[REL]Lifeboats for SH3!(Update V4.0, Dec. 27, 2008)

[Rubini]

From the readme:

*Update V4.0 Dec 27, 2008*
LifeBoats&Debris for Sh3 V4

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Compatible with GWx 2.1 and probably with GWX3.0
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News on this update:

1. Less debris in general after a ship sunk
2. Privateer's crews animations and motions are now default (no need to apply his rowers mod update on top of this)
3. Lifeboats' crews and behaviours have some small differences between them: in velocity, in crew composition and in motion direction. The one with more rowers have a bit more velocity, etc.
4. Sound behaviour correction for both Lifeboats.
5. I also updated the optional features: no dead bodies in the water/no rowboat debris and an optional LB1 crew with that man stand. Neutral buoyancy and increased draught continues there too, as an optional mod.


- All others features remain the same as described below in the old V3B release!


Have fun!

Rubini.


Downloading Version 4 Mediafire
Downloading Version 4 RapidShare

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old V3B readme:

May 25, 2008
LifeBoats&Debris for Sh3 V3B
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Compatible with GWx 2.1 only
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Mod by Rubini with the special collaboration of Philipp Thomsen and Privateer.
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Special thanks:

DivingDuck for allow me to use the files from his Debris v1.2 mod.
Skwasjer by his awesome S3D, as I already said, a better than SDK tool! Without S3D this mod never would be made, at least from me!
Thunder by his awesome work on the LB crew animations
Iambecomelife by the Lifeboat texture and others. Thanks for your help mate!
Mkubani by his special debris to LB mod which will be added on the next update.
GWX team to allow me to use their files.

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News on this version:

1. LB attached to the ships (so they will now also appears before the ship sink) (.val files, library folder files).
2. LB's crew with animation! (library folder files)
3. The wake bug fix for all ships (.val files)!!!
4. Neutral buoyancy and Increased draught for all ships (they will have a more "heavy" feeling into the water) - an optional feature (see optional folder) (.sim files)


Comments on this new version:

The very small ships and the small Destroyers won’t spawn LB before they sink. The reason is that the sinking time is too short, so it would be weird.

Eventually the number of LB can be too small or too large. Please let us know your opinion. It’s possible to do a fine tunning after we listen your feedback.

The LB's crew animation is a WIP.

Neutral buoyancy and increased draught: I made and tested the mod using these modifications. The new LB spawn's before ship sink mechanics uses the height from the sea level, so the ships draught is specially important for the mod works correctly; anyhow it will works even without this feature. Also note that THESE FEATURES CAN MODIFY GREATLY THE SHIPs SAILING BEHAVIOUR ON GWX2.1. BUT THIS IS EXACTLY THE INTENTION! (the ships will have a "more heavy" feeling now). It´s an optional feature (see it on the optional folder) so, if don´t like it, don´t install it.

The Optional Folder have also some special version of the files that can generate more debris and LBs (in number), no dead bodies into water and also that old no animated crew. Take a look there if you want them.

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General FAQ:

How to install?
-It´s JSGME ready. Uninstall any previous version of this mod first. Also have sure that no other mod overwrite any of the files on this mod. If you want any of the optional features of this mod ("Optional" folder) then have sure to install them correctly too.

What this mod do?
- It’s an eye candy and immersive mod that:
1.Adds permanent floating debris after a ship sink
2.Adds lifeboats before and during the sinking scene.
3.Adds the wake bug fix for all ships
4.Reintroduce the neutral buoyancy for GWX ships and a bit more "into the water feeling" for ships in general (optional feature)

Bugs or incompatibilities?
-This version have sound on the lifeboats, so it have a modified Sh3.sdl file (GWX2.1 compatible) but this could be incompatible with some sound mods. Ask the sound mod authors to make it compatible.

Thecnical problems?
-Some:
1. The floating objects do not behave perfectly when in big waves (sh3 engine limitation), nothing we can do.
2. The LBs don´t have speed (yet) and can´t be destroyed too. They will disappear only after you restart your game (save/reload)

New updates plans?
- Make the LBoats have some small velocity. A work in progress...
- More animations

Will the lifeboats appears before the ship sinks?
- From now: YES! But have in mind that they will also appears during the ship sinking (attached to the debris); the final result is a more random number and position for the LB, better than if we use only the new version attached only to the ships itself.

Last comments...
- The mod structure is very simple. It uses only some few files, made from scratch for this mod.
- We spent a lot of time to make this new version, but it´s ready and working very well. All feedback is always welcome!
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Version history:

V1A:
-first release with debris and lifeboats to the sinking scene.

v2A:
-added crew&scene to lifeboats.
-more water reflection
-some tweak on the float behaviour, but the problem with big waves don´t have solution, it´s hardcode.
-added sound to the lifeboats
-small tweaks to the LB&debris spawn rate
-added an option (get it on "Optional" folder) without dead bodies just because they have bad float behaviour.

V3B:
Lifeboat will also appears some time before the ship sink.
LB's crew with animations!
Few adjusts and tweaks on the spawn rate of the LB&debris
Wake bug fixed for all ships
All ships have now neutral buoyancy again and they are also a bit more deep in the water (draught adjust) - an optional feature.

Future updates (very soon):
More variated debris.
Some small velocity on LB's..
More Crew animations!

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Download Version 3 RapidShare
Download Version 3 MediaFire

Have fun!

All feedback is always welcome and necessary!

Rubini.

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YOUTUBE link of the early first lifeboats stage
http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=_YbdMQkw-ro

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The sinking ship site never more will be the same:

[GoldenEagle8]

You are my new favorite modder!!
Very Cool!!

Will there be lifeboats too? or only rafts?

[Wolfehunter]

So once you mod some people on them we can sink them too. You know I need to target practice with my gunners. What else can we shoot at after 1943? All merchant ships have guns.

Great idea Rubini

[Bismarck]

Rubini you are the god.

[JScones]

Very nice, as always.

Originally Posted by Rubini

1. they don´t can be destroyed,

Not that I would condone such practice, but surely this can be solved? Would also be nice if we could extend it so that the U-boat could pick up survivors, and in doing so, the raft disappeared. :hmm:

Originally Posted by Rubini

2. they have only very, very slow speed
3. they will only disappear after save/reload a game

Not sure I see these two as negatives/limitations myself. I remember when I played my first SH4 mission (v1.0, so it's prolly been fixed since) I sunk a ship and this...thing...suddenly started whizzing about, bumping into my boat, then taking off again at a rate of knots. I thought it was some hypo, drugged kid for it was all over the place. Unlike the behaviour in your video.

[Rubini]

Originally Posted by JScones

Very nice, as always.

Not that I would condone such practice, but surely this can be solved? Would also be nice if we could extend it so that the U-boat could pick up survivors, and in doing so, the raft disappeared. :hmm:

Not sure I see these two as negatives/limitations myself. I remember when I played my first SH4 mission (v1.0, so it's prolly been fixed since) I sunk a ship and this...thing...suddenly started whizzing about, bumping into my boat, then taking off again at a rate of knots. I thought it was some hypo, drugged kid for it was all over the place. Unlike the behaviour in your video.

Hi mate,

We neither even finished that work on Sh3Cmdr and I'm already with something in hand for the weekend!

- I guess that they never will behave as a real ship into the game. The game see them as a particle. So, probably, no zones, no real speed or movement. But they float and move very slowly as you can see on the video. The old attempts on the lifeboat matter never really becomes reality just because the guys were looking at debris&cia. These aren´t debris.

- Yes, even with these limitations the overall result/impression is very good. But will be not possible to pick up the survivors. Well, unless more brains come to the matter. The first necessary work is to put texture and sailors on them, the second (if possible) will be given to them some more controlable speed, the thrid (again if possible), is to make some annimation and put foam on the model. My knowledge of 3D models/textures/annimations is very poor. I guess that someone more skilled on these probably will make it even better! This is why i call for help on the matter as above! Now let´s wait that some good soul come in help!

A quick modification to a shell splash will give you the foam around the raft.

[JScones]

Hmmm, by my calculations, Rubini + privateer = essential mod.

Also,
If it's a direct import from SH4?
All UV mapping is still intact.
Convert the original DDS to TGA and place in the dat with correct ID's and it's skinned.

[Rubini]

Originally Posted by privateer

Also,
If it's a direct import from SH4?
All UV mapping is still intact.
Convert the original DDS to TGA and place in the dat with correct ID's and it's skinned.

I tried that mate but don´t worked. The interesting is that dolphins and small junk ship (my first tries) had texture . So, I'm probably making something wrong on my attempts to make the texture work on this SH4 model.:hmm: I already confered all the ids, etc. (with S3D this is so much easy)

If you can help me I obviously can show/send to you the mod to you look in.

Send a link by PM and I'll take a look see.

[Rubini]

Originally Posted by privateer

A quick modification to a shell splash will give you the foam around the raft.

I don´t tied this yet, but the small junk ships (that already have foam on it´s files - .val) don´t had it when spawed as a "lifeboat". So perhaps the fact that the games see them as particle will also brings some limitations...I don´t know.

I will go to bed now, it´s to late here. Your help will be very appreciate! We can continue tomorrow.

[Rubini]

Originally Posted by privateer

Send a link by PM and I'll take a look see.

I´m sending a PM now whit a better describe on how I made the mod because I yet need to put all them together before send to you (tomorrow). Just a minute.

If spawning as a particle then val files won't work.
A secondary generator would need added to the first.
That's how the shell gets a splash, then a ring that slowly fades.

If spawning as a particle then val files won't work.
A secondary generator would need added to the first.
That's how the shell gets a splash, then a ring that slowly fades.