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Thread: CFS2 Perma-stickied help / problem / tweaking thread

  1. #26

    Converted fs9 aircraft transparency

    FS9 conversion A/C appear transparent.
    Open texture files with "Dxtbmp" and save them as "extended bitmap 16bit 565 ".
    Thanks for help.
    It works fine, except for prop, that turns to a grey circle, but I replaced it by a neat one.
    Regards
    F. de Bressy

  2. #27

    Ok....

    Thats it for me, if anyone has more feel free to add on..:ernae:


    I'll start condensing them into an adobe document in the coming days.


    Cheers

    gedm

  3. #28
    Thanks for all those great hints and tips, I appreciate your recovering them for us, Cheers
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  4. #29
    Prairie_flcn
    Guest
    Excellent post!!:ernae:

    I've learned several new things that will be very helpful to improving my game. Thanks for posting and thanks to the whole helpful CFS2 community.

    PF

  5. #30

    screenies

    For screen shots...Martin Wright's MultiGrab is still an excellent program.
    Available here...
    http://www.mnwright.btinternet.co.uk/programs/mgrab.htm
    hellcat

  6. #31
    These are a few tips I copied to a txt file just right before the forum crash. They are about eliminating the original PTO planes and bases to create other Theater of Operations:

    Quote Originally Posted by JAGDFLIEGER
    I often just open up the stock plane's folder and place an "X" in front of the Panel folder (Ie. "XPanel"). This will remove the plane from the FF and MB menu, and I think from your plane limit, but allow them to stay in place to support planes that alias their sound folders as well as preclude the "Error" messages. I think that the MS planes with actual sound files in their sound foldes are the A6M2 Zero, N1K2J George, F4F4 Wildcat, F6F2 Hellcat and the P-38 Lightning. The A6M5 Zero, G4M Betty, Ki43 Oscar, B-24, B-25, C47 Dakota, Devestator, Dauntless and Avenger all alias to the previous list so their deletion does not jeopardize any add on planes.

    With my ETO and MTO specific installations, I often just remove the stock MS planes except the A6M2_Zero as for some reason, 90 percent of the add on planes alias to its sound folder. After removing the planes; I, as others above have noted, modify the QC file and the Mdnames file and delete any mention of the stock planes. After that, I usually delete all of the stock (PTO) missions too.

    If you want to get really fancy, you can also go to the "Info" folder and open up the "descrip" file and remove them from there too as well as delete all of the JPEG images of the stock planes. I've never bothered with this step as the info folder and files do not seem to impact anything but the info window when using the Mission Builder. With several installations though, I guess you could save a little bit of hard drive space by doing it.
    Quote Originally Posted by GARY20
    You can delete the stock planes Nearmiss

    You need to edit the MDLNames.txt file in the main folder and remove the aircraft entry from there as well as edit the descript.dat file in the Info folder and remove references from the aircraft also.

    As stated earlier the qc_plane.qcb file in the Quickcom folder also has to be edited to remove all references to the aircraft - remembering to make sure the remaining all stay in numerical sequence.

    I've removed all default Aircraft for my ETO install and it's quite happy and error free if you do the above.
    Of course as earlier mentioned, removing default aircraft means the default missions and campaigns wont work so you can remove those if you dont plan on flying them.

    Quote Originally Posted by CODY COYOTE
    You can easily remove the stock PTO airfields from your other installs. Simply remove these files:

    allrunways.bgl and runways.bgl found in SCENEDB\runways\scenery and the file cfs2afd.bgl found in SCENEDB\adffiles\scenery.

    With these files removed the stock PTO runways will no longer show up on the Free Flight and Quick Combat lists nor will they physically be there if you fly over that spot on the map. The infrastructure (tents, palm trees, etc.) will still be there as that is part of the GSL. But you can remove that too if it is an issue.

    To remove them from the Mission Builder list you need to remove their entries in the airbases.dat file found in the INFO folder.

    By the way, removing the allrunways and runways files does not impact the Mission Builder and you can still add and use the infrastructure runways if you need to.
    Thank you guys, they helped me a lot to get my modded CFS2 installations up and running .

  7. #32
    I love this! Do you think you could give a set of instructions on how to post screen shots? I still don't have a handle on that.:isadizzy:

  8. #33

    Sreenies

    Bill, thats covered on post #22 above.
    Excuse me, that is for taking screen shots not posting.
    But posting is easy, it's just a matter of making sure they (the screen shots) arent to big (pixel wise) and then following the instruction at the bottom of the page before you make a text post.

    Cheers

  9. #34
    I need a little break from my GSL work, planting trees is making my head spin so...

    1. Regroup AI Attack/Fighter Bombers (Cat. 1,3,4,10) when they're assigned to attack a Current Point with Bombs or Rockets. Usually they scatter never to regroup.
    a. After the Attack WP leave 2 WP's off 20 or so miles distant. Direction doesn't matter.
    b. Create an Alternate WP route to take them back to their CV or Airfield.
    c. Create a trigger set to when the Bomber Formation = 0 Bombs.
    d. Create an Event based on that trigger that has an Action Delay of about 120-180 Seconds and then the Alternate Route Action.

    Now the Bombers will attack targets of the AI's selection and once all of them have attacked they will regroup on the leader out away from the target area and then proceed home.

    2. Targets you don't want the AI's to target. Many time when building Missions you instruct and AI formation to attack a Current Point. In this case we'll use and Airfield that's on the water, lots of those in the PTO.
    The AI's always look for the closest targets first. If they're approching from the waterfront they usually will pick up the piers and warfs fist. In many cases these peirs have multiple sections. Each one ends up drawing an AI's attention. So if you have 4 or 5 sections to a pier you have 4 or five non-player AI's attack it instead of the really important targets you intended. How to fix it?

    a. Open up your OBJECTS_DP folder and locate the offending objects.
    b. Find the Misc Data section.
    c. Change the category from 31 to 33.
    d. Save and close the DP.
    e. Delete the CDP file for that object.

    Now the NP-AI's will leave them alone. The oject can still be destroyed but they will not be targetable in the Tactical Display. The same can be done with objects like Wolfi's wrecked ships if you choose.

    I had another one when I started typing this but I've gone off the tracks... More later, if I remember...:isadizzy:
    Happy Trails! www.officialponyexpress.org

    Pen32Win

    For my D/L's Search for both Pen32Win and AF=Midway. There are also files in the Archives under AF=Midway.

  10. #35
    Senior Administrator Rami's Avatar
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    Forgive me for overseeing this! :redf: What a wonderful resource. Great work, Gedm and others! :ernae:
    "Rami"

    "Me? I'm just a Sea of Tranquility in an Ocean of Storms, babe."

    My campaign site: http://www.box.net/shared/0k1e1rz29h
    My missions site: http://www.box.net/shared/ueh4kazk3v
    My scenery site: http://www.box.net/shared/knb1l0ztobhs2esb14rb

  11. #36
    Here's another couple items about AI AA fire.

    1. Ground Objects, Ships or Ground Mounted AA Guns have two very distinctive methods of engaging targets.

    Weapons that are rapid fire, non-airburst (No Flak Explosion at end of Round Life, Type 0 and 1) will look at an Opposing Aircraft, Fire, Stop Firing, Try to T&E (traverse/elevate) to reacquire the target, Fire Again, Stop and continue with this cycle until the target is out of range. These weapons will not traverse/elevate and fire at the same time. Not very realistic.

    If the Object in question does have a Type 4 Gunstation in its DP this all changes. It affects the way Type 0 & 1 weapons engage targets. They will now Fire and T&E at the same time without the pause between the two actions of Tracking and Firing.

    Now, if the Object is a Single Ground Mount Weapon with just one Gunstation or a ship like a PT Boat that only has MG's and Cannons you may think you're stuck. You're not. You just have to add a Type 4 Gunstations to the Object. But, you don't want this Weapon to actually fire on anything. You can't have PT Boats running around with a 5" AA Gun or a .50Cal/20mm/25mm/40mm Ground Mount spouting out Airburst shells, like MS did with the Stockers. So here's what you do.

    a. Open up the DP.
    b. Create a new Gunstation that is a Type 4, like this:

    [GUNSTATIONS]
    ; Existing Gunstation
    gunstation.0=0,-2,1,0.5,881,7,0.01,5000,6,40,1d1*80,0.1,4,3.4,0,0, 315,-180,180,90,-15,31.36
    ; Added Type 4 Gunstation
    gunstation.1=4,-99,1,60,1,1,0.01,1,0,0,1d1*1,0,0,0,-85,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

    This new Gunstation.1 is pointed 85* down, No T&E, has a range of 1 meter, 1 hit point and the round flies at 60FPS. It can't hit squat even if you do get close enough to trip the trigger.

    c. Add a Guns Entry for the Gunstation. Like This:

    [guns.1]
    gun.0=10000,0,0,0,0,0,0,10000

    d. Save and Close the DP, delete the CDP.

    You now have a Ship/Ground Mount AA Platform that can Fire and T&E at the same time. This is why you see extra Gunstations in many of my ship and AA Gun DP's.

    There is one other reason I have Extra Gunstations in several of my ship and Heavy Ground Mount AA Guns, Muzzle Flash/Smoke. I use a little trick on Type 4 Gunstations on Weapons like the IJA 75mm, M2 90mm, IJN Twin 127mm and the IJN Main Guns on BB's and CA's. On Objects that have just one Gunstation I add one but on the ships I just change one item, The Round Life Time. Change it to 0.01.

    gunstation.0=4,-22,1,4.28,870,0.01,0.1,9400,7,0,1d1*1,0,9.4,76,0,0,0,-150,150,43,-5,2

    The gun, added or existing will now act as before but you'll just see a Muzzle Flash and a small cloud of smoke when it fires.
    Happy Trails! www.officialponyexpress.org

    Pen32Win

    For my D/L's Search for both Pen32Win and AF=Midway. There are also files in the Archives under AF=Midway.

  12. #37

    conversion props

    I have discoverd that when converting an ac and you get a solid prop disc, go into the texture folder, find prop spin or prop disc. etc and delete it and the prop stays and you have a transparent disc when turning.
    RM

  13. #38
    Roy, its usually a problem with the alpha-channel in the original FS9 prop bmp conflicting with the loss of alpha in the newly converted model. All you need is a new prop bmp from another CFS2-friendly plane. I routinely use the props from Krzysztof Malinowski's P-47's (4 blades) and P-40's (3 blades) and also Kelticheart's props to replace any FS9 prop bmps that don't work.

    "If you're in a fair fight, you didn't plan it right"


  14. #39

    Editing an aircraft file

    :salute:Can someone explain and show me the correct way
    to edit an airplane cfg file to add more then one texture. And
    what do I have to do with the Model file and the Model MDL file
    anything?
    Thanks, John:isadizzy:
    Here is the Plane http://forum.lwdesigns.com.au/downlo...etail&df_id=60

  15. #40
    Hi John,

    Let me see if I can help you out here. I'll use the entry from the stock F4U1A_CORSAIR as an example as follows:

    [fltsim.0]
    title=F4U-1A Corsair
    sim=F4U1A_Corsair
    model=
    panel=
    sound=
    texture=
    KB_checklists=f4u1a_corsair_check

    Every time you add a new texture folder to a particular aircraft folder, you will need to create a new entry under the previous one like so:

    [fltsim.0]
    title=F4U-1A Corsair
    sim=F4U1A_Corsair
    model=
    panel=
    sound=
    texture=
    KB_checklists=f4u1a_corsair_check

    [fltsim.1]
    title=F4U-1A Corsair VF-17
    sim=F4U1A_Corsair
    model=
    panel=
    sound=
    texture=VF17
    KB_checklists=f4u1a_corsair_check

    You will note on the added entry I changed [fltsim.0] to [fltsim.1]. Also, I changed the title=F4U-1A Corsair to title=F4U-1A Corsair VF-17. Lastly, I added VF17 to the texture= . IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE TEXTURE= MATCH THE NAME OF THE NEWLY ADDED TEXTURE FOLDER! In this case, I would name the texture folder texture.vf17 Notice the period between the word texture and vf17.

    A word of caution: If you fly one of the planes and then go back into the menu to select another plane, the texture or "skin" of the plane you flew last will appear on all the similar planes in the menu.

    I hope my instruction are clear.

    Good hunting!

    TW
    Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap!

  16. #41
    Quote Originally Posted by Typhoon Willy View Post
    Hi John,

    Let me see if I can help you out here. I'll use the entry from the stock F4U1A_CORSAIR as an example as follows:

    [fltsim.0]
    title=F4U-1A Corsair
    sim=F4U1A_Corsair
    model=
    panel=
    sound=
    texture=
    KB_checklists=f4u1a_corsair_check

    Every time you add a new texture folder to a particular aircraft folder, you will need to create a new entry under the previous one like so:

    [fltsim.0]
    title=F4U-1A Corsair
    sim=F4U1A_Corsair
    model=
    panel=
    sound=
    texture=
    KB_checklists=f4u1a_corsair_check

    [fltsim.1]
    title=F4U-1A Corsair VF-17
    sim=F4U1A_Corsair
    model=
    panel=
    sound=
    texture=VF17
    KB_checklists=f4u1a_corsair_check

    You will note on the added entry I changed [fltsim.0] to [fltsim.1]. Also, I changed the title=F4U-1A Corsair to title=F4U-1A Corsair VF-17. Lastly, I added VF17 to the texture= . IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE TEXTURE= MATCH THE NAME OF THE NEWLY ADDED TEXTURE FOLDER! In this case, I would name the texture folder texture.vf17 Notice the period between the word texture and vf17.

    A word of caution: If you fly one of the planes and then go back into the menu to select another plane, the texture or "skin" of the plane you flew last will appear on all the similar planes in the menu.

    I hope my instruction are clear.

    Good hunting!

    TW
    Will see
    Thanks, John

  17. #42

    Adding extra aircraft textures

    Hi John,
    Right, large mug of coffee at the ready..?

    With all the MS flightsims, from CFS1 to FSX an aircraft (ac) folder contents structure is basically all the same, ie it needs to contain a Model, Panel, Sound and Texture set of files along with an airfile, an aircraft config (aircraft.cfg) file, and in CFS1/2, a DP file.

    A standard ac folder will usually only have one texture folder, which contains all (generally speaking) the textures required to 'paint' the ac whilst flying in that sim. Picture 1 shows the file structure of a Lancaster BIII in CFS2, with the original single texture. As there is only one texture, the texture folder is named as just that.
    There is a 'control' file, called an aircraft configuration file or aircraft.cfg as it appears, which links the model with the panel, sound and texture files of that ac. Open up this file using MS Notepad, and you will see as in Pic 1a. The first section is what we're interested in ie

    [fltsim.0]
    title=GB-Avro Lancaster B.III
    sim=lancaster
    model=
    panel=
    sound=
    texture=

    As you can see after model, panel etc there is an = sign and then blank. This tells the sim what folders to use for what purpose. So by leaving blank, this defaults to the only folders of that name will be used. So for texture, whatever is in the folder called 'texture' will be used in the sim for that ac.

    There are several ways to change or add extra textures to the same model or ac. The easiest and simplist way is to swap the original texture file for the new one, and there you have a new texture. But if you wish to keep the original and add several more, then a few alterations will have to be done.

    Take the new texture set, make a a new folder and place them inside. Name the folder texture, but this time add a '.' (fullstop or period) followed by a title to name it. As with the Lancaster BIII, see Picture 2. I have added texture.Jane, texture.Orchid and texture.Princess etc. If you did nothing else and went and flew this ac, the original texture would show up, but the others would not. This will be have to be done by modifying the aircraft.cfg file. See Pic 2a.

    Again open the aircraft.cfg file. Basically you have to duplicate that first entry section (as above). So highlight all that first section, copy and paste to just below the original first section (one line space in between each section), do this as many times as you have new texture/skins.
    Leave the original section and go to the first line of the first copied section where it still says [fltsim.0] change this to [fltsim.1]. If you have more than one new texture go to the next copied section [fltsim.0] entry and change that to [fltsim.2] and so on, there is no limit! BUT the [fltsim.XX] entry must be sequential (ie .1, .2, .3) and the very first one must be '0' (zero).

    In each section go to the 'texture=' section and after the '=' add 'texture.XX' (XX being the title of that texture. It can be a name or a number). Again do this as many times as there is the number of new textures. See Picture 2 for an example. Make sure the titles of the new texture folders matches exactly with the entries in the cfg file. Then save the modified cfg file.

    Restart the sim and go and select the same aircraft with several choices of new textures!!

    This multiple option modification can also be applied to sounds, panels and even models....Just make sure you add the correct entries in the aircraft.cfg file, use a '.' before your new title name, AND that the spellings are all the same.

    Hope this does the trick, give it a go!

    Cheers Shessi


    Ha ha ha!, just seen TW's reply, it took me a time to write my reply...well John I'm sure your request is well covered now.

  18. #43
    Quote Originally Posted by Shessi View Post
    Hi John,
    Right, large mug of coffee at the ready..?

    With all the MS flightsims, from CFS1 to FSX an aircraft (ac) folder contents structure is basically all the same, ie it needs to contain a Model, Panel, Sound and Texture set of files along with an airfile, an aircraft config (aircraft.cfg) file, and in CFS1/2, a DP file.

    A standard ac folder will usually only have one texture folder, which contains all (generally speaking) the textures required to 'paint' the ac whilst flying in that sim. Picture 1 shows the file structure of a Lancaster BIII in CFS2, with the original single texture. As there is only one texture, the texture folder is named as just that.
    There is a 'control' file, called an aircraft configuration file or aircraft.cfg as it appears, which links the model with the panel, sound and texture files of that ac. Open up this file using MS Notepad, and you will see as in Pic 1a. The first section is what we're interested in ie

    [fltsim.0]
    title=GB-Avro Lancaster B.III
    sim=lancaster
    model=
    panel=
    sound=
    texture=

    As you can see after model, panel etc there is an = sign and then blank. This tells the sim what folders to use for what purpose. So by leaving blank, this defaults to the only folders of that name will be used. So for texture, whatever is in the folder called 'texture' will be used in the sim for that ac.

    There are several ways to change or add extra textures to the same model or ac. The easiest and simplist way is to swap the original texture file for the new one, and there you have a new texture. But if you wish to keep the original and add several more, then a few alterations will have to be done.

    Take the new texture set, make a a new folder and place them inside. Name the folder texture, but this time add a '.' (fullstop or period) followed by a title to name it. As with the Lancaster BIII, see Picture 2. I have added texture.Jane, texture.Orchid and texture.Princess etc. If you did nothing else and went and flew this ac, the original texture would show up, but the others would not. This will be have to be done by modifying the aircraft.cfg file. See Pic 2a.

    Again open the aircraft.cfg file. Basically you have to duplicate that first entry section (as above). So highlight all that first section, copy and paste to just below the original first section (one line space in between each section), do this as many times as you have new texture/skins.
    Leave the original section and go to the first line of the first copied section where it still says [fltsim.0] change this to [fltsim.1]. If you have more than one new texture go to the next copied section [fltsim.0] entry and change that to [fltsim.2] and so on, there is no limit! BUT the [fltsim.XX] entry must be sequential (ie .1, .2, .3) and the very first one must be '0' (zero).

    In each section go to the 'texture=' section and after the '=' add 'texture.XX' (XX being the title of that texture. It can be a name or a number). Again do this as many times as there is the number of new textures. See Picture 2 for an example. Make sure the titles of the new texture folders matches exactly with the entries in the cfg file. Then save the modified cfg file.

    Restart the sim and go and select the same aircraft with several choices of new textures!!

    This multiple option modification can also be applied to sounds, panels and even models....Just make sure you add the correct entries in the aircraft.cfg file, use a '.' before your new title name, AND that the spellings are all the same.

    Hope this does the trick, give it a go!

    Cheers Shessi


    Ha ha ha!, just seen TW's reply, it took me a time to write my reply...well John I'm sure your request is well covered now.
    I will give it a go, But i,am not so sure it will work
    Thanks, John

  19. #44
    Shessi,

    I believe you give a much more detailed (and better) explanation than I did. :salute:

    TW
    Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap!

  20. #45
    Quote Originally Posted by Typhoon Willy View Post
    Shessi,

    I believe you give a much more detailed (and better) explanation than I did. :salute:

    TW
    Ok thisis what I have done.

    [fltsim.0]
    title=TR_A20G
    sim=TR_A20G
    model=
    panel=
    sound=
    texture=
    kb_checklists=TR_A20G_check

    [fltsim.01]
    title=TR_A20G MJ
    sim=TR_A20G
    model=
    panel=
    sound=
    texture=
    kb_checklists=TR_A20G_check

    [fltsim.2]
    title=TR_A20G Plain
    sim=TR_A20G
    model=
    panel=
    sound=
    texture=
    kb_checklists=TR_A20G_check

    [fltsim.3]
    title=TR_A20G TOP
    sim=TR_A20G
    model=
    panel=
    sound=
    texture=
    kb_checklists=TR_A20G_check

    [WEIGHT_AND_BALANCE]
    empty_weight = 17844

    The Plane is TR_A20G
    It still does not show in Freeflight.
    What gives?:isadizzy:

    The texture files are so follows
    texture.MJ
    texture.plain
    texture.TOF
    John

  21. #46
    Redding Army Airfield Allen's Avatar
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    Is the aircraft here at SOH? Since TR_A20G is not showing up this make me think something else is wrong...
    "Let Being Helpful Be More Important Than Being Right!" Some SOH Founder.

  22. #47
    SOH-CM-2013
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    Typo

    Mr P - You didn't change the [Texture] names to match the individual texture files.
    "...And, When I died, They washed me out of the turret with a hose..."

  23. #48
    Quote Originally Posted by Allen View Post
    Is the aircraft here at SOH? Since TR_A20G is not showing up this make me think something else is wrong...
    No the plane is at ( lwdesigns.com ) and at Simviation.com
    John

  24. #49
    Quote Originally Posted by sc7500 View Post
    Mr P - You didn't change the [Texture] names to match the individual texture files.

    OK, I am stupid what do you mean by that?
    John

  25. #50
    John,

    All the info has already been supplied by others, this is what they mean...

    John Pirnie wrote (my changes in RED)

    "Ok this is what I have done.

    [fltsim.0]
    title=TR_A20G
    sim=TR_A20G
    model=
    panel=
    sound=
    texture=
    kb_checklists=TR_A20G_check

    [fltsim.1]
    title=TR_A20G MJ
    sim=TR_A20G
    model=
    panel=
    sound=
    texture=MJ
    kb_checklists=TR_A20G_check

    [fltsim.2]
    title=TR_A20G Plain
    sim=TR_A20G
    model=
    panel=
    sound=
    texture=Plain
    kb_checklists=TR_A20G_check

    [fltsim.3]
    title=TR_A20G TOF
    sim=TR_A20G
    model=
    panel=
    sound=
    texture=TOF
    kb_checklists=TR_A20G_check

    Hope this makes things clearer?

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