[WIP] ONI Style Recognition Manual [Archive]

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WernerSobe

07-14-07, 04:54 AM

Hello,

Ive catched myself using the "ID-Target" button to often, even if identification was easy or even when i knew what kind of ship that was but the stock Recognition Manual is so badly organazed it just takes to long to browse it to the right ship. Regarding realism identifying the target was captains task not someone behind you.

So i decided to make a new recognition manual with order that makes more sense. Tater joined the project with an idea to organize it the same way the real ONI recognition manual was designed and to give it same look by puting real ONI pages scans in. He is blessed by calling real ONI his own so he is working on the grafic part.

The order will be now no longer based on countries. But on ship appearence and their class. There will be only japanese ships (after all we are not hunting netherlands or poles, do we?). So basicly you will first look at your targets superstructure design, then browse to that section and find the ship.

The new order will look like this

Cargo Composite
Akita Maru
Heito Maru
Nagara Maru
Taihosan Maru
Zinbu Maru
Cargo Split
Biyo Maru
Hakusika Maru
Kasagisan Maru
Kinposan Maru
Passenger
Horai Maru
Kiturin Maru
Kotobuki Maru
Tyohei Maru
Engine Aft
Buzyun Maru
Haruna Maru
Nippon Maru
Destroyers (DD)
Akizuki Destroyer
Asashio Destroyer
Fubuki Destoyer
Minekaze Destroyer
Mutsuki Destroyer
Shiratsuyu Destroyer
Patrol (PC)
Large Minelayer
Minesweaper
Medium Gunboat
Small Gunboat
Subchaser
Light Cruiser (CL)
Agano Light Cruiser
Kuma Light Cruiser
Naka Light Cruiser
Heavy Cruisers (CA)
Furutaka Heavy Cruiser
Maya Heavy Cruiser
Mogami Heavy Cruiser
Takao Heavy Cruiser
Carriers (CV)
Akitsu Escort Carrier
Chitose Seaplane Tender
Taiyo Escort Carrier
Hiryu Fleet Carrier
Shokaku Fleet Carrier
Taiho Fleet Carrier
Battleships (BB)
Fuso Battleship
Ise Battleship
Ise (late) Battleship
Kongo Battleship
Yamato Battleship
Example on IDing a target. Say we have a target that appears having the funnels at its stern. So we know it is an "Engine Aft" Superstructure design so we browse to that page. Now we are limited to three ships only so now we just have to count the masts or look at its general appearence. The whole process is much easier, faster and more accurate. You must not brawse through all the warships including all the small patrol crafts just to grab a Mogami.

Also note that we have used real shipnames as they appear in ONI Manual. SH4 devs have replaced them by something silly like "small old split freighter", we put their original names back.

Now i have a little preview video for you! Please note it is not ready yet. What you can see there is just the basic structure. The real ONI grafics are not added yet.

http://www.myvideo.de/watch/1913195 (http://www.myvideo.de/watch/1913195)

Bando

07-14-07, 05:25 AM

I see what you mean. This sounds like a real good addition. I would certainly DL this one when ready. Looks good and it's usefull beyond doubt.

Thanks for the effort

nomad_delta

07-14-07, 01:51 PM

Agreed, I'm also looking forward to this one. Better organized and more efficient, and with real ONI graphics to boot? Sign me up! :D

nomad_delta

tater

07-14-07, 01:59 PM

I have all the ONI stuff, I just need to figure out how to get it from PSD (I made alpha channels) to dds.

tater

DavidH

07-14-07, 04:16 PM

If you edit data\cfg\commands.cfg to:

[Cmd343]
Name=WP_Identify_target
Ctxt=1
MnID=0x3F130002
Str=1073
Key0=0x49,Cs,"SHIFT I"

Avoids using the recognition manual

Regards
DavidH

Bando

07-14-07, 04:31 PM

Thanks...but no thanks

I still would want to go through the real thing. Looking and hasitating under time pressure, wouldn't trade it for the world. To me this is an integrated part of simming..

WernerSobe

07-14-07, 05:02 PM

If you edit data\cfg\commands.cfg to:

[Cmd343]
Name=WP_Identify_target
Ctxt=1
MnID=0x3F130002
Str=1073
Key0=0x49,Cs,"SHIFT I"

Avoids using the recognition manual

Regards
DavidH

seems like you havent even read the post. Otherwise you would notice what ive said in first line.

tater

07-14-07, 05:17 PM

BTW, I didn't even know there WAS an "ID target" button, lol.

tater

tater

07-15-07, 02:22 PM

nomad_delta

07-15-07, 06:16 PM

Got the first one in, needs transparency tweaking. Not a problem, just work, lol.

What I DO need help with is this. The recognition manual includes a scale bar under the ship image.

It's NOT on the page/cover dds file, it seems linked to the units, somehow. There is no file other than the _sil I can see in the sea folder.

Here's a bit of info about that scale bar, not sure if it will be helpful or not:

I play at fairly high-res (1600x1200) and the scale bar has always been rendered incorrectly for me. It shows up normal if I play at 1024x768, but at higher resolutions it doesn't draw in the correct place and is shown hanging way off the right edge of the recognition manual. This makes it pretty much useless for me.

It was that way in patch 1.2, and is still that way in 1.3.

nomad_delta

Rujoco

07-16-07, 09:04 PM

I would also like assistance in moving the scale bar for the recognition manual a few ticks to the left. I play at 1920x1080 rez and also see my scale bar going off the page of the manual to the right. If no one can provide me a method to move, might you have a means of removing completely? My attempts have resulted in failure to load and crashed to desktops. Thanks in advance.

Also great forum and great resource. Thank to all for having me.

Suicide Charlie

07-16-07, 11:40 PM

I'm very excited for this. The stock Recognition Manual is a mess and I really find searching through it an annoying and tiresome task.

tater

07-17-07, 01:03 AM

The real ONI art is slow going, but it's going, lol.

Looks like a handle on the scale bar in that other thread, too.

It's too bad the order isn't more easily moddible.

switch.dota

07-17-07, 03:18 AM

I've a sub noob's question: how can you tell the difference between a split and composite cargo ship?

Bando

07-17-07, 03:33 AM

The placement of the funnel is what differs in my view. All split freighters have the funnel not "attached" to the nav bridge. All composite freighters do. This is how I differentiate.

WernerSobe

07-17-07, 03:46 AM

its basic appearence of superstructures.

Ships with superstructures combined in a "block" are called composite. Ships that have their superstructures split along the decks are called split. Ships with the funnels at the stern are called engine aft. Passenger is like composite with a very long single block.

SteveW1

07-17-07, 05:09 AM

This looks good, I think it will be a great addition and easy to understand and identify ships this way.

Definately a Mod worth having I think

tater

07-17-07, 08:14 AM

Hitman

07-17-07, 09:27 AM

Note that in RL for the warships, ONI built 3D models and took pictures at angles like the in game guide. Merchants, however never had this. The best they'd get would be a plan view in addition to the elevation, and some had actual pictures of the ship (frequently taken in port before the war). So Merchant ID will be based on a simple line drawing most of the time.

I would suggest for that following approach:

-Warships: Have silhouettes as per normal ID book

-Merchants: Have side silhouette as normal AND replace the angled ones with pictures of the ship. Actually derived from in-game screenshots in black and white, tweaked as necessary to look like period-photos.

P.S. I hope there will be flags or at least replace them with a lettering that matches the background like "ONI 208J" for merchants and the equivalent for warships

:up:

tater

07-17-07, 09:42 AM

Not gonna use in game pictures, least not now. Recognition is way too easy as it is, lol.

http://members.spinn.net/~merrick/Stuff/ConteVerde2.jpg

tater

Jace11

07-17-07, 04:00 PM

Have you seen this style...

http://lcoat.tripod.com/Kongo.jpg

very nice and looks to be what the devs aimed for,

tater

07-17-07, 04:48 PM

I'm not seeing your image, but I assume it is an ONI image of a warship model (kongo).

Warships were treated differently than merchant shipping. They made models of many types and photographed them from various angles.

http://www.history-on-cdrom.com/0dfc2090.jpg

No such models were made of ANY merchant ships, however. So my plan was to use the real ONI model images for warships (in the lower section), and the ONI warship profile for the upper bit.

tater

Jace11

07-21-07, 11:52 AM

sorry didn't know I couldnt hot link that site..

Try http://lcoat.tripod.com/shipdraw.htm

and this one

http://www.acepilots.com/ships/japan.html

they both have that type of material..

WHile both sites contain some poorer quality ID plates, the ones of Japanese ships are generally good quality..

And they're free..

tater

07-21-07, 11:58 AM

Yeah, jace, I have the manuals.

The merchants are different than warships, however, much less data.

http://members.spinn.net/%7Emerrick/Stuff/24MFM.jpg

Notice that the ship on the left has a "C" under the right side of the hull plan view. The ship on the right has an "A." That refers to how good the data on the ship is. A is realyl good, ONI has high confidence in the specifics, B is so so, and C means the shap is OK, but the rest it pretty sketchy.

tater

FooFighters

11-11-07, 10:59 AM

Any news on this great mod ?

:up:
Foo

tater

11-11-07, 05:02 PM

Fell by the wayside a little. I was getting frustrated with making the alpha channels work so the line drawing are not pixelated.

tater

Doolan

11-11-07, 05:12 PM

You guys are my heroes, and if this includes ship length or aspect ratio on each page even more so.

And if you could tell me where to find the original ONI images I'll marry both of you. Or not marry you, whatever motivates you the most :p

ben cg

11-15-07, 02:32 PM

I really hope you get this one finished, it will make a huge difference to an important part of the game :up:

Weather-guesser

11-15-07, 03:20 PM

sounds cool guys :know:

leovampire

11-15-07, 04:13 PM

On the main SHIV page so I think he stoped his work on this but I am not sure.