Searchlight?

[gap]

Originally Posted by The General

Ok, thanks gap. Can you tell me which folder SearchLightEffect is in and I'll have a fiddle? With the paramteres I mean

data/Library/ShipParts/guns_radars_01.sim

Under SearchLightEffect controller, Atenuation group, there are two parameters called A and B. Light intensity at any given distance from the reflector is calculated as:

Light intensity = 1 / (A + B*<distance>)

Try to match the visual beam's luminosity with the Range parameter, found within the same controller. Based on sparse information on common naval reflector ranges I've found on the web, I have set it to 800 mt (stock setting was: 200 mt), but you might want to further finetune it.

Within the same controller there are two other parameters for adjusting beams color (I've set it to a shade of violet) and cone angle.

Another controller you might want to fiddle with is WaterReflection, found in the same sim file, though I don't fully understand all of its parameters.

Keep us informed on any progress you will be doing!

EDIT: beam's shape and gradient transition (from bright to dark) could be affected as well by two dds textures found in data/Textures/TNormal/tex: raza_reflector_1.dds and raza_reflector_2.dds. To fully understand them you should look at their alpha channel.

[The General]

@gap

I had a look at the file you're referring to and it's in code. Should I be using some sort of editing software?

[TheDarkWraith]

@gap - just had a thought come to mind as to why the ObjectRemains controller is not working for you. The zones(s) you have chosen for the searchlight, do they have this entry:
Destructible=Yes

If not, try choosing zone(s) or make new zones where this is set to yes.

[gap]

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

@gap - just had a thought come to mind as to why the ObjectRemains controller is not working for you. The zones(s) you have chosen for the searchlight, do they have this entry:
Destructible=Yes

If not, try choosing zone(s) or make new zones where this is set to yes.

Yes it occurred to me as well that that parameter had to be relevant for the correct functioning of ObjectRemains... too bad neither leaving it set to "yes" nor changing it to "no" made the trick.
We have still another chance though, since I haven't tried yet placing the controller in an fx file. Currently I am not at home, and I have not my laptop with me, but I'll carry out this test once back home, before the next week end.

Let's keep in touch

Originally Posted by The General

@gap

I had a look at the file you're referring to and it's in code. Should I be using some sort of editing software?

Yes The General, the software is GoblinEditor. Use it for opening the GR2 file with the same name as the sim file you want to edit, and merge then the sim file itself.

If you are not familiar with Goblin Editor, refer to this quick tutorial for its basics and don't hesitate to ask for help on the forum

[tonschk]

Thank you Gap for this mod.

[The General]

Originally Posted by gap

Yes The General, the software is GoblinEditor. Use it for opening the GR2 file with the same name as the sim file you want to edit, and merge then the sim file itself.

If you are not familiar with Goblin Editor, refer to this quick tutorial for its basics and don't hesitate to ask for help on the forum

You're right, i am not at all familiar Am I on the right track? Before I got to this stage, I had the searchlight beam highlighted in green, but when I tried to edit it, this window would pop up and the 3D model would change to bombs Are those supposed to be colors in the right-hand column? Why are they shades of grey?

If I can only achieve one simple thing, it would be to increase the brightness of the beam. Just to make them show up a little better in-game.

[gap]

Originally Posted by The General

You're right, i am not at all familiar Am I on the right track? Before I got to this stage, I had the searchlight beam hghlighted in green, but when I tried to edit it, this window would pop up and the 3D model would change to bombs Are those supposed to be colors in the right-hand column? Why are they shades of grey?

It seems you didn't merge the sim file you want to edit. Have a look to 'the idiots guide to
Goblin Editor' to understand what I mean. It is stickied in the first page of this forum. I am sorry no to be able to give you more support than this but I am curently writing from my mobile. I will be able to provide you with more detail in 24h.

Originally Posted by tonschk

Thank you Gap for this mod.

Thank you to tonschk for your enthousiasm and for your continuos support :-)
And don't forget that TDW and people who reported the bug share the merit for this little fix