Dockside band, worth the effort?

[Ducimus]

Im pretty certain i can get dockside bands back in. Ive gotten the characters to show, ive gotten the music to play. All i really have to do is import all the nodes and position them, which looks like its going to be a rather tedious, time consuming chore.

So i have to wonder, is it worth the bloody effort? I think most start out of harbor anyway, and dock before they even see the shoreline.

[Nisgeis]

So i have to wonder, is it worth the bloody effort? I think most start out of harbor anyway, and dock before they even see the shoreline.

Well, I don't use any MODs, but those that do seem to like eye candy and immersion enhancers. The remainder like MODs for historical accuracy and as far as I know, bands playing on arrival of US submarines was not something that happened at US bases, though there are documented accounts of it happening at foreign locations, where the submarine was taking off refugees, or dropping off supplies.

These are just some thoughts, I probably wouldn't use it, but then I don't use any MODs anyway, so my opinion isn't important here. I'm sure everyone else will have their say.

I'd like to take this opportunity to say I'm impressed with the amount of time and effort you have put in Ducimus and to thank you for it. It's keeping the game alive for many more people, which in turn helps everyone, even those that don't use MODs directly still benefit from your work and others, as there is a larger fan base for Silent Hunter. This in turn creates a larger and stronger community to help the new players (may there be many more).

There has been a lot of criticism lately about some of the long standing issues in the game (rudder rudder for example) and while they do annoy me too, I am still glad to be playing Silent Hunter and am fairly confident that Silent Hunter 5 will be a reality at some point (I wasn't expecting Silent Hunter 4 this soon). It's a testament to how good the modder's work is that people were anticipating the MODs coming out for 1.5, some even saying they would not be playing it until the MODs were upgraded.

I know everyone who uses these MODs appreciates it, even if sometimes it becomes easy to forget how lucky we are to have people willing to put in as much time and effort as some of the people here do and how much of an improvement the MODs are. For every positive comment there are 10 people thinking the same thing who do not post. So consider this to be ten thumbs up from me.

:up: :up: :up: :up: :up: :up: :up: :up: :up: :up:

I wonder if anyone will count the above to see if there really are ten.

[LukeFF]

The remainder like MODs for historical accuracy and as far as I know, bands playing on arrival of US submarines was not something that happened at US bases, though there are documented accounts of it happening at foreign locations, where the submarine was taking off refugees, or dropping off supplies.

There are pictures of bands playing upon a ship's return to Pearl Harbor at www.navsource.org.

[theluckyone17]

I usually start from outside the harbor and dock from the nav map... so... the effort's better placed elsewhere, in my opinion.

If it floats your boat and is a big enough irritation, go for it, though... don't let me hold you back. I might even cruise into port a time or three just to check it out. :cool:

[Torpex752]

I'd say yes, they were especially prevelent from 43 on and usually at Pearl. Fremantle did have a small band now and then but usually only half the size of the one at Pearl.

Frank

[Nisgeis]

There are pictures of bands playing upon a ship's return to Pearl Harbor at www.navsource.org. (http://www.navsource.org.)

I thought I read returns were low key affairs. Learn something new everyday.

[399nkov]

@>>> ducimus, I for one would sail her into port and dock, then the only thing missing would be the porpoise pacing the bow of the boat, the broomstick and the maneuvering watch.

BTW: TMO for 1.5 is running smooth for me so far. Very nice...:up:

[Sailor Steve]

I always sail in and out of port, and would love to see it; but, as Frank said, they were only at Pearl and maybe the Australian ports, so even for me it would be a rare thing.

If you feel like doing the work, it would be appreciated here; but if not, you won't hear any complaints from me.

[CCIP]

It would be a cool thing to have. I like ports. But honestly, on the list of features I want in the game, it doesn't rank THAT highly. Still, it'd be a nice creative touch I'd say :hmm:

Where I would like to see more people I think is on the sub's deck. Even for instance when you go to battlestations or man the guns, it would be interesting to get things a little bit more busy up top. (by extension, it could also be used to have hands on deck when going in and out of port!)

[Ducimus]

Well, this isnt hard to do, just time consuming. As each bandmember is an indvidual object placement which must be placed ... individually. Each one with its own set of 3d coordinates. Since i lack any semblence of knowledg with 3d edting.. its a case of trial and error tell i get it right.

But.......

http://www.ducimus.net/sh4/preview/pearl_band_01.jpg
-
http://www.ducimus.net/sh4/preview/pearl_band_02.jpg

Bands playing "anchors away". Granted i have to reskin them and loose the KM uniforms.

Im thinking about tossing in the flower tossing nurses. If i were to hazzard a guess id say thats not historically correct, but it adds flavor. Im pretty sure ill have to add a couple officers standing somewhere near the band. As the brass would great an arriving boat.

[CCIP]

Hey, noone would ever complain about a few young nurses on the dockside!
Although we all secretly want hula girls to greet us back in Hawaii, right? :D

And not to go off-topic, but what do you think about the idea of optionally having more crew on deck, even only when on battle stations or another specific state. Possible?

[Ducimus]

Hey, noone would ever complain about a few young nurses on the dockside!
Although we all secretly want hula girls to greet us back in Hawaii, right? :D

And not to go off-topic, but what do you think about the idea of optionally having more crew on deck, even only when on battle stations or another specific state. Possible?

Good idea.

I have an idea that pings a "Maybe" in my thick skull.

No real answer yet. Ill fiddle with it after im done with the docks and see what i can do.

edit: and yes, i already thought of Hula girls, but that would be overkill, even for me. (although if i could get away with it, id probably do it. LOL )

[DrBeast]

I admit I almost never start a patrol docked, or finish one near the dock, but that's because my old rig sucks (and, as if it can feel its impending replacement, it's being even more crankier every passing day...or, I'm just being paranoid and the glitches stem from the dying motherboard :p). Sounds like a great idea, but since your time is already limited, is it really worth the effort? Your call, Chief.

[CCIP]

Yea, I may just have to learn to add objects like this as my curiosity is piqued. Makes me wonder how flexible the triggers for those things are - I certainly wouldn't want a bunch of guys chilling on the deck when dueling another ship with a gun. It would be particularly good if hunter/prey state could affect it, but I'm a bit skeptical. I suspect only the manning of certain stations could be tied to that.

[Ducimus]

I admit I almost never start a patrol docked, or finish one near the dock, but that's because my old rig sucks (and, as if it can feel its impending replacement, it's being even more crankier every passing day...or, I'm just being paranoid and the glitches stem from the dying motherboard :p). Sounds like a great idea, but since your time is already limited, is it really worth the effort? Your call, Chief.

Thing is... this has been one of those pet peeves of mine since the games launch. :rotfl:
(that and the Misses is asleep still. I pounded the pearl band out in about 2 hours)

[1480]

Duci, is there a way for the band to appear if you have an "outstanding" patrol? Almost like a ticker tape parade if you will, I know there are certain criteria you must reach for a renown reward/medals/promotions, I think that would be righteous enough. Or if you are really bored, set up a whole set of dock side packages, since I'm computer illiterate the best I can do is scrounge up different band music.

[DrBeast]

Thing is... this has been one of those pet peeves of mine since the games launch. :rotfl:


Oh, well, then by all means go ahead! Pet peeves should be squashed mercilessly! :arrgh!:

@1480: now, there's another great idea! :up:

[Ducimus]

Duci, is there a way for the band to appear if you have an "outstanding" patrol?

Nope. Their 3d object placements. Not tied to any functionality outside of the harbors DAT file.

[Ducimus]

:roll:


http://www.ducimus.net/sh4/preview/pearl_band_03.jpg



Good enough. Time to start on fremantle.... sometime this weekend. Break time!

[skwasjer]

Lovely :) I like sailing out of ports, and to be honest, there should be way more activity in the ports, both ships (docked and moving), as well as people, cars/trucks etc. In reality there would be hundreds of people about, either working or looking at ships/subs sailing in/out.

[Ducimus]

True, but its a framerate killer. Too much fluff, and getting in and out of port becomes a chore. that said, in reference to my last posted picture, Im debating if i should add a duece and a half with some sailors in the background milling about.

Trouble is, characters that walk, walk on water the instant they step off the peir. The character animation doesnt know the difference, it just finishes what it was scripted out to do.

Midways a great example. I get a kick out a couple of the soldiers there.

[skwasjer]

Oh, I wasn't suggesting you should add more characters and cars and stuff, just dreaming out loud ;)

Anyway, from what I can tell, you can basically set up a circular path (not persé a circle) for an object to follow using the keyframe animation controller. I have no idea if it's possible to maybe abuse a unit type (or a custom type?) and set it all up using a mission script (with waypoints) though, but then you could possibly even have dynamic placement. I don't have sufficient experience with the mission editor, but maybe you or someone else knows? Would be fun to watch a character act like a SuperBB... :rotfl:

I'm sure it will put a heavy strain on the system, yet it could be a nice addon/mod. Maybe I'll have a look at it in a couple of months.

[Ducimus]

Apparently fremantle and Pearl share the same harbor model. So i killed two birds with one stone. Just adding the missing harbor amient noises, and then see what i can do about some of the band textures and i think thats a wrap.

Just gotta hunt down a better harbor ambient noise then stock. :roll:

[Ducimus]

I need the help of a Gimp-Fu master

:roll:

http://www.ducimus.net/sh4/preview/pearl_band_weak.jpg

Any volunteers?

[THE_MASK]

OMG , your putting the band back together .

[Torps]

I might start the patrols from port know, good job Ducimus.

[Roger Dodger]

So i have to wonder, is it worth the bloody effort? I think most start out of harbor anyway, and dock before they even see the shoreline.

I, for one, think its well worth the bloody effort. :up:

In the original 'Silent Service' (Amiga edition), when you left/returned to port, you would get a short 'static' movie showing your boat departing/returning to dock, with Special Sea Detail set, and a brass band in the background (not shown) playing 'Anchors Aweigh' (departing) or 'The Stars & Stripes Forever' (returning). [or 'Semper Paratus', just for me :lol: ] The movie was only 30-45 seconds long, but long enough to recognize what the band was playing.

In Silent Hunter, I would still like to get the movie. Just a 'quickie' 2d or 'static' movie would do-it doesn't have to be really fancy. Starting in or outside the port would not matter - you get the movie either way. Same with returning from patrol. The triggers to play the movie would be the 'START' button (no matter which position is chosen), and the 'END PATROL' button. Making the Special Sea Detail more 'salty' looking would be a nice touch upon returning.

[kylesplanet]

I'll take all this I can get!! This is well worth the effort and I can't wait. This should have been something the addon should have addressed but who needs em', we got Ducimus!:yep: :up:

[Digital_Trucker]

I need the help of a Gimp-Fu master

:roll:

<pic snipped to save bandwidth>

Any volunteers?

I'm no Gimp-Fu master (especially at character textures), but I'd certainly give it the "old college try". On second thought, considering what the first 5 college tries turned out like, maybe I should just give a shot (was always a better marksman than scholar).

[LukeFF]

Just gotta hunt down a better harbor ambient noise then stock. :roll:

You can use the one I created for RFB if you want.

[kylesplanet]

I'm just gonna bump this thread up to show my support for this mod. :ping:

Way to go Ducimus :up: