The Ultimate CFS3 Effects

[AZGunslngr]

I'm very glad we still have people keeping these great older flight sims still alive, believe me, especially lately CFS2 seems to be the hot take, but coming from someone who prefers CFS3 the most, feel like it's been ignored. Yes, I've pretty much used every mod there is on mine but still think it could use some new additions, IL-2's, Mig-3's, or ships you find in other expansions, but can only use on missions not campaigns etc. So, I'm calling on all you Gmax pros to PLEASE take CFS3 into consideration. I'm sure I not only speak for me, but many other CFS3 luv'ers out there.

I've heard from a lot of people that CFS3 is "buggy" and CFS2 runs smoother, fyi, that's because they're a TON of errors in both the CFS3 Effects files, and Global Layer. Those will definitely cause crashes. I'll be posting my Effects.XML for download which I worked three and a half weeks on, removing spelling errors, and numerous duplicates. Even put everything in alphabetical order. As for the Global Layer, check the airfields sections, Dusseldorf is missing a "u" in one. A French airfield in the city of "Beziers" is missing the "z", and two at the bottom have Britain spelt "Britton". I've noticed since I made those corrections, only one crash in four months.

Anyway, thought I'd beg a little, lol. But seriously would deeply appreciate seeing some new things for CFS3 posted on here. Thanks guys.

[NachtPiloten]

Great to hear that you are cleaning up your game. CFS3 is buggy since it requires no mistakes to run properly. As you know the smallest of errors causes it to crash. As far a gmax/max folks, I for one knew nothing about these applications and just taught myself and looked at a few tutorials. You can do the same to make the missing pieces you would like to see. There are few of us trying to make new theaters, so maybe that will help. But sincerely the best way to make the game better as you put it, you really should learn.

[AZGunslngr]

Yeeeeeah, ik, just got modding and correcting down, "actual" mod making next on my list, lol. You've put out some great stuff btw NachtPiloten, using most of things you've posted. Keep up the great work.

[sixstrings5859]

Thanks Gunslnger, Still enjoy CFS3 the most out of all my air combat sims ,along with IL-2 '46. CFS3 definitely needs more Russian aircraft. Ted, your work is outstanding ! Love everything you done and working on now. Thanks to all those who still work on CFS3 ,to make it one of the most fun WW II and Korea sims out there. I'd also like to say Strike Fighters 2 is also a good one with tons of mods and addons. In SF2 i have from WW II to modern day combat aircraft and tons of scenery and missions . Thanks to all for your work , and keeping CFS3 alive. Regards, Scott

[AZGunslngr]

Appreciate it Six, I know they're MANY of us CFS3 diehards out there, lol. My ultimate favorite video game. Been playing it since it came out. Not knocking IL-2 , but always find myself coming back to this one. Hopefully they'll find the heart to add on to this one soon. We shall see.

[mongoose]

I'm very glad we still have people keeping these great older flight sims still alive, believe me, especially lately CFS2 seems to be the hot take, but coming from someone who prefers CFS3 the most, feel like it's been ignored. Yes, I've pretty much used every mod there is on mine but still think it could use some new additions, IL-2's, Mig-3's, or ships you find in other expansions, but can only use on missions not campaigns etc. So, I'm calling on all you Gmax pros to PLEASE take CFS3 into consideration. I'm sure I not only speak for me, but many other CFS3 luv'ers out there.

I've heard from a lot of people that CFS3 is "buggy" and CFS2 runs smoother, fyi, that's because they're a TON of errors in both the CFS3 Effects files, and Global Layer. Those will definitely cause crashes. I'll be posting my Effects.XML for download which I worked three and a half weeks on, removing spelling errors, and numerous duplicates. Even put everything in alphabetical order. As for the Global Layer, check the airfields sections, Dusseldorf is missing a "u" in one. A French airfield in the city of "Beziers" is missing the "z", and two at the bottom have Britain spelt "Britton". I've noticed since I made those corrections, only one crash in four months.

Anyway, thought I'd beg a little, lol. But seriously would deeply appreciate seeing some new things for CFS3 posted on here. Thanks guys.

It would be of use to see what errors you found in the effects and gl file(s). I'm reluctant to copy over whole files in view of some effects and or g l entries not being duplicated, but fixed errors, definitely!

[FOO FIGHTER]

After joining the forum (2005), I kept pestering the prolific Wildbat to make skins I wanted. He was gracious enough to accommodate me to a point, but I learned that if I wanted every skin I wanted I would have to do it myself. So, I got a copy of Photoshop and gradually learned how to do decent skins (and I'm still learning).
The different CFS3 theaters could use so many simple things like weapons/loadouts. Things like radomes or antennas could be added to existing aircraft through the creation of new pylons (JayCee excelled at this!) to further expand the sim. Every once in a while someone with a specific area of interest will come along with the necessary skills and push things along a bit. While I sympathize with your point, it will most likely come down to: If you want it, you're going to have to make it and be the one that pushes things along a bit.

[AZGunslngr]

Mongoose, I will be uploading my effects file this weekend, do you have WinMerge? Great tool to view XML's clearly. WAYY too many things to list for all the errors I found, flak was spelt "flacke" for example, another was "blacke" instead of black and so forth. Many missing "under-slashes" where they should have been. Many of the duplicates were the same entries that some used "S" for small, while the same one used "SML", was a LOT of those, but, I'll announce when I upload mine and you can take a look.

- - - Updated - - -

Foo Fighter, been trying man, BELIEVE me, lol.

[MajorMagee]

I think you might like this...


https://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforu...1&linkid=23722



This package consists of:


1. A combined effects.xml which will work across different installs of CFS3. The effects.xml is arranged alphabetically. Majormagee has put an enormous amount of painstaking effort tracking down some elusive abnormalities in effects.


Old/obsolete and unused effects are retained, but have an "x" or a "y" at the end of their name.


2. A set of textures (pathway your root cfs3install/effects/fxtextures) is provided to ensure that all effects will render/display.


3. A combined sounds.xml file, which will work across cfs3 installs. This file represents a large amount of work by Majormagee.


4. A few sound files to populate the sound environment, e.g. flak.


5. A set of effects for TOW


Discussion Thread

[AZGunslngr]

Already used quite a bit from that package. That one, and "CFS3 1940" have the best sound wavs btw. Deeply appreciate the heads up though.

[mongoose]

Mongoose, I will be uploading my effects file this weekend, do you have WinMerge? Great tool to view XML's clearly. WAYY too many things to list for all the errors I found, flak was spelt "flacke" for example, another was "blacke" instead of black and so forth. Many missing "under-slashes" where they should have been. Many of the duplicates were the same entries that some used "S" for small, while the same one used "SML", was a LOT of those, but, I'll announce when I upload mine and you can take a look.

- - - Updated - - -
l.

I'll wait and see your upload. Basically I am using the upload at https://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforu...1&linkid=23722 with some TOW additions.
What install relates tp "CFS3 1940"?

[AZGunslngr]

CFS3 1940 has some very unique sound file wavs. There's a folder called "Charlie" that has some redone sound effects, but fair waring, DO NOT use the seagull.wav, so damn loud its all you hear on the ui world screen, lol.

[AZGunslngr]

A new entry has been added to Add-Ons Library, category CFS 3 Other Add-Ons - Effects

Description: A compiled effects XML for CFS3 that consists of a mixture of just about every effects file here on Sim-Outhouse. From the original combined with "ProjectLight01", Tow's", "N-effects", and many more. I also did the drooling work of putting everything in alphabetical order, corrected numerous entry errors, and removed duplicate entries. If you're not comfortable editing XML's, this one is perfect for you. Has almost every effect for aircraft, vehicles, ships, effects, and sounds for almost every mod on this site:

-Flares -SJE's Fw-190 and Spitfire VII & VIII series
-Cookie Bombs -Bf-109 W9 And Y5
-U-Bomb effects (for those without Firepower) -Me-163b
-Gaslight Explosions -Harvard
-Tracers -Everything you need for every non-drivable vehicle here on this site
-TOW's Searchlights -And too much more to list
-NachtPiloten's Runway Lights
-Radio Chatter *It's up to you to download the mods and other necessary files.
-Locomotive Whistles and Steam

If you download a mod file that requires you to add to your effects, double check on this, most likely already there.

To check it out, rate it or add comments, visit The Ultimate CFS3 Effects
The comments you make there will appear in the posts below.

[Flamingskull5000]

I some how hosed my ETO and Solomans installs and have no tracers for any AC except US Army planes. I also have my water textures all screwed up but that's another matter. Will replacing my existing effects XML with this fix my tracer issues?

[AZGunslngr]

Absolutely should, just make sure you have the correct tracer effects in your "fxtextures" folder.

[Flamingskull5000]

Bingo! back in biz, fixed my water textures also!

[AZGunslngr]

Glad to hear it. I highly recommend to everybody, use "Ankors Shaders 2019" with these effects, the sunsets, and sunrises are are a little TOO realistic, lol. If you have Pat Battle's BoB installed, or the game files, switch out the main CFS3 "Weather" folder out with the one from Bob. I've tried many weather effects and whatever he put together, its the best, especially the cloud effects.

[mongoose]

So, noticing that there are size variations in the effects xml files I am trying to use Notepad ++ to compare them. This is taking a long time, given the file sizes so no results yet but
Your effects 43732 Kb
Daiwilletti-Andy 4928 Kb
My TOW 5080 Kb
My ETO 5344 Kb

Of course part of the difference might be non active lines, such as <START_GECKO_SPITFIRE_IIB_EFFECTS_AUGUST_21_2021/> etc., So, if I ever get Notepad++ to actually get to the end of any comparison, I might be the wiser.

[AZGunslngr]

Noooo, you'll have an aneurism using Notepad, lol. Use WinMerge. If you haven't used it before, they're a few YouTube tutorials that are a great help. Not as complicated as it looks.

https://winmerge.org/downloads/?lang=en

YouTube Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UL2F...nel=censiCLICK

One key thing about using WinMerge, You'll see "yellow" for the entries that are different from one another, but don't just change them by flipping them to the other side, those entries may still be on there, but at a different location, so watch for that. I learned the hard way, and had to spend a week, removing the duplicate entries.

[mongoose]

Notepad++ is an entirely different animal from notepad, and has many useful features including on plugins. I cam use winmerge, but was initially trying to see the differences.

[AZGunslngr]

WinMerge makes the XML's a bit more clear, once you use it a few times, you'll get it down. Still requires a lot of cut-n-pasting though, can never seem to escape it.

[sixstrings5859]

Does it have the effects for the Me 163, SJ Fw 190's and SJ spitfires and other such aircraft as Nigel's ? Thanks ,Scott