[WIP] Lighthouses mod

Originally Posted by gap

mmm... it can't be that. Have you really tested the tga file that I have put in the 'spare icon' folder?

Yes Sir.

Originally Posted by gap

What I have understood is that the game scales the tga overlay, no matter what is its pixel resolution, to fit the same space on map.

Definitely not.

Originally Posted by gap

This is exactly what is happening with the tga file I have placed in the Locations folder of the last alpha, and with the one you yoursels have scaled to 20% of the original size, both of which you have tested yestarday.

No, in fact I didn't test your original tga, because I knew that it was far too big. Here is the definitive evidence, the pictures speaks for itself (in game icon with your original tga) :

Originally Posted by gap

Yesterday night I have been looking into the issue. Everything is apparently in order, but I will keep inspecting the files this afternnon.

Don't loose your precious time on that problem, i will see/test that myself. Keep going forward with 3D modelling, you're very good !

Originally Posted by gap

Yep, I had listened the same sound when I was looking for sound loops which might apply to our model, but I discardes it, because it is the sound of crashing waves, not realistic during fair weather. At the end I opted for the wave lapping sound already featured in SHIII with GWX (but I believe it is in stock game too): it would be audible during calm days, and it would be covered by the ambience sound of heavy waves when the weather is stormy. What do you think?

Mmh, I don't know. Maybe it's not the appropriate sound for this beacon, but sure it will be for bigger islands. On the video, the sea state is not stormy.

Originally Posted by gap

Whatever is your decision, can you please send me your tweaked and/or added files when you are satisfied with them, so I can keep working on up-to-date files?

Yes, of course. I will send you v.8 during the afternoon.

[gap]

Originally Posted by Kendras

Yes Sir.

Definitely not.

No, in fact I didn't test your original tga, because I knew that it was far too big. Here is the definitive evidence, the pictures speaks for itself (in game icon with your original tga)

Okay, that's an evidence

Since we are at it...

Originally Posted by Kendras

No problem.

About the light's icon, reducing its size by 50 % is still acceptable :



What do you think ?

50% relative to the tga version featured in the package I posted yesterday, and with text of unchanged size?
What about moving the text on the left size of the icon, so not to overlap the overaly used for the La Vielle lighthouse?

Originally Posted by Kendras

Don't loose your precious time on that problem, i will see/test that myself. Keep going forward with 3D modelling, you're very good !

Thanks. Today, I will post an update with a few tweaks, I think I am up to something. Should I fail again, I will leave the issue to you

Originally Posted by Kendras

Mmh, I don't know. Maybe it's not the appropriate sound for this beacon, but sure it will be for bigger islands. On the video, the sea state is not stormy.

But still it is wavy: I can see waves breaking against a large rocky coast. Believe me, that's not the kind of sound one would expect for gentle waves lapping against an isolated and streamlined obstacle in the middle of the sea. For the model we are currently working on, but also for biggers rocky shoals as the one of La Vieille, I see 'Submarine waves lap.wav' (in SHIII's Sound folder) more appropriate.
BTW, this same sound is used as SFX of both Maunsell forts featured in GWX

Originally Posted by Kendras

Yes, of course. I will send you v.8 during the afternoon.

...or v.9, depending who will be faster

Originally Posted by gap

50% relative to the tga version featured in the package I posted yesterday, and with text of unchanged size?

Exactly.

Originally Posted by gap

What about moving the text on the left size of the icon, so not to overlap the overaly used for the La Vielle lighthouse?

Yes, sure. And it's very easy to do. You just have to enlarge the tga, without changing the size of the icon.

Originally Posted by gap

I see 'Submarine waves lap.wav' (in SHIII's Sound folder) more appropriate.
BTW, this same sound is used as SFX of both Maunsell forts featured in GWX

I will try that.

[gap]

Originally Posted by Kendras

Exactly.

Originally Posted by Kendras

Yes, sure. And it's very easy to do. You just have to enlarge the tga, without changing the size of the icon.

No problem. I have the texture in psd format and in original quality. I will do the changes

Originally Posted by Kendras

I will try that.

Maybe try both sounds in game; from your tests, you can decide which one sounds more natural under different sea conditions

[gap]

So Kendras, my new update is ready:

https://www.mediafire.com/?159pcbzq3aqv3yj

Change log:

• I have added/removed from our files empty, unknown, start, end, index, eof chunks to reflect similar stock files. I don't think those chunks make a big difference, but you never know...
  
  
• Following the example provided by SHIII antisub nets, I have made the rock and base models in the library file child to two newly added col_* nodes with collision meshes linked to them. The placement nodes of the dummy rock, in the Terrain/Locations folder now point to these col_* nodes, rather than pointing directly to the visible models.
  Shouldn't that work, I will make one last attempt at fixing the collison of those mpdels, and I will set them as I would in SH5. If also this last attempt will fail, I swear I will leave the struggle to you, and I won't deal again with that controller in my life
  
  
• While digging into AntiSubNet.dat in SHIII's Library folder, I have noticed it got a Caustics controller, so I decided to restore back the controller in our files, but this time it is linked to the base model in the library file, not to the main lighthouse model.
  
  
• I have set all the WaterReflections controller per MLF settings. This should improve their look. If you or MLF want to further improve them, making them more "zigzagged", please go for it!
  
  
• I deleted the WaterReflection controller from the light effect as it made the game to CTD, but I have also made a copy of the file with the WaterReflection controller but without the RayTracedController one. This file was placed in a 'light reflection' subfolder of the main mod folder. Can you please test it, and tell us which version gives the best results.
  
  
• Lastly, I have edited the lighthouse icon as per our discussion of this afternoon. I hope you like it.

That's all I think. Sound settings are unchanged of course, I am waiting for your updates

Originally Posted by gap

So Kendras, my new update is ready

Originally Posted by gap

I am waiting for your updates

Sorry, I got very lazy this afternoon.

After testing sounds and collision solutions, I switched to the rockets mod, going on writting the readme, and searching for pics to illustrate it.

Back to our subject :

We need to add a new line into Sh3.sdl, even if the sound already exists. It must start with 'Land.' instead of 'Submarine.'. I don't like this sound very much, but it's still better than the ambient sound of buoys.

Originally Posted by gap

Change log:

• I have added/removed from our files empty, unknown, start, end, index, eof chunks to reflect similar stock files. I don't think those chunks make a big difference, but you never know...
• Following the example provided by SHIII antisub nets, I have made the rock and base models in the library file child to two newly added col_* nodes with collision meshes linked to them. The placement nodes of the dummy rock, in the Terrain/Locations folder now point to these col_* nodes, rather than pointing directly to the visible models.
  Shouldn't that work, I will make one last attempt at fixing the collison of those mpdels, and I will set them as I would in SH5. If also this last attempt will fail, I swear I will leave the struggle to you, and I won't deal again with that controller in my life
• While digging into AntiSubNet.dat in SHIII's Library folder, I have noticed it got a Caustics controller, so I decided to restore back the controller in our files, but this time it is linked to the base model in the library file, not to the main lighthouse model.

It seems that it's working. I hit something, but what ?

 

Originally Posted by gap

• I have set all the WaterReflections controller per MLF settings. This should improve their look. If you or MLF want to further improve them, making them more "zigzagged", please go for it!
• I deleted the WaterReflection controller from the light effect as it made the game to CTD, but I have also made a copy of the file with the WaterReflection controller but without the RayTracedController one. This file was placed in a 'light reflection' subfolder of the main mod folder. Can you please test it, and tell us which version gives the best results.

I can't check that. My laptop's graphics card doesn't render reflections correctly.

Originally Posted by gap

• Lastly, I have edited the lighthouse icon as per our discussion of this afternoon. I hope you like it.

Yeah, perfect :

 

[gap]

Originally Posted by Kendras

Sorry, I got very lazy this afternoon.

After testing sounds and collision solutions, I switched to the rockets mod, going on writting the readme, and searching for pics to illustrate it.

No problem. BTW: did you ever manage making rockets to disappear from the racks once they are fired?

Originally Posted by Kendras

We need to add a new line into Sh3.sdl, even if the sound already exists. It must start with 'Land.' instead of 'Submarine.'.

You are right, I didn't think about it! For maximum compatibility, I didn't want to add a new entry to Sh3.sdl, because many mods alter it, but since there's no other way...

Originally Posted by Kendras

I don't like this sound very much, but it's still better than the ambient sound of buoys.

I can help you looking for a better sound... or do you still prefer the crashing wave sound?

Originally Posted by Kendras

It seems that it's working. I hit something, but what ?

 

no model?
Hopefully I made an obvious mistake. The concrete base is set as the rock, and it is still rendered. BTW: did you try hitting it too?

Originally Posted by Kendras

I can't check that. My laptop's graphics card doesn't render reflections correctly.

Okay, maybe when we have everything more or less ready, we can pre-release the package as a single mission, so people can test it and report back with their impressions/suggestions.

BTW: what is exactly the advantage of adding the RayTracedHalo to the light particle effect?

Originally Posted by Kendras

Yeah, perfect :