SUBSIM Radio Room Forums

SUBSIM Radio Room Forums (https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/index.php)
-   Silent Hunter 4: Wolves of the Pacific (https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/forumdisplay.php?f=202)
-   -   Range Rings on PPI (https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=111488)

Front Runner 04-21-07 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitman
That's everything I know about this issue:hmm:

Thanks for the reply, now I don't feel so lonely...

Redwine 04-21-07 08:20 AM

I was looking to bring back them and it is posible.

The problem is the radar PPI uses a 1/4 texture, wich is repited 4 times, so we cant wrote degrees on the boundary of rings. :shifty:

The second problem, is the program use this texture for SJ but for SD too.
We can change it, (i think so) calling for a "second" modified texture for SJ only. :up:

The third problem is, the texture is too small, and even drawing the circles with only 1 pixel wide, it looks very ugly :dead:

So i decide to do nothing, finished job is ugly...

Sadly i have not the original V1.0 files stored, may be there was the file for the screen posted by Neal.... and the calling for them into the 1024 ini file.

mcoca 04-21-07 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redwine
The problem is the radar PPI uses a 1/4 texture, wich is repited 4 times, so we cant wrote degrees on the boundary of rings. :shifty:

The second problem, is the program use this texture for SJ but for SD too.
We can change it, (i think so) calling for a "second" modified texture for SJ only. :up:

The third problem is, the texture is too small, and even drawing the circles with only 1 pixel wide, it looks very ugly :dead:

I just did a quick test: you can make the radar.dds texture larger, and it will display perfectly. I made it 256x256 instead of 64x64, added the circles from ppiCircles.dds, and it works, although the numbers are, of course, wrong. As an interesting side effect, contacts are much smaller.

So, if someone knows how to make the other radar screen use a different texture, this can be mostly fixed.

Hitman 04-21-07 08:47 AM

Quote:

I just did a quick test: you can make the radar.dds texture larger, and it will display perfectly. I made it 256x256 instead of 64x64, added the circles from ppiCircles.dds, and it works, although the numbers are, of course, wrong. As an interesting side effect, contacts are much smaller.
Was about to suggest exactly that :up: In SH3 and SH2 you could add larger textures as long as you kept the proportions, f.e. 256x256 to 102x1024 and so on.:yep:

Quote:

The problem is the radar PPI uses a 1/4 texture, wich is repited 4 times, so we cant wrote degrees on the boundary of rings. :shifty:
AFAIK real radars did not have numbering in the PPI screen, but anyway it is not important since all ranges are multiples of 4 (8000-40000-80000), so the range circles will have always a correct proportion, f.e. 2000/8000/20000 yards respectively.

Quote:

The second problem, is the program use this texture for SJ but for SD too.
We can change it, (i think so) calling for a "second" modified texture for SJ only.
I don't look too much into the SD radar, what matters to me is knowing that there is an airplane nearby. I prefer playing with incorrect textures in the SD instead of having no range circles in the PPI. Though of course if it can be corrected, the better then.:up:

Redwine 04-21-07 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcoca
Quote:

Originally Posted by Redwine
The problem is the radar PPI uses a 1/4 texture, wich is repited 4 times, so we cant wrote degrees on the boundary of rings. :shifty:

The second problem, is the program use this texture for SJ but for SD too.
We can change it, (i think so) calling for a "second" modified texture for SJ only. :up:

The third problem is, the texture is too small, and even drawing the circles with only 1 pixel wide, it looks very ugly :dead:

I just did a quick test: you can make the radar.dds texture larger, and it will display perfectly. I made it 256x256 instead of 64x64, added the circles from ppiCircles.dds, and it works, although the numbers are, of course, wrong. As an interesting side effect, contacts are much smaller.

So, if someone knows how to make the other radar screen use a different texture, this can be mostly fixed.

Yes i do that, but still problems, they appears into the SJ too...
Then we need to cal for a second texture.

But radar.tga doesnt appears into 1024 ini.... :hmm:

Redwine 04-21-07 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitman
Quote:

I just did a quick test: you can make the radar.dds texture larger, and it will display perfectly. I made it 256x256 instead of 64x64, added the circles from ppiCircles.dds, and it works, although the numbers are, of course, wrong. As an interesting side effect, contacts are much smaller.
Was about to suggest exactly that :up: In SH3 and SH2 you could add larger textures as long as you kept the proportions, f.e. 256x256 to 102x1024 and so on.:yep:

I tested that, it works, but imposible to found into 1024 ini for to call for a second texture.

Circles will apperas into SD radar and looks very bad.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitman
Quote:

The problem is the radar PPI uses a 1/4 texture, wich is repited 4 times, so we cant wrote degrees on the boundary of rings. :shifty:
AFAIK real radars did not have numbering in the PPI screen, but anyway it is not important since all ranges are multiples of 4 (8000-40000-80000), so the range circles will have always a correct proportion, f.e. 2000/8000/20000 yards respectively.

I was talking abour the degrees, 090, 180, 270, 000, and intermediates values.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitman
Quote:

The second problem, is the program use this texture for SJ but for SD too.
We can change it, (i think so) calling for a "second" modified texture for SJ only.
I don't look too much into the SD radar, what matters to me is knowing that there is an airplane nearby. I prefer playing with incorrect textures in the SD instead of having no range circles in the PPI. Though of course if it can be corrected, the better then.:up:

Circles into SD looks very bad, Hitman...

Sadly i erase all the job, to the recicle bin...

mcoca 04-21-07 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redwine
I tested that, it works, but imposible to found into 1024 ini for to call for a second texture.

There is no reference at all to the radar textures in any file in the Data directory, unless it's a compressed file or something like that.

However, it appears the textures to be used by the radar are referenced in SHControllers.act in the main SH4 dir. The PPICircles.dds file appears there. If someone has the 1.0 file, maybe a comparation would show how to make it be used.

But I don't really know what an .act file is (it appears to be some sort of executable), so I don't know if it's possible to change it.

(Should this discussion be moved to the mods forum?)

Front Runner 04-21-07 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcoca
Quote:

Originally Posted by Redwine
I tested that, it works, but imposible to found into 1024 ini for to call for a second texture.


(Should this discussion be moved to the mods forum?)

I originally posted it as a question. I thought that I was missing a switch or key somewhere that was undocumented. I didn't realize that the problem is much deeper, so IMHO, moving to the MOD folder would be fine with me.

akdavis 04-21-07 02:12 PM

What are y'all talking about things appearing "in the SD radar?" The two displays are not two different types of radar, they are two different ways of displaying surface search radar. If your boat has only SD radar, neither display will function. If your boat has only SJ radar, both will function.

The one on the left is the A-scope display. This was the correct display for SJ radar for most of the war. The one on the right is Plan Position Indicator (PPI) display, which was only availabe with later versions of SJ surface search radar and SV air search radar. Unfortunately, in the game you get PPI display as soon as you equip your boat with SJ radar.

Other problems:

1. SD radar should have a separate A-scope type display, but one that shows only range and cannot be rotated to show a contact on a particular bearing.

2. If your boat is equipped with both SD radar and SJ radar, SD aerial contacts should not be showing up on the SJ radar displays.

3. The tooltip descriptions on the command bar shortcuts are reversed, causing much confusion.

Snowman999 04-21-07 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens
Did you try clicking the big ugly grey knobs below the radar screen? I think that is what does it.

I tried that, nothing. My PPI has the word "Range" in green on the scope face with a number, either 40,000 or 80,000, like this Range: 40,000.

Clicking the button changes the numeral from 40,000 to 80,000 but does not show range rings.

akdavis 04-21-07 04:00 PM

I don't think the actual displays had range rings anyways. Contacts actually appear as arcs on an early PPI display, and concentric rings might interfere with recognition of a contact. You use the A-scope for a more accurate ranging to target.

Here is an image of an early PPI display. No rings, but there is a heading and bearing overlay:
http://www.nrl.navy.mil/Systems/images/ppi2.jpg

Here is another image of a WWII U.S. Navy PPI display. It is showing a large area of interference, but it does demonstrate the basic appearance:
http://hnsa.org/doc/radar/img/fig3-38.jpg

A-Scope in diagram form:
http://hnsa.org/doc/radar/img/fig1-33.jpg

Comparison of various CRT displays:
http://hnsa.org/doc/radar/img/fig1-40.jpg

Redwine 04-21-07 07:45 PM

Many thanks for info AkaDavis...

Understand that the way to take precise range was the A-Scope.

Any way, may be some body may want the circles on the PPI, i dont miss them too much, but taste is taste, but i can found a solution for that.

We need to found where the program stablish the command to pick-up the texture, because we need two diferent textures, one for A-Scope presentation, the actual one, and a new one for PPI 360 Azimutal presentation, sadly it is not into 1024 ini :hmm:

Hitman 04-22-07 03:47 AM

The problem for me is not the lack of range circles, but instead the lack of specific information about the exact range to target! In SH1 you had a numbers-display telling you the precise range to the detected contact. But in SH4 you don't have it, (You have the A-Scope scale, but it is not very precise) so for me the range circles are an orientation of a precise range, which I use to plot the target's course. That's the real reason why I want them, not just the fancy look :hmm:

akdavis 04-22-07 12:25 PM

Obviously radar should have the same functionality as sonar as far as finding a range to a target and sending a range or bearing to the TDC.

don1reed 04-30-07 02:53 PM

Here's my work-around. These are the tools I use:

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/6...oolslw8.th.jpg

The dividers are home-made (wooden to protect display face.)
The Rapid Plotter is from D/L from Pacific Thunder campaign, by Kim Ronhoff.
and a 12" - 30cm combo scale.

I'm using a Sargo in Dec '43 and both the ppi and A-scope work without rings or compass increment.

On my display the diameter of the ppi scope face measures 5cm. radius = 2.5 cm.

Use ratio & proportion to determine distance.

On the 40,000 ppi screen I measure from the center of the target blip to the center of the ppi screen as 1.6 cm, therefore,

2.5 : 40000 : : 1.6 : 25600

I hold the Rapid Plotter compass against the ppi screen to obtain Bearing.

I record the plot per Ronhoff's instructions, (they come with D/L). Later I check my ppi range with that on the A-Scope to confirm my results.

It works.

Just because SH1 had it doesn't mean that it was WWII authentic. Early radar was not an exact science...it was close enough for Govt work.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:55 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 1995- 2025 Subsim®
"Subsim" is a registered trademark, all rights reserved.