Plotting bearings on nav map. Question to modders.

[Von Due]

First let me just describe the in game scenario.

You are moving along a given course.
You have plotted your true course and heading on that map.

You mark your position on the nav map without hitting pause. Now you want to draw a bearing line from that mark but you need greater accuracy than the protractor will give you.

What would be ideal is a bearing overlay (draggable) where you put the center of the overlay at the mark, then rotate it so that 0 degrees matches your actual heading. First you draw a line from the mark, drag the overlay over, rotate it to match actual heading then adjust the line to match the desired bearing.

Using GWX and MaGui I notice there are several draggable and turnable gadgets added. If one could make one such gadget for the nav map transparent with only the center crosshair and bearing marks showing, then isn't that all that is really needed?

Would any of you modders take it upon yourself to create such an overlay, if it is possible?

[Hitman]

I don't think that creating a rotatable bearing overlay is possible, though of course it would be *THE* perfect solution. Maybe linking it to a dial could work, but I don't think you could then drag it.

For an alternative you can have a look at my own GUI, which includes a triangle that makes things much easier as it comes with predefined speed scale for your uboat movements. You could rip it out and include it in your own SH3 if you want, it is as easy as taking the graphics of the triangle and copy and paste the menu entry.

[Von Due]

Greatly appreciate your offer and input.

Bear with me as I do some stray thinking but perhaps if one could use say, Pato's bearing tool as graphics and use the same code as for a pop up rotatable gadget, reposition it to the center of the screen so that you would have to drag the map into position but at least you can now align the center with the mark.

[Fahnenbohn]

@ Von Due : Why do you want such a tool ??

[Von Due]

@ Von Due : Why do you want such a tool ??

I'm a bit fed up with the inaccuracy using the stock protractor when plotting target movement by hydrophone or scope. The idea is you keep track of the seconds with either the stopwatch or a mod clock, and mark your position on the map at the right moment, without pausing the game. Because you don't pause the game, you can't use Pato's bearing tool to find the right bearing but a stationary bearing tool that can be rotated to match your heading would solve all that. One can safely bet they had those tools in those days. I got one from the book store for about 2 quid.

Right now the only workaround (other than using the protractor) I know of is to read the bearing, transform to relative bearing relative to north and use one of the tools that are already available, transform back to relative to your sub and by then I need another cig.

[Fahnenbohn]

Because you don't pause the game, you can't use Pato's bearing tool to find the right bearing. [...] One can safely bet they had those tools in those days. I got one from the book store for about 2 quid.

Could you add some screenshots of what you mean exactly ? I understand how should look your tool, but i don't understand why it would be so useful ...

[Von Due]

Have a look at this (I know you know what a protractor is but bear with me)
http://i00.i.aliimg.com/img/pb/474/960/465/465960474_748.jpg

All the current protractors other than the stock one, are fixed so that 0 is always north. If you are traveling at say, 326 then a bearing of 0 is not north so here is the root of the issue.

Now remember those rotatable mods, like the attack wheel, the scope wheel, the rotating slide rule, all those.

Now picture that first image being rotatable in the same way those other mod tools are so that you can rotate that 0 to match your 326 degree heading. Now you can read any bearing directly on the map without having to use the stock protractor and without having to transform or do mental maths. You look at that rotatable and you have your bearing immediately.