help please, i cant get download planes to work!

[manleykm]

hi everyone.. ;) im using a laptop pc with vista and cfs3 works fine, no problems..... ive joined this site and also AV History and tried downloading some add on aircraft .. cant getem to work.. grrr

have downloaded the cfs3 microsoft 3.0 and 3.1 updates, downloaded the AV History files such as effects, textures, wep pack and ful pre load and then unzipped them into the cfs3 folder.. also installed and run the AV bdp nuker file..

however when i then download any aircaft into a "new" subfolder then unzipp them and add to either the main cfs3 folder or the "aircraft" folders, they appear to be "invisible" when i run the game..
ive mainly been unzipping from the "new" subfolder and trying to install into the "aircraft" folders and after lack of progress tried to unzipp and install direct into main folder.. have tried to add the complete aircraft files and also tries deleting the txt folders.. but to no successs..

would anyone be able to provide a "belt and braces" for newby, step by step guide on how best to install additional aircraft?? would be very grateful !!!! maybe choose an aircraft and talk me though it?

take care, thanks for reading..

and if you can, please, h e l p !!!!!! ;)

kevin

[wsmwsm]

Placing the aircraft into the main CFS3 folder won't do you any good. They must be in the aircraft folder.

Make certain that you are installing the actual aircraft themselves into the aircraft folder. Sometimes, there are multiple subfolders.

Have you checked to make certain that the planes have actually found their way to the aircraft folder?

You say you installed "3.0" and "3.1" updates. Perhaps this is a typo, but you should have installed 3.1 and 3.1a.

[manleykm]

hi there, thanks for reply.. i added the microsoft updates per the cfs3 website, then the AV History effects /texture/wep pack/full pre load and bdp nuker files.. then added new airctaft into a new folder and then unzipped them into the "aircraft" folder.. could i ask, do people often have problems downloading additional aircraft? i read a forum saying that model/panel/sound and texture need to be added.. the existing aircaft on my cfs3 seem to have a large "sound" folder.. im unsure if i should be adding the complete "newly downloaded aircraft " as one file, (as ive been doing) or if i should be trying to breakdown the various files and insert them into particular files .. could i ask, would you think that i unzipping the new aircraft into the aircaft folder, should do the trick? the files appear to be added, just that when i run quick combat, the new aircraft dont show up!! could you give me a few clues, whta i might be doing wrong please? would be grateful !! kevin

[wsmwsm]

Not really certain what the problem may be. AV History aircraft, in particular, are usually easy to install. There is generally no need to add "model/panel/sound and texture" since these are usually included with the aircraft. Can you give an example, say from AVHistory, of an aircraft which you tried to install.

There are sometimes problems with installing additional aircraft, but not the kind of problem you describe, unless you have installed them into the wrong folder. Again, do they appear in the "Aircraft" folder in CFS3?

[Daiwilletti]

One problem is if your install does not have the full list of nations available - offered by NEK and included with most later instals like ETO, PTO, MAW. So if the nationality for your aircraft is not supported by your country.xml file, you won't see it in QC mode (well thats my guess anyway :icon_lol:).

If you open up the aircraft's xdp file with MS Notepad or similar text editor, you can read what nationality the aircraft belongs to. Then check what nations' aircraft are on offer in your QC mode.

[SLIP STREAM]

also there are "shared" files.when you download any plane open the folder all the way down untill you get to folders that say, model,texture,sound,and seperate files.if you see a folder that says "shared", the contentents of that folder have to be copied to the main game aircraft folder.inside the main aircraft folder. scroll down to a folder that says "shared" copy the files into that folder.every time you alter an aircraft inside the plane folder there is a file called -bdp- delete this file it will rewrite on start up.also inside the main aircraft folder scroll to the bottom and delete that -bdp-. also don't just run the bdp zapper. as you go along and start adding skins to planes and standalones. it will cause skin swaping.that deletes all bdp's in aircraft,weapons.vehicals.

[wsmwsm]

I don't think the nationality of the aircraft matters. If a nationality is missing, a plane will "default" to stock nationality, either Great Britain or the United States. (I don't recall which.)

As to the shared files, failing to place them in the aircraft "shared" folder may cause some mishaps - black props, absence of guages - but the the plane should still be there.

Something else would appear to be going on here.

[italflyer]

Isn't it that sometimes Vista seems to be a bit paranoic if run on highest security settings and refuses to copy / install some of the files? I tried to copy an .bat file on a friends computer, and Vista just wouldn't let me do it!

[manleykm]

hi there, thanks for replies.. problem resolved!!! i uninstalled then re installed cfs3, re added the microsoft and av history updates, but on reading aircraft information realised why add ons were not working.. in fact why aircraft were "invisible" ... id unzipped and copied files ok,, however as these appear to be designed for "hard realism" i realised that my standard game settings were not set to normal weapons and limited fuel etc as recommended in the "read me" documents in the aircaft files... once i adjusted to; show ias, limited fuel and ammo, aircaft stress causes damage etc etc, the aircraft appear to be installed ok.. ;)

my settings were initially for unlimited fuel and ammo etc etc ...

any problems playing ill post another forum, but appears to be ok... thanks for your feedback !! id thought that vista was the likely culprit. appreciated !! kevin

[wsmwsm]

Glad you solved the problem. I do not think, however, that the realism level effects whether a plane appears. My guess is that by reinstalling everything, you were able to correct the issue.

[BeauBrummie]

Another thing is that the Avhistory aircraft will only fly well in the 'hard' setting.