[OBSOLETE] Special Operations + Intelligence Files

[RPPK Army Men]

Hey Tommy i see on the clan exf forums that you said that you have updated the mod so that the mission blast off is avaliable and other minor tweeks. Can i ask how do i get the newest version of this mod? Everytime i try and download it and run it it says that the dowload directory has been corrupted and it cannot run. Thanks for reading my text my friend.

Or maybe if you give a fresh working link of that group.cfg file and tell me how to install that maybe that will unlock blastoff?

[TommyCD1]

The three links on this main post are up to date and seem to be working, I've just downloaded all three and ran and installed them with no issues...

If problems persist, you could try either of these two links:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1uF8MG ... _mXPM-vIDR
http://www.mediafire.com/file/38ha6g0qt ... l.exe/file
Or I could try and create another mirror for you.

Could you be more specific with the error you are receiving? Does the error occur when you click the link or run the file? Are you able to run the file at all?

Also I'm not sure what you're referring to when you mention a group.cfg. I haven't uploaded anything like that, and the link in this post was created by another to alleviate a bug which has since been patched out.

[TommyCD1]

I've just made an update to this mod. Originally I was going to improve the intelligence interface too, but it was proving too long a task and I may even have to re-work that thing from the ground up.
So instead of delaying this to include both, I've decided to update the missions and unlocking conditions first, and provide the intelligence update at a later date.

Things that are included in this update:

• Traffic_Accident has graciously allowed me to use his Convoy Truck model as a sufficient placeholder until the original model can be used.
• While the cutscene specific mesh for 'Blast Off!' remains unusable, I have managed to write an effective work around using a particle effect instead. The ending cutscene is now restored.
• I updated the unlocking conditions for the Great Battles and Special Operations missions. After many bug reports, and many failures to fix them, I have reverted the unlocking conditions to match that of the PS2 version.
• When installing the Special Operations without the Intelligence Files, the installer no longer requires the replacement of any vanilla maps. This means it is now compatible with mods such as the tan missions mod. Installing the Intelligence Files will still require the replacement of missions however.
• Fixed a bug where completing the game 100% would not result in the background changing. Consequently, I have also removed the need to replace base.x during install, greatly reducing the download's filesize.

[TommyCD1]

Finally I have updated the Intelligence Files heavily after much work. If you have a previous version installed, it would be wise to first use the uninstaller before updating. If you have save data from a previous version, you may keep it after installing, but be warned this may cause issues if you have not yet unlocked all Great Battles missions...

• Completely reworked the Intelligence Files interface. The icons at the top of the screen, and the mesh and description windows are now connected to each other. Finer details to the interface such as rivets and panels have been added.
• I remastered many of the old PS2 textures. This includes the intelligence files background image, and the Special Operations mission previews.
• Fixed an issue where the intelligence files interface would not properly render at higher resolutions.
• I added the ability to open the Save/Load window in the main menu by pressing the F8 key.
• Fixed some lasting bugs where clicking a modal in the intel files would move it to the front and consequently obscure the information displayed there.
• Fixed an issue where the floor of the meshviewer improperly looped, and resulted in a noticeable horizon line.
• Updated the Special Operations missions to completely remove the PS2 encryption inside of the game.cfg and objects.cfg files. This will allow much easier editing and modding of these missions. Thanks to j3rry for helping me with this one!
• Fixed the skyboxes being too low to render on the yard and sandbox Special Operations missions.
• Remade the Special Operations button for the main menu. Now it should be much better looking and matches the color palette of the vanilla buttons.
• Moved the VO sound files of the intelligence files into their own .x-e file. This will allow possible future updates towards localization.
• Removed a lot of redundant sounds and textures from the intel.x archive.
• Updated the unlocking conditions for missions. Now it still matches the PS2 version, but the first four Great Battles missions are once again unlocked from the start like the PC version.

Now it has been two weeks, and at this point I just wanted to move on from this project, but I do plan on more updates in the future. Namely making the tan missions mod compatible with this one, and also possibly figuring out how to finally rebind the mouse inputs to allow manipulation of the mesh view.

[TommyCD1]

As of posting (02/28/2023) this mod has been completely outdated. Instead, the Special Operations and Intelligence Files can be obtained through a new mod, my Custom Campaigns \ Missions Add-on Support mod. The mentioned mod also has additional content from the console ports, so it is recommended you change over. Although the previous uninstaller should be okay to use, it is recommended to install on a vanilla copy of the game.

In addition to moving to a new mod, there have been several updates to the Intelligence Files interface, main menu, and Special Operations themselves.

General Changes
====================

• When rewarded multiple unlocks at the same time, the notification window now properly lists all of them

  

• Several files have been ripped from the GameCube version of the game. These include original unencrypted text files, as well as higher quality textures. Ripped files include:
  • game.cfg
  • types.cfg
  • Special Operations preview images
  • Secret 100% main menu background
• Loading screens redone from scratch, using both high quality GCN bit-depth and PS2 font
• Several redundant, unused, or erroneously included files have been removed.

Intelligence Files
====================

• Added an onscreen button to change background music
• Interface redone from scratch once more, finer details from previous remain while new details have been added
• Added onscreen buttons to change the page on the rightmost side of the icon list
• Icons can now be clicked with the mouse to directly select a file
• Added several previously unincluded sound files
• Added several previously unincluded animations
• Added new localization files for all sound files

Midnight Snack
====================

• Previously, when the mission was failed, background music would stop abruptly—Now it will slowly fade out as it does in other missions
• Added Move::Block regions around the map to prevent units from walking through walls and cabinets to get out of bounds
  This is technically possible on console, but due to the way the cursor hotspot is fixed to the center of the screen, this exploit is impossible to take advantage of. Therefore, I felt it to be in good faith to block this on PC, where the mouse is no longer effectively bound by the camera boundaries.

  

• Prevented the use of Paratroopers using the 'Ahoy Captain Dan' secret code

Lord of the Ants
====================

• Nurseries now use the dark brown "dirt-like" textures from the GameCube version

  

• Nurseries now alert the player when they are under attack
• VO files for ants and roaches lowered by 5 decibels
• Prevented the use of Paratroopers using the 'Ahoy Captain Dan' secret code

Sandy Breach
====================

• Restored missing water reflection map from PlayStation 2 version

This Old Fortress
====================

• Fixed a typo of a Move::Block region which allowed Paratroopers to be spawned out of bounds

  

Road Block
====================

• Removed unused script file 'squad_move_typebasetotrail_n.cfg'

Tan Some Hide
====================

• Fixed a misaligned cell texture

  

Hostage Situation
====================

• Fixed a misaligned cell texture

  

[Secg]

How did TommyCD1 do these?

I'm quite impressed & wish to replicate them in my Heroic 1.1 mod.

Sandy Breach
====================

• Restored missing water reflection map from PlayStation 2 version

Tan Some Hide
====================

• Fixed a misaligned cell texture
  battle.jpg

Hostage Situation
====================

• Fixed a misaligned cell texture
  rescue.jpg

I think this file engine_envmap_water.tga is responsible for making the water in the mission Sandy Breach (i.e. "beach")' reflective. Still, even after putting that file in my beach folder the water in the mission is still not reflective.

[TommyCD1]

To be perfectly honest, I'm not 100% sure what the envmap texture actually does. However, Flooded Follies has one, and Sandy Breach also had one that I forgot to include either way, so I readded it.

As for fixing a single cell's texture, in the studio, you can shrink your brush size down to a single cell, then using the Terrain brush (key 1) you can press the arrow keys to modify a cell's textures. I believe left and right rotates the texture, while up and down cycles through a cell's variants, that is base-0-0 and base-0-1 for example. I may be remembering those keys wrong, to be fair, but that's how I did it.

[Secg]

Textures in missions Tan Some Hide & Hostage Situation aligned!

Thanks!

Still haven't figured out how to make the water reflective just like in the PS2 version tho'.