[REL] Dark Waters

[propbeanie]

It does not always happen like this, but from what I see? The "Command" runs from 1941-03-01 to 1944-08-30, with Base 1 being Kiel from 1941-03-01 to 1941-10-01, which it then moves to La Pallice 1941-10-02 to 1944-08-30. Now, for me, the game does not document when that "1941-03-01" begins... I have seen mention of "midnight" from reliable sources, but that is kind of a "which one" question? When military counting though, 0000 for midnight, is the first stroke of the new day, so 0000 1941-03-01 is at the first moment of that day, at 0000 hours. Likewise with 1944-08-30... you go from 2359:59 and however many milliseconds you want to count on 1944-08-29, and then right at 0000:00 hours it is 1944-08-30. I beat this point beyond the point of 'dead' at 0000 hours, because at exactly that same time, you have the VIIC:

[Flotilla 5.UserPlayerUnitType 1]
ID= F5VIIC
NameDisplayable= Type VIIC U-boat
AvailabilityInterval= NULL, NULL <--- Basically 1941-03-01, 1944-08-30
IDLinkUserPlayerUnitType= VIIC
UnitTypeCommonality= 5
IDFlotillaLinkTransferTo= 11Flotilla_BERGEN

which just so happens to 'die' at that same exact moment in time of 0000:00 hours on 1944-08-30... my thought is that the Command should be until 1944-08-31, and the same that the Base 2 of La Pallice should be 1941-10-02 to 1944-08-31, but making the sub NULL, 1944-08-30, so that the "IDFlotilla Link TransferTo= line actually gets a chance to kick-in and be utilized. It seems like it should fuction correctly anyway, but we have found the same issue in FotRSU with the newest update, and ran into a boat without a home more than once during testing. Not cool, and very difficult to "fix" in the Save folder, if it is even possible... I tried editing the Save folder data, but I always mess that up. I would look in the CareerTrack, find the lines, and then search for the hits elsewhere. But in the meantime, unless a boat is purposefully set to expire for a game default upgrade path to the next higher boat, I would make certain all boats transfer out prior to the Base and / or Command expire by at least a 24 hour period of time...

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

[Flotilla 5.UserPlayerUnitType 1]
ID= F5VIIC
NameDisplayable= Type VIIC U-boat
AvailabilityInterval= NULL, NULL <--- Basically 1941-03-01, 1944-08-30
IDLinkUserPlayerUnitType= VIIC
UnitTypeCommonality= 5
IDFlotillaLinkTransferTo= 11Flotilla_BERGEN

thank you for reminding me about this feature, PB.
it is one of those subtle things that drive me nuts.
ok, so, under the heading of: nothing dared, nothing gained...i modded Flotillas during the mission (don't do it) and ....it worked.
Approx 3 hours after the reload began, Bergen popped open as our base.
I'll have to go back and try and finish the mission after work tonight.

[propbeanie]

Excellent! Just remember though, that it might not be "Success!" just yet.. With one of my edits, it showed my base change, but when I went to dock, it would not give the prompt to End Patrol, only re-fit. Another time, a CTD was there to greet me. Either result could mean an incomplete or incorrect edit though, of course, and just ask strikeback, or CapnScurvy or Rockin Robbins - I am known for my penchant to create CTDs at the drop of a hat, or comma or semi-colon in this case... lol

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

Excellent! Just remember though, that it might not be "Success!" just yet.. With one of my edits, it showed my base change, but when I went to dock, it would not give the prompt to End Patrol, only re-fit. Another time, a CTD was there to greet me. Either result could mean an incomplete or incorrect edit though, of course, and just ask strikeback, or CapnScurvy or Rockin Robbins - I am known for my penchant to create CTDs at the drop of a hat, or comma or semi-colon in this case... lol

yes. i know exactly what you mean.
i am less afraid of the typo and more afraid of a CTD because i made a change to a game parameter mid-mission....which is why i made this change with tepidity.
i am signing off now to complete the mission.

update: we made it. we played a trick and got away with it. now we can finish this verdampt war sailing from Bergen to Scotland every 6-8 weeks. Norse winters are a bItch, i hear.

[propbeanie]

Really nice... glad it worked! Any edits needed besides the one?

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

Really nice... glad it worked! Any edits needed besides the one?

the only edit was replacing the NULL(s) in Flotilla.
as you suggested in your previous post, SH4 assigns values to NULL that are not necessarily what we might think are appropriate.
entering absolute dates within the bounds of the Base dates seems to be critical, especially for the expiration date of the boat.
what i am really surprised about is that i was able to make a change to a system file, during a mission, and did not get sent to the Land of CTD for doing so.
shocking.
but, i'll take it and say thank you, very much may i have another....which i probably won't get.


[Flotilla 5.UserPlayerUnitType 1]
ID= F5VIIC
NameDisplayable= Type VIIC U-boat
AvailabilityInterval= 1941-10-02, 1944-08-30
IDLinkUserPlayerUnitType= VIIC
UnitTypeCommonality= 5
IDFlotillaLinkTransferTo= 11Flotilla_BERGEN

[propbeanie]

You might also notice that if a CareerStart.upc is set for a period of 15 January to 17 January of a given year, that you will actually sail on the 18th of the month. Along those lines, one thing of the Flotillas file that we have also found, is that if a Command begins on say December 12, 1943, and you set the Sub to NULL, NULL, it is actually "active" as far as mission assignments go, two days prior, on December 10. The NULL on the Base and Boat, as well as Objective mission assignments do work, but can lead to issues. Doing the dates wrong though, can lead to CTDs... This is why you will see some of the subs in FotRSU that start December 7, 1941, have December 1 mission assignments. If they aren't in-place prior to the start date, nothing is assigned, and you most likely CTD. This is also why the New Construction can fail, in that you HAVE to have an active assignment, but the game might give you 14 days, or it might give 24 days "rest" at the home port. To play it safe, the assignments are usually done for a short rest, you then "skip either the 2nd or 3rd assignment in New Construction, and/or any "automatic" transfer fails. We have suspected the "end" of a Command / Base / Boat is similar in the Date, but sometimes all NULLs do function as intended... you just never know. It is advisable though, to have the Command and / or Base end the day AFTER a boat leaves, so that the boat does transfer properly. However, again, we have seen that if a player is on "rest" in-base at the time, it is a crapshoot (roll of the dice) as to what will happen... In theory, you will transfer while you sleep, having gone to bed in Pallice, and awaken then in Bergen... Who brought your boat over?? You still get a Pallice assignment first though... Coming back in: Next Mission assignment, then upgrades / awards, then transfers... maybe