[REL] Solution Solver 1.3 - Page 2

gutted · 09-29-09, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitman

Excellent

that would allow the users to create "skins" with their preferred templates

Only requirment is that the dials need to be circular in nature. .ie no odd shapes hanging out the sides, or overlapping of the dials themselves. The program does not know anything about the dial istelf other than its radius (dervied from the width of the graphic itself)

What this means is that if it has odd shapes hanging out the sides, the area you'll be able to grab it from will be the entire width of the graphic .ie clicking in blank space will be valid.

Initially, the program DID use pixel perfect tests.. but using .NET/GDI+ it was considerably slower. I actally made a version with the Is-Was wheels.. with the ship nose and tail hanging out the sides of the bottom wheell... and it had the transparent Persicope dial ontop.. but it was considerably slower in response. So i scrapped it and went with a radius based appraoch.

Scaling and rotating high-res images in realtime is not what GDI+ is good at. Using C++/DirectX would cancel this performance problem out however.

Rockin Robbins · 09-30-09, 11:16 AM

Hey gutted, great job! Now somewhere around here (I find I ended up never using it) I have a software whiz wheel of some type that I intalled as an active desktop so that I could just mash windows-d and there was my whiz wheel operating as my desktop. I figured the solution, clicked the SH4 icon and was back in the game.

Is that a possibility with your models?

gutted · 10-01-09, 03:49 PM

i dunno bout that.

but version 1.2 will be coming shortly with some nice additions/improvements.

1. Solve button removed. Solution now updates in real-time.
2. Ability to use custom dial artwork.
3. Integrated Speed Solver/Chrono (awesome feature).

you'll really like #3.

Last night i intertecepted a ship and never once used any TDC or map tools to get course or speed. Purely visual attack.

gutted · 10-01-09, 03:56 PM

screenshot of the Chrono/Speed solver coming in version 1.2:

gutted · 10-01-09, 10:10 PM

Just attacked a 6kt convoy from 90 degrees. I watched them on radar, and figured out their course by matching their orientation on the AoB wheel.

I ranged them on radar a few times, and estimated them at 9kts, but they turned to head for a chokepoint prior to my run in for the attack. and must have changed speed.. because i used the speed solver on the nearest ship when i got close and confirmed the speed at 6kts just prior to firing.

Before doing so though, I played with the AoB wheel alittle.. and saw that i could turn up to 10 degrees and my solution would shrink by only about 1 degree.

slipped into fast torpedo range.. then fired 2 at the front ship. Turned left 5 degrees and moved my scope a half degree in.. fired at another ship. Then turned left 5 degrees and moved my scope in half a degree, and fired at another. All in rapid succession.

5 explosions, 1 dud. 2 dead ships, 1 cripple. which i finished off later.

I'm loving it so far. Been wanting to do this for a long time now.

If anyone has any suggestions for features im all ears.. and have some time on my hands right now. stupid recession.

was thinking about adding a tab to the main interface to house another page of utilities. maybe a speed/distance/time calculator (for both metric & imperial) or whatever.

There is one special feature im thinking of adding, but i'll have to do some thinking on it before i dive into it.

I'm goin' down · 10-01-09, 10:58 PM

I am try to find a good tutorial with screen shots to help me through the wheel. I am going slow trying to figure it out, but so far only partial progress. I assume I will be worshiping you soon.

gutted · 10-01-09, 11:12 PM

Everything you need to know is in the readme.. but i agree, pictures are helpful.

Maybe i'll do a proper manual with pictures etc for this. Or perhaps a video tutorial.

Hitman · 10-02-09, 07:46 AM

Just tested the new version, nice one

Could you add the templates you used for the graphics? That way we can easily edit it with our own ones, and have a reference for dimensions/proportions. Any size is possible as long as it is circular?

Finally, a wording suggestion

: In the Navy it is customary to use the terms "Own ship" or "Own ship course", and not "Self"

I'm goin' down · 10-02-09, 12:08 PM

I am unable to visualize the readme when I work the dials.

At some point, I am not sure where, I get lost. I am not going to spend more time trying to guess and figure it out, but I will try this. I will supply heading and true course for the target and "own ship", paste it the readme, which I have copied below, and you can supply the readings in the readme, by inserting the data in the bracketed areas. Thank you.

Here we go.

Own boat (self): Heading 300 degrees, course 120 degrees.
Target: Heading 70 degrees, course 250 degrees.
Assume own boat's Periscope is pointed at 270 degrees
Target speed: default
Under these assumptions, I believe the target is closing from own boat's port side, and own boat's periscope is pointed ahead of the target's course by 20 degrees.

EXAMPLE 1 (TARGET COURSE KNOWN)
*******************************************

1. Set your True Course
-----------------------------
Rotate the Outer dial to line up the blue arrow with your course on the middle dial. (? degrees) If you don't know your exact course, put your scope at 000 and issue the turn heading command ("+" key). Your crew should then respond with your current course.

Note:
You could also leave the outer dial in its starting location, and drag the middle dial instead, but i find it quicker the other way.

2. Set the targets course
-----------------------------
Rotate the inner dial so it's blue end is pointing at the targets course (? degrees).

Step 3. Orient the display
-----------------------------
Right click and drag any dial to re-orient the entire display so the bearing you are looking at the target (found on the outer blue dial) (what bearing am I looking at? is this where the periscope is pointed, i.e. 270 degrees?) is underneath the vertical red line.

Step 4. Read the Target's AOB
-----------------------------
Follow the red line across to the inside dial to read the AOB at this periscope angle. (What is your reading of the correct AoB?)
As the target tracks across your view... keep rotating the entire tool (right click drag) so the red line is aligned with the "relative" bearing (on the outer dial) you are observing the target from in your periscope to see its AOB in realtime.

Step 5. Turn perpindicular into the target.
--------------------------------------------
If the Blue arrow on the outer dial is not perpindicular to the target on the inside dial, re-orient the dials (right click drag) so that the 9 on the inner dial is aligned with the vertical red line. Follow the red line across to the "relative" bearing on the outer dial. (This confuses me. What is the relative bearing on the outer dial? Is the relative bearing found below the perpendicular red line or at the very top of the dial?) Turn your periscope to that beaering and order your crew to turn to that relative heading using the "+" key. Alternatively, you can turn to the true heading found on the middle dial instead if you want but its much easier to do it relatively.
Congratulations!!! you are now aligned perpindicular to the target. Now rotate the outer dial so it's arrow is pointed at your new heading.
From there.. proceed with rotating the entire tool (right click drag) so the vertical red line is aligned with the "relative" bearing (on the outer dial) you are observing the target from in your scope to see its AOB in realtime.(I need to see this to understand it.)

Step 6: Comput Lead Angle
---------------------------
Enter target & torpedo speeds. Hit Solve. Put attack scope on the indicated bearing. Lower the scope and don't move it afterwards. (I think I can push the solve button without further instrcution.)

Rockin Robbins · 10-02-09, 12:14 PM

Whoa! Smooth, easy to read at any size, more convenient than the desktop tool I have, it's a winner, gutted! Now with a free speed solver tool. Where's Billy Mays when we need him?

Hitman · 10-02-09, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Own boat (self): Heading 300 degrees, course 120 degrees.
Target: Heading 70 degrees, course 250 degrees.
Assume own boat's Periscope is pointed at 270 degrees
Target speed: default
Under these assumptions, I believe the target is closing from own boat's port side, and own boat's periscope is pointed ahead of the target's course by 20 degrees.

Wooahh that's very confusing for me

Heading and course are actually the same thing AFAIK!

Let us do something easier....

Simply write down two or three examples of a situation and I will upload here a screenshot of the wheel, configured for that. You can then visualize how to set it up, OK?

Hitman · 10-02-09, 02:28 PM

OK, I have started to create an example and I think I understand where you get lost! It's actually not a big deal, but it NEEDS to be explained to be understood. The wheel is lacking a specific pointer for bearing, and hence you must use directly the values in the other wheels. Stand tuned, I'll upload an explanation soon.

Hitman · 10-02-09, 03:07 PM

Here we go!

In this example, our submarine is heading north (0º). The target is heading due east (90º). Our bearing to the target is 305º (Or 55º left from our bow). The target's angle on the bow is therefore 35º.

The wheel should therefore look like this:

gutted · 10-02-09, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitman

Just tested the new version, nice one

Could you add the templates you used for the graphics? That way we can easily edit it with our own ones, and have a reference for dimensions/proportions. Any size is possible as long as it is circular?

Finally, a wording suggestion

: In the Navy it is customary to use the terms "Own ship" or "Own ship course", and not "Self"

the dial graphics can be any dimension (the program scales them to fit the window).. they just all need to be to the same scale and cropped down to the outer edges of the actual dials.

note: bigger images are slower to scale and rotate. so make them big enough to see the details, but not too big to impact drawing performance.

As for "Own Ship", i'll change that when i do the next release. I'm currently planning out the next major tool for this, but will take more effort than the others so i'll keep you updated. It's going to blow you away.

gutted · 10-02-09, 05:21 PM

Hitman. you're example is wrong.

The targets course is not read from his bow.. it's read from his tail (the blue arrow at it's stern). Look at the digital readout.. the target is goin the wrong way. If you want to use the wheel this way, you can.. but dont expect the solution to be correct. In your screenshots, the solution is showing 11.1, when it should be 348.9.

And there IS an indicator for the periscope bearing. It's the vertical red line from the center of the wheel to the bottom of the screen.

If you know the Target's Course
========================
1. Rotate the bottom dial so it's blue arrow is aligned with your course on the middle dial.

2. Rotate the top dial so it's blue arrow is algiend with the tagets course on the middle dial.

3. Right-Click and drag any wheel to rotate all of them so that the bearing your periscope is currently viewing the target from is "Under" the vertical red line. These periscope bearings are located on the bottom "blue" dial.

If you don't know the targets course.
==============================
1. Rotate the bottom dial so it's blue arrow is aligned with your course on the middle dial.

2. Right-Click and drag any wheel to rotate all of them so that the bearing your periscope is currently viewing the target from is "Under" the vertical red line. These periscope bearings are located on the bottom "blue" dial.

3. Rotate the top dial so the target image on it looks similar to what you are seeing at that bearing. Then read the target's true course from it's blue arrow (at it's stern).

If you want to parallel the target Rotate all the dials so that the rear of the target is under the red line. Read the periscope bearing there. Turn your real scope to that bearing and issue turn-to-course command. Then move the bottom dial so its blue arrow is at aligned with your new course.

To turn in 90 degrees to the target & approach at a right angle. Rotate all the dials so that the 90AOB location on the inner dial is under the periscope line. Read the periscope bearing on the outer dial at that position.. and then turn your real scope to that bearing and issue the turn-to-course command. Then move the outer dial so its blue arrow is at the new location.

Again, the vertical red line from the center of the dial to the bottom of the window is the "Periscope Line".

09-30-09, 11:16 AM	#17
Rockin Robbins Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: DeLand, FL Posts: 8,899 Downloads: 135 Uploads: 52	Hey gutted, great job! Now somewhere around here (I find I ended up never using it) I have a software whiz wheel of some type that I intalled as an active desktop so that I could just mash windows-d and there was my whiz wheel operating as my desktop. I figured the solution, clicked the SH4 icon and was back in the game. Is that a possibility with your models? __________________ Sub Skipper's Bag of Tricks, Slightly Subnuclear Mk 14 & Cutie, Slightly Subnuclear Deck Gun, EZPlot 2.0, TMOPlot, TMOKeys, SH4CMS

10-01-09, 10:58 PM	#21
I'm goin' down Ocean Warrior Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Notify command we have entered the Grass Sea Posts: 2,822 Downloads: 813 Uploads: 0	I haven't figured out the wheel I am try to find a good tutorial with screen shots to help me through the wheel. I am going slow trying to figure it out, but so far only partial progress. I assume I will be worshiping you soon.

10-02-09, 07:46 AM	#23
Hitman Pacific Aces Dev Team Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Spain Posts: 6,099 Downloads: 109 Uploads: 2	Just tested the new version, nice one Could you add the templates you used for the graphics? That way we can easily edit it with our own ones, and have a reference for dimensions/proportions. Any size is possible as long as it is circular? Finally, a wording suggestion : In the Navy it is customary to use the terms "Own ship" or "Own ship course", and not "Self" __________________ One day I will return to sea ...

10-02-09, 12:08 PM	#24
I'm goin' down Ocean Warrior Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Notify command we have entered the Grass Sea Posts: 2,822 Downloads: 813 Uploads: 0	gutted I am unable to visualize the readme when I work the dials. At some point, I am not sure where, I get lost. I am not going to spend more time trying to guess and figure it out, but I will try this. I will supply heading and true course for the target and "own ship", paste it the readme, which I have copied below, and you can supply the readings in the readme, by inserting the data in the bracketed areas. Thank you. Here we go. Own boat (self): Heading 300 degrees, course 120 degrees. Target: Heading 70 degrees, course 250 degrees. Assume own boat's Periscope is pointed at 270 degrees Target speed: default Under these assumptions, I believe the target is closing from own boat's port side, and own boat's periscope is pointed ahead of the target's course by 20 degrees. EXAMPLE 1 (TARGET COURSE KNOWN) ***************************************** 1. Set your True Course ----------------------------- Rotate the Outer dial to line up the blue arrow with your course on the middle dial. (? degrees) If you don't know your exact course, put your scope at 000 and issue the turn heading command ("+" key). Your crew should then respond with your current course. Note: You could also leave the outer dial in its starting location, and drag the middle dial instead, but i find it quicker the other way. 2. Set the targets course ----------------------------- Rotate the inner dial so it's blue end is pointing at the targets course (? degrees). Step 3. Orient the display ----------------------------- Right click and drag any dial to re-orient the entire display so the bearing you are looking at the target (found on the outer blue dial) (what bearing am I looking at? is this where the periscope is pointed, i.e. 270 degrees?) is underneath the vertical red line. Step 4. Read the Target's AOB ----------------------------- Follow the red line across to the inside dial to read the AOB at this periscope angle. (What is your reading of the correct AoB?) As the target tracks across your view... keep rotating the entire tool (right click drag) so the red line is aligned with the "relative" bearing (on the outer dial) you are observing the target from in your periscope to see its AOB in realtime. Step 5. Turn perpindicular into the target. -------------------------------------------- If the Blue arrow on the outer dial is not perpindicular to the target on the inside dial, re-orient the dials (right click drag) so that the 9 on the inner dial is aligned with the vertical red line. Follow the red line across to the "relative" bearing on the outer dial. (This confuses me. What is the relative bearing on the outer dial? Is the relative bearing found below the perpendicular red line or at the very top of the dial?) Turn your periscope to that beaering and order your crew to turn to that relative heading using the "+" key. Alternatively, you can turn to the true heading found on the middle dial instead if you want but its much easier to do it relatively. Congratulations!!! you are now aligned perpindicular to the target. Now rotate the outer dial so it's arrow is pointed at your new heading. From there.. proceed with rotating the entire tool (right click drag) so the vertical red line is aligned with the "relative" bearing (on the outer dial) you are observing the target from in your scope to see its AOB in realtime.(I need to see this to understand it.) Step 6: Comput Lead Angle --------------------------- Enter target & torpedo speeds. Hit Solve. Put attack scope on the indicated bearing. Lower the scope and don't move it afterwards. (I think I can push the solve button without further instrcution.)**

10-02-09, 12:14 PM	#25
Rockin Robbins Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: DeLand, FL Posts: 8,899 Downloads: 135 Uploads: 52	Whoa! Smooth, easy to read at any size, more convenient than the desktop tool I have, it's a winner, gutted! Now with a free speed solver tool. Where's Billy Mays when we need him? __________________ Sub Skipper's Bag of Tricks, Slightly Subnuclear Mk 14 & Cutie, Slightly Subnuclear Deck Gun, EZPlot 2.0, TMOPlot, TMOKeys, SH4CMS

10-01-09, 03:49 PM	#18
gutted The Old Man Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: New Orleans, LA. Posts: 1,353 Downloads: 470 Uploads: 10	i dunno bout that. but version 1.2 will be coming shortly with some nice additions/improvements. 1. Solve button removed. Solution now updates in real-time. 2. Ability to use custom dial artwork. 3. Integrated Speed Solver/Chrono (awesome feature). you'll really like #3. Last night i intertecepted a ship and never once used any TDC or map tools to get course or speed. Purely visual attack.

10-01-09, 03:56 PM	#19
gutted The Old Man Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: New Orleans, LA. Posts: 1,353 Downloads: 470 Uploads: 10	screenshot of the Chrono/Speed solver coming in version 1.2:

10-01-09, 10:10 PM	#20
gutted The Old Man Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: New Orleans, LA. Posts: 1,353 Downloads: 470 Uploads: 10	Just attacked a 6kt convoy from 90 degrees. I watched them on radar, and figured out their course by matching their orientation on the AoB wheel. I ranged them on radar a few times, and estimated them at 9kts, but they turned to head for a chokepoint prior to my run in for the attack. and must have changed speed.. because i used the speed solver on the nearest ship when i got close and confirmed the speed at 6kts just prior to firing. Before doing so though, I played with the AoB wheel alittle.. and saw that i could turn up to 10 degrees and my solution would shrink by only about 1 degree. slipped into fast torpedo range.. then fired 2 at the front ship. Turned left 5 degrees and moved my scope a half degree in.. fired at another ship. Then turned left 5 degrees and moved my scope in half a degree, and fired at another. All in rapid succession. 5 explosions, 1 dud. 2 dead ships, 1 cripple. which i finished off later. I'm loving it so far. Been wanting to do this for a long time now. If anyone has any suggestions for features im all ears.. and have some time on my hands right now. stupid recession. was thinking about adding a tab to the main interface to house another page of utilities. maybe a speed/distance/time calculator (for both metric & imperial) or whatever. There is one special feature im thinking of adding, but i'll have to do some thinking on it before i dive into it.

10-01-09, 11:12 PM	#22
gutted The Old Man Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: New Orleans, LA. Posts: 1,353 Downloads: 470 Uploads: 10	Everything you need to know is in the readme.. but i agree, pictures are helpful. Maybe i'll do a proper manual with pictures etc for this. Or perhaps a video tutorial.

10-02-09, 02:28 PM	#27
Hitman Pacific Aces Dev Team Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Spain Posts: 6,099 Downloads: 109 Uploads: 2	OK, I have started to create an example and I think I understand where you get lost! It's actually not a big deal, but it NEEDS to be explained to be understood. The wheel is lacking a specific pointer for bearing, and hence you must use directly the values in the other wheels. Stand tuned, I'll upload an explanation soon. __________________ One day I will return to sea ...

10-02-09, 03:07 PM	#28
Hitman Pacific Aces Dev Team Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Spain Posts: 6,099 Downloads: 109 Uploads: 2	Here we go! In this example, our submarine is heading north (0º). The target is heading due east (90º). Our bearing to the target is 305º (Or 55º left from our bow). The target's angle on the bow is therefore 35º. The wheel should therefore look like this: __________________ One day I will return to sea ... Last edited by Hitman; 10-03-09 at 02:51 AM.

10-02-09, 05:21 PM	#30
gutted The Old Man Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: New Orleans, LA. Posts: 1,353 Downloads: 470 Uploads: 10	Hitman. you're example is wrong. The targets course is not read from his bow.. it's read from his tail (the blue arrow at it's stern). Look at the digital readout.. the target is goin the wrong way. If you want to use the wheel this way, you can.. but dont expect the solution to be correct. In your screenshots, the solution is showing 11.1, when it should be 348.9. And there IS an indicator for the periscope bearing. It's the vertical red line from the center of the wheel to the bottom of the screen. If you know the Target's Course ======================== 1. Rotate the bottom dial so it's blue arrow is aligned with your course on the middle dial. 2. Rotate the top dial so it's blue arrow is algiend with the tagets course on the middle dial. 3. Right-Click and drag any wheel to rotate all of them so that the bearing your periscope is currently viewing the target from is "Under" the vertical red line. These periscope bearings are located on the bottom "blue" dial. If you don't know the targets course. ============================== 1. Rotate the bottom dial so it's blue arrow is aligned with your course on the middle dial. 2. Right-Click and drag any wheel to rotate all of them so that the bearing your periscope is currently viewing the target from is "Under" the vertical red line. These periscope bearings are located on the bottom "blue" dial. 3. Rotate the top dial so the target image on it looks similar to what you are seeing at that bearing. Then read the target's true course from it's blue arrow (at it's stern). If you want to parallel the target Rotate all the dials so that the rear of the target is under the red line. Read the periscope bearing there. Turn your real scope to that bearing and issue turn-to-course command. Then move the bottom dial so its blue arrow is at aligned with your new course. To turn in 90 degrees to the target & approach at a right angle. Rotate all the dials so that the 90AOB location on the inner dial is under the periscope line. Read the periscope bearing on the outer dial at that position.. and then turn your real scope to that bearing and issue the turn-to-course command. Then move the outer dial so its blue arrow is at the new location. Again, the vertical red line from the center of the dial to the bottom of the window is the "Periscope Line".