[WIP] SJ Radar Mod version 2

[Nisgeis]

First radar mod seems to have worked OK, but there are a few issues with it, which I wanted to fix but thought I would release a workable version, before trying anything more dramatic. I have ideas about how to do all of what is below, but I haven't tested the concept yet, as at the moment I don't have the skills to do this yet. I'll learn as I go. I understand from reading the very long post about the bearing line / range ring mod that was released for patch 1.2 was pretty much killed by patch 1.3. This patch hid the grid texture used somewhere inside the engine so it couldn't be fiddled with and the stock bearing numbers were a permanent feature. This broke peoples custom grids which they had all worked very hard on. They also decided that it was not possible to add in arced contacts, due to the way the radar contact graphics were stored. I hope to make some good progress with this and here's what's planned for version 2 of my radar mod.

• Increase resolution of the radar screen. (Complete)
• Remove stock bearing numbers. (Complete)
• Add high resolution circular bearing numbers round the outside of the scope (needs above completed).
• Add a zoom function to the radar screen for easy viewing of the scope). (Complete)
• Add high resolution bearing lines in 10 degree increments.
• Add high resolution range rings, steps to be determined 10%?
• Stop contacts appearing ahead of the sweep.
• Remove sweep line?
• Change the contacts so that they appear arced, instead of blobs.
• Add a digital range readout.
• Add a digital bearing readout.
• Change max range from 80,000 yards to 40,000 yards.
• Leave A-Scope Unaffected. (Failed so far)

I know the range change isn't historically accurate, but from testing it seems you can only pick up targets within the 20 nm (approx 37km) viewing sphere, I used the biggest radar return I could get my hands on, the Yamato, parked them all at set distances and the greatest range I got was just over 37,000 yards, which I could maintain up to just under 39,000 whilst backing off the target. I think it makes more sense to use a maximum range that is workable and useful.

As far as I can tell, the radar beam was 5 degrees wide, so any target should be at least an arc of 5 degrees. targets at the same range and with less than 5 degrees seperation should appear as an arc of greater than 5 degrees. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the game appears to model ships being obscured by other ships between you and the ship in question, so it does not appear on the scope.

I don't currently know if the radar sets had a beam sweeping the scope as currently depicted. All the pictures of WW2 era sets I have seen do not appear to have a sweeping beam visible. If someone could shed light on this, it would be appreciated.

I decided to include a digital bearing readout (if possible) in lieu of a bearing train indictaor easily visible. There is one on the wall above the A-Scope, but it's not easy to get at, as if you move to the A-Scope from the PPI, the radar man starts sweeping and you have to be really quick to get a halg decent bearing reading. Digital range readout to hopefully be accurate to within 0.2% of actual distance. Range and bearing info may be diffult to read at extremely close ranges, due to radar lobes.

I'm hoping to make these changes and leave the A-Scope undisturbed, but it might not be possible. It might not be possible to get all of my hoped for changes active, but one has to have goals right?

[Nisgeis]

Here's what I have so far, stock bearing numbers removed and ready for additional lines to be added. You can't see, but when you zoom in, it's got clean thin precise lines now. I'll add more lines soon.

Great idea with the Zoom option nesgais.

Could you write the values to enter into cameras.dat for that. Then ill include the zoom into my next cameras.dat mod.

[LukeFF]

Nice progress there! I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with. As to your question about a beam sweeping around the scope, check out this picuture:

http://www.usscobia.com/P2050014.jpg?%22

Near the top of the screen you can see the radar contact the scope is picking up. Intersecting that contact is the the beam of the radar.

[Fish40]

Nice going! Keep up the good work!

[gimpy117]

my gramps said that they had a freined or foe do hickey on those things? is he right or is it just the fact that it was 65 years ago??

here's what wikipedia says:
"The IFF of WWII and Soviet military systems (1946 to 1991) used coded radar signals (called Cross-Band Interrogation, or CBI) to automatically trigger the aircraft's transponder in an aircraft "painted" by the radar." -wikipedia.org

[Nisgeis]

Originally Posted by LukeFF

Nice progress there! I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with. As to your question about a beam sweeping around the scope, check out this picuture:

http://www.usscobia.com/P2050014.jpg?%22

Near the top of the screen you can see the radar contact the scope is picking up. Intersecting that contact is the the beam of the radar.

i must have looked at that pic dozens of times and never even noticed the contact at the top, or the beam line. It looks like it's not a moving beam though as it looks very narrow - about 1 degree wide, or less. So... from that I'm going to take it that the radar scope will draw 1 degree at a time, but the actual radar beam will detect in a 5 degree arc, so that contact should be arced if the beam were moving. I'd post a pic of the arcs from other pics, but photobucket is down for maintenance at the moment.

[Nisgeis]

Originally Posted by Mav87th

Could you write the values to enter into cameras.dat for that. Then ill include the zoom into my next cameras.dat mod.

Using S3D, either add from scratch, or copy using export the Optical node and properties from either of the periscopes and change the zoom levels to 1 and 3, which should be OK for most resolutions.

Originally Posted by Nisgeis

Using S3D, either add from scratch, or copy using export the Optical node and properties from either of the periscopes and change the zoom levels to 1 and 3, which should be OK for most resolutions.

OK Zoom levels of 1 and 3 - got it

[M. Sarsfield]

Batfish has her IFF unit in the con near the trim valves. They used to have an explosive charge built into it, in case the boat was going to get captured. The Batfish still has the black contact switch mounted to the forward persicope shear to set off the charge - looks like the alarm contactors with a different knob.

[dannygjk]

Originally Posted by Nisgeis

First radar mod seems to have worked OK, but there are a few issues with it, which I wanted to fix but thought I would release a workable version, before trying anything more dramatic. I have ideas about how to do all of what is below, but I haven't tested the concept yet, as at the moment I don't have the skills to do this yet. I'll learn as I go. I understand from reading the very long post about the bearing line / range ring mod that was released for patch 1.2 was pretty much killed by patch 1.3. This patch hid the grid texture used somewhere inside the engine so it couldn't be fiddled with and the stock bearing numbers were a permanent feature. This broke peoples custom grids which they had all worked very hard on. They also decided that it was not possible to add in arced contacts, due to the way the radar contact graphics were stored. I hope to make some good progress with this and here's what's planned for version 2 of my radar mod.

• Increase resolution of the radar screen. (Complete)
• Remove stock bearing numbers. (Complete)
• Add high resolution circular bearing numbers round the outside of the scope (needs above completed).
• Add a zoom function to the radar screen for easy viewing of the scope). (Complete)
• Add high resolution bearing lines in 10 degree increments.
• Add high resolution range rings, steps to be determined 10%?
• Stop contacts appearing ahead of the sweep.
• Remove sweep line?
• Change the contacts so that they appear arced, instead of blobs.
• Add a digital range readout.
• Add a digital bearing readout.
• Change max range from 80,000 yards to 40,000 yards.
• Leave A-Scope Unaffected. (Failed so far)

I know the range change isn't historically accurate, but from testing it seems you can only pick up targets within the 20 nm (approx 37km) viewing sphere, I used the biggest radar return I could get my hands on, the Yamato, parked them all at set distances and the greatest range I got was just over 37,000 yards, which I could maintain up to just under 39,000 whilst backing off the target. I think it makes more sense to use a maximum range that is workable and useful.

As far as I can tell, the radar beam was 5 degrees wide, so any target should be at least an arc of 5 degrees. targets at the same range and with less than 5 degrees seperation should appear as an arc of greater than 5 degrees. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the game appears to model ships being obscured by other ships between you and the ship in question, so it does not appear on the scope.

I don't currently know if the radar sets had a beam sweeping the scope as currently depicted. All the pictures of WW2 era sets I have seen do not appear to have a sweeping beam visible. If someone could shed light on this, it would be appreciated.

I decided to include a digital bearing readout (if possible) in lieu of a bearing train indictaor easily visible. There is one on the wall above the A-Scope, but it's not easy to get at, as if you move to the A-Scope from the PPI, the radar man starts sweeping and you have to be really quick to get a halg decent bearing reading. Digital range readout to hopefully be accurate to within 0.2% of actual distance. Range and bearing info may be diffult to read at extremely close ranges, due to radar lobes.

I'm hoping to make these changes and leave the A-Scope undisturbed, but it might not be possible. It might not be possible to get all of my hoped for changes active, but one has to have goals right?

Remember, radar range is limited by the fact that the earth is round, and radar does not bend over the horizon...

Originally Posted by dannygjk

Remember, radar range is limited by the fact that the earth is round, and radar does not bend over the horizon...

Actualy yes it does - to some extent

Well, it's a good thing the world in SHIV is flat.
With enuogh power we'd have unlimited range! :rotfl:

[LukeFF]

Originally Posted by Mav87th

Actualy yes it does - to some extent

Not to mention the radar sets of WWII also were greatly affected by the vacuum tubes installed in them. Swapping those out could have a noticeable effect on how far a given radar set could pick up a contact. The battleship Kongo, for instance, was detected at a range (about 44,000 yards) far beyond what was considered "normal" for SJ-1. Kongo, additionally, was the only Japanese BB ever sunk by a submarine and the last BB ever to fall to a submarine's torpedoes.

So, how's it going?
Any news on the radar front?