Missing Ship Lengths in Recognition Manual

[stringue]

I found I could not calculate ship speed without this data, I also have the jewel case DVD so I am missing any hardcopy of the manual.

I am using SH4 1.5 with TMO 1.52 and SCAF 1.5 for that version, a forum search showed no ship length data for this combination - but some1 posted a version where they tagged on the length to the ship names - so I did the same for this setup.

I made it for personal use but I figure some1 might find it handy so here it is
- USE AT OWN RISK! -
Copy the names.cfg file to Data/Roster directory making a BACKUP of the existing names.cfg

http://rapidshare.com/files/171706761/names.cfg.html
http://www.filefactory.com/file/76618d/n/names_cfg
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=S4SNYAIM

Like I say it was for personal use so if theres any inaccuracies etc just change them yourself Oh the cfg stuff was in meters so I changed it to feet but rounded off the decimal points I haven't really tested it yet but I hit the cruiser and the junks ok so I guess some of the numbers are ok. Open office was used to suck apart the original file - I can't guarantee it put it back together again ok.

EDIT: changed download to (L: xx ft) to match the rfb names cfg a few posts below and to better squeeze in next to long ship names.

[vanjast]

Nice...
I let ya all on a little secret... In the game optics (visuals), the vertical scale is NOT linear. IOW top of mast measurements will be different at diffferent ranges

WHEREAS.. the horizontal scale is more linear (kinda stupid isn't it), so measuring the length of a ship is consistent over any range. If the AOB <> 90 ..well - simple trig sorts that out.

[Nisgeis]

Very nice Stringue! Welcome aboard by the way.

[stringue]

The same again with the data taken from Real Fleet Boat 1.52;

Names.cfg with ship lengths (L: xx ft) apended to names RFB 1.52 :
http://rapidshare.com/files/169848977/Names.cfg.html
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NLEJ2IJY
http://www.filefactory.com/file/7402f2/n/Names_cfg

data was taken from cfg files in sea directory via rather hurried copy/paste, then converted to feet and finally back to names - any innacuracys will need editing yourself! Decimal points were rounded to nearest 1.

[stringue]

Thanks for showing that Vanjast, I don't know what to do then

The length for the iowa in nbb_iowa.cfg was listed as 270.4 and I multiplied that by roughly 3.28 (there was a longer figure on the net i used) and got 887.

Wikipedia lists the iowa as 890, it seems rather dissapointing that the ship model is 971 ft .

I personally would like a length figure in the recognition manual to aid in finding speed, perhaps in time the larger mods or some1 else (please!) could incorporate this - or better yet accurate proportioned 3d models and length data.

[vanjast]

I've done a few more tests and found that the view angle is correct in the original Stock scope, but rescaling the scope and zoom does not rescale the ship's as well... :hmm:
Back to the drawing board...


Sorry for that one . keep the lengths as you have them.
I'll delete the above post..

[vanjast]

I re-installed SH4 to vanilla and found this story - I think this would apply to any Super mod as this has a 'bearing' on the scope FOVs only.

After checking the Iowa BShip, I scaled the view make sure the scope view angle matched the scope graticules - This would then provide me with a 1x view reference.

notes:-
1) The scope rotation (bearing) indicator indicated a larger rotation than what the ship actually was.
2) On sunsequent ships, I found that the scope graticules did not match the indicated ship lengths, nor did the scope rotations. The visual ship lengths 'were all over the place' !!

My preliminary conclusion is that the game 3D ship model lengths do not match the RL lengths so... sorry Stringue, I think to make the ship lengths usefull, we have to plonk in psuedo (unrealistic) lengths.
I'll start putting this together...

[vanjast]

In order to do the above 'cunning plan'....the procedure.

- Scale the scope graticules so they match the scope rotation.
- Measure each ship, then recalculate it's 'new' length from the original length.
- Plonk these new values into the names.cfg file.

From this you'd now have 'matched', reliable way of calculating ranges and speeds of a ship.

Anybody got any other ideas - speeka !!

[stringue]

The same for operation monsun mod, I like to calculate the speed based on timing if you haven't already guessed.

I don't know if these are accurate if the scope fov is warped or the 3d models are wrong, I only append the lengths in the cfg to the names cfg, I always time the speed after using gwx 2.1 so I was a bit dissapointed that this was ommited in SH4.

I might do some tests myself with the speed thing, I thought if you line the external camera edge up as a reference that might work?

http://www.filefactory.com/file/d175...p_ur_old_1_cfg
http://rapidshare.com/files/17391720...old_1.cfg.html
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=CGQU8L9M

:use at own risk, make a backup first:

How the heck does anyone else calculate speed in SH4? I know you can plot positions over time and use the nomograph or 3 minute rule, but I find it difficult to see the thin masts and get odd distances.

[vanjast]

Originally Posted by stringue

How the heck does anyone else calculate speed in SH4? I know you can plot positions over time and use the nomograph or 3 minute rule, but I find it difficult to see the thin masts and get odd distances.

I've been reading USN sub patrol reports, and there are hints of using Prop Revs-vs-Speed over passive sonar(same as SH3). I've done half the ships, but stopped.. maybe it's time to carry on.
RFB stuffed this up by replacing the hydrophone audio files with real 'pulsating' sonar signatures, resulting in garbage, as the game engine modifies the audio file with it's own speed related rev count.