Converting CFS2 aircraft into FS9?

**Rallymodeller** · March 18th, 2014, 23:14

I figure if anyone out there could answer this, it would be the good folks here. There are some aircraft that I would love to be able to use in FS9 but alas they are CFS2 only. Is there a way to convert the aircraft so they would work in FS9? This goes for some of the older Alphasim freeware stuff as well.

***ian elliot*** · March 19th, 2014, 00:13

Most CFS2 aircraft work just fine in FS9 with minimal tweaking, have you a spacific aircraft in mind?
cheers ian

**Blackbird686** · March 19th, 2014, 03:10

Chances are if the model in question is FSDS-2 or higher, it will work just fine in FS9. Older FSDS models are a longshot at best. This has been my experience over the years, but I'm no expert. If a plane that I ported over from CFS2 to FS9 shows up in the aircraft preview window, loads up in the sim and functions minimally to FS9 standards, then the usual texture, sounds, and FDE mods are in order. I often replace gauges on the panel if I feel that is a need but for the most part, if it works... I don't try to break it.

BB686

**gaucho_59** · March 19th, 2014, 04:19

Originally Posted by Blackbird686

Chances are if the model in question is FSDS-2 or higher, it will work just fine in FS9. Older FSDS models are a longshot at best. This has been my experience over the years, but I'm no expert. If a plane that I ported over from CFS2 to FS9 shows up in the aircraft preview window, loads up in the sim and functions minimally to FS9 standards, then the usual texture, sounds, and FDE mods are in order. I often replace gauges on the panel if I feel that is a need but for the most part, if it works... I don't try to break it.

BB686

I found a very nice P-38J... by Bruno but it just does not show in FS9 select aircraft screen...
Please advise if possible.. Thank you

***Dangerousdave26*** · March 19th, 2014, 04:30

If you provide a link to the aircraft it will be easier to tell you if it can be done.

**AndyG43** · March 19th, 2014, 04:55

Originally Posted by gaucho_59

I found a very nice P-38J... by Bruno but it just does not show in FS9 select aircraft screen...
Please advise if possible.. Thank you

Did you amend the aircraft.cfg file? As Ian and BB686 pointed out, a lot of CFS2 (and, indeed, FS2002) models will work in FS9 as long as they were made using FSDS2 or Gmax; but the CFS2 aircraft.cfg doesn't include some of the entries that FS9 needs, specifically the UI Variation, UI Type etc. So, if you didn't add those it will either not appear at all or, sometimes, appear as an "Unspecified Type" at the bottom of the aircraft select menu.

Porting over CFS2 aircraft can be a little time consuming, as you need to make those additions to the config file, but certainly can be worthwhile; for example, the Burnage and BrunoSK Mosquito's work nicely, with a minimum of tweaking and there are plenty of repaints out for both. Similarly the Rebuffat Spitfires work well, which is lucky for those of us who want to include a Mk XII on our flightline.

**Blackbird686** · March 19th, 2014, 08:15

Thanks for mentioning the "fltsim" entries in the aircraft.cfg, Andy. I, uh.. forgot about those. Another thing I would check are the textures. I have found that some textures with dark alpha channels may cause incomplete displays of the plane in the aircraft preview window. In some rare cases, the entire plane won't show, but I only had that happen once in my entire time of flight simming.

BB686

**gaucho_59** · March 19th, 2014, 08:33

Originally Posted by AndyG43

Did you amend the aircraft.cfg file? As Ian and BB686 pointed out, a lot of CFS2 (and, indeed, FS2002) models will work in FS9 as long as they were made using FSDS2 or Gmax; but the CFS2 aircraft.cfg doesn't include some of the entries that FS9 needs, specifically the UI Variation, UI Type etc. So, if you didn't add those it will either not appear at all or, sometimes, appear as an "Unspecified Type" at the bottom of the aircraft select menu.

Porting over CFS2 aircraft can be a little time consuming, as you need to make those additions to the config file, but certainly can be worthwhile; for example, the Burnage and BrunoSK Mosquito's work nicely, with a minimum of tweaking and there are plenty of repaints out for both. Similarly the Rebuffat Spitfires work well, which is lucky for those of us who want to include a Mk XII on our flightline.

I am basically an artist... no tekkie... lol
Can you please note what to put in the config file? I mean what they are and what should be entered in those spaces...
Much appreciated for your help
G.

**gaucho_59** · March 19th, 2014, 08:36

Originally Posted by Dangerousdave26

If you provide a link to the aircraft it will be easier to tell you if it can be done.

It is the Freeflight, http://www.thefreeflightsite.com/BDPLanes.htm

**Wim** · March 19th, 2014, 10:37

that p38j will work in FS9, its listed as manufacturer DDD in the selection window. The sound is aliased to a P38 sound and when that isn't in your fs9-aircraft folder the plane probably won't show.Just copy a FS9 sound file or an appropriate sound file for the P38 in its folder and it will show. For the rest it probably will need some tweeking of the aircraft.cfg file to improve the performance in the sim.

Wim

**AndyG43** · March 19th, 2014, 13:24

Originally Posted by gaucho_59

I am basically an artist... no tekkie... lol
Can you please note what to put in the config file? I mean what they are and what should be entered in those spaces...
Much appreciated for your help
G.

This bit.

ui_manufacturer=Boulton Paul
ui_type=Defiant Mk.I
ui_variation=

Obviously amend as necessary.

***Dangerousdave26*** · March 19th, 2014, 18:57

You could also download dcc's P-38

They are great and made for FS9.

http://www.kazoku.org/xp-38n/model/

**gaucho_59** · March 19th, 2014, 19:54

Originally Posted by Dangerousdave26

You could also download dcc's P-38

They are great and made for FS9.

http://www.kazoku.org/xp-38n/model/

I'll try doing this to the config... I have already Mr. Copley's... which is fine but lends itself to
little artistic change because the textures are so small...
I have come out with a much more realistic product with the stock P-38 unmirrored.... and superdetailed by me....

btw...can Copleys textures be made larger and still be accepted by the sim? that might be another go...
again... thanks for all the help...

G.

***Dangerousdave26*** · March 19th, 2014, 19:58

Yes I typically expand textures to 2048 to work on them. Then reduce them as necessary. All that matters to FS9 is the textures are less than or equal to 1024.

Follow the power of 2 rule as always.

***Dangerousdave26*** · March 19th, 2014, 20:05

Years ago dcc gave me this template for repainting his L model.

It may help you locate different parts.

**gaucho_59** · March 19th, 2014, 20:17

Originally Posted by Dangerousdave26

Years ago dcc gave me this template for repainting his L model.

It may help you locate different parts.

the maximum size for textures is exactly what? (the final size used in the sim, I mean)
G.

**gaucho_59** · March 19th, 2014, 20:42

Originally Posted by gaucho_59

the maximum size for textures is exactly what? (the final size used in the sim, I mean)
G.

All it took was to replace DDD with Lockheed Aviation... and it shows.. and flies just fine....
The model is most suited to my purposes... far more than Copley's... I think I can turn out a fine job here...
Thanks a lot again... to all concerned...
Will post the results soon... I already had done a very fine cockpit and panel... just needed this one...
again, cheers,
G.

***Dangerousdave26*** · March 20th, 2014, 04:44

Originally Posted by gaucho_59

Is that 1024 by 1024....? the maximum size for textures is exactly what? (the final size used in the sim, I mean)
G.

The maximum texture size FS9 is allowed to use is 1024 x 1024.

You can paint in any size so long as you paint the texture in the same power of 2 format as defined by the original modeler. Textures in FS are normally square but if the original modeler wanted to they could have been rectangle they just have to conform to the power of 2 rule.

The power of 2 rule states the textures must be sized at 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, or 1024 pixels wide/high.

So technically you could have a texture sheet that is 128 x 1024. I would of course question the sanity of the modeler who would use a sheet that size.

If you have a texture that is 256 x 256 you can use your repainting program to rescale it to 1024 x 1024 or 2048 x 2048 or 4096 x 4096 (OVERKILL LOL) to make it easier to paint. Then scale down the file product to 1024 x 1024 as necessary and FS9 will use that texture.

Of course you take the frame rate hit for using larger texture sheets. There are places where larger texture sheets just don't make sense.

Naturally you will lose some quality as you scale down from 2048 to 1024 textures but you still maintain high quality masters that you can use later.

**Blackbird686** · March 20th, 2014, 04:52

Dave Copley's XP-38N is still active in my virtual skies. It's a hybrid P-38L powered by two Rolls Royce Griffon 81 engines. A real performer in my sim, the Griffon engines really bring the full capabilities of the P-38 airframe to realization. It's a fictional plane tho, I converted the textures to 32bit and she really looks sweet. Had it been a real plane for the time period, it would have been the fastest thing in the sky.

If you are considering a fast P-38, you may also want to consider Dave's P-38 Racer.

BB686

**Rallymodeller** · March 20th, 2014, 13:00

Thanks for the advice, folks! I have now added Wolfi's CFS2 Ki-57 "Topsy" to my fleet of prewar airliners. Quite lovely, works and flies perfectly in FS9.1, and will be getting some fictional repaints, methinks.

**Drzook** · March 20th, 2014, 16:02

Originally Posted by Rallymodeller

Thanks for the advice, folks! I have now added Wolfi's CFS2 Ki-57 "Topsy" to my fleet of prewar airliners. Quite lovely, works and flies perfectly in FS9.1, and will be getting some fictional repaints, methinks.

Wolfi's Topsy is a fantastic aircraft. If you are in need of inspiration might I suggest...
...A QANTAS/BOAC repaint? I'm sure that with the cessation of hostilities in that neck of the world in 1945 there'd be a few of these quite capable aircraft lying around on abandoned island airfields just waiting for new owners?
...Maybe the nascent Indonesian Air Force?
...French Indochina?
...RAF? (You know for Hong Kong and Singapore)
...USAAF? (silver with the Star and Bar...can't go wrong with that color combo...even Zeros look good in it

)
Most later CFS2 planes will port over to FS9 with a minimum of fuss...just a little trial and error that's all.