HOME

 

_F4Weather 1.10 (Works with SuperPAK)__________________

Update 2004: F4Weather can not be used with BMS, as it features a completely new weather engine!

F4weather allows you to apply different "typical" weather patterns (with corresponding wind directions, windspeeds and temperatures) to Falcon 4 missions. It can be applied to saved campaigns, TE's, training missions, instant action and dogfights.

A number of typical weather patterns come pre-installed, giving you different types of cloud cover and wind speed/direction. More can be created using the advanced features (see below). I'll release more and improved add-on patterns in the future. You can then simply copy them into the F4weather-folder.

The classic weather patterns are now directly integrated into SuperPAK!

Therefore, F4Weather is only needed if you want to create additional weather patterns or if you want to change the wind speed/direction, temperature or weather in an existing TE. This makes F4Weather a nice tool for TE-creators: use it to add your own weather!).

Disclaimer: This software works for me and others that have tested it. Still, all missions manipulated the first time are being backuped as "MISSIONNAME.bak". I don't take no whatsoever etc. (see standard licences as seen in commercial software ;-) F4Weather is freeware.

 

_History____________________________________

15.12.2002 - Homepage revised

7.7.2001 - Version 1.10 released!

New features include:

  • Edit INSTANT.CAM to change the weather in dogfight and instant action
  • New and improved weather patterns, hand-crafted for best effects with eFalcon 1.10
  • "Radar images" of the weather situation
  • Random button to ease your management decisions ;-)
  • Theater independent (also works with Balkans Terrain)

16.4.2001 - First Public release

 

_Download Mirrors_____________________________

F4Weather 1.10 (2.5 MB)

 

_Installation_____________________________

  • (Uninstall any previous version of F4Weather)
  • Unzip
  • Run the installer. You MUST choose the "falcon4/f4weather"-folder to install the f4weather-application (Should be preselected).
  • Run the application, select the mission in which you want to edit the cloud pattern/weather information, select the weather pattern you want to apply, hit the "Go!" button
  • Play your favorite mission and enjoy the "weather"

 

_Tips_____________________________

  • Altering INSTANT.CAM now changes the weather in instant action and dogfight modes (You don't need my f4p_instant_clouds patch any longer)
  • When using SuperPAK, you can "set g_fCloudMinHeight 2000" in SPconfig.cfg to get some really low hanging clouds (starting at 4500 ft). But beware of the mountains in cloudy weather!
  • Don't use "silly" values - error checking isn't fully implemented
  • There is a bug in the Weather briefing screen in Falcon 4: the wind direction shown is 180° off the "real" direction inside the sim (as used in DED, HUD, Clouds, Smoke)
  • If you want, you can still use some of the "fast build" patches - but they're probably aren'tt needed any longer.

 

_Contact_____________________________

Thomas "tom2" Wälti, (twaelti AT dplanet.ch)

 

_Thanks_____________________________

  • Julian "Codec" Onions (weather edits in eFalcon 1.10, data information, Tacedit [and thousands of other countless contributions to the F4 community])
  • 607th Weather Squadron, Yongsan, Republic of Korea (for a in-depth website about the Korean weather)

 

_Troubleshooting_____________________________

In some rare circumstances (<5 ‰ of the Users), due to a "bad" Windows installation on your System, launching F4Weather after a successful install will result in one of the errors listed below. Please take the described action to resolve the problem.

  • Upon "Runtime error 429: Active x component can't creat object", uninstall F4Weather and answer YES, when
    asked if you want to remove the shared file "SCRRUN.DLL". Then do a simple re-install.
  • Upon "Runtime error 430: Class does not support automation or does not support expected interface", go to Microsoft's scripting webpage (http://www.microsoft.com/msdownload/vbscript/scripting.asp), download the scripting update (600 kB) and install it. This will update some key libraries needed by F4Weather, which are probably screwed up on your system due to another software install.
  • Upon "Runtime error 713: Class not registered. You need the following to be installed on your machine. MSSTDFMT.DLL", go to the START Menu, select RUN and type "Regsvr32 c:\windows\system\msstdfmt.dll". This will re-register a key library needed by F4Weather.

 

_Additional plug-in patterns_____________________________

10.8.2001 Scattered Storm (60 kB) - Screenshot 1 - Screenshot 2 - Screenshot 3
19.8.2001

Training.Kunsan.Bad (30 kB) / Training.Kunsan.Worse (30 kB)
These weather patterns are for SuperPAK only and contain "bad weather situations" for the area around Kunsan airport. Apply them to the landing trainings (training missions 9-11) to test your navigation skills and to experience SuperPAK's weather engine.
 
How to install: Click name to download - unzip - drop folder into F4Weather folder - relaunch F4Weather

 

PS: Did you know that the clouds in Falcon 4 are moving according to wind speed and direction?

 
 

_Advanced Features________________

You can make your own weather!

  • Use the template.pcx found in the F4Weather folder
  • Draw your weather using the first 16 colors of the palette and save the picture in RAW mode (upside down).
  • Use the CONVERT mode [File Menu] in F4weather to convert the file from .raw to .wtr (=weather). You can choose cloud types and altitude from the GUI: each color has two fields, first the cloud type (4 or higher, meaning cloud thickness in 250 feet) and then the cloud heigth (in 100 ft). There's also an option to directly apply the converted file to a selected mission - this is handy for testing new cloud patterns and styles. I'm glad for your experiments, as I still haven't found optimum settings.
  • Create a new subfolder in F4weather and rename it to your weather
  • Move your weather-file created by the converter into the subfolder and rename it weather.wtr
  • Add a weather.txt file as a description (First line: weather description, 2nd line: wind direction, 3rd line: wind speed, 4th line: temperature -> Take a look at the existing patterns to get the idea)
  • If you want, you can add the files screenshot.jpg and cover.jpg (set the white color to grey in your template, increase color depth to 24bit, blur, and save as JPG)
  • Restart F4weather. It will re-read the available folders and include your newly made pattern.

 

The installer for this product was created using Installer VISE from MindVision Software. For more information on Installer VISE, contact:

MindVision Software
5901 North 58th Street
Lincoln, NE 68507

Voice: (402) 323-6600
Fax: (402) 323-6611
E-mail: mindvision@mindvision.com
http://www.mindvision.com

 

Last revision of this document: 20.11.2001