SH3Cmdr rank, gramaphone

[Phyakrut]

I just ran SH3Cmdr for the first time but when I launch a new career it shows my rank as "SH3Cmdr Error!". Is this a bug or did I set up the career incorrectly please?

Also, the gramaphone doesn't seem to work now - I looked in the SH3Cmdr files and it looks like there are tracks that are supposed to play on certain dates, the first one on 1 Sept 39 but all I get is the sound of a record which has come to the end. Any help please?

[JScones]

Have you read the SH3Cmdr FAQ? This problem is covered.

[Phyakrut]

Doh!

Sorry I'd skimmed the FAQs but not properly. Deleted the shortcut I copied to desktop and all is fine now.

At the risk of making an ass of myself though, just a couple more questions about the gramophone. If I select Random Gramophone in SH3Cmdr will mean that the broadcasts won't play on the dates that they are supposed to? Also I found this great source of Churchill speeches

http://www.earthstation1.com/wcwwii.html

Can I create more folders in the Dates folder in SH3Cmdr and have the speeches play on the proper date e.g. 19391112.....Data.....Sound.....Gramophone (then copy speech to there)?

I just started playing SH3 two days ago and there's so much in it and these forums to get my head around ...... I'll try to a bit harder to find answers myself before posting next time

[HW3]

At the risk of giving bad information, I believe the random means that the files that have been loaded into the gramophone folder at the start of the game, will play in a random order. For the Churchill speaches, I think all you would have to do is copy the speach to the gramophone folder inside the date folder already in commander. I do not think any sub folders inside the gramophone folders would work properly.

[Phyakrut]

Thanks HW. I suppose what I really need to know now is whether I can simply add folders to the Dates folder in SH3Cmdr or whether I will will have to drop the speeches etc into the existing folders.

[JScones]

Originally Posted by Phyakrut

If I select Random Gramophone in SH3Cmdr will mean that the broadcasts won't play on the dates that they are supposed to?

HW3 is correct. Let's say you have 12 tunes in your gramophone folder. By default they will always play in the exact same alphabetical order. "Randomise gramophone" simply renames the files by prefixing with a three digit number so that the files play in different orders each time. The original file names are restored when pressing the "Rollback SH3" button.

Originally Posted by Phyakrut

Can I create more folders in the Dates folder in SH3Cmdr and have the speeches play on the proper date e.g. 19391112.....Data.....Sound.....Gramophone (then copy speech to there)?

Absolutely. But note:
-each speech must have the same file name so that the most recent one is always copied into the game.
-files are copied into SH3 when you press "Launch SH3!" based on the next patrol start date. So, if your next patrol starts on 1 April, files up to and including that date will be copied into the game. So, don't expect to hear the speech only on the date that you save it to. You will hear it throughout the duration of your patrol, or until you restart SH3 with SH3Cmdr (think of it as "Pay Radio"). And also, files are not copied into the game whilst you are on patrol, so you will not hear that 3 April speech until the next patrol.

[Phyakrut]

Much appreciated JScones, that makes a lot of sense. I guess I can get round things by anticipating how long the patrol will take, put that 3 April broadcast in the 1 April folder and just skip over it for the first couple of days.

I will try this again right now, I think I might have some problems with the date broadcasts getting lost amongst the music I put in SH3s Gramophone folder, especially if I set them to random order but I'll play around and see what I can do.

Wow, I've just spent virtually the whole weekend learning just the basics of the game (on full realism) and being introduced to modding games ...... not sure whether to laugh or cry