Location of file for Noise Meter Icon?

[Stiebler]

Can anyone please tell me where to find the file (presumably a tga file) that contains the icon for the Noise Meter? (The U-boat-shaped meter between the top three-quarters of the screen and the bottom quarter, that changes colour when the U-boat is detected.)

For many years now, I have wished to convert the purpose of this icon to a weather indicator (different colours for different visibilities). I have finally succeeded in hard-code, but it remains confusing when the Noise Meter changes colour, especially to red. The player thinks immediately that the U-boat has been located!

Therefore, I wish to change the style of the Noise Meter, from a U-boat shape to some other simple shape (perhaps a simple stretched cloud).

Thanks for any help - or, better still, to anyone who has the skills to make the cloud shape.

Stiebler.

[SquareSteelBar]

It's in the alpha channel of

...\data\Menu\Gui\Layout\DialsFdb.tga

[Stiebler]

Many thanks for this fast answer, SSB.
Its always a pleasure to have input from you.

I shall look into this as soon as possible.

Thanks again,
Stiebler.

[Stiebler]

I have now made a substantial effort to change the U-boat icon in the alpha channel for the file dialsfdb.tga, which SSB recommended above.

Although I have had no difficulty in locating the U-boat icon, nor in changing it, it seems that my only painting tool (Paint Shop Pro v7) is inadequate for the job of changing only the alpha channel in a file that comprises dials on a black background and two white-painted U-boats on a white background. In whatever way I try to save the file, either the changed U-boat icon is represented wrongly, or the other dials come out wrongly.
I have been following exact instructions for Paint Shop Pro v6 for this task, which I found on the internet, but the instructions are incorrect for version 7, and the example provided is less complex than dialsfdb.tga.

However, I have discovered that a simple elongated octagon will serve as a good substitute for the U-boat icon used by the Noise Meter, thus:
...______________________
. /....................................\
|......................................|
.\...................................../
.._______________________
Is there anyone who could make this change for me, using better tools than I possess?

Many thanks,
Stiebler.

[SquareSteelBar]

Wait some minutes - I'm currently working on it...


Sent a PM to you...




.

[Stiebler]

Great work, SSB!

Many thanks indeed for your very fast reply and attached new file dialsfdb.tga, which I have just checked in PaintShop Pro.

Now I need only to align the items in menu_1024_768.ini. I could not find them before (until you also provided by PM your extract from this file) - I did not know the file name, and 'Noise Meter' is listed in the file as 'StealthMeter', so that was also elusive.

(I like your cloud design too!)

Many thanks again,
Stiebler.

[Stiebler]

I have now managed to get SquareSteelBar's new file dialsfdb.tga to function correctly, by changes to the menu_1024_768.ini file. It all works very well, I am pleased to say. Congratulations again to SSB for his new clouds to replace the U-boat icons in the alpha-channel.

One interesting item worth reporting: the U-boat icon in dialsfdb.tga was provided as a pair of items, one solid, one outline only, as is common for many of these menu items. The solid item is expected to provide the function; the outline item is placed behind it.

However, due to an error in calculating where the two new replacement cloud items should be placed, I discovered that both the solid and the outline cloud shapes change colour together, and can even be placed side-by-side, to make a pair of clouds, one solid and one hollow. This looks quite useful - for good weather, only one solid cloud; for bad weather, use a solid and a hollow cloud pair. (The same effect can be obtained by using the original U-boat icons in their intended role as a Noise (or Stealth) meter.)

Maybe other people can find a use for this trick too.

Stiebler.

[Nedlam]

I'm back from an extended break and all this new stuff is out there!!

Edit: I figured it out! :)

[EmeAzul]

Stiebler, sorry to bring up such an old thread, but I was wondering if a mod was ever released for the Cloud Icon replacing the Stealth Icon. I've looked in the NYGM files and cannot find any mention of it. It seems that SquareSteelBar sent you a revised DialsFDB.tga and you made changes to the Menu.ini to implement it, but I was not able to locate a finished mod. If available, I would love to have it. Thx EmeAzul

[Tycho]

It is there, I use it from long time! But I don't remember are in NYGM itself, or come with Stiebler_Addon Patch for H.Sie Hardcode fixes. And I'm very away from home now to check.

[Stiebler]

@EmeAzul:

As Tycho says, the finished mod is part of the Stiebler 4C Addon (a hard code patch) that overlays H.sie's hard-code fix. You must have H.sie's patch in place before you add the 4C addon patch. Full instructions are included with the 4C patch. You can download the 4C patch from my logo below.

Stiebler.