Combined Historical Scenario - Aircraft

[Don Bowen]

Several Forum members are combining their efforts to produce a new scenario for War In the Pacific. This will be a full war scenario, based on the standard Scenario 15, with a possible extension into 1946. Attention will be paid to historical accuracy and detail. It has previously been referred to as “Ron Saueracker/Tankerace/Don Bowen's Mod“.

The scenario will be based on two “released” modified scenarios (Lemurs, Andrew Brown) and several others that have been completed for earlier WITP versions. It will feature a new map (Andrew Brown), tons of new artwork, many new ship classes and aircraft types, expanded Orders of Battle, and adjusted land unit Table of Organizations. We hope to merge the best of everyone’s work to produce an accurate and playable scenario.

A number of threads are being opened to group comments in different areas (devices, aircraft, artwork, etc). Please post in the most applicable one.

Please Post Comments concerning Allied and Japanese Aircraft in this thread.

[pad152]

Don

I've seen a lot of people create parts of aircraft, (sides, no tops, or alpha's) even Lemuer scenario art work is not complete(no tops - aircraft won't show up in combat). Let's seen if we can put together a list of completed art aircraft, and get every one to donate their art files to built a complete set of aircraft art. If you want I'll sent you then current set of files I'm working on.

[Tankerace]

Well, I have a completed P-47 razorback graphic, complete with side and tops (see below). That should helpout somewhat.

[TheElf]

I can handle the tops. I may try some sides tonight. We'll see. I do all the alpha's for any tops I create.

Tankerace. Can you send me that P-47 planeside? I could use it as a template for future Jug Add-ons and would also be willing to blend that canopy a bit with photoshop.

elf30@mchsi.com

Ok lunch is over...back to work. [:(]

[Don Bowen]

ORIGINAL: pad152

Don

I've seen a lot of people create parts of aircraft, (sides, no tops, or alpha's) even Lemuer scenario art work is not complete(no tops - aircraft won't show up in combat). Let's seen if we can put together a list of completed art aircraft, and get every one to donate their art files to built a complete set of aircraft art. If you want I'll sent you the current set of files I'm working on.

Yes please. Zip them up please and send them along. Tankerace, TheElf, and maybe one or two others are currently involved in aircraft art. I think platoonist as well but we're trying to navalize him. We also have some excellent art from jcjordan, who I've not heard from for a while, and subchaser.

Please feel free to volunteer to pull all of this together for the scenario. The goal is to have a set of side, top, and alpha files for both Allied and Japan that will work with our scenario AND the standard scenarios. There might be problems with the Sea Gladiator (almost certain to be replaced) and the Li-2 (as slot 243 might have become carrier capable).

Don

[Mynok]

You set that matchup on purpose didn't you, Tankerace........ [:D]

[jcjordan]

Don, Yep still around just haven't posted much. Great to hear about this concerted/consolidated effort by ya'll as I was working on one myself but it would be mostly fixing all the OOB problems with the leaders coming in later than the unit they command as well as some of the weapons/aircraft that would have come in late war like Midway/F7F/F8F/B32. I'm still doing some research into the Chinese & Indian air units. There are a couple of good sites I found some good info on them but can't get much more than that. To me the Chinese are greatly under represented in air units in Matrix's versions but this can be overcome by limiting the Chinese air units to a lower max a/c due to the training/unpreparedness/damage done by IJA before the game starts. Have some planesides for the Indian/Chinese but still looking for more. I saw that someone asked the question where is it possible to add more planesides to the bottom of the current file but never saw an answer as to if it was possible, would like to know if this works or not. May have some ideas/wishlist things, if Matrix doesn't put them in in update.

[Don Bowen]

ORIGINAL: jcjordan

Don, Yep still around just haven't posted much. Great to hear about this concerted/consolidated effort by ya'll as I was working on one myself but it would be mostly fixing all the OOB problems with the leaders coming in later than the unit they command as well as some of the weapons/aircraft that would have come in late war like Midway/F7F/F8F/B32. I'm still doing some research into the Chinese & Indian air units. There are a couple of good sites I found some good info on them but can't get much more than that. To me the Chinese are greatly under represented in air units in Matrix's versions but this can be overcome by limiting the Chinese air units to a lower max a/c due to the training/unpreparedness/damage done by IJA before the game starts. Have some planesides for the Indian/Chinese but still looking for more. I saw that someone asked the question where is it possible to add more planesides to the bottom of the current file but never saw an answer as to if it was possible, would like to know if this works or not. May have some ideas/wishlist things, if Matrix doesn't put them in in update.

Good to hear from you - we'd love to have your input. The Midway class, F7F, and F8F are all on the plate. B-32 and a lot of other things are hovering near the plate - only so many aircraft slots. I do not know if we can add additional aircraft art to the bottom of the top/side files. It is possible, but not very likely. I'll try an experiment and report back.

Don

[Tankerace]

ORIGINAL: Mynok

You set that matchup on purpose didn't you, Tankerace........ [:D]

LOL, actually, luck of the draw. In the '43 scenario, the 348th at PM is the Only T-bolt unit, and the closest target had deathtraps....err, Oscars, flying CAP. Totally random [:D]

[Don Bowen]

I tested the ability to add additional artwork and found that we can apparently add exactly ONE more. I added an extra line to the Aplane Side file and set several aircraft to bitmaps above 244. I found that 245 would reference the first aircraft on the newly added "line" but that 246 and up also displayed bitmap 245 (at least it didn't crash).

I tested using the "D" function to display aircraft sides. I did not adjust the "top" file and test with combat.

Don

[Tankerace]

You can add in several more, based on using the stock artwork, and not pre modded. With War Plan Orange I have added several new artwork. I will also ask that a note be made in the readme, that the art for this user scenario will have to be backed up, as it will NOT be compatible with War Plan Orange, and vice-versa.

[pad152]

Tankerace

I can create a Bat file that can copy files in/out of directories if needed

[Don Bowen]

ORIGINAL: Tankerace

You can add in several more, based on using the stock artwork, and not pre modded. With War Plan Orange I have added several new artwork. I will also ask that a note be made in the readme, that the art for this user scenario will have to be backed up, as it will NOT be compatible with War Plan Orange, and vice-versa.

pad152's bat file sounds good. How are ship icons being implemented in WPO?? Are they in the same directory/numbered with the standard one's? Will we need a more comprehensive processs to switch between WPO and WWII artwork? And, final foolish question, didn't you hit a limit on number of icons per side - 449 or something like that?

Don

[Tankerace]

That would be good as a user utility. Don't think I can bundle it with WPO, but it would become a must with this project.

[TheElf]

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen

I tested the ability to add additional artwork and found that we can apparently add exactly ONE more. I added an extra line to the Aplane Side file and set several aircraft to bitmaps above 244. I found that 245 would reference the first aircraft on the newly added "line" but that 246 and up also displayed bitmap 245 (at least it didn't crash).

I tested using the "D" function to display aircraft sides. I did not adjust the "top" file and test with combat.

Don

Don
I have made some inquiries re: the possible addition/enlargment of the Planeside and Planetop BMP Files. I will post as soon as I get a reply.

I'd also like to divide the Allied and Jap Planetop BMP into two seperate files to be referenced by the game. One would be an allied "Bomber" or "Big airplane" file that would provide approximately twice the area allocated to the planetops currently.

This would hopefully fix the scale issue we have between 4 engined A/C and Fighters. I'm not a programmer so if anyone already knows this isn't a possibility please say so.

[Tankerace]

I think Mike Wood is the only man who would know that, for a certainty anyway.

[TheElf]

Thus the inquiry I made today...[;)]

[Herrbear]

ORIGINAL: jcjordan

Don, Yep still around just haven't posted much. Great to hear about this concerted/consolidated effort by ya'll as I was working on one myself but it would be mostly fixing all the OOB problems with the leaders coming in later than the unit they command as well as some of the weapons/aircraft that would have come in late war like Midway/F7F/F8F/B32. I'm still doing some research into the Chinese & Indian air units. There are a couple of good sites I found some good info on them but can't get much more than that. To me the Chinese are greatly under represented in air units in Matrix's versions but this can be overcome by limiting the Chinese air units to a lower max a/c due to the training/unpreparedness/damage done by IJA before the game starts. Have some planesides for the Indian/Chinese but still looking for more. I saw that someone asked the question where is it possible to add more planesides to the bottom of the current file but never saw an answer as to if it was possible, would like to know if this works or not. May have some ideas/wishlist things, if Matrix doesn't put them in in update.

I agree. I would like to see the P-43 and the P-66 for the Chinese.

[Tankerace]

Let me know when you hear back from him. I sent him an email regarding War Plan Orange yesterday, and he still hasn't responded.

[TheElf]

Just got a reply. Word is no plans to expand either the Planetops nor the planesides. However he didn't say it wasn't possible. Perhaps if we make enough noise about it...

He also said that Bitmaps have to be the same size so my idea of having bomber size BMPs and fighter sized BMPs doesn't sound possible. However I am wondering if i wasn;t clear enough when I explained the idea. I don't know. Disappointing news to say the least.