[REQ] changing submarine setup

[tale]

Hello subsimers:

I'd like to make mission using a non standard submarine setup, like changing the torpedoes load may be with some of them already expended, installing a radar, selecting the crew, and even adding some damage to the submarine as if it had been in battle recently, and so on. I read here that this cannot be done with the mission editor.

My question is. Is it possible to mod a stock submarine and change it as described above? Well of course it is, but would it be a reachable task for someone without any previous modding experience? (that's me)

If the answer is yes, can you provide learning directions? I promise that the skills gained will be used for greater good of this community

TIA

[tale]

I managed to partly find and partly figure out how to change the torpedo setup, thanks to peabody who answer someone else in another thread.

It's all in the file (for example for the porpoise): ...\Data\Submarine\NSS_Porpoise\NSS_Porpoise.upc

There's a section for the stern torpedo tubes and another one for the bow torpedo tubes, like:

;------------------------------------------------------------
; BOW TORPEDO
;------------------------------------------------------------

...
[UserPlayerUnit 1.Compartment 5.WeaponSlot 3]
ID= TorpMountB3
NameDisplayable= Torpedo Tube 3
Type=NULL
AcceptedTypes= TorpedoTube
UserCustomizable=No
IDLinkBunker=BowTorpedoRoom
IDLinkWeaponIntervalDefault1= NULL, NULL, TorpedoTube21inUS, Mk14Torpedo
ExternalNodeName3D= NULL
ExternalObjectName3D= NSS_P1_Door02_FRD_anim01
ExternalDamageZoneTypeID3D= 132
...

Here the bow torpedo tube 3 will always be loaded by default with an Mk14. If I want to change this and have, by default, the Mk14 from the time of the BIG BANG until 1942-12-31 and an Mk23 from 1943-01-01 up to the Apocalypse, I change the line starting with IDLinkWeaponIntervalDefault1 with the following:

...
IDLinkWeaponIntervalDefault1= NULL, 1942-12-31, TorpedoTube21inUS, Mk14Torpedo
IDLinkWeaponIntervalDefault2= 1943-01-01, NULL, TorpedoTube21inUS, Mk23Torpedo
...

But if I want to have no torpedo at all in the tube I will use:

...
IDLinkWeaponIntervalDefault2= 1943-01-01, NULL, TorpedoTube21inUS, NULL
...

On the other hand you can change the reserve of torpedoes too, again there's a section for the stern and another for the bow torpedoes reserve; say I want all 8 torpedoes in the Porpoise reserve to be loaded by default with Mk14 until 1942-12-31, and from the next day (1943-01-01) I want 3 Mk23 and 5 Mk14, then I change the section like this:

...
[UserPlayerUnit 1.Compartment 5.Bunker 1] ; Forward Torpedo Room
ID=BowTorpedoRoom
Capacity=8
IDLinkAmmunitionIntervalDefault1= NULL, 1942-12-31, Mk14Torpedo, 8
IDLinkAmmunitionIntervalDefault2= 1943-01-01, NULL, Mk23Torpedo, 3, Mk14Torpedo, 5
...


If I find out about the crew, the damage and the equipment I'll post it here.

[ancient46]

The person who knows nearly everything about the ingame submarine crews is LukeFF of the RFB team. Whatever you want to try he probably knows how. Try posting a question in the RFB forums.

[LukeFF]

Adding pre-rendered damage isn't possible. To "install" a radar set or other piece of equipment, navigate (near the bottom of the page) to the UpgradePackSlot section of the file. For instance:

[UserPlayerUnit 1.UpgradePackSlot 1]
ID= UpgSurfaceSearchRadar
NameDisplayable= Surface Search Radar
Type=NULL
AcceptedTypes=BalaoSurfaceRadars
UserCustomizable=Yes
IDLinkUpgradePackSlots= EqSlot42, EqSlot43, SurfRadarAntenna
IDLinkUpgradePackSlotsIntervalDefault1= NULL, 1943-12-31, UpackBalaoSJRadar
IDLinkUpgradePackSlotsIntervalDefault2= 1944-01-01, NULL, UpackBalaoSJ1Radar

This tells the game the Balao class will have SJ radar installed by default from an "infinite" point of time to December 12, 1943. From 1 January 1944 onwards it will have SJ-1 radar installed by default. To see what upgrade packs are available, navigate to the /UPCData/UPCUnitsData folder, and look for UpgradePacks.upc.

Crew rosters are farther up the page. For instance:

[UserPlayerUnit 1.Compartment 4.CrewMemberSlot 1]
ID=CrewMemberSlot_AttackW1L
NameDisplayable= Radio Room Crew
Type= Leader
WatchIndex= 1
IDLinkCrewMember= CPO-Sensors
WatchCrewMemberSlot3D= SON
BattleStationsCrewMemberSlot3D= SON
WatchAccessoriesForAdding3DObjects= headphones#Head
WatchAccessoriesForSubtracting3DObjects= sapca
BattleAccessoriesForAdding3DObjects= headphones#Head
BattleAccessoriesForSubtracting3DObjects= sapca

This tells the game the leader of the first watch in the Balao conning tower will be a CPO with the Sensors qualification. The IDLinkCrewMember line is drawn from the CrewMembers.upc file in the UPCData folder. The game is told to add headphones to the crew model when at this station, during both normal operating conditions and general quarters. Likewise, the game is told to never render a cap on any crewman moved to this slot (the sapca reference).

All of the crew slots are controlled by the UPC files in /Data/Submarine, except for the bridge watch and AA guns. Those positions are controlled in similiar files in /Data/UPCData/UPCUnitsData.

Hopefully this gets you headed in the right direction.

[peabody]

Originally Posted by tale

On the other hand you can change the reserve of torpedoes too, again there's a section for the stern and another for the bow torpedoes reserve; say I want all 8 torpedoes in the Porpoise reserve to be loaded by default with Mk14 until 1942-12-31, and from the next day (1943-01-01) I want 3 Mk23 and 5 Mk14, then I change the section like this:

...
[UserPlayerUnit 1.Compartment 5.Bunker 1] ; Forward Torpedo Room
ID=BowTorpedoRoom
Capacity=8
IDLinkAmmunitionIntervalDefault1= NULL, 1942-12-31, Mk14Torpedo, 8
IDLinkAmmunitionIntervalDefault2= 1943-01-01, NULL, Mk23Torpedo, 3, Mk14Torpedo, 5
...


If I find out about the crew, the damage and the equipment I'll post it here.

Another help, if you want to change your Bunker "Capacity" you change the number here and in the wpn_SubtorpedoSys in the subs .sim file. In the .sim file it will be listed as "Rooms....Fore/aft...Storage." Right click on Storage and Add array item. If you want it accurate of course don't change it.

Peabody

[tale]

What's all these people doing in my quiet, lovely and until now deserted thread

Get out of here!

Now seriously, thanks for taking the time to share your knoledge with me; I'll stick to my word and use it to help the comunity.

Get out of here

[polyfiller]

Hi.... glad I found this thread. I've returned to playing SH4 (after playing SH3+GWX a great deal) and have been impressed by the levels of user playable ship / sub mods for SH4. I am looking to learn specifically about how to script new playable units. I'm not a complete numpty; I have oodles of Freelancer modding experience. I am not much of a 3D / textures person ... more of a scripting / weapons balancing / gameplay type modder.

Quesitons I have (apologies for hijack) relate to the answer above from Luke about adding radars. I've been trying to add radar capability to a number of mods I've downloaded, including the Los Angeles 688i mod, the November & Foxtrot mod, and also the Yamoto. I have tried, and failed, to get radar added to either the 688i, the Yamoto or the November. Within the November / Foxtrot mod the Foxtrot comes with workign radar and the November without. When I copy all the code from the Foxtrot files the the November - still no radar. I've also tried the same approach copying radar from the Bismark mod to the yamoto and still no radar.

Can anyone help explain the relationships between;

1) The radar definitions in the upgradepackslot in shipname.upc
2) The [UserPlayerUnit 1.FunctionalSubsystem 12] section in shipname.upc
3) The [UserPlayerUnit 1.Compartment 4.EquipmentSlot 3]
4) The shipname.sns file
5) The nodenames in shipname.sns - what do these corelate to - I assume nodnames in the 3d model .. if so how to check and what types of kit can be fitted to which nodes (any restrictions).
6) The [UnitPart 1.Compartment 1.EquipmentSlot 1] section in unitpartsshipname.upc
7) The definitions in upgradepacks.upc and equipment.upc

Sorry for the complex / long quesitons ... I'm trying to learn how to do this so that I can do some modding and maybe help contribute to some of the major mods by doing scripting for them. I found it easy to get into the Freelancer stuff by virtue of the large quantity of tutuorials.

Any / all help gratefully received :p