Just a quick comment on the frame rate issue. After a lot of experimenting we've found that multi-LOD models are the way to go for all aircraft used in missions. Where possible most of the Fox Four aircraft have now been updated to multi-LOD. Providing you have the original source files, poly count can be reduced considerably with a little thought & the extra models are easily added once you understand the principle. Collin has done the same with his ships & nobody could say they're not highly detailed. The improvement in frame rates is dramatic & makes those furball type missions possible even on low-end systems.

Highly complex visual models are very nice to look at but this makes them very graphics intensive. When you're in combat all you're likely to see of the Player aircraft is the DVC if it has one. You won't get close enough to the AI aircraft to notice small details. The ideal is one model for both Player & AI aircraft. This is not always possible & if necessary you can create special low poly unflyable AI drones without a DVC & all the other bells & whistles.

PS. To save time we tried updating a couple of our old CFS1 AI Only drones for our new Red Star campaign. This works very well as being comparatively simple visual models these are far less graphics intensive than FSDS2 or Gmax models. This works fine for jets but might not be ideal for WWI aircraft as the animated prop disks will not display. They obviously don't have breaking parts or a DVC. Here's a shot of the ex CFS1 F-84E drone during testing of the DP. The MiG 15 is Fang's latest multi-LOD Player aircraft with full DVC & breaking parts.

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Why not large bombers & Zepps? Collin's ships are bigger than both & making them multi-LOD increased frame rates dramatically.

If I was doing this I would choose a couple from your list to use as Player aircraft & create your own fully flyable versions with multi-LOD models & DVC as you wish. Depending on how much time you have there are existing CFS1 versions of most of the others. These are very small files & could be easily converted for use as AI Only drones for your missions. AI Only drones don't need panel or sound providing the folders are left intact so removing these could make them even smaller. Some might need the AIR files tweaking to perform properly in CFS2 as AI aircraft. The DP files might also need updating. They all have fixed gear so the only missing animation in AI would be the transparent prop disks. I've tried a couple in QC & that doesn't seem a problem. Of course, you should seek permission from the authors to use them but if it's done properly I can't see them objecting. These can always be replaced with your own versions when you have the time to do it.

You or someone else could create basic AI Only versions of aircraft you can't find. This would take less time than fully flyable versions with all the bells & whistles & allows you to get on with other aspects of the campaign. If this is an ongoing project these can always be replaced with flyable versions later. This is the way we do it at Fox Four.

Just curious - what's 'Multi-LOD'?

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Basically correct. The M$ default aircraft are Multi-LOD (Multiple Level of Detail) - sometimes known as Multi-Resolution -  models. These are actually several different versions of the same aircraft set up to display according to the distance they're viewed from. The number of models varies but is usually a minimum of four. With single resolution models the sim has to read the graphics intensive High Detail model even when they're tiny specks on the screen. On a multi-LOD aircraft the Low Detail model might be a very basic shape made up from a couple of flat double-sided polygons. This is obviously far less graphics intensive & obviously improves frame rates. This feature is ideal for use with AI aircraft & ships.

PS. Here's an example of the multi-LOD Yak 9 I've been working on. First LOD model #1, the High Detail model. which is only visible when you're close enough to see the details.


This is LOD model #4, the Low Detail model which displays at long distance.

well stiz it seems u have a small platoon or ?squadron? anyway i think someone should have a site that we can work things out. lol or give eachother email adresses so we can console.

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Thanks but it's very basic. As Mathias mentioned, Joe Amodea & Jorge Alsina pioneered the multi-LOD concept with the help of other developers including Louis Sinclair the FSDS developer & members of the CFS2 development team. Their P-40 was the first 3rd party multi-LOD model I ever saw. (This also had the first DVC with functional gauges so was a real breakthrough.)  Joe sent me his tute on the basic principles to proof read. This is still posted somewhere in the CFS2 section on this site & is how I learned the basic principles.

As a matter of interest I sent Greg Law the tute at the same time & bullied him into trying it on his new He 177 which became the second multi-LOD aircraft to be posted. This also had a full DVC which was explained in another of Joe & Jorge's tutes.

PS. The CFS2 developers led the way with both & many CFS2 aircraft have used these features ever since those tutes were posted. Even now the benefits of multi-LOD models for AI aircraft don't seem to be appreciated by the FS designers.

Thanks for the explanation.
Hagar; that Low-detail model looks about as complex as I'm capable of building.

On the missions front; just letting you all know RH and I are banging a few ideas off one another - we can firm plans a lot better once the devs produce scenery and airplanes. (But no pressure! LOL!!!)