Real Сloud Types

[U-190]

...

[gap]

Interesting mod, I had something similar in mind, but I have a couple of remarks.


Each cloud type in Clouds.cfg is marked by an header within square brackets. According to my SH modding experience, items marked in such a way must be listed in the game code or in some other cfg file, kind of like a programming variable must be "declared" before it can be assigned with any value.
Stock game features the following cloud types: nimbostratus, stratocumulus, stratus, altocumulus, cumulus, cumulonimbus. The other cloud types you added to the file (cirrus, cirrostratus, cirrocumulus, altostratus) might be ignored by the game. If you want to check that, give cloud type headers in your copy of Clouds.cfg fantasy names, and give them some extravagant settings (i.e. you could make all of them very low), then set a testing mission with cloudy weather and run the game. Four possible outputs are coming to my mind:



the game crashes, because it is looking for the names of clouds declared elsewhere, and it can't find them in Clouds.cfg;


terse sky: no cloud spawn because no valid cloud names could be found in Clouds.cfg;


all the clouds spawn with default settings because no valid cloud names (with their own settings) could be found in Clouds.cfg;


clouds spawn and they reflect your settings (very low in my example)


If the latter case is true (and only in that case), you are right and I will stand corrected :)


One more note: exception made for min/max heigth values, all the cloud types in your file have the same settings. This is not the case of stock clouds. Is this loss of feature intentional? :hmmm:



P.S: look in scene.dat if stock cloud types are found there :03:

[Jeff-Groves]

Cloud types are listed in EnvSim.act
I scanned every file in SH5 and only EnvSim.act and Clouds.cfg contain the cloud names.
:03:

[U-190]

Cloud types are listed in EnvSim.act
I scanned every file in SH5 and only EnvSim.act and Clouds.cfg contain the cloud names.
:03:
and where is this file located?

[Jeff-Groves]

It's in the base folder of SH5.

[U-190]

It's in the base folder of SH5.
Thanks. how can I edit it?

[Jeff-Groves]

Thanks. how can I edit it?

The act files are basically dll files.

I can't even give you a good link to hacking them.
That is above my skill level.
:doh:

[gap]

Cloud types are listed in EnvSim.act
I scanned every file in SH5 and only EnvSim.act and Clouds.cfg contain the cloud names.
:03:

Thank you Jeff :up:

Exactly my point and abrupt end of the discussion.
I wish that my own candidate (scene.dat) was true, but indeed EnvSim.act makes perfect sense as the places where cloud types are declared.

Thanks. how can I edit it?

Are you a brilliant programmer capable of hacking compiled code?

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=170725

[U-190]

Thank you Jeff :up:

Exactly my point and abrupt end of the discussion.
I wish that my own candidate (scene.dat) was true, but indeed EnvSim.act makes perfect sense as the places where cloud types are declared.



Are you a brilliant programmer capable of hacking compiled code?

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=170725
It looks like I have nothing else to do here.....

[gap]

It looks like I have nothing else to do here.....

I am sorry for having spoiled the party for you mate, but someone had to do it.

Only a fistful of subsim members have the knowledge required for messing with SH code. If that was not enough, distributing modified versions of an act file is not even legal. TDW bypassed this limitation by releasing his SH5 patches in the form of a generic patcher and single patches that get applied to the encoded files directly on the computer of the final user :yep:

[Jeff-Groves]

IF I were to try to add changes at this level?
I'd code my own dll file that called routines in the stock act files.

NOW! If those routines are in anything from RAD Games?
I'd stay away from them! Already been there done that!

:o

[U-190]

I am sorry for having spoiled the party for you mate, but someone had to do it.

Only a fistful of subsim members have the knowledge required for messing with SH code. If that was not enough distributing modified versions of an act file is not even legal. TDW bypassed this limitation by releasing his SH5 patches in the form of a generic patcher and single patches that get applied to the encoded files directly on the computer of the final user :yep:
And I don't regret anything. A bad experience is also an experience. You didn't ruin anything for me. My party is long gone....

[U-190]

What is the difference between Dynamic Environment v2 9 and Dynamic Environment 15.5 ?

[Jeff-Groves]

Recent conversations between Neal and UBI pretty much said they don't give a squat about their files.

RAD Games however is a different story!
The granny system is licensed to UBI. That means they still OWN Granny!
You can do whatever you want to the GR2 files. But call routines from granny2.dll to use? They tend to get upset!

[U-190]

Recent conversations between Neal and UBI pretty much said they don't give a squat about their files.

RAD Games however is a different story!
The granny system is licensed to UBI. That means they still OWN Granny!
You can do whatever you want to the GR2 files. But call routines from granny2.dll to use? They tend to get upset!
I've already tried editing something. Granny changes do not apply. I was under the impression that they are protected from changes

[Jeff-Groves]

The GR2 files are not protected in SH5.
There may be a couple that are compressed but that was over come with TDW's program.

I've changed GR2 files with a Hex Editor MANY TIMES!
:haha:

[U-190]

I am sorry for having spoiled the party for you mate, but someone had to do it.

Only a fistful of subsim members have the knowledge required for messing with SH code. If that was not enough, distributing modified versions of an act file is not even legal. TDW bypassed this limitation by releasing his SH5 patches in the form of a generic patcher and single patches that get applied to the encoded files directly on the computer of the final user :yep:
What is the difference between Dynamic Environment v2 9 and Environment Mod 15.5 ?

[gap]

IF I were to try to add changes at this level?
I'd code my own dll file that called routines in the stock act files.

NOW! If those routines are in anything from RAD Games?
I'd stay away from them! Already been there done that!

:o

Very susceptible to the infraction of their intellectual property?

And I don't regret anything. A bad experience is also an experience. You didn't ruin anything for me. My party is long gone....

Good point. You have learned something about the usage of square brackets in Silent Hunter games. You were unlucky too, because in many cases similar items are declared in the same file where are found their settings or in other fASCII iles which can be in notepad. Damage zones, and climate zones are an example of that.

That said, the new cloud types you had added to Clouds.cfg are ignored by the game, but your other changes to the file i.e. stock cloud type settings are still valid. Having looked into them I must say that I didn't like them because they remove variety from the game, but they are valid :yep:

[gap]

What is the difference between Dynamic Environment v2 9 and Dynamic Environment 15.5 ?

After so many years I can't say right away, but theya re very similar. The most important differences were noted in the readme though :salute:

[U-190]

After so many years I can't say right away, but theya re very similar. The most important differences were noted in the readme though :salute:
Thanks! Which version do you recommend? Or should I create my own?

[gap]

Thanks! Which version do you recommend? Or should I create my own?

Of course the last version, but it has been quite a few years since its release. In the meanwhile several little environmental improvements have been released. With permission of their authors, you might want to look into W_clear's Environment mod (which now uses my over-complex ClimateZones.tga and ClimateZones.cfg) and in TWoS (which on turn is based on DynEnv 2.9).

Environment color settings, textures, light filters and effects are mostly a matter of personal taste so you can create your own mix. I only give one advise: ask before doing something whose implications are not totally clear to you. You can switch textures and change colors at wish, but each environmental mod has its own climate/weather zone naming convention. Even cfg file names might not entirely match. Copying one of those files from one mod to the other might result in breaking the game, or in the copied settings not being applied.

If you wish to know more on how the main SH5 environment parameters work, I suggest you to read carefully post #2 in the DynEnv thread :yep:

[U-190]

Of course the last version, but it has been quite a few years since its release. In the meanwhile several little environmental improvements have been released. With permission of their authors, you might want to look into W_clear's Environment mod (which now uses my over-complex ClimateZones.tga and ClimateZones.cfg) and in TWoS (which on turn is based on DynEnv 2.9).

Environment color settings, textures, light filters and effects are mostly a matter of personal taste so you can create your own mix. I only give one advise: ask before doing something whose implications are not totally clear to you. You can switch textures and change colors at wish, but each environmental mod has its own climate/weather zone naming convention. Even cfg file names might not entirely match. Copying one of those files from one mod to the other might result in breaking the game, or in the copied settings not being applied.

If you wish to know more on how the main SH5 environment parameters work, I suggest you to read carefully post #2 in the DynEnv thread :yep:
I already had my own version of Env. It was unfinished. I won't bother you again. I'll try to finish my version. Good luck! :yeah:

[Jeff-Groves]

Questions are not a bother.
That's how We all learn.
:yeah:

I was new at one time myself and MANY people answered my questions.
I feel it's an obligation to help others as I was helped.
That's what makes SubSim great!

Don't let the join date of 2014 fool you!
I've been around A LOT longer under a different name.

And I've forgotten more then many people will learn!

[gap]

Questions are not a bother.
That's how We all learn.
:yeah:

I was new at one time myself and MANY people answered my questions.
I feel it's an obligation to help others as I was helped.
That's what makes SubSim great!

Don't let the join date of 2014 fool you!
I've been around A LOT longer under a different name.

And I've forgotten more then many people will learn!

Even though I am not a subsim veteran like you, I second every word Jeff

I already had my own version of Env. It was unfinished. I won't bother you again. I'll try to finish my version. Good luck! :yeah:

You can bother me any time you want mate :up:

[U-190]

I think that there is no point in releasing any other modifications! Everyone is only interested in TWOS