Xavier's torpedo doctrine mod

[Bill Nichols]

Xavier M. sent this to me and I thought I'd share it with other modders:

1st sorry for my english...

I am a french player of Dangerous Water and I modify the doctine for homing torpedos...

I think, it could be interesting...
your torpedo take the max speed only if she dectect something...
if you manualy stop the enable mode, she returne to pre eneble speed.
it work good.

I modify the file TORPEDO.TXT Whith "Dangerous Waters Update Version 104 Build 378 (English)" and the "LWAMI 308 Full" installed like this :

; Home
IF NEWTRACK THEN {
IF ASuWSafety THEN {
IF ( TgtClass $= "SURF" ) OR ( TgtAlt >= -40 ) THEN {
DROP
} ELSE {
DebugOut Ownname
DEBUGOUT "Torpedo Acquired"
DebugOut TargetName
SETTACTIC "TorpHoming"
IF ( AcousticMode == 1 ) THEN { SetSpd MaxSpd } ELSE { SetSpd 40 } ENDIF
;in passive mode if the speed is to high... torpedo never reached his taget...
} ENDIF
} ELSE {
DebugOut Ownname
DEBUGOUT "Torpedo Acquired"
DebugOut TargetName
SETTACTIC "TorpHoming"
IF ( AcousticMode == 1 ) THEN { SetSpd MaxSpd } ELSE { SetSpd 40 } ENDIF
;in passive mode if the speed is to high... torpedo never reached his taget...
} ENDIF
} ENDIF

you can try...

At the same time,
I modify all torpedos noise too like this :
With DWedit in "Object Dialog" for all "normal" torpedos I decrese the "base" sound of -40 (eg: for 278:53 cm Torpedo : old Passive sonar SL = 77, now I put 37 !)

At the same time, to keep the same sound level at max speed I modify the "Gen Topedo+10" in "Trurst Dialog" this +50. (old Gen Torpedo CspeedNoise = 10 now I put 50 !)

with this mod, you can launch a low speed topedo. (like 10 or 20 kts...)
the launch sound is the same... but your torpedo is more difficulte to detect at long range in pre enable speed when she's travel.

[Molon Labe]

I think the idea of making slow-running torpedoes quieter than they are now (that base SL does look on the high side) is a good one, but for low speed settings to be practical in combat, the time at which the torpedo goes to full speed must be when the enemy detects the torpedo, not when the torpedo detects the enemy. I think the "right" way to do this would be to allow the player to command the torpedo to accelerate to maximum speed (which the player would do upon noticing that the target has begun evasive action), not for the weapon to accelerate upon acquisition.

[Bill Nichols]

Molon, Xavier has read your post and sends me an update:

a saw the forum...
and a follow the idea...
and a modify my file again...
now, the torpedo travel at your speed selection and reach the max speed only when she's activated.
always in the tropedo.txt like this :
[...]
IF ( Homing == 0 ) AND ( OwnAlt < 0 ) THEN {
; Preenable Steer Or Search
IF Enabled THEN {
; Snake Or Circle
IF CircleSearchPattern THEN {
; lower priority to make sure we don't interfere with homing
IF ( AcousticMode == 1 ) THEN { SetSpd MaxSpd } ELSE { SetSpd 40 } ENDIF
SETPRIORITY 224
IF snakeleft THEN
SetRudder -10
ELSE
SetRudder 10
ENDIF
} ELSE {
; lower priority to make sure we don't interfere with homing
IF ( AcousticMode == 1 ) THEN { SetSpd MaxSpd } ELSE { SetSpd 40 } ENDIF
SETPRIORITY 224
snakecrs = RelativeBearing PreenableCourse OwnCrs
IF snakecrs > 30 THEN {
snakeleft = true
} ELSEIF snakecrs < -30 THEN {
snakeleft = false
} ENDIF
IF snakeleft THEN
SetRudder -3
ELSE
SetRudder 3
ENDIF
; SNAKE PreenableCourse
} ENDIF
[...]

when you stop the enable, your topedo return to preset speed.

[Molon Labe]

That's definitely an improvement, but the torp should remain at top speed even if it is pre-enabled. Once it is enabled, it is almost certain that it will be detected and that the target will commence evasion. Or more likely, the player will enable the weapon precisely because it has been detected and time is of the essence. The fact that the weapon snakes while it is enabled takes away from the benefit of increasing its speed.

Maybe I should take a step back conceptually. Remember when 1.04 was first released and a few people were bitching about how the Mk48 had reduced range at maximum speed, and that targets were often outrunning the torpedo? I discussed the concept of "no-escape range," the range that the torpedo had to be fired from in order to ensure that it could not be defeated by dragging alone. In my view, a mod such as yours increases the probability of a successful kill by effectively increasing the no-escape range by making the weapon harder to detect until it gets close to the target--it decreases the time the target has to run. Once the weapon is detected, though, the benefit of the mod is at an end; at that point, the most important factor for a successful intercept is a high closure speed. The best closure speed occurs when the torpedo is at maximum speed and is on a lead pursuit intercept course. If the weapon goes back to pre-enable speed or is snaking, the closure speed is reduced substantially, giving the target more time to get away. Snaking and reduced speed (if below max speed -10kts) also decreases the linear range of the weapon, so the target needs less time to get away too.

In most situations, the shooter would be better off presetting to max speed. The only situation in which the shooter would be receiving a benefit from having max speed available only after enabling would be in those cases where acquisition occurs immediately upon enabling. I should certainly hope that those instances are rare, except when attacking the most deaf of targets (keeping in mind that reducing the speed of the torpedo below maximum -10kts carries a range penalty, so super-low speed torpedoes will not be employed as a practical matter).

As a suggestion for improvement, I'd recommend taking a look at the LW/Ami 4 torepdo control doctrines. That system demonstrates how you can use the interface to allow the user to control the speed and depth of the torpedo. If you modified that system to allow for the torp to return to preset speed upon command (assuming it needs such a feature), it should be possible in the same way changing the depth to the preset level is possible. One might also be able to have fixed speed settings that are always available regardless of presets, like the UUV controls. Combine this sort of interface with an improved sound-speed curve, and then you've got a great torpedo mod.

[caymanlee]

Excellent job! --------------------Xavier, thank you very much!

It gives me a blue-print how the doctrine works

[Castout]

I'm a sloppy guy. Could you pls just gimme the updated file already incorporating these changes?

This sounds too good to be passed up

[Castout]

At least tell me whether I just have to add those lines or do I have to delete some other lines or where should I insert those lines.

I take it the updated lines are the ones to be added? So I can ignore the first post?

[martinchi]

I have done like you said,and the speed of torpedo active can be controled two speeds,but it can't be used for torpedo passive and wave guide