[REL] Realistic TBT view for US boats

[Hitman]

From the README:

This mod is a new mask for the TBT in SH4, providing a view that is the same as in real TBTs. The one currently located at USS Bowfin was used as model.

The real item had a pair of 7x50 binoculars with a magnification of 7x and a field of view of approx 132 metres at 1000 metres (7.5 degrees aperture).

Stock SH4 cameras, RFB and TM will NOT provide that correct field of view when using this mod, so if you want it you will need to use Silent 3ditor by Swaskjer and change the parameter: “Aperture” to 87,5 in the node “Dummy cam UZO” in the file Cameras.dat (Located in SH4/Data/Library)

The mod will work the same if you don’t do that change, but you will have a too large magnification and a low field of view, which makes it difficult to keep it steady on the target and is also irrealistic.

Instructions to custom change the TBT view in the cameras.dat if desired are provided, including a screenshot of Silent 3ditor.

Real TBT view, USS Bowfin:



New in-game TBT view (Picture taken at the same place, also with an Iowa BB as target for better comparison):




DOWNLOAD LINK: http://files.filefront.com/Hitmans+R.../fileinfo.html

Have fun and happy hunting!

[XanderF]

Notice how, in your second screenshot, you can still clearly see the waves and terrain in the "black" areas of the TBT? Any way to fix this?

I've seen this with the scopes, too, and it seems the problem is that there is no "black" that the game honors as "completely opaque" - you have to use other colors. I think that's why the obs scope in TMO has that metalic look to it - but a complete, new set of scopes and TBT that fixed this would be really welcome.

[AVGWarhawk]

For knuckleheads like me, can you make a JSGME version that also changes the apetures you speak of for stock, TMO and RFB?

[Sailor Steve]

Wow Hitman, you've done it again! Ever since your manual targetting for SH2, you've been at the forefront of accurate scope and UZO (TBT) views!

Thanks for this one, too!

[Hitman]

Notice how, in your second screenshot, you can still clearly see the waves and terrain in the "black" areas of the TBT? Any way to fix this?

I don't see that

For knuckleheads like me, can you make a JSGME version that also changes the apetures you speak of for stock, TMO and RFB?

If I do that I would then need to continuously check each time RFB or TM is updated, and update the mod correspondingly Sorry mate, but in this case I think it's easier when DIY.

[virtualpender]

This is really cool - thank you!

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Hitman

I don't see that




If I do that I would then need to continuously check each time RFB or TM is updated, and update the mod correspondingly Sorry mate, but in this case I think it's easier when DIY.

Completely understand

i sent you a PM

[XanderF]

Originally Posted by Hitman

I don't see that

Errrr...try increasing your monitor's brightness/contrast? It's fairly clear that the 'black' part isn't completely opaque - you can still easily see the waves through it.

This is hardly the fault of your mod, btw - stock game does this, too. Just seems like, if you were already working on something to improve the stock game, that's something that could also use improvement.

[Hitman]

Errrr...try increasing your monitor's brightness/contrast? It's fairly clear that the 'black' part isn't completely opaque - you can still easily see the waves through it.

Had not thought about it, will do (I play will low light and high contrast, because I like black to be black) and see what happens

But I must warn you that what is transparent or not depends not on the black background but on the mask in the Alpha channel. The mask is correctly opaque as far as I can tell, so it might be a problem of the game's 3D engine or of the use of DDS extension files for graphics (Compression at the probable cost of quality...)

Alternatively, you could try to lower you light level and increase contrast, like I do

[XanderF]

Originally Posted by Hitman

Alternatively, you could try to lower you light level and increase contrast, like I do

Given how widespread this problem is in the game, this is exactly what I've ended up doing in the last few days (lowered gamma in-game to something like 33%). Took some getting used to (everything seemed so DARK), but once I adjusted to it, have been doing fine. It's nice not being able to see through the 'sides' of the periscope again (compared to Sh3).

[Nisgeis]

Hmmm, that picture that Hitman posted, I had a look at that and at the sides, there's only a top value of something like 2 or 3 (out of 255) for the black parts of the mask on that screenshot, so I take it that you have a problem whilst running the mod and not looking at the actual screenshot posted at the start, Xander?

Any chance you can post a screengrab from your PC showing the see throughness?

[LukeFF]

Originally Posted by Hitman

Stock SH4 cameras, RFB and TM will NOT provide that correct field of view when using this mod, so if you want it you will need to use Silent 3ditor by Swaskjer and change the parameter: “Aperture” to 87,5 in the node “Dummy cam UZO” in the file Cameras.dat (Located in SH4/Data/Library)

By this do you mean AngularAngle? I'm looking at RFB's camera file and can't find that value. I've tried to make sure the mod's camera values are correct, but I may have made an incorrect assumption somewhere.

[Hitman]

By this do you mean AngularAngle? I'm looking at RFB's camera file and can't find that value. I've tried to make sure the mod's camera values are correct, but I may have made an incorrect assumption somewhere.

Oh sorry you are right I had aperture in mind, yet in the file cameras.dat it is AngularAngle. I'm sorry, but hope the screenshot in the Readme made it easier to identify it

[XanderF]

Originally Posted by Nisgeis

Hmmm, that picture that Hitman posted, I had a look at that and at the sides, there's only a top value of something like 2 or 3 (out of 255) for the black parts of the mask on that screenshot, so I take it that you have a problem whilst running the mod and not looking at the actual screenshot posted at the start, Xander?

Any chance you can post a screengrab from your PC showing the see throughness?

No, it's the screenshot (well, it's in-game, too, but you can see it in the above screenshot). If you edit the screenshot in Photoshop (or whatnot), and do a 'sample' of the black areas around the view, you can see that there are different levels of 'black'. Increasing the brightness and contrast will show you that the different areas of black correspond to the waves, sky, ships off-'camera', etc.