External mouse zoom

[rsvette12]

Hi Guys:

Is it possible to have the mouse zoom in and out in the external view of ship with the middle wheel mouse button, thanks. :hmmm:

Regards, Rich

[SteamWake]

Dont think so.

There are some mods that alter the cameras behaviour. Once you get used to it it actually works pretty good.

[rsvette12]

Yowser 7,831 posts wow thanks for the info kind of figured that, take care. :up:

Regards, Rich

[peabody]

Yowser 7,831 posts wow thanks for the info kind of figured that, take care. :up:

Regards, Rich

You can make it work by modding with S3D and adding an "optical controller" to the Free camera and set zoom levels.

Peabody

[rsvette12]

Oh could you give me a more in depth description of "modding with S3D and adding an "optical controller" to the Free camera and set zoom levels"
no idea what this mean, thanks. :up: I do have a 3d connexion space navigator I use for 3d modeling.

Regards, Rich

[peabody]

Oh could you give me a more in depth description of "modding with S3D and adding an "optical controller" to the Free camera and set zoom levels"
no idea what this mean, thanks. :up: I do have a 3d connexion space navigator I use for 3d modeling.

Regards, Rich

Rich,

1. Go to the SH4 Fleet Boats MODs Workshop section and from the 'sticky' on the first page download S3D (Silent 3ditor) and install.
2. Go to where SH4 is installed and open Data/Library. Find the file cameras.dat and copy it to a working location. The best thing to do is create folders so you can enable and disable as a MOD. So create a folder (I usually use a separate drive to create my 'working' folders) let's call it "CamerawithZoom". Inside that folder make a folder called "Data", inside the 'Data' folder make a folder called 'Library'. (The Data and Library folders MUST be named data and library, the first folder can be named anything.) Copy the cameras.dat file into the Library folder.
3. Start S3D and Open the cameras.dat (the copy you just made, not the original)
4. Now a picture you can refer to. You will be adding #24 and #25. Those numbers will already be there but as you add items the items below it are pushed down and renumbered.

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/8553/camerazoom.jpg

5. Using the pic as a guide select the + beside #22, then RIGHT-Click on number 23, and you will see the menu shown open up. Go to 'Append New Chunk" then 'Controller(type: 10)' then click on "Controller (type: 10/-1)".

6. You can't see it in the picture but select the new #24 <empty> and look to the right and copy the ID: 0x75d349962de7a089 (your number will be different) NOT the Parent ID. You will need it in the next step.
7. RIGHT-click on #24 and select 'Append New Chunk' , then Properties (type 6/0), Then 'SH4", then "Camera Behavior", then click on "Optical".
8. Now it should look like the picture 24 <empty> and 25 !!Optical.
9. With "25. !!Optical" highlighted (selected) paste the ID you copied before into the "PARENT ID" slot on the right side. You just made 24 the Parent node of 25.
10. With 25 still selected set the MinZoom and MaxZoom on the right side. Now RIGHT-click on the "Zoom Levels" and "Add Array Item". It will add one slot to the list, do it 2 or 3 times just to learn how it works. Now you set the value for each at the bottom of the page. Try 0, 2, and 4.
10. Go back and select 24 <empty>. To the right you will see a box labeled: Name: Type and O in the box and from the list select "Optical".
11. Go up and select :#12: _Dummy_Cam_FreeCamera", copy the ID (NOT the Parent ID.)
12. Go back to 24:Optical (notice 24 and 25 are now named the same so make sure you are on 24) and paste the ID you just copied into "PARENT ID". So you just made the Free Camera the Parent of the Optical controller.

13. Save this file and put it into your MODS folder and enable it, then test it.

It may look complicated but if you do one step at a time it will be very easy.

If you are not set up for MODs you need to get JSGME and install it, run it once to create the MODS folder, then in "tasks" Generate snapshot of game files before you use it for the first time.

You are now a modder.

Peabody

[rsvette12]

Yowser you guys are awesome what an explanation, one thing what will all of this do, is this an operation for the mouse to do all the work, thanks pal. :up:

Regards, Rich

[rsvette12]

Tried it got lost in the last part the 3 zoom changes and the last parent id copy and paste got an error mesage is it possible you could post a good one sorry.

Regards, Rich

[peabody]

Tried it got lost in the last part the 3 zoom changes and the last parent id copy and paste got an error mesage is it possible you could post a good one sorry.

Regards, Rich

Ok, we will redo the part you got lost on. I had to change some node numbers to make it match what I was doing since I deleted the "Terrain Collider" my numbers were different.


Here is a photo to refer to with it done.

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/5653/camerazoom2.jpg


This shows the zoom levels, one thing I may have said wrong, I don't know if you can use 0 for a zoom level, I never tried it, so here I use 1,4, and 8.

These values are set in a little box at the bottom of the page called "Value"
1. Select MinZoom and set the 'value box' to 1
2. Select MaxZoom and set to 8

Zoom Levels:
1. When you first get here it will say Zoomlevels [0]
2. Right-click and select "Add Array Item". Do this three times. You should have 3 listings now [0], [1] and [2]. Notice it starts numbering at 0 like a lot of computer files do.
3. Select [0]=0.0 and in the "value" box at the bottom of the window, type 1
4. Select [1]=0.0 and set to 4
5. Select [2]=0.0 and set to 8

It should look like it does in the picture.

Now the other part you had problems with, the IDs.

1. Select node "24: Optical" copy the ID
2. Select node "25: Optical" paste into the "Parent ID" box. If there is already a number for Parent ID, you can change it by holding down the Ctrl key and click on the number and the box will return and you can paste into it..
3. At this point 25 should be indented under 24 like in the picture.

4. Now go to node "12: Node-_Dummy_Cam_FreeCamera" and copy the ID.
5. Select "24: Optical" and paste into the "Parent ID" box.

Easiest way is to start over until you learn how these work, rather than try to fix a mistake.
************************************************** ****

The following is just some explaination, it is already done if you did the steps above, so you don't need to do anything below:

The ID and Parent ID can be a bit comfusing to start with. But you need to tell the game what the Optical controller is connected to otherwise it won't know. The more you do it the more it makes sense.
In this case the Free Camera is the parent so you have to tell the program that, but instead of using names, it uses IDs and Parent IDs so if later you change the name of an object it will stay connected. So by putting the Free Camera ID into the Optical "Parent ID" you are telling the game that the 'Parent of Optical' is the FreeCamera.

What makes this a bit confusing is that you have two nodes called "Optical". But if you remember when you added them, #24 is the controller, and #25 is the Properties of that controller. So that means that 24 controller needs to be the "Parent" of the 25 Properties. Then 12 the FreeCamera is the "Parent" of the 24 controller.
So, the Properties or settings (25) are linked to the Controller (24) and the whole thing is linked to the FreeCamera (12).

Now if you go down the list to the Binoculars and click the + sign, you will see there is an Optical in there too. That gives a magnification to the Binoculars. And if you check the Optical "Parent ID" it will be the ID of the Binoculars. That is how you tell a controller what it controls. (The Optical is a controller) And it also lets the game know that this Optical is not for the FreeCamera it is for the Binoculars, by telling the program who the 'Parent" is.

And you can thank Skwasjer for making this fantastic program that shows this. When you make an item the "Parent" the "child" indents under it to show the relationship of one to the other.
And also a thank you to Nisgeis who showed my how to do the optical.

Once you get this done and enabled you should be able to use the mouse wheel for some magnigication on the Free Camera. Not really very realistic, but it's a nice touch for a beginner.

Good luck, I hope you understand, I don't seem to explain things very will sometimes.

Peabody

[rsvette12]

Huge thanks Peabody thanks for the taking the time this should clear things up now, I will give it a go buddy. :up: your expalnation is very good and in depth.

Regards, Rich