The people's MOD thinktank.

Damo · 09-09-09, 12:40 PM

Hi all,

I know that with SH4 out and SH5 on the way I've arrived at the SH3 party a little late (drank all the beer I was bringin too...), but I had an idea for a mod that I wanted to share as I'm not knowledgeable enough to bring it to life. In fact, I'm sure there are loads of people here that have great ideas but have no idea how to do it, so they don't share them. This thread is designed for those people to share their thoughts and have the more experienced techies explain what is involved, if it's possible or not and for mod makers to glean inspiration for their next masterpiece, either for SH3, 4 or indeed 5. So come on guys and gals, penny for your thoughts...? Oh and by posting your idea here you agree that if somebody then goes ahead and makes that mod, you have no claims to rights or credits unless the modmaker chooses to grant them.

Here's mine:

I was thinking that there seems to be a lot of demand for sub skins and most of the ones that are released are real good. My idea was to have the players U-boat steadily get more and more weathered as the war progresses. It would be achieved through SH3 Commander depending on the date and the relevant skin would be loaded when you start SH3 through Commander, making it automatic. Maybe if a skinner was willing to make up say, 6 skins of each U boat type with each one getting slightly tattier, weathered and even battle scarred we'd be halfway there with just the SH3 Commander integration to work out.

A tall order maybe, but hey, just an idea....

OR

FIREWALL · 09-09-09, 12:41 PM

I like it.

jakethescot · 09-09-09, 07:06 PM

Years ago I played Red Baron 3D. There was a group of simmers called SWWISA, (the) Society of WWI Sim Artisans who created a game patch called The Western Front. It was a date based patch which had a feature that weathered your plane. After months of flying, the paint scheme started fading. They did the same thing with the planes you mentioned about u-boats, each progressively getting more weathered. It can be done. Someone is just going to have to convince the 'skinners' to take time and create that many skins of each sub they mod.

Tall order, indeed.

Damo · 09-09-09, 08:22 PM

Well I use Photoshop and the skins might not be that much of a chore. All that's needed is one full skin for each sub type but the weathering can be added to that skin via layers so the weathering can be built up over the previous layers, avoiding the need for a new skin for each level of ageing. You can just make the rust patches a bit bigger, the rust running down the side longer and add a few battle repairs here and there like new panels with no rust etc, etc. More I think about it the more tempted I am to have a crack at it myself......

jakethescot · 09-09-09, 09:16 PM

That seems like it would be easier than what I mentioned. Maybe that's how they done it. Now, if you and others could do that, all someone would have to do is write a date based mod so that after each patrol, the sub would weather. Most of my patrols start in the month following my last patrol anyway. I assume everyone's does. If not, then by the time you reach home port at the end of your next patrol, your sub will have changed.

The only problem I can see would be the 'dating'. For example: if you started in 09-1939, then your sub would weather each month. But, what if you started in 12-1939? How would you be able to start with a clean sub and have it age from there? Wouldn't you start with a three month old sub?

I can't even begin to wrap my brain around that. That's why you modders and programmers make the big bucks, huh?

Laufen zum Ziel · 09-10-09, 12:54 PM

Great Idea, I like it.

09-09-09, 12:40 PM	#1
Damo Captain Join Date: May 2009 Location: Forever stuck in Data folder... Posts: 482 Downloads: 259 Uploads: 0	The people's MOD thinktank. Hi all, I know that with SH4 out and SH5 on the way I've arrived at the SH3 party a little late (drank all the beer I was bringin too...), but I had an idea for a mod that I wanted to share as I'm not knowledgeable enough to bring it to life. In fact, I'm sure there are loads of people here that have great ideas but have no idea how to do it, so they don't share them. This thread is designed for those people to share their thoughts and have the more experienced techies explain what is involved, if it's possible or not and for mod makers to glean inspiration for their next masterpiece, either for SH3, 4 or indeed 5. So come on guys and gals, penny for your thoughts...? Oh and by posting your idea here you agree that if somebody then goes ahead and makes that mod, you have no claims to rights or credits unless the modmaker chooses to grant them. Here's mine: I was thinking that there seems to be a lot of demand for sub skins and most of the ones that are released are real good. My idea was to have the players U-boat steadily get more and more weathered as the war progresses. It would be achieved through SH3 Commander depending on the date and the relevant skin would be loaded when you start SH3 through Commander, making it automatic. Maybe if a skinner was willing to make up say, 6 skins of each U boat type with each one getting slightly tattier, weathered and even battle scarred we'd be halfway there with just the SH3 Commander integration to work out. A tall order maybe, but hey, just an idea.... OR __________________ The owl and the pussycat went to sea in a beautiful pea-green boat. It only took one T1 eel to convince that boat not to float.

09-09-09, 12:41 PM	#2
FIREWALL Eternal Patrol Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: CATALINA IS. SO . CAL USA Posts: 10,108 Downloads: 511 Uploads: 0	I like it. __________________ RIP FIREWALL I Play GWX. Silent Hunter Who ???

09-09-09, 08:22 PM	#4
Damo Captain Join Date: May 2009 Location: Forever stuck in Data folder... Posts: 482 Downloads: 259 Uploads: 0	Well I use Photoshop and the skins might not be that much of a chore. All that's needed is one full skin for each sub type but the weathering can be added to that skin via layers so the weathering can be built up over the previous layers, avoiding the need for a new skin for each level of ageing. You can just make the rust patches a bit bigger, the rust running down the side longer and add a few battle repairs here and there like new panels with no rust etc, etc. More I think about it the more tempted I am to have a crack at it myself...... __________________ The owl and the pussycat went to sea in a beautiful pea-green boat. It only took one T1 eel to convince that boat not to float.

09-10-09, 12:54 PM	#6
Laufen zum Ziel Eternal Patrol Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Hiding on the bottom Posts: 1,783 Downloads: 853 Uploads: 457	Great Idea, I like it. __________________ RIP Laufen zum Ziel

09-09-09, 07:06 PM	#3
jakethescot Engineer Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Fulton Missouri Posts: 205 Downloads: 904 Uploads: 0	Years ago I played Red Baron 3D. There was a group of simmers called SWWISA, (the) Society of WWI Sim Artisans who created a game patch called The Western Front. It was a date based patch which had a feature that weathered your plane. After months of flying, the paint scheme started fading. They did the same thing with the planes you mentioned about u-boats, each progressively getting more weathered. It can be done. Someone is just going to have to convince the 'skinners' to take time and create that many skins of each sub they mod. Tall order, indeed.

09-09-09, 09:16 PM	#5
jakethescot Engineer Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Fulton Missouri Posts: 205 Downloads: 904 Uploads: 0	That seems like it would be easier than what I mentioned. Maybe that's how they done it. Now, if you and others could do that, all someone would have to do is write a date based mod so that after each patrol, the sub would weather. Most of my patrols start in the month following my last patrol anyway. I assume everyone's does. If not, then by the time you reach home port at the end of your next patrol, your sub will have changed. The only problem I can see would be the 'dating'. For example: if you started in 09-1939, then your sub would weather each month. But, what if you started in 12-1939? How would you be able to start with a clean sub and have it age from there? Wouldn't you start with a three month old sub? I can't even begin to wrap my brain around that. That's why you modders and programmers make the big bucks, huh?