Kuban Autumn Nth Africa Desert Beta upload - Updated version to 8. 10-01-2023

[Stonehouse]

Easiest way is to get EMG (see https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/forum/129-easy-mission-generator-by-vander/) and select the channel map in the map selections and 1941. This is kuban autumn but with the plane set limited to non Russian circa 1941 aircraft (if you leave historical aircraft ticked) so if you have the Nth African mod installed you'll get desert missions out the other end when you click generate mission. Leave skins default generally and the Nth African mod will give you desert skins. If you want to pick particular aircraft loadouts like 4x20mm cannon and tropical filter for the Hurricane you will need to load the generated mission in the editor and do some simple tweaks to each aircraft you want set up a particular way. You can also set skins via the editor too as I think EMG only allows you to pick the default or a custom skin (could be wrong about this). The examples below took a few mins for EMG to create each one and about 5-10 mins in the editor on each depending on what I was setting. Mostly I just wanted to give every Hurricane a desert filter and the extra boost.

 

 

 

<EDIT 8/1/21>

Apologies - Mucking around this afternoon I found that perhaps the 3rd mission in the attached zip is mistakenly in Kuban Summer. I'll fix it over the next few days as I have time and reupload the zip. Although if you poke about in the editor it is pretty straight forward to switch the season and the aircraft skins without changing anything else mission wise.

 

<EDIT 10/1/21>

Updated the 3rd mission to correct my mistakes. Replaced the zip file.

Desert EMG example coops.zip

Edited January 10, 2021 by No457_Stonehouse
attachment updated

[CB77Don246]

Thanks guys for replys I understand it now.

[Off_Winters]

11 hours ago, No457_Stonehouse said:

Easiest way is to get EMG (see https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/forum/129-easy-mission-generator-by-vander/) and select the channel map in the map selections and 1941.

 

Thanks Stonehouse,

I did just as you said and it worked just fine. Even opened up the full game mission editor for the first time, and it only took a couple of minutes to work out how to edit skins and loadouts etc for the easy mission generated file.
For the next update I'll include a couple of basic missions flying sweeps, strike's, and Rhubarb's.

regards Rob.

[Beebop]

1 hour ago, Off_Winters said:

For the next update I'll include a couple of basic missions flying sweeps, strike's, and Rhubarb's.

Excellent!  Thanks.

(did i mention you are doing STELLAR work?)

[Stonehouse]

Yes it's pretty straight forward to tweak loadouts and skins. Only issue with skins is the editor doesn't give the description so I found that making a pdf or shortcut to skins.tab.eng from the mod onto the desktop for easy reference made life easier as you can then cross ref the editor name to the description. I am (well was, it's been a while) fairly proficient with DCS's editor and simple lua scripts (which is really how DCS handles complexity by offloading it to scripts) but IL2 went the other way and kept the complex functionality in the editor so while tweaking loadouts and skins is fine there is no way I could build a mission from scratch to match the complexity of an EMG or PWCG mission. Lots of respect for Vander's and Patrick's work.

[Off_Winters]

2 hours ago, No457_Stonehouse said:

Yes it's pretty straight forward to tweak loadouts and skins. Only issue with skins is the editor doesn't give the description so I found that making a pdf or shortcut to skins.tab.eng from the mod onto the desktop for easy reference made life easier as you can then cross ref the editor name to the description. 

Hi Stonehouse,

yes agree on the skins being hard to work out which one is which in the mission editor. I've made a file that takes each of the aircraft details  and stock skin number from the skins.tab file as a quick reference tool. I'll include that with the next update, and I'll attach it in this thread tonight after work for people to use before the next update is released.

regards Rob.

[Off_Winters]

Hi All,

Attached is a list of default game skin slots that have a desert air war paint scheme in place. In the mission editor you can select a skin for each aircraft listed, this list will help you identify a skin number that has a relevant Nth. African/ Mediterranean  scheme  from the list. ie skin_1, skin_2 etc.

This list will be included with the next update to the mod and will include any new additions or amendments.

regards Rob. 

Stock IL2 Skin name details.txt

[Beebop]

I was working on a fictional Arab-Israeli post war conflict mission and I was wanting to use the arc hanger as part of a secret Iraqi-German nuclear reactor when I found a minor anomaly in the ME today.

 

If I choose
"Blocks_arf_hangerarc" I get "arf_hangerdoubleside" instead.  ( I also get "arf_hangerdoubleside" when I choose it.)

 

Is this planned?  Were there no arc hangers in North Africa?  If so, OK.

This anomaly does not occur with meplanes Malta repaint or any other Kuban repaint I have.
Of course the problem goes away when I disable the mod.

 

Not a big deal really but I thought I'd mention it.

[Off_Winters]

1 hour ago, Beebop said:

I was working on a fictional Arab-Israeli post war conflict mission and I was wanting to use the arc hanger as part of a secret Iraqi-German nuclear reactor when I found a minor anomaly in the ME today.

 

If I choose
"Blocks_arf_hangerarc" I get "arf_hangerdoubleside" instead.  ( I also get "arf_hangerdoubleside" when I choose it.)

 

Is this planned?  Were there no arc hangers in North Africa?  If so, OK.

This anomaly does not occur with meplanes Malta repaint or any other Kuban repaint I have.
Of course the problem goes away when I disable the mod.

 

Not a big deal really but I thought I'd mention it.

Its an intentional swap, those arch hangers are a European thing. theres a lot of models I have swapped around in the Desert mod to try and have as little European infrastructure as possible show up in the desert.

I haven't looked at the content of the Malta Mod, but If you have the desert mod installed under the Malta mod then you should still see the double hanger rather than the arch. the only way you could still see the arch hanger is if the Malta Mod includes that file and swaps my change back.

regards Rob.

[Beebop]

OK then.  Makes sense.  I admit I've never seen an arched hanger in any WWII desert pictures but I was just curious.

Yet another example of your attention to detail that makes this mod effin' OUTSTANDING! ?

[Off_Winters]

Hi All,

I have just uploaded a small fix  - 3.1 Hot-fix.
The hot-fix file is a short term fix for several issues around the static vehicles (was missing some low-LOD models in the Russian vehicles I swapped out) and an issue with the rear gunner of the A20 not displaying correctly. the hot fix files will be incorporated into the next full version (4) when that is released to bring it back to a single install item.

the first post has been updated with the link and instructions for the hot fix.

regards Rob.

[jollyjack]

180MB a small fix ?? For an Aussie maybe, used to the size of the outback LoL. Thanks again for all your works, much appreciated.

[Atlantia39]

@Off_Winters

I've noticed using this mod it turns ALL German troops/vehicles into Desert/Africa Corps colors.

 

I was playing TC and in the Pokharovka map all the Germans were the wrong color scheme.

 

How can one account for this?  Does the new update address?

[Beebop]

This is the result of the mod being installed.  Unlike most map mods that only re-texture the seasonal terrain tiles, this mod goes further and re-texture's files that are used universally.

As long as the mod is installed you will see "desert" colouration on various objects regardless of module, map or season.

To end this effect just uninstall the mod.

Edited January 25, 2021 by Beebop

[Atlantia39]

22 minutes ago, Beebop said:

This is the result of the mod being installed.  Unlike most map mods that only re-texture the seasonal terrain tiles, this mod goes further and re-texture's files that are used universally.

As long as the mod is installed you will see "desert" colouration on various objects regardless of module, map or season.

To end this effect just uninstall the mod.

 

Yes that what I did alright...it was most unnerving to see Afrika Corps troops running around in Russia...LOL  

[Uufflakke]

3 hours ago, Atlantia39 said:

 

Yes that what I did alright...it was most unnerving to see Afrika Corps troops running around in Russia...LOL  

 

Oh well... even field marshal Erwin Rommel can take a road exit too late and the wrong lane on a roundabout.

 

 

[pjmack11377]

great mod...my favorite orina.  fictional skin.  lol

will this work with easy mission generator?

 

[Stonehouse]

Yes - have the mod installed and use the channel 41 situation and an autumn date. This will limit the plane set to non Russian and German and use the Kuban Autumn map (which is what the Nth Africa mod requires). Most likely you will need to edit the aircraft skins (although picking default will largely work as is) and the aircraft mods like Hurricane desert air filter, 20mm x 4 Hispano cannons etc using the IL2 mission editor. Fortunately this is not difficult even though it can be a bit of a pain.

Edited January 29, 2021 by No457_Stonehouse

[pjmack11377]

Any idea when version 4 will be up?  Thank you kindly

[Off_Winters]

7 hours ago, pjmack11377 said:

Any idea when version 4 will be up?  Thank you kindly

Hi pjmack,

I was hoping for end of January to release the next update, but I've been flat out at work and have not really done a great deal of work on the mod over the last few weeks. It won't be too far away though.

regards Rob.

[pjmack11377]

Thank you Bob.  It's worth the wait.

 

Patrick

1 minute ago, Off_Winters said:

Hi pjmack,

I was hoping for end of January to release the next update, but I've been flat out at work and have not really done a great deal of work on the mod over the last few weeks. It won't be too far away though.

regards Rob.

 

[BP_Lizard]

@Off_Winters: What an absolutely great mod! Thank you very much.

Edited February 16, 2021 by BP_Lizard

[BP_Lizard]

On 11/2/2020 at 5:14 AM, SKG210_Molders said:

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful skin. Any link where I could download it, please? Thanks.

[Falcon41]

Rob,

     I've noticed that when playing the SIM with your MOD unselected the Willys jeep appears as if it's not completely filled out.  If you recall you had a similar problem with the control tower a while back.  I love the MOD and look forward to any improvements you make.

He

 

Falcon41

 

 

Rob,

     Just a quick follow-up, what I meant to say is that your MOD is installed but I was playing on another map when I noticed the jeep was just barely visible, actually I taxied into it! 

 

Falcon41

[Beebop]

Most map repaints only do the ground textures.  This mod also repaints objects such as the trains, and many buildings and vehicles.  Those repaints are global so will show up on any map.

It's probably a conflict with the other map(s) wanting to show the stock object texture and the mod wanting to display it's repainted texture.

Most likely the issue will go away if you uninstall the mod through JSGME. 

That said I personally have never had the issue as you describe on other maps even with the mod enabled.  However those objects repainted will show up in desert schemes.

Edited February 22, 2021 by Beebop

[Falcon41]

Beebop,

     I checked the mission I was referring to with the MOD uninstalled and on close examination in the ME I noticed the Jeep was still there as described in my initial post, basically a faint skeleton.  I was able to replace it and it showed up just fine.  Don't understand what's happening here, as you and Rob are more knowledgeable in this regard than I.  As I mentioned in my earlier post I saw a similar effect with the control tower and Rob noted he saw it also and was able to correct it, "it" having something to do with an alpha channel correction.
     Thanks for your explanation and response.

 

Falcon41

[Falcon41]

Beebop,

     I went back to the ME in an effort to sort this out and realized that with the MOD installed I saw the willys jeep where I had placed it.  However, next to it, in the skeleton appearance, was another.  Looking in the ME I realized there were two willy jeeps one was a static willysmb and the other one under Vehicles, its the willysmb that has the skeleton appearance.  Hope this helps.  I've checked this out with both the MOD on and uninstalled and its shows up.

 

Falcon41

[Off_Winters]

4 hours ago, Falcon41 said:

Beebop,

     I went back to the ME in an effort to sort this out and realized that with the MOD installed I saw the willys jeep where I had placed it.  However, next to it, in the skeleton appearance, was another.  Looking in the ME I realized there were two willy jeeps one was a static willysmb and the other one under Vehicles, its the willysmb that has the skeleton appearance.  Hope this helps.  I've checked this out with both the MOD on and uninstalled and its shows up.

 

Falcon41

Hi Falcon 41,

I haven't checked in game yet, but I'm sure as you have indicated its the static model version that will be the skeleton one. I'll check tonigt after work. It appears the static object (like the buildings) uses the alpha channel in a slightly different manner, I had to fix a couple of the static aircraft I did as well as they to were translucent rather than non reflective.

I'll let you know how I get on. regards Rob 

[Stonehouse]

Haven't really had much time to test but attached is a draft custom plane json file for the latest version of Easy Mission Generator to use with this mod. Note EMG only allows one custom plane set at present so you'll either need to use JSGME to organise different custom plane sets or manually back up and overwrite the custom_planes.json if you want to switch between custom plane sets.

 

Usual method of picking The Channel and autumn in EMG but then remember to tick custom planes (assuming you have the file below installed). This will limit the plane set to appropriate aircraft for the theatre and time period (well as allowed within the constraints of what is available) for all aircraft regardless if it is ambient AI or something you'll fly.

custom_planes.zip

Edited February 24, 2021 by No457_Stonehouse

[Off_Winters]

15 hours ago, Falcon41 said:

Beebop,

     I went back to the ME in an effort to sort this out and realized that with the MOD installed I saw the willys jeep where I had placed it.  However, next to it, in the skeleton appearance, was another.  Looking in the ME I realized there were two willy jeeps one was a static willysmb and the other one under Vehicles, its the willysmb that has the skeleton appearance.  Hope this helps.  I've checked this out with both the MOD on and uninstalled and its shows up.

 

Falcon41

Hi Falcon,

The alpha channel on my static willies jeep was set to dark, I have applied the alpha channel from the stock file to my repainted static jeep, this should fix the issue.

I have attached the edited file here. If you wouldn't mind testing to see if it does fix the problem I'll know for sure that was the actual issue.

If you uninstall the desert mod with jsgme and then navigate to this folder and place the new texture in your addon it should fix the skeleton jeep.

\IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad\MODS\Kuban_Autum-1943_Desert_Beta_3\data\graphics\blocks\textures

the file you are replacing is: willysmb.dds

I've added this file to my update set.

regards Rob.

willysmb.zip

[Falcon41]

Rob,

     I tested the update this morning and it was better, but the jeep still appeared skeletal but darker.  For your information I'm running your MOD with the hotfix and War in the West.  Hope this helps.

 

Falcon41

[Off_Winters]

19 hours ago, Falcon41 said:

Rob,

     I tested the update this morning and it was better, but the jeep still appeared skeletal but darker.  For your information I'm running your MOD with the hotfix and War in the West.  Hope this helps.

 

Falcon41

Hi Falcon,

Thats a bit weird, I double checked Detcords files in the War in the West MOD and it does not use that file at all, so having the War in the West mod installed should not impact the jeep. And now that my retextured jeep (brown paint) is using the stock aplha channel it should in theory display correctly.

Could you please try something for me. navigate to the jeep texture and change the name to willysmb_orig.dds and then reload the desert addon. this will mean the desert addon is running but the game will be using the stock default texture for the jeep. if its still skeletal in appearance then, then its an issue with the original game texture file setup. if the problem goes away then I have some more searching to do on what I need to change in my edited texture.

Secondly could you email me or attach here the mission files that you are seeing this happening in. then I can see it for myself and try to work through it.

thanks, regards Rob.

[Falcon41]

Rob,

     I did as you suggested and changed the name of the Jeep file, reloaded your MOD, but the Jeep, although darker, remained transparent or skeletal.  I’ve sent you an e-mail with the attached mission files where this has occurred as requested.

Regards

Bill

 

[Off_Winters]

8 hours ago, Falcon41 said:

Rob,

     I did as you suggested and changed the name of the Jeep file, reloaded your MOD, but the Jeep, although darker, remained transparent or skeletal.  I’ve sent you an e-mail with the attached mission files where this has occurred as requested.

Regards

Bill

 

Thanks Bill,

I will check them out after work, and see what I can find.

regards Rob

[Off_Winters]

G'day Bill,

I loaded your mission first without the desert mod loaded and seen the jeep next to the flag pole and it looked fine. I then installed the desert mod and flew the mission again. I stepped through to the jeep by the flag pole on the start airbase and it again looked fine, no transparency evident. I then used the F5 key to step through every vehicle, gun site etc to make sure I was not missing something.

Can you please try the following uninstall all mods and then run your mission and see if the jeep improves? if it does then please just install the desert mod and see if the jeep remains unaffected by the transparency issue.


this is the jeep I see with the desert mod installed.


regards Rob.
 

[Falcon41]

Rob,

     I’ve done as you’ve suggested and I still have the transparency issue.  Pardon my ignorance but can you tell me how to take a screenshot so I can forward to you what I’m seeing.  By the way the way the Jeep that has the transparency issue is located to the left of the P-40’s getting ready to takeoff, not the one located near the windsock. 

Bill

PS

     I’ve sent an image via e-mail that should help as I figured out where the screenshots were kept.

Edited February 26, 2021 by Falcon41
Clarify

[Beebop]

3 hours ago, Falcon41 said:

Pardon my ignorance but can you tell me how to take a screenshot

When you have the view you want, press the Print Screen/SysRq' key.  You will find it just above the 'Insert' key on your keyboard.

See attached screenshot.  Some keyboards may have other names for it such as Print Scrn, Prnt Scrn, Prt Scrn, Prt Scn, Prt Scr, Prt Sc or Pr Sc,  It may or may not have the word 'SysRq' on it.

 

The screenshot will appear in your main game folder located at;

X:\ (drive where the game is installed) Program Files (x86)\IL-2 Sturmovik\Battle of Stalingrad\Screenshots.

if you have a Steam installation it is in:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\IL-2 Sturmovik\Battle of Stalingrad \Screenshots.

 

Hope this helps.

[Falcon41]

Thanks Beebop, but I found it quite by chance!  Go figure!

[Beebop]

1 hour ago, Falcon41 said:

Thanks Beebop, but I found it quite by chance!  Go figure!

?

[Off_Winters]

On 2/27/2021 at 2:17 AM, Falcon41 said:

Rob,

     I’ve done as you’ve suggested and I still have the transparency issue.  Pardon my ignorance but can you tell me how to take a screenshot so I can forward to you what I’m seeing.  By the way the way the Jeep that has the transparency issue is located to the left of the P-40’s getting ready to takeoff, not the one located near the windsock. 

Bill

PS

     I’ve sent an image via e-mail that should help as I figured out where the screenshots were kept.

Hi All,

Issue of the static_jeep has been solved, had a lower detail model incorrectly named which meant it showed at closer ranges. Thanks Falcon for working through it with me.

regards Rob.