[WIP] Lighthouses mod

[gap]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

Just so you know, I for at least one, have been following this and a few other SHIII posts with keen interest, but especially this one... We have SH4 FotRSU reverse-engineers at the ready to beg, borrow and plead once you've "finalized" (is a mod ever ~really~ finished?)... This looks very nice. All should be commended. |;^) - I wish I had a little more time to noodle some in SH3 and help "test" this, but alas, I'm buried - "I’ve got my country’s 500th anniversary to plan, my wedding to arrange, my wife to murder and Guilder to frame for it; I’m swamped."

P.S.:

Thank you for your interest and encouragement propbeanie

As far as I am concerned, but I am pretty sure Kendras has no problem either, starting from now you and the other SHIV 'reverse-engineers' have full permissions granted on this mod. In fact, I wish the best parts of all the mods released so far for either of the SH games to be merged together one nice day, and to be adapted for all the games of the series

Originally Posted by MLF

BTW I still haven't found the old admiralty chart symbol for lights (pre-metric chart). I had a book, "Bay of Biscay Pilot" but it's been buried somewhere under all my childrens' Uni stuff Internet is not much help.

That would be a nice addition! Keep looking for it, please MLF

Originally Posted by MLF

I think we should keep it. It may be an illusion, but from my tests I have the impression that when the game wind goes against the fake wind, the effect of the spray isn't as dramatic as when the game wind goes with the fake wind ie. the wind-blown spray goes further when the 2 winds are combined....? Is that possible or is it my imagination?

If that was true, IF, we would be just one step away from solving the puzzle. What if we made the Wind X, Y and Z values extremely low, in particle generator's general settings, and we correspondingly increased the WindCoef value of each bitmap particle?

Should this last attempt fail, what would be the best wind direction for the "fixed wind"? A northerly wind maybe?

Originally Posted by MLF

I'll post screenshots later when I test Patch 10 (most likely tonight).

Let me know your thoughts on it

Originally Posted by MLF

You are right of course . It's holiday time - I'll be off on mine next Tuesday Just had a down moment last night

Poetic moment: may the firm and shining light of our lighthouses lead you and your family to the destination of your well deserved holidays, and elighten your way even during your darkest moments lol

Back to work now

[MLF]

Originally Posted by gap

If that was true, IF, we would be just one step away from solving the puzzle. What if we made the Wind X, Y and Z values extremely low, in particle generator's general settings, and we correspondingly increased the WindCoef value of each bitmap particle?

Should this last attempt fail, what would be the best wind direction for the "fixed wind"? A northerly wind maybe?

Haven't tried what you suggested here as I think, having started several missions, it varies so much I have to put it down to imagination.We need another opinion on this one, I think? See Screen shots below (I have my clouds back)
The hard line was still apparent with DepthBias set to 5, so increased to 6 and no line.
I will continue testing tomorrow as it's been a long day

Originally Posted by gap

Poetic moment: may the firm and shining light of our lighthouses lead you and your family to the destination of your well deserved holidays, and elighten your way even during your darkest moments lol

Back to work now

Thank you

regards,

MLF

[MLF]

Hi gap,

I've PM'd you.

Regards,

MLF

[gap]

Originally Posted by MLF

Haven't tried what you suggested here as I think, having started several missions, it varies so much I have to put it down to imagination...

I have tried that myself, but it didn't work: the one wind direction that those particles are subject to, is the one set in particle generator's settings

Originally Posted by MLF

The hard line was still apparent with DepthBias set to 5, so increased to 6 and no line.

Sometimes it works, some other times it doesn't

Originally Posted by MLF

Hi gap,

I've PM'd you.

Originally Posted by MLF

Hi Gap,

Thought I'd PM you with my findings on scale.
I took a screen shot of a type VIIC against La Plate. I imported it into MS Visio, and scaled it.
The height from W/L to top of the sub's conning tower is 4.2m
The height of La Plate real-life is 9.5m (Wikipedia)
However the in-game height of La Plate is 26m

https://www.mediafire.com/file/fbs61...La%20Plate.jpg

I hope you don't mind me answering your remark in public, but as usual my inbox is nearly full.

I know the Wikipedia article about La Plate, but I think it got its focal plane wrong. My model is base instead on data from The Lighthouse Directory, where it is stated:

focal plane 19 m (62 ft); nine very quick white flashes every 10 s. 26 m (85 ft) octagonal solid reinforced concrete tower with gallery but no lantern.

Our model's overall heigh is exactly 26m, measured from the bottom of the (semi-)submerged base to the top of the concrete tower, and its height a.s.l is about 19m. This is not considering the metal platform, which has been removed in recent years (the lantern having been subsequently moved to a much lower position than originally meant):

 

Model's proportions are base on several picture available on the web. Had I scaled the model based on the focal plane stated by Wikipedia, or had I considered the 19m figure as relative to the original lantern position, railings and ladders would have been too short/narrow. At the current scale, those elements look more or less in proportion with the current standars.

[MLF]

Originally Posted by gap

I have tried that myself, but it didn't work: the one wind direction that those particles are subject to, is the one set in particle generator's settings

unfortunately.

Originally Posted by gap

Sometimes it works, some other times it doesn't

I increased DepthBias to 20 and the effect was terrible. So put back to 6 and reasonably OK. It's very difficult to test and come to a certain conclusion on a base that changes each time the mission is loaded

Originally Posted by gap

Our model's overall heigh is exactly 26m, measured from the bottom of the (semi-)submerged base to the top of the concrete tower, and its height a.s.l is about 19m. This is not considering the metal platform, which has been removed in recent years (the lantern having been subsequently moved to a much lower position than originally meant):

Model's proportions are base on several picture available on the web. Had I scaled the model based on the focal plane stated by Wikipedia, or had I considered the 19m figure as relative to the original lantern position, railings and ladders would have been too short/narrow. At the current scale, those elements look more or less in proportion with the current standars.

I agree everything looks right with your scaling, and I was very surprised to learn from Wiki and other sites (http://www.jplours.fr/pointeduraz.htm) that it was only 9m high.Obviously missed off a 1 in their numbers
The photographs show that, compared with La Veille at 33m, your 19m would be much more accurate.
Very confusing though, hence my PM.

regards,

MLF