have a sort of one place full organized download page where to download everything from scratch up to this last version
Good call, will do.
Pardon my ignorance - what is this IL-2 v4.50?
It's written in the release post: Ultrapack uses an enhanced IL-2 1946 core game engine.
The code base is from 4.10.1, incorporating lots of things from later game versions.
Currently the reverse-implemented parts reach up to 4.13.4, for instance the AI is based on 4.13.4 currently, but we're going to introduce relevant features of 4.14.x like the new atmosphere model in future.
On top of that, we have fixed and sorted many things TD never did, like net replication of bombs and rockets and the famous "Java Wall" to mention but two.
Last but not least, this pack is the only available IL-2 version featuring the full blown Zuti "Moving Dogfight Server".
All in all, it's a core game version much advanced over anything a Stock game has to offer, which is why we use a separate branch "4.50".
The only core game version being beyond this can be found in BAT (5.00).
BAT is ahead of Ultrapack in the core game engine because it can utilize newer technologies which have not matured in the process of being made 150% online compatible.
is there a conf.ini setting or a mod I'm missing that allows me to control how far away a tracer round gets before it switches from the 3d tracer model to the little line? Tracers are disappearing almost as soon as they leave the muzzles of my guns...
Can't confirm the issue and I have no idea what you're talking about.
There has never been any such issue, in no IL-2 game I've ever seen, and there's no such conf.ini setting ever either.
Whatever issue you have, it's probably coming from an incompatible mod you've smashed on top.
Mike