[REL] Flavored To Taste 2.5

[Ducimus]

Ive acutally included the nomograph in the 1024_768.ini file, but remarked it out. Just search for "nomo" and then add the nomograph of your choice. Should work. I was goign to include an imperial version of the nomograph, but after playing with it, felt it not accurate enough. Primarly due to errors / rounding errors in the games metric to imperial conversions. I didnt want to include it because its not 100% accurate, so instead, remoevd the DDS file, and remarked out the code.

[Ducimus]

Over the past few weeks ive been wondering what direction i should take FTT, and how much farther i should go with it. It's started as just a personal mod, but over the last few weeks ive acknowledged to myself that is it infact a "supermod".

Supermods tend to have a theme, with a list of goals, and then go about achieving that theme/goal in every way imaginable. They don't just touch a few aspects of gameplay, but just about every aspect of gameplay, and the directory structure of FTT, is most definatly touching many areas.

As ive expressed in the past before SH4 was even lauched, that being part of a supermod team wasn't my goal, and was infact something i wanted to avoid. As some of you know, i was right smack in the middle of the SH3, "mod wars", and its an experience that i really don't want to repeat. One hard lesson i learned in all that is once you pick a side, you can never be neutral again.

So with those thoughts, i find it rather ironic that i've become the "father" of a supermod. Again, it started by just adjusting personal quirks, but the more i dug, the more i felt myself to keep digging. I can't make it one patrol without thinking, "i really need to adjust this," or "damn this is getting old." Antoher reason i keep stepping up to the plate, is im concerned about the modding effort in general. To be honest, i have my serious doubts that any concerted modding effort that happened in SH3, will happen for SH4. The catalyist that set that off, isnt quite the same anymore, and alot of the talented modders with lots of experience from SH3, are either burnt out on modding, not intrested in the pacific, or have too much invested in their current projects. So ive felt compelled to fill the void in some minor way. But moreover, i think it will fall on a "new generation" of modders to take SH4 to where it needs to go.

There is only so much one person can do. I have experience in various areas of modding, but i can't do them all. To continue with FTT, i have two options. Include 3rd part mods as ive already done, and continue the way im going, or embrace that which i want to avoid for myself and make up a mod "team". The former is more appealing then the latter, because my commitment remains open ended. And i know at some point, im just going to throw in the towel, and say, "ok thats it, ive had enough". My sincere hope is that a group effort takes place for SH4, one where i can sit on the sidelines and just enjoy the game.


With all that said, im going to talk about the immediate future:

On the drawing board:
One thing im going to start to work on, because its annoying me to no end, is the campaign game patrol assigments. The majority of which end up being summerized as patrol an area for 24 hours, and then send a status report, and wander over there. For about 90% of the missions i get, this is what they are. And after a couple years of playing SH3 with basicall the same form of assigments. (go to x place, and patro for y time), this is just DULL.

One of the greatest features of SH4 is the dnyamic assigments to make you do other things. Problem being, they arent assigned very often. Well, they will be soon. Ive looked at it, and it appears that i can script out what, when, where, for the entire length of the war. And im going to do just that, im going to script the entire war. Patrol one mission, supply the next, photo after then, then maybe pack to patrol or supply/commando insertions. Im going to emphasize the alternative missions, and put in less of the usual dull, "patrol here for x time" missions. Along with this im going to try and place the player where the major battles are happening, when they happen. No promises with this, as ive a gut feeling that the dates with the battle scripting is FUBAR'ed, and if i have to go back and fix the major battles, i'll probably just toss up my hands. It depends on how patient i am once i get most of the scripting done.


The back burner:

German Uboats is on the back burner.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...&postcount=100

Infact, ive taken my work on that, compressed it, and threw it in a storage directory by the same name.


Another item is sort of a workaround for SD radar. The gist is to turn the SD radar into a RWR, and then equip all JP planes with a radar with a max range of like 6KM. (their regualr vision is 9KM, so its not like their radar would be doing much.) Then change the "radar signals detected" message, into "SD contact!" Ive tried this about 3 times already, unsuccessfully, but something in me refuses to beleive that RWR was removed from the games code, and that its a node/hex edit issue. So ill go back and revisit this when i have more time and patience.


Anyway, thats the long speil, put forth for no particular reason other then to get things off my chest.

[Buzz313th]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Over the past few weeks ive been wondering what direction i should take FTT, and how much farther i should go with it. It's started as just a personal mod, but over the last few weeks ive acknowledged to myself that is it infact a "supermod".

Supermods tend to have a theme, with a list of goals, and then go about achieving that theme/goal in every way imaginable. They don't just touch a few aspects of gameplay, but just about every aspect of gameplay, and the directory structure of FTT, is most definatly touching many areas.

As ive expressed in the past before SH4 was even lauched, that being part of a supermod team wasn't my goal, and was infact something i wanted to avoid. As some of you know, i was right smack in the middle of the SH3, "mod wars", and its an experience that i really don't want to repeat. One hard lesson i learned in all that is once you pick a side, you can never be neutral again.

So with those thoughts, i find it rather ironic that i've become the "father" of a supermod. Again, it started by just adjusting personal quirks, but the more i dug, the more i felt myself to keep digging. I can't make it one patrol without thinking, "i really need to adjust this," or "damn this is getting old." Antoher reason i keep stepping up to the plate, is im concerned about the modding effort in general. To be honest, i have my serious doubts that any concerted modding effort that happened in SH3, will happen for SH4. The catalyist that set that off, isnt quite the same anymore, and alot of the talented modders with lots of experience from SH3, are either burnt out on modding, not intrested in the pacific, or have too much invested in their current projects. So ive felt compelled to fill the void in some minor way. But moreover, i think it will fall on a "new generation" of modders to take SH4 to where it needs to go.

There is only so much one person can do. I have experience in various areas of modding, but i can't do them all. To continue with FTT, i have two options. Include 3rd part mods as ive already done, and continue the way im going, or embrace that which i want to avoid for myself and make up a mod "team". The former is more appealing then the latter, because my commitment remains open ended. And i know at some point, im just going to throw in the towel, and say, "ok thats it, ive had enough". My sincere hope is that a group effort takes place for SH4, one where i can sit on the sidelines and just enjoy the game.


With all that said, im going to talk about the immediate future:

On the drawing board:
One thing im going to start to work on, because its annoying me to no end, is the campaign game patrol assigments. The majority of which end up being summerized as patrol an area for 24 hours, and then send a status report, and wander over there. For about 90% of the missions i get, this is what they are. And after a couple years of playing SH3 with basicall the same form of assigments. (go to x place, and patro for y time), this is just DULL.

One of the greatest features of SH4 is the dnyamic assigments to make you do other things. Problem being, they arent assigned very often. Well, they will be soon. Ive looked at it, and it appears that i can script out what, when, where, for the entire length of the war. And im going to do just that, im going to script the entire war. Patrol one mission, supply the next, photo after then, then maybe pack to patrol or supply/commando insertions. Im going to emphasize the alternative missions, and put in less of the usual dull, "patrol here for x time" missions. Along with this im going to try and place the player where the major battles are happening, when they happen. No promises with this, as ive a gut feeling that the dates with the battle scripting is FUBAR'ed, and if i have to go back and fix the major battles, i'll probably just toss up my hands. It depends on how patient i am once i get most of the scripting done.


The back burner:

German Uboats is on the back burner.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...&postcount=100

Infact, ive taken my work on that, compressed it, and threw it in a storage directory by the same name.


Another item is sort of a workaround for SD radar. The gist is to turn the SD radar into a RWR, and then equip all JP planes with a radar with a max range of like 6KM. (their regualr vision is 9KM, so its not like their radar would be doing much.) Then change the "radar signals detected" message, into "SD contact!" Ive tried this about 3 times already, unsuccessfully, but something in me refuses to beleive that RWR was removed from the games code, and that its a node/hex edit issue. So ill go back and revisit this when i have more time and patience.


Anyway, thats the long speil, put forth for no particular reason other then to get things off my chest.

I am new to the modding scene, but I would like to contribute.

I have been texturing for 3 years and can hold my own. Most of my experience with texturing is from a 3d web development firm. I would like to help out, just lemme know what I can do?

[ReallyDedPoet]

This is nice to seetalk of a super-mod

Yes, it is early, but it has to start somewhere

RDP

[Kruger]

Nice thoughts Ducimus, I would really love to see a supermod for SH4. When I first popped SH4 into my machine...I was first hit by the graphics But then... after a couple of hours of playing, I sadly discovered that it was not a game I would play for much. It simply...I don't know how to put it, and I really do not want to offend anyone here. Submarines for me are of two kinds: U-boats...and the rest. While U-boats fascinate me and allways have, the rest are just some boats. However, after having read, watched, searched...a lot, I began to like the clumsy looking american subs, and enjoy SH4 more and more. So, I would really love to be able to play SH4 with at least as much pleasure as SH3 for many years to come. No game has ever determined me to buy a new PC, but SH3 did, and I was sure that I would keep it for many years. Now I'm getting ready to change my rig again....don't tell my wife. She would be avle to let me sleep outside with my PC. I'm thinkin' of keepin' the case though....so it would look the same.


So, please make this game shine, cos' it deserves it. Just like every history book I have, every material I have gathered over the years, every album with war photos from my grandfather, these games will be a part of the things I love.


P.S: IL2 and my joystick are also shiny in a box over the sofa, and under the big german flag I have just bought in Munich (for just 10 euros, but it looks great), on my short plane stop to Moscow.

[Ducimus]

While U-boats fascinate me and allways have, the rest are just some boats. However, after having read, watched, searched...a lot, I began to like the clumsy looking american subs,

The stories of what happened in the pacific in relation to Submarines, are really great. They're what got me intrested in subs to begin with. Some of the events that happened, seem like their straight out of a hollywood movie, but they really did happen. What the pacific theater lacks in scale as compared to the atlantic, it makes up for in intensity.

[Payoff]

Ducimus
One of the greatest features of SH4 is the dnyamic assigments to make you do other things. Problem being, they arent assigned very often. Well, they will be soon. Ive looked at it, and it appears that i can script out what, when, where, for the entire length of the war. And im going to do just that, im going to script the entire war. Patrol one mission, supply the next, photo after then, then maybe pack to patrol or supply/commando insertions. Im going to emphasize the alternative missions, and put in less of the usual dull, "patrol here for x time" missions. Along with this im going to try and place the player where the major battles are happening, when they happen. No promises with this, as ive a gut feeling that the dates with the battle scripting is FUBAR'ed, and if i have to go back and fix the major battles, i'll probably just toss up my hands. It depends on how patient i am once i get most of the scripting done.

Thanks for all your hard work on this project so far. I really like what you are saying about tha dynamic orders. That would really make SHIV shine. On that same thought would it be possible to become part of a U.S. taskforce? I think that would be a blast to travel alongside a taskforce & maybe engage in historical battles

[CDR Resser]

Hi Ducimus.
Thanks for your hard work. I really enjoy the mod. I have one question, I think it is addressed in another thread, but I can't find it. I would like to continue to be able to use the previous/next camera function. I remember reading a post on how that can be accomplishedwhile using your mod, but can't find it.
You are right, it gives you too much infromation to be historically accurate, but I can't resist the pretty pictures.
Thanks
CDR Resser

[shad43]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

One thing im going to start to work on, because its annoying me to no end, is the campaign game patrol assigments. The majority of which end up being summerized as patrol an area for 24 hours, and then send a status report, and wander over there. For about 90% of the missions i get, this is what they are. And after a couple years of playing SH3 with basicall the same form of assigments. (go to x place, and patro for y time), this is just DULL.

One of the greatest features of SH4 is the dnyamic assigments to make you do other things. Problem being, they arent assigned very often. Well, they will be soon. Ive looked at it, and it appears that i can script out what, when, where, for the entire length of the war. And im going to do just that, im going to script the entire war. Patrol one mission, supply the next, photo after then, then maybe pack to patrol or supply/commando insertions. Im going to emphasize the alternative missions, and put in less of the usual dull, "patrol here for x time" missions. Along with this im going to try and place the player where the major battles are happening, when they happen. No promises with this, as ive a gut feeling that the dates with the battle scripting is FUBAR'ed, and if i have to go back and fix the major battles, i'll probably just toss up my hands. It depends on how patient i am once i get most of the scripting done.

wow dude...thats quite a mouthfull yer bitin off there, I'll be curious to see how it
turns out, good luck and thanks for your efforts, they enrich the game for all of us

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by shad43

wow dude...thats quite a mouthfull yer bitin off there, I'll be curious to see how it
turns out, good luck and thanks for your efforts, they enrich the game for all of us

after a few hours of monkeying around ive come to how i think im going to implent it.

Now i could stagger the missions, but ive come up with a better idea. Using the dynamic missions a bit more, AND stagger some of the missions.

Missions in general come in two varieties. Those that can be completed while already at sea, and those that require you to have left port with something extra. Commando, spy, supplies.

So heres what ive decided im going to do:
-Group all commando/spy/supply insertions in a subgroup in the mission objectives cfg file.. For example "PhillipinesOPS" where as just "phillipines" will give you a patrol order.


-Stagger the ops missions somewhat.

- in the dynamic missions cfg theres some critera that has to be met before you get a mission. One of those is mission status. (completed, in progress, failed, etc). By default, EVERYTHING is set to where you ahve to have completed the primarly mission. THeres only about 16 total photo ops missions sperad out over about, i dunno 4 areas or so. So with patrol assigments to areas that have photo ops missions, ill set those to where you must have a secondary objective completed. Whle leaving the photo ops missions at "primary objective completed" this way, when the game decides to pull an assigment for those areas, it will chose the photo ops mission for that area over the patrol assigment; the patrol assigment for that area only given after having completed the photo. Its worth noting that if your not nearby the areas with photo missions, you wont receive them.


Took me awhile to figure this out, shoudlnt take too long to implent it.