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Old 08-26-11, 05:01 AM   #1
TBear
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Default (project ) KM to IJN ássistance needed

This post is made so i can describe my work on a KM to IJN campaign, and adding 1941 to 1943 to The German side.(tweaked into IJN style)
This is a "light" version, its about learning the basics of the file structure and campaign structure of SH IV.

Why do i do it. Well i want to play an entire career in the maya heave cruiser. This is not a standalone campaign, this is simply a modification of the German campaign. I hope i can learn enough to offor my help to peabody on the real japanese campaign.

There are a few things i kinda stil have to learn, but descibing what im doing here, hopefully will bring out those who have the knoledge to say what i can do and what i cant.

To avoid getting stuck im working on 3 things seperate.

1941 to 1943 named project Burning pacific
1943 to 1945 named project Allies (KM/IJN)
Takao class playable. Project maya

I begin with project

Allies

I have wondered alot about objects turning up in the US campaign but i couldnt se in the axis campaign. Ubisoft have made a werry light campaign for the Germans, that in the layers are shallow and not as in depth as the US one.

This i found out simply by looking at the files in the Campign folders, campaign / campaignGE Many things are only 80% of what they are in the US folder, one thing that realy got me winding was the lack of japanese minefields. There is a slight difference in the folder structure, but in general it is the same files, just made "light"

So what could i do. Well i began to merge som files from the US folder to the GE folder. Didnt create new ones, simplo open GE file then merged with US file checked for complications and then saved them. I checked all "not year folders but the general ones" and merged those who had major differences, including adding the japanese minefields

"working on having the campaign map showining japanese minefields, so you know where they are, and like the harbours etc they will change position etc set by date in the mission file"
Then i began the task changing most of the German bases to Japanese bases, but leaving a few aux cruisers kinda to keep with the title "Allies"

**first problem**

Here i have a small problem. How do i change the player base. If i have singapore as playerbase its set German, how can i change the playerbase to japanese?? Is this the flotilla file that does it or where can i se the file that tells its the player base?? (how do i create or change a campaign player base)
So in general it have been merging files from both campaigns, but using the more in depth US files where posible. Then some changing of units from German to Japanese etc.

Project burning pacific.

The problem above is stalling my work here. So here is what i got so far.
Instead of looking at a blanc page i decided to look again at the US campaign folder. In there i could find all layers on the japanese side from 1938 to 1945. What there is missing are bases relevant to a player, and of course missions. Missions can be done all ready have some stuf like this

**note from work plan**

need convoys US mainland, pearl and midway
main US to duch harbour. US mainland - Russia
campaign
merging US and German campaign minefields.
new missions
Pearl harbour recon
Midway attack
san diego recon
Destroy XXX mostly on the eastern part
agent drop (duch, marshalls etc)

***********************

In general i can set it up by again using the US campaigns japanese files, but i have the problem backwards, not some US stuf are missing to make the pacific alive as Japanese player since most allied shipping are to the SW.

So here i have to rework some shipping etc and work on some harbours US West coast etc.

For this im using history and information, but i have to balance it, but try to stay on realistic aproatch or as close to it as gamplay alows.
So far what i can tell about going 1943 and backwards is again some merging, but

**second problem**

I can change the career and flotilla files, that is the easy part, but are some files in the campaign hardcoded or is what im doing the right way..?

Flotilla file change entrys
Career file change entrys

When i look at it it seems easy, and thats my problem, it seems to easy.

and then im back to first problem, can i or how do i change campaign entry bases?

Project Maya

The project maya i dont need help with yet. All ready talking to a werry skilled ship builder and some files are ready to implement.

Well thats it for now

Hope someone understand what imtrying to do and can help me with tips and yes or no`s

Thanks in advance

ps. My work is based on having Keltos1`s japanese sub mod installed, since it add a genereal IJN flavour to the German campaign (loading screens, playable japanese subs and other gfx relatet items. Doing that creates a immersion of it being a real japanese campaign

LTbear

Last edited by TBear; 08-26-11 at 05:16 AM.
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Old 08-27-11, 01:43 PM   #2
peabody
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TBear View Post
**first problem**

Here i have a small problem. How do i change the player base. If i have singapore as playerbase its set German, how can i change the playerbase to japanese??
The difference between German and Japanese is the icon. There are two ways to do it:
1. Use the mission editor,open the data/Campaigns/CampaignGE/CampaignData/Axis_NavalBases.mis select land/Japan/NavalBase and put it on the map. Take the settings date, time etc from the German base and put it into the Japanese base. Delete the German base.

2. Or you can use the notepad and open data/Campaigns/CampaignGE/CampaignData/Axis_NavalBases.mis, change Origin=German to Origin=Japan, same result.

The icon will change to a Japanese flag instead of a German flag. Just remember Japan can refit at a German base, and Germany can refit at a Japanese base, the icon is the difference.

Quote:
Is this the flotilla file that does it or where can i se the file that tells its the player base?? (how do i create or change a campaign player base)
1. In order to have a base you can dock at, it must be in the Flotilla.upc, with the necessary missions assigned to the ship/sub.
2. To make it a base that you can start a Career at, it must be in the CareerStart.upc AND the Flotilla.upc.
3. A base for "Refit only" does not need to be in either one of those files.

If you make any NEW .mis or misge files they must be added in the CampaignGE.cfg.
If you make a change in an existing file it should already be in the CampaignGE.cfg.

Quote:
Project burning pacific.
Quote:

The problem above is stalling my work here. So here is what i got so far.
Instead of looking at a blanc page i decided to look again at the US campaign folder. In there i could find all layers on the japanese side from 1938 to 1945. What there is missing are bases relevant to a player, and of course missions. Missions can be done all ready have some stuf like this

**note from work plan**

need convoys US mainland, pearl and midway
main US to duch harbour. US mainland - Russia
campaign
merging US and German campaign minefields.
new missions
Pearl harbour recon
Midway attack
san diego recon
Destroy XXX mostly on the eastern part
agent drop (duch, marshalls etc)

***********************

In general i can set it up by again using the US campaigns japanese files, but i have the problem backwards, not some US stuf are missing to make the pacific alive as Japanese player since most allied shipping are to the SW.
You must keep in mind the idea behind SH4. It was built to be a US Campaign, to attack the Japanese shipping, so there is very little US traffic. Adding all the US traffic would only slow down your computer and serve no purpose since you are not attacking the US in the original game. That is why you will definately need to add traffic to your project. The Uboat Add on did put traffic in the west but not in the central Pacific.


Quote:
**second problem**
Quote:

I can change the career and flotilla files, that is the easy part, but are some files in the campaign hardcoded or is what im doing the right way..?
I am not sure what you think is hardcoded. ? So I will attempt an answer although I do not completey understand the question.

1. I explained the bases above and where they are added.
2. Don't get confused with the term "mission". (some people did). Everything you do with the mission editor is saved as a .misGE (mission German) or .mis (mission US/Allies). So all traffic, airbases, navalbases, minefields are a .mis or misGE file. So don't confuse them with "Missions" which are assigned to you such as Patroling an area.

So if you create a file that contains traffic/targets and save it, it will save as a .misGE file. This file will get loaded by the "data/Campaigns/CampaignGE/CampaignGE.cfg" file, and must be added to this file if they are ones you created. If you use an existing file and edit it then save it, but do not change the name, it will already be included and you do not need to add another entry just because you edited it.

NOTE: If you look at the data/Campaigns/CampaignGE/CampaignGE.cfg file with Notepad, you will see that some files get loaded from the US folder. For example: data/Campaigns/Campaign/Campaign_LOC.mis. So some of the German info is actually loaded from the US side of the game, instead of creating another copy.
************************************************
Now to the actual missions you are assigned by the Flotilla file:

1. First you create a mission in the Mission Editor and save it to the "Patrol Objectives" folder. Example: Patrol-Indian-Ocean-NW-05.mis
2. Add this mission to the PatrolObjectives.cfg
Example:
[Section 18]
ID=ID18
FileName=data/Campaigns/CampaignGE/PatrolObjectives/Patrol-Indian-Ocean-NW-05/Patrol-Indian-Ocean-NW-05.mis
StartDate=19420201
EndDate=19450901
GameModes=Career
InclusionProbability=100
MinimumDifficultyRating=0
MinimumPlayerRating=-3
ExclusiveLayer=No
ExclusiveLayerID=1
EvaluationReason=FirstObjective
AllMatch=Indian-Ocean-West
ObjectiveType=0
BriefingMapName=NULL
BriefingMapIcon=NULL
BriefingMapIconPosX=0
BriefingMapIconPosY=0


Note the following in the above entry:
1. Startdate/Enddate (make sure it is available when you need it)
2. AllMatch=Indian-Ocean-West (this is a keyword used by the Flotilla file to assign the mission to your ship and can be used by more than one mission. In most cases it "should" be used by more than one mission, or every mission will need it's own entry.)
3. In the Flotilla.upc you add an entry using the dates and keywords so you can get a mission when and where you want it.
Example:

[Flotilla 1.UserPlayerUnitType 1.Objective 3]
ID= MB11OBj3
NameDisplayable= NULL
AvailabilityInterval=1943-06-15, 1944-02-25
ObjectiveCode= Indian-Ocean-West


The "ObjectiveCode" is used to find a mission to assign to you from the PatrolObjectives.cfg. "ObjectiveCode= Indian-Ocean-West" will look for a mission that has "AllMatch= Indian-Ocean-West". You may have any number of missions having the same "Keyword" and the game will pick one, also taking into consideration the Start and End dates. It will also take into consideration the "InclusionProbability=100" which is the chance the mission will be assigned. If there are some not so popular such as supply missions, you can set it to a lower Probability.


Peabody
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Old 09-03-11, 04:16 AM   #3
TBear
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sir, you are aaaawsoooome tx alot

LTbear
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Old 02-05-12, 12:52 PM   #4
TBear
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since the Takao came out, the biggest hurdle for my project have came to an end. The Takao fits perfectly, and with a few bug kills its perfect.

So im back on track and are slowly progressing on "Burning pacific"

So far most have been adding allied shipping around the states. Also planes etc but atleast the oceans are filling up

Even beginning to add a few bigger battles where you join and fight with a few taskforces (just have to make sure you are at the positions the right day (workaround)

Also a few convoy escorts, assisting submarines etc.

Unfortently you have to tie any interaction up with specific date and times, you might loose some.

Stil going by the game vs real history ballance, but so far my "beta tester" are loving it

Not sure how i make it avaliable, its a gigantic mod soup boiled realy good to something that atleast feels like a IJN surface campaign 1941-1945

Not even sure how to make the readme for it.....

IJN

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Old 02-06-12, 04:07 AM   #5
TBear
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After getting test results back i can give a small update.

Campaign beginning 1940: Works

Player ship(testbed for now) Takao class: Works

Campaign map 1940-1945: Works

Allied shipping 1940-1945: Works (few minor bugs, but in general it works)

Missions 1940-1943: Works

Allied and japanese various ships and planes 1940-1945: Works

Dynamic oceans (multi national shipping) pacific, atlantic etc: Need work, but so what is done works.

------------------------------------------------------------

What i have in workshop

With permission looking into the Takao

With permission Including Keltos Japanese submarines and other things that would benefit the project.

Boiling down the mod soup needed. I have a tons of mods, and could use abit "cutting away"

Rework some of the changes to the allied side to make it work for the Japanese side (bits and bobs)

-----------------------------------------------

Prepare the campaign to have room for battleships "fun factor" (if some japanese BB`s come out other than yamspotato)

Everything takes time. The easyest right now is the pure campaign. The hard part is ship, office etc. Also the ship upgrades and some other things are taking time. Right now i have a campaign that is kinda flipped from allied to Japanese. Recourse of the computer is something i slowly have to pay attention to, feels that im extremly slowly are grinding my computer down, so when everything is complete i have to fine tune everything to get rid of what is not needed. (im a mission fanatic and love to have a billion things going on at the same time)

Next update will have screenshots and maby a small movie cant give an eta on it yet

TBear
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