Minor update: Sep 10, 2020: If you grabbed v4 before the fix for the lack of manual gear operation, and don't want to d/l the whole archive again, here's just the F4F.class file, which goes into sub-folder[\classes for stock manual gear] (and as well the root folder if you're using the stock manual gear operation mode.) But do note that the corrected Java is part of the full archive, if you want that kind of stuff.
https://www.mediafire.com/file/aabyfboa0t7l3h0/Wildcat_class_manual+gear.7z/fileUPDATE: Sep 9, 2020: Completely replaces version 3. The main fix here is the correction of the landing gear crank rotation direction, and the corresponding labeling on the housing. This has involved adding my modded 4.12 class files for this fix. I've also incorporated Storbror's hitbox fix for enabling panel damage to show up, and my correction of the F4F-3 speedometer reading in knots, and my expanded 6dof range limits. Also, classes are offered in two versions; one for the stock manual gear operation, and the other for automatic gear operation (like most other planes.)
Because of the inclusion of the necessary class files, be sure to check for possible conflicts!
The contents of the included and updated readme file are reproduced toward the end of this post.The first version was released around New Years Day, 2017.
Version 2 was released Jan 20, 2017.
Version 3 was released Feb. 2, 2017.
This version 4 was released Sep 9, 2020.
Get the full mod, including all necessary classfiles (and Java files for modders), here:
https://www.mediafire.com/file/s3l9xhss1xg7e75/00_WxTech_Wildcats.7z------------
In the course of making/testing the damaged instrument textures, it became apparent that an error in damage model code made it almost impossible for the instruments to be damaged. Mike (Storebror) tackled this, and after comparing to the working code for the Hellcat, discovered the wrong collision object was used! (Unless the original modeler did choose to use another collision object in order to render the instruments *very* much harder to damage--which I find unconvincing.) Mike detailed the matter here:
https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,53881.12.htmlYou have two choices; pick one or the other (but I suspect the second will be preferred by most of you.
) Here is the download for the fixed plane classfile, concerning just the hit box:
https://www.mediafire.com/file/wxaxr4ua1kncyel/F4F_Hitbox_Fix_2017-02-06.7z [NOW OBSOLETE; included in archive]
Or if you prefer, an enhanced fix that extends the hit box somewhat in size, *and* includes Wolfighter's pilot gore model:
https://www.mediafire.com/file/16bki6nuu37huh6/F4F_Hitbox_Fix_2017-02-07.7z[color]Either of these work with all base game versions.
IL-2 4.09 Rebels need to have the "AircraftLH Stub Class Mod" installed (it's a mod that adds a "placeholder" AircraftLH class to close the gap for something that has been introduced with 4.10m).
If you don't have it yet...
...AircraftLH Stub Class Mod for 4.09m based games:
https://www.mediafire.com/?646xifmiikikjqcThis works for 4.08m as well, happily for this dinosaur!
Drop the plane (and Stub Class mod file, for pre-4.10 installs) classfile into any child folder of ../MODS/. In my case I used ../MODS/Aircraft, where numerous other classfiles reside.
Or you could use ../MODS/00_WxTech_Wildcats. Do not place the file in a child folder lower than this in the tree, such as ../3do/cockpit!
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Immediately below are four images highlighting the main changes in this, the 3rd release. These alterations concern mostly canopy frame smoothing of the curved sections, smoothing of the exposed edges of the F4F-4's Mk 8 gun sight reflector, a new set of damaged instrument textures based on my undamaged ones, for consistency, and a new damage texture for the armored glass (as well as refined bullet hole and oil splat texture placement to conform to the remodeled glass.)
The more rounded upper canopy and mirror was raised 2cm (done in ver. 2), and the proportions are much closer to reality. The mirror can be set in hier.him to angles of 10, 12.5 and 15 degrees, to taste depending on whether you use head tracking gear or not. Note how the canopy dirt is much more strongly seen via forward scattering in the up-Sun direction.
In addition to the raising of the upper canopy by 2cm, the aft bulkhead was raised 1cm, and slightly narrowed in a tapering fashion, leaving a 1cm gap between upper bulkhead and canopy. The head cushion was raised 3cm (in the first release.) Based on some photos showing them, additional stiffening gussets (triangles) were added at a couple of attachment points on each side of the sliding canopy.
I made up a whole new set of damaged gauges, to match my own undamaged versions.
The stock pair of silly bullet holes in the armored glass have been replaced with more appropriate impact damage textures. The oil splat texture has had its surface normals reversed--in the manner of my canopy 'dirt'--so as to more realistically show translucency in the up-Sun direction.
Just below are three images from version 2, highlighting the more important changes and dealing principally with the canopy framing. Following these are several more images prepared for the first release. I leave them here so that you can compare the differences.
Thinner canopy framing, looking forward.
Thinner canopy framing, with sliding canopy slightly opened.
The new reflection on the slip ball's glass tube, correctly placed in depth.
Below this are the original images, applicable to the first release.
From the included Version 4 readme file...
========================================================================
WeatherTech's Wildcats
A cockpit mod for the stock F4F-3 and F4F-4 (including the FM-2), by WxTech
1st release Dec 31, 2016
2nd release Jan 20, 2017
3rd release Feb 01, 2017
4th release (this) Sep 09, 2020
IMPORTANT: This completely replaces all previous versions.
-----The changes made for this 4th release:-----
- Include altered texture [3do/Cockpit/F4F-3/Trans_04.tga], for the labeling on the LG crank housing. Used also for the F4F-4 (like most other textures in the F4F-3 folder.)
- Include 2 versions of F4F.class, and its 4.12 Java. This is specifically for 4.12, but should be compatible with some other versions (4.10 on?). Both versions incorporate Storbror's cockpit hitbox fix, so that now the instrument panel will show damage. One version incorporates the auto gear mod, which makes the gear extend/retract like that for just about every other plane.
- Include 2 versions each of CockpitF4F3.class and CockpitF4F4.class, and their 4.12 Java. They should also be similarly compatible with at least some other game versions (4.10 on?). Both versions have adjusted 6DoF range limits, and have the corrected LG crank rotation direction (and suitably altered direction guide labeling on the housing texture). The F4F-3 has also had the speedometer scale adjusted to indicate knots--the stock scale was in mph. One version is for the stock manual gear operation, the other for the auto gear mod. For the latter (auto gear), I adjusted the rate and number of LG crank rotations to be more in step with the length of time the gear itself takes to extend/retract.
Instructions:
-------------
The only things added or changed are:
- [00_WxTech_Wildcats/3do/Cockpit/F4F-3/Trans_04.tga] -- replacement texture for LG crank housing labels
- [00_WxTech_Wildcats/classes for auto gear mod] -- new folder containing class files for automatic gear version
- [00_WxTech_Wildcats/classes for stock manual gear] -- new folder containing class files for stock manual gear version
- [00_WxTech_Wildcats/] -- 3 java files
- [00_WxTech_Wildcats/] -- 9 class files
- [00_WxTech_Wildcats/] -- this readme file, with name changed from original WxWild_readme.txt (You can delete the old one.)
If you don't want to completely overwrite your existing install, you need only copy over from the root folder the 2 new folders and the 13 new files, and Trans_04.tga from the [../cockpit/F4F-3] folder.
The classes already placed in the root folder are for the stock manual gear operation. There are two folders containing the classes for either the stock manual gear configuration or the auto gear mod. These are the repositories, from which you copy the set you want to use and paste into the root folder.
If you already use or would like to use the auto gear mod, simply copy all 9 classes from the folder:
[00_WxTech_Wildcats/classes for auto gear mod]
and paste/overwrite the same 9 files in the root folder, [00_WxTech_Wildcats].
As long as you DO NOT DRAG 'n DROP the files, but instead do a copy/paste, you will always have them safely available for switching between if you change your mind.
Note that the 3 .java files have the stock code enabled for the manual landing gear operation. The additional code for the auto gear is REM'ed out. Easy to switch over, for any coders who want to play with this stuff.
-----End of 4th release changes-----
-----The changes made for the 3rd release:-----
- Smoothed the curved sections for the canopy and rear bulkead. Just a doubling of line segments was performed, leaving still some visible angular transitions.
- Smoothed the curved upper (exposed) edges of the reflector plate on the Mk. 8 gun sight (F4F-4/FM-2).
- Made the Mk. 8 sight's reflector edge less transparent.
- Made the reticle mask more smoothly circular (36 segments vs 16).
- Relocated the bullet hole and oil splat textures to properly conform to the new canopy and armored glass modeling.
- Replaced the stock silly bullet hole textures on the armored glass with more appropriate impact damage textures.
- Reversed the surface normals for the oil splat texturing so that it gives a more realistic appearance of translucency with backlighting.
- Made up a whole new set of instrument damage textures that match properly with the undamaged versions.
- Slightly relocated a rear bulkhead bullet hole texture which largely disappeared due to the very slightly moved surface of the bulkhead after modification.
- Reinstated much of the Ver. 1 extra 'dirtiness" intensity along the edges of the perspex, but a bit reduced in width, or extent from the framing.
- Added two additional mirror angle settings to choose from in hier.him. More immediately below...
About the selectable mirror angle settings...
I was inspired to do this because the act of raising the mirror upward by 2cm resulted in a raising of the view angle behind the aircraft. After working out an appropriate setting and applying it via the transformation matrix, I thought it would be good to offer the user the option to use this one, or to go back the the stock angle of -10 degrees, or try an even larger tilt of -15 degrees.
The stock mirror angle of -10 degrees is OK for a POV which is well back in the seat. But if the POV is moved any notable distance forward, without a concomitant upward translation, the look angle in reflection becomes directed more upward, resulting in a loss of coverage directly aft.
If you wish to redress this, I offer two other settings where the necessary matrix translations have been made in hier.him. These additional angles are for mirror tilts of -12.5 and -15 degrees. NOTE: A change in view angle is double the change in mirror tilt. For example, changing the mirror tilt by 2.5 degrees from -10 to -12.5 degrees swings the view angle in reflection downward by 5 degrees.
Any text editor will allow to make the desired change. Not too far from the top of the contents in hier.him are the two relevant sections, [BaseMirror] and [MIRROR]. You will see three entries in each, with brief comments appended to the end of each line. Currently I have activated the -12.5 degree option, which is apparent by its lacking the "//" (double forward slash) characters at the beginning of the line. The other two entries are preceded by "//" characters as a way to render them not readable. To use another setting, remove the preceding "//" from that line and add these same characters to the beginning of the current selection to deactivate it.
Instead of double slashes, you could use a single semi-colon (
. Both schemes do the same thing. I use the double slash simply because I find it to be more visible.
The relevant text as found in hier.him, the lines shortened here for compactness:
[BaseMirror]
Mesh BaseMirror
Parent _ROOT_
//Attaching 0 1 0.....-0.69 0 1.49751 //for mirror tilt 10 deg.
Attaching 0 1 0.....-0.6875 0 1.49751 //for mirror tilt 12.5 deg.
//Attaching 0 1 0.....-0.6845 0 1.49751 //for mirror tilt 15 deg.
[MIRROR]
Mesh MIRROR
Parent _ROOT_
//Attaching 0 -1 0.....-0.69053 0 1.49759 //tilt 10 deg.
Attaching 0 -1 0.....-0.68853 0 1.49759 //tilt 12.5 deg.
//Attaching 0 -1 0.....-0.68553 0 1.49759 //tilt 15 deg.
-----End of 3rd release changes-----
-----The changes made for the 2nd release:-----
- Made the canopy framing in most places narrower, from ~40mm wide to 25mm, based on the study of numerous photos.
- Raised the canopy above the upper horizontal bars by 2cm, in the process making the transition from straight lower sides to upper curve less abrupt. This largely rectifies the stock model's too-squat proportions.
- Raised the rear bulkhead by 1cm, and slightly tapered the sides inward to leave a small small gap between canopy and bulkhead. This gap increases to a maximum of 1cm at the peak. (In respect of this gap the Wildcat's canopy was not unlike that on the Hurricane.)
- Made the canopy frame thickness (edge width, which sandwiches the perspex) more uniform.
- Added all missing polygons to the 8 bolt heads on the rear bulkhead.
- Added some stiffening gussets (triangles) to the frame attachment points on the sliding canopy.
- Toned down the extra 'dirtiness' along the edges of the canopy perspex.
- Made all canopy glass vertices coincident with frame edge vertices. (The stock modeling was crudely done.)
- Increased the opacity and specularity for the magnetic compass cover glass, given its partial up-facing tilt which directly reflects sky light.
- Added a reflection to the slip ball's glass tube, correctly placed in depth (the ball is *behind*).
-----End of 2nd release changes-----
-----The changes made for the 1st release:-----
This mod pack completely replaces my earlier N-2A and Mk 8 gun sight mods for the F4F-3 and F4F-4, respectively. If you are using them, either deactivate them by placing a "-" (minus sign) at the beginning of the folder name, place this mod 'higher up' via the alphanumerics of its name, or delete those earlier folders.
If you have made any alterations of your own to any files in my earlier gun sight mod release, you may wish to retain them and incorporate them into this pack. For instance, any POV changes to the view hooks in Body.msh, or changes to texture transparency for glass elements in their .mat files are two potential cases that spring to mind.
If you use any other cockpit mods for these planes, check carefully for any commonality in files, compare them, and decide on which you feel is/are best to retain. When in any doubt at all, archive!
As a starting basis, I used textures from the cockpit repaints which are part of a sizeable collection in one download available here at SAS1946. All present there are included here, most of which have my own alterations applied here and there. A fairly significant addition of mine is the cleaning up of the alpha channels where present. Edge alignment and smoothness have been much improved.
The instrument panel texture element is completely new (as part of Trans_05.tga), it being adapted from a good image I found online. It was the panel 'beauty' cover mounted in the -4/FM-2, but I altered it to make also a version like that installed in the -3. The principal difference concerns the embayment/aperture for the artificial horizon's caging knob.
I have essentially not touched the damaged versions of the instruments, and so in most cases there will be an alteration to the base appearance as compared to my tweaked undamaged versions.
I have made a few completely new textures, and added them to the relevant meshes.
Some .tga's have had alterations or additions applied which will cause the odd discrepancy if used with stock meshes. Meaning that for a fair number of meshes I've changed or added elements.
If you wish to tone down (or strengthen) the intensity of my glass or reflection textures, simply alter the last number in the relevant .mat file's ColorScale data. For instance, currently the canopy glass (in GlassCanopy.mat) alpha value is 0.4. You could make it, say, 0.3 or 0.25 to noticeably diminish its visibility, or even make it 0.0 to render the glass completely transparent and clean.
To detail all the changes would almost require a small book. This project occupied perhaps 120 hours. Yes, I work slowly! A brief summary, in no particular order:
- As noted, made a photo-based panel texture, in a flavor each for the -3 and -4/FM-2.
- Reworked all undamaged instruments to a greater or lesser degree.
- Different artificial horizon versions for the -3 and -4/FM-2.
- Slightly different gyro compass tape styles.
- Added to the stationary canopy's rear arch (against which the sliding canopy abuts when closed) an interior 'stiffening rim' of 4mm width, 3mm ahead of the rearmost edge.
- Added new front canopy framing bars for the -3.
- Enlarged the gyro compass cylinder to real proportions, and doubled the poly count for better roundness. Previously 80 degrees of azimuth showed in the window; now it's 50 degrees--and accurate!.
- Added more appropriate rivets in appearance, number and placement to the canopy framing (albeit simple, flat 2-D textures).
- Made the canopy glass have more 'dirt' along the frame edges; hardly seen down-Sun, but very prominently seen up-Sun due to more efficient forward scattering.
- Added a new headrest graphic, and moved it upward by 3cm.
- Filled in missing polys for the armored glass frame sides, cockpit sides immediately under the cockpit sills, and canopy frame edge above the armored glass support.
- Re-oriented the armored glass edge textures so that the bottom and sides match; filled in missing polys higher up the sides toward the top.
- Added new polys to fill the awful gap at the panel hood's underside.
-Added a bluish-green texture for the armored glass, with some edge dirtiness.
- Added a cool-looking bare metal texture--from a photo--to the rudder pedals.
- Added a photo-based texture for the magnetic compass repeater mounting plate; different colors for the -3 and -4/FM-2.
- Moved the gun sights in both cockpits up and back a couple of centimeters.
- For the N-2A sight in the -3, rounded the tops of the reflector plate side supports, made the mounting bracket more realistic in profile (curved edge to facilitate access to the reticle brightness control knob), and added bolt heads and nuts.
- Added an extra reflection of the collimating lens, as seen through the the reflector plate. This doubling arisis from the reflector thickness of 6mm, coupled with the near viewing distance. For the more exposed collimator on the Mk 8 sight, I made the reflections vary *differentially* in intensity across their projected face as the illumination angle (from the Sun) varies. Dynamic and quite neat! The more sheilded and deeper collimator on the N-2A I deemed to not warrant this effect of differentially varying illumination; it varies uniformly.
- Further to the collimator reflections: For the Mk 8 sight I positioned the reflection correctly, in the manner as for for my Tipo B Italian sight. That is, it lies at the correct distance ahead of the reflector and is oriented perpendicular to the optical axis/line of sight. An extra mask was required in order to properly make the reflection not appear outside the reflector plate's face as viewed from rakish angles.
- Most knobs have been greatly improved in appearance, a couple requiring re-mapping of their textures.
----------
If anyone wishes to alter anything or add anew and thence make available to others, I heartily welcome it, without restriction of any kind.
WxTech,
Ottawa
Dec 31, 2016 (first release)
Jan 20, 2017 (second release)
Feb 01, 2017 (third release)
Sep 09, 2020 (this fourth release)
Author
Topic: WxTech Wildcats cockpit mod for stock Wildcats, Ver. 4, Sep 9, 2020 (Read 48634 times)
