Tutorial: How to add a new weapon for f4

[ccc]

Original posted on Macfalcon msg board by Dragon.
===========================================
It has been a while since I have worked through these since Maestro has been doing this portion that last few RP updates. But here are the links you have to look into:
I will walk thru the AGM-65G linkage:

WCD (Weapon) file:
Veh List = 9. This is an index into the VehDef files within the Simdata.zip files. Looking at the LST file here you find several groups all grouped together. Weapons are type 3 so you start counting all the 3's until you get to the 9. Keep in mind the -1 at the beginning is the ZERO index for all types. So the 9th weapon is the AGM65G.VEH file.

AGM65G.VEH file:
Here you find almost a duplicate of the SWD record. The important field is the DataIdx field which is an index into the MissData files. In this case, it is 51.

SWD file:
From the WCD, you link to a CT record and the Alt Index field is the SWD record. In the SWD record, you have Miss Data field which is the index into the MissData files of the Simdata.zip. Again, it is 51. Also, check the Flags as there is a Has Display option.

AGM65G.DAT file:
This happens to be file number 51 in the Simdata.zip. This is where you can tinker with the flight model of the missile. You will notice a Seeker Type Version line. In this case it is 0 10. That means it is an IR seeker and uses ICD record 10. Also, there is a Display line which is set to 1.

I am not real sure what the characteristics of the AGM-130 are but if you wanted to make a new AGM-130 and have it act exactly as the AGM-65G, then this is what you would have to do:

1. Create a new AGM-130 WCD entry by copying the AGM-65G.
2. Create a new CT record by copying the CT record of the AGM-65G.
3. Create a new SWD record by copyign the AGM-65G.
4. Link the File Index of the new CT to the new WCD record.
5. Link the Alt Index of the new CT to the new SWD record.
6. Unzip the Simdata.zip file.
7. Copy the AGM65G.VEH and AGM65G.DAT files.
8. Update both LST files with the new files and update the count at the beginning.
9. Change the new VEH file DataIdx to the new record.
10. Re-zip the data files.
11. Change the Veh List field within the new WCD record to the new VEH file.
12. Change the Miss Data field within the new SWD record to the new DAT file.
13. Make sure you have the names changed also. Note: the name in the SWD record is what is shown on the MFD when the weapon is selected so keep this short (4 characters or so)

Hope that helps you out.
==========================================

[Sherlock]

CCC,
Does this procedure still apply to adding a new weapon using F4Browse? Is there another method now? I want to add some later versions of the AIM-120C and the AIM-120D just to learn how to do it. Any help appreciated!

[Snake Man]

Good find, added into PMC Editing Wiki - Falcon 4 addweapon tutorial.

[Sherlock]

In a related question, I have figured out how to add new weapons in F4Browse but I cannot get them to show up in the Squadron stores table so I can update the quantity. It appears the SSD file is not being updated. I am using version 2.30 of F4Browse for my tweaking. Any suggestions?

[ccc]

sorry i've not touched this part for years.

[Sherlock]

sorry i've not touched this part for years.

We'll found it may be related to the WeaponID going above "602". See the following links for more detail:

http://forums.frugalsworld.com/vbb/show ... p?t=130840

http://www.freefalcon.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7043

In the first thread, Skwabie says the number is 602. In the second thread, JimG says the number not to exceed for the WeaponID is 605. All the numbers I've been trying were above both this numbers because I was just copying a AIM-120C to add a new AIM-120 variant. I will try next to change an existing entry that isn't being used into a AIM-120D.