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[WxTech]

UPDATE, Feb 2, 2023: I should have included the various tracer smoke files, as some changes have been made there. And of course, those folk not already using my effect pack will have significant incompatibilities. The archive has been updated.
================= End of update ===================


If you use my v1.5 Effects pack, this replaces the contents in the included folder,

!0_WxTech_PAL_Tracer_Smoke_ALL-game-versions

Copy over the contents here to that folder. Pay CAREFUL attention to the [Mods] section contents to add in your conf.ini! There is both altered and new material.


If you don't use my effects pack, simply place this folder in your mods folder.

If you use PAL's mod, consider giving this one a try. You can start by ensuring this mod's folder sits above PAL's mod in your listing.



Get it here:

https://www.mediafire.com/file/m6aw55kf3veomgo/%25210__PAL_WxTech_TracerSmoke.7z/file



From the included readme file:

WxTech's Tracer and Tracer Smoke Mod, based on the work of PAL
==============================================================


IMPORTANT! This mod DOES NOT deal with 3D tracer meshes or textures. It DOES:
- Control the visibility limits at which to draw the 3D tracers (BulletGeneric.class)
- Control the visibility limit at which to draw the simple 2D line tracers BulletGeneric.class)
- Enable to turn off the drawing of tracers and/or tracer smokes (Gun.class)
- Set the Sun's elevation threshold at which to switch to subtler night versions of tracer smokes

I include here the various tracer smokes, not least because of the invocation of the new night versions I created in order to put an end to their being ridiculously bright at night.

This largely builds upon PAL's own mod, from which I derived inspiration. His goal was to allow to enable or disable tracers and/or tracer smoke, and to control the visibility distance of the 3D tracer textures. All tracer smokes were the simpler linear trail-based textures. This was aimed toward players whose systems were not so powerful.

These days, I don't imagine many folk are so restricted. Nonetheless, I've retained the same ability to enable/disable tracers/tracer smoke, as well as the setting of 3D tracer texture visibility limits. All tracer smokes are the simpler linear trail type. And the tracer smoke from ground-based guns is greatly toned down in all instances.

I've tweaked/expanded things as follows:

- PAL's reduction of the simple line tracer length to a fixed 0.3X the stock length (3m, as the stock length = 10m) is far too short in my opinion. I added the ability for the player to scale the line tracer length from between 0.1X to 2.0X the stock length (1m to 20m).

- Have implemented a high Rnd (randomness) value for tracer smoke trails, so as to introduce variable density WITHOUT requiring to have the former 3 different effects for each smoke.

- When the Sun is below a certain angular elevation, the tracer smokes switch to a much less intense night version. The player can set this Sun angle in conf.ini. The default is -6 degrees, which is the transition between civil and nautical twilight. Note that full night commences when the Sun is at -18 degrees. In honor of PAL having lead the way, I use the same "PAL" in the conf.ini variable name.

To enure this mod overrides the same resources that may be handled by some other mod, be sure this appears above any other in your mods folder list. Preceding this mod folder name with, e.g, "!_00" should be sufficient.

########################################################################################################

ADD TO conf.ini [Mods] section, the following 9 line entries (6 plus 3):
(!!!  NOTE the parameter name change from the former "TracersLength" to "TracersLengthScale"  !!!)

TracersPlayer=500
TracersAircrafts=400
TracersWorld=300
TracersWirbelwind=200
TracersLengthScale=1.0
TracersDistance=12000

PALNoTracers=0
PALNoSmoketrails=0
PALSmoketrailsNight=-6



If any of these lines are not present, default values are as shown above.

#######################################################################################################

Explanation of conf.ini entries:


To control visibility distance of 3D tracers, in meters (max is 500??):
======================================================================
In conf.ini, [Mods] section: (set in BulletGeneric.class)

TracersPlayer=500  //for player aircraft only; recommend 400 to 500
TracersAircrafts=400  //for all other aircraft; recommend 300 to 400
TracersWorld=300  //for ground-based guns, excluding Wirbelwind; recommend 300
TracersWirbelwind=200  //for Wirbelwind units only; recommend 200



To control length of simple line tracer (longer distance), as a fraction of stock length (stock = 1.0, or 10m):
============================================================================================================
In conf.ini, [Mods] section: (set in BulletGeneric.class)

TracersLengthScale=1.0  //can be 0.1 to 2.0, or 1m to 20m (default is 1.0, for a length of 10m)



To control the maximum visibility distance for the simple line tracers:
======================================================================
In conf.ini, [Mods] section: (set in BulletGeneric.class)

TracersDistance=12000  //can be 1000 to 20000; default is 12000; not sure of actual permitted maximum--may not be 20000



To control visibility of tracer smoke:
=====================================
In conf.ini, [Mods] section: (set in Gun.class)

PALNoTracers=0  //0 or 1; 0 = tracers drawn; if missing, tracers drawn; if 1, tracers not drawn
PALNoSmoketrails=0  //0 or 1; 0 = tracer smoke trails drawn; if missing, tracer smokes drawn; if 1, trails not drawn
PALSmoketrailsNight=-6  //Sun elev. (deg.) for switching to night tracer smokes; best between 0 and -18; if missing, defaults to -6

#######################################################################################################

Notes on the various and effects (.eff) and mat (.mat) files:

While there's not necessarily a rigid adherence to conformity, in general smaller caliber gun tracer smoke is controlled by the
  SmokeBlack_BuletteTrail2
series of .eff files (found in Effects\Smokes\).

Larger gun tracer smoke is controlled by the
  SmokeBlack_BuletteTrail
series of .eff files (found in Effects\Smokes\).

Also, some larger caliber gun tracer smokes are controlled by the
  TrailCurved
series of .eff files (found in 3do\Effects\Tracers\). These are given a more pronounced curving, and a tad more prominence.

A potpourri of tracers from mostly land-based weapons is controlled by the
TrailThin    series of effects (found in 3do\Effects\Tracers\). These are given a more subtle appearance.

=======================================================================================================

If you want to control the visibility distance for tracer smokes, in the various .mat files (in the TEXTURES and Materials folders) you can alter the value for
  VisibleDistanceFar 400  //850

In the example line above, an older value of 850 (meters) has been superceded by 400. You could, for instance, amend this line to

  VisibleDistanceFar 300  //400  //850

Now the distance limit will be 300 meters.

I'm not sure what serves as the fiducial (reference) against which the visibility limit is checked. It might be the last (or nearest) segment of the numerous ones chained together and comprising the whole trail. It seems this must be the case, for the far end is visible to several times the value set here.

=======================================================================================================

If you want to control the density of the night tracer smokes, in the various *_Night.eff files you can alter the value for the 4th number in

  Color0 0.6 0.65 0.72 0.038

This sets the starting color and opacity; Color1 sets these values at the point the effect ends.

In the example line above, the opacity is a pretty subtle 0.038. If you wanted to make the smoke even more translucent, you could amend it to, e.g.,

  Color0 0.6 0.65 0.72 0.028

Now the opacity will be 0.028 instead of 0.038. Zero is fully transparent, and hence invisible. You could of course increase this value to make a more opaque and hence more strongly apparent smoke.

#######################################################################################################

Class files altered:
===================
il2\engine\BulletGeneric.class
  5DDBC78C663C1DA8
  4906D782D258E090
  D316021E9A6B74EC

il2\objects\weapons\Gun.class
  A1EB51AC0BFF8CAE

Java files and unhashed classes are included, with notation, for use by other modders.

#######################################################################################################

As always, this work is offered for use by any and all, for any purpose, without restriction.


WxTech
Jan 31, 2023

[hello]

TY 

[WxTech]

UPDATE, Feb 2, 2023: I should have included the various tracer smoke files, as some changes have been made there. And of course, those folk not already using my effect pack will have significant incompatibilities. The archive has been updated.