Projected knowledge base:

[HouseHobbit]

On Mission building;

To change the player's position in a player formation..
Under normal set ups, you are the leader in Missions, the AI aircraft all follow you and your direction..
You can change the position of the Player, by using Notepad/wordpad.. Open the mission and in the mission set up find the "Is Player" text,


<AirFormation ID="6000" Directive="intercept" Country="Germany" Skill="1" Payload="2" FormType="fingertip">
<Unit ID="9296" Type="dr2_109g6_hg" IsPlayer="y" Skill="1" Payload="2"/> ***Here***
<Unit ID="9297" Type="dr2_109g6_hg" Skill="3" Payload="2"/>
<Unit ID="9298" Type="dr2_109g6_hg" Skill="3" Payload="2"/>
<Unit ID="9299" Type="dr2_109g6_hg" Skill="3" Payload="2"/>
<Unit ID="9300" Type="dr2_109g6_hg" Skill="3" Payload="2"/>
<Unit ID="9301" Type="dr2_109g6_hg" Skill="3" Payload="2"/>
<Unit ID="9302" Type="dr2_109g6_hg" Skill="3" Payload="2"/>
<Unit ID="9303" Type="dr2_109g6_hg" Skill="3" Payload="2"/>

then cut and paste the text( IsPlayer="y") being careful to keep the spacing correct
to the new position in the formation

<AirFormation ID="6000" Directive="intercept" Country="Germany" Skill="1" Payload="2" FormType="fingertip">
<Unit ID="9296" Type="dr2_109g6_hg" Skill="1" Payload="2"/>
<Unit ID="9297" Type="dr2_109g6_hg" Skill="3" Payload="2"/>
<Unit ID="9298" Type="dr2_109g6_hg" Skill="3" Payload="2"/>
<Unit ID="9299" Type="dr2_109g6_hg" Skill="3" Payload="2"/>
<Unit ID="9300" Type="dr2_109g6_hg" Skill="3" Payload="2"/>
<Unit ID="9301" Type="dr2_109g6_hg" Skill="3" Payload="2"/>
<Unit ID="9302" Type="dr2_109g6_hg" Skill="3" Payload="2"/>
<Unit ID="9303" Type="dr2_109g6_hg" IsPlayer="y" Skill="3" Payload="2"/> *** to here**

I have now moved the Player from the first position to the last postion in the player formation
Save the file and close, then you are ready to go..

This is useful in carrier takeoffs, when you are launching more then One aircraft in the Player formation, and when desired to be just a wing man in the player formation..

More on carrier operations and missions coming up..

[ndicki]

Open your country.xml file in CFS root, using Notepad. You'll find that each country has an entry that begins like this:

<Country ID="Germany" Name="Germany" ShortName="GER" DirBase="ger" Nationality="German" Heading="bearing"

If you then go to your CFS3/sounds folder, you'll find a number of .gvp files. These contain the speech used by pilots and AIs. There are four types - air, ground, pilot, wingman. You'll see that each one is tagged with a three letter code that corresponds to the "Shortname" entry in the country.xml file - highlighted in red. So the German language files are air_ger.gvp, ground_ger.gvp, pilot_ger.gvp, and wingman_ger.gvp. (Colours for illustration purposes only.)

So if you want for example to change the language your Spanish Nationalists use, copy-paste the four (British, American or German) files, and re-tag them with the appropriate three-letter code for Spanish Nationalists. There you are, done. There are also some home-made Italian sound files in MAW, which Alessandro Biaggi did specially.

[FAFL342Pascal]

this tip can help if you have Pro rudder pedals :
"
foot-brakes are on when your feet are in the normal position, and off when you push with your toes?

Go into C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Microsoft\Combat Flight Simulator 3.0
and open CFS3.xca with notepad. Scroll down until you find the entry for your foot brakes, and add a minus sign where I've put it in red.


<Device Type="Saitek Pro Flight Rudder Pedals">
<GameMode Name="Player">
<Axis ID="X" Action="AXIS_LEFT_BRAKE_SET" Scale="-18" Nullzone="82"/>
<Axis ID="Y" Action="AXIS_RIGHT_BRAKE_SET" Scale="-18" Nullzone="82"/>
<Axis ID="Rudder" Action="Set_Yaw" Scale="64" Nullzone="36"/>
</GameMode>
"

original
http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...ad.php?t=32327
tip from ndicki

[OldCrow]

Adding Dive Brakes (to ANY plane that DOES-NOT have them already)
First Backup your files before EDITing them.

#1=EDIT Config file(Using notepad): Find the line in [airplane_geometry] that looks like this: spoiler_limit = 60
It's probably 0...make it 60.

#2=EDIT AIR File as follows(Using a program called AirEd):

Section # 1101-Primary Aerodynamics...
Add Figure to Drag for Spoiler. 220 is normal.
You can also add pitch and lift for Dive recovery flaps like a P-38L.

Section # 1539 AND #1540-UNKNOWN...
Edit the first line in record #1539 (hex edit) for the Lift.
Could make it like this: 0000 33 33 33 33 33 33 D3 3F
Edit the final line in record #1540 (hex edit) for the Drag.(Most important)
Could make it like this: 0018 00 00 00 00 00 80 BB 3F

[ndicki]

From Daiwilletti, from an earlier thread:




Trouble is I enter this from memory - my cfs3 comp I keep strictly offline to keep things simple and safe so I will fire her up now and check... By the way, open the file using xml wrench or similar because it gives you the text in different colours and there is a lot of inactive explanatory chaff in the file which does not do anything and relatively few active lines of text.

My bad - I always confuse the two files - it is the bigger 15kb file pilotconstants.xml
here is some modded text to look for:
"<entry name="StartSkillPoints_Campaign" type="int" value=" 20" />" here I've added outer quotes. Original value was 14.

Another entry: "<entry name="AIWingmenExperienceCap" type="int" value="2" />
<entry name="AIWingmenAccuracyCap" type="int" value="2" />"

this entry is near the bottom of the pilotconstants.xml. I find if I use this setting of 2 (default=1) then I get a lot more Flight Leutenants in my squadron and less Pilot Officers. So I assume this will give more skillful wingmen. I wouldn't be surprised if the skill tranlsates across to enemy AI as well. You could unofficially survey by turning on labels when flying against enemy air spawns to see what ranks are turning up.

[Pat Pattle]

It is possible to view cfs3 models outside of the game. This applies to most .m3d models such as aircraft, buildings, vehicles etc.

Make a copy of your desktop shortcut, right click on it and in the box where it says 'target' add this to the end of the entry: -m3dview

Mine looks like this:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Combat Flight Simulator 3\cfs3.exe" -m3dview

You can then also change the name of the shortcut to read 'm3d viewer' or whatever by right clicking on the shortcut again, selecting 'rename' from the drop down menu and then typing in your desired name.

The viewer opens just like cfs3 with the same screen. Once open click on 'window' and select 'text' from the options, this will show on-screen instructions on how to use it.

[Daiwilletti]

Hi,
here is the link to the thread where I've uploaded information about this: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...ad.php?t=31460
NB: Shaders.xml can also be adited to achieve all sorts of other things, like allowing fog to show together with clouds. Awesome discusses this in one of the threads attached to the above link.

D

[CADFather]

Originally Posted by: FBP On 08-22-04 @ 13:58 (Before the Site Attack)
Transcribed by CADFather from a PDF posted by Daiwilletti

Here is a way to get all your aircraft to have that shine created by the s.dds file in the aircraft folders, without having to create a new s.dds file in the cfs3 main folder edit the shaders.xml

Open the shaders.xml and follow the instructions noted in Bold/Italics and save the file as with any changes you make to the program back up your original file first)

<ModelSpecularGloss Desc=”Vertex lighting w/ Specular modulated by Gloss Map”
Lighting=”True” SpecularEnable=”true” (Ensure SpecularEnable is set to “true”)
SrcBlend=”One” DestBlend=”Zero”
ZEnable=”True” ZFunc=”(ZFunc)” ZWriteEnable=”True” ZBias=”0” FogEnable=”True”
AlpahBlendEnable=”true” AlphaTestEnable=”true” AlphaRef=”8” MultiSample=”True”
ColorArg10=”Texture” ColorOp0=”Modulate” ColorArg20=”Difuse”
AlphaArg10=”Texture” AlphaOp0=”SelectArg1” AlphaArg20=”Current”
Texture0=”0”
ColorArg01=”Current” ColorArg11=”Specular” ColorOp1=”MultiplyAdd” ColorArg21=”Texture”
AlphaArg11=”Current” AlphaOp1=”Modulate” AlphaArg21=”TFactor”
Texture1=”3” TexCoordIndex=”0”

[CADFather]

Originally Posted by: AWESOME On 08-22-04 @ 14:51 (Before the Site Attack)
Transcribed by CADFather from a PDF posted by Daiwilletti


Open the shaders.xml and follow the instructions noted in Bold/Italics and save the file as with any changes you make to the program back up your original file first)

<FoggedSkybox Desc=”for Rendering fogged skybox”
Lighting=”False” SpecularEnable=”True”
SrcBlend=”SrcAlpha” DestBlend=”InvSrcAlpha”
ZEnable=”False” ZFunc=”LessEqual” ZWriteEnable=”False” ZBias=”0” FogEnable=”True” (Change ZEnable=”False” to ZEnable=”True”)
AlphaBlendEnable=”False” AlphaTestEnable=”False” AlphaRef=”0” MultiSample=”True” (Change AlphaBlendEnable=”False” to AlphaBlendEnable=”True”)
ColorArg10+”Diffuse” ColorOp0=”SelectArg1” ColorArg20=”Diffuse”
MinFilter0=”Linear” MagFilter0=”Linear” AddessU0=”Clamp” AddressV0=”Clamp” Texture0=“0”/>

[CADFather]

Originally Posted by: AWESOME On 08-22-04 @ 14:51 (Before the Site Attack)
Transcribed by CADFather from a PDF posted by Daiwilletti


(Open the shaders.xml and follow the instructions noted in Bold/Italics and save the file as with any changes you make to the program back up your original file first)

<Add Desc=”Additive blending for special effects”
Lighting=”True” SpecularEnable=”True” (Change Lighting=”True” To Lighting=”False” and SpecularEnable=”True” To SpecularEnable=”False”)
SrcBlend=”One” DestBlend=”One”
ZEnable=”True” ZFunc=”LessEqual” ZWriteEnable=”False” ZBias=”0” MultiSample=”True”
ColorArg10=”Texture” ColorOp0=”Modulate” ColorArg20=”Diffuse”
AlphaArg10=”Texture” AlphaOp0=”Modulate” AlphaArg20=”Diffuse”
MinFilter0=”Linear” MagFilter0=”Linear” AddressU0=”Wrap” AddressV0=”Wrap” Texture0=”0”

[CADFather]

Standalone
Transcribed by CADFather from a PDF posted by Daiwilletti

Originally Posted by: Kevboy On 04-13-05 @ 04:18 (Before the Site Attack)

“Hello all
Question, if a plane has been converted to run on CFS# from CFS2 of FS, can I convert it to another standalone? I would like to hear yes!
But it has no Mos File so how do I tell it about the texture name changes? I do however hace an Air File, but the has nothing in it that I can read with the Hes editor, that looks like the text file names. As I am sort of new to CFS3 I guess someone must have come up against this before.”
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Reply Posted by: Mathias On 04-13-05 @ 04:40 (Before the Site Attack)

“CFS1 & 2 * FS don’t work at all in CFS3 as they use a different model format.

As for making standalones in CFS3 have a look here:
http://www.cfcforums.com/showthread.php?t=16351 (Link is long since dead, another source is needed)
The texture name references can be found in the m3d file btw, texture format is dds.
You’ll just see no bullet holes if you don’t hace a mos file, that’s about it.”
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Reply Posted by: Kevboy On 04-13-05 @ 04:48 (Before the Site Attack)

“Thanks Mathias.
Then the folder has,
A file called.
This_plane.air
But no file called.
This_plane.mos
Why and how does this work?
Kevboy”
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Reply Posted by: Mathias On 04-13-05 @ 04:52 (Before the Site Attack)

“The mosaic file is used to lay noseart/damage.cannon.bullethole textures over the plane’s base texture, sort of cross-linking to the texture (which is defined inside the model just as in other [C]FS builds.
There is an editing tool in the aircraft and vehicle SDK.
Think of the tool like dealing with layers in Paintshop Pro of Photoshop, you would just put the damage textures as a new layer on top of the main texture.
If you want to make your own mosfile for your plane in question you’d usually start out with one of the stock mosfiles and change textures and filename to whatever you need.
Next step would be to move around all those bullet layers until you are happy.
If you have no mosfile the texture is still processed normally, just there’ll be no visible damage textures.”
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Reply Posted by: Kevboy On 04-13-05 @ 09:22 (Before the Site Attack)

“Thanks Mathias
Just seen I Robot and had ¾ bottle of wine, but I just about get what you are saying.
Will play around with another misfile later. But is a misfile not needed then to make a plane work?
I need to sleep on this.
Kevboy”
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Reply Posted by: Mathias On 04-13-05 @ 09:25 (Before the Site Attack)

“Not definitely needed, the plane will work just fine without mosfile.”
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Reply Posted by: Kevboy On 04-13-05 @ 10:08 (Before the Site Attack)

“Yes Yes
Ok, got the plane flying, but it’s all black, that’s good, getting close. Just need to get the textures to be seen.
Nice,
Very nice.
Thanks Mate,
Kevboy”
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Reply Posted by: Kevboy On 04-13-05 @ 21:36 (Before the Site Attack)

“Textures working now. Is it possible to get reflections to work on a plane that did not have them from the start? I take it, it’s to do with the _s files.
Kevboy”
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Reply Posted by: Mathias On 04-13-05 @ 22:13 (Before the Site Attack)

“No Reflections or specular shine without the Gmax source file.”
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Reply Posted by: Kevboy On 04-14-05 @ 02:09 (Before the Site Attack)

“Ok Mathias, Thanks for all your help on this.
Kevboy”
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Reply Posted by: Corrado On 04-14-05 @ 07:06 (Before the Site Attack)

Quote:
Originally Posted by: Mathias
“No Reflections or specular shine without the Gmax source file.”

“That is a wrong statement.
Here is a tuto(rial) on how to do that using a hex-editor.
No reflect maps needed nor Gmax source, just you must be good at hex-editing.
Kevboy,
If you can’t figure it out drop me an e-mail at MC5834@mclink.it
http://www.isoliti4gatti.com/shine.htm (Link is long since dead, another source is needed)
Corrado”
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Reply Posted by: Kevboy On 04-14-05 @ 07:31 (Before the Site Attack)

“Ok
Corrado, I will have a look, thanks.
Kevboy”
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Reply Posted by: Mathias On 04-14-05 @ 07:48 (Before the Site Attack)

Quote:
Originally Posted by: Corrado
“That is a wrong statement.
Here is a tuto(rial) on how to do that using a hex-editor.
No reflect maps needed nor Gmax source, just you must be good at hex-editing.
Kevboy,
If you can’t figure it out drop me an e-mail at MC5834@mclink.it
http://www.isoliti4gatti.com/shine.htm (Link is long since dead, another source is needed)
Corrado”

“Oh, interesting, I didn’t know that you’ve hacked it
So you can add reflection and specular maps or just basic polygon shine?”
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Reply Posted by: Corrado On 04-14-05 @ 08:08 (Before the Site Attack)

Quote:
Originally Posted by: Mathias
“Oh, interesting, I didn’t know that you’ve hacked it
So you can add reflection and specular maps or just basic polygon shine?”

“Basic shining or reflecting if you don’t have a spare texture to sacrifice.
If you have that one you can add maps either.
I guess the M3D can be further hacked to add as many maps as you like but I haven’t experimented on this one possibility. It worked with MDL files, it might work with M3D’s as well.

Frankly, I have been using maps very little in my planes, odd it might look; I know this brings limitations but gave me the challenge of experimenting and exploring, that’s part of the fun, and that’s why I discovered the above.
All of my planes have this hex rework, one of the very first things I discovered in CFS3, even the early ones that have pre-lighted texture; wrongly believed by some not having true reflections they just have a very light touch of it, handmade.

Having abandoned those maps one thing I could never figure out is if reflect maps and shine maps work as advertised; could you recap it for me, what is the difference and is it worth it?

Hacking the M3D files I have found you can have a material to load both (_r and ­_s) at once, don’t know if it can be of any use though.

Another interesting thing I have discovered but never used is that maps can be colored not just B/W, this gave some nice effects, but that’s it.
Also you can name them what you want, not necessarily xxx_r etc.

The obvious advantage of this kind of approach is that you can mod to your likes someone else’s models (the ones you don’t have the source code for), including M$ ones.”
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Reply Posted by: Corrado On 04-14-05 @ 08:11 (Before the Site Attack)


“Kevboy,
I am very curious on what you are doing, or am I reading too much into your post #1?
Corrado”
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Reply Posted by: Mathias On 04-14-05 @ 08:48 (Before the Site Attack)

“Hmm, it can all be done from within the Gmax file, colored specular and reflection maps and both together in the same materials as well as colored specular polygon materials.
Whatever , your hack is sure great for aircraft that otherwise would not come into the benefit of such neat features.

Are you asking what the difference is between specular and reflections?
It’s both reflections, LOL, Just specular is more that milky camo kind of stuff while you would use the reflection slot for bare metal and such.”
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Reply Posted by: Corrado On 04-14-05 @ 08:58 (Before the Site Attack)

Quote:
Originally Posted by: Mathias
It’s both reflections, LOL, Just specular is more that milky camo kind of stuff while you would use the reflection slot for bare metal and such.

“Watching from inside I have found only, but might have missed some, the stock P-51D using reflect maps but it looked like crap to me so I modded it.
So, have you ever found a suitable use for those?

Corrado”
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Reply Posted by: Mathias On 04-14-05 @ 09:05 (Before the Site Attack)

Quote:
Originally Posted by: Corrado
“Watching from inside I have found only, but might have missed some, the stock P-51D using reflect maps but it looked like crap to me so I modded it.
So, have you ever found a suitable use for those?

Corrado”

“For reflection maps?
Honestly no, it always looks as if the plane is inside of a glass bottle, LOL.

EDIT: Thinking of it, I really like the allied bare metal skins.
Makes it easier to spot the Indianer at distance.”
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Reply Posted by: Corrado On 04-14-05 @ 09:09 (Before the Site Attack)

Quote:
Originally Posted by: Mathias
“For reflection maps?
Honestly no, it always looks as if the plane is inside of a glass bottle, LOL.

Neither I found it.
I wonder why they put them in at all.
Not I have ever found any other designer using them, but I haven’t checked every single plane I have downloaded.
Corrado”
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Reply Posted by: Mathias On 04-14-05 @ 09:16 (Before the Site Attack)

“I like reflections on gauge glass.
Diffuse color pure black, opacity 6-8% and the reflection slot just checked, no level map in it.”
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Reply Posted by: Corrado On 04-14-05 @ 09:09 (Before the Site Attack)

Quote:
Originally Posted by: Mathias
“I like reflections on gauge glass.
Diffuse color pure black, opacity 6-8% and the reflection slot just checked, no level map in it.”

“Hehe,
I do that either (too), my way of course.
Corrado”
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CAD

[Daiwilletti]

Just came across this very useful info inside my GMax install under Gamepacks/documents, inside the "Overview" document:

"XDP Verification Scripts


Some simple scripts and an XML Schema Definition (XSD) are provided for the purpose of verifying XDP files. If you copy these files to your main Combat Flight Simulator and then run the chkallxdp.cmd command file, a log with the name chkallxdp.log is created in your Combat Flight Simulator 3 directory. This verification process make take one or more minutes to complete. This log will provide warnings to you about possible problems in your newly created XDP files and help you to prevent errors in your content."

Not only does it check xdp files, but I suspect it would work on .xml files. I'll give it a go and hopefully get back on this.

D

[Daiwilletti]

The attached thread extract was provided by Oki, IIRC.

To edit the effects.xml the best tool is Notepad as most dedicated xml editors don't like "duplicate attributes".

However Oki's method also requires MS Excel or a freeware alternative.Attachment 18320

[Daiwilletti]

And much much more...

Attached is a thread from about 2004, discussing how to change the appearance of your seawater, including a post containing eidts to the shaders.xml.

Always Back Up before editing anything!!

Attachment 18321

[ndicki]

Windows 7 install fix

WINDOW 7 INSTALL

NOTE
Modifying the CFS3.exe comes curtsey of Deadmeat1971. Original instructions can be found here
http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...ead.php?t=9007
Blacksheep-ghost03 and I have Win7 working in both on and off line sessions but have had to use different means to do so.
These instructions assume that your game is installed on a C:\ partition
Main game folder is located at c:\Programfiles\Microsoftgames\Combat Flight Simulator 3
STEP ONE:
Install CFS3. Choose complete install option. Look for and uncheck the option to place short cut on desktop. Follow the instructions to complete the game install. Once done DO NOT choose run game now. Close all windows and go to desktop. If you have a short cut to CFS3.exe on your desktop delete it. Now browse to your main game folder. Right mouse click on the CFS3.exe and select COPY. Go to desktop and select PASTE. The CFS3.exe should now be on your desk top. Right mouse click on it and select rename. Change the name to CFS3win7. Right mouse click on the CFS3win7.exe and select CUT, browse to your main game folder and select paste. In the main game folder you should now have two .exe icons. The original one and the new CFS3win7 one. Right mouse click on the CFS3win7.exe and go to properties. Select Compatibility. Put a check mark in the “run this program in compatibility mode for” and then select Window XP SP3 in the drop down box.NOTE: This is the only choice that will work. SP2 will not. In privilege level at the bottom select “run this program as administrator” Click apply. Click OK. Now right mouse click on the CFS3win7.exe icon and select Send to and Desktop(created shortcut). Close all windows. You should have an icon on the desktop that is named CFS3win7. Go to properties on this and double check that Windows XP SP3 and administrator settings are selected in compatibility. If they aren’t select them and click OK. Run the game for the first time. If it’s OK then apply the CFS3 patches. Test in multiplayer if required
NOTE
This method worked on my system but not on Blacksheep-ghost03. For his system he applied step 2 which involves applying the same settings but to the original CFS3.exe
Step two
If you have installed the game as above and created the new icon and it doesn’t work or won’t fly in multiplayer, delete the CFS3win7 icon from your desktop. Browse to your main game folder and delete the CFS3win7.exe. You should now have only the original CFS3 .exe in the game folder and no icons on your desktop. Right mouse click on the CFS3.exe and follow the same steps as above for compatibility and privilege level. Once done create a shortcut for the CFS3.exe on your desktop. Check that the compatibility and privilege settings are correct. Run the game. If it works apply the CFS3 patches. Test in multiplayer if required.
WINDOWS 7 64 BIT
NOTE
I have Windows 7 64 bit installed. It would not run multi player regardless of the steps performed above and would crash to desktop. Event viewer described an MFC70.DLL error. I browsed and found an old Microsoft article that referred to the same type of issue I was having.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555608
I followed the recommended fix. Go to main game folder and delete the OLEACC.DLL file. After doing this my game runs fine and I can host and join multiplayer games.
Hope this works for you too.
Special thanks to Deadmeat1971 and Blacksheep-ghost03 for their contributions