[Astrotrooper]

Well, great job on the game (mod). Probably a huge job from the looks of it. Buut - at least from my point of view - any flying game without a cockpit is only half-done. (I greatly missed having this feature on the otherwise great (but now dead) beyond the red line mod/game (and it's also awesome that diaspora went the extra 10 yards))

But to get to the point I spent the last 4 days poring over the data here and on other forums, and trying everything short of hotwiring my PC., and after considerable trial and error - I managed to solve the problem.

Sooo - for all of you out there who would sure like - but don't want to wait forever for a perfect 3d cockpit with animated arms, remote control turrets on a functioning screen, and armed drones to remote pilot - here's a simple cockpit. It's based on the generic cockpit (Vasudian Admiral - I believe?) made.

So here it is:

http://www.gamefront.com/files/22434263/cockpit.patch.rar

or

http://www.filedropper.com/cockpitpatch

zip version

http://www.filedropper.com/cockpit


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Upgraded version -

rar -

http://www.filedropper.com/variant2

http://www.gamefront.com/files/22497740/variant2.rar

zip -

http://www.filedropper.com/variant2_1

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To use:

1 - install WCS
2 - install the current patch (1.1.0.7822 - 27/03/2012)
3 - back up the patch .vp file (it's inside your main WCS folder) - and replace with the .vp file provided

The generic cockpit model is the same for every ship, but differentiating the distance from the point of view slightly, and parts from the model showing above and around it makes each one feel slightly different  (the thunderbolt looks cooool) - the hellcat's cockpit might not be to everyone's liking the part showing above is slightly "out of character" (it's a support but it's slightly angular - not round as it should be) - so you can just extract the showship-shp table from the .vp, erase hellcat entries, and replace the modded file into the vp., and if the shine/glint annoys you, you can erase TerranCockpit1-Shine.dds from the maps folder.

The gages don't match up - but that's ok - I like to believe it's a helmet-projected display - still you're in a cockpit. (I will be making some improvements, might even add a couple generic cockpit models of my own for ships with metal supports in their cockpit - and for ships like the longbow)

Feel free to tweak stuff - you can also complain - but keep in mind I downloaded WCS about a week ago and I never tryed modding this game before.. (so any advice I give you could blow up your pc, or start a fire - stuff like that..)


BTW I tryed getting all the custom missions others have made - like something about a sabre and a convoy raid - well the link is dead - if you have custom missions you want to share, you might want to put up some functional links, and it also might not be a bad idea to start a repository somewhere.. for all the downloadable stuff..
 

[Deathsnake]

Nice I try the fighters, but on the Ferret, Sabre and Rapier 2 there are some errors:


This pic is made in Space but you see a wall before you.

Can you fix it?

[Astrotrooper]

Well, so far in the campaign I only had access to the arrow, the thunderbolt, the longbow, and the hellcat. (as I said I only got WCS recently, and spent most of that time trying to figure out how to get the cockpit working) (I have not pulled the models out and tryed them separately - that is something I don't know how to do yet)

I decided to share the fix anyway (before prefecting it 100%) - for the benefit of those like myself - yearning to fly something that feels like a spacecraft.

But my guess is it would have to be the model - it's defintely not the cockpit itself.. You can probably fix it by pulling out the showship-shp table from the vp, and erasing the showship entries for Ferret, Sabre and Rapier 2 - and than sticking it back - that should probably do it. (or just plain erasing the showship-shp table - but than you lose the lovely little extras on the thunderbolt, and probably a couple other fighters)

I will fix the main patch myself in the next upgrade - if possible I will also upgrade the displays.. (soon as I figure out how to open up .dds files) Untill than, just pretend it snowed in the hangar bay....

Luckily the patch is very easy to install, unisnstall, and change around - all you have to do is change out the patch .vp. So anyone who wants to use the current one does not really have to make much of an effort, and can just change it when the better one comes along.

[headdie]

I would recommend you download the mission editor, and in the blank mission go into editor->team loadout, make sure all the playable fighters are selected and there is at least 1 of each fighter.  finally select the fighter in the mission, press alt+w and name it alpha and save the mission in ...\WCSage\name of your mod\data\missions then in game you can go into the techroom select mission and make sure the option at the bottom is set to single mission and your test mission should show up.  when you load it you will have access to the loadout options top left of the briefing screen and be able to set you fighter to test each cockpit

[Astrotrooper]

I would recommend you download the mission editor, and in the blank mission go into editor->team loadout, make sure all the playable fighters are selected and there is at least 1 of each fighter.  finally select the fighter in the mission, press alt+w and name it alpha and save the mission in ...\WCSage\name of your mod\data\missions then in game you can go into the techroom select mission and make sure the option at the bottom is set to single mission and your test mission should show up.  when you load it you will have access to the loadout options top left of the briefing screen and be able to set you fighter to test each cockpit

Well.. that saves me having to look it up..   However the reason I don't know how to use FRED yet is because I haven't gotten around to FREDDING yet.. Rest assured when the time comes for that, I will read all the "paperwork".. Though I won't claim I'm beyond the need for friendly advice here and there...

Any suggestions for programs that can open up, convert, or modify .dds files would be a lot more useful at this time. Also any working links to available unofficial (ie. fan-made) missions and campaigns. (I already have the WC4 campaign, the behind enemy lines campaign, and the capships arena sp. mission)

I also have a couple of 3ds models in the works - fredding I'll get into when it comes time to test my own models, and check out some of scooby's for a potential custom mission or two. I also have an idea for a campaign - but unless there are a few others interested I won't even try making it.

[Dragon]

You're using VA's generic FS cockpit. That's not really what I'd like to see. Could you try re-creating actual WC2 and WC3 cockpits, or getting someone to do this? Even if there are no animations, they'd be a much better addition.

[The E]

Any suggestions for programs that can open up, convert, or modify .dds files would be a lot more useful at this time. Also any working links to available unofficial (ie. fan-made) missions and campaigns. (I already have the WC4 campaign, the behind enemy lines campaign, and the capships arena sp. mission)

Paint.net can open and save them just fine; for simple viewing/conversion stuff, IrfanView can do it too (may have to install the plugin pack though),

You're using VA's generic FS cockpit. That's not really what I'd like to see. Could you try re-creating actual WC2 and WC3 cockpits, or getting someone to do this? Even if there are no animations, they'd be a much better addition.

Don't listen to this. A release that is halfway there is always preferable to a release that is delayed forever.

[General Battuta]

You're using VA's generic FS cockpit. That's not really what I'd like to see. Could you try re-creating actual WC2 and WC3 cockpits, or getting someone to do this? Even if there are no animations, they'd be a much better addition.

How about you try recreating actual WC2 and WC3 cockpits and help this guy out?

[Dragon]

I could try, but with the amount of things I've got on my head, I don't think I'll be able to do this in the forseeable future. I could configure RTT for them though, once it's in (and once Saga can run on a build with RTT...).

[Astrotrooper]

Any suggestions for programs that can open up, convert, or modify .dds files would be a lot more useful at this time. Also any working links to available unofficial (ie. fan-made) missions and campaigns. (I already have the WC4 campaign, the behind enemy lines campaign, and the capships arena sp. mission)

Paint.net can open and save them just fine; for simple viewing/conversion stuff, IrfanView can do it too (may have to install the plugin pack though),

Cool - I already have Infranview - I'll try it out.

You're using VA's generic FS cockpit. That's not really what I'd like to see. Could you try re-creating actual WC2 and WC3 cockpits, or getting someone to do this? Even if there are no animations, they'd be a much better addition.

Don't listen to this. A release that is halfway there is always preferable to a release that is delayed forever.

Well I don't do requests , but as they say sharing is caring.

[Astrotrooper]

I could try, but with the amount of things I've got on my head, I don't think I'll be able to do this in the forseeable future. I could configure RTT for them though, once it's in (and once Saga can run on a build with RTT...).

Try asking Scooby-Doo - he might take the time to do it. (or he might already have something)

[Astrotrooper]

Well, while I'm at it.....

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/838/hound1.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/191/hound2v.jpg/

The bottom one will be called and F-3 "hound" (or something other appropriate) and the idea is it's an old old old fighter taken out of storage and upgraded.

The top one (based on a model by SolCommand) is a modifyed worker bee craft, modifyed to be used as a missile defense pod (also useful for a variety of other tasks).

[Astrotrooper]

Here's an upgrade - the counsel has some graphics on it, didn't come out as well as I hoped - it's fuzzy and unreadable, but it's better than the blank screens. Also the problems with the Ferret, Sabre and the Rapier 2 should be fixed now.

rar -

http://www.filedropper.com/variant2

http://www.gamefront.com/files/22497740/variant2.rar

zip -

http://www.filedropper.com/variant2_1

[Flygit]

Links are dead. Anyone got them?

[Flygit]

I fixed it myself. It is the VA generic cockpit. Sometimes the cockpit shakes a bit. I was told it is caused by the engine itself. It's a minor issue.

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?xx1222cqbzflf7a
Install with JSGME or drop the data folder into your root wcsaga folder.

[Woolie Wool]

What about FreeSpace's own mod folder system instead of a hack like JSGME?

[Flygit]

I suppose you could select the mod folder in WCS launcher. I'm not an expert freespace modder so I don't know what disadvantages my method has but it works and I had no errors on my playthrough.

JSGME is not a hack, it just makes it easier for the user to easily enable mods. Automatically makes backups and restores them when you disable the mod.

Just enjoy the cockpit. It really helped me with TrackIR.