look into his Avro. and the later model of the Fokk. D.III with real ailerons - but I decided not to touch any more of his stuff, and the models are quite dated by now anyway The FMs for Geezer's Pfalz D.III/IIIa are, by the way, overhauls of the stock data ini for the Albatros D.V (not the Va). On a less technical note, happy holidays and the very best in the new year to all fellow flyers of FE2/SF2! Von S

A stimulating topic gents' - we certainly have the necessary aircraft in FE/FE2 for such a scenario. One that comes to mind in particular is the 160/165hp engined-up variant of the Nieup. 24/25/27 series - available in one of the big aircraft update packs for Geezer's Nieups. (page 17 or 18 of the new aircraft thread). It's a good Nieup. for early 1920s scenarios - low 200s kph top speed and a better climb rate than for the standard issue Nieup. 24 and 27. But as Gepard says, I don't think there is a map available in FE/FE2 for such scenarios...maybe worth checking out the SF2 maps? (perhaps one of those could be imported into FE/FE2). Von S

Further tweaks (and tips) under way...was enjoying a dogfight with a pesky Pfalz Parasol when his own Austrian aa took him down in front of my nose (great variety of outcomes in FE2 that always pleases me). In the other pic, some results of further tweaks to the AI and stall/lift values for the Pfalz Parasol (and more broadly the entire Parasol line). The Parasol will now sometimes go nose up and into a flat drop if the pilot is killed or jumps out after suffering damage in certain positions, while in other cases the standard nose-down spiral is seen. One Pfalz E.III even went onto its back while stalling/dropping - very pleasing (was reminded in that moment of Cecil Lewis' comment that only a lunatic would try to loop the Parasol). Have also slightly reduced back-stick pressure necessary to keep the Parasols level (about 10% now on the two-seaters and 5% on the one-seaters). Further reduced are their climb rates although they still "hang well" and will bite if you're not careful. The AI on the Pfalz Parasol is I think now more reasonable, avoiding tight turns if possible and willing to do wider circles before charging back into the fight. Third pic displays fps info. after I patched up the FE2 exe using what's known as the "4GB Patch" (available at this link: https://ntcore.com/?page_id=371). I have a feeling that while the SF2 exe has probably been "patched" by TK to allow access of more than 2GB (virtual?) memory - this may not have been done with the FE2 exe (can't remember now but I think FE2 is a 32-bit exe while SF2 is already 64-bit and probably won't benefit from this patch). Anyway, might be a placebo effect but I'm now seeing fps ceilings that hit the 300 mark and higher - whereas before the patch ceilings were around 150 or so, on the BootCamp side of the Mac Pro. If you are interested in doing the patch experiment, I recommend making a backup first of your unpatched FE2 exe (I've encountered no problems so far running the patched version). Might be worth a try with SF2 too. Happy flying, Von S

Indeed, I recommend a cautious and slow approach - for example, if in another several months' time there is no word from Geezer's WWI Workshop of Aircraft, then I think that Stephen should feel more than comfortable to continue his Sopwith Tripe project. Speaking of Geezer's works-in-progress, I am willing to upload the Junkers J.I model to the "new aircraft" thread eventually (the model seems fine, and the FM is complete for it) - but skins will have to be done at the user-end. I'm certainly no skin expert. Perhaps Eugene or Crawford are already working on some skins for the Junkers - I will let them decide when it is feasible to "make public" the Junkers since it isn't one of the pressing/important aircraft for FE2, to paraphrase Crawford. I will in the meantime keep tweaking away at my ver. 9.9 FM update pack; I hope to release it before the end of the year. EDIT: Thank you for this lovely Halb. CL.II Stephen, it will be a great complement to Geezer's CL.IV. The CL.II, while slower and less maneuverable than the CL.IV, was much more pleasant to fly according to pilots. Happy flying gents', Von S

Yes, the two parachutes (white and green) from the old EzMoneeStevens package available here on CombatAce are located deep inside my ver. 9.7 FM pack (somewhere in the 9.5 folders) - but I will simplify the ver. 9.9 update, updating everything to ver. 9.7 in a separate folder, and will dig the parachute files out and include them in the ver. 9.9 folder, for simplicity. Have further simplified some things so that the balloon explosion file will be an update only to the ini file that includes the parachute, since observation balloon occupants were using parachutes consistently since the summer of 1915 already, perhaps even earlier irregularly. The different environsys ini files with different cloud patterns and heights will now all be tweaks of the variant that includes very light wind with occasional light gusts - this is the most realistic variant for FE/FE2 since it provides for subtle (realistic) cloud movement, and on occasion gives dynamic smoke/fire effects. Owing to the way wind/environment is modelled in FE2 - the moderate and strong wind variants do not look as realistic as light wind with occasional gusts. (I will however leave the old variants of the environsys files in place, in the ver. 9.7 folder of the FM pack - for those who like to rummage through the older files.) Currently tweaking the data ini further for the Pfalz Parasol, in dogfights with the MS type N (yes, technically the Bullet was not available in the Italian front but I like to dismantle it and carry it to most early war fronts in FE2 anyway ). Von S

Well, flying in FE2 always brings the modding addiction out in me so I'm currently working on a mini, ver. 9.9 update of the FM pack before I tinker with my early WW2 install for SF2. Included will be the atmospherics tweaks posted above (as well as some subtle changes to clouds), also some more subtle changes to balloon explosions, for consistency, and lockout speeds will be included for control surfaces on the following early aircraft (Caudron, Taube, Longhorn, Shorthorn, HF.20, HF.20u, Pfalz E.I, MS type G 25/45/60hp, MS type H, MS L early one-seater, MS L early two-seater, Pfalz E.II, Pfalz E.III, MS type N, Fokk. E.Ia (Parabellum), Fokk. E.II (Spandau), Fokk. E.IIa (Parabellum), MS L late one-seater, MS L late two-seater). Will also include some tweaks to the AI for the Pfalz Parasol since it sometimes tries to climb too quickly, and aileron and rudder sensitivity have been further reduced on the Alb. D.II Oeffag. Should be enough for a mini-update. FM tweaks for the Snipe and some two-seaters that I've never touched on CombatAce will follow later in a bigger ver. 10.0 update. Von S Improved atmospherics Improved mesh numbers and other entries in the flightengine.ini (will provide a mid-range and higher-end flightengine.ini) - these tweaks are particularly good for sightseeing and expansive vistas More tinkering with balloon explosions Let's not forget the observer with parachute tweak for immersion

Yes they flap in the wind and look quite nice. Von S

I appreciate the randomness of the mission generator too. One word of advice - if using the various formation.ini files included with my FM update pack, be aware that the one for lowest congestion/scarcity of aircraft, that often creates lone-wolf single missions, may sometimes crash FE2 (perhaps FE1/FEgold too) depending on the mission type selected. While not a big problem, it's worth being aware of. I particularly like lone-wolf missions for the early war, with hardly any aircraft in the sky for miles and miles, as historical. I will see if I can somehow combine commands included in the missioncontrol.ini and formation.ini files, for a future ver. of the FM pack - although I will be somewhat busy with my early WW2 install for SF2, for a while. Happy flying, Von S

Been tinkering some more with the environsys files for FE2, also for WW2 and Cold War installs in SF2 - will eventually include this with a ver. 10.0 of the FE2 FM update pack. Have now gotten a more subtle blue color for noon and afternoon skies in FE2, and a slightly more subtle horizon color (always thought the default blue was a little too saturated). Will also tinker further with explosion effects for observation balloons soon...ideally I'd like to get an effect between the one included around ver. 9.0 of my FM pack, and the very small effect included around ver. 9.5. Notice also the nice spiral that the downed Mosca MB-bis is making in one of the pics. - that's one of the many things I love about FE2 - destroyed aircraft follow the physics of flight - no scripted crashes in FE2/SF2 that use only a limited number of patterns. There was also a Spad A.2 that went into a flat spin after being flamed but I didn't have time to take a pic. in the excitement of the battle. Happy flying, Von S P.S. These pics are with dx10 on (from the BootCamp side of the Mac).

Can't comment specifically on the A-10 but the physics largely depend on the aircraft type. Lighter aircraft with a large wing area (think WW1) will usually turn in the direction of the rudder movement and also go slightly nose up, particularly with all-flying rudders that lack a vertical stabilizer. Heavier aircraft made of metal instead of wood might display more yaw but less movement, initially, in the direction of the rudder turn. Plus there are further variations - which depend on rudder sensitivity and max left/right movement of the rudder (for example, rudders on Tomahawks and Kittyhawks being more sensitive than on something like the Jug). By sensitive I mean more rudder-induced directional change, initially, than only yawing left/right. Rudder sensitivity, directional or yaw-related, is probably the most irritating thing to tweak in the data inis, but the results are worth it. Happy flying, Von S

Had some free time to try out gTerl's latest ver. 2.1 of the Caporetto terrain on the Mac and this map is great. This time I booted into the Mac side of the Mac Pro (2013) so the pics. below are from FE2 in WineSkin. Some things to tinker with for those running FE2 in WineSkin on a beefier computer - freely increase the resolution from 1600 x 900 to 1920 x1080 in the options. ini file as I did, force DX9 on (with the "True" command) - since WineSkin doesn't like DX10 for some reason - and force v-sync off. Average fps are around 50-60, not bad considering that the Mac side doesn't even take advantage of video crossover so I was only using 6 GB of vid-ram on a single FirePro card, plus I'm running it in the WineSkin wrapper too. Obviously it's better on the Windows side but I think it looks fine even at medium graphics settings as in the pics. below, and it's easier to set up left/right stereo sound on the Mac side for further immersion. Von S Nothing worse than seeing your flight mate going down in a fireball (I was flying the E.III here since the E.II, my favorite, is not available historically in the Italian theater) Managed to get a pesky Bullet even though the E.III is slower The Bullet's pilot eventually bailed out, with no parachute, once it turned into a fireball Managed to put another fellow into a stalling flat spin but didn't bother to strafe him gTerl's 'dromes are worthy of some nice sight-seeing Note to self, do not admire enemy airfields in FE2 in the future (two Nieup. 12 were coming in for a landing apparently, or had snuck up somehow) I prefer getting two-seaters from below, just in case the observer is a good shot He glided off and eventually made a fairly smooth landing Didn't bother tangling with the other Nieup. 12 but got out of there as soon as possible, to admire more of the scenery NOTE: some of the trees in the pics. are from Geezer's enhancement pack for the Italian terrains, available under the New Aircraft thread (can't remember the page now) - also used is the higher quality flightengine.ini file from my FM update pack, still giving decent frame rates if the graphics settings are kept at medium, in WineSkin.

Unless Geezer embedded the latest pilot models into the earlier pages of this "New Aircraft" thread...I don't think they were officially released. Have PM-ed you what I have (of the newest WW1 pilots) in my Pilots folder in FE2. The Stachel model is there too. Von S