Quote:
Originally Posted by HELLISH1
Excellent pics, by the way, and I will get started. And as far as the post below about just grabing merchant ships, and swaping parts, That not what I'm here to do. What I want to do is make realistic ships, or naval items.  |
On merchant ships, creating the ship such that the deckhouses, masts, kingposts, gun platforms, ventilators, etc are separate objects is NOT unrealistic.
The Japanese merchant marine was characterized by a wide variety of ships. Even "standard type" merchants were in fact built by different yards to different specs, and it would have been rare to see two, identical jap merchants. Even looking at Iwashige's site, you can see sister ships with such alternate gun platforms, etc that they are barely distinguishable as sisters.
So the ability to take a single hull, and make the tiny changes needed to realistically make her 5 sisters would be both useful AND realistic.
Also, there is the realism of gameplay. A ship has a mast 7 meters taller than her sisters, but her sisters are in the ONI guide the sub skipper is using to target her... his range will be off. Add to this that jap ships intentionally altered their masts, etc to be at variance from their Llyods registry...
On warships, BTW, things like radars would also be useful to keep as separate objects. Then they can be placed using the eqp file and change over time (early models with NO radar, then at whatever date it appears).
Ditto things like lifeboats. Separate objects lend som flexibility for altering appearance.
Another possibly cool idea would be to have a couple alternate superstructures and gun tubs. Some plain metal, others with sandbags that were commonly (but not always) added. That would eb WAY coool. A way would be top make sandbag objects that could be placed in the EQP files.
Would be neat to see some looking more as they were in real combat...
This is
Etorfu, but it shows the ersatz splinter protection (sand bags) on the front gun shield and bridge:
Also, note the 2 horns on the mast just behind the bridge. That is a type 22 radar. The object already exists in SH4. I'd not do the guns, either, as many are already well built in stock SH4 and get added with the eqp file anyway. Abaft the rear mast, partially blocking the flag, is the Type 13 radar rig. Again, this object is already in Sh4, and can be applied to the model in the EQP file at the date it comes along.
You can see the Type 22 on this "kitbash" CD I built using parts already in game:
