i need a s3d tutorial lesson

i need your help.


in simple language can anyone guide me through the steps of exporting a visable underwater controller and linking it to the uzo?


i asked skwasjer but he is very busy and keeps telling me to see his tutorials on his web page but they dont cover this, at least not in a way i can follow and actually understand.


i never learned how to use the features in s3d so i have no clue which thing to click on or select.


when i open apend new chunk , theres 4 of the node types which i have no clue what any of them are, what they do, or why they are different. then theres 6 controllers, and again i cant understand what any of them do to choose from or what to do with it if i do choose one.


all i've ever used s3d for is to just open files to change values, i have never tried to add anything to a file before.


i guess i need someone whos done this kind of stuff before because i need it fully explained in simple step by step instructions and not in general termsby someone who assumes i know how to do all this stuff already.

which type node do i use and why? which type controller controller do i use and why? i have never seen this explained anywhere in the s3d tutorial videos.


if someone could take the time to help me, im sure this would help others as well.


thanks, webster

[peabody]

This is what I sent in the PM, if you highlight the parts you don't understand maybe I or someone else can help.

To add a visibleunderwater controller. Open S3D and open the .sim file (that is where I usually put them)

1. In the submarine.sim file just select a node, any node so it will put it next in line.
2. Right click and in the dropdown menu select Append New Chunk then Controller (10) and then Controller (10/-1)
3. An <empty> node will appear (if you do this in a .dat file inside another node it usually drops down to the bottom of the list, but will come back up when you link it to the object)
4 With <empty> selected, right click and choose Append New Chunk then Properties then SH4 then SHControllers then scroll to the bottom of the list and find VisibleUnderwater and click on it.
5. !! VisibleUnderwater node will appear.
6 One the right hand window it will say "Under=false". Click on that and at the bottom of the screen will be a checkbox for "Value", put a check in the box and then it will be "Under=true"
7. Select <empty> and copy the ID (not parent ID)
8. Select !!VisibleUnderwater node and paste the number into "Parent ID". The node should "tuck in under the <empty> node.
9 Go up to the top right and click on .dat and the subs .dat file will open.
10. Find the node of the object you want to be invisible. Usually it is a "node-cfg#xxx" Select that node and copy the ID (not parent ID)
11. Go back to the .sim file and click on <empty> and paste the number into "Parent ID"
12. Now with <empty> selected go to the right to the "Name" box and type a V, from the list that drops down select visibleunderwater.

13 So now <Empty> should say "node-VisibleUnderwater" The other node should be indented under it and the "!!" should be gone. And it should be linked to the object in the dat file that you want invisible underwater.


Peabody

Originally Posted by peabody

This is what I sent in the PM, if you highlight the parts you don't understand maybe I or someone else can help.

To add a visibleunderwater controller. Open S3D and open the .sim file (that is where I usually put them)

1. In the submarine.sim file just select a node, any node so it will put it next in line.

am i supposed to pick something thats there and says stuff or am i supposed to find an empty one?



2. Right click and in the dropdown menu select Append New Chunk then Controller (10) and then Controller (10/-1)

ok, but how would you decide which one i needed if i was doing something else? is there something like a definitions for use section somewhere?


3. An <empty> node will appear (if you do this in a .dat file inside another node it usually drops down to the bottom of the list, but will come back up when you link it to the object)

ok


4 With <empty> selected, right click and choose Append New Chunk then Properties then SH4 then SHControllers then scroll to the bottom of the list and find VisibleUnderwater and click on it.

i never got this far but this i understand ok


5. !! VisibleUnderwater node will appear. ok


6 On the right hand window it will say "Under=false". Click on that and at the bottom of the screen will be a checkbox for "Value", put a check in the box and then it will be "Under=true"

ok, sounds good. but in this case dont i want it "false" so its not visable underwater?


7. Select <empty> and copy the ID (not parent ID)

ok


8. Select !!VisibleUnderwater node and paste the number into "Parent ID". The node should "tuck in under the <empty> node.

errm, ok??? i guess i cant do this part wrong but do you mean it will become a secondary link or child node?

9 Go up to the top right and click on .dat and the subs .dat file will open.

ok, i understand but here i get lost because the subs dat files dont contain anything for the uzo. the only dat file i can find for the uzo is in the data/ library/ GerSubParts folder in the Senzori_UBoot dat file so should i just manually open that file with s3d in another window?


10. Find the node of the object you want to be invisible. Usually it is a "node-cfg#xxx" Select that node and copy the ID (not parent ID)

ok


11. Go back to the .sim file and click on <empty> and paste the number into "Parent ID"

this is the "empty" i just created correct?


12. Now with <empty> selected go to the right to the "Name" box and type a V, from the list that drops down select visibleunderwater.

ok so all it needs is the first letter to show you a list of the titles? can i make one up or does it need to be from the list to be recognized by the game?

13 So now <Empty> should say "node-VisibleUnderwater" The other node should be indented under it and the "!!" should be gone. And it should be linked to the object in the dat file that you want invisible underwater.

ok

Peabody

now in step 1 you say to use the subs sim file, but what if i want to make this change to all subs in the game? is there a way to do that or must i do each one seperately?


this explains it much better than your PM and i can understand where i was getting confused at.

thanks, webster

[peabody]

Originally Posted by WEBSTER

now in step 1 you say to use the subs sim file, but what if i want to make this change to all subs in the game? is there a way to do that or must i do each one seperately?
*********************************************
Yes you can do them all at once, the TBT for US subs is in the Library/USsubparts/Sensor_Sub_US.dat, .sim etc. The German one is UZO and is in the Germansubpart/senzori_sub.dat sim.
*********************************************

hopefully this will help you understand where im getting confused at.

******************************************
I totally understand. I am not very good at explaining stuff, but I do my best. In fact for one person, I actually used CamStudio and did a video because it was easier than explaining it.
This all sounds very complicated, but if you can do it once and have it work, at least in this case; you will find it is actually faster to do this then to find a "visibleunderwater controller" to copy.
**************************************************
thanks, webster

I hope this clears some stuff up. If not let me know. If you ask something I don't know the answer to, I will tell you that. I am not afraid to say "I don't know". But I am willing to help when I can.

Peabody

ok you didnt cover the "all subs" part but if i understand correctly i add the controller to the dat file (one for each side naturally) if i want it to control all subs in the game correct?

i tried to do it to the dat file and got errors, this is what i did:

1 opened data/ library/ USSubParts/ Sensors_sub_US.dat

2 selected 94:Node-NSS_TBT and right clicked, selected Append New Chunk then Controller (10) and then Controller (10/-1) and it created "95: <empty>"

3 selected "95: <empty>" and right click and choose "Append New Chunk" then Properties then "SH4" then "SHControllers" then scroll to the bottom of the list and find VisibleUnderwater and click on it. so i had "96: !! - VisibleUnderwater pop up.

4 i left it false so its invisable underwater.

5 now what do i do next?

[peabody]

Originally Posted by WEBSTER

i tried to do it to the dat file and got errors, this is what i did:

1 opened data/ library/ USSubParts/ Sensors_sub_US.dat

2 selected 94:Node-NSS_TBT and right clicked, selected Append New Chunk then Controller (10) and then Controller (10/-1) and it created "95: <empty>"

3 selected "95: <empty>" and right click and choose "Append New Chunk" then Properties then "SH4" then "SHControllers" then scroll to the bottom of the list and find VisibleUnderwater and click on it. so i had "96: !! - VisibleUnderwater pop up.

4 i left it false so its invisable underwater.

5 now what do i do next?

1. Select 95:<empty>
2. Copy the ID
3. Select "96: !! - VisibleUnderwater"
4. Paste into "Parent ID"
5. Select 94:Node-NSS_TBT
6. copy that ID
7. Select 95:<empty>
8. Paste into "Parent ID"
9. In the name box type "V" and from the dropdown list select VisibleUnderwater.

But you have created one of those little problems I said happen. By selecting the 94: node you ended up separating the 94:node from its label. No big deal do this:

You should have this:




The A97 is the label for the 94:node It belongs where the blue arrow is.

So click on A97:NSS_TBT (Red arrow)and go look at the top of the S3D window, you will see two very small green arrows, one points up.(Green arrow) Click the up arrow twice and A97:NSS_TBT will go up two slots where it belongs, and become "A95:NSS_TBT" and the VisibleUnderWater will be renumbered. The first time you click the A97 will not move, just the number will change, the second time you click it will go up where it belongs.

Now you should have this:



I tried to show the indents but the indent doesn't work worth a hoot in this thing. So I took a picture.

So what you did is link the 97 properties of the controller to 96 the controller

then you linked 96:visibleunderwater to the 94:Node:Nss_tbt

And the 94:TBT is already linked to the 91:tbt base.

And in the game it looks like this, the TBT base shows but the TBT does not:




Now if you want to make the whole thing invisibleunderwater. Just select 91:Node_NSS_TBT_Base and copy the ID. Then use that ID as the "Parent ID" for 96:VisibleUnderwater. Since the TBT is a child node of the Base. If you make the base invisible, it all disappears.

Clear as mud?

Next time you do it, just open the TBT node and select the last entry which would have been the "A 95 NSS_TBT" and you won't have that label problem. It seems to happen when there is a 3D model involved. As you may have noticed the 3D model number is lower than the node it is connected to. The node for the TBT is 94 but the 3d model is 93 (miust be this way, the 3d model node must be numbered lower than the node that accesses it......don't ask me, I'm a beginner)
That is one reason I was explaining in the .sim file since there are no 3D objects you don't have this happen. The numbering will be off, but that doesn't matter. I think the index takes care of it.
So just keep in mind to think it through and decide what it should be connected to and select the entry that will make it "next in line" by number.
Peabody

ok i think i got it now, thanks so much for explaining this in your "s3d for dummies" tutorial just for me

sometimes i miss the most obvious things and just dont get it sometimes.


there was two reasons i wanted the dat version as well, first many things i want to do will be for all subs so the dat way is the one i'll use, and secondly so anyone else out there like me would probably want to know too.

again thank you very much for helping me understand all this.

more errors


its telling me:

description: the id is already used by another chunk (94: node - NSS_TBT)

source: 95:VisibleUnderwater

type: 10/-1



these are the instructions i wrote from what you said:


1. In the .dat file just left click to select or highlight the object node you wish to change. many things are rendered in pieces so in most cases it will be best to select the "parent" node to make all parts of the object disappear. if you dont want everything to be effected, say you want the base to stay visable but not the object, then you would need to select the "child" Node of just the object you want so it will put it next in line.

i selected the A 95: NSS_TBT

2. Right click and in the dropdown menu select Append New Chunk then Controller (10) and then Controller (10/-1)

3. An <empty> node will appear to the bottom of the list or tree if its a child node, but will come back up when you link it to the object)

4. With this <empty> selected, right click and choose "Append New Chunk" then Properties then "SH4" then "SHControllers" then scroll to the bottom of the list and find "VisibleUnderwater" and click on it.

5. you will see a "!!-VisibleUnderwater" node appear under the <empty> node and on the right hand window it will say "Under=false".

NOTE -- as default it is set to be invisable underwater but if you want to change that to make something visable underwater then click on "Under=false" and at the bottom of the screen will be a checkbox for "Value", put a check in the box and then it will be "Under=true" and be visable underwater.

6. Now select <empty> and copy the ID number (not the parent ID number)

7. Select "!!-VisibleUnderwater" node and paste the number into "Parent ID". it is now linked to the "<empty" node.

8. Select the object node to be controlled and copy the ID number (not the parent ID number)

9. Select "<empty>" node and paste the number into "Parent ID".

10. Now if when you started you selected the A node instead of the main node then you may see that the A node is seperated from the 3D model node. if this is the case then you need to put them back together so they work correctly. to do this you need to follow step 11.

everything was in the correct order at this point just like in your picture so i saved and got the error message

11. click on the A node that is out of place and then look at the top of the S3D window, you will see two very small green arrows, they move things up or down the list as needed.Click the up arrow twice and the A node will go up two slots where it belongs, and become renumbered accordingly along with the VisibleUnderWater node. The first time you click the A node will not move, just the number will change, the second time you click it will go up where it belongs.

12. If you've done everything correctly the objects A node should now show above the "VisibleUnderwater" node and you can save your changes and try out your mod.

[peabody]

Originally Posted by WEBSTER

more errors


its telling me:

description: the id is already used by another chunk (94: node - NSS_TBT)

source: 95:VisibleUnderwater

type: 10/-1

You may have copied the ID of the TBT but put it in the controller as the ID instead of the "parent ID". Look at the "ID" of the node 94 and the "ID" of the visibleunderwater controller and see if they are the same.
The ID of the TBT should be the same as the "Parent ID" of the visibleunderwater controller NOT the same as the ID.

If you have a filefront (or other) account, could you post the dat file, I will be glad to look at it and see if I can determine the problem.

Peabody

i found my mistake i was staying away from the parent ID so much i missed #7

7. Select "!!-VisibleUnderwater" node and paste the number into "Parent ID". it is now linked to the "<empty" node.

so i put it in the regular ID box on step 7 instead of the "parent ID" box


i got it working finally

i am now a graduate of Peabody's S3D tutorial


thank you for your time and patience

[peabody]

Originally Posted by WEBSTER

i found my mistake i was staying away from the parent ID so much i missed #7

7. Select "!!-VisibleUnderwater" node and paste the number into "Parent ID". it is now linked to the "<empty" node.

so i put it in the regular ID box on step 7 instead of the "parent ID" box


i got it working finally

i am now a graduate of Peabody's S3D tutorial


thank you for your time and patience

No problem, Webster. Glad you got it working. I know it can be frustrating when you make a little mistake like that and then it seems like it takes forever to find it. OK, now delete it and do it again......

After you do this a couple times you will see what I said about sometimes it is easier to just do it rather then try to find one to copy and sometimes it is not. If it's an animation....copy another one!!!!!!!

Peabody

i agree, copying can cause more headaches than its worth because you dont know for sure what your starting with sometimes.

now i just need to find out where the biskaya kreuz is so i can fix that

[peabody]

Originally Posted by WEBSTER

i agree, copying can cause more headaches than its worth because you dont know for sure what your starting with sometimes.

now i just need to find out where the biskaya kreuz is so i can fix that

biskaya kreuz? I think that fell overboard. What is it?

Sounds like you are working on uboat? If you are then you didn't get rid of the uzo yet, you just did the TBT which is the fleet boat version of UZO. So the Geman UZO is it the library/Gersubparts/senzori.dat. May not be exact name, going from memory. You may find the biskaya kreuz in there.
If you do the German UZO, start with node 68 as your selection so the controller goes after that.

Peabody

Originally Posted by peabody

biskaya kreuz? I think that fell overboard. What is it?

Sounds like you are working on uboat? If you are then you didn't get rid of the uzo yet, you just did the TBT which is the fleet boat version of UZO. So the Geman UZO is it the library/Gersubparts/senzori.dat. May not be exact name, going from memory. You may find the biskaya kreuz in there.
If you do the German UZO, start with node 68 as your selection so the controller goes after that.

Peabody

no i got rid of the tbt and the uzo but i got a report that the biskaya kreuz (biskay cross) also should be invisable underwater. heres a link to see one:http://www.uboataces.com/radar-warning.shtml