John Spartan

@Sickboy, mate do me a favour make sure that EULA and credits section from this F/A-18 E/F add-on's README is displayed on download and is mandatory to be accepted. same applies to Arma 2 version. drop me a PM if any questions. thanks' John

Looking at these amazing screenshots I get even more inspired for next version lads. Thanks' for feedback on this. one of my favourite screens [by Kanti_OM]

Thanks to Foxhound we have Armaholic download mirror, dropbox cant handle that a heavy traffic [we did not expected that] ARMA 3 v1.0 F/A-18 DOWNLOAD FROM ARMAHOLIC

@NodUnit thanks man , got the file, A2 version will definitely need that fix on MFD screens with next release.

@DrakeDearon, don't worry nobody is goanna pick on grammar here, myne is far from perfect as well @Eymerich - first selected weapon is "MARSTER ARM SAFE" - dummy weapon place holder used as "SAFE" function to prevent accidental MP bomb drop on your team mates [believe it happens with some pilots] - in arma 3 engine like in Ace in A2 to lock/engage you have to have clear line of sight and certain angle of attack on target to acquire lock. Wait until double diamond is showed = lock acquired - mirrors are Render to texture, I'll look into option to make them nicer for those people who don't use this feature.

@moerderhoschi - cool screens man, glad you like it. Give it a try in night with all formation markers and collision lights on. @BadHabitz, UI will be included in next update, similar to one we have in A2 version. I am currently working on it. ETA next weekend.

From Saul: "It has been a long journey. John and me with all of your support managed to build some really cool aircraft for our favorite game. This development process was demanding, interesting and even rewarding at same time. John & me are currently busy with some other projects that remain G14 classified however we have found a new owner for our mods. Please welcome TeTeT - he will be looking after the future updates for F/A-18E. As promised this mod will stay free and available to all community to enjoy. Special thanks' for assistance in development to: Franze, Gnat, Vengeance1, Iceman77, Rock & Lord Jarhead This is not goodbye or us stepping down - this is us move on to new secret projects and regrouping before next battle... Saul" Spartan out.

@MadMonkey, If you mean something like this - http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?158698-EB_Air-mod&p=2486896#post2486896 then it can be accomplished without me loosing a good job. Keep an eye on this tread.

@Simon, great, and regarding "tail hook" up and down then I have to say take a look in the manual - Setup And Instalation where this issue is mentioned. with default Arma setting these keys are mapped to same keys you are using to control your aircraft. Conflict, just remap them.

@Simon, Ok, I'll defiantly try to cover more in README with next release. Regarding your mission. What is happening: - mission is created - every unit is created with its own init scripts [in case of FA18 there is all there public variables set as default] - mission starts [i might a shortened the sequence] - other player joins in progress [or with a slight delay] and he resets all these variables to default, because his unit init is called, which overrides previously set values by trigger/init.sqf FULL AND DETAILED MANUAL ON MP MISSION EDITING IS FAUND HERE solution would be not set player as FA18 unit but as pilot and then with a script command move in as driver/gunner in his plane. By that you will archive that plane is created on mission start-up and all its init scripts are executed before player joins. In this way no matter when player joins in there will be aircraft waiting for him and with right settings. In this FA18 version 2.0 following settings are defined as public variables: FA18_FUEL_CONTROL FA18_SERVICE_OPTIONS FA18_GLTMISSILEBOX_LOADOUTS Loadouts - simple. In your mission you have to state a dependency/requirement on GLT missilebox. Also you don't need to play with FA18_GLTMISSILEBOX_LOADOUTS variable since in this add-on its used only to allow acces to GLT UI for arming, but since you wish to disable "Service Menu" then we can forget about it. Create a custom loadout script [sample in FA18 README], based on GLT missilebox clasnames [see GLT readme] and execute it on every aircraft you wish with triget or init.sqf To make it more easier I have made a quick MISSION TEAMPLATE - DOWNLOAD HERE in mission the situation is set up as you described, two GLT loadouts [E/F], 6 pilot slots, and all of pilots once join will be moved in their aircraft on ground, except one pilot who starts in mid air [if that slot is not taken, then relevant FA18 is deleted since no pilot in it]. Service menu is disabled. Respawn is set near hangars. To test place whole FA18_MP_SAMPLE.Chernarus folder in your ...\Documents\ArmA 2 Other Profiles\your profile\missions\ folder to gain access to it in editor. Let me know how is this working for you.

@Tom Tucka, yeah as Saul said - there is no quick way to get it set up with open canopy. Reason, animation is tied to in game controller "cabin" - so it cant be animated othervise. But you can move an AI pilot in FA18 and set fuel to 0, in that case crew ladder/canopy will be animated [useful for screenshots/cut scenes]. The might be a possibility to remove fuel and move in a "fake" invisible pilot in FA18, theoretically that can be done. @Chortles, man you are a "part of the furniture" on these forums, you should now by now - no surprises on fixed wing are coming. We all seen BI presentations, statements, so I don't think that 12th September will bring as any big changes regarding fixed wing, so far flight model, concept of gameplay is exactly as in A2. Only addition that can be easily utilized is Picture in Picture for MFD and targeting. As for what's under the hood you can already see that in config placements in "Development branch" @NodUnit, thanks for a kind work Sir. I have been so busy playing with switches on that rotary beast you lads done, so I have not even noticed MFD rvmat setting you have done. Sure I would like to learn how you managed to get that done, I'll drop you a PM latter on, thanks. Individual rearming is something Franze placed as concept in our minds since OFP. Remember... ...good old days, so not having it now feel just not right.

Ok, slight update. As I have spoken to Eggbeast, and we have decided to give a try to collaborate on this one to archive a best result. Here is something I would like to share as a concept: So as Eggbeast asked me to create UI for all vanilla BI aircraft so latter we can add this type of functionality/support to any default plane with support of GLT missilebox and meny other weapon mods.

small video to quickly show main changes for version 2.0 of these "bad boys"

@Modder, mate, as for setting up keyboard keys then please see the full readme, the shortcut keys we use for two extra actions are not used in game. http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b531/John_Rybeck/FA18%20v2%20RELEASE/ARMA2_FA18_controls_setupcopy_zpsc77293fd.jpg (102 kB) just unbind them and you can use action menu only. This Is matter of preference. Regarding RAAF texture, thanks' we will take a look at this.

version 2.0 released [please see the first post] This particular update is for ArmA 2/OA/CO game engine. FAQ Q: Is there goanna be ARMA 3 version? A: Yes. ArmA 3 version is already in decent stage of development, Saul is taking project lead over this version and we will share it soon...

I like that you are saying "yet", I'll be waiting then, keep up the good work.

@Delat Hawk Ok, thanks for replay man, just thought I have missed something. Great quality, and like that you utilized hidden selections [i guess] to have a reasonable add-on size.

@Delta Hawk, mate your signature also says something about US Air force - any pilot models from that era. Like USAF fighter pilot? I saw USMC and US ARMY troops in editor but could no find pilots?

Congrats Delta Hawk, well done.

Franze and NodUnit, congratulation's n release. This is a true masterpiece. I really like the level of simulation and visual model is very well done.

@Tonic87, mate, don't wait till update, this is really good quality campaign. Its designed well, all the effects needed is present. Ambiance is brilliant. Just drop the CO, and give it a try. @Sarge and the development team - love it I'll recommend this to my friends as a "must have" campaign. How did you managed to control silly AI to move so preffesionaly, even crossing the roads they are covering each other like in RL Russian SOP?

Launch trailer looks awesome, downloading it straight away.

Panther you are my HERO! Just tested your mission. I had something similar but not in such scale and complexity. Mate if you can pack this as a MODULE and to set up just sync with carrier and planes with few in it parameters it would be priceless. From what I tested it seamlessly creates AI AIR traffic ambiance. Perfect for SP. Mission designers should use this for Carrier Ops as a base. Also maybe instead of "side chat" radio messages its worth of thinking about some real voices recorded and used as air traffic control. That cant be that hard, and if you want send me a list of phrases/scripts and I'll get my squad to do some voice acting. Brilliant. Don't you dare to abandon this project [RL off curse is a priority]. John

Hi man, there are a lots of tutorials and at this moment I would say that A2 tutorials are containing all the information you need for beginning and till all information/tools will be updated to A3. Just search a "arma 2 retexture" or "arma 2 texturing tutorial" in google - a lot is coming up. As for basic idea I will say then its probably using "hidden selections" within model [if such are defined by model author] and using setobjecttexture command changing assigned texture. it can be done in editor and storing your new textures in mission file, or creating a separate pbo [bI TOOLS for A2 will do the job]. 1. So to get started first you need to find out does the model of unit you want to retexture have any "hidden selections" on it. To do that in editor place the unit and in its initialization field type: once you hit "preview you will notice that a part of model is missing, so that tells you which particular part is hiddenselection "0" I used UH80 ghosthawk as a test and using I can clearly see that 0, and 1 hidden selections are relevant to hull textures. Some units might have even more hidden slections so keep changing the number in that line representing hidden part of model. So basically what we done is removed the texture path/texture itself. 2. Now we need to find the base textures so we can edit them before putting them back. Normally using pbo tool like Elitnes [for A2] you should be able to open BI original game file archives to access textures. In case of UH80 its a pbo called air_f_beta in "...\Steam\SteamApps\common\Arma 3\Addons" folder. Make a copy of it and open it with Elitness. Then just browse and find the texture you are looking to change. In UH80 case for both of first two hidden selections its one texture called "heli_transport_01_ext01_co.paa". 3. Once you have the original texture, you can edit it in your preferred program. I wont cover this part it's plenty of tutorials how to use Gimp or Photoshop. 4. Once you texture is done you have two ways to get it game: a) place this texture in your mission folder [for example My_fisrtmission.stratis folder which is located in "...\Documents\Arma 3 - Other Profiles\My_Profile_name\missions". NOTE mission] which was created after you saved your mission in editor. Now start up the game and in editor for the same unit in its initialization field put: hit preview, you should see that first "hiddenselection" - 0 is now replaced/reassigned with new texture [your texture]. Repeat/add same code with relevant selection numbers to archive same effect for other parts of unit model. this is an easiest and quickest way. b) in case if its more then one or two textures its would be advised to create a custom pbo [using A2 BI tools], othervise your mission file will be to large and people wont want to wait and download it. So create a My_addon_name folder, place your textures in it and create a PBO [wont cover this read about BI tools here ] After created your pbo you have to create a modefolder in game where to place it. To do that in your "...\Steam\SteamApps\common\Arma 3" folder create new folder "@My_MOD" and alter the steam launcher parameters "-mod=@My_MOD". By doing this you make your new content available to be used in game. so now again in your mission in units initialization field put similar code as we don if our new textures would be in same mission folder just with a diffrenece that we add our new PBO path again in edit hit preview and you should be able to see your texture. Also you can create a full new/replacement config for your unit. That will require a correct config file for your addon. I wont go thru this - information here will cover this and there is plenty of tutorials about creating custom config files [replacement configs]. That's basically all there is, its a simple procedure, just a bit of common sense and you are there. Hope this helps. BTW next time probably would be better if such topic would be started in ADDONS/MODS EDITING section since it's not realy about mission editing. Otherwise forum moderators might remind about the forum rules mate.

Eggbeast, would you be interested to take this idea to a next level? Instead of allowing user to chose from loadout presets, give user/pilot a full control of every single instance of weapon/ordinance loaded. If you want I can share a fully working set of scripts and UI config. I would love to see such mod for all vanilla game aircraft. Drop me a PM if you are interested man, would be glad to help you out with this great mod.