Setting a custom camera view to a key?

[jmr]

Is there anyway to set a custom view point using the free roaming camera inside the boat and then save it to a key combo? I would like to set a of the SJ radar screen so that the camera is nice and close so I can accurately plot contacts. The default radar viewpoint is too far for my tastes and I would like it to look something like this:

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/2708/sjsmall.jpg


Which makes it much easier to plot contacts with mobo like this:

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/2329/mobosmall.jpg http://img15.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sjsmall.jpghttp://img15.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sjsmall.jpg

[Munchausen]

:hmmm: Thanks for the above screen shot. After all this time, I've finally seen why it helps to run SH4 in 'window' mode.

[Nisgeis]

Hi JMR, I saw your question in the other thread and thought I'd answer here.

You might find it easier to just change the default position for the PPI and A-Scope camera points, then you can use all the usual keys.

You'll need to get a copy of the very useful S3D and then in /data/interior/type_CT.dat find the node that is called RAD_Dummy_AScope - That's the PPI camera position and RAD_Dummy_PPI - that's the A-Scope camera position (don't ask :-). Move the camera position you want down by adjusting the Y Traslation value.

[jmr]

Thanks for reply, Nisgeis. Can you tell me where I can download S3D? Is it a program designed specifically to mod SH4/SH3? I searched for "S3D" here at Subsim's download library but nothing turned up.

[peabody]

Thanks for reply, Nisgeis. Can you tell me where I can download S3D? Is it a program designed specifically to mod SH4/SH3? I searched for "S3D" here at Subsim's download library but nothing turned up.

The subsim search does not search for 3 letter words. S3D is a 'sticky' at the top of this page.

Peabody

[jmr]

*doh!*

Thanks for that. Funny how things can be right in front of you but yet you don't notice them.


Got it installed and I'm looking at the Y values but not sure what values to plug in to try. I'll star somewhere near the default ones and go from there.

[XLjedi]

JMR,

I haven't been able to get SH4 to run in windowed mode.

How did you do it?

I go into options and under graphics I have windowed mode selected, but even after multiple restarts it still loads and plays full screen. :06:

Is there a keystroke to get from maximized to windowed?

[jmr]

aaron, have you tried setting a resolution that's less than your current desktop resolution? If I set it to run windowed at the same resolution as my desktop it appears to run in full screen. Once I set the resolution to something lower it ran in windowed mode just fine.

[XLjedi]

Yeah, I s'pose that would make sense. :hmmm:

[Webster]

when you find a good setting that works best, please post the numbers you used so that others can be able to use them too :up:

[jmr]

Still experimenting with numbers :D I'm no programmer nor modder but why do the X, Y, and Z axes have so many decimal places for their numerical values?

I've noticed with the 3D view it's best to have the camera set directly above the scope with no discernible angle so that you'll have uniform distance from the center to the outer edges of the scope when setting your range scale with mobo.

[Nisgeis]

The game units are very large - if you change the x by 1, then that's 10 metres in game, so to move it a centimetre, you'd have to change it by 0.01. The rest of the numbers are probably only there for completeness, they just show the full length of the number, but you can set it to something round if you want.

You can adjust the angle of the camera view with the rotation controls, just unders the translation controls. If you get stuck, I'll give you a hand.

Perhaps you could release this as a mod for those who use the excellent Mobo to plot with.

[jmr]

Nisgeis, is it possible to completely lock the camera so that it only stares directly down at the scope and prevents the mouse from moving the camera?

[XLjedi]

Any progress on the XYZ settings?

Ya know, it never really occured to me to use MoBo to plot directly on the PPI scope like that in real time. That's pretty cool... I might have to actually try a fleetboat career now.

[Nisgeis]

Sorry JMR, I didn't see this post, I've been a bit busy. Thanks to Aaronblood for bumping it. I'm always happy to support Mobo (bring on version two :-)).

It's perfectly reasonable to lock off the camera for the PPI scope to a fixed view. All you need to do is to open up /data/library/cameras.dat with S3D and goto the node called _Dummy_Cam_RadioRoom_Radar_AScope.

I know the A scope is a different view, but for whatever reason, the PPI and A scope views are reversed in SH4, such that the A scope view is of the PPI and the PPI view is of the A Scope. From that node, delete the FreeMove controller and depending on what camera file you are starting with, you may have a MechShocks Pendulum conroller, which makes the view swing. Remove that and the view should be as steady as a rock and perfect for using with the excellent MOBO.

If you have managed to change the view node from the previous discussion for a 'zoomed in' view, then you should be in tip top shape for top MOBO usage. You should definately release this as a mod!

If you have problems then please send me a PM, then it will flag up in my email and I won't miss it. You should be OK though now for the next killer mod. But if you have trouble, PM me :-).

[jmr]

aaron, I haven't looked at it for a few days but I'm still plugging in values to home in on a good angle.

Nisgeis, thanks for your help. I'll give that a go today and see what I come up with.


edit: is there a way to bring up a console to enter a command that will display my X, Y, Z values for the current camera position? That way I can move the camera to my liking, write downs those values, and then enter them in S3D.

[Nisgeis]

edit: is there a way to bring up a console to enter a command that will display my X, Y, Z values for the current camera position? That way I can move the camera to my liking, write downs those values, and then enter them in S3D.


Not that I know of, but with S3D's 3D view, it's insanely easy to move the views and objects - no more guessing and whittling down the changes by trial and error, now you can just do it by eye in a fraction of the time.

[jmr]

Then I'm mentally challenged because I've spent hours trying to get just the right viewpoint but I still can't get it. Endless launching/exiting the game just to tweak X:Y values is driving me nuts. There has to be an easier way or I'm just not getting something.

I really miss the old 2d views.

http://www.subsim.com/images/silent8.jpg

[Nisgeis]

JMR, you aren't providing enough feedback to give you more detailed help. You just say you can't get the right viewpoint, but not what's wrong about what you have got so far. I'm no even sure you are able to move the camera position? I'm not sure which part you are having touble with. If you can't get the camera to move, then do the following:

Open NSS_Porpoise_CT.dat and then find the node called 'RAD_Dummy_AScope' (about node 37 ish). Change the Translation Y (under Node Positioning) to be Y: 0.01, save that file to your mod folder, apply the mod and then run up one of the sub school missions and go to the radar. The PPI screen camera will have moved and will give you an idea of how the things work.

If you have followed the camera.dat instructions and can't get that to work (with the locked off axis rotation), then let me know which part you can't get to work. It's all a bit too vague to troubleshoot, without details of what isn't working.

[jmr]

Sorry about that. Just got a little frustrated trying different numbers for hours on end but I started from scratch again and am coming close to get what I want.

On a whim I decided to just exit out of a mission but stay in the game and I found I could adjust the values and start a new mission to to see if my new inputs agree with what I'm looking for. So nice to not have to exit the game every time to enter new values.

[Nisgeis]

Have you been able to 'lock off' the camera, so it doesn't sway? I can probably give you the numbers to put in to the translation and rotation settings if you are really stuck - it will be fairly quick, but I'll have to wait until I have some time free to experiment (which is all it is really :-)) atm. You can export the scene to a 3d program and use a virtual camera to position it whee you want, but that may be overkill and a bit much if this is all you want to do with the 3D side of things.

[jmr]

I have the camera locked so that you can't accidentally shift your view which is very handy when you have mobo overlaid.

Here's what I have so far.

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/7482/ppik.th.jpg (http://img15.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ppik.jpg)




I think it needs to be shifted to the right but I can only move my viewpoint left and right and not the entire display. I'd like the scope to be dead center. It looks crooked, doesn't it?

[Nisgeis]

It looks ever so slightly rotated clockwise. If you can send me the files you have at the moment for the mod, I can have a look and send you the files back with the right values in. You've made some great progress there and that looks like you could use it for Mobo as is.

One thing that I do notice is that the range and sweep controls are out of the picture. Is that what you want?

[jmr]

Yeah I don't mind not having those in view. I can just jump to the A scope to adjust my range.


Can I send files though Subsim's PM system?

[jmr]

With the gracious help of Nisgeis I was able to lock and center the view of the PPI scope for easy plotting of contacts on Mobo. You can run the game in windowed mode and overlay Mobo on top of the PPI or you can run in full screen, snap a screenshot, and load it as an image into Mobo. Without a locked and centered screen you would have to be cautious not to acciditantlly move your PPI camera otherwise you'd have to recenter your Mobo plots. Now with a locked and centered camera you no longer have to worry about knocking anything out of alignment.

The only downside of this view is that you can't look down and adjust the range and sweep/focus nobs. You'll have to jump to the A-scope to make those adjustments. There may be keys assigned to range and sweep/focus but I haven't found them.

Also, you may find it helpful to use Demonizer's high resolution PPI/A-scope mod (http://files.filefront.com/High+Res+Radarrar/;11564751;/fileinfo.html) for sharper contact radar blips.

The changes I made only affect the Gato, Porpoise, and Salmon class subs. I had trouble with the S-class boats and eventually decided to let them be as I'm not sure how common radar sets were on those boats.

Let me know what you guys think.

http://files.filefront.com/High+Res+Radarrar/;11564751;/fileinfo.html

Again, if you don't use Mobo you probably won't find this mod useful.

EDIT: (http://files.filefront.com/Mobo+Plotting+Modrar/;13658825;/fileinfo.html)

Link removed. Still have a few things to tweak.