I need some help - cfs2 ships to FS2004 scenery objects

michaelvader

michaelvader

Members +
Hallo,
can some one explain me in detail how to use cfs2 ships to FS2004 scenery to utilise them
for a atlantic convoy scenery ?
and tell mewhich software I would need?

Yours
Michael "Papi" Vader

vaderteuton@aol.com
 
Unfortunately CFS2 ships cannot be converted wirth SAMM (Static Aircraft Model Maker). Someone of the members here told that could be done with MdlConverterX. I haven't been able do convert them.

If you don't get any suitable answer to your question, you still have the opportunity to place the ships as static AI with some small Afcad. But then you have to replace aircraft.cfg and the air file by other ones. So get in touch again if you haven't solved your problem.

Bernard
 
Before you even consider this a project you need to get perms.

Collin's ships are off the list of port overs. You can contact Tom Sanford if you want to ask him about them.

If you contact Stuart he could make his ships for FS2004 easy enough.

I don't know who to get intouch with for the VN ships.
 
Sorry, but I never heard that using models as flyable, AI or static object needs some perms, as long as the use remains in the own system. Nobody here speaks about releasing something somewhere!


Bernard
 
It's true that Static Aircraft Model Maker won't convert CFS-2 models, but there are plenty of FS8 and FS9 ship models that can be converted. FS Shipyards has scads of them. There are others at sites like AvSim and FlightSim.

I once got a CFS-2 ship to show up in FS9, but only for second or two. As soon as I brought the ship into view on my screen, the sim would crash. I never figured out how to prevent that. It would seem that if you can get the ship to show up, there should be a way to keep it from crashing the sim, but maybe not. I couldn't do it, and when I posted about it here, nobody else knew how either.

Permissions are not necessary if you're doing this for your own use. Of course, if you release your work to the public (which would be nice!) then perms would be necessary.
 
Hm, this got me thinking about putting few Regia Marina ships into Adriatic Sea, i downloaded Scipione Africano from CFS2 archive added dirty .air and aircraft.cfg files and it is alive! Now i need to figure how to do that ai thing
 
cfs2 ships to fs9 static objects - atlantic convoy

Hallo,

hmmm all your answers do let me very sad.
In fact I hoped that some one of the scenery experts would pick up the idea to make an aditional scenery
to fit with the Focke Wulf Kondor (or if not so far from french or norway coast, also for the Ju 88).
It would have been nice to have such an scenery as an object where to go with these planes.
I did as some one told me to do a scenery with afcad as an fctional airport and than added some ships.
I works - but is soooo poor that I would not publish it. Also as I used EZ-scenery to place the ships I do not know
what is to include in an eventual release.

Yours
Michael "Papi" Vader
 
Michael,

Actually I'am abroad, and I haven't any access to my FS9. But in ten days I could setup a scenery sample with some static AI Liberty ships and dynamic wakes. It would look like the Midway carrier (last picture at the bottom) shown in my thread of last January.

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?84937-Some-classic-aircraft-carriers

However, don't expexct that the wakes are seen even miles from the positions. So your Focke-Wulf has to pay enormous attention!

Bernard
 
Don't give up the ship...

I would not be sad. Your project isn't dead yet. Here is what you need to do to move forward.

--If you want the stock ships then that will be very easy. There are a few of us that can help get the MDLs into FS2004. If you have GMax I could help you. Yes ModelconvertX would be the way to go for that. Basicaly export the model as a 3ds model. Then you can Import it in to GMax. From there it will need some work. Though you might be disapointed by the lack of detail in the model.

--For Stuart's Ships, Contact Stuart. All of his ships are made with GMax. He does include the source files in with his models so if you want to compile them yourself it would be easy enough. I could help but I have no way of testing. I don't have a copy of FS2004 sadly. He just release some new models that are MLOD. That would be a good option.

--Some of Collins ships have been made available for FS2004 I believe. With the passing of Collin earlier this year I don't know if any future projects would be possible. Like I said before you will need to contact Tom Sanford (Tango_Romeo) and see if any can be made available. I have his Email and would be happy to pass on the request or PM it to you. OR, go to SimV and download one of his models. Its in the readme.

--As for the others such as Virtual Navy or Usio no Ibuki/cfs2 ships. I don't know who you would need to talk to. You also have the GroundCrews ships. Again no idea who you have to contact. With Permission the same ModelconvertX to Gmax could be used. I just don't know who you have to ask.

AIR files for ships should be easy enough. you can copy an existing one that matches. I'm sure there are plenty.

So if you want to move forward that is where to start. Wish I could help with the AI work. but again no FS2004

I say get the perms for what ever ship or ships you want then share it with the others. You may want to post this in the CFS2 forum. Many of the others may know how to reach the required parties.

Good luck. You can contact me if you want to try the Gmax approach on your own.

Till Later,
John
 
Virtual Navy ships...

I sent crashaz a PM. Though crashaz hasn't been on since April 25. So we'll have to wait and see. If you have a list of ships you'd like then maybe we can go from there.

Didn't the Hog Islander get made for FS2004?

kikas,

If some one wants to test them out I can ask Stuart to use His Italian ships. I'm sure he wouldn't mind. I'll just need someone to run it through the sim and check for bugs. I can do the air and cfgs but I can't test.

so let me know.

Till Later,
John
 
I converted Wolfi's ships to stat objects, If your willing to do the legwork, ie. getting permissions, I'll try the ground work. It's a touch easier than ModConX + Gmax. Ivan Hsus' mdlc, ModConX and LibraryCreatorXML is all I needed.

You'll find Wolfis' ships by clicking my sig pic (I think the actual pic is missing, lol)

Jamie
 
cfs2 ships to fs2004 static objects - atlantic convoy

JDTinballs said:
I converted Wolfi's ships to stat objects, If your willing to do the legwork, ie. getting permissions, I'll try the ground work. It's a touch easier than ModConX + Gmax. Ivan Hsus' mdlc, ModConX and LibraryCreatorXML is all I needed.

You'll find Wolfis' ships by clicking my sig pic (I think the actual pic is missing, lol)

Jamie
Click to expand...

Hallo,
what I need as ships or what would be fine to have some Liberty ships, some tankers and fregates or corvettes (flower class) in the convoy.
In fact three or four different ships.
The ships I have in ez-scenery, hmmm for the fregate and the tanker it might go but for the cargos I miss a liberty type ship to ue with ez scenery.
all that is of course static.
I have any experperiance in scenery building and I have enough work with my panels in fact.
yours
Papi
 
michaelvader said:
Hallo,
what I need as ships or what would be fine to have some Liberty ships, some tankers and fregates or corvettes (flower class) in the convoy.
In fact three or four different ships.
The ships I have in ez-scenery, hmmm for the fregate and the tanker it might go but for the cargos I miss a liberty type ship to ue with ez scenery.
all that is of course static.
I have any experperiance in scenery building and I have enough work with my panels in fact.
yours
Papi
Click to expand...

I'll get the stock CFS2 tanker and merchant and let you look at them. For FS2004 there might not be enough detail. They will be MLOD (I think).

So I'll let you decide on that.

I'll post some pics once I'm done.
 
Hi Folks,
A 'quick and dirty' convoy, mid Northern Atlantic.

Using Phil Crowther's open-source fsds model of a Liberty ship. Static set of 8 ships in convoy.


Yes, there is a hit on FR's, as these are not multi-LOD (yet), no smoke or wake. Anyway, would be good to get a mix of merchant ships, barrage ballons, naval ships, wakes, smoke etc..and maybe even make it move?!!

Cheers

Shessi
 
Shessi,

Yeah that sounds like the plan. Having a huntable AI convoy.

I think with some LODs the Liberty ship would be great.

How picky is FS2004 on the poly count? Is it as bad as CFS2?
 
Here are some pics of the stock SHA_Tanker which is the US tanker. You can see what I mean about the lack of detail.

SHA_Tanker.jpgSHA_Tanker2.jpg

It is Multi LOD. With some effects it wouldn't be too bad. The whole model with LODs is only 966 polys. So it would be easy on the Frame rate. Even in larger numbers.

I have to get perms to use the Air and CFG file. They are from Cees Donkers Liberty Ship. You may want to take a look at that one.

Well let me know what you think.

Till Later,
John

Update:

I had a few holes in the model. Those are now fixed.

The merchant is finished. It looks a little better but the hull is Huge. Probably made so the darn torpedos hit it every time.

If anyone would like to test them out just PM me your email. I'm adding a dummy panel for use with AI. If you want to use them yourself you'll have to add a panel. sound is set to the FS9 stock C182. Textures are stock CFS2.
 
Last edited:
Atlantic convoy ships

Hi Shessy,

I have seen your screenshots.
Yes that is what I think about!
Do you want to release this as a add on for FS2004 ?
Would be fine to introduce it in my scenery.
And if you uplöad it that might be fine that in my upcomming FS200 panel and modifications I can point to that scenery.
Yours Papi
 
John,
That's great news, looking good. I think there may be several options in doing this.

1) A static scenery set, including all the 'bells and whistles', ie. mix of ships, with wake, smoke, U-boats, all multi-LOD or low poly versions. Which copies of, could be placed anywhere.

2) A simpler moving convoy, if moving is possible?, but it would have to be low poly, low ad-on effects etc, for FR purposes.


Also, please don't think the ships have to be too detailed, as we/you'll be looking and flying past them at some distance and speed, after all this is not M$ Convoy Simulator! ;). Thoughts?

M$ are not going to be bothered by us modding and using the CFS2 ships, but most are very poorly detailed and maybe a step too far in low quality. The Groundcrew ships though are a great combo, lots to choose from, look very good, multi-LODs and Greg was happy for me to use part of his Fw200, so I'm sure (hope!), that he wouldn't mind us using his ships.

Papi,
This is only a trial, to see what we can get going, so no I won't be uploading. I'd like to wait and see what BH/John comes up with, as hopefully we can all put something into the pot.

Cheers

Shessi
 
Hey Shessi,

PM me your email and I'll send what I have so far. I wish I had a copy of FS2004. I'd love to test it. I'll have to have you all do that for me.

I've used AFCAD with F2002. So I know the basics. Now I haven't used it in years. So, could we add a couple ports and have a group of ships travel the route?

I realize the setup for the ports will have to be carefully thought out. We may end up with ships on land before the actually stop in port. Unless we put the main passage/shipping lane (runway) well away from land. Then have the taxi ways and parking come closer. If you time the arrival and departures you could have some interesting shipping traffic. Just a though. you figure They work much in the same way.

Does FS2004 have a limit to the number of aircraft? As my thoughs are trying to have the AI use the ships.

If you think you can get perms for the groundcrews ships that would be great. They would be excellent models to use. I think the conversion could be very smooth.

I don't like the textures on the stock CFS2 models. The mapping for the hulls just isn't right. I may adjust the textures themselves. It would take me a while to remap them.

I have two more nights of work then I'll have a couple days off. I'll try to do some work on them then.

Papi,

I'll release the ships after the testing has been completed. I'd hate to upload something that doesn't work. The models will have to be run through the sim. That way I know they compiled correctly.


Here is an after though;
Would be nice to add a Light map for night use. I realize these are WWII ships but they would look great that way for use in later eras.

Till Later,
John
 
Atlantic convoy

Hallo,

I am realy hot and looking forwar to what will come.
As I have not a lot of time to make the last work for the Fw200 panels we are not in a hurry.
So I will wait till I might point in my text files to yours work. so later the ones who fly the Kondor would have an object whwere to go.
Yours
Papi
 
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