[WIP] Lighthouses mod

[gap]

Please test these files:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/g4gj95...de_La_Plate.7z

This is just a basic implementation of the lighthouse: no underneath rock, no lantern, no collision, no water reflections, no shadows, etc.
At this stage I am mostly concerned about the placement of the beacon relative to the seabottom/sea level. If everything works well, we will keep on adding new features step by step.

I am sorry if this alpha release took longer than expected, but I couldn't get the texture to show up in s3d unless I embedded it. No idea why it happens, and after several cycles of trial and errors I decided to give up. I hope the texture will look okay in game (though we might decide to devrese it in size: now is 2048 square pixels, I bit too big for SHIII probably).

Let me know and fingers crossed

Ahoy !

1. First try in game : model is completly white.

2. I changed folder's name to "TNormal" : model is now black, with yellow pixels

3. I opened the texture in Paint.net and removed transparency : problem is that some pixels stayed transparent (the purple ones on the pic) :

 

in game :

 

4. I corrected the texture :

 

[gap]

Originally Posted by Kendras

Ahoy !

1. First try in game : model is completly white.

2. I changed folder's name to "TNormal" : model is now black, with yellow pixels

3. I opened the texture in Paint.net and removed transparency : problem is that some pixels stayed transparent (the purple ones on the pic) :

4. I corrected the texture :

Wow, looks nice and as far as I can see from your picture, model's height seems about right.

So what was the problem with the texture? The alpha channel is meant as specular mask, I hope SHIII supports it, as it can enhance visual realism dramatically. Anyway, can you send me your edited files, or tell me what you changed exactly so that I can keep working on an up-to-date version of the unit?

Originally Posted by gap

Wow, looks nice and as far as I can see from your picture, model's height seems about right.

Yes, all is ok, very nice model !

Originally Posted by gap

So what was the problem with the texture? The alpha channel is meant as specular mask, I hope SHIII supports it, as it can enhance visual realism dramatically. Anyway, can you send me your edited files, or tell me what you changed exactly so that I can keep working on an up-to-date version of the unit?

I don't think SH3 can support it. (Semi-)transparent pixels are converted into black.

My change : http://www.mediafire.com/file/3eaeay...LH_LaPlate.pdn

(your texture, and the correction below)

[gap]

New version of the Tourelle de La Plate:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/g4gj95...de_La_Plate.7z

This new release should add the lantern with a light effect and the top mark on top of the lighthouse. A few notes:

1. I couldn't open your edited texture (I don't have PaintNet), but I temporarily removed the alpha channel from my copy, and I moved it from the TLowRes to the TNormal folder. I hope for the moment these changes will work. I think I have seen how to correctly set a specular mask in SHIII, and hopefully it will be implemented in one of the next releases.

2. The top mark and the lantern are stored in a library file and they are linked to the main model through equipment file. I have set the lantern to disappear sterting from 25 June 1940 (start of the German occupation). Try to set a mission before and a second mission a few months after this date, and see if eqp file settings are applied as expected.

3. A generic lighthouse flare effect (I think I borrowed it from FlakMonkey's lighthouse), was stored in a second library file and linked to the lantern equipment through placement node. If this method works, we will be able to use the same light effect on several lighthouses without need of cloning it every time. I am a bit worried that this particular light effect might not work though, due to it being designed for SHIV. Should the game crash on mission loading, try removing the placement node.

4. I let to you the editing of light effects. Currently the light has "nine very quick white flashes every 10 s"; see the picture below for a schematic exempification of Cardinal West lights:



I think such an effect can be achieved in game through over-life particle generator properties. It is also to be noted that in 1911 the light was fixed and green, though I have no information how long this type of illumination lasted. We could as well adopt it but, if we do, we should also switch to a green or black/green texture rather than the black/yellow currently in use

Originally Posted by gap

New version of the Tourelle de La Plate:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/g4gj95...de_La_Plate.7z

This new release should add the lantern with a light effect and the top mark on top of the lighthouse.

Will try ASAP. Just I would like the lighthouse to be 2,5 meters lower.

Originally Posted by gap

2. The top mark and the lantern are stored in a library file and they are linked to the main model through equipment file. I have set the lantern to disappear sterting from 25 June 1940 (start of the German occupation). Try to set a mission before and a second mission a few months after this date, and see if eqp file settings are applied as expected.

I don't think so. See here : http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=229836

But there is another way to do that very precisely.

Originally Posted by gap

4. I let to you the editing of light effects. Currently the light has "nine very quick white flashes every 10 s"; see the picture below for a schematic exempification of Cardinal West lights:

I think such an effect can be achieved in game through over-life particle generator properties.

Yeah I know it perfectly : http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=228546

[gap]

Originally Posted by Kendras

Will try ASAP. Just I would like the lighthouse to be 2,5 meters lower.

That's easy, but before I do it let me import the rock base first and, in the meanwhile, check some pictures of the "Petite Vieille": in most sea conditions, its concrete base raises from the sea level by several meters



If you look closely to the model, you will see I have put fouling on the base. As far as the sea level is not on top of the topmost fouling line, I am okay with the height of the model...

Originally Posted by Kendras

I don't think so. See here : http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=229836

But there is another way to do that very precisely.

Oh, that's not a bug but a feature in my opinion, and it is totally okay for our purposes, since we don't know (and we don't want to know), when each lighthouse was switched obscured exactly

Originally Posted by Kendras

Yeah I know it perfectly : http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=228546

Your task

Originally Posted by gap

check some pictures of the "Petite Vieille": in most sea conditions, its concrete base raises from the sea level by several meters

Yes, you're right. What is disturbing me is that greenish mud on your texture, I would rather prefer a brownish sludge as in real. (Sorry to be so finicky.)

Originally Posted by gap

Oh, that's not a bug but a feature in my opinion, and it is totally okay for our purposes, since we don't know (and we don't want to know), when each lighthouse was switched obscured exactly

Yeah right !

[gap]

Originally Posted by Kendras

Yes, you're right. What is disturbing me is that greenish mud on your texture, I would rather prefer a brownish sludge as in real. (Sorry to be so finicky.)

You should have said that from the beginning. Do you mean like this?

Originally Posted by gap

You should have said that from the beginning. Do you mean like this?

Yes.

So, I tried your new version :

1. small error in .eqp file (easy to correct )

2. I reworked a bit the model of the lantern and top mark (very small change)

3. I added the light.

4. your texture is perfect now (no more transparent pixels)



http://www.mediafire.com/file/ajgd22...La_Plate_v2.7z

[gap]

Originally Posted by Kendras

Yes.

So, I tried your new version :

1. small error in .eqp file (easy to correct )

2. I reworked a bit the model of the lantern and top mark (very small change)

3. I added the light.

4. your texture is perfect now (no more transparent pixels)

Amazing!

Is your light the final version (with 9 very quick flashes every 10s)? Can I move it to the FX library file I have created and link it to the lantern 3D model through placement node, as I proposed in one of my previous posts? I think that having all the lighthouse (and buoy) light effects in an external catalog file and picking them up from there according to the needs, would be a cleaner implementation. What do you think?

EDIT: Is there any special reason for you to switch the texture of the top mark to a plain black texture? The texture I had originally set is black as well, but with some rust textures on it

Originally Posted by gap

Is your light the final version (with 9 very quick flashes every 10s)? Can I move it to the FX library file I have created and link it to the lantern 3D model through placement node, as I proposed in one of my previous posts? I think that having all the lighthouse (and buoy) light effects in an external catalog file and picking them up from there according to the needs, would be a cleaner implementation. What do you think?

Yes, this is the final version, the light is flashing. And yes, having all the flares in one library might be better.

Originally Posted by gap

Is there any special reason for you to switch the texture of the top mark to a plain black texture? The texture I had originally set is black as well, but with some rust textures on it

The original texture was looking plain black in S3D, maybe it is a glitch. About the color, I would prefer something very dark grey, and not completly black.

[gap]

Originally Posted by Kendras

Yes, this is the final version, the light is flashing.

Exactly nine very quick flashes every 10s, with a short (darkness) pause at the end of the ten-seconds-long loop?

Originally Posted by Kendras

The original texture was looking plain black in S3D, maybe it is a glitch.

Yep, don't trust S3d. I have noticed that it doesn't handle texture previews very well, especially when textures are not embedded.

Originally Posted by Kendras

About the color, I would prefer something very dark grey, and not completly black.

This is exactly the way I set it. Dark grey, almost black, but not pitch black and with some (rusty) detail on it.

Can you please test this new version?

http://www.mediafire.com/file/k4ae58...La_Plate_v3.7z

I have moved the light halo effect in the FX library file and renamed it so it will be easy to track it down when there will be many different light effects to choose from, restored the original texture for the top mark, and touched up the muddy layer on the lighthouse base so that now it looks lesser saturated and more brownish than greenish.

For the next version I will add the rocky base. I have changed mind on how to implement it, and I will set it as a separate object that you will have to place exactly in the same position/orientation as the lighthouse on top of it. Would you prefer me to set it as another unit, or as a terrain object?
There are pro's and con's involved with both options. Any thougths?

Originally Posted by gap

Exactly nine very quick flashes every 10s, with a short (darkness) pause at the end of the ten-seconds-long loop?

Yes, exactly.

Originally Posted by gap

I have moved the light halo effect in the FX library file and renamed it so it will be easy to track it down when there will be many different light effects to choose from, restored the original texture for the top mark, and touched up the muddy layer on the lighthouse base so that now it looks lesser saturated and more brownish than greenish.

- the top mark is linked to a texture that doesn't exist, so I linked to LH-LaPlate as it was before, but it's black in game :

 

- the new texture is better, but I would prefer something like this :

Originally Posted by gap

For the next version I will add the rocky base. I have changed mind on how to implement it, and I will set it as a separate object that you will have to place exactly in the same position/orientation as the lighthouse on top of it. Would you prefer me to set it as another unit, or as a terrain object?

I would say terrain object.

[gap]

Originally Posted by Kendras

Yes, exactly.

Originally Posted by Kendras

- the top mark is linked to a texture that doesn't exist....

Sorry, my bad

Originally Posted by Kendras

so I linked to LH-LaPlate as it was before, but it's black in game :

mmm... that's weird. There are two materials using the same texture, the first one being a semi-transparent glass material. If you linked the second material, the one labelled 'LaPlate_Metal', it is the same used for the metal frame of the lantern. Does it look okay? If yes, I don't see why it shouldn't work for the top mark

Originally Posted by Kendras

- the new texture is better, but I would prefer something like this :

Did you edit the screenshot manually?

Originally Posted by Kendras

I would say terrain object.

Roger that. This would make the alignment of the rock relative to the lighthouse a bit more complicated, but not big issue

Stay tuned for the next update. Just tell me when you get tired of doing so many tests in a row