New Interface for Uboats

[makman94]

hello Karamazovnew,

wonderfull info stuff you showed us here !!

i think that sh4's gui moders should start working on these new data you discover ....maybe we will see , at last , the u-jagd tools in sh4 !!

good job !

[karamazovnew]

Originally Posted by makman94

hello Karamazovnew,

wonderfull info stuff you showed us here !!

i think that sh4's gui moders should start working on these new data you discover ....maybe we will see , at last , the u-jagd tools in sh4 !!

good job !

Hey Mak . Well, You don't need to wait too much, I've done it for you. Since I don't have acces to a computer that can play SH4, I've done the following from imagination. I need you to test it for me, if it works, then you'll have your U-jagd.... I'm assuming you don't have a resolution of 1024/768, otherwise it would just be silly. If you can, please test all directly on a 16:9 resolution, the higher the better.

First, Download Mikhayl's AOBF: http://www.mediafire.com/?xbn9xydc2jl
his thread is here: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=135184

Use it first as it is to see how it works. I'll tell you because I've already analysed the Menu.ini file. The AOBF is made up of 2 items, the inner and outer dials (0x26030012 and 0x26030013) parrented to the AOB menu group (0x260E0000) which holds the elements from the AOB input dial, and is in turn parented to the AOB page (0x260C0000). This page is hardcoded to appear when you click the AOB text on the notepad. That means that
- to make the AOBF appear, you must click on the AOB text
- if you close the notepad from it's handle, the AOBF will move to the right, but will not dissapear.
- you can use both items at the same time, which allows you to still enter the AOB through the notepad.
Please test all of these behaviors.

Now, open the Menu_1024_768.ini files and let's make some changes to the G26 page (the attack periscope page). Let me explain what we'll do, you don't need to understand this part, but it would help. You'll probably get it after you make the changes. There is a catch to centering the AOBF on the screen for all resolutions. A simple way would be to parent the 2 items to the main periscope page, but that will make it always visible, and we don't want that. It's parents must remain the same, BUT, as I have said in my post, for an item to be centered in the screen, it must be centered on it's parent which must act as the screen, it must already be centered on the screen and have an aspect ratio of 4:3 (or simpler, it must have 1024/768 for size, and a SCALE of 2 and PIVOT of 1). The AOB menu group (0x260E0000), the primary parent of the AOBF is just an intermediary parent, not needed, but let's ignore that for now. It's the main AOB page that holds all of the items. It's the page that appears when you click the AOB text. This MUST be our "screen". But it's already parented to the notepad. No problem, we can break that link and parent it directly to the screen. So... do a search for the green text and cpopy my red lines over the original text. Got it?

[G26 I89]
Name=Angle on bow
Type=1026;Menu group
ItemID=0x260C0000
ParentID=0x26000000
Pos=0,0,1024,768
Zone= 0 768 1024 768 2 1 0x26000000 0.5 -0.5 0x260C0000 -0.5 0.5 0 0
Color=0xFFFFFFFF

Now the AOB menu page will fill the entire screen, regardless of resolution. It is invisible, but if you start the game now, you'll see all of the items of that page all around your screen (again, you're not using 1024/768 resolution right?!). However, please note that altough, the page is now parented to the main periscope menu group, it still only appears when you click the AOB text on the notepad.
Let's do the same thing to the 0x260E0000 item, that is the direct parent of the AOBF (we could ignore it and change the parent of the AOBF, but...some other time).

[G26 I92]
Name=AOB
Type=1026;Menu group
ItemID=0x260E0000
ParentID=0x260C0000
Pos=0,0,1024,768
Zone= 0 768 1024 768 2 1 0x260C0000 0.5 -0.5 0x260E0000 -0.5 0.5 0 0
Color=0xFFFFFFFF

As you see, I've put a SCALE of 2 for these items. If you go back to the game, now you'll see the temp AOB dial all screwy too. I guess it's time to move all of these screwy items out of the way. For the following items, simply move them out of the screen by inputing a value of 2000 for their X offset (you could also comment out their Zone lines, but if they are parented in any way, it will cause a CTD, changing the offset is much safer):

[G26 I90]
[G26 I91]
[G26 I93]
[G26 I94]
[G26 I95]
[G26 I96]
[G26 I97]

for example:
[G26 I90]
Name=Angle on bow val
Type=1029;Static text
ItemID=0x260C0053
ParentID=0x260C0000
Pos=190,-212,70,16
Zone= 929 527 70 16 0 1 0x260C0000 0.655172 -0.768116 0x260C0053 0 0 2000 0
Color=0x111111FF
Font=5
Text=0
TextFlags=0x6

This will move all of these items out of the screen. Now let's deal with the AOBF itself, it's waaay down at the bottom of the periscope page. Since it will need to always fill up the hole in the background, it must behave like it too. The background item has a SCALE of 5, so we'll use it like that. We also need to center the items on the screen. Also, since Mikhayl didn't imagine that someone would try to mess up with the resolution, he made the outer dial with a display factor of 0. Even if we make the menu group behave right, the image file itself will not be scaled, so let's make sure we correct that too, by giving it a linear display type.

[G26 I150]
Name=AOBF Inner Disc
Type=1031;Stat bmp array
ItemID=0x26030012
ParentID=0x260E0000
Pos=231,-103,562,562
Zone= 231 665 562 562 5 1 0x260E0000 0.5 -0.5 0x26030012 -0.5 0.5 0 0
Materials=1
Display=5;Linear&rotation
Mat 0=data/menu/OLC/AOBFInnerDisc.tga
MatFlags=0x29
TexFmt=0x9

[G26 I151]
Name=AOBF Outer Disc
Type=1031;Stat bmp array
ItemID=0x26030013
ParentID=0x260E0000
Pos=231,-103,562,562
Zone= 231 665 562 562 5 1 0x260E0000 0.5 -0.5 0x26030013 -0.5 0.5 0 0
Materials=1
Display=2
Mat 0=data/menu/OLC/AOBFOuterDisc.tga
MatFlags=0x29
TexFmt=0x9
BmpState=1

All done. What you should now have is:
- when you click the AOB text on the notepad, the AOBF appears in the center of the screen, scaled, regardless of resolution. GOOD
- if you "close" the notepad by clicking on it's handle, while the AOBF is visible, the AOBF stays where it is, in the center of the screen. GOOD.
- if you want to close the AOBF, you must click the Cancel or Accept buttons on the notepad, just as before. Again, GOOD
- if you want to enter AOB through the notepad, you can't, because we've moved that out of the screen. BAD, but i guess you can live with that.

Now again, this was all done mentally, based on my rules. If they are correct, it should work as described. Please test this, as I am unable. Here's the modified file, just in case you have problems, simply copy it over Mikhayl's mod. http://www.filefront.com/14372713/menu_1024_768.ini

PS: btw, remember to change resolutions, all should work just fine. And try to enter a US sub. You'll see that it is completely unchanged, since all of the new items have been parented to ID's which are not used in the US interface. And for the love of god, if you reply to this message, pleeeeaaaase don't quote it, it's huge!!!!

[makman94]

hello Karamazovnew,

just a small question : your new interface is building based on OM or in stock 1.5 ??

ps: looking forward to see your mod !

[lurker_hlb3]

Originally Posted by makman94

hello Karamazovnew,

just a small question : your new interface is building based on OM or in stock 1.5 ??

ps: looking forward to see your mod !

None of files used in this mod conflict with OM, however if you add OMEGU then you have major conflicts that would require some serious integration to get it to work.

[Hitman]

This is excellent knowledge

Unfortunately, the modding of it is still too complicated for me. Otherwise I would have already ported my optics mod to SH4, and that is still the main drawback I have about using the U-Boats in SH4, I hate to target without my TDC near the scope and the ability to input all data there

SolBearing dial: You'll love this one. I've linked the ConningPeriscope cam to the periscope shaft and I've linked that to the SOlBearing dial (after exporting and reimporting to change the bloody Y axis ofc). In short every 3d object can be made into a dial and it will rotate around it's Y axis. So now, when you move the periscope the entire periscope moves, and if you go to that camera you're still sitting on the small chair . It looks awesome, as you can see the bearing of the periscope by looking up at the static part. But there's a problem. This only works when autoupdate is on. I've tried to find the values of the actual periscope bearings, unlinked, but I can't find them. Even in the 2d interface, the actual bearings that appear are not linked to a dial but hardcoded by id. Have I overlooked a detail? There should be 2 values, one for the attack periscope, and one for the obs one, actually the rotation of the cameras. And to make matters workse, I'd like to have the Obs periscope completely unlinked from the TDC. If someone can help me with this, I'll also be able to make small dials (semi transparent cones) showing the field of view of the periscope instead of the unrealistic bearings. Would be great so see these in the Binocular view too.

Any chance that this all would also work in SH3, specially what I just quoted above??

[karamazovnew]

Yeap, just try it, it only takes a couple of minutes, too bad the periscope object has it's Y axis missplaced. All dials rotate on their Y axis. So you'll have to export the object in MAX, rotate it's pivot and reimport. Then break all children, rotate, and relink all children.
The new interface is coming along well. I'm still working in Maya in my very small free time on my main pc. The dials look superb, but I will have to remake all the 2D dial dds's at 2 times resolution for it to look ok. I guess that in about a week I'll have the first screenshots. Here's the main outline:

There will be no indication of TDC autoupdate on/off. Unless someone can show me how to do it, the SH4 limitation is at the moment impossible to break. There will be a TDC Autoupdate switch on the main menu bar on the periscope page, and I'll link it to the Enter button. Also no indication of which torps are selected, no clickable torp Buttons. You will need to use the torp switch dial. Okok, maybe I'll put some small bulbs to light up under the torp number label if the torp is selected.

Attack Scope
- on the right, the draggable TDC (Up) with 4 dials and AOBF (down). The AOBF will actually be doubled, one will be manual, the other linked to the stadimeter (IF, i can make the proper dial relation).
- on the left, all torpedo dials and switches (altough there is absolutely no way to indicate which torps are FAT and which not, but the dials will be there)

Obs Scope
- on the right, TDC up and Attack disk (with both faces) automated as much as possible, bearing wedge linked to bearing dial, outer dial linked to inverse course etc.
- same torps dials

Uzo
- TDC but no attack disk or AOBF, maybe some chart or small recognition manual as in ACM
- same torp dials

Screenies coming as soon as I finish the Maya part .

[karamazovnew]

Originally Posted by lurker_hlb3

None of files used in this mod conflict with OM, however if you add OMEGU then you have major conflicts that would require some serious integration to get it to work.

Why would anyone play Uboats without the latest version of your mod?
I will start from the OMEGU files. The integration is easier that it looks, I just need to remove the FLBsales torp dial. I'll take one screen at a time, no need to hurry now...

[lurker_hlb3]

Originally Posted by karamazovnew

Why would anyone play Uboats without the latest version of your mod?
I will start from the OMEGU files. The integration is easier that it looks, I just need to remove the FLBsales torp dial. I'll take one screen at a time, no need to hurry now...

If you don't mind I would like to do the integration myself. Currently in the process of doing a number of changes to OM and OMEGU that would require you to do it all over again after release.

[makman94]

@Karamazovnew : for sure,this will be the best mod ever made for sh4 !

give us some pics when you are ready !

[lurker_hlb3]

Originally Posted by karamazovnew

Why would anyone play Uboats without the latest version of your mod?
I will start from the OMEGU files. The integration is easier that it looks, I just need to remove the FLBs ales torp dial. I'll take one screen at a time, no need to hurry now...

integrated it into my RC1 version of OMEGU v210, as you can see I was able to keep FLBs torp dials

[karamazovnew]

Was that made with my menu file info? coool BTW, you've forgot to move a few items, I can still see the Angle on Bow text. Check out the steps up, I've made a perfect version but I'm not home to send it to you
One thing we'll really need is having the ship lengths in the manual for the fixed wire method. I've already made a mod for TMO that changed the max speed String into a length value. It's here and also has tables for the ships in TMO as an excel chart. I could play without any issues so the technique is safe http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=153143. Actually a better string would be for example "MaxSpeed= 155 Max 35kts". Should fit inside the manual.
The AOBF is useless without ship lengths so, until I finish my bloody interface (which will have a very different AOBF) maybe you can merge this idea to into OM. Would save me a whole bunch of time

[ChopSuey1981]

Respect for that Kind of Mod.. but i may ask you how i can deactivate this Mod...in Omegu... its a little bit too confusing for me!`?

[Claves_Mortis]

Hi there,
I did use your KiUB mod for a while on Operation Monsun now and I am loving the wheely-thing to calculate range, AoB and target speed (don't know the english term for it).

Now I've got following question:
Is there a version of this mod usable with Trigger Maru Overhauled 2.5 instead of OM or do you know of a mod with the same usage for TMO? I did look for some in this forum and in google but could only find something similar for SH3
Looking for something withou knowing the name for it isn't a big help neither ~~~

Best and thanks for a great mod anyway!
CM