quote:

Originally posted by AndyJWest:
Ho hum, looks like my idea for adding static cameras to an existing .trk file won't work:

It looks like there is a checksum or something in the file. Though it might be possible to work around this, on consideration a tool that modifies existing .trk files is open to abuse. I've learned one more thing though, so time not wasted.

The floor is still open to new suggestions (no mods please).

Andy

It proballay is possible, cause someone over at aaa has a mod for removing icons from ntrks, which is brillient, and was supposed to be impossible.

Can you make some kind of "group objects" for the FMB so that a mission maker could drag a box around a group of objects and move or rotate them, or even better, paste them to another map? That would be hard to do I imagine.

A utility that makes racetracks with chimneys and
lights from a saved mission with just way points
in it would be good.

The program would open the mission file with the
waypoints and place a race track of lights and
appropriate objects along the path of the
waypoints.

quote:

Originally posted by FlatSpinMan:
Can you make some kind of "group objects" for the FMB so that a mission maker could drag a box around a group of objects and move or rotate them, or even better, paste them to another map? That would be hard to do I imagine.

The FMB+ can already select/rotate/move a group of Objects... but not copy/paste

only works with static objects though... not things with waypoints

i think the new patch is a pretty good utility all by itself.

As FFB is going to be getting popular, how about a program to set levels of feedback? I have tried a Cyborg FFB (thanks Mr Zooly ) and it seemed a bit weak.

DD_crash:
There should be software for adjusting FFB levels provided with the joystick, I'd have thought. There are files in the IL-2 Sturmovik 1946\ForceFeedback folder which I assume are the effects, but whether it would be possible to edit these to change levels I don't know.

The only FFB controller I currently have is a Saitek Rumble Force gamepad, and I have to turn the FFB gain setting down quite low for levels not to be distracting, though this is a matter of personal preference more than anything.

I'd suggest a very simple but much needed one: a (working) utility to tweak the config.ini parameters.

Regards,
Insuber

BTW Andy, good luck for your health issue.

If anyone is planning an object-copy application, have a look at Groupcloner - VB6 source is included in the zip.
I recently took a look into the code again after almost 4 years and realised that I should have made a lot more comments...

Another thing that might be useful would be a simple application that automates the process of turning ntrk's into gun-cam-videos

Perhaps you could pick up where Leigh (Aces) left off with IL-2 MAT MANAGER. It might be worth asking if he'd hand over the project to someone, since he has long since abandoned it. His contact info is probably still on the boards here somewhere.

It's one of the most useful and indespensable utilities out there, imho, but could stand to have some of the bloat removed, GUI cleaned up/simplified, and generally be updated for changes and additions in the game.

DD_crash:

I've rechecked my FFB setup, and in fact the levels in IL-2 are relatively low compared to the demonstration effects provided by my gamepad configuration software, so possibly the IL-2 .ffe files could be edited to increase the effects. However, the files are in a binary format, and though it might be possible to figure out how to edit them, I haven't located an editor application for this. Given that controller software should provide adequate adjustment, I'm inclined to think this is a bit of an esoteric utility anyway.

Insuber:

A conf.ini editor has been suggested earlier, this is what I had to say about it:

quote:

...this would be very useful, but I don't think it is really a practical proposition. There are just to many parameters in the file to provide a proper editing interface for each - I'd have to know what all the parameters are, and what all the valid values for each one too. This is a moving target anyway, as each patch will add new parameters, so the application would need to be updatable relatively simply to achieve this.

Given that the conf.ini file is effectively a database of sorts, it is even possible that an existing general-purpose application might be available that would do the job - just a thought.

S_p_l_a_s_h_1:

I don't use Mat Manager myself, so don't know what would be involved. In any case, as you say the original author would have to hand over the source, and even then updating might not be practical. Does anyone have a contact for Leigh?


Other Utilities:

One possibility I have been thinking about is an on-screen trim-position indicator. It is simple to poll IL-2 using DeviceLink, and as I have shown with my prototype autopilot app, it is also possible to overlay a part the IL-2 screen with graphics from another application. There are a few aircraft with trim position indicators in-cockpit (e.g. Mosquito), but otherwise, those using trim slider controls have a real advantage over the rest of us stuck with keyboard etc. The indicators will not need to be very large, and will probably be best displayed in a screen corner. I will also be able to provide a display in a separate window, for dual-screen setups. Unlike my autopilot, this app should work online as well as offline.

I could make the app poll the keyboard as well, so a key could be used to toggle the display on and off, and another key to toggle the trims shown - there is no point showing trims that aren't available for the plane being flown. In theory I could even have the app use DeviceLink to find out what plane is being flown, and set the trims shown accordingly, but this is probably overkill.

Obviously this app will take some processor time etc from IL-2, but I doubt if there will be noticable consequences.

What do people think about this? Would it be useful?

ANDY,

Thank you for your answer. Actually a conf.ini editor exists but it is in cyrillic.

Regards,
Ins