val test failed either, only one more chance left :hmmm: :-?

Anyway look at what I was able to do: :rock:

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/3...0821025458.jpg

Don't ask me how (probably due to fires by your Fx updates, because I don't remember I had hit that searchlight) the reflector went ripped off, leaving its base alone. This is exactly the final result I wanted to attain with the ObjectRemains controller, though I am sure it was not its merit in this case, since for testing I had set a gun to show instead of the searchlight.

Notice that only the base got a wpn controller, a box and a collision sphere, so I was expecting not to be able to smash off the reflector alone, without its parent object. But I made base's box and sphere big enough to surround the reflector as well, and I gave them the reflector as linked object. I wonder if those settings have anything to do with the outcome you can see from my screenshot :hmm2:

I would say because the box and sphere surrounded both items they were included for collisions. Plus the reflector is a child of the base so that probably has something to do with it. Now why the reflector disappeared is a mystery to me....try something: do that same test but remove the ObjectRemains controller from the base and see if the same result happens. I have a hunch it won't :hmmm:

Difficult to verify it in a single test: ObjectRemains or not, by aiming directly at the searchlight the most likely outcome is smashing off everything...
Anyway how do you think that that controller can be related to the disappeared reflector since:

a) ObjectRemains was assigned to the base;
b) it was set to show a completely different object, and not a reflector-less base :hmm2:

I was just curious to know what the outcome of it was that's all. Everyone's still trying to figure out all the little intracacies of this game :yep:

Okay, I thought there was a special reason behind your curiosity, like something you had half discovered during your debugging activity.

I will keep on my tests on this subject anyway, and I'll keep you informed about them :salute:

Ok, thanks gap. Can you tell me which folder SearchLightEffect is in and I'll have a fiddle? With the paramteres I mean :D

data/Library/ShipParts/guns_radars_01.sim

Under SearchLightEffect controller, Atenuation group, there are two parameters called A and B. Light intensity at any given distance from the reflector is calculated as:

Light intensity = 1 / (A + B*<distance>)

Try to match the visual beam's luminosity with the Range parameter, found within the same controller. Based on sparse information on common naval reflector ranges I've found on the web, I have set it to 800 mt (stock setting was: 200 mt), but you might want to further finetune it.

Within the same controller there are two other parameters for adjusting beams color (I've set it to a shade of violet) and cone angle.

Another controller you might want to fiddle with is WaterReflection, found in the same sim file, though I don't fully understand all of its parameters.

Keep us informed on any progress you will be doing! :up:

EDIT: beam's shape and gradient transition (from bright to dark) could be affected as well by two dds textures found in data/Textures/TNormal/tex: raza_reflector_1.dds and raza_reflector_2.dds. To fully understand them you should look at their alpha channel.

@gap

I had a look at the file you're referring to and it's in code. Should I be using some sort of editing software?

@gap - just had a thought come to mind as to why the ObjectRemains controller is not working for you. The zones(s) you have chosen for the searchlight, do they have this entry:
Destructible=Yes

If not, try choosing zone(s) or make new zones where this is set to yes.

Yes it occurred to me as well that that parameter had to be relevant for the correct functioning of ObjectRemains... too bad neither leaving it set to "yes" nor changing it to "no" made the trick. :hmm2:
We have still another chance though, since I haven't tried yet placing the controller in an fx file. Currently I am not at home, and I have not my laptop with me, but I'll carry out this test once back home, before the next week end.

Let's keep in touch :up:

Yes The General, the software is GoblinEditor. Use it for opening the GR2 file with the same name as the sim file you want to edit, and merge then the sim file itself.

If you are not familiar with Goblin Editor, refer to this quick tutorial for its basics and don't hesitate to ask for help on the forum :)

Thank you :sunny: Gap :yeah: for this mod. :salute:

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/5643/10338624.jpg

You're right, i am not at all familiar :o Am I on the right track? Before I got to this stage, I had the searchlight beam highlighted in green, but when I tried to edit it, this window would pop up and the 3D model would change to bombs :doh: Are those supposed to be colors in the right-hand column? Why are they shades of grey?

If I can only achieve one simple thing, it would be to increase the brightness of the beam. Just to make them show up a little better in-game.

It seems you didn't merge the sim file you want to edit. Have a look to 'the idiots guide to
Goblin Editor' to understand what I mean. It is stickied in the f:up:irst page of this forum. I am sorry no to be able to give you more support than this but I am curently writing from my mobile. I will be able to provide you with more detail in 24h.

Thank you to tonschk for your enthousiasm and for your continuos support :-)
And don't forget that TDW and people who reported the bug share the merit for this little fix :yep:

Gap- when I click on the link above to this mod, I get a virus warning alert (not got a virus, just trying to link me to another site no doubt)- do you know about this?

The Virus Alert is from bad Advertisement (Banner Ad) or Ad Pop-up on the page.

I get this warning some times but not every time as well.