[WIP] Lighthouses mod

[MLF]

Hi gap,

Is there any way of making the wave-splash sound change with the wind speed/ At 15m/s you cannot hear it, and I'm pretty sure, from my own experience, it would be close to a roar when close to the light house?

regards,

mlf

[gap]

Originally Posted by MLF

Hi gap,

Is there any way of making the wave-splash sound change with the wind speed/ At 15m/s you cannot hear it, and I'm pretty sure, from my own experience, it would be close to a roar when close to the light house?

regards,

mlf

I think so, but you should help me finding the appropriate SFX.

BTW, this mod is slowly turning into a storm simulation mod lol

[MLF]

Originally Posted by gap

BTW, this mod is slowly turning into a storm simulation mod lol

You are right. I'm sorry. it was just an idea. I'll try and find a solution to my question, but I'm nowhere near as knowledgable in this area as you or Kendras.

I have been playing with the placement Y value to get the splashes visible during lower wind speeds, with 0.5 showing splashes less frequently at 10 m/s than at 15 m/s and very seldom at 5 m/s. I found your setting of 1.5 didn't show much at 10m/s but then that may have been just that time I loaded the mission.

The thread is about lighthouses, and perhaps that's where we should go back to?

There seems to be a lack of input/interest from elsewhere in the community.

regards,

MLF

[gap]

Originally Posted by MLF

You are right. I'm sorry. it was just an idea.

I think you misunderstood my answer: I am into whichever suggestion might improve this mod, and I like very much your idea. Please point me to any sound effect that you think might be fit for it

BTW: I have bad news regarding the wind-aligned spray particles. I have replaced our particle generators with one from SH5. It works, but after trying many settings and setting combinations, I couldn't get our particles to follow the in-game wind. I think the additional PG parameters introduced with SH5, are simply ignored by SHIII.

At this point, I guess that our only hope would be an hardcoded patch by our wizards: Stiebler, h.sie and the likes. While we wait for their magic, what should we do with our particles? Should we scrap the fake wind, or keep it? and if so, what wind direction should we set?

Originally Posted by MLF

I have been playing with the placement Y value to get the splashes visible during lower wind speeds, with 0.5 showing splashes less frequently at 10 m/s than at 15 m/s and very seldom at 5 m/s. I found your setting of 1.5 didn't show much at 10m/s but then that may have been just that time I loaded the mission.

1.5 means 15m above the seabed level. i.e. 2m below the sea level in the point on map that our lighthouse is placed at. Anyway I don't think placement nodes' Y value to be critical, as the library FX node attached to them is set as a floating object and its Y position varies with wave height. The small wave effect is triggered when the floating node has an height of 18 or more metres above the seabed (i.e. wave height equal or bigger than 1m), whereas the bigger splash spawns at an height of 18 above the seabed (wave height = 2m or more)

Originally Posted by MLF

There seems to be a lack of input/interest from elsewhere in the community. I'll try and find a solution to my question, but I'm nowhere near as knowledgable in this area as you or Kendras - where is he by the way?

Kendras sent me a PM. He is in holidays like many other subsim comrades. I think in a couple of weeks the forum will be a more lively place. By then, the first release version of our lighthouse mod will be out, and hopefully there will be more interest around it

[gap]

New patch available:

Tourelle de La Plate v12 - Patch 10

Main changes:

• Number of particle FX placement nodes around the lighthouse increased from 8 to 12; number of particles per particle generator unchanged.
  
  
• Depth bias for all the particle generators set to 5, following MLF suggestion.
  
  
• Added underwater wave sound to the splash effect. It should be audible inside the submarine too. Curiously, the SFX sounds better inside the sub than it does underwater, in free camera mode

The patch should replace all the previous patches, except v12 patch 1. As usual, I am looking forward to your feed-back

[propbeanie]

Originally Posted by MLF

... There seems to be a lack of input/interest from elsewhere in the community...

Originally Posted by gap

... and hopefully there will be more interest around it

Just so you know, I for at least one, have been following this and a few other SHIII posts with keen interest, but especially this one... We have SH4 FotRSU reverse-engineers at the ready to beg, borrow and plead once you've "finalized" (is a mod ever ~really~ finished?)... This looks very nice. All should be commended. |;^) - I wish I had a little more time to noodle some in SH3 and help "test" this, but alas, I'm buried - "I’ve got my country’s 500th anniversary to plan, my wedding to arrange, my wife to murder and Guilder to frame for it; I’m swamped."

P.S.:

[MLF]

Originally Posted by gap

I think you misunderstood my answer: I am into whichever suggestion might improve this mod, and I like very much your idea. Please point me to any sound effect that you think might be fit for it

BTW I still haven't found the old admiralty chart symbol for lights (pre-metric chart). I had a book, "Bay of Biscay Pilot" but it's been buried somewhere under all my childrens' Uni stuff Internet is not much help.

Originally Posted by gap

BTW: I have bad news regarding the wind-aligned spray particles. I have replaced our particle generators with one from SH5. It works, but after trying many settings and setting combinations, I couldn't get our particles to follow the in-game wind. I think the additional PG parameters introduced with SH5, are simply ignored by SHIII.

At this point, I guess that our only hope would be an hardcoded patch by our wizards: Stiebler, h.sie and the likes. While we wait for their magic, what should we do with our particles? Should we scrap the fake wind, or keep it? and if so, what wind direction should we set?

I think we should keep it. It may be an illusion, but from my tests I have the impression that when the game wind goes against the fake wind, the effect of the spray isn't as dramatic as when the game wind goes with the fake wind ie. the wind-blown spray goes further when the 2 winds are combined....? Is that possible or is it my imagination? I'll post screenshots later when I test Patch 10 (most likely tonight).

Originally Posted by gap

Kendras sent me a PM. He is in holidays like many other subsim comrades. I think in a couple of weeks the forum will be a more lively place. By then, the first release version of our lighthouse mod will be out, and hopefully there will be more interest around it

You are right of course . It's holiday time - I'll be off on mine next Tuesday Just had a down moment last night

Originally Posted by propbeanie

Just so you know, I for at least one, have been following this and a few other SHIII posts with keen interest, but especially this one...

Thanks propbeanie

Regards,

MLF

[gap]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

Just so you know, I for at least one, have been following this and a few other SHIII posts with keen interest, but especially this one... We have SH4 FotRSU reverse-engineers at the ready to beg, borrow and plead once you've "finalized" (is a mod ever ~really~ finished?)... This looks very nice. All should be commended. |;^) - I wish I had a little more time to noodle some in SH3 and help "test" this, but alas, I'm buried - "I’ve got my country’s 500th anniversary to plan, my wedding to arrange, my wife to murder and Guilder to frame for it; I’m swamped."

P.S.:

Thank you for your interest and encouragement propbeanie

As far as I am concerned, but I am pretty sure Kendras has no problem either, starting from now you and the other SHIV 'reverse-engineers' have full permissions granted on this mod. In fact, I wish the best parts of all the mods released so far for either of the SH games to be merged together one nice day, and to be adapted for all the games of the series

Originally Posted by MLF

BTW I still haven't found the old admiralty chart symbol for lights (pre-metric chart). I had a book, "Bay of Biscay Pilot" but it's been buried somewhere under all my childrens' Uni stuff Internet is not much help.

That would be a nice addition! Keep looking for it, please MLF

Originally Posted by MLF

I think we should keep it. It may be an illusion, but from my tests I have the impression that when the game wind goes against the fake wind, the effect of the spray isn't as dramatic as when the game wind goes with the fake wind ie. the wind-blown spray goes further when the 2 winds are combined....? Is that possible or is it my imagination?

If that was true, IF, we would be just one step away from solving the puzzle. What if we made the Wind X, Y and Z values extremely low, in particle generator's general settings, and we correspondingly increased the WindCoef value of each bitmap particle?

Should this last attempt fail, what would be the best wind direction for the "fixed wind"? A northerly wind maybe?

Originally Posted by MLF

I'll post screenshots later when I test Patch 10 (most likely tonight).

Let me know your thoughts on it

Originally Posted by MLF

You are right of course . It's holiday time - I'll be off on mine next Tuesday Just had a down moment last night

Poetic moment: may the firm and shining light of our lighthouses lead you and your family to the destination of your well deserved holidays, and elighten your way even during your darkest moments lol

Back to work now

[MLF]

Originally Posted by gap

If that was true, IF, we would be just one step away from solving the puzzle. What if we made the Wind X, Y and Z values extremely low, in particle generator's general settings, and we correspondingly increased the WindCoef value of each bitmap particle?

Should this last attempt fail, what would be the best wind direction for the "fixed wind"? A northerly wind maybe?

Haven't tried what you suggested here as I think, having started several missions, it varies so much I have to put it down to imagination.We need another opinion on this one, I think? See Screen shots below (I have my clouds back)
The hard line was still apparent with DepthBias set to 5, so increased to 6 and no line.
I will continue testing tomorrow as it's been a long day

Originally Posted by gap

Poetic moment: may the firm and shining light of our lighthouses lead you and your family to the destination of your well deserved holidays, and elighten your way even during your darkest moments lol

Back to work now

Thank you

regards,

MLF

[gap]

Hey Kendras, sorry for the concise answer but I am writing from my mobile. I have seen the screenies relative to patch 11 and they look good!
I will test patch 12 and let you know my impressions, together with my answers to your remarks, ASAP.

Keep up the great work,
gap

So, after the splash effects, the only feature which has to be done is the damage model ? Let try it together with La Vieille lighthouse, as this lighthouse will have different damage boxes types, and is located very close to La Plate ...

I read all your posts during my absence. Good work mates !

Originally Posted by gap

BTW, this mod is slowly turning into a storm simulation mod lol

Hehe, why not ?

 

Preparing Patch 11 with full explanations.

New main features :

 

- improved a bit the medium splash effect
- added a big splash effect (affected by fake wind)
- created a totally new concept to create foam around the rock

Here V12 with Patch 11 : http://www.mediafire.com/file/zid19a..._-_Patch_11.7z

Please don't care about materials.dat modified directly inside. When we are satisfied with the graphics effects, we will put the modifications in Lighthouse_FX.dat. Else, I have to reload the game after each modification I've made into this file, and it's a huge waste of time and patience ...

The medium and large splash effects' parameters could be a little randomized.

The large splash texture might be improved. Only the large splash is (and should be) affected by wind.

About the new foam effect, we have to replace the experimental texture, but the idea is there ...

About the Depth bias controller, we should always set it at zero, else it's useless (IMO) and there are side effects.

Good tests !

By the way, in order to have sea with huge waves, open data\scene.dat, go to Sky > EnvSim : Wind > WavesProperties > 3 > Scale, and change the values to : 15 - 0.8 - 15 - 1.

[MLF]

Initial tests with sea as set in scene.dat (date 03/02/2008).

The spray doesn't seem to follow the wind see screenshots (u-boat heading south).
Overall effect improving all the time though I really like the way the spray hangs in the air. Can you make the base of the spray denser, thinning out towards the top - a wave crashing, thrown into the air and caught by the wind, type of thing? All looks nice and wet though!
Like the concept behind the foam but in rough sea wouldn't see ripple effect I wouldn't have thought - wouldn't foam be the result of a crashing wave landing back in the sea?
Will test more later, increasing wave height as suggested but time to eat

regards,

MLF