[TEC] Getting rid of the hardcoded reticles (Yes, it can be done!!!)

Hitman · 02-01-10, 12:52 AM

When I consider how simple the solution was, I feel almost stupid for the time (years!) it has taken to figure it out

I guess I'll never get accepted at MENSA ... oh well

On to the topic:

THE PROBLEM:

As most modders know, the reticles seen in the periscopes and UZO in SH3 and SH4 (german uboats, not american ones) are hardcoded and can't be removed away. This has given more of a headache to the modders who wanted to change the look of the reticles, because the old ones would still show, no matter what. The only solution we found for this was to reduce the field of view, and make it smaller than 30º for the periscopes (Because the graticle leaves a space of approximately that size in the centre, where you only see the crosshair). But that of course meant losing field of view at the expense of historical reality, where periscopes had some 38º (In the game it is 40º)

THE SOLUTION:

Well, as you also know, when you zoom in with your mouse wheel, the hardcoded reticle does NOT change its size. It is scaled to display in the proper size of the default zoom you have, which is usually 1.5x

Soooooo

if you think that the high power zoom is way less than 30º (Normally 8º-9º) and will as such never show the reticle ....

the simple solution is to INVERT the order of the zoom levels in cameras.dat, making the high power (6x) the default one (First zoom entry in cameras.dat), and the low power (1.5x) the second one (Second zoom entry in cameras.dat) you get when moving the wheel mouse. That way, the reticle is scaled to the 6x default one, and actually is moved off the screen, leaving only the central crosshair

And you won't see it either when switching zoom to low power, because it doesn't rescale

That's it gentlemen

karamazovnew · 02-01-10, 01:30 AM

Brilliant!

keltos01 · 02-01-10, 01:59 AM

incredible !

well thought out of the box Hitman !!!!

will ask Peabody to implement that on our scope right away !!!

thanks

keltos

Reece · 02-01-10, 02:40 AM

Excellent find Hitman,

funny when the answer for something that has eluded many for years was right under our noses!!

Stiebler · 02-01-10, 03:41 AM

Brilliant again!

Stiebler.

h.sie · 02-01-10, 03:54 AM

Excellent. Hope I may use your idea in my work?

Mikhayl · 02-01-10, 04:59 AM

Ahah, "simple" as that, good job Hitman

PS: can't wait for your new GUI!

02-01-10, 08:57 AM

Nice bit of noggin porn

Hitman · 02-01-10, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Excellent. Hope I may use your idea in my work?

LOL of course, no need to even ask

irish1958 · 02-01-10, 09:22 AM

Hitman: "I guess I'll never get accepted at MENSA ... oh well"
I know two people who are (?have been?) members, and I can't decide which one is more stupid.

onelifecrisis · 02-01-10, 10:08 AM

Heh, finally!

makman94 · 02-01-10, 10:52 AM

excellent find by you,Hitman !

yea,the solution is sometimes more than simple
finally ,the scopes can be designed now as it should be
hope that is ok by you to import the changes at cameras to MaGui

one question though ,is there any solution for the reticles color's changing during night ? i mean that i want them to be black during day but ,at night, will not be vissible . any idea at this?

Hitman · 02-01-10, 11:33 AM

Quote:

hope that is ok by you to import the changes at cameras to MaGui

Yes yes already said it, no need even to ask... I posted it here publically as info for free use, by God

Quote:

is there any solution for the reticles color's changing during night ? i mean that i want them to be black during day but ,at night, will not be vissible . any idea at this?

Karamazov discovered that in SH4 graphics hooked to the reticle submenu in the menu.ini (Zoom and "10" marks) would also make the new item behave as those numbers, i.e. black at day and green at night. I haven't gotten it to work yet in SH3, but I have not tried in depth with the different possibilities to do that.

Cheers

makman94 · 02-01-10, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitman

Karamazov discovered that in SH4 graphics hooked to the reticle submenu in the menu.ini (Zoom and "10" marks) would also make the new item behave as those numbers, i.e. black at day and green at night. I haven't gotten it to work yet in SH3, but I have not tried in depth with the different possibilities to do that.

Cheers

i get it, have to try it ...
thank you and Kara for the info

karamazovnew · 02-01-10, 12:14 PM

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...&postcount=141

The main thing is to parent the objects to the Marking Lines group and have a "WHITE" color channel for the marks file. If you make them black, you won't see any difference. The color will multiply with the green color during the night so white turns to green and black remains black. And they'll always be black during the day. It's sort of like the contact icons for the ships. If you make those white, they'll color themselves to show enemy status (blue, green, black, red). If you make them black, they'll always remain black.

02-01-10, 12:52 AM	#1
Hitman Pacific Aces Dev Team Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Spain Posts: 6,109 Downloads: 109 Uploads: 2	[TEC] Getting rid of the hardcoded reticles (Yes, it can be done!!!) When I consider how simple the solution was, I feel almost stupid for the time (years!) it has taken to figure it out I guess I'll never get accepted at MENSA ... oh well On to the topic: THE PROBLEM: As most modders know, the reticles seen in the periscopes and UZO in SH3 and SH4 (german uboats, not american ones) are hardcoded and can't be removed away. This has given more of a headache to the modders who wanted to change the look of the reticles, because the old ones would still show, no matter what. The only solution we found for this was to reduce the field of view, and make it smaller than 30º for the periscopes (Because the graticle leaves a space of approximately that size in the centre, where you only see the crosshair). But that of course meant losing field of view at the expense of historical reality, where periscopes had some 38º (In the game it is 40º) THE SOLUTION: Well, as you also know, when you zoom in with your mouse wheel, the hardcoded reticle does NOT change its size. It is scaled to display in the proper size of the default zoom you have, which is usually 1.5x Soooooo if you think that the high power zoom is way less than 30º (Normally 8º-9º) and will as such never show the reticle .... the simple solution is to INVERT the order of the zoom levels in cameras.dat, making the high power (6x) the default one (First zoom entry in cameras.dat), and the low power (1.5x) the second one (Second zoom entry in cameras.dat) you get when moving the wheel mouse. That way, the reticle is scaled to the 6x default one, and actually is moved off the screen, leaving only the central crosshair And you won't see it either when switching zoom to low power, because it doesn't rescale That's it gentlemen __________________ One day I will return to sea ...

02-01-10, 01:59 AM	#3
keltos01 Silent Hunter Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Milan Italy Posts: 4,999 Downloads: 114 Uploads: 18	incredible ! well thought out of the box Hitman !!!! will ask Peabody to implement that on our scope right away !!! thanks keltos __________________ "Honorable Builder of Sinking Ships"

02-01-10, 02:40 AM	#4
Reece CINC Pacific Fleet Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Down Under Posts: 34,720 Downloads: 171 Uploads: 0	Excellent find Hitman, funny when the answer for something that has eluded many for years was right under our noses!! __________________ *Sub captains go down with their ship!*

02-01-10, 03:41 AM	#5
Stiebler Fuel Supplier Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,237 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 4	Brilliant again! Stiebler. __________________ NYGM Tonnage War Mod - More than a mod: it's an experience!

02-01-10, 03:54 AM	#6
h.sie Admiral Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 2,192 Downloads: 131 Uploads: 0	Excellent. Hope I may use your idea in my work? __________________ My Mediafire page: http://www.mediafire.com/hsie

02-01-10, 01:30 AM	#2
karamazovnew The Old Man Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Bucharest, Romania Posts: 1,403 Downloads: 151 Uploads: 0	Brilliant!

02-01-10, 04:59 AM	#7
Mikhayl Captain Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 485 Downloads: 64 Uploads: 0	Ahah, "simple" as that, good job Hitman PS: can't wait for your new GUI!

02-01-10, 08:57 AM	#8
Uber Gruber Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Nice bit of noggin porn

02-01-10, 09:22 AM	#10
irish1958 Ocean Warrior Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 3,250 Downloads: 320 Uploads: 11	Hitman: "I guess I'll never get accepted at MENSA ... oh well" I know two people who are (?have been?) members, and I can't decide which one is more stupid. __________________ Irish1958

02-01-10, 10:08 AM	#11
onelifecrisis Maverick Modder Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: England Posts: 3,895 Downloads: 65 Uploads: 3	Heh, finally! __________________ Freedom of speech - priceless. For everything else there's Mastercard.

02-01-10, 10:52 AM	#12
makman94 Hellas Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 2,325 Downloads: 182 Uploads: 7	excellent find by you,Hitman ! yea,the solution is sometimes more than simple finally ,the scopes can be designed now as it should be hope that is ok by you to import the changes at cameras to MaGui one question though ,is there any solution for the reticles color's changing during night ? i mean that i want them to be black during day but ,at night, will not be vissible . any idea at this? __________________ Knowledge is the only thing that nobody can ever take from you... Mediafire page:http://www.mediafire.com/folder/da50.../Makman94_Mods

02-01-10, 12:14 PM	#15
karamazovnew The Old Man Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Bucharest, Romania Posts: 1,403 Downloads: 151 Uploads: 0	http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...&postcount=141 The main thing is to parent the objects to the Marking Lines group and have a "WHITE" color channel for the marks file. If you make them black, you won't see any difference. The color will multiply with the green color during the night so white turns to green and black remains black. And they'll always be black during the day. It's sort of like the contact icons for the ships. If you make those white, they'll color themselves to show enemy status (blue, green, black, red). If you make them black, they'll always remain black.