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Author Topic: Stupid Mods question that's probably been asked loads of times...  (Read 3904 times)

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Tonyeh

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Hi all,

Returning to IL2 after years of absence and I'm totally confused. I don't know where to post this, so I threw it into this section.

Anyway...

I've been impressed with the amount on quality of mods that have been added to IL2. But, I am dumbfounded at which one is the best for me to use. I like to play DGen dynamic campaigns as I feel they offer me the best experience (other folk will have different preferences of course). I also know my way around the DGen campaign files to some degree, so I can edit them a little bit to my taste. I'm not interested in static campaigns or QMB's.

Anyway, I am interested in using some of the great maps that I've seen, such as the North Africa, Italy and Battle of Britain maps. They look great and more importantly they're big. I got so tired of the tiny stock maps years ago, apart from the Gulf of Finland map which has always been good.

The question is, which mod do I need to download that will allow me to use these maps in a DGen campaign?

I currently use VP Modpack and that's great. But, as far as I know I can't make a DGen campaign with a lot of the maps included in it. Using Asura's DGen mod with the modpack doesn't work.

I've tried DGenMod 2.1, which has a great West Front campaign, featuring a large France map and a Channel coast map and a Pacific campaign using the large Slot Guadalcanal map that I'm interested in. But, the sound problems (silent guns, silent wingmen, disappearing audio) in that mod kill the game completely for me and just make it unplayable. Although I think there might be an update coming for that.

I simply cannot get HSFX 7.0 to run. It just crashes the game when it's activated, so I've given up on that.

I haven't tried Dark Blue World or BAT yet.

So, I suppose the short question is, which is the best mod to get, if I want to play dynamic DGen campaigns with the new maps that are available?

I ask, because I'd like to make a grand campaign for I/JG54, that spans from Poland to Kurland, 1939-45, if it's possible. Most of that campaign, 1941-45 is already done for DGen. But, I'd really like to include the 1939/40 years too.

Thanks in advance, and sorry for the silly questions.  ;D
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vpmedia

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Re: Stupid Mods question that's probably been asked loads of times...
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2019, 12:10:49 AM »

Lowengrins DCG will support mod maps and will work with vpmodpack. But you gonna loose all the 200+ updated stock dgen campaigns I included. Afaik same goes for Asuras Dgen. I am not aware of any good solution which would enable you to keep all the stock content and have campaigns on modded maps at the same time. I only use stock dgen camapigns, QMB and I build my own scripted missions with the FMB.

greybeard

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Re: Stupid Mods question that's probably been asked loads of times...
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2019, 02:34:31 AM »

I didn't understand if you want to play already done campaigns or want to do your own...

Anyway, you can search for mine at M4T, which are almost all for Asura's DGen (whose specific version required by the campaign is always included in the pack of my own campaign!). Here is a list of some for 4.12 and containing large maps:

Bataille de France (for ModAct)

Murmansk expedition (for ModAct)

Pacific War (for ModAct)
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Tonyeh

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Re: Stupid Mods question that's probably been asked loads of times...
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2019, 03:13:04 AM »

Lowengrins DCG will support mod maps and will work with vpmodpack. But you gonna loose all the 200+ updated stock dgen campaigns I included. Afaik same goes for Asuras Dgen. I am not aware of any good solution which would enable you to keep all the stock content and have campaigns on modded maps at the same time. I only use stock dgen camapigns, QMB and I build my own scripted missions with the FMB.

 :-[

I probably should have said that I've used Paul's DCG program as well with your VP Modpack. It's pretty good. But, the problem is that I cannot edit and tweak the campaigns. For example, I was playing the Solomon's campaign for the USMC (see below), with an excellent large map (Solomons4208/Solomons4210/Solomons4212). But then that campaign goes back to the stock, and very small, Guadalcanal map for some of 1942 and 43 for some odd reason  o_O . Then at the end of the campaign, it repeats 1942 and 1944? I tried editing the DCG files to include the large Solomons map for 1943. But, the campaign just crashes and I couldn't figure out a way to do it.

* US Marine Corps Pilot in the Pacific (DCG)
Dynamic campaign for a USMC pilot in the Pacific using Full Auto-Generation Mode.
Wake41 Wake 1941 (VMF-211)
Midway Midway 1942
Solomons4208 Solomon Islands (Guadalcanal: Summer 1942)
Solomons4210 Solomon Islands (Guadalcanal: Fall 1942)
Solomons4212 Solomon Islands (Guadalcanal: Winter 1942)
Guadalcanal42 Guadalcanal 1942
Guadalcanal43 Guadalcanal 1943
Palau Palau Islands 1944
Okinawa Okinawa 1945
Pacific42 Pacific Islands 1942 (Fictional Map)
Pacific44 Pacific Islands 1944 (Fictional Map)


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Tonyeh

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Re: Stupid Mods question that's probably been asked loads of times...
« Reply #4 on: May 29, 2019, 03:38:04 AM »

I didn't understand if you want to play already done campaigns or want to do your own...

A bit of both?

For instance, a 'Battle of France' campaign is nice. But, it's pointless (to me) if a 'Battle of Britain' doesn't follow it in the same grand campaign that covers the rest of the war.

So, for instance, I'd like to build a campaign that sees I/JG54 start in France in May 1940 (or even Poland, but I don't know if that map has been made). At the moment, my DGen campaign for I/JG54 looks like this:

* Fighter (I/JG54 North).
Dynamic campaign for German fighter pilot I/JG54 (army group "North").
KurlandJun41 Kurland June 1941
KurlandJul41 Kurland July 1941
Estonia41 Estonia July 1941
TallinandLeningrad41 Tallin and Leningrad, 1941
Leningrad42 Leningrad, 1942
Leningrad43early Leningrad, 1943
Kursk Kursk
Smolensklate43 central sector, 1943
Leningrad44 Leningrad, 1944
KurlandJun44 Kurland, The Baltic Gap, July 1944
KurlandAug44 Kurland, Operations Doppelkopf & Caesar, August 1944
KurlandOct44 Kurland, The Russian Breakthrough, October 1944
KurlandNov44 Kurland, The Second Battle, November 1944
KurlandDec44 Kurland, The Third Battle, December 1944
KurlandJan45 Kurland, The Fourth Battle, January 1945
KurlandFeb45 Kurland, The Fifth Battle, February 1945
KurlandMar45 Kurland, The Sixth Battle, March 1945
KurlandApr45 Kurland, The Final Days

I'd like to add a Battle of Poland1939, Battle of France 1940, and Battle of Britain 1940 to the top of that list, if possible.

Anyway, you can search for mine at M4T, which are almost all for Asura's DGen (whose specific version required by the campaign is always included in the pack of my own campaign!). Here is a list of some for 4.12 and containing large maps:

Bataille de France (for ModAct)

Murmansk expedition (for ModAct)

Pacific War (for ModAct)

Cheers for the links.
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Shakaali

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Re: Stupid Mods question that's probably been asked loads of times...
« Reply #5 on: May 29, 2019, 08:23:34 AM »


I tried editing the DCG files to include the large Solomons map for 1943. But, the campaign just crashes and I couldn't figure out a way to do it.



o_O

Don't do that. Believe me. Don't do that!

In order to swap a map in dcg campaign you need to alter A LOT of files: grandcampaign.dcg, maps.dcg, allcampaigns.dcg to name a few. And you'll have to create a new a master mission file and new road, railroad and sea route files for the campaign to work. It is a lot easier to create a new campaign from a scratch.

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Tonyeh

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Re: Stupid Mods question that's probably been asked loads of times...
« Reply #6 on: May 30, 2019, 03:27:20 AM »

Don't do that. Believe me. Don't do that!

In order to swap a map in dcg campaign you need to alter A LOT of files: grandcampaign.dcg, maps.dcg, allcampaigns.dcg to name a few. And you'll have to create a new a master mission file and new road, railroad and sea route files for the campaign to work. It is a lot easier to create a new campaign from a scratch.

Is there some guide that can show me how to do that?

I honestly don't mind trying to build some dynamic DCG campaigns. If it means that I can make one large master campaign that can span the war using the new maps that I've seen around. There's a large North Africa map that I've seen around that looks fantastic.

I wouldn't mind building a JG27 campaign that starts in France, goes through the battle of Britain and sees them head off to Africa and the med. Then back to Europe.

That would be kind of great.
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greybeard

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Re: Stupid Mods question that's probably been asked loads of times...
« Reply #7 on: May 30, 2019, 03:46:07 AM »

Someone said that even the longest journey begins with a small step.

The great campaign you would like to do requires years of work (months if you limit yourself to "sewing together" what has already been done about it): you have no idea of the resources that require historical research (if you don't want to do a "what-if "), the construction of the missions and their testing (the longest part), if you want to distribute a good product. If more, as in use today, you just want to collect some "likes", you just need to take care of the appearance and make a lot of noise. But if you want to have the esteem of yourself and others, you have to pour "blood, sweat and tears" (exaggerating a little, but I couldn't resist quoting Churchill!).

So start with a little thing ... and learn. Here you will find a lot of people helping you (but don't take everything literally ... cum grano salis).
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Shakaali

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Re: Stupid Mods question that's probably been asked loads of times...
« Reply #8 on: May 30, 2019, 03:49:43 AM »

Yes, Tailspin's DCG tutorial is very good. Download: https://www.mediafire.com/file/huplrffmqz0ooxt/dcg_campaign_info_v321.zip

It's old, but it still is mostly valid.

Once you understand the basics, I would suggest downloading some third party DCG campaigns from for example https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/board,265.0.html or M4T and study how they are constructed. Creating DCG campaings is not very difficult, but unfortunately learning curve is steep  :-|
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Tonyeh

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Re: Stupid Mods question that's probably been asked loads of times...
« Reply #9 on: May 30, 2019, 04:01:00 AM »

Yes, Tailspin's DCG tutorial is very good. Download: https://www.mediafire.com/file/huplrffmqz0ooxt/dcg_campaign_info_v321.zip

It's old, but it still is mostly valid.

Once you understand the basics, I would suggest downloading some third party DCG campaigns from for example https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/board,265.0.html or M4T and study how they are constructed. Creating DCG campaings is not very difficult, but unfortunately learning curve is steep  :-|

Cheers Shakalli. I'll have a look at that.
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bomberkiller

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Re: Stupid Mods question that's probably been asked loads of times...
« Reply #10 on: June 01, 2019, 01:04:59 AM »

Quote
Someone said that even the longest journey begins with a small step.

Hello greybeard,

was not that Confucius?!  ;)

Best regards,

Gerhard  :D
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vpmedia

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Re: Stupid Mods question that's probably been asked loads of times...
« Reply #11 on: June 01, 2019, 04:35:54 AM »

All you need to do is generate + download what's available and then connect the files with a single campaign.ini. Then you got a scripted JG54 campaign which can span the whole war. I can tell you how and what to do if you're willing to do a little work with a text editor and the fmb. It would way more easier, than starting from scratch in Lowengrings DCG. The downside is that a scripted campaign is always the same, hence has less replay value compared to autogenerated campaigns.
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