[REL] quick fix to add SH3 style compass to interface

[TheDarkWraith]

Title says it all. A quick fix to add a workable SH3 style compass to your interface. At least you'll know which way you're heading and you can order up specific headings. It's not perfect, it was a quick fix to get something up. I'm still working on sorting this mess they call a supposed game out :down:

http://www.filefront.com/15735863/CompassSH5TheDarkWraith.7z/

unzip straight to mods folder (JSGME enabled!)

TheDarkWraith

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee4/tazmaniandevilrider/SH5CompassByTheDarkWraith.jpg

SH3 style compass above

EDIT:

to change placement of the dial:

edit the 'Page layout.ini' (\data\Menu\Pages) file, to place it in a better location for you. You want to edit this:

[G3F I2]
Name=Group feedback
Type=1026;Menu group
ItemID=0x3F010000
ParentID=0x3F000000
Pos=512,-710,512,58
Zone= 512 58 512 58 0 1 0x3F000000 0.3 -1 0x3F010000 -1 1 0 0

The red line controls placement. The 0.3 value is what you want to change to move it horizontally (values < 0.3 move it left, > 0.3 move it right - use small increments as these are like %s of the total value! - values like 0.05 increments to start). The -1 value right after it you would change to change the vertical position (values < -1 will move it up - use small increments as these are like %s of the total value! - values like 0.05 increments to start). You can probably get it bigger by using a bigger TGA image of the dial.

Can someone completely decipher that Zone= line? I have a very basic understanding of it.

EDIT2:

This dial and the other SH3/4 dials (among other items) are already included in the Page layout.ini file in case anyone was wondering. Even the TGAs were where they were supposed to be. Hell, even the sliding shortcuts (SH3) exist but aren't functional (yet).

[ddrgn]

Awesome, can you show a pic?

[ddrgn]

Just awesome, thanks!

[TheDarkWraith]

I made this @ 1920 X 1200 res settings so I hope it scales correctly for lower (or higher) resolutions. The Zone= line in the .ini files still trips me up. Anyone got a definitive guide as to how to read that line and what everything means?

[ddrgn]

Tested 100%, best mod yet!!!!

Now can you figure out how to add the old spread dials to the periscope view or any view for that matter ;]

[UberMatz]

Dl'd... shall install it in the morning! Good God you guys are fast!!! Many thanks for these efforts, where would the SH series be without y'all!?!?!
:salute:
Matz

[Highbury]

Thank you TheDarkWraith, nice way to start out on the forums! As a God! :salute:

[gutted]

Awesome.

It's a bit small at 1680x1050, and not exactly placed in what i'd consider the best location.... but its definately a start!!

At my res, its more to the left and alittle bit more down. it's resting slightly on the speed portion of the Hud.

THANKS!

[sergei]

Good work my friend, I'll give it a go:up:

[TheDarkWraith]

Awesome.

It's a bit small at 1680x1050, and not exactly placed in what i'd consider the best location.... but its definately a start!!

At my res, its more to the left and alittle bit more down. it's resting slightly on the speed Hud.

THANKS!

you can edit the 'Page layout.ini' file, to place it in a better location for you. You want to edit this:

[G3F I2]
Name=Group feedback
Type=1026;Menu group
ItemID=0x3F010000
ParentID=0x3F000000
Pos=512,-710,512,58
Zone= 512 58 512 58 0 1 0x3F000000 0.3 -1 0x3F010000 -1 1 0 0

The red line controls placement. The 0.3 value is what you want to change to move it horizontally (values < 0.3 move it left, > 0.3 move it right - use small increments as these are like %s of the total value! - values like 0.05 increments to start). The -1 value right after it you would change to change the vertical position (values < -1 will move it up - use small increments as these are like %s of the total value! - values like 0.05 increments to start). You can probably get it bigger by using a bigger TGA image of the dial.
Like I said it was a quick hack to get SOMETHING up to tell me where I was heading and to be able to order directions.

[CCIP]

Lovely! And so it begins.

I hope that with some help, we can have the other dials soon as well.

[Highbury]

Like I said it was a quick hack to get SOMETHING up to tell me where I was heading and to be able to order directions.

A quick hack works more then well enough for now. Of course refining it in size and placement when other dials become available is inevitable, but for now it adds one of the most major oversights back into the game. Even at a rudimentary level it is awesome.

Thanks again.

[Ducimus]

YESS!!!

Thank you!

[reaper7]

And so it begins :D Cheers DarkWraith.

[urfisch]

finally one who took care of the interface crap...nice!

:yeah:

[Michal788]

Thank you so much. Im extremly happy. Thanks.

[R-T-B]

I firmly believe that this game is the best modding foundation we've ever had. Seeing the mods that have come out in only a few days (my own included, haha), this only strengthens my belief. :)

[Michal788]

Where is the donation button for the mobs?:D

[JScones]

It's not perfect, it was a quick hack to get something up.
Evolution has to start somewhere. :up:

[karamazovnew]

Zone= 512 58 512 58 0 1 0x3F000000 0.3 -1 0x3F010000 -1 1 0 0

Can someone completely decipher that Zone= line? I have a very basic understanding of it.
.[/COLOR]

Why do you need the zone line? They've made a Menu Editor, it's easy to use. If I had that puppy in SH4...... Anyway, the Zone is the same as before and thank god for that. I'll start a new thread about the Menu Editor and how to use it (learning it myself now). I won't bother you with screenshots but here's the quick round up of how the zone line works:

Imagine that the screen is a 1024x768 box. The screen actually starts from the bottom left corner (0,0) and coordinates increase until the top right corner (1024,768). This is true on any resolution.

Zone = 512 58 ... This is the actual position of the top left corner of the item.
In other words, the TOP LEFT corner of your item sits exactly on the 512'th column from the left and the 58'th line from the bottom. But this is only informative. In SH4 you don't actually position items by changing these.

Zone = 512 58 512 58... This is the size of your item. Don't ask me why you made it 512 pixels wide by 58 pixels high, but you did.

Zone = 512 58 512 58 0 1... this is way to long to explain. Read here http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=1157028&postcount=7. So yeah, these 2 values tell the game how scale that 1024x768 box to fit the screen (for each item). This is very very powerful and I'm glad they kept it this way. You can place anything anywhere :yeah:

Now on to the real positioning:

512 58 512 58 0 1 0x3F000000 This is the ID of the objects parent. The parents are usually transparent Menu groups but anything can be a parent. All children will sit ON TOP of the parent. Note that they don't actually need to be included in the parent's "box". But by default, any child is placed at the coordinates of the parent's TOP LEFT corner.


512 58 512 58 0 1 0x3F000000 0.3 -1: From the top left corner of the parent, you move the child to the RIGHT (positive value) by (0.3 * parent_width) pixels. Then DOWN(negative value) by (1*parent_height) pixels.

Zone= 512 58 512 58 0 1 0x3F000000 0.3 -1 0x3F010000: yes this is your item. Sometimes you can put a different item here but I see no reason to complicate matters.

Zone= 512 58 512 58 0 1 0x3F000000 0.3 -1 0x3F010000 -1 1: Same as before, you move the item LEFT (negative value) by (1*item_width) and then move it UP (positive value) by (1*item_height). Since our item was 512*58, we've just moved it left by 512 pixels and up by 58 pixels.

Zone= 512 58 512 58 0 1 0x3F000000 0.3 -1 0x3F010000 -1 1 [COLOR="#ff0000"]0 0: this is just a simple offset in pixels. Useful to move the item a pixel or 2 without recalculating the ratios. Also useful to quickly move an item offscreen without deleting it. For example 2000 3000 will move the item well outside the screen (2000 pixels to the right and 3000 pixels up).

We still owe Zamboni a very big thanks btw:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=111832

[bert8for3]

Many thanks :woot:

[GDFTigerTank]

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

I hereby award you seven internets, a half of a chocolate chip cookie, all the liquor your u-boat can carry, and a buxom wench from Le Harve you can stow in your bunk (and permanently raises your crew morale to 10 while on board) ! :arrgh!:

I love this fracking community!

[Galanti]

This is great news! Does this means the speed telegraph and tieffenmesser are just lying there dormant, and can get activated with minimal fuss?

[TheDarkWraith]

This is great news! Does this means the speed telegraph and tieffenmesser are just lying there dormant, and can get activated with minimal fuss?

Yes. I've already enabled them to see if they work and they do.
I still can't get them to switch to their second state yet.

[mookiemookie]

A godsend.

[Galanti]

Yes. I've already enabled them to see if they work and they do.
I still can't get them to switch to their second state yet.

Right on, we're that much closer to switching off the ridiculous digital readouts.

[thisdougsforu]

This mod looks great...pardon me for being ignorant, but where is the mods folder? I don't see it in my main SH5 data directory.

[TheDarkWraith]

This mod looks great...pardon me for being ignorant, but where is the mods folder? I don't see it in my main SH5 data directory.

You need the JSGME tool. Place it in your \Ubisoft\Silent Hunter 5\ folder. When you run it the first time it creates the MODS folder for you (if you default to select that). Do a forum search for JSGME or even google it.

[thisdougsforu]

Thanks, mate:salute:. It's amazing how much better this game is with our old dials so you can actually, you know.....control the boat!!

[Jeevz]

Brilliant, thanks. :rock:

[etheberge]

Wow, amazing, I go to bed for a few hours and when I come back we have this AND the moral bug workaround. Woohoo!

[Athlonic]

:rock:

TheDarkWraith you are a genius !!!


Thanks !!!! :salute:

[Schunken]

DarkWraith!

Tell me your Pay-pal Mailadresse and I send you 20 Bucks!

And my first son will get your Name ;)

Thanks so much!


Andreas

[kapitan_zur_see]

great! :up:
A definite must have

[PL_Andrev]

Don't stop! Put standard deepmeter and speed telegraph!
:yeah:

[TheDarkWraith]

Don't stop! Put standard deepmeter and speed telegraph!
:yeah:

Those are easy to enable - BUT you can't switch to their second mode. The EOT is displayed at all times and the shallow depth is displayed at all times. Well there's a catch - you can switch ALL the dials to their second mode but the note section in the bottom right hand corner has a problem then - when you click the button to expand it it does nothing (somehow it has become disabled by enabling the second state of the dials). I can't figure it out.
I'll give you all 3 dials. You have to tell me whether you want to be able to switch between the 2 states of each dial (and incur the bug in the message pad in the bottom right hand corner) or get all 3 dials without the ability to change state and no bug in the message pad.
When I say the 2 states you get:
throttle dial - EOT or command certain speed
heading dial - pick heading or pick rudder angle (which the values on the dial don't match the value the game picks but it works)
depth dial - shallow depth or deep depth

[urfisch]

sounds great darky...

some preview screens available?

;)

:up:

[Will-Rommel]

Hi,

I'd vote for the 3 dials but no bug on the notepad. Thx for looking up these issues ! :salute:

[gutted]

I know it's a work in progrees... but i just noticed that even when in the Sub Pen walking around the heading dial is visible.

Just a head's up.

[TheDarkWraith]

I know it's a work in progrees... but i just noticed that even when in the Sub Pen walking around the heading dial is visible.

Just a head's up.

excellent catch :up:. That's very interesting. I'll have to dig into it. It's probably because it's tied to the Page layout.ini file AND that's why the devs disabled it (because of bug). I'll try moving it to a different page.

[AOTD_MadMax]

Hi Captains

we from AOTD are working on this :

http://www.aotd-flottille.de/Maddy/RDA/Bilder1/SH5_RDA1.jpg

We only have to fix some old buttons in the left down corner.

Regards

Maddy

[piri_reis]

We only have to fix some old buttons in the left down corner.
Maddy

:rock: Rock on Maddy!

[Lord Zimoa]

Lovely, I just want to steer my own iron coffin with a compass like a true sailor and no fancy Iphone GUI.

Depth to keel and return to course buttons... Give them back please.

Who needs morale, I`me the Kaleun on this vessel, obey my orders!

I want GWX for SH5... :up:

[Ducimus]

Hi Captains

we from AOTD are working on this :

http://www.aotd-flottille.de/Maddy/RDA/Bilder1/SH5_RDA1.jpg

We only have to fix some old buttons in the left down corner.

Regards

Maddy

I have never been so happy to see that ordersbar. Maddy, if you can or want to, try including the ludder line used in TMO.

[Sailor Steve]

I have never been so happy to see that ordersbar. Maddy, if you can or want to, try including the ludder line used in TMO.
I've never really liked the SH4 interface, preferring SH3's with FLB's 'Simfeeling' mod; but even though I can't play the game anyway, I have to agree - that looks much better.:rock:

[mookiemookie]

Hi Captains

we from AOTD are working on this :

http://www.aotd-flottille.de/Maddy/RDA/Bilder1/SH5_RDA1.jpg

We only have to fix some old buttons in the left down corner.

Regards

Maddy

YES YES YES! :rock:

[rsvette12]

Awesome news :)

Rich

[Jeevz]

I'm showing the old SH4 message log on the right side of the screen above the SH5 message log on both this and the 3 dials mod. Any way to get rid of that besides just moving it mostly off the screen?

[TheDarkWraith]

I'm showing the old SH4 message log on the right side of the screen above the SH5 message log on both this and the 3 dials mod. Any way to get rid of that besides just moving it mostly off the screen?

interesting. I don't see it. What screen res are you using?

[Jeevz]

interesting. I don't see it. What screen res are you using?

1680 x 1050, here's a screen

And if you don't mind me asking, what texture files would I have to modify to make a new compass graphic? Call me crazy but I like the new interface apart from the missing compass and I want to make one that fits with the new style.

http://i45.tinypic.com/260vnvc.jpg

[TheDarkWraith]

1680 x 1050, here's a screen

And if you don't mind me asking, what texture files would I have to modify to make a new compass graphic? Call me crazy but I like the new interface apart from the missing compass and I want to make one that fits with the new style.

easiest way is to use the built in menu editor and go to the page layout page. Then go to the Group Feedback menu and you'll see heading and rudder under it. Those entries will list the TGA/DDS files it's using.

[Jeevz]

Thanks, I'll try it this weekend.

[TheDarkWraith]

Got a SH4 type UI working. It's about 75% functional. See under my 3 dials thread. Might have a new UI here VERY soon.

[TheDarkWraith]

anyone still interested in this single dial (compass) mod? If so, I'll make a new version based off of my new 3 dials one so that you get all the functionality of the 3 dials with only the compass/rudder (both states of dial!).

[wolf24]

anyone still interested in this single dial (compass) mod? If so, I'll make a new version based off of my new 3 dials one so that you get all the functionality of the 3 dials with only the compass/rudder (both states of dial!).


yes TheDarkWraith, i`m interested

wolf

[Jeevz]

Yes I'm intersted as well, I'm mostly happy with the new interface apart from the missing compass/rudder controls.