[REL]Trigger Maru - Final version

[Ducimus]

Ive posted this in its own thread (as well as updated the mods stickied thread), because this is the final version. Yes, this time i mean it, Final - at least by me.

Heres the changelog:

//camera changes

- Career room office is fixed, you can once again look around.
- reduced the shaking. Given other settings in TM, the shake in the camera was excessive.
- Conning tower camera, allows for free movement.
- changed the view unit cam to follow a unit, and allow free movement instead of fixed sphereical view. Although its disabled by default, eyecandy maniacs and movie makers should appreciate this change the most.


//deck gun changes

- changed default texture of twin 20MM, and 4"50 cal to MS9 color scheme (black)
- created JSGME plugin to change above said guns to MS32 color scheme (handy after a refit, or if your running another skin)
- changed 4" 50cal availablity date from 1/43 to 6/42


//TBT
- Now properly named. I tried like hell to make it clickable on the bridge, but no joy.



//UI changes
- changed "goback to previous view keyboard command (Number pad INSERT key), to corresond with Gato interior layout. Other sub layouts in support directory.

- Changed Tooltip assigments to corespond with clickable crewmember functions.


// Torpedos
- slightly lowered depth error occurance chances
- changed torpedo color scheme, so torpedos can be more easily idenfied by sight.
- changed default torpedo loadouts depending on year of war.
- made a couple torpedos available 2 months earlier then normal, adjusted some renown costs.


// bombs.
- lowered armor peircing value of some airdropped bombs back to stock values.


// escorts
- increased ARmor protection value of escorts to 25, increased hitpoints to varying degrees not to exceed 400.

// Subs
- further reduced armor protection of submarines from 20, to 15 (stock value is 25)

- tripled hitpoints on diesal engines. (since we have 4 engines assigned to just 2 damage zones, you have double the chance of an engine being destroyed, hence i upped the hitpoints of said engine damage zones)

// interiors
- fixed all gauges, or at least made them operate like they do something important. Most important of which i think is the throttle.

- Gato interior has 600 ft depth gauge

-Interor sound fixes by SteveTRM

- Misc Texture fixes (Note: Gato interior has been modded to use its own textures, not shared by another boat. All interiors ahve been modded to have "blueprint.tga" on one desk, hence this file must be present or you'll see a black square where a map should be)

- Various crewman are now clickable. Clicking on these crewman will now bring you to various views that are normally accesed by function keys.

- Xmas tree made more distinct when submerged or surfaced.

// intergrated conning tower modifications from ROW

// Intergrated Sub reflections from ROW with historical propellers by kapitan_zur_see
- slighly reduced caustic so the caustic effect is not present on submarine main deck while surfaced.

// changed cloud mod from the version ive alwys been using to the same one modified to move even slower by Leovampire.

Heres the D/L link:
http://hosted.filefront.com/Ducimus554/


Installation order: (count to 3)
1_TMaru_Trigger_Maru_1.7.6
2_TMaru_Sound (or sound mod of your choice)
3_TMaru_GFX-ROW_Version_5

Also released in the same upload is the reworked interiors, complied into a single mod, seperate from Tmaru, so that other modders may use it.


Permissions:
Do whatever you want. Dont ask me for my permission, you don't need it, and even if you were to ask, i wont be around to answer you.

This is not only the final release of Tmaru, it is also my final post here on subsim. For many reasons, it is simply time for me to move on. I know some will be sorry to see me go, and others will be absolutely elated, but regardless, it is time for me to move on. Ah yes, i know, some will say, "sure sure, we've heard this before Duci".

And they'd be right, I've said this before. Theres a reality to face, and that is modding and subsim.com are rather addictive. To this end I've taken the additional step of asking Neal to ensure that i cannot be tempted to login again. At my request, which will be sent after im done posting this, my user account password will be scrambled, so i will no longer have access to it. Nor will i create a new one. I do this of my own volition, and my departure is voluntary. You can think of this as virtual Seppuku if you like.

Why? As I've said, it is simply time for me to move on. I wont get into all the reasons, only that the obsession or fixation ive developed with modding is taking an unfair toll upon my daily life. I don't think anyone will truly realize how much time I've spent. And not all the time ive spent is reflected into the mod, as ive had alot of what can be classified as "failed R&D" (Damn TBT!) But to give you some idea. I get up at 9:30AM or so, and start working on modding. I dont stop until around 12:50 when i must absolutely stop to get to work. (my commute is rather short now). I then work doing my job, sitting at a computer from 1PM to 9:30PM. I then get home by 10PM, and start modding again to 3AM. In summary, between work, and modding, i have been sitting at a desk from 9:3AM, to 3AM daily. And ive been doing this for the last 3 consecutive weeks. (ode to wife being out of town). I cannot tell you how much my ass hurts! I'm also genunely concerned about develpoing a blood clot or something, last thing i need is a trip to the hospital. So there you go, thats my daily life as of late , and i think ive done enough, and its time for me to put this down, and come back to reality. This addiction is becoming self destructive in a very real way when i think of all the things ive been neglecting in favor of trying to sort out SH4.

I don't normally brag, I am a firm believer in modesty, but i have to admit, i am proud of what ive been able to accomplish in SH4. I don't think its an exaggeration to say, that i took on a job that required a team, and i did the majority of it by myself. For that i feel that i can walk away with head held high. I often ask myself, what was my motivations behind the drive to keep up with Tmaru. Why do i keep at this? Hell, i dont even play the game anymore! I think my motivations were many, but primarly because this is the game ive wanted for years, and its initial state is undeniably disappointing. Rather then complain, i decided i was going to do something about it. At the time i started, I figured, if i don't, who else will?

My other reason, i think was some odd sense of patriotism. To me, a subsim, isnt just about submarines, its about history, and here was a game that dealt more directly with the history of my own home nation, and arguably one of its finest hours. Far be it from me to be flag waving, but for some reason, as a vet, i felt it was my duty to make sure that the memory of the accomplishments of these men was well represented and not cast aside or ignored. Such was my drive and motivation. All in all, I think I've done my best, and in the words of Gen. George Patton, "If a man does his best, what else is there?"


I have to admit, leaving is painful to do. Ive enjoyed the subsim community for some time, and i will miss it. I think ill end this post on this note.

One person here has contributed more to SH4, then I, or any other modder here; And that person, in my opinion is skwasjer. His avatar on this forum is very approriate. Zeus, king of the gods. It is his modding tool that has been in development that makes modding user friendly. He has empowered anyone here patient enough to do some trial and error testing to get into modding and further development for Sh4. Without exaggeration skwasjers work helped me to become a one man modding team. From using his tool, i learned about as much about the intriciacies of the files in the last two months, as i have in the last two years. For anyone wanting to further Sh4, all you need is
-S3D
- winmerge
- winzip
- Gimp or photoshop
- a TGA to DDS converter
- 3d model viewer if you have the software (i never did).

I wish i had the time to impart all the things ive learned over the years about the files in SH3 and SH4, but i also at this point in time lack the patience. When i think about it, its probably at least 12 pages of typing, and its much easier to explain such things in person then typing it out, so on that endeavor i degress, its time i must go.

Good luck, and good hunting!