SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - * Released * Racerboy's VIIb speed controlled dual exhaust with ADM v2.0

It has been dreamed, it has been developed, it has been tested. :rock:

I now give you the VIIb speed controlled dual exhaust mod.
Thanks to all who helped in the development and testing of this mod. The included text file reads:

This mod will enable a smoke exhaust for the left and right exhaust ports on the VIIb. Each exhaust is totally independant of the other. Each exhaust port's smoke is a function of speed. At 0 knots you will just barely see exhaust smoke coming from the exhaust ports. At Ahead Flank (top speed) you will see the maximum amount of smoke. In between those speeds the smoke output in linear in regards to speed. Note that if you are travelling at Ahead Flank and order an All Stop bell the exhaust smoke will still continue and diminish in output as the sub's speed decreases ultimately coming to a very small output at 0 knots.
I have made each exhaust independant of each other to open the possibility of engine failures, engine wear, sabotage, etc. to be implemented by SH3 Commander or a stand alone program of my design. This can be made possible in SH3 Commander by using different TGAs for the smoke for given dates. The TGAs could become darker and/or change color as the date increases thus modeling engine wear and tear with use. You could also model increased smoke output and/or darker color smoke in one engine vice the other by using the same method mentioned. Age of the diesels (and thus wear) or sabotage of one/both engines could be modeled also by darker smoke coming from one or both engines. There are many possibilities here!
The exhaust smoke is influenced by the wind and thus you will see the exhaust follow the wind. The exhaust smoke is also influenced by the wind your sub causes and the interaction of your sub with the present wind. This is achieved by local and global Air Disturbance Models (ADM). These ADMs are VERY complicated and the best thing to do to try and understand them is read the tweak files and experiment!
The exhaust smoke will cease if the exhaust port is covered by water. It will resume once the exhaust port isn't blocked anymore. This also means that the exhaust smoke will cease when you submerge and will restart when you surface. Note that once your sub has surfaced it may 'teeter-totter' until it settles on the surface and thus you may see the exhaust smoke start and stop and restart several times. This can also occur in high seas.
Comments/suggestions/criticism (all forms) are greatly appreciated and welcomed!

This is version 2.05 of this mod and it includes:
- NSS_Uboat7b.val
- folder called 'Smoke_TGAs_2_05' containing the TGAs used for the smoke
- folder called 'Tweak_File_2_05' containing the tweak file for this mod. (see comments in tweak file for explanations and info on exhaust smokes and ADMs)
- folder called 'Designed Values 2_05' containing a text file with the designed values for the dat and val files (in case you tweak yourself into a mess......which you will!!) so you can use the Mini-Tweaker tool to reset them back to as designed values or for reference purposes

Revision History:

1.00a Initial release to BETA testers. Found 'ghosting' and graphical bugs when near other ships/subs.

2.00 complete redo of design. Took care of previous bugs. Initial release.

2.01 Never released - found bug with ADM

2.02 Never released - Fixed ADM bug. Found other bug where wind didn't affect smoke

2.03 Fixed wind bug. Added 3 smoke TGA's per exhaust port named:
- Left exhaust port:
- 7b_Exhaust_L1.tga
- 7b_Exhaust_L2.tga
- 7b_Exhaust_L3.tga
- Right exhaust port:
- 7b_Exhaust_R1.tga
- 7b_Exhaust_R2.tga
- 7b_Exhaust_R3.tga

2.04 Revamped ADMs. Physics of wind and sub interaction in the wind and how they affect the exhaust smokes enhanced considerably
All smoke TGAs are exactly the same now (still overrideable)
Tweak files
Text file with 'as designed' values
Longer stern wake (use tweak file to suit to taste)

2.05 Placed all code for this mod in the .val file to let the user change skins
Changed code IDs to be more efficient (on my end)
Tweak file is now only a single file

The smoke TGAs are overridable by copying your own versions to \data\Textures\TNormal\tex. The image size should be 32 pixels x 32 pixels for best results. These TGAs are packed into the NSS_Uboat7b.val file.

Upcoming ideas/development for this mod:
- Ability to tie to battery recharging mode to give full smoke output when recharging batteries
- adding smoke to snorkel
- Ability to tie to engine damaged thus removing smoke output when engine not available
- Ability to tie to engine damaged thus increasing smoke output when engine damaged
- Ability to tie to 'power' of the engines and thus increase smoke output when 'power' increases

The mod is based on the GWX 1.03 NSS_Uboat7b.val file and has only been tested using GWX.
This mod is fully JSGME compliant. Delete previous versions of this mod, unzip, and copy new folder version to mods folder, enable, and enjoy!
I would like to thank my BETA testers for the initial testing of this mod and the feedback they gave. I would also like to thank the following people for their help/assistance in making this mod a reality:
- MushMartin
- Privateer
- DivingDuck
- Rubini
- A6Intruder
- and anyone else who I may have forgotten. It's not intentional! (please let me know if I missed your name so I may include your name!)

I would like to give credit to the following people for their work on GWX and the files I have based this mod on:
- Kpt. Lehmann and the GWX team for making GWX possible and for giving me permission to use their files
- Fubar for the UBoat textures included in the files used
- Ref for the 3D model corrections contained in the files used

Copyright notice:
This mod (Racerboy's VIIb speed controlled dual exhaust with ADM) and all versions thereof and all corresponding files of said mod are freeware. The files, or parts thereof, may NOT be used in commercial products in any way and may NOT be included, in part or in whole, in commercial products without prior written permission by the author.

I have also implemented a means of detecting unauthorized copying of this mod in the files themselves. If you would like to use this mod in conjunction with other mods or inlcude it in a mod you already have just ask me for permission and give credit where credit is due if permission is granted.

Racerboy

http://dodownload.filefront.com/8566...9bad71f9c07173

Please post comments, concerns, etc. to here. Thanks and enjoy!

Racerboy :|\\