Propbeanie, you're working on the sounds aren't you?

I couldn't help to notice when using the Museum, the sounds of the BB's and CV's (for all sides since they use the same .wav files) are loud (maybe too loud) compared to the CA's, CL's, and most merchants (way too low in volume). The DD's are slightly better, but still seems too low in volume. I use a free download called "Gold Wave" for sounds (maybe you've got a favorite). I'm sure the issue is a simple one (I've fixed this kind of stuff before), just wanted you to see what you can do. :up:

Just thought of something, when I finish my Optical Corrections for FOTRS Ultimate the ability to have a free camera in the Museum will be available. Should help in hearing the difference of the units engine sounds.

Andy_311, thanks for your help!:up:

CapnScurvy, these screenshots speak for themselves! Specially the periscope and the 20mm views are just... great!:up::salute:

Regards,
Billy.

Outstanding! Would anybody get their panties in a wringer if we melded this into the core mod? It isn't Maddy but it enhances Maddy's work!

Yes, an important tweak for the core mod is to normalize sounds to appropriate volumes and changing all samples to standard 44.1 MHz sample rate to take the load off the sound engine.

I say hell yeah - go for it

Beautiful work CapnScurvy :up:

Because of the monster mega-file where all this stuff in CapnScurvy's mod lives, and because it is a totally transparent mod as far as gameplay goes I consider that it's essential that it's installed by default. If MadMax could have done it he would have.

I completely agree.

Billy.

Great! That's going to save some files. One of the files that's a real stinker regarding what it does and how easily it can be to mess up is the menu_1024_768.ini file. This file contains info for all 2 Dimensional screen make-ups, like the Periscope screen, the Crew Management screen, the main game Menu screen. Those that are 3 Dimensional are like the Radar screen or the Conning Tower views (their made in .dat files). When mods come along and wish to add their own take to the menu_1024 file, the creator better know how to make the file compatible with the original or something isn't going to be right....usually resulting in to a CTD. It's unfortunate but when mods don't consider the original source of the files they are modifiying....especially files that have already been altered, the mod becomes useless.

With the FOTRS Optical Correction, there's a lot changed in the camera.dat file, but there's also things changed within the menu_1024 file like the placement of the larger sized Periscope lens, or the larger compass bearing at the top of the scope. The Observation scope has to have its own entries, as well as the TBT/UZO too. It's just going to make sense to have some of the parts embedded into the mod so other mods can work from what we finish with.

To continue on with a little more of the Optical Correction comparisons, here's FOTRS initial Museum screen:


http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...psiqnqbqdu.jpg


The OC Museum screen:


http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps4zemw0qu.jpg


This isn't much of a difference except for the addition of having a Free Camera to move about the models as you like. Put yourself on the deck to see what's it like to to be a sailor on one of these:


http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...psdqvxlnc1.jpg


Kind of a small thing, but here's the FOTRS view of the Captain's Office:


http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...psakgv3nfg.jpg


Here's OC's:


http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...psnbtiqkrx.jpg


By pushing back the camera a bit, hopefully folks will see the "Options Radio" better on the left shelf.

Getting back to the subs, I've always liked the ability to feel you're in one, yet it's hard to visualize it sitting in a computer chair. One touch I'm putting in is the ability to have the camera tilt with the descend/ascend movement of the sub. In order to accomplish this, certain aspects of the subs interior had to be modified (changing the Command Room and Conning Tower camera initial starting position). It's much like the change I had to make for the 20MM Antiaircraft gun......it just wasn't right. Here's the FOTRS Command Room (Porpoise I think) during a Crash Dive:


http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...psshs7hkte.jpg


Here's an Optical Correction view:


http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...pssvuesvx0.jpg


And the Conning Tower:


http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps9dxah1gj.jpg


The camera will level out as the sub levels itself. This doesn't add any extra movement to the interior camera (you won't be getting sea sick with the wash of the waves), but it does give you a sense of movement responding to the decent/accent of the sub.

The German side will be getting it too:


http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...pskqkwdzgi.jpg


I'll be talking more about the Optical Corrections for the German side later (yes, I've not forgotten you guys).


Here's a last comparison of the FOTRS Observation Periscope 6x magnification at night:


http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...psnu9vuypu.jpg


And Optical Corrections:


http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...psol6ajkww.jpg

Dear God !!!!! My jaw just dropped to the floor!! :o
This is phenomenal!!:sunny:

The camera tilt movement is one of the most creative ideas I've seen so far.

Respect Capn:salute:

Billy.

Ya got my vote, RR. Go for it. :yeah:

Yes Capn it's that menu_1024_768.ini file I'm thinking about and all the troubles applying any changes to it after the fact. The only way to avoid the hundred questions "why'd this or that quit working" is to make it part of the core mod and not a plugin.

That's incredible stuff there Capn!

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

Outstanding work CapnScurvy :D

Guess I really need to get my ass in gear and start working on some skins :oops:

@ RR gonna start this weekend - didn't appreciate how quickly this whole thing was gonna start up! :timeout:

Now guys, this is no race. We still have Florida Sailor out there working on four AI levels for plugins of different enemy difficulty. He's hurt his arm and is recovering (unlike CapnScurvy who has seemed to hit some new high gear here and is just blowing our doors off!:up:) We have your skins, We have the jackrabbit thing still in development (I'm going to recommend that we just group the light cruisers in with the DDs and smaller at 10%), cdsubron7 and I are working on importing 2.0 merchies into the core mod, and all those sounds to get the volumes right and converted to standard 44.1 MHz sample rate. We still have a ways to go before we button up the core and start working on the plugins.

And your skins are plugins, so we're all good! I'm still amazed how close we are, same as you, max-peck! This is a wild ride we have going!

Just looked again at all the screenshots for CapnScurvy's work. I am totally speechless. This is work that will saturate the entire playing experience. The free camera in the museum alone could be mod of the year. But the totality is breathtaking. It will put all the fine modeling jobs of the AOTD crew on a pedestal. Just the little tweaks to the gauges will make playing the game MUCH more friendly. Capn, your work exudes quality with a capital Q.

What do you say we release in two stages: core mod first so people can actually play the mod and learn how it works, then we can have more time to work on the plugins for later release. Any ideas there?

Shouldn't we play it, I mean test it some to make sure everything works as advertised? The comments by Andy 311 on the last page need to be addressed. I have to agree with him somewhat because it was one of the reasons that I stopped using it. MadMax supposedly for v2.0 did a complete rewrite of the campaign layers, as far as I remember. Even with talking to Dave about transferring the ships from v2.0 it will take me alittle time to get acclimated. I can be hopelessly slow some times. :oops: :haha:

Hey Capn

Those screenshots look terrific. :yeah:

Just wondering what kind of graphics card and monitor your using? :yep:

Yea, slow down guys....no need to rush!! I'm just using stuff off my shelf (ok, some things I've been tinkering with).

Getting things to work within FOTRS has been pretty easy since I've made things compatible for a lot of other mods before. I'm just now testing for the other resolutions/aspect ratios to see if things are correct there. This is just the beginning of our work process, for all of us.:salute:

==============

I usually work on my old Windows XP computer with an ATI HD4670 video card.....nothing fancy there!! My monitor is an old CRT 4:3 aspect NEC MultiSync that's as heavy as a couple of cinder blocks! The darn thing just won't die. Since my concern is with resolutions and aspect ratios, its good to have a monitor that can play the old 4:3 ratios. When I finish I'll put things over onto my "newer" computer (it runs Vista!!) that's using a wide screen monitor that will give me the same resolution/aspect ratios that most of you guys are using. It's not what you've got that makes a difference, but how you diddle with it!! I've been diddling for a while.:D

The differences are easily discernible, Capn. :D :up:

Thanks for all your hard work, Capn. :salute:

Time is on our side. We don't have producers over our heads pressing for a quick release, have we?:)

FOTRS was released in a time where other major super mods, RFB, RSRDC, TMO etc were at their peek moments. FOTRS 1.1 & 1.2 were good, but buggy, not enough tested, and released in a hurry, that stopped me from using them. Not just me but many others, as I've read in some angry reviews. I didn't even give a chance to v1.3, and that's for many years. All this until a couple of months ago, saw a Tube video and gave FOTRS a last chance to prove itself.

The result being... Got me seriously hooked up, renewed my love of SH4, even made me starting working on a project I've had in mind for many years. FOTRS gave me new hope. I truly want to see this mod shine in all it's glory. Players must experience it's great campaign and wonderful graphics.

We must not do the mistake of releasing an untested version. The campaign is the meat and potatoes of this game, it should receive vigorous testing before release.

On the other hand, when "Maddy's Greatest Hits", the core mod, is working as intended, it should be immediately released, not being held in reserve for completion of this or that plugin modules. These may take some serious time, we shouldn't deprive people from playing it 'till they're ready.

Just my 2 cents.:)

Billy.

We shall release no wine before its time. Er.....mod.:D:D:D

Tuesday at 4PM. :()1: :haha:

Be careful gentlemen...

Remember Commander Thomsen's speech after some bottles of wine...
"I am not in the position to f..." :haha::O:

RR, please check your PM. :D