Destroyers unable to detect boat above 8x time compression?

[Professor M]

Originally Posted by John Pancoast

;----------------------------------------------------------------------------------RANDOMIZED HYDROPHONE NOISE LEVEL
[0:data\cfg\sim.cfg]
;lower number equals more noise can be heard by the escort.
ChooseFrom=5
RndMidPat=1

0_Hydrophone|Noise factor=0.4

1_Hydrophone|Noise factor=0.3

2_Hydrophone|Noise factor=0.2

Thanks for the reply and the detailed description of how to make the mod and why it works.



If I understand you correctly, I just copy and paste the above into the 'Randomised Events' file and Commander selects a value at random (each time the game is started) during the whole war. If so, does it take into account improvements in the technology over time/with model upgrades to ships' hydrophone?



If not, Fifi's suggestion sounds interesting. though I have not dipped into the date folders as yet, it seems simple enough.

[Professor M]

Originally Posted by Fifi

You also could use Cmdr Date folder feature to avoid the random matter...so at a certain date ingame, escorts could hear you better...by making new SIM.cfg file with desired value, and dropping it in any date you want?

Thanks, Fifi, this sounds interesting. if you have used this feature, would you mind explaining the folder/file format. In: Silent Hunter III/SH3 Commander/Random I see 5 folders 0-4 (and a note saying that more can be added). Does one just rename the numbered folder with the date (that the changes take place) or the 'Date' folder within the numbered folder, if that makes sense?

[Fifi]

Originally Posted by Professor M

Thanks, Fifi, this sounds interesting. if you have used this feature, would you mind explaining the folder/file format. In: Silent Hunter III/SH3 Commander/Random I see 5 folders 0-4 (and a note saying that more can be added). Does one just rename the numbered folder with the date (that the changes take place) or the 'Date' folder within the numbered folder, if that makes sense?

No, if you open in Cmdr the Date folder, you will find inside many folder with dates as names.
You can select one existing, or create new one with new date (respecting dates writing)
Inside, you can put your new SIM.cfg file, again respecting the correct path to it.
(Ie 19430103/data/Cfg/your new sim file)
When you will reach the date ingame, your Cmdr will load the new SIM file.

Hope you understand what i try to explain

On side note, you can put any game file modified in the dates folder!
Not only SIM file, but new skins, new radio tracks etc...so it will appear at certain dates of your choice.

[Professor M]

Yes, Fifi, I understand. I will give that a go. That way I can take John's suggestions about sensitivity and noise factor and increase the detection ability as time progresses.



I also like the random suggestion because not all operators were the same and the equipment varied with model and calibration etc.


Thank you both for your help on this. Now I have to try and work out what levels are correct and dates to introduce them.

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by Fifi

You also could use Cmdr Date folder feature to avoid the random matter...so at a certain date ingame, escorts could hear you better...by making new SIM.cfg file with desired value, and dropping it in any date you want?

Yes but the game/megamods already do that (outside of Commander) to reflect the newer/better historical equipment.
I'm just trying to make the escorts less dumb as bricks per patrol via the above while still having an unknown ability factor to it via the range of values to pick from.
In general, the Randomization feature is much more powerful/provides more options than the Date option.

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by Professor M

Thanks for the reply and the detailed description of how to make the mod and why it works.



If I understand you correctly, I just copy and paste the above into the 'Randomised Events' file and Commander selects a value at random (each time the game is started) during the whole war. If so, does it take into account improvements in the technology over time/with model upgrades to ships' hydrophone?



If not, Fifi's suggestion sounds interesting. though I have not dipped into the date folders as yet, it seems simple enough.

Correct; just copy/paste into the RE file and also correct it is accessed each time the game is started. Be sure to number the sections in Commander correctly otherwise they won't be accessed.
I.e., note the "0" in the section heading: [0:data\cfg\sim.cfg]. These must be in order so the next section would have to be changed to 1, the next would be 2, etc.
This only needs to be done until the [Malx] sections are reached as they are a different function of the file.
Speaking of which, unless your install includes modified files for the sabotage and malfunction parts of this file, the Commander sabotage & malfunction option will not work correctly and could cause problems as the hex locations in the sabotage & malfunction sections included with Commander are for 1.4b only.
Many mods/megamods change the hex values hence the reason some provide updated Commander Randomized events files.

Yes to the equipment question; that is handled separately by the game outside of Commander.

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by Professor M

Yes, Fifi, I understand. I will give that a go. That way I can take John's suggestions about sensitivity and noise factor and increase the detection ability as time progresses.



I also like the random suggestion because not all operators were the same and the equipment varied with model and calibration etc.


Thank you both for your help on this. Now I have to try and work out what levels are correct and dates to introduce them.

Exactly.

[Fifi]

Originally Posted by John Pancoast

Ok, what you want to work with is the Randomized Events.cfg file found in path SH3 Commander\cfg.
You add whatever you want to happen to this file. I.e., here is my entry for the noise level setting of the GWX sim.cfg file. "Stock" GWX setting for this aspect is 0.5:


;----------------------------------------------------------------------------------RANDOMIZED HYDROPHONE NOISE LEVEL
[0:data\cfg\sim.cfg]
;lower number equals more noise can be heard by the escort.
ChooseFrom=5
RndMidPat=1

0_Hydrophone|Noise factor=0.4

1_Hydrophone|Noise factor=0.3

2_Hydrophone|Noise factor=0.2


***See this section repeated below for explanation of various parts of it.***



;----------------------------------------------------------------------------------RANDOMIZED HYDROPHONE NOISE LEVEL < - this is just the title of the Randomized events section.
[0:data\cfg\sim.cfg] < - this is the path to the file you want to work with.
;lower number equals more noise can be heard by the escort. < - this is just a comment line explaining what is being done.
ChooseFrom=5 < - this tells Commander to choose from one of five entries; the three I added below and then the "stock" GWX value for the other two choices. Since the last two choices are just using the "stock" GWX value there is no need to list them here; they're already listed in the sim.cfg file, i.e. Only need to add values NOT in the file you're working with.
Since the setting here is 5, Commander chooses from 5 possibilities. Since I added three other options, that means there is a 60% chance of Commander using ONE of the lines below (3 divided by 5) and a 40% chance it used the "stock" GWX value (2 divided by 5, 100% - 60%, etc.) If say i.e., this number was 15 vs. 5, then there would be a 20% chance of one of the three values below being chosen; 3 is 1/5 of 15 = 20%. You can use whatever value you want.
RndMidPat=1< - this tells Commander to choose a value each time the game starts. So if you're on patrol, save and exit, the next time you start the game it chooses a value again. It may be the same, may be not. Without this option, upon restarting Commander would always just use the "stock" value of 0.5

0_Hydrophone|Noise factor=0.4 < - this line and the next two lines are the changed values I want to use for the section "Hydrophone" line "Noise factor" in the sim.cfg file.

1_Hydrophone|Noise factor=0.3

2_Hydrophone|Noise factor=0.2


Hope this helps/makes sense. Much of what I wrote is explained at the top of the Randomized events file.
Let me know of any questions you have.

That is a very good find John
I’m adding it to both my Cmdr of Ccom & LSH3

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by Fifi

That is a very good find John
I’m adding it to both my Cmdr of Ccom & LSH3

I'm just doing my version of hard RE file work originally done by others, i.e., Hemisent. He gets the credit for all that other work in the RE file which gave me the idea.
It'd be even better if these values could change on the fly while in-patrol but thats not the case and what Commander does allow is still outstanding.
One can randomize/change basically anything with this file.
But thanks FiFi !