Realism- and gameplay-related hardcode fixes for SH3.EXE

[h.sie]

@LGN1: Not yet great work, since no success so far.

The Sub got exactly the same LONG/LAT coordinates as the last waypoint of the convoy, so they nearly should crash. The sub has speed=0, deleteAtLastWaypoint=false, maybe it needs some speed to become active????

Maybe the same priciple with a whole random convoy consisting only of AI-Subs (=wolfpack) in the RND instead of the SCR has more effect? Positive side-effect: We only need to beam once the convoy coordinates and than already have a whole AI-sub convoy consisting of 1-4 subs......we'll see.

[LGN1]

Hi h.sie,

it's not yet a full success, but a first one

Was the sub attacked by the convoy?

Maybe a question for some else, but I'm wondering why the AI subs, if they are anyway treated in-game as surface units, are inside the submarine folder and not the ship folder Why not use a usual ship looking like a sub Maybe just a relict from the old days when hopes were high that full working AI subs could be created?

The problem I see with the rnd layer is that you cannot make sure that a unit has been spawned (I think spawning only starts after loading the game and then after the spawning interval. So you might set the spawning probability to 100% and a spawning interval of a few minutes, but then you flood the game with AI subs. However, this might be solved by deleteonlastwaypoint=true and a close last waypoint).

Anyway, I'm not convinced that the problem is rnd vs. scr layer related (BTW, what was the date of the AI sub unit in the scr layer ).

Cheers, LGN1

[h.sie]

@lgn1: the convoy was unescorted. but good idea to escort him in order to see if the sub is *really* there (detected by escorts)- and not only a 3d graphics without any function.

regarding RND: it is not nessesary to be sure if a sub is spawned at game start or not, from my programmers view, since the group's root point (location where the rnd group is spawned from) is already in memory at game start, and only this point will be beamed. this could even be a better solution than using the SCR layer. we'll see.

[h.sie]

if I get this to work, I'll give my own thread a 5 stars rating

[Stiebler]

I have determined the use of the 'Report Contacts' radio button in SH3.

If a single ship sends a radio message, the 'Report Contacts' button provides a direction and distance to the ship. The big problems with this button are these:
1. Single ships send radio reports rarely, except in the earliest days of the war.
2. The distances involved are too large to be of any use. In the North Sea in 1939, I was getting ranges of up to 600 miles. By the time you reach the point, the target has long moved, and you find yourself chasing the next nearest single ship in the oppositie direction - which has also moved by the time you arrive!

What is really exasperating is that pressing this button can result in one of two messages:
Either: No radio messages received. This is the code my Surrender mod is using.
Or: A direction and distance to a target, which uses some closely related code that is also used by the sonar-man! Evidently general purpose code to provide direction and distance to a target.

There is a way of filtering out the unwanted usage, but I'm not sure whether to continue with the existing code which will only work if no single ship nearby has signalled; or to apply a simple filter, which will result in the unwanted messages being shown as well as the 'Abandon U-boat' message. Hmmm.

SquareSteelBar - you have PM.

Stiebler.

[h.sie]

@Stiebler: Thanks for the finding of the interception code of the "contact report / fühlungsmeldung" button.


There are some more useless buttons in sh3 I think , like "suggest best merchant / target " (?) or similar. I never saw that these had any function.

[SquareSteelBar]

Originally Posted by h.sie

if I get this to work, I'll give my own thread a 5 stars rating

Von mir gibt's dann noch 'einen drauf mit Mappe'...

[LGN1]

Originally Posted by h.sie

regarding RND: it is not nessesary to be sure if a sub is spawned at game start or not, from my programmers view, since the group's root point (location where the rnd group is spawned from) is already in memory at game start, and only this point will be beamed. this could even be a better solution than using the SCR layer. we'll see.

The rnd layer has certainly some advantages, e.g., the possibility of spawning random numbers of subs within the existing rnd scheme. However, I don't know what happens if you have a rnd entry without any waypoints. Are the ships spawned on each other In addition, from my experience no ships are spawned in rendering range.

Concerning sending messages: Do you, Stiebler and h.sie, know how the game implements the limits on sending messages, e.g., the two hour interval between sending status reports? I'm wondering because it might be good to change the limits for the 'Fuehlungsmeldung'. With the current setting it is very difficult to report a convoy after the allies have radar because you hardly come close enough to see them (and being on the surface to send the message).

Cheers, LGN1

[sharkbit]

Originally Posted by h.sie

if I get this to work, I'll give my own thread a 5 stars rating

If you get this to work, you should get modder of the century, along wih Stiebler sharing the honor as well for both of your hard work.

I've said it before in this thread and I'll say it again-
Thanks for all of your hard work,Stiebler and h.sie.

The work you guys have done have elevated SH3 beyond anyone's expectations.

[Stiebler]

This is just a brief note to say that Square Steel Bar has very kindly sent me an excellent red emergency radio button for the forthcoming surrender mod, in response to my earlier request for help.

Also a good idea for the en/de_menu.txt files.

Many thanks to SSB, and no need for anyone else to make another effort.

Stiebler.

[LGN1]

Hi h.sie,

I have made some tests and found that the AI sub (I used GWX's 9b4) attacks

I took a campaign.scr with a Black Swan and a 9b4 AI sub. I 'beamed' the 9b4 into position and watched. Both ships attacked each other (and the 9b4 won). However, the AI sub did not show any reaction except firing the gun. No course deviation, no speed increase, nothing. Just shooting.

I'm really wondering why the AI sub is designated as a submarine Why not create a regular ship that looks like a sub and designate it a destroyer. Shouldn't it then behave as a destroyer, i.e., increase speed, change course, attack,...

Where are the old hands who created the AI subs? Please enlighten me.

Cheers, LGN1

[TheDarkWraith]

I would just change the cmdr_ class to ship from submarine. Redo the .sim file using the ship cmdr controller. That should turn it into a 'ship'.

[SquareSteelBar]

Sergbuto did that already in NSS_Uboat7a.sim

[LGN1]

Hi,

I think the 9b4 already has the correct cmdr_class

If I look at the *.sim of, e.g., a Black Swan and a merchant, it looks as if their AI is the same. However, they react differently on a threat. One attacks, speeds up, and changes course, the other one just shoots and starts the sinusoidal sailing. I'm wondering what controls this different behavior. It seems nothing within the *.sim file. Maybe it's their weapon loadout (no depth-charges)

Cheers, LGN1

[Tobias99]

Hello, can anyone help me?

I try to patched SH3 (1.4) with this Tool, but i have a mistake message that means:

"sorry, no comatible version of SH3 found, patching not possible"

Ideas?

Thx for help..

Edit:

I read i can only patch the original .exe from my DVD (without 4GB Patch) but i looked in my DVD, theres no .exe, theres "Autorun" and a "Setup" Button, must i install the game new to extract the .exe?