A question about DC UDF's (and some more).

Hi folks, a newbie asking for help .

I've been experimenting with DC, checking extra models and units, and realised that I had a UDF for the Italian Ariete Torpedo Boats that lacked depth charges. I thought it would be just a matter of "cut & paste" from the UDF of an Italian DD, for example, but it didn't work .

The question is: is there a tutorial (or something similar)somewhere about how to make/change UDF files?. I've found some things on mission editing, but not on ship-class creation.

Another question I'd like to ask. Some jrf models (not the originals, but downloaded ones) don't show on my DC ship-viewer. I mean, not in the class-list by countries, but on the 3D world. I use NDDBagley to quickly see models and decide if I will use them, but many of them just don't pop-up: I just get empty water.

Am I doing something wrong?. Will this models still work in the game? (I guess if they are released is because they work, right?).

Well, these games are excellent and should not be discountinued.

[horsa]

The question is: is there a tutorial (or something similar)somewhere about how to make/change UDF files?.

Sorry, I don't recall anyone ever doing this

Another question I'd like to ask. Some jrf models (not the originals, but downloaded ones) don't show on my DC ship-viewer

You need to create an entry in the relevant DB file. Don't forget to advance the entry number by 1.

Originally Posted by horsa

You need to create an entry in the relevant DB file. Don't forget to advance the entry number by 1.

Thanks for a speedy answer .

No, I think that's not the question. I always use the same Db entry to view the models: the Bagley DD, so what I do is redirecting the Bagley UDF to whichever model I want to view. This way it's the first unit I see in the viewer and I don't need to browse through the countries and classes. But with some downloaded models (not all, many of them work properly) I get a "blank".

Regarding the UDF files, it's strange that nobody has collected all knowledge in a single document, as happened with the missions. Obviously there is people that know how to do it (hint ). Hope they are not gone to SH3 forever.

Maybe I should try the Italian site, which seems to be the only one still working on mods for DC/SH2.

[turnerg]

The jrf file has to have a "mount" i believe for the dc's. just because stuff's modeled, doesnt mean it's coded. i havent touched dc in a long time, i'll have to give it a look.....

[CBDR]

I think the problem with NTBAriete is that the JRF file does not have any nodes for depth charge racks or depth charge throwers. You would see an entry such as

Node = DC1

or

Node = DCT1

if NTBAriete's JRF model has depth charge racks and/or throwers. Maybe some of the hex editing wizards out there can tell you if it's possible to add these nodes; I certainly don't know how. The node appears to contain information such as type (main gun, secondary gun, torpedo, etc.), location and number of barrels/launchers. If the node is not in the JRF, you can not force it by including it in the *.udf file.

You can modify nodes that exist. For example, you can change NTBAriete's Main1 and Main2 nodes to mount the Bismarck's 380 mm guns, as follows:

[WEAPON1]
Type = TURRET
Node = Main1
System = Gun380mm ;was Gun100mm
ElevRange = 0,85
TravRange1 = 0,-120,120
AmmoType1 = Gun380mmAP ;was Gun100mmHE
MagazineCount1 = 150
;AmmoType2 = Gun100mmAA
;MagazineCount2 = 0
;AmmoType3 = GunGenStar
;MagazineCount3 = 50

[WEAPON3]
Type = TURRET
Node = Main2
System = Gun380mm ;was Gun100mm
ElevRange = 0,85
TravRange1 = -180,-60,60
AmmoType1 = Gun380mmAP ;was Gun100mmHE
MagazineCount1 = 150
;AmmoType2 = Gun100mmAA
;MagazineCount2 = 0
;AmmoType3 = GunGenStar
;MagazineCount3 = 50

Yes, it is a bit absurd (but fun!) to mount such large weapons on an 850 ton hull, but the simulation does not simulate center of gravity, stability and the like, so you can mount whatever turret type weapon you want. Just make sure the *.udf file entry for AmmoType matches the *.ddf entry for AmmoType.

Best of Luck!

[GlowwormGuy]

Try the depth charge racks... I find that they are sometimes easier to add than throwers - I've got a modified Dido 3 cruiser and I added depth charges to that successfully.

Its usually just cut and paste and follow the format models.

Best of luck!
Mountbatten

Thanks for the answers guys! . Well, as I said, I'm a newbie, so not much idea about nodes, JRF's and so on.

If you mean that depthCharge racks are in the model, yes, they certainly are:



Not sure if seeing it means it is coded inside.

This is what I pasted inside (just taken from a Soldati Class DD, only changed the weapon number):

[WEAPON23]
Type = DEPTHCHARGE
Node = Dc1
System = DepthChargeRack
TravRange1 = 180,180,180
MagazineSize1 = 4
MagazineCount1 = 2
AmmoType1 = DepthChargeIT_BTG100

[WEAPON24]
Type = DEPTHCHARGE
Node = DC2
System = DepthChargeRack
TravRange1 = 180,180,180
MagazineSize1 = 4
MagazineCount1 = 2
AmmoType1 = DepthChargeIT_BTG100

Rather useless an ASW ship with no DC, isn't it?

[badhat17]

The Soldati class depth charge nodes are different to the Ariete so they wont work properly if at all on the Ariete model, but the following does work for me.

;..............Depth Charges (32/44)................. 

[WEAPON17]
Type = DEPTHCHARGE
Node = DC1,DC2
System = DepthChargeRack
TravRange1 = 180,180,180
MagazineSize1 = 4
MagazineCount1 = 2
AmmoType1 = DepthChargeIT_BTG100

[WEAPON18]
Type = DEPTHCHARGE
TravRange1 = 90,90,90
System = DepthChargeThrower
MagazineSize1 = 1
AmmoType1 = DepthChargeIT_BTG100
Node = DCT1
MagazineCount1 = 4

[WEAPON19]
Type = DEPTHCHARGE
TravRange1 = -90,-90,-90
System = DepthChargeThrower
MagazineSize1 = 1
AmmoType1 = DepthChargeIT_BTG100
Node = DCT2
MagazineCount1 = 4

Thanks, mate, that worked perfect .

What's the important point, then?. The DC rack seems to be the same as mine (except for the two stations instead of one), so I guess that weapon number minds in this question. Am I right?. Maybe main weapons have certain numbers, AAA onother batch of numbers, TT another and so on?.

Sorry for so many questions.

[Canarb]

hi all,
Ariete 3d is in progress and Orsa 3d is final.
to this link you download units pack: http://canarb.altervista.org/mod/regimarina.htm

and to this you have info: http://canarb.altervista.org/mod/info.htm

[CBDR]

Badhat,

Thanks for the update! I forgot that each weapon number must be unique.

[GlowwormGuy]

Modding UDFs is pretty straightforward. You can give a PT boat a 15" gun if you'd like hehehe, it's really a matter of taking note of your models and following their format. That's pretty much how all of us have learned the basics. Like badhat mentioned each weapon MUST have a unique number assigned to it. But since there are only maybe thirty or so weapon stations - and the numbers don't necessarily have to be sequential but it helps keep tabs on things - it shouldn't be too difficult to do. You can for example, number your mains in units, your secondaries in the line of ten or twenty, your AA as 51, 52, etc. and ASW as 80,81, etc.

Remember also that you're limited by the number of guns - I'm saying this because sometime you may want to model a ship with twin turrets but the best model you've found only has singles - or triples!

You can't add more gun weapons than you have nodes for - however you can have less! If you learn how to hex edit you can actually physically remove weapons. There's supposed to be a way that you can physically add weapons that some folks know but that escapes me at the moment.

Depth charges can 'generally' be added to most surface models, at least the rolled ones. Throwers which require nodes may be a bit dicier.

I'd strongly recommend you get a hold of a free hex editor program like FRHED if you want to delve into the esoteric arts of modding or to at least see the structure of the model files. There are stuff that can be changed but big changes will take software that evidently costs a truckload of dough (and may not even be available anymore) plus other stuff OR a lot of time for trial and error.

Best of luck!
Mountbatten

[GlowwormGuy]

Hi Canarb,

Good to see that Betasom is still alive and sailing the unfriendly seas. I'm glad that you guys haven't stopped modding for DC/SH2 completely yet.

Hoping for great things!
Mountbatten

[CBDR]

GlowwormGuy,

I have FRHed and the jrf files are absolute gibberish. How do I add a DC node, or any other node for that matter? Better yet, what do I need to do so i can understand what the jrf files mean??

[badhat17]

The Soldati has two extra nodes for throwers which the Ariete lacks, that was difference I spotted. Exactly why it did not work with the code you had tried previously I am not sure, it may have been something to do with the weapon numbers you had chosen but could just as easily be something else as this process is still a black art.
I use 'word' to examine the jrf by searching for a string such as DC1 or DCT1 and so on until I stop finding new strings so then I know how many nodes the model contains. Like others have mentioned, hex editing is for the whiz kids, it is total gibberish to me.