How to add a campaign start in New London?

[fitzcarraldo]

Hi, mates:

I would to add a campaign start in New London (to my TMO RSRDC installation). A "New Construction" start...How to do it?

I need a simple tutorial...

Many thanks in advance

Regards.

Fitzcarraldo

[fitzcarraldo]

No answers?

I need a little help from my friends!

Fitzcarraldo

[peabody]

Originally Posted by fitzcarraldo

No answers?

I need a little help from my friends!

Fitzcarraldo

I do not have the new RSRDC or new TMO, which MOD is installed last? Those would be the necessary files and I could possibly help if I find a few minutes.
I could explain how to make it as a MOD, then it will not change the original files, but I think you should request permission if you want it 'public'.

You would need to create missions from New London, are you familiar with doing that? I can make the base and then you could add the missions. If not, let me know.

Edit: I just downloaded the RSRDC for TMO. I know Lurker stated a long time ago that using Mission Editor would mess up the Campaign layers, because he did hand editing. I don't know if editing the USNavalBase.mis will or not, so I can try a hand edit. Either way it will be on a MOD and I will try to explain how to do it. (if it works. )

It doesn't take long, but I need to leave for a while, so I will get back to you.

Peabody

[fitzcarraldo]

Many thanks!

I have some skills with Mission Editor, in fact, I´m working in a mod "ASAT" (Added Ships and Traffic) for TMO plus RSRDC. I created new missions layers and add the layers to the cfg file. In this way, I added ships and traffic (and airplanes), in San Francisco, Midway, Dutch Harbour and Brisbane. If you play RSRDC, San Francisco Bay is a desert (TMO have some ships, FOTRS also).

These new layers work fine in TMO/RSRDC combination. I didn´t touch the layers of RSRDC.

TMO add a campaign start as "new construction" (1942 and 1943), in Mare Island, these starts don´t touch the RSRDC layers. Only the traffic in San Franciso Bay (present in TMO) is eliminated. I like an start in New London.

The mod I´m working is for pure fun, but I like to publish it if I can obtain the authorizations...Where is Lurker? The mod add layers to RSRDC, but this mod is untouched. Also I need the authorizations of the authors of the ships (most taken from Operation Monsun and FOTRS).

Your help is very appreciated.

Regards.

Fitzcarraldo

[peabody]

Originally Posted by fitzcarraldo

Many thanks!



TMO add a campaign start as "new construction" (1942 and 1943), in Mare Island, these starts don´t touch the RSRDC layers. Only the traffic in San Franciso Bay (present in TMO) is eliminated. I like an start in New London.

The mod add layers to RSRDC, but this mod is untouched. Also I need the authorizations of the authors of the ships (most taken from Operation Monsun and FOTRS).

Your help is very appreciated.

Regards.

Fitzcarraldo

Yes and No on the 'new construction' touching the RSRDC layers. This is the reason there is a TMO version of RSRDC because it added the 'new construction' career start and Flotilla to RSRDC that are present in TMO because RSRDC overwrites the files, so they had to be changed to work properly. It won't affect the 'traffic' but it will affect the MOD.

I just d/led the new versions and I like the way Ducimus did the sea trials, clever.

I also tested the allied bases using the mission editor and it does affect the .mis file. The start and end dates were removed and mission editor puts them back in for ALL bases, not just New London. So it will be either make a new .mis and add it to Campaign.cfg or create the file and copy/paste the new base so it does not affect the ones already there. Takes longer to expain it then to do it.

So you want a start from New London, I assume for "Sea Trials"?? Are you going to write the sea trials missions?

[peabody]

Fitzcarraldo,

As Lurker stated editing files in Mission Editor can affect his "hand edits" so we will create the "Naval Submarine Base New London" then I will show you how you can hand edit so it will not affect the "USNavalBases.mis.

Let's start by creating a MOD in case there is a mistake we won't mess it up. You can combine it with the MOD you are working on once you get it working.

IMPORTANT EDIT: The files below that you copy to create your New London MOD are copied from RSRDC_TMO_v502 not from TMO, since you install TMO first, when you install RSRDC they get overwritten by RSRDC. Remember that after testing and then you incorporate them into the MOD you are creating they need to be in the last MOD installed, so they will not get overwritten. I have added a new post below with this information in case you don't read this one. (of course if you don't read this one, you won't know that )


Create a folder "NewLondon"
Inside that create a folder 'Data'
Edit: Inside Data we need tp copy the following files from RSRDC_TMO:

Campaigns/Campaign/US_NavalBases.mis
Now rename US_NavalBases.mis to Old_NavalBases.mis and put another copy of US_NavalBases.mis. We will work with the OLD and copy entries to the original when we are done.

Also inside Data create:
UPCData/UPCCampaignData/CareerStart.upc
UPCData/UPCCampaignData/Flotillas.upc

************************************************** *****
Start Mission Editor, load the OLD_NavalBases.mis, find New London (Groton, Ct). The mission editor map isn't the best, but I think it is right where the arrow is pointing.



Go to the Land tab,Roster, American, NB Naval base. Drag it over and drop it. In the window that opens change speed to 0. Uncheck "Delete on last waypoint, and in Unit New name= New London. That will create the base and icon. You can give it a waypoint, some people don't but the "manual" says it should have one, your choice.

Now we need docks(refer to image and red arrows):
1. Got to menu Tools/Map Location Edit Mode
2. Right click near New London and select "Add Map Location"
3. In the window that opens:
Name (in editor) New London
Location type 2Dmap data, change 2DImage Map name= Small_Pacific_Harbor_IV.dds

Location type- 3DLocation
change Location 3D Model=Small_Pacific_Harbor_IV.dat

Location name in game= New London or Blank

Heading (forgot to put an arrow) I used 200, it rotates the docks.

Zoom Start= 50m/Pixel
Zoom End= 1m/pixel

Checkmark in 'Scale on Zoom' and 'show on map'

Scale= 14.37

Make sure 'Is Saveable" is check and click Accept



Now go to menu Mission/Parameters and check the box that says "Ignore Player Submarine". Since we do not have a sub in here it can not be saved as a normal mission unless the editor ignores the fact that there is no sub. We can not save as a "Land Unit" layer since there are some ships in the original file.
So Save as... and select the OLD_NavalBases.mis.

Do not close the editor, you need some info before you close it.

Drag a US sub onto the screen and put it near where you want to dock it. Zoom in closer than the image below, add a waypoint to the sub and line it up with the direction of the dock. (you can move it as you need to). Right click the sub and "head to waypoint". That should line the sub up with the dock. If not, move the waypoint and 'head to waypoint' again until the sub fits in the dock where you want it. Zoom close enough so you are sure it is not hitting the dock and center it in the space. Leave some room behind it in case you start your career with a larger sub.

Now you need to get three numbers to use later. Put your mouse pointer directly on the sub, centered on the circle. Look at the bottom of the screen and you will see four numbers, you want the ones with the arrows pointing at them. MAKE SURE YOU CHECK FOR MINUS SIGN in front of the number. Write them down somewhere.
First is Lng = -8650173 (longitude)
Second is Lat= 4960964 (latitude)
To get the third number right click the sub and select properties. If you have made it 'head to waypoint' the number will be in the Heading box.
Heading=243.921
Those are the numbers you need to make the "in port" departure location later.
You can do a second 'in port' location' but you don't need one in this case.

Now you can zoom out a bit and find a spot for the Out of port departure location. Just point the mouse pointer at any location outside the port and write down the two numbers at the bottom of the screen. For the third number, heading, you can pick any heading. I used 180 to point the sub south.




Do NOT save this, you saved what you needed earlier.

************************************************** ****
You can minimize the editor until we do the next step in case you mess up, you don't have to do it over, you can remove the sub and resave the mis file.

1. Go to your MOD and Open Old_Navalbases.mis with notepad.
2. Go to the bottom of the file and find [Unit 64] it should be Name=New London.
3. Highlight all of
[Unit 64] This is your Naval Base
[Unit 64.Waypoint 1] (If you gave it a waypoint)
[MapLocation 1] This is your dock.

Stop when you get to [EditorParams] do not select this.
Now "Copy".

4. Open US_NavalBases.mis (the one in your MOD, NOT the original). Again scroll to the bottom and right before [EditorParams] Paste:
[Unit 64]
info
[Unit 64.Waypoint 1]
info
[Maplocation 1]
info

Make sure the [EditorParams] is still at the bottom.

Save this file.

Now in the Mods folder you will have:

US_NavalBases.mis
Old_NavalBases.mis (you can delete this)
Old_NavalBases.tsr (you can delete this)

Now you will have your naval base and docks in your mod, you can enable TMO then RSRDC_TMO then New London and see if the base and docks are there. You will also have the CareerStart.upc and Flotillas.upc but they have not been changed yet, so it should work ok. It won't be a base you can choose, but you can check it to see if it is on the map. Just choose another base on startup and go see if it is on the map and make sure it does not crash. If you want, you can pick San Francisco and go through the Panama Canal and refit at New London.

Well, I have to go, I will finish this up tomorrow. Took a while to explain this, and maybe you already knew how to do it. Won't take as long to explain the other part to make it a base you can use.

Peabody

[fitzcarraldo]

Many thanks, Peabody! I´ll put the hands on this and wait the second chapter...This is a great tutorial

My best regards.

Fitzcarraldo

[peabody]

OOOPPPSSS!!! I forgot to mention a very important step. The files you are going to use:

Campaigns/Campaign/US_NavalBases.mis

UPCData/UPCCampaignData/CareerStart.upc
UPCData/UPCCampaignData/Flotillas.upc

are copied from RSRDC_TMO_v502, I think that is the current one?? This is because if I am correct TMO gets installed first and RSRDC gets installled after that.....am I correct? And the last MOD installed overwrites those files in the previous MOD.

[fitzcarraldo]

Originally Posted by peabody

OOOPPPSSS!!! I forgot to mention a very important step. The files you are going to use:

Campaigns/Campaign/US_NavalBases.mis

UPCData/UPCCampaignData/CareerStart.upc
UPCData/UPCCampaignData/Flotillas.upc

are copied from RSRDC_TMO_v502, I think that is the current one?? This is because if I am correct TMO gets installed first and RSRDC gets installled after that.....am I correct? And the last MOD installed overwrites those files in the previous MOD.

The last patch of RSRDC:

TMO 25
RSRDC 502 (for TMO).
RSRDC XXX Patch

I must work in over the last RSRDC patch.

Regards.

Fitzcarraldo

[peabody]

Originally Posted by fitzcarraldo

The last patch of RSRDC:

TMO 25
RSRDC 502 (for TMO).
RSRDC XXX Patch

I must work in over the last RSRDC patch.

Regards.

Fitzcarraldo

No problem, the patch does not affect any of the files we are using, I have patch v5XX

I have had kind of a rough day today, I will get to this. I will try a little later.

[peabody]

Fitzcarraldo

Chapter II

Ok, now we (actually You) will create the Career Start and Flotilla for the base you created. If you had any problems, post the file and I can check them.

I usually start with the CareerStart.upc but I will start with the Flotillas.upc so it makes more sense. I will post the entry then explain it (I may even lie a little bit on the parts I don't know...)
You will be working with notepad to do this, some word processors add formatting information that can cause problems. Also, if you don't know, adding a semicolon ; at the beginning of a line tells the game to ignore the line.

Open Flotillas.upc and scroll to the bottom. You will see the last Flotilla is Flotilla 7, so New London will be Flotilla 8. I will put the comments at the end of the code so you can copy/paste if you want. To create it I did a copy/paste of another Flotilla and made the necessary changes, which is what you should do, so you will see how it is done.
I am also only putting in one sub and one mission to make it easier to understand, you can add more by seeing how the others are set up.

;************************************************* ******
;*********NewLondon******************************* ********

[Flotilla 8]
ID= NewLondonCommand
NameDisplayable= Sub Base New London
AvailabilityInterval=NULL, NULL


[Flotilla 8.Base 1]
ID= NewLondon
NameDisplayable= Groton, Ct
Info= Sub Base New London
ExternalBaseName=New London
AvailabilityInterval= NULL, 1945-12-31
DepartureDescription1= -8650307, 4961550, 256.779 ; Enum of available points, choose one randomly each time a patrol is started
;DepartureDescription2= -18954874, 2563059, 46.252201
DepartureDescriptionOut1= -8649880, 4957245, 180 ; Enum of starting points for when the player selects the option to start outside the base

[Flotilla 8.UserPlayerUnitType 1]
ID= F8Porpoise
NameDisplayable= Porpoise class
AvailabilityInterval= NULL, 1944-11-11
IDLinkUserPlayerUnitType= Porpoise
UnitTypeCommonality= 1 ; to be used when a random choice is assigned
IDFlotillaLinkTransferTo= PearlHarborCommand ; when the flotilla is disbanded, the subs of this type are transferred to this one. If NULL then submarine assigned to training -> desk job or reassignment

[Flotilla 8.UserPlayerUnitType 1.Objective 1]
ID= NL8Obj1
NameDisplayable= Empire Waters
AvailabilityInterval=1941-12-06, 1941-12-31
ObjectiveCode= JapanSouth

;*****end of New London**********

Explanations:
1.
;************************************************* ******
;*********NewLondon******************************* ********

Notice the ; at the beginning of the lines. Added these so you can easily find the Flotilla if it is in the middle of the file instead of the last one, and the game ignores those lines because of the ;
1. [Flotilla 8] The number of the Flotilla, when adding one just use the next number in line.
2.ID= NewLondonCommand- This is important, it is the link from CareerStart to the Flotilla and must match the entry in CareerStart.upc.
3. NameDisplayable= Sub Base New London - Name that shows at points during the game. (It is actually Naval Submarine Base New London)
4. AvailabilityInterval=NULL, NULL- Obviously the time it is available as a Flotilla, you can put dates. NULL,NULL is always.

Next section is the Base:
[Flotilla 8.Base 1]
Tells the game it is the first Base in Flotilla 8. If you look in the stock files for the Asiatic Fleet (FremantleCommand) you will see there are 3 bases. When the first base, Manila, is captured by IJN they move to Surabaya. When that is captured they move to Fremantle. So there can be more than one base to a Flotilla.
ID= NewLondon An ID for the game to keep track of things.
NameDisplayable= Groton, CT The is what you see at the beginning of the game when you start at a base. "Report to Groton, Ct no later........" The base is actually in Groton which is the east side of the river and the mailing address, New London is on the west side of the river. If you want to use "New London, CT. go ahead, it will not cause any problems.
Info= Sub Base New London Actually should point to a Localization file for the info and we can set that up properly, didn't want to overload you. The info should tell that it is a Training facility and was the first Sub base. We can fix that later.
ExternalBaseName=New London IMPORTANT this is the Name you gave the base in the mission editor in the box, "Unit New Name" and must match.
AvailabilityInterval= NULL, 1945-12-14 - Obvious
DepartureDescription1= -8650307, 4961550, 256.779 - this is the start point IN port that you wrote down the numbers for. First number is lng second is lat, third is heading for the sub. Just enter the numbers you wrote down, they will not match mine.
;DepartureDescription2= -18954874, 2563059, 46.252201 - This is for a second departure that the game can select at random, I just put a ; so the game would ignore it. You can use it by getting another set of numbers, you can put a semicolon to ignore it, or you can delete it.
DepartureDescriptionOut1= -8649880, 4957245, 180 - Notice this one adds the work Out, so it uses the numbers you wrote down to start outside the base when you select that option at the beginning of your mission.

Next section the subs:
[Flotilla 8.UserPlayerUnitType 1] This is the section to define the subs, I only used one to keep it simple, easy to understand and easy to find mistakes.
ID= F8Porpoise The ID of the sub and is linked to from CareerStart.upc.

NameDisplayable= Porpoise class
AvailabilityInterval= NULL, 1945-12-11
IDLinkUserPlayerUnitType= Porpoise
Can be copied from other Flotillas and is standard to link to the sub. If you build a custom sub then they would be different, the IDLinkUserPlayerUnitType is taken from the submarinename.upc file in the Submarine folder.
UnitTypeCommonality= 1 This I have no idea, I never got an answer to what this does, There is also a Flotilla commonality in the careerstart that I do not understand.
IDFlotillaLinkTransferTo= PearlHarborCommand I do not know if this even works, I know this is not used if the base is captured, that is where the Base1, Base2 etc that you see in the Asiatic fleet I mentioned before, is used, not this.

Ok that is the end of this section only because I put in ONE sub to keep it simple. You can add more if you want. You just have to watch the dates and make sure the sub is available on that date. That info is in the subs.upc file.
If you put more subs in CareerStart (the next section to explain) then you will need to continue the numbering.
[Flotilla 8.UserPlayerUnitType 1]
ID=F8Porpoise
........
[Flotilla 8.UserPlayerUnitType 2]
ID=F8Tambor
..........
[Flotilla 8.UserPlayerUnitType 3]
ID=F8Gar

Now the Objectives section

I just put in an objective that you can't even do, it is too far away. But I thought you would be writing your own missions to do. For information this is how it is set up:
[Flotilla 8.UserPlayerUnitType 1.Objective 1] This still Flotilla 8, the sub is userplayerunitType 1 because the Porpoise is the first one, and the objective is number one. So if you made three missions for the Porpoise they would be numbered:
[Flotilla 8.UserPlayerUnitType 1.Objective 1]
[Flotilla 8.UserPlayerUnitType 1.Objective 2]
[Flotilla 8.UserPlayerUnitType 1.Objective 3]

then if you added a second sub the unittype would change:
[Flotilla 8.UserPlayerUnitType 2.Objective 1]
[Flotilla 8.UserPlayerUnitType 2.Objective 2]
[Flotilla 8.UserPlayerUnitType 2.Objective 3]

So that would give you 3 objectives for the first sub and three for the second sub.

ID= NL8Obj1 Again an ID for the game to keep track of stuff, usually numbered to be easily understood. The would be New London, Flotilla 8, objective1
NameDisplayable= Empire Waters
AvailabilityInterval=1941-12-06, 1941-12-31
ObjectiveCode= JapanSouth IMPORTANT Objective Code is used by the game to pick a mission using a line in the PatrolObjectives called AllMatch= So the game would only pick available missions that use AllMatch=JapanSouth. That is how you limit what missions are assigned. So if you write training missions from New London and save them, add them to the PatrolObjectives.cfg file you could use AllMatch=NLTraining and in the Flotilla file you would use ObjectiveCode=NLTraining.

One more note before we go to CareerStart.upc. Missions are assigned to your sub when you ENTER port, not when you leave. So if you have training missions near New London and then transfer to Pearl Harbor you take your mission with you. So you will have a training mission near New London but your sub will be in Pearl Harbor. That leaves you three choices: Go through the Panama Canal to do the mission, ignore the mission and go where you wnat OR do what Ducimus did. He wrote 3 training missions and when you finished the last one there was a message to RTB and transfer to Pearl Harbor, and the fourth mission is near Japan, so as you enter New London to transfer you get assigned that one.

Whew, a lot of talk for so few lines.... Now on to CareerStart.upc, again I will post the code then explain what I can. But before I do that you should fix one line in the Careerstart.upc in RSRDC TMO 502:
At the top of the file is this:
[CareerStart 1.Flotilla 2]
ID= C2Flotilla2
Remember I mentioned they are number so they make sense and are easy to locate? Well this is Career 1 Flotilla 2 but the ID is numbered for Career 2 Flotilla 2, so change it to ID= C1Flotilla2. There is no ID conflict now since there is no other C2Flotilla2 but if you happen to add one it MAY cause a problem. I am not sure but it is an easy fix.

Now this has very few lines and what I did is add a Flotilla to [CareerStart 1] so you can select New London from the beginning of the Campaign. I didn't make it a separate "New Construction" for two reasons, one so you can start at the very beginning without a lot of hassle in writing it, and New London did not build submarines. It can be changed easily if you want to do it, but here is how it is now.

At the very top of the file you have:
[CareerStart 1]

[CareerStart 1.Flotilla 1]

[CareerStart 1.Flotilla 2]

;+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Above the ;+++++++++++++++ add this:

[CareerStart 1.Flotilla 3]
ID= C1Flotilla3
NameDisplayable= Sub Base New London
IDLinkFlotilla= NewLondonCommand
IDLinkUserPlayerUnits= F8Porpoise, 3
FlotillaBriefingText= ; seems to have no function
FlotillaCommonality= 1

So we are adding the New London Flotilla to [CareerStart 1] So when you start the game and get to the menu you can select Sub Base New London on Dec 6th, 1941. There willl be three choices:
Pearl Harbor
Manila
Sub Base New London

Now explaination:
[CareerStart 1.Flotilla 3] Adding a new Flotilla to the first Career Start.
ID= C1Flotilla3 again an ID for the game to keep track of stuff.
NameDisplayable= Sub Base New London This is what will show in the menu to select a base when starting the game. (If you want you can change it to "New Contruction 41" if that is what you want.
IDLinkFlotilla= NewLondonCommand IMPORTANT this links to the ID in the Flotilla file and it must match:
[Flotilla 8]
ID= NewLondonCommand

IDLinkUserPlayerUnits= F8Porpoise, 3 IMPORTANT This is where I see some mistakes by beginners. If you remember in the Flotilla file we numbered the subs using F8Porpoise because it was Flotilla 8 and we wanted to keep the numbering correct. If you look at the this file it is called [CareerStart 1.Flotilla 3] so why isn't the sub F3?
Because it is a link to the sub we want to use, which is F8Porpoise NOT F3Porpoise. If you put F3Porpoise here it will crash the game before you even start to play. That is one reason I did the Flotilla file first, to show you why this is F8Porpoise and NOT F3.

FlotillaBriefingText= ; seems to have no function I think this comment may have been added by Ducimus, it is not commented in the stock files.
FlotillaCommonality= 1 Again I don't know

Now like I said before I only put in one sub so you can try it make sure it works and then by looking at the other entries you can add more subs
For the Career Start it would look like this:

IDLinkUserPlayerUnits= F8Sboat, 5, F8Porpoise, 7, F8Salmon, 4, F8Sargo, 8

commas after each but no comma at the end, just remember they are F8 NOT F3.


In the Flotillas.upc add an entry for each sub and Objectives for each sub. You can look at another flotilla to see how it is set up.

If you get this working I can fix the line for info and show you how to put it into the localization file. Easier than what we just did. It is the info that shows on the Transfer paper when you select the phone to transfer.

I hope this helped. I am not sure how much you already knew, but I hope it was a help.
I think you should try it to learn how it is done, but if you do have problems I can send my NewLondon MOD to you, but that is the easy way out.

I will not be responsible for any exploding computers or computers being thrown out of windows. I should read this over to see if there are any typos, but I'm tired. Any questions let me know, I will help with what I can, which isn't much.

Peabody