[REL] FOTRS Ultimate Project

[max-peck]

Originally Posted by Captain Dave

thumbs.db is a thumbnail cache of your ship pics.

Thanks Captain Dave

So it looks like this is not actually an issue

[max-peck]

Ignore this post - the Capn has already answered this question

[Rockin Robbins]

Originally Posted by pdiddy

Looking forward to this mod with great anticipation (as I'm sure many are!)

Forgive me if I've missed this (I've tried to read all the posts.) I know we're getting an optical correction with FOTRSU but will the Rec Manual stadimeter reference heights be OTC accurate? At least as a plug-in?

This post slipped by me and by the time CapnScurvy responded I had forgotten it!

Here's my thinking on the recognition manual. The game recognition manual is full of errors. In extreme instances it makes a 40 or 50% difference in range yielded by the stadimeter. In real life their recognition manual was also riddled with errors resulting in erroneous stadimeter readings. Not only that but the Japanese modified existing ships by shortening masts, reconfiguring cabin tops, etc so that if our recognition manual started out accurate it wasn't any more. Finally, the real recognition manual contained a small percentage of ships that could be spotted. Lots of time recognition wasn't even possible and rules of thumb had to be used to estimate heights of ship masts and cabin tops.

The OTC recognition manual has precise measurements for every ship. Not only that but it contains every ship on the oceans of the world. Now think: how could an American recognition manual have precise measurements for every Japanese ship in the world? It could only happen by renting those ships, conning them into an American harbor, where teams of marine surveyors would crawl all over them to take those measurements. Then they would have to stupidly return them to the Japanese. Now think about it. If you have the Yamato in San Fransisco Bay for measurements, are you going to give it back? Not me! I'd figure out a way to rent so many Japanese warships they couldn't have a war!

So in the core mod we're keeping the screwed up recognition manual. Yes, it's screwed up in a different way than the real thing was but the effect is the same. You'll miss some shots when you do everything right. The real skippers missed MOST shots when they did everything right.

But the genius of Fall of the Rising Sun Ultimate will come out later. That's a collection of FOTRSU compatible plugin mods that put the player in charge of how he plays. Suppose you're a new player. FOTRSU will just kill you before you know what's happening.

But you'll be able to plug in a mod to retract the AI fangs to give you a LITTLE chance to learn something, you'll be able to download CapnScurvy's perfect recognition manual, so you'll know if you miss it really is your fault, and you'll have a StockPlot mod that will make your nav map plot ship silhouettes, velocity vectors and explanitory text. And you can choose to use any of these mods together or separately because YOU are in charge of your game. You will absolutely KNOW which plugins are mutually exclusive and which can be used together because of a unique plugin mod numbering system you'll shortly become very familiar with and wonder why it wasn't used from the beginning.

If a beginner tries to start out with TMO he'll get chewed up and never have a chance to learn. He will have to go back to the stock game to learn. With FOTRS Ultimate you can learn on the mod you want to play and turn up the AI in stages as you're ready.

We're revolutionizing Silent Hunter 4. The game will never be the same. And other modders? PLEASE copy our ideas. PLEASE give us credit where you think appropriate. But we're not going to cry if you don't. We're not some EA Games, out to deny everyone else the benefit of our work. We're not proprietary about our ideas. It's not like we're getting rich here and we have nothing to gain by making others miserable. Of course the individual mods used in FOTRS Ultimate are still subject to their authors' restrictions. Some of our plugin mods will be appropriate for other game installations than FOTRS Ultimate. Our entire purpose is to help the community widen the options for players because we refuse to be in charge. YOU ARE.

[propbeanie]

Originally Posted by max-peck

... Back later - I am playing the latest BETA, and am in the middle of a two hour depth charging
Only a Subnut would think that that is fun

Now, is this that same set of DDs that were firing upon you earlier, and they're still dogging you?...

.

Originally Posted by max-peck

Following a PM between RR and me ... Long ago Ducimus figured out how to put a circle on the nav map that delineated your patrol area
I had a look at the files when he did it, and remember being very impressed ... Plus - having descriptive and helpful patrol messages is just better - isn't it?? ... take the patrol briefings from TMO and RSRD for flavour, and apply them to FOTRSU ...

I had not noticed the differences there max-peck, but now I do, and I concur... As for the map and the circles, for my own homegrown missions, after I've saved the mission file, I go ahead and run it, go to the chart page, and do a screen grab. Come back out and edit the file, saving as a tga, and put that in... is that what you're after? You can mark it up to your heart's content.

.

Originally Posted by max-peck

I have just taken a look at the Nav Map Mod that is in the directory ... As such - I would advise giving this file a very wide berth

I do believe that was put in there as an example to get rid of the auto-scroll in the Chart view, where when your cursor gets close to the edge of the map, the map view scrolls, unless of course, you're trying to draw a line, then it won't scroll, or it'll scroll uncontrollably from Wake to Honshu... If memory serves me correctly, it was already notated as incompatible (by me??)... Like CapnScurvy, "I do not recall such an incident"... but I *think* it was moi... peut être...

.

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

... But the genius of Fall of the Rising Sun Ultimate will come out later. That's a collection of FOTRSU compatible plugin mods that put the player in charge of how he plays ... Some of our plugin mods will be appropriate for other game installations than FOTRS Ultimate ...

Speaking of which, that "Crash_Dive_Fix", whatever it's name is, should be able to fix "The Sound" phenomenon in the current installs of FotRS v1.3 and 2.0, if folks encounter it there. If that particular "Submarine_CrashDive_INT.wav" sound file found in FotRS is in TMO, or any other mod, it should also fix them. The "Creaks..." files may or may not be necessary. I never did determine that conclusively. But they are probably part of the "trigger" for the event, with the actual Crash_Dive file being the one that "The Sound" came from... As such, it could be put in the Downloads section here. Credit goes to the team, but it would need either a RockinRobbins inspired ReadMe, or a CapnScurvy version, 'cause you guys know what yer doin'... least you seem like you do... - Sorry, couldn't pass that one up...
.

[max-peck]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

Now, is this that same set of DDs that were firing upon you earlier, and they're still dogging you?...

Three hours later I finally got away

My god they were persistent

[cdrsubron7]

Originally Posted by max-peck

Three hours later I finally got away

My god they were persistent

Sounds like the escorts from Aparri Bound.

[propbeanie]

Originally Posted by max-peck

Three hours later I finally got away

My god they were persistent

Originally Posted by cdrsubron7

Sounds like the escorts from Aparri Bound.

Nah... he'd be dead...

... although he did say he had just loaded a Single Mission, and Aparri Bound is near or at the top of the list...

[pdiddy]

No, the heights won't be checked or corrected for accuracy. What you have is what you'll have. Maybe a plug in later.

Capn, please let me know if you'd like assistance with the corrected Recognition Manual plugin. I understand it can be tedious. I'm willing to help out (given proper instructions!)

[propbeanie]

Who is familiar enough with the functionality of the Mission Editor, to be able to tell where it pulls its "config" file from? It worries me now having several installs of SH4 on the computer. I'm using MultiSH for the save files location, for SH4 v1.4, SH4 v1.5, FotRS v1.3, FotRS v2.0, FotRS Ultimate beta, and GFO+. I've got three hard drives, and each drive has 2 copies of the game (only one gets played at a time... ). I have no issues with SH4.exe itself. Whenever I go to open the Mission Editor, where ever my last Save was written to, or the last Open file was, is where the ME is pointing to, no matter which "version" of the program is run. I was guessing that there was something in the C:\ProgramData\ folder, but I can't find anything "Ubisoft" in there, which once I thought about it, makes sense... there was no such thing as Vista when the game came out, much less Windows 7... The GameLauncher can be found in AppData, but not the ME. Anyone know?

[cdrsubron7]

OK, I've finished putting Maru names to the merchant ships in FOTRSU. Below is a copy from the Names cfg in FOTRSU 0.1 Beta. It really is a mish mosh of things, I wonder if whoever worked on this didn't get enough sleep or something.


KSQ=Coastal Composite Freighter
KSS=Small Split Freighter
KMSSBiyo=Freighter Biyo Class
KMSSKinposan=Freighter Kinposan Class
KMCSHeito=Freighter Heito Class
KMCSAkita=Freighter Akita Class
KMCSHansa=Freighter Akita2 Class
KLSSHakusika=Freighter Hakusika Class
KLCSNagara=Big modern Freighter
KMCSZinbu=Old WWI Freighter
KSCSTaihosan=Freighter Taihosan Class
KSSSKasagisan=Freighter Kasagisan Class
PLConteVerde=Old Liner
PLKiturin=Medium Passangership
PLHorai=Big Troop Ship
PSTyohei=Small Troop Ship
GeAuxCruiser=Blockadebrecher
NCVW=Whale Factory Ship
M35R=Red Cross Freighter
M35Hansa=Old Medium Freighter
KGHAN=Big Old Hansa Freighter
KGHAP=Big Modern Hansa Freighter
KLSSHansa=Big Split Merchant
NPL_Hap=Big Passangership
NPL_RC=Hospital Ship
PPE=RMS Queen Elisabeth
PPQ=RMS Queen Mary

NSampan01=Sampan
NSampan02=Medium Sampan
NSampan03=Big Sampan
JPFish01=Fishing Boat
JPFish02=Fishing Boat
LL=Freighter Liberty Class
VV=Freighter Victory Class
VV2=Victory Supply Ship
KMSSHogIsland=Freighter Typ A
KMSSWarMelody=Freighter Typ B
KMSSWM=Freighter Typ B II
KPMCSExpress=Passanger/Freighter
OLSchliemann=Schlieman Tanker
OTMS=T3-Tanker
OTMST2=T2-Tanker
OSHaruna=Coastal Tanker
OMBuzyun=Small Tanker
OMPaula=Medium Tanker
OLNippon=Medium/Large Tanker
OLNippon2=Modern Fleet Tanker
ECTHansa=Old Fleet Tanker
T07B=Big Old Tanker
T07US=Big Old US Tanker
TR=Big Troop Transport
LUSBremen=Liner Bremen/Europa
TUS=Big Old Liner
KMSSJP=Standard Supply Ship
NKSS_CAT=Catapultship
KSSYae=Wheelsteamer Yae Class
Whalechaser=Whalechaser

Before I go in and start changing names for the ships I thought I like your opinion, boss, on how to standardize the name list. For the freighters I'll stay with what is being used. Examples below.

For freighters something like this; Freighter Akita Class

For tankers something like this; Tanker Huzisan Class

For Troopships something like this; Troopship Heiyo Maru Class

For Passengerships something like this; Passengership Takatiho Maru Class.



Your thoughts guys and the boss of course.

[propbeanie]

Which, if any, of the ships are "shared assets" between countries?

[cdrsubron7]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

Who is familiar enough with the functionality of the Mission Editor, to be able to tell where it pulls its "config" file from? It worries me now having several installs of SH4 on the computer. I'm using MultiSH for the save files location, for SH4 v1.4, SH4 v1.5, FotRS v1.3, FotRS v2.0, FotRS Ultimate beta, and GFO+. I've got three hard drives, and each drive has 2 copies of the game (only one gets played at a time... ). I have no issues with SH4.exe itself. Whenever I go to open the Mission Editor, where ever my last Save was written to, or the last Open file was, is where the ME is pointing to, no matter which "version" of the program is run. I was guessing that there was something in the C:\ProgramData\ folder, but I can't find anything "Ubisoft" in there, which once I thought about it, makes sense... there was no such thing as Vista when the game came out, much less Windows 7... The GameLauncher can be found in AppData, but not the ME. Anyone know?

Go into the folder you created in My Documents when you created the Save folder using MultiSH4.

The path is My Documents/BET/Data/cfg/Progress (I used BET for the letters to recognize my FOTRSU Beta folder in My Documents)

I think this might be what your looking for, it's the only thing the has info from the ME in it.

[cdrsubron7]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

Which, if any, of the ships are "shared assets" between countries?

There are many ships that are are used by all countries, the most common one is the Hansa. I suppose I could make a list if there need is to know.

[CapnScurvy]

Originally Posted by cdrsubron7

There are many ships that are are used by all countries, the most common one is the Hansa. I suppose I could make a list if there need is to know.

That's why a generic name for the ships that cross nationalities should be used (instead of using a "Xxxxx Maru" naming system). Maybe do a little research on where the ship was built, or who built it, and call it a "New London Freighter" of a "General Electric Merchant".

When looking at that list you just posted, the names like:
KMSSBiyo=Freighter Biyo Class
KMSSKinposan=Freighter Kinposan Class..........Seems fine to me. The name describes the ships "class" rather than a specific ship. That's good!

Why didn't they continue to name by class when they got to:
KLCSNagara=Big modern Freighter..........??? I'd simply change this ships given name to "Freighter (or Merchant) Nagara Class", keeping up with the other naming scheme. UNLESS, this particular ship is used by more than one nationality? If it is, then a generic name should be used like I mentioned, or just shorten the "Big Modern Freighter" to "Modern Freighter". That's generic enough!

It's the "given" names like:
M35Hansa=Old Medium Freighter
KGHAN=Big Old Hansa Freighter
KGHAP=Big Modern Hansa Freighter
KLSSHansa=Big Split Merchant........that need a better name.

Having part of a name starting with "Big Old..." just sounds dumb.

Even names like:
PLHorai=Big Troop Ship
PSTyohei=Small Troop Ship
NCVW=Whale Factory Ship
M35R=Red Cross Freighter.......don't sound too bad. Maybe change the "Big Troop Ship" to "Large Troop Ship" and leave the "Small Troop Ship" and the others alone. The name describes the ships purpose, which is a generic way of naming by what the ship does......nothing wrong with that either.

Or, something like this:
GeAuxCruiser=Blockadebrecher........We Americans wouldn't have called this ship a "Breacher"!?!

We'd call it a "Blockade Runner". If it's only used by the German's, you could call it a "German Blockade Runner".....if by more than one nation, "Blockade Runner" is fine.

I think you get the meaning.

[Rockin Robbins]

Yes, it would be bad to run into a German ship called Ikito Maru. However, the risk of doing that is very low. When the ship is shared between Allied and Axis powers THEN we have to be much more careful to avoid Joe Sharpeyes, who pops into the release thread and says "I just spotted a Kimono Maru in the Dutch convoy I encountered. What gives???!!!"

So I'd say CapnScurvy has a point, but if the conflict is with fleets not likely to be encountered, a Maru name would slide by undetected.