Encountering ships with pre-existing damage.

in_vino_vomitus · 07-30-13, 04:38 AM

Made first contact with a convoy in OM. and noticed that there appeared to be ships in it with fires. I thought it was a nice touch. I'm told that you can't spawn ships with pre-existing damage, so I'm now wondering if that's actually what I saw. As luck would have it, I managed to get some screenshots. The smoke looks different and there's a faint orange dot, that could be fire, although it's not visible through the binocs. I didn't see any damaged ships once I was in amongst the convoy, but I was submerged and it was a big convoy. They could have been there without me seeing them.

The real bummer was that I didn't save after attacking [or during] and the game crashed on my way home through the Dover Straits, so I ended up going back to a previous position and I never saw this bunch again

Anyway, here are the screenshots. To me they look like ships are on fire, but I concede it's far from conclusive - What do people think?

fireftr18 · 07-30-13, 09:54 AM

It does look like ships can be on fire. I would say that the smoke is from the smoke stacks and the glow is a searchlight from a destroyer.

07-30-13, 01:29 PM

ships don't spawn with damage but they can receive damage when spawned if they are too close to something.

I have even seen ships spawn on top of each other or land or even a dock and cause one to sink as a result.

ships do sink with different damage so I think some ships are spawned "weaker" then normal but I have never seen one spawn with visible damage

in_vino_vomitus · 07-30-13, 01:36 PM

Well - that could be the case with the smoke, but whatever else the orange dots were, I'd say there was no way they were searchlights - But the smoke seems different in density from the trails from the smokestacks. I shall definitely be looking out for confirmation if I ever see this again....

BrucePartington · 07-30-13, 09:41 PM

I know I may not be adding anything to really clarify this mystery.
But FWIW, I have come across damaged ships in convoys, more than once. Some with flames and smoke and/or w/ decks awash.
Only in one instance it made sense to me, since before getting any closer to the convoy, my lookouts spotted allied aircraft flying over, and later on red plumes were spotted on the ocean, towards which I ordered Ahead Flank.
Such sightings have been rare though.

in_vino_vomitus · 07-31-13, 04:52 AM

It goes some way towards convincing me I don't have an overactive imagination - I mean I do, but it's nice to know it might not be fabricating this. - The first time I saw dense smoke coming from a ship in a convoy, just over the horizon, I thought it was an authentic touch. then, someone who knows, said that you can't spawn ships with damage and, to be honest, that makes sense. Then I saw the convoy in the screenshots below, and it really doesn't look like smoke from funnels. Also it turns out that ships can get damaged by other things that players don't control. So now I'm wondering if the damaged ships in convoys are there because somebody thought it would add to the realism, or if it's just an accidental feature of the way that the convoys are spawned.

Either way it's a nice touch....

TorpX · 07-31-13, 10:59 PM

I hadn't thought of it before, but it's possible they could also be damaged when their convoy takes a zig and they bump into each other. I don't know how likely that is, but it is possible.

Armistead · 07-31-13, 11:11 PM

Any damaged ships would have to happen after they spawn in your contact zone. Either they ran into each other or hit by US planes, etc. However, I have seen rare bugs where ships are damaged.

08-06-13, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TorpX

I hadn't thought of it before, but it's possible they could also be damaged when their convoy takes a zig and they bump into each other. I don't know how likely that is, but it is possible.

yep, the AI is really spastic acting when its an all out alert to all merchant ships and some ships will zig-zag while others go into long s-turns and some just circle back doing a 360 on their own course so whenever there is a scramble of convoy ships they always seam to have a collision.

warships seam to have less problems scrambling as a group and its only the DD and light cruisers that run into or get run over other ships

also as was pointed out by someone the game does record "some" damage to ships from heavy storms if the water gets high enough over the decks. in most cases this is a side affect of using a mod like Op Monsun that adds a lot of ships to the game without properly correcting draft heights and such for them.

Popeye the Salior · 08-06-13, 05:35 PM

I think your right

merc4ulfate · 08-06-13, 09:15 PM

I have only seen this happen in port on bad installation of mods or orders of the mods causing issues.

TorpX · 08-06-13, 10:02 PM

There is something else I thought of. This happened to me a long time ago with an earlier version of RFB. I made an attack on a convoy of mixed ships and escorts; later I saw a small minesweeper that looked like it was burning. This was strange to me as I had not targeted any such ship, but thought maybe it was hit by a stray torpedo. After observing it over time, it became apparent that it was not really damaged, but that the smoke was just excessive. Instead of coming out the stack, it seemed to be coming out the middle of the ship. In other words, it was just a graphical imperfection.

BrucePartington · 08-06-13, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TorpX

There is something else I thought of. This happened to me a long time ago with an earlier version of RFB. I made an attack on a convoy of mixed ships and escorts; later I saw a small minesweeper that looked like it was burning. This was strange to me as I had not targeted any such ship, but thought maybe it was hit by a stray torpedo. After observing it over time, it became apparent that it was not really damaged, but that the smoke was just excessive. Instead of coming out the stack, it seemed to be coming out the middle of the ship. In other words, it was just a graphical imperfection.

Very true.
I have a little screenie collection of such imperfections, including some very strange dark patches hovering above water where nothing happened, like they were sci-fi portals of some kind.
I need to take a look at the instructions on how to share images here.
Yes, I realize I should know how to do that by now. Sometimes I get lazy.

07-30-13, 04:38 AM	#1
in_vino_vomitus XO Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Preston, Lancs, UK Posts: 418 Downloads: 137 Uploads: 0	Encountering ships with pre-existing damage. Made first contact with a convoy in OM. and noticed that there appeared to be ships in it with fires. I thought it was a nice touch. I'm told that you can't spawn ships with pre-existing damage, so I'm now wondering if that's actually what I saw. As luck would have it, I managed to get some screenshots. The smoke looks different and there's a faint orange dot, that could be fire, although it's not visible through the binocs. I didn't see any damaged ships once I was in amongst the convoy, but I was submerged and it was a big convoy. They could have been there without me seeing them. The real bummer was that I didn't save after attacking [or during] and the game crashed on my way home through the Dover Straits, so I ended up going back to a previous position and I never saw this bunch again Anyway, here are the screenshots. To me they look like ships are on fire, but I concede it's far from conclusive - What do people think? __________________ Forget death - I'll take dishonour! [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] TMO 2.5 1.5 Optical Targeting Correction 031312 for TMO 2.5 1.5 OTC Realistic Scopes for TMO TheDarkWraith_DC_Water_Disturbance_v2_0_SH4 Improved Stock environment v3_TMO&RFB TMO_Alt_engine-sounds TMO_Alternate_JS_Radar_performance TMO17_19_different_smoke

07-30-13, 09:54 AM	#2
fireftr18 Ocean Warrior Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Kentucky Posts: 2,528 Downloads: 77 Uploads: 0	It does look like ships can be on fire. I would say that the smoke is from the smoke stacks and the glow is a searchlight from a destroyer. __________________ Of all the forms of Martial Arts, Karaoke causes the most pain!

07-30-13, 01:36 PM	#4
in_vino_vomitus XO Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Preston, Lancs, UK Posts: 418 Downloads: 137 Uploads: 0	Well - that could be the case with the smoke, but whatever else the orange dots were, I'd say there was no way they were searchlights - But the smoke seems different in density from the trails from the smokestacks. I shall definitely be looking out for confirmation if I ever see this again.... __________________ Forget death - I'll take dishonour! [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] TMO 2.5 1.5 Optical Targeting Correction 031312 for TMO 2.5 1.5 OTC Realistic Scopes for TMO TheDarkWraith_DC_Water_Disturbance_v2_0_SH4 Improved Stock environment v3_TMO&RFB TMO_Alt_engine-sounds TMO_Alternate_JS_Radar_performance TMO17_19_different_smoke

07-31-13, 04:52 AM	#6
in_vino_vomitus XO Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Preston, Lancs, UK Posts: 418 Downloads: 137 Uploads: 0	It goes some way towards convincing me I don't have an overactive imagination - I mean I do, but it's nice to know it might not be fabricating this. - The first time I saw dense smoke coming from a ship in a convoy, just over the horizon, I thought it was an authentic touch. then, someone who knows, said that you can't spawn ships with damage and, to be honest, that makes sense. Then I saw the convoy in the screenshots below, and it really doesn't look like smoke from funnels. Also it turns out that ships can get damaged by other things that players don't control. So now I'm wondering if the damaged ships in convoys are there because somebody thought it would add to the realism, or if it's just an accidental feature of the way that the convoys are spawned. Either way it's a nice touch.... __________________ Forget death - I'll take dishonour! [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] TMO 2.5 1.5 Optical Targeting Correction 031312 for TMO 2.5 1.5 OTC Realistic Scopes for TMO TheDarkWraith_DC_Water_Disturbance_v2_0_SH4 Improved Stock environment v3_TMO&RFB TMO_Alt_engine-sounds TMO_Alternate_JS_Radar_performance TMO17_19_different_smoke

07-31-13, 11:11 PM	#8
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,880 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	Any damaged ships would have to happen after they spawn in your contact zone. Either they ran into each other or hit by US planes, etc. However, I have seen rare bugs where ships are damaged. __________________ You see my dog don't like people laughing. He gets the crazy idea you're laughing at him. Now if you apologize like I know you're going to, I might convince him that you really didn't mean it.

07-30-13, 01:29 PM	#3
Webster Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	ships don't spawn with damage but they can receive damage when spawned if they are too close to something. I have even seen ships spawn on top of each other or land or even a dock and cause one to sink as a result. ships do sink with different damage so I think some ships are spawned "weaker" then normal but I have never seen one spawn with visible damage

07-30-13, 09:41 PM	#5
BrucePartington XO Join Date: May 2013 Location: KM AM99 Posts: 405 Downloads: 33 Uploads: 0	I know I may not be adding anything to really clarify this mystery. But FWIW, I have come across damaged ships in convoys, more than once. Some with flames and smoke and/or w/ decks awash. Only in one instance it made sense to me, since before getting any closer to the convoy, my lookouts spotted allied aircraft flying over, and later on red plumes were spotted on the ocean, towards which I ordered Ahead Flank. Such sightings have been rare though.

07-31-13, 10:59 PM	#7
TorpX Silent Hunter Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 3,975 Downloads: 153 Uploads: 11	I hadn't thought of it before, but it's possible they could also be damaged when their convoy takes a zig and they bump into each other. I don't know how likely that is, but it is possible.

08-06-13, 05:35 PM	#10
Popeye the Salior Sailor man Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Wish I was at sea commanding a sailboat. Posts: 48 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 0	I think your right

08-06-13, 09:15 PM	#11
merc4ulfate DILLIGAF Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: florida Posts: 2,058 Downloads: 210 Uploads: 0	I have only seen this happen in port on bad installation of mods or orders of the mods causing issues.

08-06-13, 10:02 PM	#12
TorpX Silent Hunter Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 3,975 Downloads: 153 Uploads: 11	There is something else I thought of. This happened to me a long time ago with an earlier version of RFB. I made an attack on a convoy of mixed ships and escorts; later I saw a small minesweeper that looked like it was burning. This was strange to me as I had not targeted any such ship, but thought maybe it was hit by a stray torpedo. After observing it over time, it became apparent that it was not really damaged, but that the smoke was just excessive. Instead of coming out the stack, it seemed to be coming out the middle of the ship. In other words, it was just a graphical imperfection.