I'm really excited to offer my first (and probably only) modification to Wings Over Flanders Fields!

I am no visual artist, nor am I a programmer. I cannot offer to significantly change anything meaningful in this sim. However, I am a writer, and this is what I do best.

When I first heard about the incredible immersion of Wings Over Flanders Fields, I rushed to experience this. However, I soon realized that all of this immersion is of a technical nature. When you are flying, the immersion is fantastic. And a lot of other technical things are wonderful like being able to make claims and so on in the campaign. The writing in the sim, on the other hand, is definitely serviceable, but it's not exactly inspiring. I began to imagine much more dynamic and immersive writing that could really pull you into the world of the sim much like a game like the fantastic Fallen London does with its imaginatively written prose.

Now I love the Escadrille Américaine, and I really wanted to believe that when I looked over at the fellow pilots in my squadron, that I was seeing real people with real personalities and real hopes and fears. But this aspect isn't really communicated anywhere in the sim. This, sadly, was missing, and I began to imagine ways of adding this.

I then noticed that in the campaign you can read the biographies of some of the pilots. There was only one biography for the Escadrille Américaine while all the others were just blank. I thought maybe I could add biographies for everyone. When I started, though, I was really bored writing just straight biographies, and then it hit me that this was my chance to flesh out my squadron mates! I started to envision my fellow pilots talking to me about their lives in their own unique voices, and in the process I could really get to know them better.

(Also, the biographies, as they were, were like history books telling you when and how the pilots died. But this completely breaks immersion. I decided to stop my narratives just as the pilot arrives at the squadron, and this way it feels like their stories are just beginning.)

And that's what I've been doing for the last two weeks or so. (It took a surprisingly large amount of time and energy to do this!) I've written out these narratives for each pilot where they speak to you and tell you about themselves. Hopefully, by reading these, new players to the Escadrille Américaine will really get to know and care about those pilots around them. They won't just be names and pictures anymore, but they might actually feel like fleshed-out people. (Or, at least, I hope so.)

You can access these by clicking Intell in the campaign menu and then Ace Dossiers. (By the way, this has always bugged me: That should be "Intel" with one "L"!)

Also, I noticed that one pilot's picture was misnamed and another pilot's picture was missing. I fixed these, and then I got ambitious and re-did all the pilot's photos with higher-quality versions.

Finally, and this is my poorest addition to the sim, I added some very simple skins to the escadrille. There is a bit of a historical mistake with the Escadrille Américaine. They should begin with Nieuport 11s, but in the sim as it is now everyone begins with Nieuport 10s, and then later everyone jumps to Nieuport 16s. Because of this error, there are no special skins for all the aces.

What I did then was create very, very basic and simple (and sub-par) skins for the Nieuport 10s and 16s for each pilot. That way, until they finally get their Nieuport 11s, you can know who you are flying with. (These skins are all based on the pilots' Nieuport 11 skins. They are in no way, shape, or form historically accurate! Please feel free to remove them from the mod if you don't like this.)

Now I only did all of this for the first nine pilots of the escadrille. They are there for just over a month, so you will be with them for a while until a new face arrives. You have to start in May 1916, though, for all of this to make sense. I'd love to add more pilots eventually, but as of now I'm not sure if I'll ever do this.

Here is a link to my mod: Lafayette Verbose

I really hope that at least one person enjoys this. Please give me feedback if you have any.

Good on you 3D.....sounds like a good deal of research....definitely check it out. Thx

I too will invest so time exploring your mod, and welcome to the world of modding.

I'm sure you will have the bug bite you again. It is addictive.

3G -

Welcome to your new Modding Assignment for WOFF!!

Am going to d/l this MOD as soon as I get home tonight; as this is exactly what I enoy to increase the immersive aspects of WOFF.

Years ago in the heyday of Red Baron, there were several simmers that created wonderfully written stories and back stories for campaigns and squads etc. IIRC.

Looking forward to your MOD, as you seem quite vested in flying L'Escadrille Américaine and I don't fly them often.

3G

How do you install your new MOD? Is it JSGME ready? Or is it cut and paste to the Aces folder?

When I tried to install via JSGME, it doesn't show up in sim at all. Not in Aces in the Intel section or on the Briefing Room Roster.

Thanks

Hey, cptroyce,

Yeah, it should be JSGME ready. I was able to install it through JSGME, and it works fine in my sim.

Hmm . . . Let me look into it.

It will only show up in the Intel Section, not in the Briefing Room. Did you start a campaign in April/May 1916?

Yes May 1916

It doesn't show up in the Intel section..I do see the files in the Aces Folder when I go into it manually..but they don't show up in sim.

I'm a bit stumped. (As I said I'm not so much of a technical guy.)

Part of this mod involves changes to the FranceAces.txt file. You have to tell the sim if and where to look for an ace's biography.

I included this file, but could you check this file (in the campaigns/CampaignData folder) and search for "Thaw".

His entry should look like this:

FrenchAce67
William 'Bill'
Thaw
01
12
1914
22
04
1934
ThawKill.txt
xxCraft.txt
05
NULL
NULL
NULL
NULL
Lieutenant
Thaw.bmp
Thaw.txt --> This is the item that should be present.
EOR

If that is correct and all the files are in the sim, then I have no idea!

After reading your message, I went in to JSGME and removed my mod and checked: It was gone from the sim. Then I reinstalled my mod, and it was there again.

Maybe someone else has a good suggestion.

I'm sorry I can't help you more.

Ok Let me check your suggestions.

This is copied from the French Aces.txt


FrenchAce67
William 'Bill'
Thaw
01
12
1914
22
04
1934
xxKill.txt
xxCraft.txt
05
NULL
NULL
NULL
NULL
Lieutenant Colonel
Thaw.bmp
xx.txt
EOR

Is this the correct format etc.

I can read the bio from the d/l files and they are terrific. But if the pilots don't show up in the roster and if they don't show up in the sim..it breaks the immersion and probably negates the reason for the MOD.

When you fly a mission, do youy see these pilots in your formations?

cptroyce,

I see the problem. It was as I expected.

The xx.txt in your file should be Thaw.txt. And this should be the same for all the escadrille members.

I included this file in my mod, and it should work for you, too.

All I can think of is that another mod might be overwriting my changes? I don't know, though.

[Edit: I tested my mod again. I uninstalled it and checked my FranceAces.txt file. It was the original WOFF file. I then installed my mod through JSGME and checked the file again. It had changed! I don't understand why yours is not changing as well.]

By the way, I noticed a discrepancy. I'm using the original WOFF UE file. All I've changed was the "Thaw.txt" part. Everything else is original. However, my files reads Thaw's rank as Lieutenant, but yours reads Lieutenant Colonel.

Hmm . . . Why would these ranks be different? Again, could another mod be taking precedence over mine?

Hey, wait a minute! I just checked and the "Thaw" you showed me is the one from USAAces.txt not FranceAces.txt. Can you check my modded FranceAces.txt?

Also, you asked if I see the pilots in my formations. Well, yes, I do. This has nothing to do with my mod. Are you saying that the pilots are not even showing up on the campaign roster?

3G

The file I copied to you was from the French Aces.txt in the OBD Aces Folder, not the USAAces.Txt

I don't have any other mods that would override or interfere with your Mod that I can see.

No idea why the ranks are not the same??

What I meant was "Do you see the modded pilots, that you bio'd, flying in campaign mission flights with your player/pilot?". Because I don't. I have the "standard" French flyers on my roster but no American names from your Mod.

I installed via JSGME as I do all the mods I run.

I guess I am at a loss as well. Anyway thanks for the time and effort.

You know, I'm starting to notice something strange. The information you showed me should not be in the FranceAces.txt. And if you started an Escadrille Américaine in May 1916, then you should have all Americans in the squadron and two French flyers. My mod will not affect the campaign at all; all my mod will do is add biographies and pictures.

It sounds like there is some glitch in the campaign itself (and your FranceAces.txt is all wrong, too).

The campaign system is complex editing some files may not do what you want. but note some people play with Top aces option in workshop, and some with full aces - not sure that's related to your problem but may want to check you are on the same page.

3G

Late last night, NY time, I noticed that there are two "French Aces.txt files.

One outside the ACES Folder and one inside the Aces folder.

The "French Aces.txt file outside the Aces folder in Campaign Data Folder files in believe (doing this from memory)
has the same "Thaw.txt" structure as you posted to me above. It seems the JSMGE install places a "French Aces.txt"
file inside the Aces Folder. Also, inside the Aces Folder, there are two "Rockewell, K.txt" files. One with your picture and Bio and one with a French flyer photo and stock bio. Both are inside the Aces Folder when I run the JSMGE. The sim, at least on my PC, reads the stock files inside the Aces Folder, even though there is your file of the same name underneath it.

Later today I am going to try a manual cut and paste and not use the JSGME and see what happens. If I manually edit the install I can control the MOD better perhaps.