Distance for flag identification

[ratatoeskr76]

Hi Kaleuns!

While for others the flags are too big, for me they are too small. Even at near range and in fair weather I have difficulties identifying the nation of a ship although I have the flag list at hand (running gwx). I found myself cheating using external cam to identify merchants.

I dont know if this is because I run sh3 on a rather small screen (14" notebook) or if I am the problem.

At which distance do you normally identify the flags in fair weather?

[MantiBrutalis]

There used to be a mod for bigger and much more colorful flags, which made this so much easier.

Myself, I got used to checking the flag right as I open the tubes. Even if I know it is a neutral, I'll go through the attack sequence (except the explosion in the end), as it is important to practice a lot on 100% realism. Especially if I don't play that much or get an extra empty part of the ocean.

[Sailor Steve]

I suspect it's the small screen. I've reached an age where I have to have everything plugged into a 28" monitor or I can't see it at all. I also seem to remember a mod that made them bigger, but I've searched everywhere and can't find any reference to it.

Sorry.

[Fahnenbohn]

Originally Posted by ratatoeskr76

While for others the flags are too big, for me they are too small. Even at near range and in fair weather I have difficulties identifying the nation of a ship

I agree with you. There are several reasons that make the flags difficult to recognize :

- a small size
- a rapid movement due to the wind
- light and shadow on a same side
- a lousy pleated texture in supermods like GWX
- the angle from which you see it is sometimes unfavorable



In real life, a flag should have a slower movement with fair weather, and it should be transparent and thus have a homogeneous brightness. I'm pretty sure it's possible to change the flags' parameters in this way.

F.

[HW3]

Flags_enlighten mod v1.0
by DivingDuck and Rubini
06 jun 2009

[Fahnenbohn]

Originally Posted by HW3

Flags_enlighten mod v1.0
by DivingDuck and Rubini
06 jun 2009

From the readme :

" This mod uses a DivingDucks's idea to enlighten a bit the SH3 ships flags at night.
This is a good and totally adjustable solution for the game engine/comnputers screens limitations at night environment to we ,virtual kaleuns, identify the nationality of the ships into the game. IMO, this really can open a new strategic level into the game, we can now use really realistic magnifications on peri/uzo and can also run the game in a more realistic dark nights environments, etc. (must be done from somebody)

In RL the kaleuns/crew probably used intercepted radio chats, some unique details on ships, etc, etc to also have a better correct nationality idenfication of the ships what is absent on Sh3... so this mod will perhaps "emulate" these conditions to a better degree. "


Test with my personal realistic dark nights environment :




Why not ? But in fair weather, it doesn't make a big difference :



F.

[Fahnenbohn]

Hey !

I've reworked a bit the flags. Now they are a little transparent, much more detailed and better recognizable from afar !



Does anyone want to test this new little mod on his PC ? If so, PM me !

F.

[ratatoeskr76]

Wow, you ask a question and you not only get qualified feedback but a member writes a mod dealing with the issue - what a community!

[jaxa]

Next to Fahnenbohn's mod you should try SH4 Flag mod for SH3 - it gives definitely better looks and much more detailed flags to the game. There are versions with bigger and normal size and faster and slower flags inside the pack.

[Fahnenbohn]

Originally Posted by jaxa

Next to Fahnenbohn's mod you should try SH4 Flag mod for SH3 - it gives definitely better looks and much more detailed flags to the game. There are versions with bigger and normal size and faster and slower flags inside the pack.

Could you give a link please ? I would like to test it.

[ratatoeskr76]

Hi Jaxa, I found the "All new Hi-res flag textures for Silent Hunter III" in the subsim download section. Do you mean this mod?

[Fahnenbohn]

Originally Posted by ratatoeskr76

Hi Jaxa, I found the "All new Hi-res flag textures for Silent Hunter III" in the subsim download section. Do you mean this mod?

Yeah, these flags are the same as in GWX. You can see a british one in my first reply of this thread. I don't like at all these flags, there are not enough detailed and have an ugly pleated texture. But that's just my opinion !

F.

[Fahnenbohn]

I would like to clarify something : i've done this mod, because i have some difficulties to identify the flags from afar. But it's strongly probable that this is due to my graphics card. See the picture below :



When I go away from the flag, it becomes very blurred. The same thing happens when I look it aside.

I guess this odd effect doesn't happen on other computers.

Could you confirm that point, everybody ?

F.

[jaxa]

Guys, it's Anvart's mod GWX_SH4StyleFlag_fullModel. You can download it from Plisken's site, Anvart mods section.

[Fahnenbohn]

Originally Posted by jaxa

Guys, it's Anvart's mod GWX_SH4StyleFlag_fullModel. You can download it from Plisken's site, Anvart mods section.

Thanks for the link, I'm going to test this mod.