[REL] AI Uboats with flags

[SquareSteelBar]

This mod provides four AI uboats with flags.
The files are placed in the appropriate folders, so the mod is nearly JSGME compatible - only the EnglishNames.cfg and the GermanNames.cfg in ...\data\Submarine folder have to be edited manually.

The mod was done because it was requested by members of the german UBI forum and some members of Subsim forum for harbour traffic eye-candy purposes.

But be aware that every additional unit will increase launch time of SH3 and slow down performance when added to campaign.


This is what I did in detail:

Type IIB
- added the 'Reichskriegsflagge' to the 'Wintergarten'
- changed the greenish uboat texture to a more grey tint
- changed watch crew texture

Type VIIC/41
- added the 'Reichskriegsflagge' to the 'Wintergarten'
- changed the greenish uboat texture to a more grey tint
- changed watch crew texture

US S-class type
- added US flag to conning tower
- corrected propeller texture

Soviet S-class type
- added USSR flag to conning tower
- changed the greenish uboat texture to a more grey tint
- some additional little texture changes
- replaced stock deck gun by a Russian one
- added gunsVaa_Liliput.dat, -.sim and -.zon into Library folder, extracted from New_Ru_Ships_V3 mod

All units
- several tiny changes and corrections [e.g. water reflections etc.]
- changed names of texture files so that it's possible to use different skins for subs with flags and same subs without flags [I didn't that in the first release to prevent unnecessary performance slow down by introducing additional tga files which also have to be rendered]


Known issues:
- The flags are permanently fixed to the uboats. They don't disappear when uboats leave the harbour.
- It's not possible yet to assign the uboats to different nations than given because always the same flag will appear. I don't know yet how to manage this. Maybe in a future update. For example if you want to assign the US S-class type to a different nation [e.g. British] you have to edit manually TurmUS_1_hd.dat by changing the tga's name from American.tga to British.tga [either in a hex editor or much easier in Skwasjer's S3Ditor].
- the flag isn't fixed to the flag pole and wriggles around it. Maybe it's an issue - I think it isn't: in RL a flag never is pinned directly to the flagstaff but it is hoisted by a slim line which is invisible in far distances. So the flag looks like dancing around the flag pole - in my opinion that's more realistic but it's a matter of taste.

AI Uboats with flags v1.0a

Have fun with it,
SquareSteelBar


P.S.: Sorry for my poor English

************************************************** **************

just detected the first tiny careless mistake [only related to v1.0, not to v1.0a]:

when you're manually editing both files EnglishNames.cfg and GermanNames.cfg in ...\data\Submarine folder please insert these corrected lines:

SSType_RUf=USSR S-class Submarine flagged

SSType_RUf=UdSSR U-Boot S-Klasse beflaggt

[denis_469]

Thank for you work.

[Kaleu. Jochen Mohr]

downloading it right away. looking forward to see the other type's with flags to

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by SquareSteelBar

It's not possible yet to assign the uboats to different nations than given because always the same flag will appear. I don't know yet how to manage this. Maybe in a future update. For example if you want to assign the US S-class type to a different nation [e.g. British] you have to edit manually TurmUS_1_hd.dat by changing the tga's name from American.tga to British.tga [either in a hex editor or much easier in Skwasjer's S3Ditor].
Have fun with it,
SquareSteelBar

I can help you out with assigning uboats to different nations (flag wise) without having the user hex editing if you can show me how to do reflections......

[bigboywooly]

Is it not possible to hex a normal flag node as in small ships so it takes the flag from the flags dat ?

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by bigboywooly

Is it not possible to hex a normal flag node as in small ships so it takes the flag from the flags dat ?

Yes, in theory that should work. Haven't tried it but see no reason why it wouldn't.
But why not make the flag universal so that YOU can change it to what you want?? Then the ship is multi-national and can be reused with a different flag for whatever nation it's needed for by simply dropping the new flag for the ship in \data\Textures\TNormal\tex. No need for multiple DATs of the same ship just to have different nationality flags flying.

[bigboywooly]

Well if you add a flag node the sub picks up the flag according to the roster its in
Same as the ships

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by bigboywooly

Well if you add a flag node the sub picks up the flag according to the roster its in
Same as the ships

That is correct because you are referencing a flag from the flag.dat or flags.dat file and you are using the 3D model (and ID for it) supplied from those files.
I use my own 3D models and IDs and thus don't reference flag.dat or flags.dat files for my flags.
SSB has used his 'own' 3D model in his mod and thus can't use the 'roster' to change his flag's nationality to suit other countries. He has to do another trick.....