Realism- and gameplay-related hardcode fixes for SH3.EXE

[LGN1]

Originally Posted by Stiebler

I have determined the use of the 'Report Contacts' radio button in SH3.

If a single ship sends a radio message, the 'Report Contacts' button provides a direction and distance to the ship. The big problems with this button are these:
1. Single ships send radio reports rarely, except in the earliest days of the war.
2. The distances involved are too large to be of any use. In the North Sea in 1939, I was getting ranges of up to 600 miles. By the time you reach the point, the target has long moved, and you find yourself chasing the next nearest single ship in the oppositie direction - which has also moved by the time you arrive!

What is really exasperating is that pressing this button can result in one of two messages:
Either: No radio messages received. This is the code my Surrender mod is using.
Or: A direction and distance to a target, which uses some closely related code that is also used by the sonar-man! Evidently general purpose code to provide direction and distance to a target.

There is a way of filtering out the unwanted usage, but I'm not sure whether to continue with the existing code which will only work if no single ship nearby has signalled; or to apply a simple filter, which will result in the unwanted messages being shown as well as the 'Abandon U-boat' message. Hmmm.

SquareSteelBar - you have PM.

Stiebler.

Thanks a lot for the information, Stiebler!

I have played around a bit with the 'Report Contacts' button and it seems it can be quite useful sometimes!

I'm wondering whether it's a good idea to break/remove this feature Have you thought about using instead of the 'Report Contacts' button one of the special maneuver buttons in the chief engineer menu? Breaking these special maneuver buttons does not have such consequences as breaking the 'Report Contacts' button because you can perform all the special maneuvers yourself. I think this would be a much more solid solution than breaking the 'Report Contacts' feature. It would also make sense: You order the Chief Engineer to prepare the special maneuver of sinking the boat and then the radio man sends the message.

Regards, LGN1

Edit: It might be also easier to use the special maneuver button because it has not two different consequences.

[h.sie]

@Stiebler, LGN1:

AGAIK, the following (marking/targeting) commands have no function:

2868=Nearest ship
2869=Nearest merchant
2870=Nearest warship
2871=Recommanded target

Why not use those?


@Tobias: You are correct. Just make a second install to somewhere on your HD, take the sh3.exe from it and delete that install.

[Tobias99]

Thx for quick reply h.sie

One question before i do this:

Must i patch the .exe to 1.4 before i patch with your tool?
Sorry - hope no dumb question

[h.sie]

@Tobias: No dumb question.

Maybe you have luck and it's already v1.4.

If not, you've to make it -> v1.4 first!

Then, make a backup of your sh3.exe for further patch updates!

[Tobias99]

h.sie, i have try it..
I have the Europe (German)-Version von SH3, so with the first Install i have the .exe 1.0
I patch it to 1.4 - and then i will patch the 1.4 .exe with your tool..
..but the same message "not compatible version.."
What do i wrong?
Only for English-Version?
Thx a lot once more..

(Should i send you my 1.4 exe?)

[h.sie]

@Tobias: Try V15G1. If that does not work, send me both of your files. Upload them to somewhere and send me the link via PM.

[LGN1]

Hi,

I've made some further tests concerning the AI behavior. It seems it is controlled by the type entry. I designated a C3 as type=4 (destroyer) and it started to behave like a destroyer, i.e., trying to ram my boat,...

Now the open questions are:

- Is it possible to have regular ships sailing submerged? I guess yes with the proper zon settings, however, one has to check it.

- Why are all the old AI subs designated as submarines and not destroyers? The destroyer AI should be much more suited

Cheers, LGN1

[h.sie]

@LGN1: Interesting finding. What about setting Type=4 for Type VIIA? I'll try that. On the other hand: If the immobile AI-Subs are waiting at the right locations for the convoy, it would be sufficient if they only shoot.....

[LGN1]

Originally Posted by h.sie

@LGN1: Interesting finding. What about setting Type=4 for Type VIIA? I'll try that. On the other hand: If the immobile AI-Subs are waiting at the right locations for the convoy, it would be sufficient if they only shoot.....

I tried it myself --> CTD. It seems a type=4 in the submarine folder is not possible. Maybe move the Type VIIA to the sea folder and change the type?

I agree it's not that crucial. However, I'm wondering what AI the game uses if a unit is type=200 and there is no dedicated submarine AI in SH3. I would prefer to have a unit with a well defined AI behavior which we know.

In addition, for compatibility issues it might be good to have a new, dedicated sub unit.

Best, LGN1

[h.sie]

Currently trying to move VIIA -> Sea folder

[h.sie]

moved VIIA to the sea folder and also changed the Roster. But MissionEditor came up with warning:

"The unit class SSTypeVIIA from country germany not found in the platforms library".

So there is some more work to do....not my area of expertise......

[SquareSteelBar]

Maybe you have to change UnitType in .cfg files [Roster and Uboat folder].

[h.sie]

The above mentioned warning of MissionEditor was my fault. Problem solved.

@SSB: I changed UnitType to 4 in cfg files of Roster and Submarine!

Completey moved VIIA to Sea-folder. VIIA appeared as "Sea"-Object in Mission-Editor. Fine.

But CTD when mission load.

[SquareSteelBar]

Originally Posted by h.sie

...But CTD when mission load.

A possible reason: the sub is splitted into fuselage and conning tower; maybe sea units aren't able to look into 'Objects' folder.

Try to move the tower files to 'Library' folder, then edit the .eqp file of the sub like this:

LinkName=Turm7a_1_High <- Node name used in Turm7a_1_hd.dat

[h.sie]

@Sounds plausible.

Using a single mission I found out that the VIIA's heading must exactly show into the direction where the target ship is. Then he attacs, otherwise not.