LuftWolf and Amizaur's Weapons and Sensors Realism Mod

[Molon Labe]

Originally Posted by LuftWolf

Adding new platforms to the database is fairly straighforward. However, doing it correctly means adding new 3-d models as well, which requires a modeller and painter and we currently don't have them "on staff."

What we are currently working on falls more into the catagory of "gameplay mod: realism," so we are currently focusing our efforts on tuning the gameplay to work as well as possible.

Periscope Depth has been working on adding additional Navies and platforms into the database, which we will probably include in a subsequent release, but at this time, it remains on another level than we are currently working.

Also, we can add the platforms to the database, but mission designers would STILL have to decide to include them in their missions, and this would make those mission incompatble with the standard database.


Thanks for your suggestion!

PS When/if DWX comes out, there will be a whole bunch of new platforms added to the game, as they have the advantage of using their 3-d models from SCX, which represents a considerable body of work.

Nice work on the AEGIS/link discovery.

If you are thinking about adding AI platforms, I think a good place to start would be on SAM/SSM installations, since they are quite generic. Some badass shore-based SSMs besides those whimpy little Styx's would be great!

The Russians are also short a few key ships, like the Kiev class VTOL carriers (a great addition to limit the patrol areas of MPA), and the US is missing several classes of auxiliary ships that tend to deploy with carriers. Yep, a wish list once again.

[Fish]

I wonder LW (Ami), could you guys make the AI or even humans link info to landbased SAM and SSM sites, work?
It doesn'twork now, isn't it?

[Molon Labe]

SSM links seem to be working, but are a bit iffy. They don't engage at maximum range, but they do engage as long as someone is out there spotting for them. Sometimes they shoot in the wrong place, as if the link was inaccurate.

[stormrider_sp]

Fish, it does, but as far as I know, you have to update the link minute after minute in order to have a launch.

[XabbaRus]

Originally Posted by Fish

I wonder LW (Ami), could you guys make the AI or even humans link info to landbased SAM and SSM sites, work?
It doesn'twork now, isn't it?

Never seemed to be a problem.

Seen plenty times when land based SSMs have launched on link data.

[Hanu]

Umm, do I still need Jamie's official "Sound vs. Speed" - Database HotFix when using this mod? Should it be installed too or not?

[Hanu]

Darn, sorry. Just noticed that some versions of those files were included too so I guess I'll dont need the Jamie's version.

[LuftWolf]

I would install the hotfix first, just so you have the complete 1.01 set for backup purposes. Then when you run the install script, the Mod will copy over the necessary files.

So, it's entirely up to you.

Enjoy!

[LuftWolf]

To be sent to Bill very soon after some final testing, LWAMI 2.02 for you enjoyment! :|\

Here is the 2.02 addition to the readme:

LuftWolf and Amizaur’s Weapons and Sensors Realism Mod v2.02
Hosted by www.subguru.com
Readme by LuftWolf
Edited by Amizaur

Amizaur has made a more substantial and significant contribution to the creation of this mod than me. Tgio has made a significant and direct contribution.

Specific changes for v2.02:

Sphere and Hull Array Modeling—THIS REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT GAME-PLAY CHANGE. All Sphere and Hull Passive Arrays, playable and AI, have had their sensitivity increased significantly from stock DW. These arrays should be much more useful now for detecting and tracking civilian traffic, torpedoes, loud and close submerged targets, etc. Expect to use these arrays much more frequently for general situational awareness and establishing TMA on surface traffic, meaning the TA is now going to be used primarily for tactical awareness, e.g. finding and establishing a track on hostile submerged contacts (or that sneaky FFG stalking slow and quiet). Establishing the correct bearings of Master contacts has never been easier! I have also increased the baffling of all Sphere arrays ACTIVE AND PASSIVE to 120 degrees directly to the stern. The most dramatic effect this will have, in game-play terms, is on the FFG player, who no longer has nearly omni-directional awareness from active sonar, and in submerged stalking of escorted convoys, making it easier to get in behind the escorts. All of these changes are dramatic (in my opinion) and may need to be tweaked later on, hopefully not the day after we release the mod… ;-)

Sonobuoy Modeling—THIS REPRESENTS A SIGNIFCANT GAME-PLAY CHANGE. To better reflect the way different sonobuoys are utilized in actual practice, the VLAD Shallow has been given the depth of 800ft, and the VLAD Deep has been given the depth of 1200ft, to prevent the use of VLAD’s in shallow water, as is realistic. The DIFAR buoy (90/400ft) MUST now be used in shallow water in the game, as it is the preferred buoy for shallow water operations in the real world. You may also want to take DIFAR Deep buoys along if you feel there may be a shallow surface duct and you want to have a good above-layer passive buoy option, that is a personal player preference. The DICASS Deep has also been given the depth of 600ft, to give an under-layer option for medium to shallow surface duct environments. Be aware, that this will change the game-play balance further in the direction of submarines for littoral operations, and possibly slightly in the favor of air-platforms in open ocean operations, given the option to put VLAD’s under layers in deep waters. Just remember NOT to load any VLAD’s if you are going to be operating in water that is shallower than 800ft. New buoy depths at a glance:
DIFAR 90/400
DICASS 90/600
VLAD 800/1200

AEGIS Ship Behavior BETA—The Fire Control radars of AEGIS cruisers and destroyers were previously limiting their engagement range to an unrealistic degree. We are currently in the process of thoroughly reworking the entire radar modeling treatment in the database. However, in the meantime, we have changed the FC Radars on the AEGIS vessels to enable missile intercept behavior at the limits of the horizon, and slightly further if there is a linking platform, simulating decreased response time. These changes are essentially modeling the realistic engagement ranges on incoming missiles for AEGIS vessels in the real world, meaning that AEGIS ships will now provide effective fleet defense against missile threats at range. Mission designers, enjoy! Note: From a simulation standpoint, the way this has been accomplished WILL change in the next version to better model the way these platforms work in RL, however, from a game-play standpoint, the effect will be nearly the same. This version’s modification also includes a change to the CIWSAttack doctrine, which will be altered again in the next version of the mod. Also, as part of this temporary fix, I have changed the E-2 Hawkeye and E-3 Sentry radars, as previously they were only scanning half of the sky, meaning these should now be much more effective link participants.

Decoy Modeling—I have added a Passive Sound Level of 60 for active decoys, as the cloud of bubbles created by the active decoys have to make some kind detectable broadband sound. I have also added a small Active SL of 40 to passive decoys, which is still significantly less than torpedoes, as should be expected from any metal object in the water of comparable size.

Torpedo SL and Thrusts—Due to our error, torpedoes were much too quiet in LWAMI 2.01. This has now been corrected. We have introduced some variability in torpedoes to reflect real-world differences and have altered the thrust values to make possible, in some cases, deep running, slow, stealthy shots, but this tactic still cannot be relied upon, especially given the near-universal TIW calls, which we can’t change.

MANPAD (sub-launched SAM’s)—We have reduced the effectiveness of MANPAD’s as follows: Stinger (FIM-92) 75%, SA-N-8 65%, and SA-N-5 60%, to reflect what we believe would an accurate representation of the real world effectiveness of these should-launched weapons. And… also to further discourage the gamey and unrealistic use of SAM’s from submarines in missions.

TASM and Harpoon—We have reduced the radar signature of the TASM to 45 and the Harpoon to 40 (verses all other missiles which are 50), making them marginally more effective (read: detectable at slightly closer range) against defended surface targets than before, and giving another slight advantage to the Harpoon over the TASM. All missiles will be looked at when we remodel the radars. This is not a drastic change, but should help a bit when attacking with these missiles.

Maverick Missile Fix—The Missile.txt doctrine has been altered to prevent the missile from homing in and destroying submerged targets and aircraft. This constitutes a total removal of the “Magerick Missile Cheat,� however more testing is required to proclaim it totally dead without consequences, but we are 95% certain it’s gone with no residual traces.

SubAvoidWeap.txt—We have changed the submarine avoidance routines so that AI subs will always throw an Active CM when attacked and will evade incoming torpedoes at 100 to 140 degrees from their initial incoming bearing. This constitutes a simple yet dramatic alteration in the AI submarines’ ability to evade torpedoes in all conditions. Expect AI subs to avoid the first pass of ADCAP’s or UGST’s from less than 5nm as well as just about every LWT fired at medium to long range. I believe this to be a major game-play improvement for AI platforms, but more work is required to make evasion routines more complex.

Torpedo.txt Doctrine—I have decided to include the full Torpedo Doctrine Mod in this release featuring random circle/snake direction, the anti-surface casualty mod, the correction from meters to feet so that AI subs will launched torpedoes set at proper depth for submerged targets, and the variable randomized search depths for airdropped torpedoes, meaning sometimes torpedoes will be fired under layers. We don’t believe there to be any bugs in this full modification at this point, but, as always, all feedback is welcome on this or any aspect of the mod! In case you experience any crashes or undesired behavior, I have included the standard non-casualty torpedo.txt doctrine, which will be placed in your main DW directory for backup purposes. So, in the unlikely event you need to install this backup, just delete the “torpedo� doctrine installed with the mod in the Doctrine folder, and change the name of the “torpedo.avoidcasualtyonly� to simply “torpedo� (without the .txt, this extension is stored by Windows XP automatically) and place it in both your Doctrine and LwAmi.doctrine folders. But like I said, it shouldn’t come to this.

[Beer]

The Random Circle pattern direction on the torps (left or right turn) has got to go
Should be to the right for gameplay.

The fact that ones knows what the weapon will do when it hits the water is important for weapon placement and delivery.

[LuftWolf]

Good point.

We'll consider it.

Thanks for your interest in the Mod!

[LuftWolf]

Actually, Beer thanks for bringing this up.

Amizaur, I was looking at the doctrine and doing some tests... does the random direction command work for CircleSearchPattern as well? The command in the doctrine is snakeleft/snakeright?

I assume that is for both snake and circle search pattern. :hmm:

If it does work for both, we should probably consider not having random circle direction, for the flyboys, as beer suggested... maybe you can enable it for subrocs only?

[LuftWolf]

Yeah, I just did test it... the circle direction is randomized as well.

Hmm... if that is the command, then it seems like we are stuck with either randomized direction for both snake and circle or randomized direction for neither.

Amizaur, what do you think about this? I'm not sure what the best option would be... I like the randomized direction personally. :hmm:

[Amizaur]

Of course it can be removed easily .

P.S. After little work it can be even made that human player torps would turn always right, and AI torps random But SUBROC torps would be treated as AI drops, I can't discrimine in doctrine if torp was dropped by human or AI SUBROC... so maybe better remove this completly ? Or maybe not, the random circle for SUBROCs makes them less "sniper" weapon after all ?

So what to do ? Remove completly ? Or right circle for human torps, random for AI and SUBROC dropped torps ?

[LuftWolf]

Is it possible to set it based on depth?

Even number depth-right snake/circle

Odd number depth-left snake/circle

AI or SUBROC-random

That might be the best of all situations... if you can't do that, I'd say right for human and random for AI and subroc.