[TEC] SH5.exe patches to fix bugs and add functionality

[Fifi]

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

would there be any use/benefit from running electric engines instead of the diesels on the surface

Only benefit could be to run electrics together with diesels for short speed boost (at least it's said in the loading screens - don't know if it is true)

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by Fifi

Only benefit could be to run electrics together with diesels for short speed boost (at least it's said in the loading screens - don't know if it is true)

Unfortunately the way they (devs) coded the engines it's either diesels or electrics - can't do both I was hoping to be able to implement this but it's not going to be possible.

Still might implement letting player decide to use electrics on the surface though Could be useful when diesels are damaged or

[THE_MASK]

You mentioned something about making it harder to raid enemy ports . Say i blow up a ship . It would be good if the chance was 100% alert nearby units . But 75% by ship or 25% by plane if nearby units in port .

[Fifi]

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

Still might implement letting player decide to use electrics on the surface though Could be useful when diesels are damaged or

In real, i think they could run electrics on surface, so why not have this ingame?
Furthermore, could be helpfull when running out of diesel close to harbor......and of course if diesel are damaged!

[gap]

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

ED = random (MinEF, MaxEF); will be modified for range as before.

I wonder what this random function used for explosive damage calculation looks like

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

k = 0.2 – subject to change
x = random (-k;+k)
Pen = AP * [1 + x]
Pen > = A results in penetration

I suppose that the "k" constant in the above formula is the Penetration Threshold global parameter (Zones.cfg). Curiously, it looks like SH4 used a slightly more complicated penetration formula than SH5:

Armor Penetration = (random number between 1-PT and 1+PT)*Shell AP + HP/ALF where
PT = Penetration Threshold. This is defined in the zones.cfg in the [Global Params] section and is 20% for RFB
Shell AP = the shell AP setting in the AmmoDamageInfo controller of the shells.ZON
HP = a random number between the minimum and maximum HP setting in the AmmoDamageInfo controller of the shells.ZON
ALF = Armor Leveling Factor. This is defined in the zones.cfg in the [Global Params] section and is 4 for RFB

source:
http://forum.kickinbak.com/viewtopic...&t=1378#p15344

If we have to believe the above source, a random number between Min and Max effect (from shell's sim file settings) is divided by the Armor Level Factor (Zones.cfg) and added to shell's AP, for penetration calculation. Apparently, in SH5 this formula has been splitted in two parts:

• direct impact damage: only AP and Penetration Threshold are considered for armor penetration (Pen = AP * [1 + random (-k;+k)])
  
• blast damage: only ED (i.e. a random function of shell's Min/Max effect and range) and a factor "4", are considered for armor penetration (Pen = ED / 4)

Based on the SH4 frormula, I suspect that this "4" factor mentioned by Dan is coming from the Armor Level Factor

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

Unfortunately the way they (devs) coded the engines it's either diesels or electrics - can't do both I was hoping to be able to implement this but it's not going to be possible.

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

Still might implement letting player decide to use electrics on the surface though Could be useful when diesels are damaged or

Yes indeed and it would come in handy also when we are running short of fuel.

Talking about it, please note that on surface electric engine's output should be similar to the one of diesel propulsion (i.e. identical rpm/speed gradient)
I hope that you can mimic this fact in game.

[tonschk]

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

Still might implement letting player decide to use electrics on the surface though Could be useful when diesels are damaged or

[Gryffon300]

Sorry if this is not the way to do it, but I have a request/suggestion. Your excellent "Unit damage from smoke and/or fires" mod that is usable now for SH 3, 4 and 5, is largely unknown over in SH 4 (especially among newer players), because there is neither a thread about it in the Mods workshop, nor is it uploaded to the Gameplay mods for SH 4 (or 3? - I haven't looked).

If its not a total pain, do you think you could maybe put a thread or arrange to have it uploaded to the appropriate download spots?

Just a suggestion - I think more SH 4 players should know about your excellent work.

Thanks

Respect

Gryffon.

[TheDarkWraith]

I rewrote the broken hydrophone patch because my knowledge has grown of the game Pointers that I had no idea what they were before I now know. This has finally led me to figure out why the hydrophone was really broken: it's because the pointer comparing going on isn't correct. The game code was comparing the contact the hydro needle has to a list of possible contacts. This is good. What isn't good is the pointer they are using for the contacts (from the list of possible contacts). They need to go 2 levels up (parent of parent) of the contact then do the comparison.

With the new broken hydrophone patch you will not see unknown when the hydro needle is pointing at the rear of the sub anymore Furthermore I now know why subs are never shown in the hydro box's Type. I plan on letting subs be able to be detected on hydro station also now

[volodya61]

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

I rewrote the broken hydrophone patch because my knowledge has grown of the game Pointers that I had no idea what they were before I now know. This has finally led me to figure out why the hydrophone was really broken: it's because the pointer comparing going on isn't correct. The game code was comparing the contact the hydro needle has to a list of possible contacts. This is good. What isn't good is the pointer they are using for the contacts (from the list of possible contacts). They need to go 2 levels up (parent of parent) of the contact then do the comparison.

With the new broken hydrophone patch you will not see unknown when the hydro needle is pointing at the rear of the sub anymore Furthermore I now know why subs are never shown in the hydro box's Type. I plan on letting subs be able to be detected on hydro station also now

Great news, TDW

[Fifi]

Originally Posted by volodya61

Great news, TDW

Yes! I agree!
A real chance for us he is here

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by gap

Yes indeed and it would come in handy also when we are running short of fuel.

Talking about it, please note that on surface electric engine's output should be similar to the one of diesel propulsion (i.e. identical rpm/speed gradient)
I hope that you can mimic this fact in game.

Code for letting you choose to run electric engines on the surface has been added to SHSim It works great. Once the electric engines are engaged on the surface the diesels shutdown, their animation stops, diesels sound stops and electric engines noise is heard

Now just have to add a new command to the game (sh5.exe) so you can 'ask' for electric engines when surfaced.

The electric engine's ratios will be that for the electric engines. You are running electric engines if you ask for them. I don't see how the electric engines ratios should be the diesels when surfaced.

[gap]

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

Code for letting you choose to run electric engines on the surface has been added to SHSim

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

The electric engine's ratios will be that for the electric engines. You are running electric engines if you ask for them. I don't see how the electric engines ratios should be the diesels when surfaced.

You misunderstood my previous post. Engine ratios for electric propulsion shouldn't change from underwater to surface, indeed. What should change on surface is the gradient of the rpm/speed graph. Look at the below graph, which was drawn using real data:



Both the blue lines refer to diesel propulsion, under various conditions. As you can see there is a little difference among them. Not so for the red lines: Electric max (light red line) refers to electric propulsion on surface and it is considerably steeper than Electric max (dark red line, i.e. electric propulsion submerged), having a gradient practically identical to the one of the diesel propulsion. This was probably due to the extra attrition caused by superstructure and guns during submerged navigation, absent on surface.

In game, if possible, you should replace electric propulsion's max speed set in U-boat's sim file with the following calculation (only for surfaced electric propulsion):

Er * Ds / Dr

where:

Er = Electric Engine_rpm
Ds = Diesel Max_speed
Dr = Diesel Engine_rpm

[TheDarkWraith]

Ahead flank surfaced using electric engines yields ~ 10 knots speed currently. I think that's pretty accurate and no changes are required.

[gap]

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

Ahead flank surfaced using electric engines yields a little over 10 knots speed currently. I think that's pretty accurate and no changes are required.

Okay, it should be about 11 knots, which is pretty close to the speed you have measured in game. What about ahead flank submerged?

[volodya61]

So.. it's time to eat my own words said about using electric engines on the surface