Searchlight?

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by gap

The mod comes with an historical mission based as well on TDW's torpedo tutorial mission. Just surface, get closer to the merchant and start fire for making her to turn on her searchlights. I was able to switch off one of them the hard way , with one well aimed shot (at close range)

So it worked? Hot damn! I did interpret what I decoded in that function in the SHCollisions.act file correctly You have no idea how happy that makes me! For one the amount of pointers I had to decode not to mention the code itself I had to decode and figure out what it was doing was HUGE

[Trevally.]

Originally Posted by gap

Here it is:

http://www.mediafire.com/?3qzxyk71fkjbhe6

It is based on IRAI for compatibility with TDW's mods. Changes done:

guns_radars_01.zon:
-added a SH3ZonesCtrl to reflector_base object, with a box set as WeaponsLight and a collision sphere centered on the reflector (though I am not sure that the latter is actually needed).

This is the core part of the mod.

guns_radars_01.sim:
-changed searchlight's beam color from full white to violet to reflect the spectrum of carbon arc lamps that WWII reflectors were based on;
-changed serchlight range from 200 mt to half a mile (the stock figure seemed a bit too short to me);
-adjusted attenuation parameters to reflect the new range.

Those changes are a bonus by me. You can remove the sim file from the mod if you don't like my settings, or you can give me your suggestions for improving them.

The mod comes with an historical mission based as well on TDW's torpedo tutorial mission. Just surface, get closer to the merchant and start fire for making her to turn on her searchlights. I was able to switch off one of them the hard way , with one well aimed shot (at close range)

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

So it worked? Hot damn! I did interpret what I decoded in that function in the SHCollisions.act file correctly You have no idea how happy that makes me! For one the amount of pointers I had to decode not to mention the code itself I had to decode and figure out what it was doing was HUGE

Well done guys

[gap]

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

So it worked? Hot damn! I did interpret what I decoded in that function in the SHCollisions.act file correctly You have no idea how happy that makes me! For one the amount of pointers I had to decode not to mention the code itself I had to decode and figure out what it was doing was HUGE

Yep, it worked TDW, thank you very much for your precious suggestions!

Let's wait for reports by other forum members now, just for making sure that the changes made don't have any undesired side effect. I will look for other equipments/armaments that may need the same fix in the meanwhile.

Needless to say that you should feel free to merge this little mod with possible new releases of IRAI/ FX Updates. I think there is no point in having a multitude of little mods that have to be done compatible with your ones, every time you make a change to one of the shared files.

Originally Posted by Trevally.

Well done guys

Thank you Trev

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by gap

Yep, it worked TDW, thank you very much for your precious suggestions!

Let's wait for reports by other forum members now, just for making sure that the changes made don't have any undesired side effect. I will look for other equipments/armaments that may need the same fix in the meanwhile.

I'm pretty sure all the guns are missing boxes and spheres.
Let me tell you why you need the spheres as you were questioning that some posts ago. The game uses the spheres for broad collision test. If a collision test passes the broad test then it checks for collision against bounding boxes (a much more computational endeavor). If it passes that test then it checks every item's DMG_col node for collision (except if it has a weapon controller on it - then it uses the bounding box computed from the object). It's a 3 tiered approach for testing collisions. Testing for intersection with a sphere is a not so computationally intensive endeavor (it's cheap).

I see you like dabbling in the files and trying/testing things...I can give you something to keep you busy for awhile if you're interested. It involves testing some ideas dealing with the flooding model and zones (boxes)

[gap]

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

I'm pretty sure all the guns are missing boxes and spheres.

I have checked it today. Only two guns with a wpn controller are missing their box. I can only think that devs oversighted them. All of them are missing collision spheres though. This is why I thought that collision spheres are not needed with the guns.

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

Let me tell you why you need the spheres as you were questioning that some posts ago. The game uses the spheres for broad collision test. If a collision test passes the broad test then it checks for collision against bounding boxes (a much more computational endeavor). If it passes that test then it checks every item's DMG_col node for collision (except if it has a weapon controller on it - then it uses the bounding box computed from the object). It's a 3 tiered approach for testing collisions. Testing for intersection with a sphere is a not so computationally intensive endeavor (it's cheap).

Okay thanks. I'm about to test your theory in game. If you are correct, I shouldn't be able to destroy any deck gun as I did with the searchlights.

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

I see you like dabbling in the files and trying/testing things...I can give you something to keep you busy for awhile if you're interested. It involves testing some ideas dealing with the flooding model and zones (boxes)

I tend to be a lazy tester, hate the long loading times, but please tell me: I am glad to help you if I can


P.S: has anyone tested the searchlight patch other than me? I am curious to know if it is working also for you guys as it did with me

[volodya61]

Originally Posted by gap

P.S: has anyone tested the searchlight patch other than me? I am curious to know if it is working also for you guys as it did with me

I promise, I'll try it tonight

[gap]

Originally Posted by volodya61

I promise, I'll try it tonight

There's not hurry Volodya. Thanks for your support anyway

[volodya61]

Originally Posted by gap

There's not hurry Volodya. Thanks for your support anyway

I wanted to try at once but I had problems with the new version of the TDW patcher.

[gap]

Originally Posted by volodya61

I wanted to try at once but I had problems with the new version of the TDW patcher.

Yes, I noticed it from the other thread. I am sorry man, but I am sure that there is going to be a solution for you problem

Originally Posted by gap

Okay thanks. I'm about to test your theory in game. If you are correct, I shouldn't be able to destroy any deck gun as I did with the searchlights.

TDW,
I am just back fro an in game testing session. I was able to tear up a single barrel Oerlikon 20 mm cannon, with no need to give it a collision sphere.

In relation to your detailed description on how the game is calculating impacts, the question is: by adding the missing shperes, are we going to alleviate our CPU from having to calculate impacts directly from gun's boxes?

On a side note: as they are currently set in zones.cfg, light guns and searchlights can be currently destroyed with a single shell. Hitting them from long or even from medium distance is quite a challenging task anyway. If you think that getting rid of them is still too easy, their armor level/hit points can be slightly increased.
For you to know, these ones are the settings used for both heavy and light guns:

[WeaponsHeavy]
Category=Heavy Weapons
Multiplier=1.000000
Flotability=0.000000
HitPoints=40
Destructible=No
Armor Level=-1
Critic Flotation=0.300000
Critical=No
FloodingTime=59.999996
CargoType=None

[WeaponsLight]
Category=Light Weapons
Multiplier=1.000000
Flotability=0.000000
HitPoints=9
Destructible=Yes
Effect1=BAZA_FX_Explozie_mica, 100
Effect2=BAZA_FX_Splinter_fire, 100
Effect3=BAZA_FX_scantei_explozie,100
Armor Level=5
Critic Flotation=0.300000
Critical=No
FloodingTime=59.999996
CargoType=None

Let me know what do you think guys.

[Rongel]

Originally Posted by gap

P.S: has anyone tested the searchlight patch other than me? I am curious to know if it is working also for you guys as it did with me

Nice work Gap!

I did a quick test, and I think once I managed to blast it off! I have all sorts of deckgun modifications so it wasn't easy to hit, i was maybe 500 m from the ship and got lucky. So I aimed at the lights, boom, lights went off, but the ship was still alive and kicking. Looks like it works I wonder if you dim the lights with the AA-gun? Would be a lot easier!

[TheDarkWraith]

You don't have to use the pre-defined entries in the zones.cfg file. You can define your own! I made new ones for FX_Update and you can too. It's very easy to do. Simply add the new name to the top of the zones.cfg file in numerical order (the next number in the list). Then define your zone entry (AP, HPs, crash depth, etc.). Then reference your new zone in the .zon file

[TheDarkWraith]

Now if you want to get really fancy play with the ObjectRemains controller This barely used, if any, controller replaces the original object with a new object when the item is destroyed (HPs are 0). You can find this controller in Goblin under SHCollisions

[gap]

Originally Posted by Rongel

Nice work Gap!

I did a quick test, and I think once I managed to blast it off! I have all sorts of deckgun modifications so it wasn't easy to hit, i was maybe 500 m from the ship and got lucky. So I aimed at the lights, boom, lights went off, but the ship was still alive and kicking. Looks like it works I wonder if you dim the lights with the AA-gun? Would be a lot easier!

I am glad that you enjoyed the patch mate!
So if I am interpreting correctly your post, it wasn't that easy to tear up those reflectors, isn't it? Besides this, have you noticed the changes in beam range, and the new UV neon glow effect?

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

You don't have to use the pre-defined entries in the zones.cfg file. You can define your own! I made new ones for FX_Update and you can too. It's very easy to do. Simply add the new name to the top of the zones.cfg file in numerical order (the next number in the list). Then define your zone entry (AP, HPs, crash depth, etc.). Then reference your new zone in the .zon file

Yes I knew it, but thank you for the reminder TDW
In theory we could have as many zones as we want. One for each gun, or even one for each part of each gun and for each compartment of every ship. The hard part though is collecting detailed information on armour, strenght of materials used, etc, and icreasing the number of possible zones for giving them random numbers is a pointless exercise...

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

Now if you want to get really fancy play with the ObjectRemains controller This barely used, if any, controller replaces the original object with a new object when the item is destroyed (HPs are 0). You can find this controller in Goblin under SHCollisions

That is a good piece of information!



I will put myself at work, but I would need for some "wrecked gun models" that we are currently missing in game.
I guess that these models don't need to be in GR2 format. Linking a dat object would be okay, isn't it?
Anyway being able to export the "unbroken" meshes from the GR2 file would help a lot... can we expect you GR2 Reader/Editor to be able doing it anytime soon?

[GT182]

Just got back... been off launching a Mig-21 and L-39. Our usual Sunday morning "Church of the Holy Jet" routine.

I didn't see the download last night Gap but I do have it now. I'm still out on Patrol so I hope this will be able to be enabled and work properly while I'm still at sea. I'm going to try it anyway, but if it doean't as soon as I RTB and redeploy I'll let you know how it goes. Off to see how it goes.

Thanks for this mod.

[gap]

Originally Posted by GT182

Just got back... been off launching a Mig-21 and L-39. Our usual Sunday morning "Church of the Holy Jet" routine.

I didn't see the download last night Gap but I do have it now. I'm still out on Patrol so I hope this will be able to be enabled and work properly while I'm still at sea. I'm going to try it anyway, but if not asa soon as I RTB and redelpoy I'l let you know how it goes. Thanks for this mod.

I think you can enable it any time, since it doesn't change any file affecting the campaign.
There is asingle mission included in the patch anyway, so you don't need to test it in campaign