USS Saratoga CV3 campaign released!

[Shadow Wolf 07]

I am on the downhill portion of my mission building for this campaign re-do. I have completed 37 out of the 52 possible missions. The player will fly 19. I am incorporating Wolfi's new Avenger and a lot of new ships from Stuart377 and Maxstuka. The player will fly a random choice of fighters (F4F-3, F6F-3 and later, F6F-5), divebombers (SBD-3 and SBD-5) or Avengers. In the divebomber and Avenger choices, the player may fly as flight leader or as a wingman - also a random selection.

This is a semi-historical campaign. The first mission set is a "what if" Wake Island relief with Brewster Buffalos. After that, the task force ship names and types are historical but the actual ship formations in the TF, many of the strike make-ups and the exact launch positions are best guess.

The campaign will contain alternate .dps for some of the ships (taken from Pen32Win's alternate ship dps download). I also include an alternate .cfg for the VN Saratoga, which will enable the player to start further back on the flight deck for takeoff. Where takeoff is difficult, I will add a 15 knot headwind to the mission - zero to five hundred feet - which will also be there over target and on landing.

I am currently working on the strikes on Engebi. Then I move into the Indian Ocean, where the Sara cooperated with a British TF in strikes on Sumatra and Java.

Screenshots will follow soon as will progress updates...

[msfossey]

Looking forward to this Shadow Wolf.

Thank you,

msfossey

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Having a few problems with the "FDG2 F4F-4_Wildcat_VMF-221" in getting it to load in missions. I will Iron those out. The Maxstuka HIJMS Chitose class Aircraft Carrier was too heavy in FLAK and shot me down easily. I substituted Stuart277's IJN_ChitoseSPC_LOD for it and got in to release my torpedo (before getting shot down at 700 yards range.=). :) I took these shots though:

I have 7 missions to go, then cleanup and testing and creating the .cmg campaign file.

[Rami]

SW 07,

It looks like they're really coming along, you're doing a great job! :very_drunk:

[Shadow Wolf 07]

SW 07,

It looks like they're really coming along, you're doing a great job! :very_drunk:

Yes Rami. I have to rebuild the Sumatra (Sabang) and Java (Surebaya) missions - 7 missions in all and check all the missions and add wind where needed. Then the .cmg file must be redone and final campaign testing. Lastly, I'll do the readmes for the campaign, installation instructions and downloads. It will all take about a week or less.

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Four missions to go!! They center around the raid on Sabang, Sumatra with the British carrier HMS Illustrious. The old missions are corrupted so I have to rebuild them from scratch. It should take a few days.

Meanwhile, here's a screenshot of Wolfi's new Avenger in one of the missions I tested:

[Shadow Wolf 07]

I'm trying to use the FDG2_F6f-5N_VMF-541 for some of the night missions (see screenshot 1). But there is a problem with the plane. I selected the armament to be "rockets" but when the mission starts she is loaded with stock 1000 pound bombs! I went back to Mission Builder, re-selected rockets and saved the mission under a different name. Starting the mission, I got the same result - 1000 lb bombs (see screenshot 2). Also, the dp shows more payloads (15) than the drop-down menu in MB shows (only 8).

Does anyone have a fix for this? I would like to use this plane in strike missions, rather than the FDG2_F6f5_VF12. In the night CAP missions with "guns only" it are alright. Is the problem a dp or air file or some other error?

I'm almost finished with the campaign. I am test flying each mission to work out glitches. I had to totally rewrite some of the missions and as I go through them, I hope the need for total rewrite doesn't come up again. :banghead:

[Captain Kurt]

A biased response? Use the FDG2 F6F-5N for the night missions but use Allen F6F-5 with one of my skins instead of the FDG2 VF-12 for your day missions. :jump:

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/attachment.php?attachmentid=45234&stc=1http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/attachment.php?attachmentid=45235&stc=1

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Yes Captain. I only use the FDG2_F6f-5N_VMF-541 in night missions - 4 out of 5 of them.

[Rami]

Greg,

Here you go, but it comes with a big caveat; it is incomplete. I have the payloads straightened out and hijacked the contact points from the other FDG Hellcat so that the weapons are properly mounted and not buried in the fuselage, but they still don't fire properly, they just disappear when you attempt to release / fire. Someone else with more .dp knowledge than me will have to clean up my mess, but I thought I'd give it a shot.

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Rami: I swapped in the dp from the FDG2_F6f5_VF12. It has the same payloads and works fine in the parent plane. I will test the F6F 5N with it later and post my results.

[Rami]

Greg,

I started with that too, but there's a problem when you do that; the F6F-5N had a different gun set than the "standard" Hellcat. The -5N had two fifties in each with with four hundred rounds per gun, but the -5N also had one 20mm Hispano-Suiza cannon in each wing with 220 RPG. If you do a straight swap, you lose that feature.

[miamieagle]

I am looking forward to them!:wavey:

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Greg,

I started with that too, but there's a problem when you do that; the F6F-5N had a different gun set than the "standard" Hellcat. The -5N had two fifties in each with with four hundred rounds per gun, but the -5N also had one 20mm Hispano-Suiza cannon in each wing with 220 RPG. If you do a straight swap, you lose that feature.

Yes, but for building sake I'm going to use the other dp until a fix is found. Note: the F6F-5 vF12 dp shows 3 guns per wing, 2 with 350 rounds and one with 200.

[bearcat241]

I dunno how to fix that MB vs. payloads bug, but you can have my -5N dp config for what its worth. I reconstructed the original from the dp of the 1% F6F-5.

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Thank you Bearcat241. I'll give it a try. :applause:

[Shadow Wolf 07]

I am looking for a good replacement for the stock/OH version of the F6F-3 that I'm using in some of the missions. It will be used in CAP, intercept and strike roles, both player and AI driven. Any suggestions? Why?

Thanks:

SW07

[bearcat241]

Are there any other options besides the FDG2, stock and stock/OH versions? I believe these are all that the CFS2 community have to work with.

[Captain Kurt]

Allen's OH update to F6F-3 w/ rear quarter window.

[Allen]

I know I haven't been around but I'm still alive. I should still have the F6F with and and with out rear quarter windows on my XP as gmax files so I could be able to edit one of them if you all need me too.

Must replace my Avatar image. Been gone that long....

[Shadow Wolf 07]

I know I haven't been around but I'm still alive. I should still have the F6F with and and with out rear quarter windows on my XP as gmax files so I could be able to edit one of them if you all need me too.

Must replace my Avatar image. Been gone that long....

If it is the F6F-3 variant, I'd love to use her. Thanks Allen!

[Captain Kurt]

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?action=jump&catid=52&id=20788

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?action=jump&catid=52&id=20787

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?action=jump&catid=52&id=20786

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?action=jump&catid=52&id=20728

:encouragement:

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Thanks much Captain! :applause: Now I can finish up the Buka and Rabaul missions.

[Allen]

If it is the F6F-3 variant, I'd love to use her. Thanks Allen!

Already did the F6F-3 with the rear windows. I can make a night fighter for you of needed.

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Already did the F6F-3 with the rear windows. I can make a night fighter for you of needed.

No thanks, I'm already using the FDG version of the F6F-6N.

[bearcat241]

Allen's OH update to F6F-3 w/ rear quarter window.

Allen's work was derived from the stock/OH models. I didn't overlook him, i just looped his OH F6F-3 with rear windows into the stock/OH category. I assumed Shadow Wolf was looking for something outside that basket.

[Captain Kurt]

Nope that's all there is. Wolfi has hinted he may take up the challenge of making a detailed model. I'm hoping he does, I will love to work with him on it.

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Allen's work was derived from the stock/OH models. I didn't overlook him, i just looped his OH F6F-3 with rear windows into the stock/OH category. I assumed Shadow Wolf was looking for something outside that basket.

All I had in my stable was The B-24 Guy's OH/stock model. I was merely looking for something newer and hopefully more advanced to go with this revamped campaign. Captain Kurt's model will do fine. (All I need to do now is remember where to put the pilot folder so he'll show).

I have "cleaned up" the Buka raid missions and am now working on the Rabaul strikes. I'm replacing the older F6F-3s with the Captain's bird. After that I need to do the same with the Gilbert Island missions followed by the Marshals where they get an upgrade to the F6F-5 (already done).

[Allen]

If your using Cap Kurt's. The pilot will need to be added like and object/weapon and put into the SCENEDB folder.

[Captain Kurt]

Allen

Thanks. Regarding the pilot that is correct.

Just to keep credits right, this is Allen's F6F-3 model with my repaint, dp and flight files. :wavey:

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Allen

Thanks. Regarding the pilot that is correct.

Just to keep credits right, this is Allen's F6F-3 model with my repaint, dp and flight files. :wavey:

Roger that... Thanks guys!

[Shadow Wolf 07]

I've got the missions done. Next I'm going to check them against the campaign file (.cmg) and double check the downloads list. Then I will test fly most of them and set up the "player as wingman" missions to place the player aircraft in the wing position. Lastly, I will ask for Beta testers.

Most of the missions have a headwind of 10-15 knots, so those who do not use the further aft take off position .cfg or have little experience taking off and landing from/on carriers should have no problems. Most of the moving objects - ships, planes etc. are the most modern examples available. Players will randomly fly a fighter, dive bomber or torpedo plane, so each time you run the campaign each mission can be different. In the bomber scenario's you can find yourself flying lead or on the wing, randomly chosen by the .cmg.

Whew! this has been more time intense than I originally thought it would be. I have been striving to ensure others will have no errors, assuming they download and install objects correctly.It has been fun in Mission Builder though. :banghead: It has been good to get back to work again and have something worthwhile to do.

[Shadow Wolf 07]

The campaign and individual missions are ready for Beta testing. Volunteers are asked to PM me their email address. Don't post your address here though. :wiggle:

[Shadow Wolf 07]

I have made and am making some minor adjustments to some of the missions. Otherwise, the project is finished. I have one member beta testing the campaign now. Any other volunteers?

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Have cleaned up a few missions with some minor errors... I'll be releasing this campaign soon. :very_drunk:

[wolfi]

Yes I'm working on a new F6F, but it will take it's time (as always) and I like to finish a few old projects before.

wolfi


Nope that's all there is. Wolfi has hinted he may take up the challenge of making a detailed model. I'm hoping he does, I will love to work with him on it.

[Shadow Wolf 07]

I think I've done about all I can do with this one. I am waiting to hear back from a tester and cleaning up some loose ends and expect to release the revised campaign in a few days. I just might go back and plug in Captain Kurt's newly released A6M2. I am also working on a revision of another campaign, utilizing the new ships and planes. Thank you for your patience.

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Hi all:

I am performing the final checks and tests for this campaign. I will be releasing it in a few days. My Beta tester said that all the missions checked out okay and I am just going over the supporting documentation. It may be released as a self instaler after all!

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Rami has been kind enough to load this campaign into a self installer for your convenience. I will test it and upload both the self installer and the manual install versions in just a few days. Thank you all for your patience and assistance. :running:

[p14u2nv]

Thank you very much Shadow, I sure appreciate you sharing your work with all. I can only imagine the intense level of work involved especially when making sure everything goes as you planned. Again a hearty thank you sir.

[Rami]

Shadow Wolf 07,

It was my pleasure to help. :wavey:

[Shadow Wolf 07]

I have amended the readmes to reflect both a manual and self-install. I am going to test the self-install version today and hope to upload the campaign this evening. It will be in 2 parts. :running:

[Shadow Wolf 07]

I am going to load this campaign up and upload it as a manual installation. I will upload the self-installer version in a day or two. ElsnerMarcus has tested the manual install version and everything seems okay. Rami and I are working on the self-installer. :encouragement:

[Shadow Wolf 07]

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/soh_ftp/uploads/imageuploads/836514857012824331.jpg
A new entry has been added to Add-Ons Library, category CFS 2 Campaigns Add-Ons

Description: This is a semi-historical campaign, centered on the wartime campaigns of the USS Saratoga CV-3. She survived torpedo hits and a kamikaze attack and it took an atomic bomb to sink her. The campaign runs from a “what if” Wake Island relief scenario thru Saratoga’s last wartime engagement with kamikazes off Iwo Jima. You, the player can find yourself flying a fighter, a dive bomber or a torpedo plane, randomly chosen for each mission. You might also find yourself flying as the flight leader or as a wingman – again, randomly chosen. This campaign is best set up on a “clean” install of CFS2, using stock scenery except where noted. It was created and plays well on a Windows 7 system and I suspect should be fine on XP and Win 10. Copies of all set up, description and installation documentation are included in MS Word and PDF format. The campaign should prove challenging to novice (especially), intermediate and even advanced simmers.

To check it out, rate it or add comments, visit USS_Saratoga_CV3_Revised.zip (http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?linkid=22361&catid=44)
The comments you make there will appear in the posts below.

[miamieagle]

Looking forward to its release:jump:

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Looking forward to its release:jump:

Your wish is granted... :wavey: