Readme for TSH V2 Iraq Translator/World Swapper

Known issues, bugs, warnings, worries etc.

Changes made to registry and modified JF18 files

1.0 Disclaimers

Team Super Hornet (TSH) provides this package of tools as is. No individual claims credit for this work nor is any individual asking for anything in return for providing these tools. Jane's F/A-18 (JF18) and Jane's F-15 (JF15) are copyrighted and owned by Electronic Arts (EA). We fully respect these rights and wish for you to respect them also.We provide these tools for your use.

You should know that these tools are capable of modifying and copying certain parts of the JF15 and JF18 software. Do this at your own risk. Our tools require you to have JF15 and JF18 installed on your computer for the initial translation of the theatre (see Requirements Section) but JF-15 will NOT be required for use of the Iraq theatre once the translation is done.

TSH does not condone and will not cooperate with distributing illegal copies of JF15 or JF18.Our team goal is to add to and enhance the games provided by EA.EA has expended significant resources and time in creating these two games. Our wish is that you purchase legal copies of these two games and enjoy our additions.

2.0 Requirements/Installation

TSHv2.0 includes many new data files and two programs. The two programs are referred to as the translator and the swapper. The translator converts JF15 data files into data files that are usable by JF18. The translator only needs to be run only once. The swapper is run by the user each time the user wishes to switch between the North Cape theatre and the Iraq theatre. Only one of these two theatres can be active in the game at one time.

TSHv1.0 is NOT necessary for the Iraq theatre. However, as with the original North Cape theatre, missions written using TSHv1.0 objects will require the TSHv1.0 Objects packages 1 and 2 installation.

We provide two TSH v2.0 .zip files for your use. If you are a TSHv1.0hires user and you have selected Object package part 1, you must use the TSHIraq_Paq_2_00a_hires.zip file. Otherwise, we recommend theTSHIraq_Paq_2_00a_lores.zip file. The only difference between the two v2.0a .zip files is the airport models and textures.

The following are necessary to get the Iraq theatre working in JF18:

Installed and working copy of JF18
JF18 Patch 1.01F
Installed and working copy of JF15 (original or patched version) Required only for initial translation

Installation

Step 1:

BE SURE YOU HAVE F-15 PROPERLY INSTALLED, AND HAVE F/A-18 INSTALLED AND PATCHED TO 1.01F

Unzip the TSHIraq_Paq_2_00a_XXres.zip distribution into your main JF18 directory. This is the directory that contains the f18.exe file. (usually FA-18 by default). It must go in this directory.
Please check the option to USE FOLDER NAMES in WINZIP or use the appropriate option in any other unzipper to maintain the directory structure during extraction.

This .zip file contains 2 executable programs: the translator (TSH_Iraq.exe) and the theatre swapper (WorldSwapper.exe).It also contains several data files.This .zip file has these data files arranged in the appropriate folders and that folder structure should be maintained.

Step 2:

Run the TSH_Iraq.exe program (translator). It is located in your main JF18 folder after Step 1 is completed.

The Help button will provide very basic information and reference this file.
The OK button will be un-selectable at start up.
Then Cancel button will kill the program before any installation takes place.
The Install button will launch the installation. The installation process first looks for the JF15 data files.If it can't find these files it will ask for your help in locating them before the process continues.
The installation will run for a minute or two. The progress bars will keep you entertained while the conversion takes place.

Step 3:

Run the WorldSwapper.exe program. It is located in your main JF18 folder. It will bring up a window that allows you to pick the theatre that you wish to be active. See section 4 for details on what's going on inside the worldswapper. It might be helpful if you make a shortcut to the swapper .exe file and put it on your desktop for quick access. The installation process described above does not do this for you.

Step 4:

Launch JF18 as you normally would and have fun! JF15 does not need to remain installed for the Iraq theatre to work.

3.0 Switching between Iraq and North Cape

The translator program (TSH_Iraq.exe) is run only once.The WorldSwapper.exe program is the tool to use to switch between the original North Cape theatre and the Iraq theatre.Start the program and select which theatre you wish to have active.Unfortunately, this switching between the two theatres must be done outside of the JF18 game. For this reason, it is important to make sure you know which theatre is active before starting a multiplayer session. It's a real bummer to start up a multiplayer game and have the aircraft carrier sliding thru the sand because you're in the wrong world.
The WorldSwapper program changes some registry settings that the JF18 game uses to point to the data file directories. The WorldSwapper also copies some data files to the proper location that were created or moved by the converter. A detailed explanation of what goes on inside the swapper is in section 5.0, below.
Any mission can be flown in either theatre.However, the terrain differences will make for strange behavior if you have the wrong theatre active.To avoid this, the WorldSwapper activates either the mission directory or the iraqmission directory.Missions built for the Iraq theatre should be placed in your iraqmission directory.This applies to downloaded missions as well as missions you build yourself using the mission builder.

4.0 Known issues, bugs, warnings, and worries, etc.

The roads look like a drunk public works crew had unlimited tax revenue.The conversion process for the roads is not quite perfected.The results are sometimes awkward.We're not presently working this problem.It would involve a significant trial-and-error process or obtaining the source code.

The default ground object density has been compromised to allow for missions to contain more object density - specifically, air defenses.The Basrah and Kuwait City areas are especially prone to mission objects being dropped if the mission gets very complicated.This is a fundamental issue with the game structure.The best solution is to play your mission occasionally as you build it to see if things start getting dropped.

The airport traffic controllers have the wrong accent for the region.

All of the data files for aircraft skins, etc remain in the ncape/objects directory.There is not a separate set of objects for the Iraq and Ncape theatres.The palettes in the ncape and iraq directories are separate copies and can be changed by art management tools for the individual theatres.

5.0 Changes made to registry and modified JF18 files

Once a theatre is selected in the swapper, the following registry entries are modified to point to either the Iraq folder or the Ncape folder:

WorldPath
Terrain
WorldName
The Mission registry entry is modified to point to either the mission folder or the iraqmission folder.

Files Modified

The wrapper.dll file is changed to change the fence labels in the mission builder for the appropriate theatre.
The ncapelab.dat, fence.dat and sdefmape.bmp files from either the iraq folder or the ncape folder are copied to the data folder. The data folder is where the game actually uses these data files.The other folders are where the correct files are stashed and copied to DATA when the WorldSwapper runs.

6.0 The Iraq Mission Paq

For your enjoyment and exploration of the new Iraq theatre, we have included a variety of missions and mission building tools. Additional missions are being created and will be made available for download at the TSH Website. We have included a separate readme file covering the missions, please refer to TSHV2.0_missions_Readme.html. This file should have unzipped into your Fa-18 folder, but, if not, please search for it.