[IDEA]: Reducing searchlights

[LGN1]

Hi h.sie,

very nice idea Probably you just have to find out the hex offset in each ship's dat file The rest is simple. Will look at it in more detail. Did you try other/smaller values for the y translation? Could you make the searchlight float over the ship?

Cheers, LGN1

[h.sie]

Hi LGN1,

yes, setting the Translation Y-value to 2 or 3 lets the searchlight fly some meters above the ship. Looks funny. I tried to reduce the Y-value in order to place and hide the light in the body of the ship but the light goes through the wall. Placing the lights below the ship is perhaps risky because I fear collisions. So I decided to move them far away up. Maybe a value of 1000 to 10000 is sufficient, but 1e8 also works. Probably there is no risk of collision since the lights probably are not collisionable objects? I don't know.

Yesterday I was able to manipulate the Y value using SH3-Cmdr.

Now only one thing ist left to do: Find out the Hex-Pointers to the translation Y-Values in all ships .dat files. Maybe I do this manually, but maybe I modify an old Java program (which I used to modify the acceleration setting for ships in the .sim files) in order to find out the Hex-Pointers automatically.

I am optimistic now that we will have a Mod for SH3-Cmdr which randomizes the availability of the searchlights on each start of SH3-Cmdr. And one can easily modify the propability by changing the ChooseFrom parameter in the Randomized Events.cfg.

By the way: What would we do without tools like Sh3-Cmdr, S3Ditor and JSGME???? So thanks again to Skwasjer and JScones.

h.sie

[LGN1]

Hi h.sie,

very nice work

Only one 'problem' left: the hex-offsets probably differ for many users (GWX, NYGM, stock,...) giving rise to many potential CTDs. Even just using S3D to change a single value will change the offset from the original value I am afraid this 'problem' cannot be solved well. It's one of the most annoying thing when using hex-offsets.

Cheers, LGN1

[h.sie]

Hi LGN1,

yes I know the problem that S3D adds some (unnecessary) text on the top of all binary files and so it moves the positions of the data which is a potential cause of CTD when using Sh3-Cmdr. For my personal use I always delete this text ("Edited by S3D v0.99 or so") using a Hex-Editor.

For this mod, i assume unmodified .dat files for all ships which come with GWX3 plus BBWs GWX3 - Wilhelmshafen V6.

And maybe I'll make one version for NYGM, since I cannot decide which mod to use: GWX or NYGM.

h.sie

[Anvart]

To me is difficult to understand the basic thought (en lng)...
But various "loadouts" (for ship's searchlights) + SH3 commander will help to solve this task... may be...

[h.sie]

the basic thought is not to totally remove but to reduce the amount of searchlights of merchants and to get some randomness / uncertainty regarding these searchlights.

The .eqp files for the ships equipment cannot be modified mid-patrol, because modified equipment causes CTD when a saved game is loaded.

So I try to move the lights out of the visible range.

[Anvart]

Originally Posted by h.sie

...
The .eqp files for the ships equipment cannot be modified mid-patrol, ...

For what?

[h.sie]

For enabling/disabling the searchlights of e.g. merchants. This mod will be there only for some people who don't like the huge amount of searchlights when attacking a convoy.

there is already a mod which totally removes all searchlights from merchants, and I try to make a compromise: a randomization: most merchants won't have searchlights, some will have.

[Anvart]

Originally Posted by h.sie

For enabling/disabling the searchlights of e.g. merchants. ...

You have not understood...
For what to enabling/disabling searchlights in the middle of patrol...?
...
And may be possible to replace the ship with one loadout (with SL's) with the same ship with other loadout (without SL's)...?

[h.sie]

you describe a different possible solution. one can surely disable the SL for some ships and let the SL enabled for the rest of the ships for one patrol. but that's a static solution with no uncertainty. one always knows that the small merchant and the large tanker will have and use their SL, the rest of the ships will not.
I would like some uncertainty, randomness: Every time SH3 is launched via SH3Cmdr a new randomization occurs. This is still in development state and not ready.

As far as I know the question whether a ship has SL is determined by the .eqp file, so that all ships of a certain type either have or have not SL. Don't know if SL can be changed by changing the Loadout. Even if that could be done, one has to edit the whole GWX campaign files in order to change the loadout.

[Anvart]

Originally Posted by h.sie

...
, one has to edit the whole GWX campaign files in order to change the loadout.

Naturally...

[bigboywooly]

I took the liberty to PM JScones about the SH3commander random folders
When he gets a min will look into here and let us know what is and isnt possible
As he wrote the program I guess he has a fair idea
Gotta be better than messing with hex offsets and such

[LGN1]

The '.dat file way' should work fine with SH3 Commander Random Folder feature!

Cheers, LGN1

@h.sie: Send you a PM.

[h.sie]

@LGN1: Yes, this could prevent us from using the risky Hex-Offsets.

Answered your PM!

[h.sie]

Does anyone know whether merchants use their AA guns against Uboats?

Thx, h.sie