[WIP] Playable Flower Corvette

[Castorp24]

I'm working on a playable Flower Corvette, thanks to the instructions that Peabody gives in this link http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=170464.

The ship works already, I'm planning of making her career playable, but at the moment I'm stuck trying to fix the weapons and positioning a watchman that appears "flying" in front of the bridge

Does anybody know which files do I need to edit, or is in S3D that I need to work? As you can see, the flag needs some tweaking, too.

Any help appreciated, thanks in advance!

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EDIT:

Well, it´s been some time now... As explained further below, my bike and RL intruded in the project, and I would like to apologize for creating unfulfilled expectatives... My little project is interrupted since I can´t find much spare time now, but I thought I would leave a link here so that anybody can feel free to try/improve this little warship. I might go on working on it in the future. Thanks a lot to Peabody, cdp44, sidslotm and all those people whose knowledge and generosity allowed my starting to tweak subs and ships.

Oh, the ship is far from finished and it´s not career enabled, but it´s playable. It comes in two versions: US and Registered hot Nurse (see replies below).

Install via jsgme. Here´s the link:

http://www.gamefront.com/files/22477...ercorvette_rar

Brilliant idea

I know you can move the watchmen with S3D in the conning.dat file for the sub your using. The watchmen come under labled a wcs_01_dummy ect.

you just have find the node for the watchman and move the co-ordinace where you want him.

I expect the rest of the issues can be sorted by S3D as well.

[Castorp24]

Thank you, sir

[chrysanthos]

when you finished her can you make a heavy cruiser maya playble for german side please?

[Castorp24]

Originally Posted by chrysanthos

when you finished her can you make a heavy cruiser maya playble for german side please?

I'm afraid I'm more focused on smaller ships. Likely, my next ship will be a playable Black Swan Sloop (I'm looking forward to playing a Royal Navy campaign in the Mediterranean, if someone takes the time to make it ).

So I can't promise anything in the short term.

Anyway, you should take a look at Peabody's explanation of the process. I'm no modder and still was able to make it work on my first attempt (beginners luck?). It's time consuming (several hours) but I wouldn't say it's difficult. Why don't you try?

[USS Drum]

Can you make a playable PT boat?

[Castorp24]

Originally Posted by USS Drum

Can you make a playable PT boat?

I guess I could... when I have time. Again, Peabody has made this possible for all of us when he generously made available the process in the above mentioned thread. The more people making playable ships, the best for all of us. I would like to encourage you guys to give it a try. If a clumsy fellow like me could do it, a lot of people will be able to do the same.

[peabody]

Originally Posted by sidslotm

Brilliant idea

I know you can move the watchmen with S3D in the conning.dat file for the sub your using. The watchmen come under labled a wcs_01_dummy ect.

you just have find the node for the watchman and move the co-ordinace where you want him.

I expect the rest of the issues can be sorted by S3D as well.

Just a note, sidslotm. I don't know how he is building the ship, but he did comment on my post, so if he is using that as a template it will not have a conning.dat. I take all the conning tower elements in .dat, .sim etc and the upc and put them into the ships .dat, .sim etc and upc (or upcge). That way it eliminates the numbering problem with "UnitParts" section, since the only reason the conning towers are separate is so they can be upgraded during the war.

So the wcs_01_dummy and the flag will be in the corvette.dat. So that is the answer to correct it, but may be the wrong file. The easiest way to find it, is to look for a yellow dot that is hanging in mid air in S3D. Select it and it will tell you which one it is. Some of the watch crew only show in game when you are at battlestations. The yellow dot for the crew will be on the feet, the yellow dot for the flag will be centered at the leading edge, just put the dot on the object you want it attached to.

Peabody

[Castorp24]

Originally Posted by peabody

...if he is using that as a template it will not have a conning.dat.

Actually I used cdp44´s Armed Tug...
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=188786

...instead of your Asashoi, because at the beginning I thought that a small ship should be made from another small one... I will ask cdp44 if he is ok with my using his tug before I release the corvette.

I´ll be busy for a couple of days, then I´ll be able to go back to my desk and check if there´s a conning.dat in the ship. Thank you so much to both of you for the help. I felt so proud when I first tried it and there she was in the water

Originally Posted by peabody

Just a note, sidslotm. I don't know how he is building the ship, but he did comment on my post, so if he is using that as a template it will not have a conning.dat. I take all the conning tower elements in .dat, .sim etc and the upc and put them into the ships .dat, .sim etc and upc (or upcge). That way it eliminates the numbering problem with "UnitParts" section, since the only reason the conning towers are separate is so they can be upgraded during the war.
Peabody

thanks Peabody

[Castorp24]

There she is raiding a merchant in "Photo Reckon" quick mission

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Finally I had some time to go on tweaking the ship. Thanks again for all the help to peabody and sidslotm and no, there wasn't a conning.dat. The watchmen and flag are in reasonable positions now. I removed two redundant AA guns and a fore turret. To my surprise, and without any editing, AA guns and the front turret (the not-redundant ones) work properly whether they are AI manned or used by the player. Surely cdp44 must take the credit for that.

But as you can see, I couldn't figure out how to make that flag get some stars and stripes (I'd like to release a RN version, too).

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Damagewise, the corvette gets hull damage and is sinkable. Sometimes one part of the ship (not sure if it's always the same, maybe the periscope, I don't remember) gets slightly damaged and is put in the repairing list, but usually that happens when the ship is about to be sunk...

PS: The moment I learned how to display the 3D model of the ship, I couldn't believe how simple it is sometimes to work with S3D. Now I understand why skwasjer is so respected here...

[peabody]

Originally Posted by Castorp24

But as you can see, I couldn't figure out how to make that flag get some stars and stripes (I'd like to release a RN version, too).

[IMG] Uploaded with ImageShack.us[/IMG]

Just above the ship image, click on "Linked 3D Model". A box will show that has the 'Material ID" and "Name". Under "Name" should be "American.tga", under the Material ID should be the ID for the node that is called "American.tga" (near the top of you list on the left.)

If that info is not there, just click on the "Add" button and it should show a list of the available materials. The materials/textures are those nodes with the four colored circles in front of them. When you click 'Add' it shoud show the two that say "<empty>" and the one the says 'American.tga', and there may be others if there are some not showing in your image. Select the one that says 'American.tga" and it should give you the flag.

You also commented you would like a RN version, I don't know why you want one for a Registered Nurse..... (kidding of course)

Here is a little trick you may or may not know, depends on if you read about S3D. What you need to do is get the material for the Flag from library/flag.dat. There are two materials:
1. British.tga
2. British_M2.tga
If you open the node and look at the child node embedded image you will see one is white, one is red. I know for some countries one is commercial ships, one is military. i do not know if that is correct for the British.

Now for the little 'trick'. You need to copy and paste it into the ship.dat file. If you use 'copy' you only get one line, there are three nodes to the material.
1. Material
2. Embedded Image
3. Label
To get all three use the keyboard, hold Shift+Ctrl and press C. That will copy all three lines. Come back to the ship.dat and Paste. Then open the "Linked 3D Model" and delete the American.tga and 'add' the British.tga. Done, new flag.

Then if you want to, you can go to the Roster and change American to British, and then change it in the ship.upc file (Nationality=) It is not a big deal except the US did not enter the war until Pearl Harbor was attacked, but that is when the game starts unless you use a MOD that changes that to an earlier date when British ships would be hostile to Germany but the US ship would not be.

Hope that helps.

Peabody

[Castorp24]

That was fast , thank you so much

[peabody]

Originally Posted by Castorp24

That was fast , thank you so much

You answered before I finished . I edited it to include the instructions to do a British flag. Also I worded it bad, there are two British flags, you only need one material, not both. Which ever flag you are going to use.

[cdp44]

And to show textures, switch those 4 bulb-like buttons above 3D view window.

Cdp44