Quote:
Originally Posted by Ludwig van Hursh
Great work so far! Still hoping for a cruiser campaign lol. 
I have some questions though.
1. I saw a couple pages ago you were thinking of going back to using SH3 as the game for the mod or are you making a mod for both SH3 and SH4?
2. With your prize rules system, how exactly does one stop the enemy ship in order to inspect it? Will the "dialogue" with the stopped ship's captain always be the same or several different responses?
3. Are you thinking of adding blimps and airships to the mod? I've seen in another mod (I think GWX) they had added American blimps.
4. With this ability to stop ships and stuff would you be able to add more abilities with the radio, such as declaring a SOS for a shipwrecked crew gaining you a small amount of positive renown; or in the event of severe damage surrender or scuttle your sub?
Anyway, keep up the great work! Cheers mate!  |
1)The mod will definitely be for SH4. SH3 is a possibility.
2)The system works like this:
-All searchable lone merchants will actually be 2-unit convoys: the visible ship (1) and an invisible dummy unit (2). There will be the option to mark the dummy unit with a crosshairs, etc. visible at close range. (Note that especially by 1917-1918 camoflaged/armed merchants will exist and will refuse to stop, so they can be attacked without warning.)
-When you fire a shot across the visible unit bow, you strike the dummy unit.
-The dummy unit emits a particle linked via BazaFX or Particles.dat. This 2d particle floats on screen as a dialogue box noting what the ship is carrying. In SH3 maximum resolution is 1024 x 1024, and I need at least 512 px to get a decent looking dialogue box. Thus, I can have four cargoes per particle effect. In SH4, maximum resolution is much higher.
-Neutral/non contraband visible ships will emit dialogue boxes showing harmless cargo. British/French/etc will emit dialogue boxes for contraband.
-With 30-something tradegoods and 4-8 cargoes per particle effect, the posibilities are quite incredible. With just 25 particle effects I can create 100 SH3 encounter scenarios.
-Yes, captains will behave differently and display a variety of emotions etc. depending on their allegiance. A German captain will usually be friendly; a British captain not so much. Although I may script in negative German reactions if you do stupid things like inspecting friendly ships outside your own harbor.
I have already scripted many dozens of interactions and different banter between you and Friendly/Neutral/Enemy crews.
-The "shot across the bow" will also initiate various random interactions that can gain or lose you points. In your log, sinking the "Dummy" unit will be noted as "Merchant Inspected" instead of ship sunk.
-You will always get a token amount of renown (maybe 10 pts) for each ship inspection ... Enforcing the blockade helps the war effort, even if you sink nothing.
-You will have the opportunity to confiscate special items, get souvenirs/trophies, and so on when you encounter ships, based on random probability. As I mentioned earlier, the whole system of medal awards/items is being revamped. You will award yourself medals and items based on recommended criteria/what the random dialogue boxes say.
3) Blimps and airships? Watch this thread closely is all I will say
4) You will be able to assist crewmen in the random merchant interactions. Don't know if it is feasible to include sending SOS's. Scuttling/surrender is very unlikely. I may look at the surrender mod for SH3 and ask for permission to incorporate it.