Merchant Fleet Mod Sneak Peek #3: The Auxiliaries

[iambecomelife]

I spent the last several days working on several auxiliary warships. They are supposed to represent civilian ships converted for military use, as well as purpose-built support ships. Because they were based on existing merchant vessels that I had built, it took very little time to make them.

A medium troop transport based on an old-fashioned freighter. I added extra boats, rafts, & deckhouses to the existing model.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Aux1.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Aux2.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Aux4.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Aux3.jpg

Another merchant conversion, this one from the merchant vessel designated "M10B" in the ID book. This ship is slightly larger than the one above at 5,500-6,500 tons.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Aux7.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Aux6.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Aux8.jpg

Troops relaxing on the aft well deck. :cool:

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Aux10.jpg

[iambecomelife]

I designed this ship by modifying another old-fashioned medium merchantman (M03B in the ID book). I added a larger superstructure, a dummy funnel, &c. This ship has more nodes than the other two, so you can have troops or whatever cargo you want both fore and aft.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Aux14.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Aux12.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Aux15.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Aux13.jpg

A large, modern fleet oiler that was based on a civilian tanker design. It can be distinguished from a standard tanker by all the extra equipment amidships. The tonnage will be between 10,000 and 11,000 GRT. I wanted to have it sit lower in the water but if the draft is set below about 7.7m the ship's wake will not show up for some reason.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Oil2.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Oil5.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Oil3.jpg

Experimenting with alternate camoflage. Right now I am trying to find a way to get the pattenr to show better, so it doesn't look excessively trashed.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Cow.jpg

[JCWolf]

Brilliant work as usual mate !

Lots of hard work on those ship textures bro!:up:

Beautifull!

[iambecomelife]

A British tanker serving as a CAM-ship. I am not sure if any tankers were actually used in this role but it seemed like an interesting concept.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Oil6.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Oil7.jpg

[iambecomelife]

Brilliant work as usual mate !

Lots of hard work on those ship textures bro!:up:

Beautifull!

Thanks. BTW, I am downloading YOUR mod at the moment, and I can hardly wait to use it!

[nikimcbee]

Wow, they look great! Is this mod part of GWX 2.0 or is it seperate? I haven't installe SH3 on my new rig yet or GWX 2.0. I was hoping to include this mod.:up:

[iambecomelife]

It is a separate, upcoming release. I tried to time this thing for a Christmas release/around when GWX came out but it was not possible. You can go ahead and install SH3 because the mod won't require a fresh install.

[Nico71]

This is awesome! :up: For a short moment I was thinking about to try this myself, as I have the basic knowledge and the software. But then I am so damn lazy.......LOL!

[Cohaagen]

They are magnificent, IABL. I really like the hull textures and shiny appearance (alpha channels?). And your attention to detail is second to none :up:

[denis_469]

Vary excellent mod would be!

Thank vary large, iambecomelife!

[U49]

Wonderful work .... so many details :o whow... :yep:!
:up:

[melnibonian]

As always really great work :up:

Can't wait to finally sink these babies :yep: :arrgh!:

[AOTD_MadMax]

Great Work Iambecomelife !

Iam still waiting for this ships !


Keep on working mate ..


Greets

Maddy

[iambecomelife]

They are magnificent, IABL. I really like the hull textures and shiny appearance (alpha channels?). And your attention to detail is second to none :up:

No alpha channels - they are just standard 512x512 tga's. However, to give the illusion of light I altered the textures' contrast and applied a gradient running from the top of the hull to the bottom. This gradient makes the hull look as if it is rounded and more "3d".

[Alex]

I CAN'T WAIT ANY MORE ! http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/7435/mefiantei6.gif http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/38/grrr46xq1.gif

Sorry... :cool:

[Kpt. Lehmann]

I CAN'T WAIT ANY MORE ! http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/7435/mefiantei6.gif http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/38/grrr46xq1.gif

Sorry... :cool:

Looks like you won't have to wait much longer, since you speak French much better than I do.:arrgh!:

[JCWolf]

I CAN'T WAIT ANY MORE ! http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/7435/mefiantei6.gif http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/38/grrr46xq1.gif

Sorry... :cool:

Looks like you won't have to wait much longer, since you speak French much better than I do.:arrgh!:

:lol:

There are some Educated guys here !
I wish I could speack that good!:lol:

[bigboywooly]

Very nice Iam
Are these auxiliaries a type=100 ?

[Jimbuna]

Looking very cool :up:

Any Geordie translation needed ? :lol:

[coronas]

Nice, very nice. I'm waiting to see an IABL convoy in my periscope. :up:
Great work, master.

[iambecomelife]

Very nice Iam
Are these auxiliaries a type=100 ?

They are actually Type 102, including the tankers. The tankers will be converted to type 101 before release, and the other ships will probably stay as 102.

[bigboywooly]

Very nice Iam
Are these auxiliaries a type=100 ?

They are actually Type 102, including the tankers. The tankers will be converted to type 101 before release, and the other ships will probably stay as 102.

Ok mate :up:
Just one thing with the CAM
The game can and does end up picking more than one of a class of ship so you could end up with 2\3\4 etc CAMs in a convoy

Twas the reason the CAM in GWX is a type=100
The RND contains entries for type=100 in Atlantic\Artic convoys
One type=100 entry means one CAM only
Or a Ammo ship or Coal freighter or a Collier ( in the case of the US and Canada for the last ) :up:

[Sailor Steve]

Oh, great, here we go again...




:rock: :rock: :rock: :rock: :rock:

[Paul.Saenger]

If someone had shown me those pictures when SHIII came out first, I would have believed them to be photoshopped.

Amazing what you can do with that engine, IABL.

[iambecomelife]

Experimenting with camoflage patterns for the CAM-tanker.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/CAMT-4.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/CAMT-3.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/CAMT-2.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/CAMT-1.jpg

[iambecomelife]

The ships are true beautys, are you going to choose a single camo between these or do each ship have multiple textures ?
I don't know about historicaly accurate camo but the "saw-teeth" one (3rd picture) looks real good, more "marine".
BTW, when added to the game (stock or modded), will they appear randomly sailing alone and/or part of convoys, of does it need editing of the campaign ?

Each of the ships is multiple-skinned, so there will be several different types of camoflage. Early in the war you will be able to identify a wide variety of individual shipping lines based on the paint scheme. As time goes on more and more ships will be painted grey or other camoflage tones, and a small number will have complicated camo patterns like the ones above. Only ships from neutral countries like Sweden and Ireland will stay in civilian colors for the entire war.

Because there are random freighter and tanker entries in GWX, NYGM, and stock SH3 there will always be a percentage chance that one of the ships you encounter will be from the Merchant Fleet Mod. They can appear both alone and in convoys.

[Boris]

Having added more ships to GWX 2.0 I can confidently say that any new ships added will appear pretty much just as much as the original ships of GWX 2.0.

[iambecomelife]

Having added more ships to GWX 2.0 I can confidently say that any new ships added will appear pretty much just as much as the original ships of GWX 2.0.

May I ask if you noticed any defects with the spawning? I think bigboywooly warned that the game engine sometimes selects one ship model way too often, so there may be problems with randomization. Or do you generally get a good variety of shipping? I ask because I still have not had time to test my mod in career mode.

[Nico71]

But....how am I supposed to know which models have been added to GWX 2.0 already and which ones haven't? And how do I add ships manually at all? Finally: what tools, converters, etc do I need to make new models in 3ds max? I'm bored! ;)

[brotebjo]

Must have now...can't wait any longer...need the files to survive...:dead:

[bigboywooly]

Having added more ships to GWX 2.0 I can confidently say that any new ships added will appear pretty much just as much as the original ships of GWX 2.0.

May I ask if you noticed any defects with the spawning? I think bigboywooly warned that the game engine sometimes selects one ship model way too often, so there may be problems with randomization. Or do you generally get a good variety of shipping? I ask because I still have not had time to test my mod in career mode.

You can get multiple picks of one ship type
Doesnt always happen
I found the AMM and PRT spawned way too often in multiples
Not anymore
lol
The game seems to pick a rough cross section of displacements with usually the smaller ships on the outer lanes of a convoy
Not sure how and where that is - if its true
Just observation on my part

[AVGWarhawk]

I like the texture work. They look very good.

[mr chris]

Fantastic work there IBL:up:

I take it that these ships will be used to replace some of the nasty models that came with the stock game. Or will they all be additional ships?

[melnibonian]

I take it that these ships will be used to replace some of the nasty models that came with the stock game. Or will they all be additional ships?
As far as GWX is concerned they'll all be additional models.

[denis_469]

I take it that these ships will be used to replace some of the nasty models that came with the stock game. Or will they all be additional ships?
As far as GWX is concerned they'll all be additional models.

Sorry, but I after d/l GWX 2.0 place reworked units in game from licensed company 1C. And all vessels was doubled and tripled from 1 ship! I unsee no sich in any time.
I have and more problems with planes and vessels after place it's units in licensed game from 1C company.
My opinion - GWX 2.0 - excellent game, but need that all units would be work with version 1.4b.
I have licensed game from 1C company.

[melnibonian]

Sorry, but I after d/l GWX 2.0 place reworked units in game from licensed company 1C. And all vessels was doubled and tripled from 1 ship! I unsee no sich in any time.
I have and more problems with planes and vessels after place it's units in licensed game from 1C company.
My opinion - GWX 2.0 - excellent game, but need that all units would be work with version 1.4b.
I have licensed game from 1C company.
I think this is the answer to your question http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=749099&postcount=27

[AOTD_MadMax]

Hi iambecomelife,

i have send you an PM with the translated en-files.
I hope you like them.

Is it possible to test your units ?

Greets

Maddy

[bigboywooly]

I take it that these ships will be used to replace some of the nasty models that came with the stock game. Or will they all be additional ships?
As far as GWX is concerned they'll all be additional models.

Sorry, but I after d/l GWX 2.0 place reworked units in game from licensed company 1C. And all vessels was doubled and tripled from 1 ship! I unsee no sich in any time.
I have and more problems with planes and vessels after place it's units in licensed game from 1C company.
My opinion - GWX 2.0 - excellent game, but need that all units would be work with version 1.4b.
I have licensed game from 1C company.

1C company denis ???
Additional ships should work in GWX no problem
AOTD Maxs do :up:

There is nothing different to GWX shipping from stock 1.4 shipping
The only differences ( apart from a few fixes and reflections ) that mean a ship wont play in stock are weapons and cargo

Privateer uses stock 1.4 when working on new GWX models then adds them to GWX after

[denis_469]

I take it that these ships will be used to replace some of the nasty models that came with the stock game. Or will they all be additional ships?
As far as GWX is concerned they'll all be additional models.

Sorry, but I after d/l GWX 2.0 place reworked units in game from licensed company 1C. And all vessels was doubled and tripled from 1 ship! I unsee no sich in any time.
I have and more problems with planes and vessels after place it's units in licensed game from 1C company.
My opinion - GWX 2.0 - excellent game, but need that all units would be work with version 1.4b.
I have licensed game from 1C company.

1C company denis ???
Additional ships should work in GWX no problem
AOTD Maxs do :up:

There is nothing different to GWX shipping from stock 1.4 shipping
The only differences ( apart from a few fixes and reflections ) that mean a ship wont play in stock are weapons and cargo

Privateer uses stock 1.4 when working on new GWX models then adds them to GWX after

Sorry that I place my post in it teme and I agree that ships from IABL would be excellent work in games.
I talk about last GWX and continue in right topic.
Sorry IABL:oops:

[Alex]

I see what you all mean, guys... :hmm:

But where's the download link ? :huh: http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/871/demon04uc4.gif







j/k ! :oops: :rotfl:

[GlobalExplorer]

Absolutely fantastic IABL!

Such dark camo pattern would be awesome on the destroyers (dont know if they fit historically).

[GlobalExplorer]

But where's the download link ? :huh: http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/871/demon04uc4.gif
j/k ! :oops: :rotfl:

As far as I know IABL is aiming for a supermod that enhances the merchant fleet with a big bang .. by several 100 percent. People (including myself) tried to talk him into releasing them in small batches but he won't :( It's his decision afterall, and he seems to be some sort of perfectionist.

[iambecomelife]

But....how am I supposed to know which models have been added to GWX 2.0 already and which ones haven't? And how do I add ships manually at all? Finally: what tools, converters, etc do I need to make new models in 3ds max? I'm bored! ;)

None of my ships have already been added to GWX except for the Empire Freighter and the Empire Freighter CAM-Ship, which I probably won't include in the mod. To add ships manually, simply extract the package like you would with any mod and the appropriate files will go into the data/sea and other folders. Then (and this is important) add the ship to the Englishnames.cfg file.

Unfortunately I only use Wings3d and not 3ds Max, so I don't know how to convert the models.

[iambecomelife]

But where's the download link ? :huh: http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/871/demon04uc4.gif
j/k ! :oops: :rotfl:

As far as I know IABL is aiming for a supermod that enhances the merchant fleet with a big bang .. by several 100 percent. People (including myself) tried to talk him into releasing them in small batches but he won't :( It's his decision afterall, and he seems to be some sort of perfectionist.

I came very close to releasing it a couple of times but I decided to do some more work on the models. Learning the correct proportions for a ship model is an ongoing process. The models I am releasing soon are hopefully more accurate than what I originally was going to release (see the old screenshots on the ship models thread).

[GlobalExplorer]

Thats alright it will be a fanatastic mod .. just release them before we are all dead buddy :)

[Dutchie-one]

Nice ships, the CAM ships where mostly Oiltankers or Grainships and carry one planeThanks, Dutchie-one

[Alex]

The models I am releasing soon are hopefully more accurate than what I originally was going to release (see the old screenshots on the ship models thread).

:up: :sunny:

[Nico71]

But....how am I supposed to know which models have been added to GWX 2.0 already and which ones haven't? And how do I add ships manually at all? Finally: what tools, converters, etc do I need to make new models in 3ds max? I'm bored! ;)

None of my ships have already been added to GWX except for the Empire Freighter and the Empire Freighter CAM-Ship, which I probably won't include in the mod. To add ships manually, simply extract the package like you would with any mod and the appropriate files will go into the data/sea and other folders. Then (and this is important) add the ship to the Englishnames.cfg file.

Unfortunately I only use Wings3d and not 3ds Max, so I don't know how to convert the models.


Thank you! Well, I have temporary access to Max and now even Maya (still learning, though), hence my question.

[Nico71]

But....how am I supposed to know which models have been added to GWX 2.0 already and which ones haven't? And how do I add ships manually at all? Finally: what tools, converters, etc do I need to make new models in 3ds max? I'm bored! ;)

You can download Pack3d from my filefront link in my sig, it allows you to unpack the .dat files in which the models (.obj files), textures and stuff i don't know a thing about.
Then if you have a recent version of 3ds max you should be able to import .obj files, otherwise you will need the suitable plugin, a google search with "your 3ds version number + obj plugin" should do.
That's only for the modeling part, I don't know anything about adding new models in the game after you have your own new .dat file.

Great! Thank you, will try this ASAP! :)

[jpm1]

i'm looking foward to them