[REL] FOTRS Ultimate Project

[Rockin Robbins]

Yes Capn it's that menu_1024_768.ini file I'm thinking about and all the troubles applying any changes to it after the fact. The only way to avoid the hundred questions "why'd this or that quit working" is to make it part of the core mod and not a plugin.

That's incredible stuff there Capn!

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

[max-peck]

Outstanding work CapnScurvy

Guess I really need to get my ass in gear and start working on some skins

@ RR gonna start this weekend - didn't appreciate how quickly this whole thing was gonna start up!

[Rockin Robbins]

Now guys, this is no race. We still have Florida Sailor out there working on four AI levels for plugins of different enemy difficulty. He's hurt his arm and is recovering (unlike CapnScurvy who has seemed to hit some new high gear here and is just blowing our doors off!) We have your skins, We have the jackrabbit thing still in development (I'm going to recommend that we just group the light cruisers in with the DDs and smaller at 10%), cdsubron7 and I are working on importing 2.0 merchies into the core mod, and all those sounds to get the volumes right and converted to standard 44.1 MHz sample rate. We still have a ways to go before we button up the core and start working on the plugins.

And your skins are plugins, so we're all good! I'm still amazed how close we are, same as you, max-peck! This is a wild ride we have going!

Just looked again at all the screenshots for CapnScurvy's work. I am totally speechless. This is work that will saturate the entire playing experience. The free camera in the museum alone could be mod of the year. But the totality is breathtaking. It will put all the fine modeling jobs of the AOTD crew on a pedestal. Just the little tweaks to the gauges will make playing the game MUCH more friendly. Capn, your work exudes quality with a capital Q.

What do you say we release in two stages: core mod first so people can actually play the mod and learn how it works, then we can have more time to work on the plugins for later release. Any ideas there?

[cdrsubron7]

What do you say we release in two stages: core mod first so people can actually play the mod and learn how it works, then we can have more time to work on the plugins for later release. Any ideas there?

Shouldn't we play it, I mean test it some to make sure everything works as advertised? The comments by Andy 311 on the last page need to be addressed. I have to agree with him somewhat because it was one of the reasons that I stopped using it. MadMax supposedly for v2.0 did a complete rewrite of the campaign layers, as far as I remember. Even with talking to Dave about transferring the ships from v2.0 it will take me alittle time to get acclimated. I can be hopelessly slow some times.

Hey Capn

Those screenshots look terrific.

Just wondering what kind of graphics card and monitor your using?

[CapnScurvy]

Yea, slow down guys....no need to rush!! I'm just using stuff off my shelf (ok, some things I've been tinkering with).

Getting things to work within FOTRS has been pretty easy since I've made things compatible for a lot of other mods before. I'm just now testing for the other resolutions/aspect ratios to see if things are correct there. This is just the beginning of our work process, for all of us.

==============

Originally Posted by cdrsubron7

Those screenshots look terrific.

Just wondering what kind of graphics card and monitor your using?

I usually work on my old Windows XP computer with an ATI HD4670 video card.....nothing fancy there!! My monitor is an old CRT 4:3 aspect NEC MultiSync that's as heavy as a couple of cinder blocks! The darn thing just won't die. Since my concern is with resolutions and aspect ratios, its good to have a monitor that can play the old 4:3 ratios. When I finish I'll put things over onto my "newer" computer (it runs Vista!!) that's using a wide screen monitor that will give me the same resolution/aspect ratios that most of you guys are using. It's not what you've got that makes a difference, but how you diddle with it!! I've been diddling for a while.

[cdrsubron7]

It's not what you've got that makes a difference, but how you diddle with it!! I've been diddling for a while

The differences are easily discernible, Capn.

Thanks for all your hard work, Capn.

[XTBilly]

Time is on our side. We don't have producers over our heads pressing for a quick release, have we?

FOTRS was released in a time where other major super mods, RFB, RSRDC, TMO etc were at their peek moments. FOTRS 1.1 & 1.2 were good, but buggy, not enough tested, and released in a hurry, that stopped me from using them. Not just me but many others, as I've read in some angry reviews. I didn't even give a chance to v1.3, and that's for many years. All this until a couple of months ago, saw a Tube video and gave FOTRS a last chance to prove itself.

The result being... Got me seriously hooked up, renewed my love of SH4, even made me starting working on a project I've had in mind for many years. FOTRS gave me new hope. I truly want to see this mod shine in all it's glory. Players must experience it's great campaign and wonderful graphics.

We must not do the mistake of releasing an untested version. The campaign is the meat and potatoes of this game, it should receive vigorous testing before release.

On the other hand, when "Maddy's Greatest Hits", the core mod, is working as intended, it should be immediately released, not being held in reserve for completion of this or that plugin modules. These may take some serious time, we shouldn't deprive people from playing it 'till they're ready.

Just my 2 cents.

Billy.

[Rockin Robbins]

We shall release no wine before its time. Er.....mod.

[cdrsubron7]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

We shall release no wine before its time. Er.....mod.

Tuesday at 4PM.

[XTBilly]

Be careful gentlemen...

Remember Commander Thomsen's speech after some bottles of wine...
"I am not in the position to f..."

RR, please check your PM.

[propbeanie]

As for the sound, I was not aware of the museum issue, mostly because I hadn't used the museum much myself. If the sounds for that are in the Sounds folder, all should be good when done. The naming convention they used with the stock game has its uses. My idea is to take all "like" files and adjust in Sound Forge with a batch file process, then check the results. I have been hunting for "THE Sound" though, and will put that on pause for the time being, not having made any headway in hunting it down. It is NOT consistent as I had first thought. However, I do have not run out of things to try. The main problem, as anyone doing ship sinking times or some such can attest to, is the "test" aspect. It can take a while just to get into the game in order to "test", and then you might think you've got something solved, only to find it there in the next run... frustrating, but I do stop and "sink the ships" (for "smell the roses") every time in... :wink:


Edit: I do need some help from you folks who have been able to get "The Sound" - explain your circumstances again, please. ie: In a campaign, Quick Mission, Quick Patrol, etc., time compression used, how deep did you take your boat, had you just fired torps, do you remember the background sound playing when you went into TC? I'm getting mostly CTDs anymore, and NOT "The Sound"... Of course, I've been abusing this install with hourly JSGME useage, and I might need to start 'fresh' again... As a side note, I do have all the files' properties from the different versions of SH4 & FOTRS. Now all I need to do is convert it to csv & import it into a spreadsheet.

[XTBilly]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

As for the sound, I was not aware of the museum issue, mostly because I hadn't used the museum much myself. If the sounds for that are in the Sounds folder, all should be good when done. The naming convention they used with the stock game has its uses. My idea is to take all "like" files and adjust in Sound Forge with a batch file process, then check the results. I have been hunting for "THE Sound" though, and will put that on pause for the time being, not having made any headway in hunting it down. It is NOT consistent as I had first thought. However, I do have not run out of things to try. The main problem, as anyone doing ship sinking times or some such can attest to, is the "test" aspect. It can take a while just to get into the game in order to "test", and then you might think you've got something solved, only to find it there in the next run... frustrating, but I do stop and "sink the ships" (for "smell the roses") every time in... :wink:


Edit: I do need some help from you folks who have been able to get "The Sound" - explain your circumstances again, please. ie: In a campaign, Quick Mission, Quick Patrol, etc., time compression used, how deep did you take your boat, had you just fired torps, do you remember the background sound playing when you went into TC? I'm getting mostly CTDs anymore, and NOT "The Sound"... Of course, I've been abusing this install with hourly JSGME useage, and I might need to start 'fresh' again... As a side note, I do have all the files' properties from the different versions of SH4 & FOTRS. Now all I need to do is convert it to csv & import it into a spreadsheet.

Oh, yes, "the roses"! They do smell nice don't they?

I've experienced "The Sound" in the Campaign and in Single Missions. Always after diving deep enough. But not enough to hear the glass breaking sounds. The "ticking" sound I reported sometimes stop after surfacing, sometimes not. "The Sound" never stops. Only after saving and reloading. Torpedoes do not effect it. It's cursed. The creaking sounds are important to it, I think. I've not encountered "The Sound" after deleting the 4 creaking sounds from the sound folder as recommended by a Catholic priest.

I'm sure it's somewhere out there, lurking in the abyss, waiting for the next victim that disturbs it's eternal sleep...

I always have a complete backup of the data folder before "trying things". I highly recommend it.


Edit: "The Sound" is on me again. This time on the surface. Using a x8 compression. After getting to real time, it started...
Billy.

[XTBilly]

FOTRS is beautiful. It had always been beautiful.
Version 2.0 elevated the word beautiful to new heights.

Look at these big guns persistent smoke.



Fires burning, smoke rising...



Sea, reflections, gunfire...





An unfortunate convoy...



Hit !!!



Total destruction...



Gentlemen, I proudly present you the first photo of the Ship Damage Model in action...
This baby is badly hurt...



A hopeless situation, take a look how badly she lists...



Still firing her guns though...



Till the bitter end...



Those graphics... Fires, reflections, smoke, sea, waves, you name it.
Too bad it's ONLY for SH4 v1.4 isn't it? Well, NOT ANY MORE!!

I'm in the proud position to announce that all the screenshots you see here are from my FOTRS v1.3.
That means the FOTRS Ultimate won't be jealous of nothing in the graphics section. All the beauty of FOTRS v2.0 will be included in FOTRS Ultimate!!

Cheers,
Billy.

[Rockin Robbins]

Billy, you just scored a touchdown in a soccer game!

[cdrsubron7]

Great work, Billy.