In 140 you selected a theatre and then a planeset. The theatres often had their own "weapons.str", "weapons.dat"and "hrdpoint.dat" files. If not the default ones in "savedata" would be used. This was the major problem in switching to 150.

In 150 you select a planeset then a theatre, so the "weapons.dat"and "hrdpoint.dat" files are likely to be completely inappropriate for the selected planeset.

So the following work has either been done already, or is currently under way:

1. All "weapons.dat", "weapons.str" and "hrdpoint.dat" files have been removed from the theatres.

2. The "weapons.dat" and "weapons.str" files in "savedata" have been extended to be all-inclusive.
More extension may be necessary.

3. The "hrdpoint.dat" file in "savedata" is currently being extended to become all-inclusive.

4. Some loadout and other files have been, or are being, edited to match the all-inclusive files.

Ray and I both think that this will be a much better system than 140
It is already a very simple task for players to select their own individual aircraft for a game, and fly EAW without even selecting a a planeset, or to create a new planeset from the ones they have selected.

And in addition to simpler operation I'm going to include some new weapons.

We've had the recent introduction of "cargo drop" missions so I made a simple crate with a parachute.

I've included a depth charge and an aerial mine because there has been some talk about forming coastal patrols with some of the newly available plane models.

There will be historically appropriate bombs too. For instance, some of the
pre-war / early war planes carried bombs in the 20 - 50 lb range which we don't have in the default set.

And Jel doesn't know it yet but I have an idea for the dam buster bomb.


Edit - I forgot a few things.

There will be a 2000 lb and an 1100 kg bomb for really big booms.

I also added the SPAW drop tank mod to the default drop tanks. With this mod the drop tanks have a small explosive charge for destroying unfortified objects such
as tents and trucks.

While examining the data in the weapons file I found some weight and drag numbers that didn't make sense so I fixed them too.

I am working on a bouncing torpedo, and if it works then the code can be adapted for the "Upkeep"

Getting somewhere


You can see splashes where it bounced and the torpedo about to hit the water again

I saw repeated bounces, but it is difficult to show in a screenie

Ah, the wonders that will be included in 1.5.

Tony,
I did have some basic issues using your GUI. The problem I had was the intuitiveness (is that spelled correct). If you could add a help for mouse over of the fields, it would help. Once I knew I needed this, that and the other field, it was a no brainer. But when I first tried your mod enabler I was lost on what field should be clicked first.

I revamped the GUI this morning, and I can still add "mouse info" if you think it is needed

Level one opening screen:



An aircraft set selected:

If you select the aircraft the lists of skin folders and FM folders it references can be seen and even edited if you click the "Personal aircraft selection utility" tab.

Making an aircraft selection brings up the folder re-naming and information editing possibilities.
This may not seem necessary, but if level two users assemble a new set of planes and save them the files go into the first available folder. The name of this folder will be something like "PS24" which is not user friendly, and needs to be re-named.


Edit:
The "PSMV10.exe" interface is available on the 150 download page

.. but quickly to V11 which has been simplified with the advanced (level 3) planeset editing removed, and the tabs rearranged:



If a selected skin has a jpg picture it is displayed for viewing

As it says, clicking on the yellow panel will hide it.

PSMV11 is available from the 150 page

The upkeep test:

We have a proper model and it really bounces



Now I can fiddle around with the source code to try to get the best effect

Simply amazing addition to 1.5.

From concept to fruition in two days.

You know, the Americans used skip bombing attacks in the Pacific and the Germans experimented with the idea after recovering an unexploded Brit bomb from one of the Lancs that got shot down.

Just sayin'.

David Shannon strikes again



Well not strictly speaking, he did not breach the dam, and he was not flying a FAA Avenger
In truth he dropped the first upkeep mine on the Eder, which was eventually breached.
In the 1980s I lived in Bridgewater, South Australia a stone's throw from his family residence. I only discovered that years later, so I never met him

Ok, now I have to get the Lancaster model up to snuff.

http://www.sandbagger.uk.com/ironmike/MS07-Lanc-625_Sqn.zip

Mike:
Ray is referring to the 617 Squadron Dambuster model that he found. These aircraft had the upkeep mine and rotating mechanism slung below, and no mid-upper turret

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world...ncing-bomb.html

Anyhow in the meantime I did use your 625 Squdron Lancasters as a test





Ray
I have edited your "weapons.str" and "weapons.dat" files to get this to work.
I added the upkeep mine at the end, with the settings I was using yesterday

Eh, from the look of those rudders and wingtip that Lanc has already received the enhanced lo-res treatment.

I'll probably start with that one rather than upgrade the model available on "The Firms's" page.

Thanks for that, Mike. Saved me a bunch of work.

FWIW, I have no recollection of doing the Lanc so either someone else did it or my CRS syndrome has taken a turn for the worse.

Maybe you have competition?

I didn't only teach you.

Do we have a good BOOM for the dam strike?

You also need a very BIG water splash too, and loads of AA, or do we need to run the Dam Busters film again?

Take some time out from modding and try playing the game with the target upgrade package.

If you do you will notice there is plenty of AA around those dams.

Ray, the Lanc update is nothing to do with me. It was done by a trainee 3dz'er, who Mike is working closely with.

They, I'm sure will finish updating the Lanc, without any help.