[REL|AC7] Naruto 607's SPW Swap and VisMod Collection

You probably guessed what's this about, and why I made this exclusive on Nexus Mods until now. The reason is simple: people can use the modified weapon data mods and mod them to have insane stats that may ruin multiplayer gameplay aspects entirely. I've spent a year hanging out in Blaze's Discord server to see all the changes that happened from when I join in until the end, because... yeah, I gotta find some people that might worth talking to after that 30-minute Battle Royale match Blaze has set up. Now that the things have calmed down, I might as well introduce this mod to you readers. I'll keep updating this mod when there are new updates or bugs reported at where I hang out or the Nexus modpage.

Before I start to move on with smth else and start smth anew, I've created this mod that is based on what I spent my time on the Weapon and Pilot Swap submod for Trigger to Boruto. It's not included in the page I created specifically for TTB skin mods ATM, but you get the idea. The only difference between these two mods I made is that the SPW Swap and VisMod Collection mod uses regular/default pilot models, while the Trigger to Boruto Weapon and Pilot Swap mod uses custom Boruto and friends pilot models. Recently I learned that you can swap the pilot mesh to any model you want and that gives me an idea that you literally can swap the pilot models to any model you want, even the custom one. This includes Copilot to Copro for two-seater planes (which has LP_Pilot_SM mesh already defined in the asset of those said plane pawns - asset file that controls most of the plane's data like flight dynamics, mesh, weapons listing, etc.).

You can imagine how long I spent working on this mod. It's not a walk in the park. 6 to 9 months, plus another 3 months for bugfixing and new weapons addition, because 48 planes... it's not smth people can do in their downtime. Plus, even though some people like what I did for the TTB WPS, some guys wanted the TTB WPS submod without Boruto and friends pilot models in it. That, in turn, made me wonder about how can I proceed, which led me to how to name my mod that doesn't have custom pilot models in. My creation is already as sufficient as it is, so there's nothing to add on this one, and I had to spend a month or two tweaking and reverting only the pilot model changes of all aircraft pawns I cloned, leaving only the Copro models for campaign variant of planes (Mage, Spare, and Strider skins, so that it's unique that only Trigger and Mihaly can have the Copro to gather flight data).

You might wonder what's next for me and this blog. Well, I spent my time hanging around a lot more than usual in Blaze's Discord server than having to tell you my diaries about my life. I might be back for some more stories to tell, but for now, let this blog be a history of my life and my presence after I first created it back in 2014 or so. Plus, if you want to send me some donation, feel free to do so, click here to see more and the link to send the money.

What does this mod contain?

There are two modules I've divided into in this mod. One is the "No SPW Swap" module, the one that is multiplayer-friendly, which has been tested in several matches on my own, in public lobbies. For SPW Swap and VisMod collection, it will feature only Copilot to Copro for two-seater planes, as well as changes to standard missile visuals (like, R-60M on Flankers to R-73, with no changes to stats). The "No SPW Swap" module is the simplest one I made and is compatible across many mods that alter the weapon stats, but does not compatible on some or all plane modelswap mods.

Another is the "SPW Swap" module. This is the most comprehensive and time-consuming module that I have ever made, which not only swaps the special weapons of certain aircraft's pawns and skin pawns, but it also offers you a weapon pack that contains lots of new weapons that you may only see in my mod (plus Lanze's Weapon Pack, which is a must). Examples include the recently added GBU-15 bomb, custom animated Kh-31 missile, and true AIM-9M missile. You may see a lot of new models and SPW swaps on your planes once you install this module.

The weapons in the "SPW Swap" module are unique to the aircraft and skin slot you're going to fly in. For example, you can enjoy having to use LACM on F/A-18E/F using AGM-84E SLAM model (though IRL, the SLAM is only used on older A- and C-type of Hornets), relieve your memories of playing the Heatseeker PS2 game by having to use LACM on F/A-18F Block III using custom Tomahawk missile model, enjoy using the supersonic LASM on Su-33 using Kh-41 model like you would in Lock On: Modern Air Combat flight sim game, or enjoy the classic Ace Combat series nostalgia by diving into the F/A-18F on Jolly Rogers/Red Devils/Grun skin and use the IEWS with animated ram air turbine (which is called AN/ALQ-99 IRL). Anything you want in this module, realistic or not, it's there.

Skin weapon swap? I thought it's impossible.

It was, until the heroic guy behind the UAssetGUI, who called himself as adolescent, managed to update his UAssetGUI to allow editing the export information so that you can add preload dependencies without having you to export the asset file to JSON (which somehow broke in the old version of UAssetGUI, meaning after exporting, you can't open it up again). I, Mega (Megalith, one of the kings of the plane modelswap mods), and EOM (ElectronicOldMen/GamingRoach, the author behind the famous Enhanced Gunplay mod), were scratching our heads as to why the game crashes stating in the logs that, "it is still waiting for creation". I do want to apply what I want back then, after studying Blaze's Skin Weapon Swap guide he published, but until the new UAssetGUI version came out, we hit a dead end. The only viable solution to remove this issue, as per EOM's suggestion, was to install the game on an SSD, but mine's already used for the OS and nothing else; it has 256 GB in capacity, BTW, and only 30~40 GB left in free space.

But then when the update came out, we tried the preload dependency editing and it worked. You can imagine what's it like to be in the early stages of modding development. At first, this might seem impossible, but now? You can expect anything impossible to become possible at this point, provided that you do it right.

So, what's the purpose/concept of the Skin Weapon Swap?

As I said in the Nexus modpage (unless if you haven't been there), the concept behind the making of this weapon and SPW Swap pack is that it's based on the progression, especially if you want to start fresh (new save game) with mods installed and DLCs you bought. Starter planes like F-16C (and DLC planes you bought, especially the OP/overpowered ADF series planes) will have weaker weapons (for example, ADF-11F will only feature default SPW set, F-15 S/MTD will have HPAA - LAGM - SAAM as its SPW list, F/A-18F Block III will have RKT* - RKT - 4AAM as its SPW list, etc.), but as soon as you progress further with MRPs you rack up, you will gain access to advanced weapons till the end of the playthrough session (for example, once hit Mission 11, your F/A-18F Block III will have access to LASM, 8AGM, and LAAM, with multipurpose QAAM as your standard missile). Pretty cool, huh?

To recap, I made the style of this so that you can use specific weapons based on the mission progression. Better planes will reward you better weapons as you progress further into the game. Once you unlock access to skin selection (usually after you completed the game once), you can use any skin you like to use their own unique SP weapons of your liking. Wanna be a king with combustible fuel bombs? Go with F-15 S/MTD Strider/Osea/Erusea/Special or A-10C Strider. Want the MQ-99 UAVs at start? Go with the ADF-11F Strider. The possibilities are endless. No one can judge you that you can conquer the battlefield with a skin of a plane that you like because it's singleplayer use.

To add in this styling, it is made accounting the Enhanced Gunplay mod in mind, which can be unforgiving if you install the base mod only or going full set with Gauntlet or Ace of Aces patch that can make you ragequit everytime you die from the enemy's long-range missiles.

What's the deal with the ammo count of the TGM variants of planes?

As I said before, it is made accounting the Enhanced Gunplay mod in mind. Games and movies can defy any physics, so why not I'm doing this on TGM variants of planes too?

If you own the Top Gun: Maverick Aircraft Series DLC, then you may have access to the TGM variants of F-14A, F/A-18E, and the Su-57 dubbed "5th Gen Fighter". Those planes have been adjusted in accordance to the ammo and flare counts, making it a demigod plane to be used in certain, emergency situations, like, if you have a hard time in completing EGM's Gauntlet Mode, or you hated yourself wasting too many gun ammo in any plane you're in. You still need to be wise in using plane parts tho as "demigod" means that it's just like another plane; enough damage and you will still lose.

You can enjoy dispensing flares as many as you want, or go Wild West with the unusual ammo count, but keep in mind about EGM's characteristics of RL gun fire rate and enemy planes wielding SP weapons. This is smth to note. Having lots of ammunition and flares to dispense doesn't guarantee a success, but if you can use them properly, you can make them an alternate version of the "I win" button of the CFA-44 Nosferatu. Oh, and I should mention that the Strider skin of the CFA-44 now swaps the standard missiles to TLS, which is featured in Blaze's Alicorn Special Raid mods (which for some reason, the ASR3 was removed, leaving ASR2 still up in Nexus or Mod DB).

Okay, cool, so now what?

What are you waiting for? You wanna try this out that I spent for a year in development and bugfixing? Links to both latest versions of Trigger to Boruto Weapon and Pilot Swap submod and my SPW Swap and VisMod Collection mod are down below. Changelogs are listed in the archive.

Note that for SPW Swap modules of both mods, you need Lanze's Weapon Pack. You don't need it if you use the No SPW Swap module.