[TEC] External cargo in SH5

[gap]

Just realized that some objects in ship_cargo.GR2 are not set in CargoDef.cfg. They are:

jeep1
Firetruck
Willis

Also note that the Willys MB Jeep is missing its textures. It could be that it didn't get any texture assigned, or that its meshes are missing UV mapping at all

[gap]

Originally Posted by gap

Also note that the Willys MB Jeep is missing its textures. It could be that it didn't get any texture assigned, or that its meshes are missing UV mapping at all

Okay, I had a closer look into the MB Jeep. It is UV mapped, and texture is assigned in the GR2 file. There is just one problem: the texture file that was supposed to be mapped on the meshes, is missing from the texture folder... yet another blunder by devs

Now it is a matter of rebuilding the texture starting from the UV mapping...

[Fifi]

Might sound stupid, but is the Willis really needed?...tanks and trucks are already nice

[Rongel]

Just realized that some objects in ship_cargo.GR2 are not set in CargoDef.cfg. They are:

jeep1
Firetruck
Willis

I did a test and added these to the cargodef.cfg as new entries, like this:

[CargoEntry 14]
NodeName=Jeep
LinkName=jeep1
StartDate=19380101
EndDate=19451231
CargoType=0

[CargoEntry 15]
NodeName=Firetruck
LinkName=Firetruck
StartDate=19380101
EndDate=19451231
CargoType=0

And it worked! I could select them from the mission editor, and they appeared in game also. Yep, the jeep is missing textures, and the Willis-car could maybe use better textures, looks a bit ugly to me. But I don't know anything about the UV-stuff (and I don't want to know ).

I did another test as well, I think the most important test so far. I modded the Coastal Waters campaign, so that all the random traffic cargo ships have some external cargo. I added k-nodes to HogIsland ships and started a new campaign. While patrolling near Poland I met this one HogIslander, and yes it had external cargo! So this is a random ship, I haven't placed manually any cargo to it.



Everything seems to work so far!

[volodya61]

Originally Posted by Rongel

...Everything seems to work so far!

Well done

So, now we just need Trevally to make ​​changes to the campaign and put the edited .cfg and ship files to the mod

[Rongel]

Originally Posted by volodya61

Well done

So, now we just need Trevally to make ​​changes to the campaign and put the edited .cfg and ship files to the mod

Thanks! Yes, this needs some work before it can be released as a mod. I have now added missing nodes to three ships, it's a lot of work to get the nodes in just right position in GR2 editor. The way I have done it is to clone existing cfg-node, rename it and the start to edit it's position. Any better ideas for this, or is it the right way to do it? Maybe I'll release custom mission with the cargo stuff, so people can comment.

But help would be nice, especially with editing the campaign (Trevally??), or adding missing zones (boxes and spheres) to the cargo.zon file. Any brave volunteers?

[gap]

Originally Posted by Fifi

Might sound stupid, but is the Willis really needed?...tanks and trucks are already nice

No, not really, but being the iconic WWII Jeep, I thought that the Willys deserved a better treatment in game.
Here is a view of it with its brand-new textures:

Originally Posted by Rongel

I did a test and added these to the cargodef.cfg as new entries

...

And it worked! I could select them from the mission editor, and they appeared in game also.

After seeing the cfg file that you pointed out to me yesterday, I was almost sure that adding new cargo types was going to be possible. Who knows why devs left those cars out

Since we are at it, what do you think about some totally new cargo models? I was thinking about an assortment of barrels and sacks. I have found some good royalty-free meshes on the web. I could try combining them and putting them in a dat file for you to test them in game, if you agree.

Originally Posted by Rongel

Yep, the jeep is missing textures, and the Willis-car could maybe use better textures, looks a bit ugly to me. But I don't know anything about the UV-stuff (and I don't want to know ).

Here is the new Willys texture that I was mentioning before:

http://www.mediafire.com/?lmjaiazbpg8k2p9

Dropping it in the Textures/TNormal/tex folder is enough. As for the other Jeep that you are mentioning, I think you meant the one called "jeep1". If you tell me what is wrong with its texture, I can try improving it

Originally Posted by Rongel

I did another test as well, I think the most important test so far. I modded the Coastal Waters campaign, so that all the random traffic cargo ships have some external cargo. I added k-nodes to HogIsland ships and started a new campaign. While patrolling near Poland I met this one HogIslander, and yes it had external cargo! So this is a random ship, I haven't placed manually any cargo to it.

Everything seems to work so far!

Originally Posted by Rongel

I have now added missing nodes to three ships, it's a lot of work to get the nodes in just right position in GR2 editor. The way I have done it is to clone existing cfg-node, rename it and the start to edit it's position. Any better ideas for this, or is it the right way to do it?

Basically yes.

I have just one suggestion: when you are adding K bones to multiple hull ships, check that the parent object of the recently added bones is the appropriate hull part.

Originally Posted by Rongel

But help would be nice, especially with editing the campaign (Trevally??), or adding missing zones (boxes and spheres) to the cargo.zon file. Any brave volunteers?

I can help with zon files.

[volodya61]

Originally Posted by Rongel

...But help would be nice, especially with editing the campaign (Trevally??), or adding missing zones (boxes and spheres) to the cargo.zon file. Any brave volunteers?

If I can help, just tell me exactly what to do