[REL] Stockgame almost fixed - a modlist

[XenonSurf]

I have updated my modlist to change the order of some mods and add new mods that enhance the game experience but keeping the game stable.


New is that now there are 3 game difficulties, EASY, MEDIUM and HARD (default). Still testing all this in action.


I've added the DynEnv 2.9 mod with a setup that will greatly enhance the exterior environment of the game, especially the water and waves.


Now you will know when your current campaign will come to an end and you will know what to do to advance the campaign. You will get specific messages from me during game when the time comes. No more guessing game


The R.S.D. mod is only 'optional' now due to the possible choice of game difficulty. Removing or re-installing this mod will however mean that you must restart a new career or campaign chapter, this is a limitation I can not overcome, sorry.



These are the added mods:


DynEnv v2.9 - 1. Main Mod
DynEnv v2.9 - 3.a Enhanced Visibility (medium)
DynEnv v2.9 - 4.a Camera Filters - Realistic Colors
DynEnv v2.9 - Wave Mechanics - Gale (Improved)
DynEnv v2.9 - 12. Sounds
...
...
STOCKGAME_ADJUSTED_Campaign_Transfer_messages
...
...
Game Difficulty EASY (IRAI changes) [OPTIONAL]
Game Difficulty MEDIUM (IRAI changes) [OPTIONAL]


I have changed all my notes and their order in the main post, read them for more info!


My download package and my final mod release will likely be called 'Unofficial Patch v.1.3.0'.

[XenonSurf]

I made some further interesting additions, not yet in my modlist above because of testing phase.

a) Deck Guns / Flak Guns

Reworked U-boat Guns_from_TWoS_EASY_HANDLING (default)
will take the recent files for deck gun and flak gun handling (the aiming) and make it easier, yet keeping all other realistic changes.

Reworked U-boat Guns_from_TWoS_REALISTIC_HANDLING (optional)
will instead keep the realistic handling with more slow gun speeds and elevations, making it more difficult to operate them.

b) Scopes

For default, I will add the very nice and realistic scopes from Emtgufs mod (see screenshots below).

Optionally I include the 'Large Optics for TDW UI for NewUIs_TDC_7_5_0' together with 'Large Optics for TDW UI RAOBF + Nomograph Fix', but these scopes are too 'high-tech' to my taste turning the scopes into an external camera
Nevertheless, I must account that my own taste doesn't match yours maybe, so I include them.

Also all possible aspect ratios are included to match your monitor resolution.


Screenshots from my modlist:


https://ibb.co/YNSXdzF
https://ibb.co/2KJwB4p
https://ibb.co/z5QPbqh
https://ibb.co/jMdQdmY
https://ibb.co/1MFWJFh
https://ibb.co/XLJzGK8
https://ibb.co/YPx5C4w
https://ibb.co/kQg1hJH

[XenonSurf]

I have added optional double ammo sub-mod for all guns in the Reworked U-boat Guns mod, for both realistic and easy settings.

[Benzin1973]

I would like to give SH5 another shot. But honestly, i dont feel like spending 5 hours downloading, configuring and installing dozens of mods.


Any chance we can get your mod as one download? maybe mediafire link?



I (and im sure others) would really appreciate it!

[XenonSurf]

Originally Posted by Benzin1973

I would like to give SH5 another shot. But honestly, i dont feel like spending 5 hours downloading, configuring and installing dozens of mods.


Any chance we can get your mod as one download? maybe mediafire link?



I (and im sure others) would really appreciate it!

Once I have finished all stability tests, my download will contain a compressed MODS folder that you move into your game directory, after that you launch JSGME and you install all with one click. Cannot get easier.
I will explain how to use profiles in JSGME, which makes all optional mod handlings even easier.


However:
I will not support my mod after making the download available, maybe I will answer some occasional questions here but don't rely on it...I will include important readmes, but if you guys use mods you must know the HowTo, sorry. I'm not a game publisher, I'm a modder

[XenonSurf]

I will make it so that the TDW Generic Patcher will be applied in every case with all necessary files involved, but still you must follow exactly a short instruction (will not take long). This has some obvious benefits that I cannot elaborate in plain text here, but you will enjoy

In this regard, I must repeat here that my modlist must be considered to be an unofficial patch. I take no responsability for any usage of it...
Nach mir die Sinflut...After me, the Deluge...


.
XS

[Benzin1973]

Excellent! Looking forward to your release!
Thanks!

[XenonSurf]

Current situation:


Still not ready for download, still testing going on.


Air Support from airports in your campaign will require that I provide a snapshot of the generic patcher to load, I don't think the normal user can get this right otherwise ...


New settings for Time Compression actually in my testing; this will require that I provide a special mod to set the OptionFileEditorViewer.
Currently TC will work like in TWoS, but I'm not happy with it, I want TC1 on any ship and the ability to increase TC to your leasure afterwards. I must test the TC settings in the OFEV and tweak them to see the results, this will cost time again...A lot of details like these to fix, and also provide some basic 'Starting Guide' documentation.

[Benzin1973]

Thanks for your hard work! Hope to be able to check it out soon.


If i may make a suggestion: Besides the full modlist, Howbout a "light" version of your mod list? One that doesnt add new/fancy stuff, but just lets you play the game as bug free as possible? you know, like the GFO (game fixes only) mod for SH4?

[XenonSurf]

The final steps of my testings are more close now, here is an info update :


Aircraft Support during campaign:


By activating some triggers in the TDW Generic Patcher, you will receive air support from allied airbases that are reasonably close to your location when you send a Contact Report. Wether you receive support will however depend on BDU's judgement, the more the target is important, the more likely you will receive support, also the vicinity of the allied airbase is a factor for receiving the support within a reasonable time frame.
This feature can however also work against you: if an enemy ship detects you, be prepared that it will also send a radio report, and consequently enemy ships or aircrafts from enemy airbases will head to your location to 'join the party'...
After testing these activated triggers (testing still going on), I'm optimistic to say that the game will remain stable. I will provide this feature as a 'Snapshot' to load with the Generic Patcher. In the case your game gets unstable, you can then reload a snapshot with 'Standard Settings'.


Time Compression - Setting Changes

(from my included Readme):


---------------
I have changed TC to make more sense between TRAVEL MODE switched on or off.
Use Travel Mode in friendly waters or in situations where you want higher TC to reach a zone or to end your patrol more quickly. Switch Travel Mode OFF in enemy waters in order to guarantee that TC will drop to 1 on any contact visible by your crew on the bridge.
In the NavMap, it's the icon on the upper right, if it's yellow then Travel Mode is on, otherwise it's off.

Enemy Aircrafts:
I have changed the settings for Time Compression with enemy aircrafts to drop to TC1 in all cases as soon as your crew spots planes, wether Travel Mode is on or off, that doesn't matter. You will therefore have enough time to take defensive action in this most dangerous situation.

Ships:
I have adjusted the TC to drop to TC1 in case of any ship contact (enemy or friendly) when not in travel mode, so you cannot deduce from the dropping TC wether it's an enemy or not, you need to properly identify all ships! Whith Travel Mode activated, TC cannot go higher than TC64 in most cases if new ships are expected to come in sight (especially in ports), this limitation is a necessity for game stability. After the ships have gone out of sight, increase TC again if you want, but you need to specially take care when navigating in ports, if using high TC you are always risking to collide with ships!

Radio Messages:
I have made it so that radio messages received will never drop TC. This should not be a problem because in dangerous situations you should not be in high TC anyway and you can then still read messages in time, also with high TC the Radio Message Box will be flashing on the NavMap to show you an incoming message, so you can return to TC1 manually and read the message if you want.
Optionally, you can press an icon on the upper right in the NavMap to set TC1 on any radio message received.

IMPORTANT!
The necessary file responsible for Time Compression, main.cfg, is copied to the savegame folder by the game when the options are set in the SH5 game menu the first time, and it will NOT change afterwards. If you have already played SH5 and such a file is present in your savegame folder, it's important that you also replace it manually with the file in this mod in ...Documents\SH5\Cfg, otherwise this mod will not work.
Also the mod 'OFEV_Necessary_Settings' must be loaded to set the OptionFileEditorViewer accordingly.

-----------


Some issues with the campaign Open Horizons II v.2.5
Some CTD's can happen in the Kiel port, the most heavy port in the game as far as computer ressources are concerned.
Some units in the Kiel Canal are enemy ones (ships from Poland) and you can see friendly planes attacking them. There is little I can do about, I will try to make file replacements taken from TWoS for the campaign, but this will most likely not work. All I can say: If you see enemy ships in the canal, close your eyes and continue with your travel
If you get persistent CTD's in Kiel after going out of the bunker, you must save the game before CTD in a separate slot and reload this save. In rare occasions, ships in ports will behave wrongly and cause CTD, in this case also try to save and reload, or as an extreme measure: change your departure date with KSD Commander. Here too, there is little I can do against without heavily doing changes in OHII...


.
XS

[XenonSurf]

Problems with Secondary Mission 'Scapa Flow' (Breaking the Forteress):


When reaching the Scapa Flow main bay (the aerea where the mission icon is placed), a lot of escorts, freighters and tankers will be there standing still and not react to my presence. I know that's NORMAL because of AI limitations.
But I didn't see these big warships like reported in the forums (and the reason why you are there), so my question is: Will different ships spawn each time you go to Scapa during the time the mission is active (showing on your map)? Thanks very much to let me know.


In my testing case, only 2 big troop ships have spawned (big fishes with 17.000 tons each) and were moving North-South in the aerea. I have sunk them both, but this will not fill the tonnage bar in the secondary mission icon, but in my Captain's Log it's reported as sunken. I think the tonnage bar will only fill if the exact targets for the mission are destroyed, and there is nothing I can do about, apart just having the reminder: Return to port and you will be rewarded for your sinkings, whatever ships, with RENOWN POINTS - and some 'little' PROMOTION POINTS for your crew. But you need to return to port to see that, right ? Was the tonnage bar supposed to work like this?


Please anyone expert enough with the unimproved OH2 v.2.5, please tell me if this is supposed to happen like this, or is this game part broken in OHII v.2.5?
I could of course easily take the whole Tonnage Bar out of the game by adding a sub-mod of OHII, but I'm interested to optionally deliver my modlist with a WORKING tonnage bar without flaws if possible at all. It's very difficult to investigate this problem because there are tons of complaints and posts about this topic which are very confusing and contradicting...Meaning it's very difficult to reconstruct how the tonnage bar was SUPPOSED to work on one side, and on the other side, to reconstruct how BROKEN it really was and how it did perform with OHII v.2.5.


Any comments and responses to my questions are highly welcome !
Thanks !


.
XS

[XenonSurf]

Ok, I have figured out that 'Breaking the Fortress' is not a secondary mission, but a main mission that you need to chose in the bunker to advance your tonnage bar. (Or play without tonnage bar to spawn all suitable ships.)

[Oby]

This is a peace of campaign config file for Scapa Flow mission from Total Germany campaign project(target classes and types required to complete it):



[Campaign.CampObj.MacroObj 1]
ObjectiveID=TG_Scapa_Flow
Name=Campaign.CampObj.MacroObj 1.Name
MapZone=Scapa_Raid
ValuePointsProvided=1
FurtherInfo=Campaign.CampObj.MacroObj 1.FurtherInfo
StartDate=19390910
EndDate=19391015
IsCompleted=false
IsFailed=false
AssocMissionsActive=
AssocMissionsCompleted=
ObjActivationAchievements=

[Campaign.CampObj.MacroObj 1.PersObj 1]
PersObjType=0
Name=Special_Operation_P
Description=Campaign.CampObj.MacroObj 1.PersObj 1.Description
RelatedMapLocations=
IsCompleted=false

[Campaign.CampObj.MacroObj 1.PersObj 1.Amount]
IsTonnage=false
Tonnage=0
NumOfShips=1

[Campaign.CampObj.MacroObj 1.PersObj 1.CrtAmount]
IsTonnage=false
Tonnage=0
NumOfShips=0

[Campaign.CampObj.MacroObj 1.PersObj 1.TargetType 1]
Class=BBRoyalSovereign
Type=11
TargetType=0

[Campaign.CampObj.MacroObj 1.PersObj 1.TargetType 2]
Class=BCRenown
Type=10
TargetType=0

[Campaign.CampObj.MacroObj 1.PersObj 1.TargetType 3]
Class=BBQueenElizabeth
Type=11
TargetType=1

[Campaign.CampObj.MacroObj 1.PersObj 1.TargetType 4]
Type=20
TargetType=1

[Campaign.CampObj.MacroObj 1.PersObj 1.TargetIdentif 1]
TargetIdType=2
MapZone=Scapa_Raid


The targets are certainly there at the appropriate date(marked above). Check the Royal_Oak.mis in TG campaign project.


You can check the exact spawn time of big ships with mission editor or manualy with text editor in TG project folder. Usually there are one battleship and one cruiser anchored at the northern side of Scapa bay.


For target classes and types look at the Names.cfg file in data/Roster folder.

[XenonSurf]

Thanks very much, Obi, for this in-depth info about the Scapa Flow mission, this helps me a lot to see which assets are to be expected.



During my campaign test, I did chose the other mission in the bunker called 'British Coastal Waters', but at some point 'Breaking the Fortress' did appear in my map so I headed my sub to Scapa Flow. Once reached, I have made extensive usage of the external camera to 'travel' in all parts of the aerea, but didn't see bigger warships, however I have used the North route to go around the island to avoid the entrance patrols and - i did save the game and reload. Has this an impact for the ships to spawn in the target area?


Thank you a lot, I will check with the Mission Editor which I'm somewhat familiar with (I have used it to modify some single missions)


Cheers,
XS

[Oby]

I asume that you play TWOS, which is date oriented . I don't and don't know how special missions are spawning in that mod. I will explain it as it works in vanilla with OHII mod:



It can be a little tricky because the time interval for Scapa is only one month. And it is a mission which means that you must request it from officer in bunker. So when you see a Breaking Fortress campaign objective on map, you don't go to Scapa, you must first return to base and request a mission(Scapa) for BF. It is better to allready be in base at the time.


It is good to know objective dates for campaigns.They are written somewhere on subsim, I think. You probably know how to regulate days spent in bunker for that purpose(manually via .cfg file or with KSD commander).



Excuse me for my English.I hope you understand, what I'm trying to tell you.