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Author Topic: Clash of Eagles, Dedicated Mod DCG BoB Campaign for SAS Dark Blue World  (Read 42926 times)

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Slink

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Dedicated BoB Campaign add-on package for LDCG 3.47 & SAS Dark Blue World 1.7.1.
Work in Progress, alpha test version links below.

This page needs a major facelift, but for now look through the later posts in this thread for info and discussions, there's more info/explanations there.
Download: currently back in the workshop for a quick refit, "I will return"...

Just unpack this into your IL2/jsgmemods folder, making sure it's the first mod to get loaded in the #DBW directory (note the leading "!!!s").

Inside the entire directory structure is already there, so if you unpack it into your IL2 directory it should be fine

Inside is:

IL2 Folder
              jsgmemods
                            !!!!Clash_of_Eagles --- everything is in here

so just drop the jsgmemods folder into your IL2 folder, so !!!!Clash_of_Eagles goes inside jsgmemods

Same with the update, so !!!!Clash_of_Eagles_Update01 also goes into jsgme mods

Don't enable it yet!

Don't forget to copy the 109 skins into the other 109 skin folders before enabling in jsgme or only the 109E1/4 will have skins... two sets, E1/E3, and E4 upwards.

jsgmemods
               !!!!Clash_of_Eagles
                                        Paintschemes
                                                          Skins
                                                                 Bf-109E-1
                                                                 Bf-109E-3
                                                                 Bf-109E-4
                                                                 Bf-109E-4N
                                                                 Bf-109E-4_B
                                                                 Bf-109E-7

Only two folders have the major skins in them to save you downloading the same ones multiple times
copy all the skins from the E1 folder to the E3 folder
copy all the skins from the E4 folder to the remaining folders

Now you should be ready to enable it in jsgme, may take a minute, it's pretty big. Campaign then update of course.

You need to have DCG 3.47 beta installed, (the old files I made only work with DBW 1.6, and this mod/campaign is for DBW 1.7)

Once DCG is installed and working, enable DGEN replacement mode in the options, then go to Files on the menu, and tick "Optional Third Party Data Folder"
this will open a window asking where the new campaign is, point it to the !DCG Clash of Eagles BoB 1940 campaign folder which is now in your IL2/Missions folder, and it will show an allcampaigns.dcg file, double click this file and your campaign is ready, DCG should tell you it will now use the files in this folder.

There will also be a CoE_Docs folder in your IL2 install, inside is a txt file with all the instructions for setting up the options in DCG, I won't list it all again here.

Enable the music in IL2!

The campaign works just like a DGEN campaign, you don't need to do anything else, so close DCG , start IL2 (it will look different), go to campaigns, RAF or Luftwaffe, select the Clash of Eagles campaign in the list, set your rank (highest) and options (make sure "No Instant Success" is switched off) and the usual choices.
Click on Start, choose the first campaign, choose a plane, and click on generate, wait, takes a minute, especially the first time, and the first mission should come up on screen. The briefing lists any options you have to select in DCG once the campaign is generated, check them, and then fly the first mission. The options won't come into effect until the next mission, but it's no big deal, normal in DCG.

What density settings to use depends on your machine, but set them low if it's not that powerful. If everything works OK you can try putting them up to get more action, but if things slow down (and the number of planes increases as you go on) put them back down a step. Find what's right for you and your system.

The density settings in DCG are on the DCG Campaign Settings tab (little black square, No.3 in line).
The first three settings in the first column, Squadron, Column and Stationary Object Density, going from Full, Dense, Heavy, Moderate, Sparse, None
These control how many flights (1-4 planes) and vehicles/ships/objects appear in a mission, allowing you to control the load on your machine.

Full is what it says, don't use it for the squads or you'll have hundreds of planes and a slideshow...
Dense is 66% of all flights, and that's still a hell of a lot, especially later when all the Luftwaffe squads are active...
Heavy to Sparse use progressively fewer, with sparse it's just a handful, and none means just you and any escorts/intercepts

Column and Object density work the same way, turn down the columns and there will be fewer moving ships/vehicles, turn down the objects and there will be increasingly less of those too.
You're meant to use a maximum of dense for the columns and objects here to give some unpredictable variety, there are thousands of objects on the map, but you don't always want the same set up every mission, so this means some of them won't always be there, so it's never quite the same. Same for the convoys (columns), they will always have a random factor.

So you can turn it up and down from one mission to the next. If things get too much for your machine, turn one or more down a step to reduce the load. Squads are the heaviest load, objects the least, and you don't need all the objects to play of course, searchlights, AA, vehicles at airfields, it's all variable.

Lastly, check that you don't have the Instant Logging mod enabled, seems to slow it down (apparently) and if your graphic card is old or has low mem you may have to disable the high-res textures in the maps folder, the map is already a heavy load.

It's actually meant to run at Slow/Extremely Slow (under Time Passage in the Campaign Settings panel), i.e. 3 or 4 missions a day so you get the full time range from dawn to dusk and beyond... which may take as long to play as the real thing (4 missions each an hour long = an evenings playing time?) but you can also use Random for a bit of variety, some days more missions, some days less.

Also tried the Squadron Defaults settings for skill, does indeed appear to then use only the listed aces as aces (new in 3.47?), only those on the list and with five or more kills showing up instead of the previous randomly generated collection, certainly gives a better overview and we can then use the full DBW AI range with the new separate skill qualities. Need more aces/historicals on the list...

This is just a minimal reduced version, still lots to do here, most airfields still need the statics arranging, timetable not complete, graphics are not final, needs the historical texts etc, and a larger separate skin pack, but as an alpha it's much bigger than any previous campaign. Well, it's a makeover mod really, but still just an alpha, not really ready for gameplay testing yet, but might be interesting to play around with... but for now just a trial run for a bit of fun. See if you can spot the aces, should all have chimps' faces, and Luftwaffe aces get separate skins (squad generic at this stage).

You fly the "Player Squad", if you want to change the name look in the instructions.

Some things to check out apart from choosing sides and setting up (see the txt file for instructions);

Uses Cannon's maps for now to get things moving, they should all work in stock DBW. Includes the 1024 textures with alpha channel and tgb extension (for close high res, distant low res, but can you see any difference? CY6's Fire object also extends view distance, any effect? The mega map is still in progress... and it really does need a bigger map.

If you prefer to have all the static scenery on the maps just disable (rename) the 1940actors.static file in the mod folder, it will then use the full DBW stock file with all the objects, but this might be slower, at least when down low, and the load is already rather high. I've always been cursed with lag and pauses, dynamic weather/vectors may make it worse, how does it perform for you?

You're meant to start at the beginning and work through, but here everything is enabled so you can start anywhere.
Missions can be very long if you let events play out, use unlimited ammo for fun, lets you stay up longer, but watching everyone else is quite absorbing too, as long as you watch the DCG density... there can be over a hundred planes in the air in the later stages, but it should start out slow and then build up, so if things start overloading turn it down. The vectors can tend to send the entire RAF after a single bomber, think of it as a confused rookie controller...

The Su2/Defiant is just experimenting for looks, nothing special yet.

This includes the basic required mods, you can use others with it too, but it will override anything trying to give the same effects (like impact flashes, deWilde...)

Try it out, if anything is unclear let me know, would appreciate feedback if people have the time, Good luck!

CREDITS

Digital artwork by Wiek Luijken; www.luijken.com (excellent stuff, go look).

Paul Lowengrin for DCG, without which IL2 would be just a game.

CirX and the SAS for Dark Blue World.

Brave Initial Testing done by dietz, thanks Jim.


Elements inc some rds & srd layouts from BoB Campaign   Lonestar

Screens & Graphics   Slink

New GUI colours   Baraca

--------------------------------------------------

DBX (conversion Slink)   FGA9Hunter

DH89   Blitz

Wellington   Ranwers

Do 17Z-0/2   Ranwers/SAS~Crazyflak/RDDR

(Plutonium Effects files)   HG&P

He46C2   Dreamk with fix by Birdman

Base Mats from Decalshine   McWolf

--------------------------------------------------

Plane Skins   Various Artists, see plane skins for ID

Bf 109 skins primarily by      Revolver~I./JG 53_MAD at adlerhorst-hangar.com


Crappy Default Skins mostly by me, except:

BlenheimMk IV, IVF   ?

Gladiator MkII   Pavlac

He 46C2~Hs126   Slink, based on originals by Juanmalapuente/Albert Von Grewe

--------------------------------------------------

Semi-Real AA   Zloy Petrushko

C&Cv2/Ground Target Order/Ambient Airfield sounds   CY6

Distress Call Position   Burn

Unlimited Ammo with Limited Bombs and Rockets   SAS~Storebror

--------------------------------------------------

GB/DE Pilot Skins   elephant

BoB1969 Pilot Skins   Purgatorio

Aces Pilot Skins   max_thehitman

--------------------------------------------------

Channel Map_M (Resized & Indexed Slink)   xxx?

1024 Channel HiRes textures restored   Birdman
(alpha channel & tgb Slink)

--------------------------------------------------

Variable Temperature   MANYSH

Thunder & rain sounds (prs Slink)   BlueAngel01

--------------------------------------------------

and any I may have missed at this early stage, please PM me at SAS if you see something I've forgotten amidst the chaos or can fill a gap...

------------------------------------
original post

FEATURES
DGEN files for RAF & Luftwaffe players, Italians will come with the winter campaign.
Should come in two versions, historical (let the timetable do everything, almost) and free DCG (let DCG control movements, or manage your own campaign resources).
Custom air.ini with reduced plane set for simplicity and smoother play, and matching plane.properties file for consistent custom plane names in briefings and map screens. This also means you can’t use QMB as the default planes may be missing. (Change?)
Currently uses a reduced regiments file with only DE GB for simplicity, with some new squads added, but you can't run other missions with this active, disable the mod to play normally. (Change?)
New screens and GUI, with "Clash of Eagles" in big, friendly letters so you can instantly see that you have the mod installed on startup.
Includes required mods integrated into the package directly for click & play, as long as LDCG is installed of course.
Required skins for stand-in planes automatically installed and removed in jsgme; credits are on the skins themselves, ‘cept mine, but would you admit to doing them?

DBW SET UP
Self-contained jsgme mod/TotalMODer profile for DBW, install into your jsgmemods directory in the IL2 game folder.
Includes pre-installed required mods, screens, music, custom ini files etc; as a click & play installation with minimal user requirements.
You only need to know how to use jsgme/TotalMODder, how to use DCG, and how to play the game.
Temporarily converts your DBW install to exclusively run the Clash of Eagles campaign using DCG. You can disable it to play standard DBW whenever you like, and enable it again to go back to the campaign.

DCG SET UP
3rd party campaign, set the option in DCG and navigate to your missions directory, the campaign folder is in there, where you can set the allcampaigns file.
You only need standard DCG installed to use this campaign, all required (custom) files are in the campaign directory inside your Missions folder, no other DCG files are required, but if you are using my DCG4DBW files this should not affect them.
This is a (functional) work in progress, updates & extensions will be provided separately to be added to the main campaign folder and jsgmemods.
This is intended to be the base for a chronologically extendible DCG grand campaign to eventually cover the whole 39-4? period using timetable campaign progression.

INCLUDED MODS, automatically installed/removed, no editing required
CY6's new C&C v2 objects; Includes an integrated stationary.ini with the required entries, so no editing required.
Zloy Petrushko’s semi-realistic AA (fast) mod checked for 4.101 by Burn.
Mod planes used in the campaign are automatically installed along with the custom air.ini, and removed when you disable the mod.

Wellington MkIII by Ranwers : Will eventually be stock in UP/DBW. Used as a transport in the campaign, plays the part of a HP Harrow transport, would be nice with yellow transport undersides, skin?
dH89 by Unknown, updated by Epervier : Be careful with this in DCG, don’t enable a none loadout as this plane doesn’t have one, this will result in exploding spawns if you generate a mission with this loadout.
DB2EX – A-20 float plane by HUNTERFGA9 : Used as a He 115, it’s kind of close, overpowered for a Heinkel, and tries to dogfight, but it has floats...

MAP
Currently transferring to the new map with minimal actors/max airfields, runs just like any other map as long as the actors file is kept to a minimum, but still needs a lot of work.
Due to size airfields are currently place-holders to be updated later as it’s the campaign gameplay that counts here, not sight-seeing, don’t you know there’s a war on man? We all have to make sacrifices.

Airfields so far, nevermind the google, it's just for placement... Some more updated pics in later posts


TO DO
Obviously still lots to do, map, AA & searchlight coverage, historical convoys (difficult in DCG), proper targets on map and DCG supply, so you can try and knock out the RAF by attacking airfields & factories.
Historical documentation (that is a book cover on the start screen), but could this go into say the credits viewer? No shiny pictures though.
Daily briefs (historical/dramatic).
Radio broadcasts, music & briefing background sound files.
Pilot skins and portraits for aces/historical figures.
Optional full skin pack for all the squads & Gruppen, like in BoB WoV?
Custom speech packs for RAF squads + composite Polish/Czech/Dutch packs with mixed chatter and excitement in the native language but basic orders and ground control in English.
Replacement viewer info describing the planes and their role in the campaign with mod plane details and explanations.
Minimal icons pack to reduce clutter on the map screen

Campaign extension into 41 including Italians
May/June 40, the obvious BoF & Dunkirk prequels, will require a major effort, but first get this one done.
Early night fighter campaign, easy adaptation of main day campaign

Possible optional what-if scenarios, with structured/branching campaign progression;
Laval's 200 Vichy French pilots with French planes.
Rubendörfer's ground attack strategy.
Possibility of Sealion invasion (requires road network).
Sealion 41 scenario, planned for by the British.
Russian response to allied plans to land troops in Finland; Red Storm Rising 39/40, a blue Europe against the Soviet steamroller? Needs blue RAF in DCG, how?
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PO_MAK_249RIP

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Re: Clash of Eagles, Dedicated Mod DCG BoB Campaign for SAS Dark Blue World
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2011, 01:55:45 AM »

This looks amazing Slink - cant wait to give it a go!!

DBW is rockin'
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Gerson

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Re: Clash of Eagles, Dedicated Mod DCG BoB Campaign for SAS Dark Blue World
« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2011, 04:06:48 AM »

My God!!
Hope this is all true
Congratulations for a wonderful job
All the best
Gerson
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vegetarian

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Re: Clash of Eagles, Dedicated Mod DCG BoB Campaign for SAS Dark Blue World
« Reply #3 on: August 02, 2011, 04:53:29 AM »

This looks fantastic. Great job.
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Flying H

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Re: Clash of Eagles, Dedicated Mod DCG BoB Campaign for SAS Dark Blue World
« Reply #4 on: August 02, 2011, 01:36:44 PM »

Who will need CloD? Amaizing  effort! THX
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And you can fly, high as a kite, if you want to.........

Toasted_Toad

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Re: Clash of Eagles, Dedicated Mod DCG BoB Campaign for SAS Dark Blue World
« Reply #5 on: August 03, 2011, 03:40:23 AM »

G'day Slink,

Installed DCG for the first time to be ready for CoE (been playing IL2 since v1.0).

Why haven't I been using this before???? Great program  :)

Cheers,

T_T
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RDDR Hangar19

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Re: Clash of Eagles, Dedicated Mod DCG BoB Campaign for SAS Dark Blue World
« Reply #6 on: September 01, 2011, 12:26:29 PM »

So glad to see this happening. So Glad.

Cheers,RDDR
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Slink

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Re: Clash of Eagles, Dedicated Mod DCG BoB Campaign for SAS Dark Blue World
« Reply #7 on: September 06, 2011, 10:02:49 AM »

Thank you very much for the kind support guys, it's coming along very nicely, and I'll need some testers eventually for jsgme and TotalMODer versions, but still lots to do of course, and then there's also the map... but we're getting there.
RDDR, I'm building an optional skins pack, maybe you could consider providing instructions on setting up mat manager for this campaign if people want to use it? I'm half a noob myself.

Here's a collection of some quick screenies to show how it looks currently, run it as a slideshow.
(obsolete)
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RDDR Hangar19

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Hi Slink just saw this. I'll work on it in the next day or so.
Thanks for all the work your putting into this campaign as its gonna be a great Campaign asset.
Cheers,RDDR
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Slink

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Great, thanks RDDR, currently struggling with transfer to the big map, so may may take a while, have just over a hundred UK airfields on the go, and Europe still to come, think I must be nuts... but without thousands of objects (and types of object) still runs smooth even with mega squad numbers, so all is looking well except my sleep quota... cheers!
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BravoFxTrt

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Wow, going to be really nice.
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RDDR Hangar19

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Hi guys,
My apologies for being so late in posting. The truth is that it slipped my mind.
So, lets get  MAT manager.

1. Go to Mission4today  and download the MAT Manager self installer.
Once you have done that, just leave it for a minute. Dont install it just yet

2.Go into your game and make a copy of your exe.
Once you have done, that your going to change the copy exe name to il2
No dot, no exe,  just il2
This is going to show MAT where DBW is when your setting up MAT

3 Now your going to install MAT Manager.
When you start to install, it will ask you where your Sim is when it begins to install for it is going to install hundreds of files into a folder in your main game folder called CooptRegt. These files are numbers,insignias, you name it. Hundreds of options.
 Be warned that its huge and will take a few minutes to install all the info so,...

Go to the kitchen grab a cold beer,make a sandwich then sit back and be patient. ;).
MAT like DCG can be installed outside of the Sim. Preferably in C: Program files(x86) if your using Win 7 64 bit or for others just Program files for other OS's just remember to point the way so it can install.
When you've finished your sandwhich and the second beer, these files should be finished installing.
Now go to your Desktop and you will see the MAT icon. Open it

4 Next MAT is going to want to set up the Manager Face plate where you make choices of numbering and insignias and once again it will ask for the home of your exe. That exe will be the copy you made first before installing.
Without it being there in game MAT Manager will not work. When the Manager asks go ahead and do it and the Manager opens up.

5.
Lastly Selection
As you can see there are many options on the Manager face.Look them over and once you know what you want, go up to the top and you will see
a number of boxes Europe,North Africa,Ost Front etc.. Select what front and year.
Next lets say you want Stab or numbering for the Luftwaffe...Select then go up to the top left and hit Load.
When this is done go to the small Control panel and  press the bigger box with the 3 on it which is Save then hit quit and a horizontal bar will appear and you will see your choice being uploaded loaded;
Hot Tip.
I have found that the best way to upload what I need in the way of loading is not to make multible choices but do it one choice at a time.
There you have it. I hope I have been able to make everything clear enough for everyone.
 I'm sure there will be questions. If I can be of anymore help I'll do my best.

Cheers,RDDR
 

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