Removing searchlight beams

Letum · 05-21-09, 05:23 PM

Is there any way to do this?
You just don't get those solid white beams of light like that unless it is quite
foggy or you over expose a camera. Ideally I would like to change the
opacity on the beams to 10-30%.

Hartmann · 05-21-09, 05:48 PM

Yes there is a way
in the EQP file, change this , LinkName=REF_big or REF_small with NULL
for example LinkName=Null

it will remove the searchlight from the unit.

the problem is that is a very time consuming do it for several units. I modded it for merchants and Big warships like battleships, cruisers, and carriers. only antisubmarine units have search lights in my GW3.

I do it because had a severe frame rates drop with searchlights making the game unplayable during night convoy attacks, and I think that is more realistic that some units prefer stay undetected in the dark to makes the things more difficult to the U-boats,
A light have a very limited range in the night but could be seen miles away, so it only is useful for destroyers looking for periscopes or subs.Also i doubt that a battleship could switch on the lights revealing her position to another submarines or making easier a fire solution

Letum · 05-21-09, 06:35 PM

Ah, no.
I wish to keep the searchlight, but remove or reduce the ugly white beam.

Hartmann · 05-21-09, 06:47 PM

Ok, i don´t know how do this. It´s far away of my modding skills

but i´m sure that some one could do this

onelifecrisis · 05-21-09, 08:36 PM

Yeah I'd quite like this too.

I looked in the files and worked out one way to remove the beams (by making them completely transparent). It won't help FPS because the beams are still being drawn, just at 100% transparency, but it does get rid of them. It also looks a bit naff IMO so I'm going to try to strike a balance with a soft-but-not-invisible beam.

To edit the beams open Search_Lights.dat and Lights_Vaa_Liliput.dat and in both files edit the images called Raza2.tga.

onelifecrisis · 05-21-09, 10:36 PM

Yay, I've got something I'm pretty happy with.

If anyone wants this in a little JSGME package, let me know.

Before (above) and after (below) screenshots:

rik007 · 05-21-09, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onelifecrisis

If anyone wants this in a little JSGME package, let me know.

Hi Onelifecrisis, I would like to have it. Thank you in advance, Rik

05-22-09, 12:59 AM

Looks good, mind sharing it ?

You might want to consider adding it into another OLC Gold tweak no ?

melnibonian · 05-22-09, 02:09 AM

That actually looks pretty good. Can I have a link for Download Please?

Thanks in Advance

onelifecrisis · 05-22-09, 02:10 AM

Yup, will upload somewhere in just a mo...

05-22-09, 03:33 AM

I think warships used more powerfull searchlights then merchants did. right ? But how much powerfull I don't know. And how much this had affected light beam length I don't know either

SeaWolf U-57 · 05-22-09, 03:52 AM

Much more realistic look Nice work OLC.

asanovic7 · 05-22-09, 08:34 AM

Is there a way to reduce "length" of searchlights without changing their "seeing or searching in the night"?
So, to speak, to have an effect like olc presented, but without fps drops for drawing 100% transparent lights?

It's a disaster when you face 20 searchlights.. No more game..

Cheers!

onelifecrisis · 05-22-09, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asanovic7

Is there a way to reduce "length" of searchlights without changing their "seeing or searching in the night"?
So, to speak, to have an effect like olc presented, but without fps drops for drawing 100% transparent lights?

It's a disaster when you face 20 searchlights.. No more game..

Cheers!

Er, making the beams transparent doesn't change the FPS at all.

asanovic7 · 05-22-09, 08:44 AM

I understand that, I meant to have reduced searchbeams, if they were up to 500m to cut them to 250m for improving fps but without disabling their functionality?
I am asking that because I think I succeded in that, but wasn't too shure if in doing that I made ships "less operable"?

05-21-09, 05:23 PM	#1
Letum Navy Seal Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: York - UK Posts: 6,079 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	Removing searchlight beams Is there any way to do this? You just don't get those solid white beams of light like that unless it is quite foggy or you over expose a camera. Ideally I would like to change the opacity on the beams to 10-30%. __________________

05-21-09, 05:48 PM	#2
Hartmann Sea Lord Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Grid CH 26, Spain ,Barcelona Posts: 1,857 Downloads: 204 Uploads: 0	Yes there is a way in the EQP file, change this , LinkName=REF_big or REF_small with NULL for example LinkName=Null it will remove the searchlight from the unit. the problem is that is a very time consuming do it for several units. I modded it for merchants and Big warships like battleships, cruisers, and carriers. only antisubmarine units have search lights in my GW3. I do it because had a severe frame rates drop with searchlights making the game unplayable during night convoy attacks, and I think that is more realistic that some units prefer stay undetected in the dark to makes the things more difficult to the U-boats, A light have a very limited range in the night but could be seen miles away, so it only is useful for destroyers looking for periscopes or subs.Also i doubt that a battleship could switch on the lights revealing her position to another submarines or making easier a fire solution __________________ But this ship can't sink!... She is made of iron, sir. I assure you, she can. and she will. It is a mathematical certainty. Strength and honor

05-21-09, 06:35 PM	#3
Letum Navy Seal Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: York - UK Posts: 6,079 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	Ah, no. I wish to keep the searchlight, but remove or reduce the ugly white beam. __________________

05-21-09, 06:47 PM	#4
Hartmann Sea Lord Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Grid CH 26, Spain ,Barcelona Posts: 1,857 Downloads: 204 Uploads: 0	Ok, i don´t know how do this. It´s far away of my modding skills but i´m sure that some one could do this __________________ But this ship can't sink!... She is made of iron, sir. I assure you, she can. and she will. It is a mathematical certainty. Strength and honor

05-21-09, 08:36 PM	#5
onelifecrisis Maverick Modder Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: England Posts: 3,895 Downloads: 65 Uploads: 3	Yeah I'd quite like this too. I looked in the files and worked out one way to remove the beams (by making them completely transparent). It won't help FPS because the beams are still being drawn, just at 100% transparency, but it does get rid of them. It also looks a bit naff IMO so I'm going to try to strike a balance with a soft-but-not-invisible beam. To edit the beams open Search_Lights.dat and Lights_Vaa_Liliput.dat and in both files edit the images called Raza2.tga. __________________ Freedom of speech - priceless. For everything else there's Mastercard.

05-21-09, 10:36 PM	#6
onelifecrisis Maverick Modder Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: England Posts: 3,895 Downloads: 65 Uploads: 3	Yay, I've got something I'm pretty happy with. If anyone wants this in a little JSGME package, let me know. Before (above) and after (below) screenshots: __________________ Freedom of speech - priceless. For everything else there's Mastercard.

05-22-09, 12:59 AM	#8
Contact Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Looks good, mind sharing it ? You might want to consider adding it into another OLC Gold tweak no ?

05-22-09, 02:09 AM	#9
melnibonian Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Reading UK Posts: 3,473 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	That actually looks pretty good. Can I have a link for Download Please? Thanks in Advance __________________ http://www.thegreywolves.com/ http://wolvesatwar.com/ Download GWX and other goodies: http://hosted.filefront.com/melnibonian

05-22-09, 02:10 AM	#10
onelifecrisis Maverick Modder Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: England Posts: 3,895 Downloads: 65 Uploads: 3	Yup, will upload somewhere in just a mo... __________________ Freedom of speech - priceless. For everything else there's Mastercard.

05-22-09, 03:33 AM	#11
Contact Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	I think warships used more powerfull searchlights then merchants did. right ? But how much powerfull I don't know. And how much this had affected light beam length I don't know either

05-22-09, 03:52 AM	#12
SeaWolf U-57 Ace of the Deep Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1,231 Downloads: 92 Uploads: 0	Much more realistic look Nice work OLC.

05-22-09, 08:34 AM	#13
asanovic7 Captain Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 516 Downloads: 70 Uploads: 0	Is there a way to reduce "length" of searchlights without changing their "seeing or searching in the night"? So, to speak, to have an effect like olc presented, but without fps drops for drawing 100% transparent lights? It's a disaster when you face 20 searchlights.. No more game.. Cheers!

05-22-09, 08:44 AM	#15
asanovic7 Captain Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 516 Downloads: 70 Uploads: 0	I understand that, I meant to have reduced searchbeams, if they were up to 500m to cut them to 250m for improving fps but without disabling their functionality? I am asking that because I think I succeded in that, but wasn't too shure if in doing that I made ships "less operable"?