Returning to CFS2

[jmfabio]

Hi All! I am returning to CFS2 after many, many years of flying FS 9 and FSX. I miss the missions and the AI wingmen etc. I am asking what I should install to bring my CFS2 up to current standards? Textures, planes, scenery, etc.

Thanks, jmfabio

[Allen]

You can start with The B24 Guy Overhauled aircraft. This De-mirrored Textures for all stock aircraft and AI aircraft have working Virtual Cockpit and Working Gauges.

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...rid=105&sort=d

You may want to look at my things. I have done a number of aircraft that follow the stock aircraft format with damage textures and breaking parts for ETO and PTO.

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...d=53588&sort=d

[jmfabio]

Thanks Allen. I will check them out.

[Blood_Hawk23]

Wow!! Where to begin?

Start with what Allen said. If you're looking for a vanilla install then Allen has redone all of the stock CFS2 and CFS1 structures. Plus a few other bits. He has also brought CFS1 into CFS2 with new models and AC.

Then its off to the theater of your choice. We have everything from WWI, WWII ETO, MTO, PTO, Korea, and still in the works, Vietnam. Each will require a new install of CFS2. There are thousands of hours of missions to fly for each of these.

We have new Scenery and Mesh. CFS2 hasn't died yet. We have members that are running it in Win 7 and Win 8, and Win 10. A few of us still have it in Win XP.

There are more Aircraft now then ever. We have new ships for all of the theaters as well.

So think about what era or theater you want to fly. Then we can get you pointed in the right direction.

'til Later,
John

[jmfabio]

Thanks John,
By browsing the forum I have learned that CFS2 isn't dead. Hence my return. (That and a grandson that I am introducing to flight sims.)
I prefer the PTO but am not averse to ETO. My dad and uncles were in both theaters. One uncle flew 17s with 303rd BG, my dad was a parachute rigger with 13th AAF. I'd like to get the PTO squared away first before moving into Europe. I have browsed the library and I am overwhelmed by the items available. I like good ground textures and detailed mesh and complex airfields. So any way that I can be guided will be appreciated.
Joe

[No Dice]

Find most of Johns and Allens work here:

http://thefreeflightsite.com/JFortin.htm
http://thefreeflightsite.com/Allen.htm

Plus a very huge collection of all the other great artists,( to many to name
http://thefreeflightsite.com/default.htm

Includes missions, utilities, tutorials and more

Welcome back home,
Dave

[Allen]

As Blood Hawk said my rebuild of the stock CFS2 structures is a good place to start. It makes the stock objects look better at distance and CFS1 libary rebuild makes all of the CFS1 objects truely destoyable. The CFS1 objects that came with CFS2 would still look undamaged when destoryed.

If you want to get into ETO my CFS1 to CFS2 is probly the quickest to do with minimal work compaired to others. The hardest part is downloading and installing all of the ground meshes and textures but you have to do this for just about all ETOs.

[Devildog73]

jmfabio,

What version of Windows are you running?

In Windows 7-8-10 you need to NOT install in default location.
I recommend custom installing into a separate: C:\\Microsoft Games\Combat Flight Simulator 2 (Pristine you don't modify); Once you have this, you can then just copy and paste the entire CFS2 program into you separate and distinct installs and point new Icons to these distinct locations.

C:\\Microsoft Games\Combat Flight Simulator 2\USN;
C:\\Microsoft Games\Combat Flight Simulator 2\USAAC;
C:\\Microsoft Games\Combat Flight Simulator 2\USMC;
C:\\Microsoft Games\Combat Flight Simulator 2\BPF.

Then you can do the same for ETO West - ETO East - MTO - Northern Africa.

Again, Do NOT allow it to install in the newer Windows versions in the default "C:\\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Combat Flight Simulator 2" location.

Also, once you install, get the NO CD CFS2.exe and replace the original. The above with the NO CD mod will save you LOTS of headaches which the newer Windows create for CFS2.

Also, I would create an ADD-ON SCENERY folder in the C:\\Microsoft Games folder; i.e. C:Microsoft Games\Scenery
As you acquire new scenery just unzip it into this folder and add through the normal CFS2 procedures.

I would definitely get Richard Ludwoise's (Rhumbaflappy) MESH and install it.
Then, MaskRider's various scenery for the Pacific region. Follow his installation instruction to the letter and you will have all of the scenery objects you will need for the Pacific to take on a whole new look.
Then install Uncle Tgt's texture mods to get the vegetation and water looking right.

Sounds like a lot of work, and it is, but WELL WORTH IT!

AND, most importantly, everyone here is super great about helping each other get things right.

Welcome back!!

Devildog73

PS

Open "File Explorer", Right click on the Microsoft Games folder, go to properties, modify permissions to give yourself full control of all folders, sub-folders, and files. THIS WILL ALSO SAVE YOU HEADACHES.

[miamieagle]

Welcome Back

[jmfabio]

Devildog, I'm using Windows 7 Home premium and have CFS2 installed on a separate partition. That's where I will put my addon scenery also (where I had it years ago). it does seem I have a lot of work ahead, but being retired I have the time. Thanks,
Joe

[jmfabio]

Miamieagle, Thanks for the welcome.

Joe

[Rami]

Jafabio,

Welcome back to CFS2. Sorry for the belated greetings, I've been away on vacation and I unplugged except for the barest of functions at SOH. How has your initiation been going?

Do you have any questions? Do you need any advice, ideas?

Just let me know, I'm here.

[Captain Kurt]

You will also want to install MaskRider's airfield packages for the PTO and Achim27619's airfield packages for the ETO. These will greatly enhance your scenery. All of Achim's packages are available here and some of MaskRider's. Their sceneries use many of the ground objects that are available here, which they list in their read me documents. These lists will provide you with what you should load as the ground objects "must haves".

To get all of MaskRider's go to his site http://mask-rider.net/MaskRider2008/index.html

Welcome back!!