ATTN:Fubar
 

This is just to let you and anyone who uses your IXB and IXC with JSGME Mod Manager that they will not install properly.

You will need to manually move some files.You have the Library folder in the zip file that holds the GUNS_SUB.dat and the Sensors.dat files called Libary so it creates a Libary folder instead of installing the 2 files into the Library folder.You forgot an r in the folder name.You have to move the 2 files from the Libary folder to the Library folder.

Just a heads up to those who use the skins.

This is right!
The best and easiest thing to do is to extract the file somewhere, then change name on the "Libary" folder to "Library". Then copy the mod in MODS folder and enable with JSGME. Then it'll be right! :up:

sorry about that I'l have to sort that out
THANKS

Yes!!! Also check your other skin files... the same thing has happened with others as well.

Fubar, there are new skins of yours, dated Oct. 31, on u-boat.realism's skin downloads page, for type IXB, IXC and VIIB.

Are these final releases?

Are the errors mentioned above corrected in these downloads?

Do these downloads conflict with major mods, like RUb, and/or with your own VIIC skin? If so, what effects does that have on such earlier mods?

I think that the main prob is that fubar packs his skins into the dat files, and this isn't necessary - if the relevant texture files are just dumped into /textures/tnormal/tex on their own, they all work just as well and you also save on file size/installation hassles.

This is what I did in IuB, anyway.

Hi all

yes these new files don't have the problems mentioned above,
Also the reason I put the texture files in the dat files is because
I read somewhere that some texture files did not work in the
Texture/tnormal/tex folder but I think that may only be the type II
textures.
Avon lady I dont think my skins conflict with Rub or any other
major mods.
Perhaps Beery could put some light on this?
Maybe I should have uploaded all my skins as TGA files and let people pack them in dat files If they wanted.
Hope this don't cause you guys many problems.

oRGy, I don't mean to intrude on your strategies, but...


You really should consider packing skins into the DAT files themselves. Maybe you have never noticed, but U-boat reflections only show up correctly when they are within the DAT files. Try it and see. Any U-boat skin that is inside the '/textures/tnormal/tex' folder will not appear as the reflection. This is more of an immersion killer if you are playing with a camoflauged U-boat... It is weird when you have a reflection that looks nothing like your actual U-boat...

As for size/installation hassles, if you resize fubar's skins down to 1024x1024 (they are 2048x2048 by default) and use RLE compression, file size is very small (between 1.5 to 2.5mb)... Using the "small" skins, you can pack those inside of the DAT's. I feel that this is a much better strategy than leaving the default skins inside... Also, packing fubar's "small" skins will save considerable space. If you are space conscious, then this is indeed a very good method. The smaller DAT's can range anywhere from 3 to 7mb (as opposed to 8 or 9mb in default SH3). The same method also can apply to deck and turm textures (object folder): if you wish, resize, repack, redistribute...

And after you have put the skins inside of the DAT's and everything, you may still want to throw fubar's skins into '/textures/tnormal/tex.' This is especially useful when you want 1024x1024 skins in the DAT files and 2048x2048 in the texture folder...


These are just a few space optimization ideas that I came up with. As the sole distributer of IUB, if space is your concern, then you might wanna look into this...




And personally, if you would like to know how I organize all of my skins...

data\Submarine\Uboat*\Uboat*_.dat
2048 skins/decks/turms for human controlled u-boats, 1024 skins/decks/turms for AI u-boats

data\Objects\Turm_*\Turm_*.dat
2048 skins/decks/turms for human controlled u-boats, 1024 skins/decks/turms for AI u-boats

I could optimize my settings a little more (2048 turms are a little over-kill), but you get the picture.

Thanks for the tips markhimov!

I hadn't noticed much wrong with the reflections in IuB, mind, which integrated v1 of sergbuto's reflection fixes for example.

Installing the type IXC camo conflicts with RUb 1.44:

http://img492.imageshack.us/img492/3473/09ty.jpg

Installing the type VIIB plain conflicts with your own VIIC:

http://img492.imageshack.us/img492/7628/12gm.jpg

@ The Avon Lady


Actually, for the most part, fubar is right. His files don't really conflict.

I know the composition of all of the modded files and there is no reason why you can't use fubar's files instead of RUb's. The only RUb file that should be upheld is sensors.dat.

Well, now I'm confused. If FUBAR's mod is simply a skin mod and replacing FUBAR's sensors.dat file with RUB's will not affect the skin, then why did FUBAR include the file in the first place? :-?

What about FUBAR's new type VIIB skin conflicting with his older type VIIC skin? Are they completely incompatible?

Sensors.dat contains TGA files which fubar has alterred. However, I suppose that fubar did not need to pack them inside of the DAT file. If you can extract textures, just go ahead and extract out the 3 mask TGA's (and whatever else fubar might have alterred) and place them in your data\Textures\TNormal\tex folder.




UFlak_High.tga is really the only file in question. The VIIC uses a different deckgun and flakgun texture than the VIIB. It's not a big deal, choose one or the other if you have to. Other than that, you can allow the VIIB to overwrite the VIIC (or vice versa).



I swear, as sexy as fubar's skins may be, he could have made installation 10 times easier... :-?

Why just not pack them in each of their own .DAT file? Is that possible? Then I guess there will be no conflicts? Or am I wrong here?

Not possible... Both UFlak textures share the same source (data\Library\GUNS_SUB.dat).

A simple workaround is to use SH3Cmdr and set it so that the correct texture is loaded into the texture folder, depending on which u-boat you are using. Also, if you think about it, you can make SH3Cmdr do a lot of neat things with fubar's skins... Perhaps one day, I'll reveal my simple but neat tricks... ;)