Missing degree ticks in the Periscope view

toche · 07-10-16, 01:33 AM

I've noticed videos and screen captures online of the Periscope Views (both Attack and Observation) having single degree ticks in the heading strip on top. In other words, not just markers at every 5 and 10 degree locations, but also at every degree location. Mine only have the degree markings at the 5 and 10 degree, except that my UZO/TBT does have marking at every degree.

Is this a result of the mods I am using OR maybe because of the screen resolution I am using? Could someone point me to the graphics file that I would have to change to get markings at every degree?

I play at 1360x768 resolution, and below is the list of mods I have running:
SH4 1.5
Optical Targeting Correction
OTC for 8.5 to 4.8 Aspect Ratio
3000 Yard Bearing Tool (1360x)
Bigger Better Protractors
OTC_Gato Sonar Bearing Fix
Webster's Better Mouse Arrow v1
Webster's Eliminate Floating Plankton

Thanks in advance!!!

CapnScurvy · 07-11-16, 07:59 AM

Using OTC you should have individual degree marks, plus larger degree marks every 5 degrees. I've deleted the interface from the image, but this is what you should be seeing with an OTC periscope view:

If you're only seeing the lower part of the Bearing Compass, you're not seeing each degree mark. Least that's what I'm suspecting. If so, you're missing some of the game. Maybe try another resolution that gives you a better "fit", giving you a complete image of the game.

If you switch resolutions/aspect ratios, don't forget to change your "OTC Aspect Ratio Mod" to match what you've changed to.

OTC for 5 to 3 Aspect Ratio.......Correcting the 1280x768 resolution, 5:3 aspect ratio

OTC for 5 to 4 Aspect Ratio.......Correcting the 1280x1024 resolution, 5:4 aspect ratio

OTC for 8 to 5 Aspect Ratio.......Correcting the 1680x1050; 1440x900; 1280x800 resolution, 8:5 aspect ratio

OTC for 8.5 to 4.8 Aspect Ratio..Correcting the 1360x768 resolution, 8.5:4.8 aspect ratio

OTC for 16 to 9 Aspect Ratio......Correcting the 1920x1080 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio

The main OTC mod correct the 4 to 3 Aspect Ratio that works for these resolutions:

1024x768
1152x864
1280x960
1360x1024
1600x1200
1792x1344

You won't need to add an optional "Aspect Ratio Mod" if using a 4:3 aspect ratio.

AND......Welcome to SubSim toche!!

toche · 07-11-16, 06:24 PM

Thank you for the reply.

Actually, the heading bar is showing correctly on the top of the screen. I started looking around the files, and found the bearing_big.dds, which I believe is what is used for the Attack/Obs periscope images, and it contains the ticks (just like your screen capture does).

I believe I have the correct MODs installed (8.5 to 4.8 Aspect Ratio); the MOD list in my original post is a copy/paste from the Generic Mod Enable list.

I wondered if it was a problem with the resolution, so I went into the Game Menu and changed the resolution to 1024x768. At this new resolution, the ticks are displayed. So I am wondering if its a problem with the 1366x768 resolution (I play in a laptop, thus the weird resolution ratio)... I then took it a step further and connected the laptop to my television, using and HDMI cable. The TV is capable of 1920x1080@60Hz. I then activated the "OTC 6 to 9 ratio" mod, and before that disable/removed the 8.5 to 4.8. I went into the game, set the GRAPHICS OPTIONS resolution to 1920x1080@60Hz, and then exit and restart the game (I've noticed in the past that resolution changes requires a game restart). Started a test mission, and the Periscope had the ticks. Interesting enough, it did not have the TDC or the Position Keeper on the left or upper right parts of the screen (no tabs to pull them out either).

Anyway, I'll keep playing with the resolutions and see if I can figure out what it could be. I've tried already installing the game 2 times (and applying the MODs), so I don't believe this is one of my files is corrupt (but its always a possibility).

Again, THANK YOU for your detailed response.

Aktungbby · 07-11-16, 07:22 PM

toche!

after a long silent run...good of U to 'toche base' once in awhile!

toche · 07-11-16, 08:52 PM

@Aktungbby, nice

. Been around for a while, but just never stopped to say hello. I always get bogged down with all the information these forums provide.

@CapnScurvy, if you don't mind me asking, what resolution are you using? A couple of differences between your screen capture and what I see:
1) The Heading "strip" at the top is definitely smaller in my screen. Actually, I don't see any "blue sky" above my strip. So I believe your guess that the strip is positioned too high may be correct.
2) The Vertical Telemeter on your screens seems to be centered on the Periscope, while mine seems to be off to the left a few degrees. Actually, my Telemeter looks just like the screen captures you have in your manual "How to use the Omnimeter.pdf"
3) In your image, I can almost see the bottom and top of the circle that makes the Periscope. In my image, it seems I don't (it almost seems like I am seeing 80% to 90% of the image you see.
4) My actual resolution (both on my Win desktop and within the game) is 1366x768. Not sure if the extra 6 on the horizontal would make a difference, but for the purpose of completeness I figured I should point it out.

Anyone else out there see what I am describing above???

Sorry I can't provide a screen capture, but when I try the "in game screen capture", the image is completely distorted (trapezoid style).

I hate to give up even more resolution on the graphics, so I am going to attempt to play around with the location of the "bearing_big.dss" (I believe your "Menu_1024_768.ini Changes.doc" identifies it as [G26 I140] and [G26 I141]). I'll see if I can "move" the bearing strip down a few pixels. I have to read the post "Deconstructing the menu_1024_768.ini file items" to understand what to do.

Will share anything I find.

toche · 07-11-16, 11:01 PM

I created a new MOD, with a single file (menu_1024_768.ini) using the appropriate folders/directories. The file contains the following change in the [G26 I140] section:

;ORIGINAL Zone= 212 732 475 100 0 1 0x26000002 0.5 1.8 0x26000004 -0.5 0.5 0 -60
Zone= 212 732 475 100 0 1 0x26000002 0.5 1.8 0x26000004 -0.5 0.5 0 -80

Basically changed the "-60" at the end to "-80". The single degree ticks are now visible in the Attack Periscope. I did not change the Observation Periscope on purpose so that I have a visual cue that I'm using the Obs instead of the Attack. I also did a few tests trying to estimate the distance and AOB using the Telemeter lines, ensuring my change did not alter the correction that OTC is meant to correct in the first place. I believe my results were close enough if not identical.

I also played around with the Crop setting of the section [G26 I143], where the Attackscope.tga is called out. My intention was to correct the problem by not cropping out the top and bottom parts of the scope, but I believe this attempt did alter the Telemeter lines, so I decided with the solution above.

If anyone is thinking "you dummy, you just messed up xxxxxx", please let me know, specially if its something obvious.

@CapnScurvy, I can only imagine the time you invested on making and testing the changes for OTC, specially for all the different resolution ratios you provided. THANK YOU!!

Toche

aanker · 07-12-16, 12:25 PM

From what I recall reading, SH4's 'Attack scope', and 'Observation scope' were also known as the 'day' and 'night' Periscopes for obvious reasons. You may want the ticks back on your night scope.....

Something to consider when making low light attacks.

Happy Hunting!

toche · 07-12-16, 10:18 PM

@aanker, thank you for the feedback. I believe I will actually make the change there, and I may try to change the colors of the ticks so they are brighter on the Obs versus Attack (just to push me to use the Obs at night).

I played the game with the changes last night, and again continue to find the calculations with the Telemeters working fine. After some thought, and after analyzing how the screen looks compared to CapnScurvy screen, I see my problem is really how the 1024x768 scope image is transformed to the 1366x768 screen. I am wondering if I could come up with a Attackscope.tga image that fits my screen better (really could just add more "fill" or space on the both sides of the image). Or I could create a tga file that that is still 1024x768, but its scope would be oval with a narrower width and same height.

May try that next when I find some time...

CapnScurvy · 07-19-16, 08:32 AM

The resolution/aspect ratio of the game is a real problem. In no way did the developers expect to see the kind of resolutions we are using today. When the game was being developed about 2003-04 (you have to go back that far when SHIII was first designed.......SH4 is a just a "bastard child" of SHIII) we didn't have the flat screen resolutions that we have today. We were still using 4:3 aspect CRT monitors....an LCD was just a pipe dream. The basis for the game display was to use the 1024x768 (they don't call it the "menu_1024_768.ini file for nothing!).......then try to work with what resolutions that could be derived from it. The fact that they didn't even get the basic 1024x768 game correct with its scaled periscope image is telling that they didn't have a clue, or at least, they didn't look further than their nose to what could have been the average way the game is played in just a year or two.

Ubisofts idea was to take the money now from sales; let them go hang when the market shifts to newer technology.....we'll just pump out a 5th patch (that doesn't fix the resolution issue) and expect the gamer to pay for it because we're putting the Nazi's into the Pacific!! PERFECT!!

07-10-16, 01:33 AM	#1
toche Swabbie Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 5 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 0	Missing degree ticks in the Periscope view I've noticed videos and screen captures online of the Periscope Views (both Attack and Observation) having single degree ticks in the heading strip on top. In other words, not just markers at every 5 and 10 degree locations, but also at every degree location. Mine only have the degree markings at the 5 and 10 degree, except that my UZO/TBT does have marking at every degree. Is this a result of the mods I am using OR maybe because of the screen resolution I am using? Could someone point me to the graphics file that I would have to change to get markings at every degree? I play at 1360x768 resolution, and below is the list of mods I have running: SH4 1.5 Optical Targeting Correction OTC for 8.5 to 4.8 Aspect Ratio 3000 Yard Bearing Tool (1360x) Bigger Better Protractors OTC_Gato Sonar Bearing Fix Webster's Better Mouse Arrow v1 Webster's Eliminate Floating Plankton Thanks in advance!!! Last edited by toche; 07-10-16 at 02:21 AM.

07-11-16, 07:22 PM	#4
Aktungbby Gefallen Engel U-666 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: On a tilted, overheated, overpopulated spinning mudball on Collision course with Andromeda Galaxy Posts: 27,913 Downloads: 22 Uploads: 0	Welcome aboard! toche! after a long silent run...good of U to 'toche base' once in awhile! __________________ "Only two things are infinite; The Universe and human squirrelyness; and I'm not too sure about the Universe"

07-12-16, 12:25 PM	#7
aanker Pacific Thunder Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yellow Sea Posts: 1,896 Downloads: 236 Uploads: 14	From what I recall reading, SH4's 'Attack scope', and 'Observation scope' were also known as the 'day' and 'night' Periscopes for obvious reasons. You may want the ticks back on your night scope..... Something to consider when making low light attacks. Happy Hunting! __________________ " Bless those who serve beneath the deep, Through lonely hours their vigil keep. May peace their mission ever be, Protect each one we ask of thee. Bless those at home who wait and pray, For their return by night and day."

07-11-16, 06:24 PM	#3
toche Swabbie Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 5 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 0	Thank you for the reply. Actually, the heading bar is showing correctly on the top of the screen. I started looking around the files, and found the bearing_big.dds, which I believe is what is used for the Attack/Obs periscope images, and it contains the ticks (just like your screen capture does). I believe I have the correct MODs installed (8.5 to 4.8 Aspect Ratio); the MOD list in my original post is a copy/paste from the Generic Mod Enable list. I wondered if it was a problem with the resolution, so I went into the Game Menu and changed the resolution to 1024x768. At this new resolution, the ticks are displayed. So I am wondering if its a problem with the 1366x768 resolution (I play in a laptop, thus the weird resolution ratio)... I then took it a step further and connected the laptop to my television, using and HDMI cable. The TV is capable of 1920x1080@60Hz. I then activated the "OTC 6 to 9 ratio" mod, and before that disable/removed the 8.5 to 4.8. I went into the game, set the GRAPHICS OPTIONS resolution to 1920x1080@60Hz, and then exit and restart the game (I've noticed in the past that resolution changes requires a game restart). Started a test mission, and the Periscope had the ticks. Interesting enough, it did not have the TDC or the Position Keeper on the left or upper right parts of the screen (no tabs to pull them out either). Anyway, I'll keep playing with the resolutions and see if I can figure out what it could be. I've tried already installing the game 2 times (and applying the MODs), so I don't believe this is one of my files is corrupt (but its always a possibility). Again, THANK YOU for your detailed response.

07-11-16, 08:52 PM	#5
toche Swabbie Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 5 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 0	@Aktungbby, nice . Been around for a while, but just never stopped to say hello. I always get bogged down with all the information these forums provide. @CapnScurvy, if you don't mind me asking, what resolution are you using? A couple of differences between your screen capture and what I see: 1) The Heading "strip" at the top is definitely smaller in my screen. Actually, I don't see any "blue sky" above my strip. So I believe your guess that the strip is positioned too high may be correct. 2) The Vertical Telemeter on your screens seems to be centered on the Periscope, while mine seems to be off to the left a few degrees. Actually, my Telemeter looks just like the screen captures you have in your manual "How to use the Omnimeter.pdf" 3) In your image, I can almost see the bottom and top of the circle that makes the Periscope. In my image, it seems I don't (it almost seems like I am seeing 80% to 90% of the image you see. 4) My actual resolution (both on my Win desktop and within the game) is 1366x768. Not sure if the extra 6 on the horizontal would make a difference, but for the purpose of completeness I figured I should point it out. Anyone else out there see what I am describing above??? Sorry I can't provide a screen capture, but when I try the "in game screen capture", the image is completely distorted (trapezoid style). I hate to give up even more resolution on the graphics, so I am going to attempt to play around with the location of the "bearing_big.dss" (I believe your "Menu_1024_768.ini Changes.doc" identifies it as [G26 I140] and [G26 I141]). I'll see if I can "move" the bearing strip down a few pixels. I have to read the post "Deconstructing the menu_1024_768.ini file items" to understand what to do. Will share anything I find.

07-11-16, 11:01 PM	#6
toche Swabbie Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 5 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 0	I created a new MOD, with a single file (menu_1024_768.ini) using the appropriate folders/directories. The file contains the following change in the [G26 I140] section: ;ORIGINAL Zone= 212 732 475 100 0 1 0x26000002 0.5 1.8 0x26000004 -0.5 0.5 0 -60 Zone= 212 732 475 100 0 1 0x26000002 0.5 1.8 0x26000004 -0.5 0.5 0 -80 Basically changed the "-60" at the end to "-80". The single degree ticks are now visible in the Attack Periscope. I did not change the Observation Periscope on purpose so that I have a visual cue that I'm using the Obs instead of the Attack. I also did a few tests trying to estimate the distance and AOB using the Telemeter lines, ensuring my change did not alter the correction that OTC is meant to correct in the first place. I believe my results were close enough if not identical. I also played around with the Crop setting of the section [G26 I143], where the Attackscope.tga is called out. My intention was to correct the problem by not cropping out the top and bottom parts of the scope, but I believe this attempt did alter the Telemeter lines, so I decided with the solution above. If anyone is thinking "you dummy, you just messed up xxxxxx", please let me know, specially if its something obvious. @CapnScurvy, I can only imagine the time you invested on making and testing the changes for OTC, specially for all the different resolution ratios you provided. THANK YOU!! Toche

07-12-16, 10:18 PM	#8
toche Swabbie Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 5 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 0	@aanker, thank you for the feedback. I believe I will actually make the change there, and I may try to change the colors of the ticks so they are brighter on the Obs versus Attack (just to push me to use the Obs at night). I played the game with the changes last night, and again continue to find the calculations with the Telemeters working fine. After some thought, and after analyzing how the screen looks compared to CapnScurvy screen, I see my problem is really how the 1024x768 scope image is transformed to the 1366x768 screen. I am wondering if I could come up with a Attackscope.tga image that fits my screen better (really could just add more "fill" or space on the both sides of the image). Or I could create a tga file that that is still 1024x768, but its scope would be oval with a narrower width and same height. May try that next when I find some time...