[REL] FOTRS Ultimate Project

[propbeanie]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

Report on "the sound." I'm using sounds from TMO 2.5, which are nearly identical to FOTRS but without the volume difficulties, thank you Propbeanie!, and I get the sound there too.

The sound always starts upon radar contact with a plane. I thought it stopped if I submerged but it doesn't. Don't know what the off trigger is, if there is one. My guess is that this is a stock issue that was just never noticed before, or a longstanding TMO issue that worked continuously from TMO 1.7 to 2.5 with nobody reporting it. It's weird but it's the best I have!...

I've been mostly doing SM shots, so I usually don't have radar at my disposal. I might have to do a "big dummy" career and as soon as leaving home, start with the crash diving and radar sweeps, see what I get. The only relief from "The Sound", short of re-starting an SH4 session is Time Compression. In most cases, a 2x gets rid of it. Only problem with 2x, is the game doesn't slow down when you encounter an enemy. I die *real* fast in that situation...

I can also get "The Sound" in Ralles Sound Mod, as well as another that I can't remember the name of right now... They all have the same "symptom", as I'm going to call it...

Originally Posted by XTBilly

.... I'm going to combine this playing time while substituting all the suspicious FOTRS sounds with stock ones, one by one, until I locate the sound that causes "The SOUND"

"The SOUND" hides in the \DATA\SOUND folder. I've tested the last week FOTRS with stock and other sound packages. They've given me no problems. Installing the FOTRS sounds again, I've got the known results...

I have been doing similar, and I'm not sure of the "Creak" sounds now. While I haven't gotten "The Sound" with the four stock "Creak" sounds, I haven't found the correct combination of one, two or three files that are the culprit, which leads me to believe that it's actually what's in that Crash Dive sequence, specifically the telemetry acknowledgement "Ring-Ring!" sound. I've got it recorded in a video, that if I could ever get going on my video "skills" again (enough from the peanut gallery already...), I'll give a link later, and see if you don't hear it also next time you Crash Dive. It still might be the Creak files causing it though, like a RAM memory location getting overwritten with a bad pointer in a C language program - not that I've ever done ~that~...

Originally Posted by XTBilly

... WOW! Take a look at this U-Boat!!...

Beauty, eh?.... true grit there.

Out

[max-peck]

Originally Posted by iambecomelife

I would be happy to offer you some generic-looking merchants once they are complete - the ship below, with a reskin into camoflage, could pass for a Japanese freighter.

They would look very good as a Japanese Freighter
I am sure you have already been in touch with RR about this, but I am happy to give it a go reskinning anything you give us as a Ship of the Japanese Merchant Marine

[propbeanie]

OK, you can "see" and "hear" how I get "The Sound!" regularly, in a Single Mission I created myself. I'm still working on finding a "cure", as are other people. A preventitive measure seems to be to restore the four "Creak" files back to stock, or cut the ones in FotRS and other mods down to the "stock" length. You will notice in the video (if you survive it, not just "The Sound!") that the Crash Dive! is off just a teeny tiny bit, especially if you're already under water. I discovered that fact when a surface ship (that I later put holes in) tried to run me over the other day, while I was just having a little look-see at PD... Tried to take my periscope right off, he did! So I crash dived, and lo and behold, I heard the bell several others have pointed out hearing. Now I can get it every time, by using the sequence shown here, if you so desire...



btw, I do not remember creating the "Smug Gupolus" user name, but that's what's associated with my email and Google account... oh well. This is over six and a half minutes of pure boredom, unless you're *really* into "The Sound!", and don't mind not getting to see at least SOMETHING blow up. Maybe if Rockin Robbins would do a Video Capture Guide for Silent Hunter 4 - hint hint... |;^)

Edit: Especially in light of the lack of quality exhibited in that video... Looks OK on the "Normal" size, but full screen, sheesh! It's like I forgot to put my glasses on... That's what I get for using "Default..." settings.

[propbeanie]

REAL strong clue... I've been looking through all the *other* files, since I couldn't find anything like "Crash_Dive" or similar. All for naught, other than I've found a few interesting things about the Creak files and a few other strange bird sounds. Anyway, I went back into the Sound folder, and went through playing each file individually. I kept losing my place somehow, but I finally found "Submarine_CrashDive_Int.wav in several of the mods (imagine that: "Submarine" in its name), and if you listen to that, at the end is a low-res telegraph "ring-ring" that's cut-off at the end. Tomorrow, I'll chop off that little extra in that file, maybe move it up a few seconds, and see what happens. But for now, I gots tah gets me some sleep... "The Sound!" haunts me sleep...

[propbeanie]

FotRS Ultimate "Crash Test Dummies", check the top-secret hush-hush Google Drive location for "Creaks_And_Crash_Fix.zip" - I *HOPE* I did the upload correctly. Inside the zip file is a ReadMe (worthless) and a Data folder, inside of which is a Sound folder, inside of which is the same four "Creak" files, but also a new "Submarine_CrashDive_INT.wav" file, which has been shortened, and a new "periscope_UpDown.wav" file, which is a mix of two files, both edited to fit in the broadcast time allotted (I hope). I have only done two test SM runs, so this may very well be worse, since the last "syllable" is the "Ah-Ooh-Gah" sound of the "Stock" dive alarm, not a bell, so if it still does it, you'll most likely have to quit the game, remove the "mod", and then flame me on here... and elsewhere... curse me and my family.... etc.... - Hopefully, it works well...

Ooopss... in the WIP folder... sorry

[max-peck]

just FYI if it is still relevant

I just got 'The Sound' by doing the following

Got a fast radar contact (Aircraft)
Crash dived, levelled out to 110ft, set ahead 1/3
Waited till the diveplanes were level
Then upped the TC to 512 for two hours
As soon as I reduced TC to 1, 'The Sound' started

And yes - it is aggravating as hell

EDIT
I have just seen propbeanie's new sound files - I will give them a go

[max-peck]

At Rockin Robins

Just had a few ideas
Most of them are minor graphical/audio things that I will detail in a later post

One however I know is true to your heart

In earlier versions of TMO aircraft could detect your sub at periscope depth if they were close enough
In the last versions (2 or 2.5??) he modded that out
I think I found out how to mod that back in again in my customised TMO 2.5 install (that I kept a copy of!)
The key was in the water clarity value in the scene dat file
I did it a few years back, so I don't remember exactly what I did. But I reckon if I root around it and compare my dat to the TMO 2.5 scene dat file I can figure out what I changed

What I was trying to do at the time was make the water for exterior underwater screenshots a lot clearer, like I remembered from earlier versions of TMO

But when I reinstalled a few months ago and played with it, when I was tracking Japanese aircraft at PD with the air search radar up, a few times when they came within a few thousand yards they suddenly deviated from their flight path and vectored straight to my position.

Of course we have to remember the law of unintended consequences here
Making the water clearer will may also mean that we could be spotted at PD on a clear day by a destroyer if it is close enough

May need some testing

[propbeanie]

Originally Posted by max-peck

... I just got 'The Sound' by doing the following

Got a fast radar contact (Aircraft)
Crash dived, levelled out to 110ft, set ahead 1/3
Waited till the diveplanes were level
Then upped the TC to 512 for two hours
As soon as I reduced TC to 1, 'The Sound' started

It's very relevant, and will be for a while. The crash dive sequence is what does it, I think. Just my opinion, but:

---->> Submarine_CrashDive_INT.wav <<----

is the culprit. Either it is too long, or there's something wrong with the file. The last "syllable" of the bell sound is what makes "The Sound". Why it plays like that, I haven't figured out. All I know is that by cutting the length of the file in about half, and pasting a couple of the "stock" version's file of the same name (with some "stereo tweaking") on the end to "hide" the "cut" in the FotRS file, and I haven't encountered "The Sound" - yet, fingers crossed, knocking on my noggin for wood, etc...

We need a new file. What I did is just a test bandaid, and doesn't sound correct. We also want to eliminate that "secure the diesels", "electric motors online", "ahead two thirds", etc. kind of stuff, that does not fit the situation, unless you initiate the crash dive from the surface, and just happen to hit the telegraph for an "ahead two thirds" call, 'cause the speed of the boat won't change to ahead two thirds unless you do... Any votes for a replacement?...

As a side note on that, the "ChE_K_Torpedo_impact.ogg" and the similarly named version of "ChE_P..." files are the "hit - We HIT her, We HIT her -cheers- Quiet!" sequence. They are in all 9 Speech folders. There is a "ChE_S..." version in all 9 folders also, and that sounds like a "stock" file set. Anyone have a better sounding "Torpedo_Impact" candidate file?...

[CapnScurvy]

Thought I'd pass this on. I've been doing my own thing (sort of) with home duties and a problem I've encountered with the Keyboard commands. FOTRS has the Keyboard key "R" linked to "Snorkel Depth"....which for some reason they chose to produce a dive to 400 meters?! In doing so the Watch Officer will report "Dive Planes set for steep dive". In my keyboard configuration the "R" key will take you to "Radar Depth" where just the top of the shears are above water giving you radar capability while being partially submerged.....kind of a deep "decks a wash" position. All fine and good, until I couldn't for the life of me, find the link of the voice calling out the "Dive planes set for steep dive" every time the "R" key was ordered.

I finally tracked it down within the Data/Library/AnimGraphs/SO.dat file of the SO (Executive Officer). There are links within the "Orders" commands that link an .ogg speech file to a command like....."Snorkel Depth". I changed the file; made a "Radar Depth" speech .ogg file to run when you hit the "R" key; and things seem to be OK now.

My point is, this sound issue your encountering might be an .ogg speech file that FOTRS uses that's stuck for some reason in a loop....running in the background. Some of you have said its started when you encounter a plane? Perhaps its the Radarman's speech file (if that's whose doing the talking) that's hanging the sound?? His, or someones else's saying something like "Plane Spotted" may be the issue......or maybe one of the other speech phrases that are heard when you've been in this situation? Your talking about doing a crash dive.....maybe there's a problem there with the phrases?

Since FOTRS decided to add the Snorkel Depth command linked to a 400 meter deep dive....with the aninamated speech phrase's for the dive, it's only possible that they tried something that doesn't work as intended with another speech file command.

[max-peck]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

We need a new file.

May I suggest the crash dive sound file from TMO 2.5?

I have been playing that on and off for about 4 years and it still never gets old to me - it still sounds frikkin' awesome

That may be easier that trying to fix the current one

just a suggestion

PS let me know if you want me to PM it

[max-peck]

Right I think I have the clarity thing figured out

Here is the FOTRS scene DAT



Which gives the following result



The following is from my tweaked TMO install

Dat



Giving a result of



The difference is in EnvData/Underwater/Fog/Zmin and Zmax, which seem to affect the underwater vision distance

The upshot of which was that I got buzzed by a couple of IJN/IJA aircraft whilst at PD when they came close enough

Should up the pucker factor

PS - as I said - law of unintended consequences, we do not know how this may affect IJN destroyers

EDIT
I can upload this new Scene Dat to the Google Drive if anybody fancies giving it a go!

[max-peck]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

We need a new file.

Try this
May be easier than trying to fix something else
And in my opinion sounds awesome
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gm5g4k6l99...e_INT.wav?dl=0

[propbeanie]

Originally Posted by CapnScurvy

... FOTRS has the Keyboard key "R" linked to "Snorkel Depth"....which for some reason they chose to produce a dive to 400 meters?! In doing so the Watch Officer will report "Dive Planes set for steep dive". In my keyboard configuration the "R" key will take you to "Radar Depth" where just the top of the shears are above water giving you radar capability while being partially submerged.....kind of a deep "decks a wash" position...

Ecellent detective work CapnScurvy. I've been looking through the Speech and Animation and other folders looking for the "hooks" that call for the files, as well as the files themselves. The one that you've fixed is one I've been trying to track down myself. Can you upload your fix to the super top secret hush hush Google drive, and I'll fetch it and put it in with the others? I've also gotten:

Originally Posted by max-peck

Try this
May be easier than trying to fix something else
And in my opinion sounds awesome
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gm5g4k6l99...e_INT.wav?dl=0

Notice how the opening sequence of that one is the same as FotRS? All sorts of copying and pasting going on around here... |;^) - Duly downloaded.

Anyone else with suggestions for sound replacements? Anything you've noticed that needs fixing, like what CapnScurvy found with "radar depth", or the "Crash Dive!" sequence? I think I'll add that into my signature for here...

[Rockin Robbins]

Originally Posted by max-peck

Right I think I have the clarity thing figured out

Here is the FOTRS scene DAT



Which gives the following result



The following is from my tweaked TMO install

Dat



Giving a result of



The difference is in EnvData/Underwater/Fog/Zmin and Zmax, which seem to affect the underwater vision distance

The upshot of which was that I got buzzed by a couple of IJN/IJA aircraft whilst at PD when they came close enough

Should up the pucker factor

PS - as I said - law of unintended consequences, we do not know how this may affect IJN destroyers

EDIT
I can upload this new Scene Dat to the Google Drive if anybody fancies giving it a go!

Yes you may and yes I'll be the crash test dummy on that!

[propbeanie]

OK, I'm in Campaign mode, started at Pearl on 12-8-41 & chose a Gar boat. Surface radar not available, but I do have air radar. Easy settings with fuel, battery, air etc. selected. Initial radar contacts were no problem. I have the "Creaks_And _Crash_Fix enabled on top of FotRS Ultimate Alpha.3 and running straight and true for Honshu via re-fuel @ Midway. One thing I have noticed in this is that the background wave noise of the ocean is pervasively loud... I may have created a new monster. Kinder-gentler, but a monster none the less...

I ~think~ it started after a probable enemy aircraft was picked-up on radar. Now, I'm going to do further testing, but initial radar contacts were fine, background noise was fine. But after getting about halfway to Honshu and encountering some rough seas, I did multiple crash dive tests. Gotta keep the crew practiced-up, ya know? Time compression had been used multiple times at various levels up to a 3072 setting, which I don't recall using before. The background "wave" sound seemed to get louder & louder, but I'm not sure what triggered it yet. Keep your ears open (but don't turn it up too loud)...