Exclusive CFS2 contest...

[Rami]

Listen up!

There hasn't been much CFS2 campaigns created in a while, so to spur on development, I've decided to create a contest. This is exclusive for CFS2 forum members only.

There are many people who have suggested campaigns in the past few months, but it seems that actual work ends up falling on the shoulders of a few select people. So, it's time for some fresh blood!

There will be some rules for those who wish to undertake the challenge.

1) Anyone who has posted missions or campaigns to the CFS2 section is ineligible...(sorry guys, the point here is to get new blood!)

2) The campaigns must be at least ten missions in length. If you wish to make it dual-sided, you might be in for an additional bonus.

3) If you would like some pointers and suggestions on how to update CFS1 missions, there are a great many campaigns that can be converted to CFS2. If you're willing to do that, that can be done in place of creating an entirely new campaign, because it will be new to CFS2!

4) Reworks of CFS2 campaigns don't count. (Sorry, but that's too easy!)

So, what's the prize, you ask? What will I be laboring and slaving for?

I will personally purchase a payware aircraft on my own peso of your choice from either Aeroplane Heaven...

http://www.aeroplaneheaven.com/home.htm

Or Alphasim..

http://www.alphasim3.com/store/

This is no joke!! :jawdrop:
This is not a one-winner only contest. Anyone who completes this successfully and publishes it will be rewarded. The point is to re-invigorate new mission work and put many of these great planes and scenery to use. Let's not let this sim die a slow death!

When the downloads are restored, I'll post a link to Cody Coyote's handbook.

[Pips]

Sounds an excellent idea. Very tempting. :)

[bismarck13]

What are the constraints? When does it have to be done by, do you have to use stock aircraft, stock scenery or does anything go as long as you get permission? I made a big whopper campaign once, but there was just too many add-ons and permissions to get to package it up for an upload . . .


:isadizzy:

[Rami]

Bismarck13,

Good questions!

1) This will be an ongoing contest...perhaps lasting 3-4 months. I want to see if this gets people to "crack open the vault" and beginning working in mission builder to create some new campaigns for CFS2.

2) You may use whichever aircraft you see fit, so long as they are freeware. Preferably, I'd like to see newer aircraft used, but again, the final discretion is with the maker.

3) The same rules apply for scenery and ships. If you include these in your campaign rather than telling people where to find them, then you would need to get permission for them.

Bismarck13,

If you had one ready to go, that's fine. Perhaps a hyperlinked readme might help organize the required add-ons?

[Pips]

.

3) The same rules apply for scenery and ships. If you include these in your campaign rather than telling people where to find them, then you would need to get permission for them.


Ahh, that's interesting. Is that why most campaigns include links to add-ons, rather than including them in the campaign zip?

[SdC Redux]

Bismarck13,

....
2) You may use whichever aircraft you see fit, so long as they are freeware. Preferably, I'd like to see newer aircraft used, but again, the final discretion is with the maker.
...
My 2 cents about this: preferably Multi-LOD models, and preferably with breaking parts!
Using FS9 conversions, in particular as AI, doesn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling.

[Rami]

Sander,

Again, that's another good point. Multi-lod aircraft are preferred whenever possible, I always stick to that rule myself.

Pips,

Yes, that's exactly why I use links rather than inclusion.

[bismarck13]

If you had one ready to go, that's fine. Perhaps a hyperlinked readme might help organize the required add-ons?

I said I made one once, not that it was any good . . .

I could do better now if I actually had time. Too many planes to be modeled to mess around with campaigns. But maybe, with 3-4 months to play with I could scratch something different up . . . .

See, I have this idea . .

Anyone know if there are some exhaust effects that don't mess up Frame rates too badly????

Well, we will see anyway. I have a Russian pilot waiting for his plane to materialize . . . .
:icon_lol:

[mariereid]

Well, I cannot make missions for myself that I am happy with. Maybe we got some real good mission builders out there who are a little shy to show off their work. How about stuff they may have created all ready, could they enter that in the compition? Will we find another Talon, Rami, SW07,............................................. ........................? (sorry, there are so many great mission builders, can't name them all):ernae:

[Rami]

Mariereid,

This is not retroactive. I want to see if we can get some new aspiring mission writers here. I guess you can call this "Rami's CFS2 stimulus package."

By the way...try not to say "I can't." You too can build missions and campaigns. How do you think I got started, anyway?

To your second point, if members have built campaigns on their own already and not published them, and they have not uploaded missions or campaigns before, this gives them the perfect opportunity to build a campaign and take credit for it!

[whitehawk_2009]

I'll take a crack at it....

WH

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Well, I cannot make missions for myself that I am happy with. Maybe we got some real good mission builders out there who are a little shy to show off their work. How about stuff they may have created all ready, could they enter that in the compition? Will we find another Talon, Rami, SW07,............................................. ........................? (sorry, there are so many great mission builders, can't name them all):ernae:
Huh...wha... ? What did I do? Sounds nice Rami. Maybe I'll get off my six and crack open the MB again. :running: :kilroy:

[Pips]

When the downloads are restored, I'll post a link to Cody Coyote's handbook.

Just noticed this from the original post. Is Coyote's handbook the 'tutorial' for making campaigns?

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Just noticed this from the original post. Is Coyote's handbook the 'tutorial' for making campaigns?


Yes, there is a large chapter in there for how to make and set up campaigns :applause:

[Talon]

Just noticed this from the original post. Is Coyote's handbook the 'tutorial' for making campaigns?

Pips it teaches you mission building and how to do campaigns.


Talon

[Devildog73]

okay, I am not in the running, BUT, I will get some printer ink and paper and print off CC's tutorial and get my stuff organized so that in a few months I have the ambition to get the Bong - McGuire Campaigns done, dyn and cmg files included.

[Shadow Wolf 07]

okay, I am not in the running, BUT, I will get some printer ink and paper and print off CC's tutorial and get my stuff organized so that in a few months I have the ambition to get the Bong - McGuire Campaigns done, dyn and cmg files included.

I put it on a disk and took it to Kinkos and had it printed in 5X7 and spiral bound... real nice and handy. :ernae:

[whitehawk_2009]

Nevermind, here is the handbook: http://www.simviation.com/fshelp.htm

WH

[Talon]

Well, I cannot make missions for myself that I am happy with. Maybe we got some real good mission builders out there who are a little shy to show off their work. How about stuff they may have created all ready, could they enter that in the compition? Will we find another Talon, Rami, SW07,............................................. ........................? (sorry, there are so many great mission builders, can't name them all):ernae:

I have to agree with Rami on this one Mariereid. Are you one the ones that depend on others to do all the work so you can just play? Everyone has to take a first step than build from there. When you do some mission building you can learn how the AI behave and how to get them to attack better.

The people now are a lot luckier now than when I started, there is so much more to work with. Better ships,planes and scenery. Cody's tutorial is much better also.

Yeah I'm one of the old timers and can remember when something new came out; such as when a new mission came out, not much later using it. Now people don't do that much anymore. It's always well so and so will do missions for it, I'll just wait for that. Same thing with campaigns, people make suggestions but when it comes to doing the research and than the campaign they don't want to be bothered and expect someone else to do it. And yes, big and long campaigns take a lot of work and time but in the end it's worth it.
One of the best things is to see that a mission works the way you want it to.

3 to 4 months to do a 10 mission campaign should be enough time to research and do the missions.My first campaign was The Marianas and it actually took me 6 months to do but I had to repaint ships and fix some DP's for the planes.The 35 missions for it I did in 10 days includind having them tested.

There is still alot out there that can be covered in CFS2 but the few mission and campaign builders we have now can't be expected do it all.


Talon

[Devildog73]

Speaking of which:

I just completed 18 Bong and 9 McGuire missions and I am only half way through. I started in October or November 2008 just after I got back from mobilizing a Brigade Combat Team. Like tonight, I can only do about one mission a night, sometimes one mission a week. The one tonight is the 26 December invasion of Cape Goucester by the 1st Marine Division with air top cover provided by the 49th, 348th, and 475th Fighter Groups of the 5th Air Force SEAC. It is a frame killer. My machine got all the way down to 25FPS over the Cape and I have cut the actual number of planes involved down to 1/3 of what were actually involved and ships down to about 1/2 of the number. If you like to dogfight in a real fur puller, this one's for you.

(Rami, I think I actually built a good dyn file on this one. It at least does everything it is supposed to do.)

Any test pilots out there?

[Rami]

I guess my philosophy here is that there is just so much in the way of aircraft, scenery, library objects, and other tools of the trade is that it's almost a crime to let them languish and not put them to good use. I like flying aircraft and having a full hangar, but these babies were meant to fight.

It's a way of integrating the extraordinary talent of aircraft, scenery, ship, and object designers into something fun, and in my case, sometimes something historical.

[Rami]

Speaking of which:

I just completed 18 Bong and 9 McGuire missions and I am only half way through. I started in October or November 2008 just after I got back from mobilizing a Brigade Combat Team. Like tonight, I can only do about one mission a night, sometimes one mission a week. The one tonight is the 26 December invasion of Cape Goucester by the 1st Marine Division with air top cover provided by the 49th, 348th, and 475th Fighter Groups of the 5th Air Force SEAC. It is a frame killer. My machine got all the way down to 25FPS over the Cape and I have cut the actual number of planes involved down to 1/3 of what were actually involved and ships down to about 1/2 of the number. If you like to dogfight in a real fur puller, this one's for you.

(Rami, I think I actually built a good dyn file on this one. It at least does everything it is supposed to do.)

Any test pilots out there?

Devildog,

Yeah, you better get someone else to pinch-hit on this one. I'm gonna be backed up for a while. Want me to send you back what I have?

[Devildog73]

Rami,
Not unless you have done some work on them.

If you have some dyns built up, yes, please, please, please send what you have.

Otherwise, I will go back through and build some, now that I am getting the hang of it.

Have you had a chance to fly any of them? If so, what do ya think?

Lee

[Rami]

Devildog,

That one mission I worked on, yes. I'll wrap it up and ship them off to you tonight.

P.S. - I told ya you would get the hang of it eventually. ;)

[Jagdflieger]

DD,

I burned CC's tutorial to a disk and then took it down to the local print shop and had them print it professionally and then bind it with a spiral bridge and a plastic cover. It cost about $20, but was well worth it as the quality paper, binding and cover make it a useful and permenent part of my sim library.

[mariereid]

Guys; Believe me, I know how much work goes into this. When you do a historical mission, you want to be as accurate as the sim will allow. You have to do research, find out what is available, make what is not. I know it takes a lot of work and a lot of time. SW07 was nice enough (crazy) to let me help in the testing of his campaign. I could barely keep up with all the little adjustments he was doing to perfect the campaign. I am still in awe, when I see how he made all the aircraft behave themselves and do what they were supposed to do. I have no idea how he, or the rest of you, can use the best looking ships, planes, scenery, etc, and still get good fps. I have a lot of respect for you guys that have given us add-on. I can only say thank you for giving so much of your time. Yes, I am one of those guys who uses your work, and contributes nothing in return. I have tried to make up for this in other ways.
To be honest, my computer skills are less than poor. There are many times when I cannot even install some of the great stuff available. Everyday, I learn something else from reading in the forum. I will be 59 soon. I don't know if I got enough time left, to put something together that would be worthy of being in our add-ons section! Believe me, nothing would make me prouder. I have messed with the mission builder, made a few simple missions. I always start out with a great idea. At some point, I just say to myself, "Where do these guys find all the time for this?"
Sorry for being so long winded. At this point, I am trying to learn how to work with the files. I seem to spend most of the time doing this. Downloading and installing your work is a learning experiece for me. So, if you can, bare with me, someday I might be able to contribute something to the site.:ernae::salute:

[Devildog73]

mariereid,
Not to worry northern cousin....:guinness:

I am 58 in less than a week. If God gives me any time after I retire from Uncle Sam's Army, I will devote time building missions and campaigns a lot more than I do now. I am not going to work on a job after this retirement.
I am going to take my police pension, my military pension and my investments and move in next door to Ickie in FL where I never have to scoop another shovel full of snow again, and I can ride my Goldwing year around.
:jump::jump::jump:

[mariereid]

Sounds like Heaven! Every Canadian wants to move there too, until spring fights it's way back. Just getting scenery into a basic install, and plan to learn a little more about MB. Dang, I should have gotten into computers years ago, instead of laughing at them "geeks". Now who's laughing! :ernae:

[mariereid]

I have a book called "No Prouder Place", describing most missions, and bombers used by Canadians. It would be great for ETO mission builders. Perhaps, it can be offered as another prize in the contest? (I got 2 of 'em)

[Rami]

Mariereid,

Actually, it sounds like you have a great book that you can use as your research tool to create missions with on your own!

[mariereid]

I decided to stay in PNG area. I got dvslats scenery, MR bases. When ever I leave this area, things get a little wierd. I am now looking at Jaxon's site, checking out the Aussie aircraft. Then, a little readin' on who was where and when. Hope to get some "it coulda happened' missions going. Anyway, like I said I got 2 of these books, 1 is going to waste.:salute::ernae:

Well, I found a beautiful home! Goodenough Island, seems like lots of possiblities there. I found a couple of good sites with info. Seems quite a few different aircraft were stationed there. Alright, campaign builders, stay away from MY island! Just kidding, I'll still be gathering info for a while, maybe if we have another contest next year, I'll be ready! Thanks, for the kick in the pants, boys, it's good to try sometime new.

[erufle]

I really would like to take you up on your challenge Rami. Tell you what, make this offer again this summer and I will do everything in my power to take it on. There's just too many other women in my bed at the moment. :d

[Rami]

Erufle,

I may extend this through the summer....it all depends on you guys and whether or not I go broke! :ernae:

[bismarck13]

I thought this was a great idea but since I can't get any downloads for the rest of the month, how the heck am I supposed to make a campaign? I don't even have any bases to fly from or targets to attack. Once again downloads are the last priority.

Well. I guess we ALL really need that shiny new "Flight Server" thingy. :a1310:

[Rami]

Bismarck13,

Not to worry...I will extend the contest! :guinness:

[Talon]

Just to keep this alive.Has anyone started working on anything?If so let everyone know.You might get some links or suggestions on planes,ship or scenery to help you along.


Talon

[whitehawk_2009]

I'm working on a campaign following both sides attacking and defending the US 3rd Fleet during Operation Olympic. I've got the fleet sizes down, just working on researching some other things.

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?32710-Invasion-of-Japan

WH

[Discus]

Hi Rami

Some time in the past you offered to teach how to convert CFS1´s campaign to CFS2. I´ve reasently re-read the Great Show. Is it posible to convert this campaign? I would like to give it a try.

Thanks Campaign Master, Discus:salute:

[Rami]

Discus,

I apologize, I can work on that this weekend. Life's been getting in the way.

[Discus]

Discus,

I apologize, I can work on that this weekend. Life's been getting in the way.

Rami

Sorry. I was in a hurry when I wrote. I didn´t want you to work any more than you already do for the benefit of all of us. The other way around. Life´s first, siming is just a part of it.

Althoug I rarely sim-fly lately, I have taken some time with MB and partially read CC Handbook. A new world of experience opened! :greenbo:Like a Pandora box. I made a mission and upgraded it one time after the other until there were various flights, ships, convoys, vehicles and infrastructure in different situations and actions all at once only some clicks away one fromn the other and I could participate myself or act as an observer watching the behaveour of the IA flights, ships and vehicles.

I´ve started into WWII airfighting at 14 reading Pierre Clostermann´s The Great Show. And since my first flight in CFS2 I´ve allways wanted to re-enact the experiences in this book. 31 years later I´ve run into a copy of this book so I want to give it a try. From scratch or the other way, starting from the CFS1 campaign.

So, I´ve only ask for some tips on how to convert/update CFS1 campaigns/missions. It doesn´t have to be a complete guide like the one you´ve done for CFS2 ETO installs. Just some tips for starting. Then we can take from here through the forum. Just a suggestion.

Cheers, Discus:salute: