Night skies. Really, I've had Enough.

oRGy · 08-28-05, 11:10 AM

What is wrong with this picture?

Apart from the glowing sea, which is fixed in RuB.

Well if you can't tell, I suggest you wander out into the countryside, or even better, near the coast, tonight and note a couple of things.

First, stars are a source of light. Not a lot, mind. Land, unless a big city or something is on it, is not a source of light. If there's no moon out, you will probably notice that the sea looks black. Yes, black!

So, you can compare: the night sky should be brighter, not black as space. Not very bright, but some sort of dark blue. If we could get it that it's lighter when the moon is out, that'd be great.

Then you could have more realistic night visibility, in that shippies (as Charlie says) would be silhoutted against the horizon.

But I don't know how to change this sort of thing.

SkyColors.dat's in /data/Env? How can one change them? And does anyone know where the star locations are kept? Because they're not a texture map - I'd say they're coordinates, referenced by some sort of astrosphere mini-program.

ICBM · 08-28-05, 11:36 AM

Agreed man, the same discussion is going on in this topic btw:

http://www.subsim.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=42116

oRGy · 08-28-05, 11:48 AM

Yep, I know, I'm more interested in modding changes.

CB.. · 08-28-05, 01:30 PM

would certainly be nice if there were more stars- back then in the middle of the ocean the night sky on a clear night would have been particularly impressive to look at absolutely awe inspiring in fact..i was a bit disapointed see-ing the lack lustre night sky as it is in SH3...not critical of course and the did include the "celestial rotation" and major constellations which is a plus for detail fans--it's a shame tho that the night sky doesn't really make you sit back and go that's NICE!! the way other visual aspects of the game do..maybe there is a setting in one of the DAT files that limits the number of stars that could be altered...one or two other games have files that control the number of stars displayed and what size etc ...be stunning to look out from the bridge and get the full in your face Milky Way spectacular...he he!! Northern lights in an artic patrol perhaps allso that would have been a nice touch too...

ICBM · 08-28-05, 01:59 PM

I wonder, is the night sky just a texture? If so, can we add more (smaller) stars and the milky way band? This would greatly improve the sense of hight.

Hartmann · 08-28-05, 05:14 PM

I know another simulator that have a very detailed sky and a option for modify the number of stars.

The realistic space sim orbiter use a hiparcos database with more than 100000 bright stars. also , the contrast and brightness could be modified by the user.

its very impressive see the sky at night or in the space with the setings at maximum.

the question is where have sh3 the database about the stars and if is possible modify this.

Pablo · 08-28-05, 05:44 PM

Hi!

In my experience, the stars shown by SH3 (literally) pale in comparison with the stars actually visible at night when there is no moon, and no city lights around you.

It would be interesting to detect ships by watching as they eclipse the stars behind them as real U-boats did, but I wonder what would happen to system performance if all the stars that really are visible at night were being shown.

Pablo

Stymnus · 08-28-05, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pablo

Hi!

In my experience, the stars shown by SH3 (literally) pale in comparison with the stars actually visible at night when there is no moon, and no city lights around you.

It would be interesting to detect ships by watching as they eclipse the stars behind them as real U-boats did, but I wonder what would happen to system performance if all the stars that really are visible at night were being shown.

Pablo

I imagine that must be what the switch on the side of the real UZO must be fore -- it supposedly reverses dark for light. I could see it making a lot of sense to allow this to help find and identify ships at night.

Flakwalker · 08-28-05, 07:02 PM

Yes I had noticed that the moon isnt a source of light too.

Hartmann · 08-28-05, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flakwalker

Yes I had noticed that the moon isnt a source of light too.

the moon in the sim not is a source of light ??

i remember that in sh2 the moon light could be see reflected in the water.

it is very important, like in the real life, where a ships silhouttes could be spoted by the submarine.

oRGy · 08-29-05, 05:15 AM

The stars are not a texture, they're coordinates. If you zoom in on them with the UZO for example they don't get any bigger.

KptnLt Eric Karle · 08-29-05, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hartmann

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flakwalker

Yes I had noticed that the moon isnt a source of light too.

the moon in the sim not is a source of light ??

i remember that in sh2 the moon light could be see reflected in the water.

it is very important, like in the real life, where a ships silhouttes could be spoted by the submarine.

The moon does reflect on the water under certain conditions. I can't be sure but I thing it depends on its proximity to the horizon

oRGy · 08-29-05, 07:19 AM

Yeah - unfortunately the reflection is feeble compared to reality, so much so that some players hardly notice it.

An option would be to make the moon a lot bigger.

For that, you need to edit the coordinates in the scene.dat file - I think manuel ortega knows how. Hm - one could do redo the texture so it has a 'glow effect' around it, though make the moon in the texture itself smaller, and up the 3d size of the moon in scene.dat ... and you have a proper moon that has a glow, like in Virtual Sailor... hmm...

:hmm:

oRGy · 08-29-05, 08:27 AM

Ideally, I'd like the sky and water to look somewhat like this:

Kpt. Lehmann · 08-29-05, 11:21 AM

Ail's website has a wonderful moon mod that increases it's size. I'm sorry I don't have the link for you at the moment. However, his new moon mod is VERRRRY detailed and even includes crater shadows in its twilight zone.

The mod version to find is 2.5

08-28-05, 11:10 AM	#1
oRGy Crusty Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 648 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	Night skies. Really, I've had Enough. What is wrong with this picture? Apart from the glowing sea, which is fixed in RuB. Well if you can't tell, I suggest you wander out into the countryside, or even better, near the coast, tonight and note a couple of things. First, stars are a source of light. Not a lot, mind. Land, unless a big city or something is on it, is not a source of light. If there's no moon out, you will probably notice that the sea looks black. Yes, black! So, you can compare: the night sky should be brighter, not black as space. Not very bright, but some sort of dark blue. If we could get it that it's lighter when the moon is out, that'd be great. Then you could have more realistic night visibility, in that shippies (as Charlie says) would be silhoutted against the horizon. But I don't know how to change this sort of thing. SkyColors.dat's in /data/Env? How can one change them? And does anyone know where the star locations are kept? Because they're not a texture map - I'd say they're coordinates, referenced by some sort of astrosphere mini-program.

08-28-05, 11:36 AM	#2
ICBM Navy Dude Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Holland. Posts: 175 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Agreed man, the same discussion is going on in this topic btw: http://www.subsim.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=42116 __________________

08-28-05, 01:30 PM	#4
CB.. Ace of the Deep Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: UK Posts: 1,278 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	would certainly be nice if there were more stars- back then in the middle of the ocean the night sky on a clear night would have been particularly impressive to look at absolutely awe inspiring in fact..i was a bit disapointed see-ing the lack lustre night sky as it is in SH3...not critical of course and the did include the "celestial rotation" and major constellations which is a plus for detail fans--it's a shame tho that the night sky doesn't really make you sit back and go that's NICE!! the way other visual aspects of the game do..maybe there is a setting in one of the DAT files that limits the number of stars that could be altered...one or two other games have files that control the number of stars displayed and what size etc ...be stunning to look out from the bridge and get the full in your face Milky Way spectacular...he he!! Northern lights in an artic patrol perhaps allso that would have been a nice touch too... __________________ the world's tinyiest sh3 supermod- and other SH3/SH2 stuff http://www.ebort2.co.uk/ The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity. W.B.Yeats

08-28-05, 01:59 PM	#5
ICBM Navy Dude Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Holland. Posts: 175 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I wonder, is the night sky just a texture? If so, can we add more (smaller) stars and the milky way band? This would greatly improve the sense of hight. __________________

08-29-05, 08:27 AM	#14
oRGy Crusty Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 648 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	By the way Ideally, I'd like the sky and water to look somewhat like this:

08-28-05, 11:48 AM	#3
oRGy Crusty Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 648 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	Yep, I know, I'm more interested in modding changes.

08-28-05, 05:14 PM	#6
Hartmann Sea Lord Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Grid CH 26, Spain ,Barcelona Posts: 1,857 Downloads: 204 Uploads: 0	I know another simulator that have a very detailed sky and a option for modify the number of stars. The realistic space sim orbiter use a hiparcos database with more than 100000 bright stars. also , the contrast and brightness could be modified by the user. its very impressive see the sky at night or in the space with the setings at maximum. the question is where have sh3 the database about the stars and if is possible modify this.

08-28-05, 05:44 PM	#7
Pablo Commodore Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 641 Downloads: 168 Uploads: 0	Hi! In my experience, the stars shown by SH3 (literally) pale in comparison with the stars actually visible at night when there is no moon, and no city lights around you. It would be interesting to detect ships by watching as they eclipse the stars behind them as real U-boats did, but I wonder what would happen to system performance if all the stars that really are visible at night were being shown. Pablo

08-28-05, 07:02 PM	#9
Flakwalker Electrician's Mate Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 131 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Yes I had noticed that the moon isnt a source of light too.

08-29-05, 05:15 AM	#11
oRGy Crusty Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 648 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	The stars are not a texture, they're coordinates. If you zoom in on them with the UZO for example they don't get any bigger.

08-29-05, 07:19 AM	#13
oRGy Crusty Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 648 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	Yeah - unfortunately the reflection is feeble compared to reality, so much so that some players hardly notice it. An option would be to make the moon a lot bigger. For that, you need to edit the coordinates in the scene.dat file - I think manuel ortega knows how. Hm - one could do redo the texture so it has a 'glow effect' around it, though make the moon in the texture itself smaller, and up the 3d size of the moon in scene.dat ... and you have a proper moon that has a glow, like in Virtual Sailor... hmm... :hmm:

08-29-05, 11:21 AM	#15
Kpt. Lehmann GWX Project Director Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: The Republic of Texas Posts: 6,993 Downloads: 124 Uploads: 0	Ail's website has a wonderful moon mod that increases it's size. I'm sorry I don't have the link for you at the moment. However, his new moon mod is VERRRRY detailed and even includes crater shadows in its twilight zone. The mod version to find is 2.5 __________________ www.thegreywolves.com All you need is good men. - Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock