Balkans Update

Balkans theater

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Washout
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Balkans Update

Post by Washout » 2002-08-07 11:08:00

Hi All

Just to let you know where we are:

Currently and after much bashing of head against monitor, I have sorted out how the voice stuff works and am now in the middle of preparing the necessary script for installing the ATC voices we had in Balkans v1.0

I'm estimating another two weeks before this is complete due to the time consuming nature of the effort. Once finished any other updates avaiable at that time will be integrated and a release will follow (subject to testing).

Later


Chris
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Re: Balkans Update

Post by Snake Man » 2002-08-07 12:24:00

Will Balkans use new database and if so what kind of edits can we expect?

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by ccc » 2002-08-07 12:27:00

great to hear Balkan got first ATC support!

BTW, for the main theme music/background music..how about using old Falcon3 music/f3-hornet addon music? i think minor tweak should do the job, the old music brings the sense of vigor and excitement.

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by Washout » 2002-08-08 11:20:00

Hi Snakeman/ccc

The Balkans will use the SP3 database unless SP4 is out before. When SP4 comes out there will be a Balkans update release to take account of the new entities being added.

High on my list is to get Tornados in and running and also to get ccc's naval additions in.

The ATC voice insertions are time consuming but as I'm climbing the learning curve I'll try and document for others to use.

Regarding music - I haven't really thought about it that much but will do once the voice stuff is out of the way. Matevz has done some music which I will include provided it doesn't delay the release too long.

Skins is another area that needs work as I don't think the originals are compatible with the new models in the SP3 database. The VW guys are helping out on this and I expect they will be added to a later update.

Back to frags and evals for me now ;)

Later


Chris
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Re: Balkans Update

Post by Mike Laskey » 2002-08-09 06:40:00

Chris, can you email or phone me about the voice stuff.

I'm doing an additional voice for Korea - I'd like to share our knowledge on this subject. I must admit I'm stuck with Korea. I can replace voice segments, but inserting an entire new voice with all the elements has me stumped.

Mike.

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by Cooler69 » 2002-08-09 23:08:00

Hi Mike,

I have contacted Julian and Manfred briefly about our voice problem. The current plug-ins are not capable of adding a new voice, as it is quite complicated, involving changing the .bin files as well as .tlk. I think we will need a new plug-in, but they are both quite busy. I have an idea how to bribe Manfred though :(

Chris' experience will be quite different (I think) as he is "just" adding new airbase frags to existing voices (12+13).
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Re: Balkans Update

Post by icebrain » 2002-08-11 14:38:00

Washout: I'm working on another minicampaign TE for Balkans if you want to include it...

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by Washout » 2002-08-12 11:32:00

Hi All

Sorry for delay guys been in Prague for a few days.

Mike/Colin - Right on - I'm only adding/replacing frags and I haven't tried creating a new voice (I don't know if just specifying voice 15 for example would work with the existing evalchange.dll - I expect not).

Icebrain - Thanks - if you can email it to me when its ready (chriscarter[at]cmcarter.demon.co.uk) together with a quick background for the manual.

I'm hoping to have the voice stuff for the Balkans finished by the end of this week so I'll be getting Fred to do a new installer after that.

Later


Chris
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Re: Balkans Update

Post by icebrain » 2002-08-12 12:01:00

Will do... might be a while though, I've worked on it for several hours and still only gotten through about 3 hours of game time...

Quick background: The Serbs are at it again, this time invading their southern neighbor... NATO forces were watching and as soon as the first tank crossed the border airstrikes were launched. The strikes are mainly focused on persuading the Serbs to stop their invasion in place by hitting power plants, air defense sites, units in the field, and establishing a no-fly zone south of Sarajevo.

I'll admit, the storyline is kinda weak... but the action is pretty cool; lots of coordinated strikes, refueling, etc... almost every flight hits a tanker going in and coming out (and once I get to night time you'll see stealth strikes with B-2, F-117, and F-22).

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by Cooler69 » 2002-08-13 14:18:00

Hi Chris - nice to know you escaped the floods :)

I think we may need a couple of new plug-ins to complement the existing voice plug-ins.

1 - Add new voice. Adds new voice no. to the .bin files and .tlk with blank frags in .tlk initially.

2 - Replace frag. Replaces a frag with a given .lh file. Does not use the voice-id stuff. As far as I can see, this is the only way forward.
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Re: Balkans Update

Post by Washout » 2002-08-13 19:53:00

Hehe floods were the least of the dangers I saw over their but I'll save the stories till we meet later :)).

Anyway the voice stuff is done so the Balkans should be out soon - provided Fred isn't too busy.

Anyway I agree on the frag replace stuff - I can see why Manfred did the VoiceID back in the f4patch switching days of theatre creation but unless I'm missing something it should be redundant now.

Later


Chris
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Re: Balkans Update

Post by Washout » 2002-08-29 14:02:00

Hi All

Just to update you on the Balkans.

The new installer is doing pretty much what it should after Fred helped me out and after 12 hours we were able to track down a corrupted UI file.

Anyway the ATC voices are working and the only thing left to do now is sort out the "nowhere" objective names. In order to do this I have to fix a bunch of linking errors which are throwing the names out and I'm hoping to have this finished this weekend (sooner if I get the time).

That means another small delay on the release (I can hear the laughter of a certain Late Cretaceous creature already ;)) but as far as I'm concerned this is the last thing to do so release should follow shortly.

Later


Chris "Washout" Carter
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Re: Balkans Update

Post by T_Rex » 2002-08-29 18:40:00

[quote]quote:Originally posted by Washout:

That means another small delay on the release (I can hear the laughter of a certain Late Cretaceous creature already :D :D

BTW - how much you all gonna charge? :D

*ducking for cover*

[IT's a JOKE guys!] :D :D
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Re: Balkans Update

Post by araquael » 2002-08-29 19:53:00

As as tester, I should leak the following information:

It looks great. Seriously, its brilliant.

And the only issue I can see is the "nowhere" place names.

Gavin

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by taramas » 2002-08-30 22:29:00

iam waiting for immediate download!!!

invasion? from serbs? when that happened ?
in theory?
anyone of you really know where these places are? if you want any help i can give you any detail (harboors-airbases-aircrafts used)
regards

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by araquael » 2002-08-31 04:12:00

The default campaigns included are fictional wars set in 1995.

Sooner or later I'll get around to making a future scenario involving, oh, Russian intervention in Serbian politics. As soon as I can make the campaign work, and so on. And no, that's not a promise, besides I think the campaigns, made by the pros are much better.

:D

Gavin

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by taramas » 2002-08-31 13:29:00

"The default campaigns included are fictional wars set in 1995.
Sooner or later I'll get around to making a future scenario involving, oh, Russian intervention in Serbian politics."

COMMENT
Any American intervention in Yugoslavian, Albanian.... politics?
:?

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by araquael » 2002-08-31 15:49:00

No, more like a baddy Russia taking over, or something...

(any old excuse for things to blow up... :D)

Not trying to be offensive, or upset people, or anything.

Gavin

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by taramas » 2002-08-31 22:12:00

"(any old excuse for things to blow up

Not trying to be offensive, or upset people, or anything"

We are not upset, just wonder if this old and funny story about the good americans which they came from far far far away to save these poor people in korea, vietnam, panama, yugoslavia, afganistan, iraq, WILL CHANGE A LITTLE!!!!!
We live with the resaults of all these so please at least at this very nice game when we are using these country names (including the people living there) we must try to be close to the reality and pay some respect to these people. Lets say that you are a serbian and in these forums everybody is talking about bombing serbian cities, killing serbs etc DO YOU LIKE THAT? these guys down there have seen it and it was not so good!!!!!!

:eek: TRY TO KEEP YOUR MIND OPEN

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by araquael » 2002-08-31 23:39:00

My mind's well open. So open, bits leak out every day. :D

Actually, on a more serious note, I really want to see things like MLU Falcons turn up in future SP releases - or having better modelled MiG-29s or Mirages, so we can set up realistic campaigns, which don't involve huge US deployments.

There would be a higher challenge level if all you have is - say - two squadrons of Dutch MLU's defending a wide area of Poland against Russian armour, or the Singapore Airforce against a Chinese naval assault, or a Malaysian invasion, or indeed, a bunch of MiG-29s chasing after a bunch of F-16s.

:D

Gavin

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by taramas » 2002-09-02 18:19:00

araquael

this is a nice idea, different senario's are always welcome, more realistic.

Please have a look and tell us if Balkans theater include aegean greek islands, would like to fly 500ft up from my house.Heard that this theater's graphics are the best ever!!! what can i say i have started a theater my self and i know how difficult this is. Congratulations to all these guys they maked us stay in front of the monitor every day.
regards

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by araquael » 2002-09-02 19:01:00

I also want an Ireland map so I can test various weapons configurations on my home town.

:D

Gavin

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by taramas » 2002-09-03 15:17:00

hi guys,
where is balkans??

iam still waiting, sometime i have to go to bed!!!

:p

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by araquael » 2002-09-03 18:39:00

Nope, the Balkans goes only as far south as Macedonia...

However, someone is working on a Greece vs Turkey map...might be useful for sight seeing.

Gavin

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by alexiao » 2002-09-05 08:25:00

ehy there!!
any news about the release date??
I'm waiting this theater each day more and more!
let'us know

Alexiao

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by Washout » 2002-09-06 09:05:00

Still working on the names issue and here's the latest.

I am 99% sure that by hand naming all the objectives I have managed to exceed a limit in the either the name file definitions or with an array in the F4 executable.

This leaes me with two options:

1. I can release as is which has the correct names for most "important" objectives but will have a "Nowhere..." for the bridges, junctions and villages.

2. I can spend another few days trying to take out all the names I put in for the bridges etc and see if the original F4 naming algorithm treats them correctly.

I'm going to try 2 as option one, whilst better, would require prohibited coding changes to sort out.

This means some more release delay whilst I process all the bridge objectives to have a name of "0".

I'll let you guys know when its done.

Later


Chris
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Re: Balkans Update

Post by T_Rex » 2002-09-06 15:13:00

Sorry to hear about the delay. :(

But I'm still excited that its close! :D
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Re: Balkans Update

Post by taramas » 2002-09-07 00:25:00

washout

if you don't release balkans by tomorrow i will take the plane and visit you at home!!!
i didn't sleep yet and my wife will kick me out, she thinks iam talking to a girl every night :p

iam waiting to fly over kefalonia and land in corfu island (these must be in your map) ionian see? between italy & greece?
best regards

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by Intruder » 2002-09-07 04:37:00

Hi Washout

I hear, with SP4 comes an Update from the Balkan Theater. So, why you dont released the Balkan Theater now, with a few Objects with name Nowhere, and final this with the SP4 Update???
I´m sure, all Pilots waiting for your superb Theater, and want to fly so fast as possible. For this Theater, closing this Pilots his Eyes, when they see a small faults.

Say to me, is it a good idea or not??

Sorry for bad English

Regards Intruder

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Re: Balkans Update

Post by Cooler69 » 2002-09-07 12:01:00

Hi Intruder: Balkans will be release before SP4, and then with an update after SP4. There is still some work to do before this release, but not much. :)
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