WeaponsPack Oddities

[FastCargo 412]

I'm surprised no one has brought this up before...the WeaponsPack adds a lot of nice weapons...but also intros some errors, especially when it comes to MER usage.

 

Here's an example:

 

 

From left to right (LOD files) - SUU30, SUU-30 (WOE stock), Mk82LD (Weaponspack), Mk82LD (WOE stock).

 

 

Okay, so if you want to fix these issues...where to start. Read this post IN ITS ENTIRETY first! Remember, this is only for those installations that have the Weaponspack installed!!!

 

First, you need the CAT extractor: HERE .

 

Second, you'll need the Weaponsdata editor, available HERE.

 

Finally, BACKUP your WEAPONSDATA.INI, Mk82LD.LOD and WEAPONSDATA.DAT file!

 

Okay, lets start with the MER (Multiple Ejector Rack).

 

In the stock and Weaponspack WEAPONSDATA.INI file, there is this entry for the MER:

 

[WeaponDataxxx]

TypeName=MER

FullName=A/A-37B-6 MER

ModelName=mer

Mass=99.790001

Diameter=0.260000

Length=3.590000

AttachmentType=NATO

NationName=USAF

StartYear=0

EndYear=0

Availability=3

BaseQuantity=1

Exported=TRUE

ExportStartYear=0

ExportEndYear=0

ExportAvailability=3

WeaponDataType=6

WeaponsRackType=MER

NumWeapons=6

LoadLimit=500.000000

LengthLimit=2.500000

MaxFuelAmount=0.000000

Attachment01Position=0.180000,1.110000,0.000000

Attachment01Angle=0.000000,0.000000,-2578.310078

Attachment02Position=0.180000,-1.130000,0.000000

Attachment02Angle=0.000000,0.000000,-2578.310078

Attachment03Position=-0.180000,1.110000,0.000000

Attachment03Angle=0.000000,0.000000,2578.310078

Attachment04Position=-0.180000,-1.130000,0.000000

Attachment04Angle=0.000000,0.000000,2578.310078

Attachment05Position=0.000000,1.110000,-0.220000

Attachment05Angle=0.000000,0.000000,0.000000

Attachment06Position=0.000000,-1.130000,-0.220000

Attachment06Angle=0.000000,0.000000,0.000000

 

Note the bolded areas. The MER has a 2.5m weapon length limit...but you can place 2 bombs in a row with only 2.24m between mounting points.

 

So, use notepad and open up the WEAPONSDATA.INI file, find the MER entry, and change the LengthLimit to LengthLimit=2.24. Do the Weapons Editor dance as per the knowledge base.

 

Two methods to fix the Mk82s. One involves extracting the original LOD file. The second involves doing the Weapon Editor dance.

 

The first method is simpler overall. Use the CAT extractor on the ObjectData.cat file located in "X:/Your TW sim"/Objects directory. Find the MK82.LOD file inside and extract it. Rename the extracted file to Mk82LD.LOD. Copy the newly renamed file to your "X:/Your TW sim"/Objects/Weapons directory (you did backup your Mk82LD.LOD file in that directory first...right?) and allow it to be overwritten.

 

The second method is 'cleaner' but more intensive. Go into the WEAPONSDATA.INI, and substitute every line that says this: ModelName=Mk82LD with this: ModelName=Mk82. Save the WEAPONSDATA.INI. Then use the Weapons Editor as standard. Realise that there are a LOT of entries that use the Mk82 file...so you'll be scrolling through a lot of entries.

 

Now, to fix the clusterbombs (everything based off the SUU-30) canister.

 

A different problem here. First, here was my primary reference: Weapon Diagrams

This website had diagrams, dimensions, etc.

 

The problem is that there are 2 SUU-30 LODs. One is named SUU30.LOD and is inside the Weapons directory. It uses the SUU30.BMP file, also in that directory, as a 'skin'. As far as I can tell though, no weapons in the WEAPONSDATA.INI file reference this LOD file.

 

The other SUU-30 LOD is called SUU-30.LOD, and is located in the Objectdata.cat file. It uses the SUU-30.BMP...either in the Weapons directory or in the Objectdata.cat file.

 

In the stock TW WEAPONSDATA.INI, the cluster weapons reference the SUU-30 LOD, and have a length of 2.339 meters.

 

In the Weaponspack WEAPONSDATA.INI file, the cluster weapons also use the SUU-30 LOD file, but have a length of 2.184 meters.

 

The problem is, both length figures are correct...just depends on the subvariant! On the website it states this:

 

Data for SUU-30/B:

Length: 2.4 m (7.8 ft)

Diameter: 40.6 cm (16 in)

 

Data for SUU-30B/B:

Length: 2.1 m (6.8 ft)

Diameter: 41.1 cm (16.2 in)

 

Doh!

 

The SUU-30.LODs have an arming mechanism (an air wheel for lack of a better term) that sticks out significantly...which causes the visual conflict. The SUU30.LOD doesn't have an obvious arming mechanism, and is smaller overall...and seems to closely match the diagram for the SUU-30B/B.

 

So, there are three ways to fix this problem. The first two ways are model substitution...the last way is Weaponsdata.ini alterations that will not allow you to mount more than 3 CBUs (that use the SUU-30.LOD) on a MER.

 

The first way is simpler overall. You basically replace the SUU-30 model with the SUU30 model (the smaller, blunt nose model).

First, rename your SUU30.BMP file located in the Weapons directory to SUU30.BMP.BAK. Then, take the SUU-30.BMP file (either already in the Weapons directory, or extracted from the ObjectData.cat file) and make a copy...renaming the copy to SUU30.BMP. Next, make a copy of the SUU30.LOD file and rename the copy to SUU-30.LOD. Finally, go into Notepad, start a new file and enter the following text:

 

[LOD001]

Filename=SUU-30.lod

Distance=1000

 

Save the file as SUU-30.INI in the Weapons directory and you're done.

 

The second way accomplishes the same thing...just involves the Weapons Editor dance. Go into the WEAPONSDATA.INI, and substitute every line that says this: ModelName=SUU-30 with this: ModelName=SUU30. Save the WEAPONSDATA.INI. Then use the Weapons Editor as standard. Finally,take the SUU-30.BMP file (either already in the Weapons directory, or extracted from the ObjectData.cat file) and make a copy...renaming the copy to SUU30.BMP. And you're done.

 

The third method is similar to the second, except there are no copying of files. But this will make it so you can't mount more than 3 cluster bombs (that use the SUU-30.LOD) on a MER. Go into the WEAPONSDATA.INI, and for every weapon that has ModelName=SUU-30 substitute the line that says this: Length=2.184000 with this: Length=2.339000. Save the WEAPONSDATA.INI. Then use the Weapons Editor as standard.

 

This only fixes Mk82s and SUU-30s...LGBs (the smaller ones) are another issue for another post.

 

FastCargo

[Wrench 9,811]

I like this! I"m going to copy this into the 'Weapons Loadouts Fixes" thread.

 

That link to the designations, with all those diagrams is GOLD!!

 

Thanks FC!!

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[FastCargo 412]

Lots of changes to the first post. I'll update the loadout thread stickie. Had to correct some errors and clean it up a little.

 

Thanks! Now to get to those LGBs....

 

(This is what I get for being anal retentive...no comments from the peanut gallery!)

 

FastCargo

[FastCargo 412]

Alrighty then...LGBs on MERs in the Weaponspack.

 

Any of you encountered this problem?

 

 

Ignore the quality, I had to up the contrast and brightness to make it easier to see the weapons.

 

On the aircraft, left to right (LODs): GBU-12P1, GBU12B, SUU30, GBU12B, GBU-12P1

 

Upper left inset (LODs): SUU30, GBU12B, GBU-12P1

 

 

The problem:

 

The lengths are wrong in the Weaponspack for the GBU-12 series of weapons. The length is stated as 2.18 meters for all the GBU-12 variants. Looking at the inset, the SUU30 canister is about 2.18 meters long...WAY shorter than the LGB models. Assuming you applied the fix to the MER in the Weaponspack for the Mk82 and CBUs, your max weapon length can only be 2.24 meters on a MER.

 

In addition, the model used for Weaponspack versions of the GBU-12 (GBU12B and etc) is not the model used by the stock TW sims (GBU-12P1). In the stock versions of the TW sims, the length of the GBU-12 series of weapons is stated as 2.65 meters. This seems to closely match the actual size of the LOD file (GBU-12P1) based on the inset picture.

 

Raytheon's own website source material state the length of the GBU-12 series of weapons is around 3.3 meters. This seems to match the visual model used by the Weaponspack.

 

So, who's right? Well, that depends on which page you look at.

 

Going back to designation-systems.net (awesome weapons site btw), they have separate pages for Paveway I and Paveway II weapons. The visual picture on the Paveway I page for the GBU-12/B seems to conform roughly to the TW model (note the large fins on the front and rear). However, the length stated is 3.2 meters...significantly longer than the actual visual model. The author of the website stats that several sources had variations in the specs listed...so the numbers might be off.

 

However, the Paveway II page shows models and specs that match very closely with the visual models as used in the Weaponspack.

 

So, what to fix, and how to fix it?

 

Actually, this is pretty straightforward...all we need to do is the standard Weapons Editor dance. Be forewarned though...you will NOT be able to load GBU-12s on MERs after this fix.

 

First, BACKUP your WEAPONSDATA.INI and WEAPONSDATA.DAT files.

 

Then going into the WEAPONSDATA.INI file, look for the weapon entries that have ModelName=GBU12. Variants of this (ModelName=GBU12B_N, ModelName=GBU12_P4, etc) are affected too, including other countries (AUS, PAK, etc). Every weapon that uses a variant of this LOD model (GBU12), change this:Length=2.180000 to this: Length=3.30000.

 

There are exceptions for 3 specific weapon entries.

 

First, GBU-12, Paveway I (first generation). We are going to switch to the stock TW model. It doesn't look as nice as the Weaponspack models, but I think it's a bit more accurate as to what the first generation Paveways looked like.

 

Find this entry:

 

[WeaponData114]

TypeName=GBU-12

FullName=GBU-12/B Paveway LGB

ModelName=GBU12B

Mass=226.800003

Diameter=0.270000

Length=2.180000

AttachmentType=USAF,USN

etc...

 

And change it to look like this:

 

[WeaponData114]

TypeName=GBU-12

FullName=GBU-12/B Paveway I LGB

ModelName=GBU-12P1

Mass=226.800003

Diameter=0.270000

Length=2.650000

AttachmentType=USAF,USN

etc...

 

Note the changes in bold.

 

Second, GBU-12B/B Paveway II (second generation). Just a minor text change in the description. Also, since development was started on Paveway II in 1976, all non US models are Paveway II or newer.

 

Find this entry:

 

[WeaponData115]

TypeName=GBU-12B

FullName=GBU-12B/B Paveway I LGB

ModelName=GBU12B

Mass=226.800003

Diameter=0.270000

Length=2.180000

AttachmentType=USAF,USN

etc...

 

And change it to look like this:

 

[WeaponData115]

TypeName=GBU-12B

FullName=GBU-12B/B Paveway II LGB

ModelName=GBU12B

Mass=226.800003

Diameter=0.270000

Length=3.30000

AttachmentType=USAF,USN

etc...

 

Note the changes in bold.

 

Third and final change, Paveway IV (fourth generation}. As far as I can tell, from what I've been able to find, Paveway IV uses a combo laser and GPS setup, and gets rid of the 'ring/lens' sensor at the front of the weapon. So it's just a bit shorter than the rest of it's siblings.

 

[WeaponData118]

TypeName=GBU-12E

FullName=GBU-12E/B Paveway IV LGB

ModelName=GBU12_P4

Mass=245.000000

Diameter=0.270000

Length=2.650000

AttachmentType=USAF,USN

NationName=USAF

etc...

 

And change it to look like this:

 

[WeaponData118]

TypeName=GBU-12E

FullName=GBU-12E/B Paveway IV LGB

ModelName=GBU12_P4

Mass=245.000000

Diameter=0.270000

Length=3.00000

AttachmentType=USAF,USN

etc...

 

Note the changes in bold.

 

Okay, so after all that typing...save your WEAPONSDATA.INI file, open up the Weapons Editor, and do the standard Weapons Editor dance for EVERY entry you altered (which will be a lot). Save, and you should be good to go!

 

FastCargo

[Czech6 15]

I changed the MER LengthLimit to 2.24 and did the third method on the SUU-30 changes and I'm finding that the loadout.ini overrides the changes. I can still get six CBU-24's on a MER if that is what I have specified in the loadout. If I try to add six CBU's in the loadout screen it limits me to three.

[FastCargo 412]

Good point. These changes are to help avoid you user selecting odd loadouts. Loadout.ini files typically will override Weapondata.ini limitations. This goes hand in hand with fixing your loadout.ini files to get rid of these conflicts.

 

FastCargo

[FastCargo 412]

Bringing up an old thread. I was concerned that the GBU-12 Paveway I model (stock TW) is still not correct. Most sources that have a picture of the Paveway I in the 500 lb class (GBU-12) show a model significantly thinner and longer than the stock TW model. The main external difference from more modern GBU-12 Paveway II and III is the lack of folding rear fins.

 

Note the pic from designation-systems.net.

 

Picture of very early Paveway Weapons

 

The lower left picture is of a Paveway I in the 500lb class. Compare to the posts above showing the original TW model.

 

So I've decided to make a new model.

 

 

It's actually complete...all original LOD file, but the skin is a bmp made using a lot of elements of the GBU_USAF.bmp skin that comes with the Weapons Pack.

 

If there is interest (and assuming Wpnssgt and Bunyap have no problems with me using elements from their bmp file) I'll upload here at CA.

 

FastCargo

 

PS Yeah, the colorations may be off...but that's easily fixed since the BMP file is separate.