CF1 planes in CF2

[vilik]

Hello everyone.  Since I had not such a good experience with thired party planes i.e. to say that most of them that I installed either crashed my computer or caused all sorts of other problems,  I uninstall CF2, and got ride of thired party planes,  and install the CF2 clean.  But  there is a shotage of planes here. So I decided to import some of my CF1 planes.  Since I have the original disk,  had no problem here.  How ever imported planes lack (are missing) cockpit.  Only instrumentation is visible.  They fly allright and show all right from outside of cockpit.  Any remedy for this please.
Thanks again,
Vilik.

[H]

No one else has given you an answer yet so I'll just provide some info. I've been doing this in the reverse (importing CFS2/FS2002 planes into CFS1), which means I have to redo/add some files. I may not be a lot of help here, except that I remember that I could import CFS1 planes into CFS2 (still have the Discs but I haven't had it installed since two computers ago).
Inside each standard CFS1 aircraft's folder (whereas *** is the name of that plane's aircraft folder) is a:
model folder,
panel folder,
sound folder,
texture folder,
aircraft.cfg file,
***.air file,
***.cdp file,
***.dp file,
***_check.cfg file (if included, this must be refered to in the aircraft.cfg file, after checklist =).

panel folder:
Are all of the bitmaps (the .bmp pictures for the views within the cockpit) there?
Does the panel.cfg have the proper entries, named according to the accompanying .bmp(s)?
*See note below.

***.air file:
I would doubt that your ***.air file is corrupt since your plane is there but there is an entry in some of these giving the name of the normal panel file (this isn't accessible with a normal text editor); someone else would have to tell you whether or not this effects CFS2.

*It is also possible in CFS1 (and probably CFS2) to click a panel "on" or "off". This is normally done by tapping "Alt" on the keyboard, clicking down "Options" and clicking the entry for that "window" (panel view). It is also possible to do this with a left click on the screen, then clicking the entry to check or uncheck (on or off) the window view. Sometimes, inside the panel.cfg, is a "visible" entry; if there's a 0 following the = then that window (panel) won't be shown at game start; with a 1 it will be. Also, if a panel was turned off during last play then it may not be displayed with the next start.
Oh, well, I may have only provided a lot of useless information  :P.

[Hagar]

Hi Vilik. To add to H's comments. You don't mention which 3rd party aircraft you've tried but files designed for CFS2 from the outset should obviously work best. Having personally tested a considerable amount of aircraft posted in the CFS2 sections of this site (Simviation) I can't think why you would have problems installing them unless your system or video card cannot cope with the complexity of the average CFS2 model compared with those in CFS1. The principle for installing aircraft & scenery is the same for all M$ sims except CFS3. Most 3rd party aircraft created for FS98, CFS1 & FS2000 should work perfectly well in CFS2. These might need re-aliasing to display on the selection menu or for those panels to display properly. Please read my Aliasing article here. http://www.simviation.com/lair/aliasing1.htm There are some known display issues with the CFS1 default (stock) aircraft in CFS2. This can be fixed by installing the ones you want from the ready-converted Allied & Axis Expansion packs here. http://www.simviation.com/cfs2aircraft1.htm

I've been doing this in the reverse (importing CFS2/FS2002 planes into CFS1), which means I have to redo/add some files.

I suspect these were originally FS98, CFS1 or even FS5 aircraft updated to work in CFS2/FS2002. In this case it might involve less work to find the originals & convert them yourself. Aircraft visual models specifically created/exported for CFS2/FS2002 with the later design tools (FSDS1, FSDS2 & Gmax) will not generally work in CFS1 or FS2000. This also applies to proper FS2002 models in CFS2 & proper FS9 models in CFS2/FS2002. The MDL files of some of these can be converted with Ivan Hsu's MDLC utility to work in CFS2 or FS2002 but not CFS1. Even if successful this can involve a lot of work modifying the textures & flight dynamics.

[james007]

I do not find any reason for importing planes from CFS1 to CFS2. They are both find simulator but in converting planes from CFS1 to CFS2 you will find the CFS1 planes wanting and less than complete.

I did the same thing at the begining and after a while I deleted the CFS1 planes from the CFS2 Sim. They just did look as good in CFS2.

You got hundreds of planes for CFS2 right here in this same Simviation Website in the CFS2 planes section. Check them out.

As for H. I wonder why you dislike CFS2 so much?

I guess you really do not care for the  the Pacific Theater at all. Thats really a shame. But as they say to each its own.

Remember CFS1 and CFS2 are fine games but they both have  different places in the Sim world.

Enjoy them both. I know I do

James007

[H]

I suspect these were originally FS98, CFS1 or even FS5 aircraft updated to work in CFS2/FS2002. In this case it might involve less work to find the originals & convert them yourself. Aircraft visual models specifically created/exported for CFS2/FS2002 with the later design tools (FSDS1, FSDS2 & Gmax) will not generally work in CFS1 or FS2000. This also applies to proper FS2002 models in CFS2 & proper FS9 models in CFS2/FS2002. The MDL files of some of these can be converted with Ivan Hsu's MDLC utility to work in CFS2 or FS2002 but not CFS1. Even if successful this can involve a lot of work modifying the textures & flight dynamics.

You were basically correct when you responded with this statement quite some months ago, now that is not quite so (depending upon the specific model). Those that were created originally for the earlier formats aren't much of a problem since their .mdl is usable, as is. Those made specifically for CFS2, FS2002, etc., need a refitted .mdl and .air file and a texture transfer (textures are done in 24bit, then reverted to 256color for CFS1) to match. True, it isn't really the same model but the overall attempt is to render a comparable visual while giving some credit to original designers that provided the sources (contact searches have been proving quite difficult in some cases).
You, if anyone, should know quite well: things aren't always what they appear to be...  ;)  8)

[H]

I do not find any reason for importing planes from CFS1 to CFS2. They are both fine simulators but in converting planes from CFS1 to CFS2 you will find the CFS1 planes wanting and less than complete.
As for H. I wonder why you dislike CFS2 so much?
I guess you really do not care for the  the Pacific Theater at all. Thats really a shame. But as they say to each its own.
Remember CFS1 and CFS2 are fine games but they both have  different places in the Sim world.   Enjoy them both. I know I do.
James007

I began my response to Hagar before you made and entered yours (this will take some time -- piecemeal -- while I do other things). Neither would I say I "dislike" CFS2. When I was 10 years old I started my own little camp, Hurklez, with its own flag. When other camps were added, I began writing short stories, embellishing (greatly) our exploits against one another. By the time I was 12, we'd grown to well more than a dozen camps, split into 3 leagues, each with their own flag and a color scheme for each (a color for the league they were of and 1 to 3 for the individual camp; more camps were added even though we already had more camps than people). This bled over into my plastic models of WW2 1/48th scale planes. Therefore, by the time I got CFS2, I didn't like it as well because I was already repainting CFS1 WW2 aircraft according to my own schemes even though I found I was able to work with CFS2 textures, too.
A few strides in the bitmapping were made between CFS1 and CFS2 and from CFS2 on. The only, and best, way I could originally compensate was to rework each texture pixel by pixel; a lot of time and still very limited when working with an original 256color format (using 24bit and reverting to 256color in MsPaint will often provide an unwanted effect in the color changes). Still, it provided for some better texturing, especially of limited color 3rd party downloads. I then got a scanner and found making and transfering hand made panels (as long as I made sure the top left 2 verticle pixels were true black) and textures provided much better results.
A few weeks ago, I did some retexture work in 24bit and, just to try it, utilized my recently obtained Paint Pro 8 program to revert it to 256color. What a difference -- beats MsPaint reversion all to pieces! Of course, this is with my WW1 rework which, unlike my WW2 world, has been kept closer to actual historical schemes. I've finally made contact with some of the designers (so I can upload my "Ye Royal Shaft" F.1 Camel and Dr-1 repaints; if anyone can provide a legitimate address, I'd much appreciate contacting Curt Reimer in reference to my Albatros repaints -- otherwise I'll have to have an alternative .mdl for those, as well, tweaking everything else, which is very time consuming).
Therefore, James, should you upload my CFS1 repaints into CFS2, I doubt you'll find them quite as "wanting" as some of the 3rd party uploads specifically made for it. A real good "from scratch" texturing takes a lot of time and there are those out there that well outdo me; I'm not really that patient but, still, I've put some time in. Understand?

[Hagar]

[quote]You, if anyone, should know quite well: things aren't always what they appear to be...