I've never played or modded SH4 (Pacific theatre's never been my thing in subsims, due to inverted difficulty curve), so at least for the time being I don't plan to relase SH4 mods. That said, if someone would like to relase them for SH4 I will be happy to assist. I can provide s3d compatible meshes, textures and maybe help with these controllers that I know how to setup, leaving only SH4 specific controllers and in-game testing.

Oooh-ooh... we will try to take you up on that offer! Thank you! We do have a few connections we can call on, and will attempt to make time for the conversions and not bother you too much about it. SH4 is also sadly lacking in coastal vessels, relying on a few "fishing" boats, which are re-worked tugs (or is it the tugs re-worked from fishing vessels??) and several sampan. That is basically it. Thank you again. We'll be in touch!

You need to use version 1.1.451.1

Then correct the 3D models in an out side program since TDW has a flawed way of importing to the GR2 files.

I'd say it's like needing a 50 gallon drum to carry 10 gallons of water.

SH5 also lacks fishing boats appropriate for British coastal waters. There's a Coastal Boat (which seems based on MFV1001 class) and (in TWoS) several imported .dat format ships which sadly are either too modern (Pelagic Trawler), or low detail. I added a large trawler converted from stock Armed Trawler but this ship is huge (there were only a handful of such large fishing vessels in existence back then - it should be very rare), so I plan to add a smaller and more common trawler to the mix, based on Lydia Eva:

https://alchetron.com/cdn/lydia-eva-...esize-750.jpeg

Excellent idea ! :yep:

I'm currently working on a French tug boat (L'Actif - 1939), but it's hard for me to keep it low poly because I have very detailed technical plans and I like details :D ...

https://nsm09.casimages.com/img/2021...9017695140.png

https://nsm09.casimages.com/img/2021...9017695146.png

There is an animated crane in SH4, and I was thinking of attempting to have "moving" fishing nets and booms on a fishing boat:

https://fishingbooker.com/blog/media...al-fishing.jpg

but getting the net to "play out" would be a tough bit of artwork. Maybe just have the boat with the nets already deployed, and towing them? I dunno... It'd be cool to see, but how many players would look before shooting anyway?... lol

It's not that hard to do animations. It's just that no one is willing to attempt doing them. It's like talking hex editing. It's all Voodoo unless one is given a point and clicky-clicky tool.

:har:

If Imported properly to a GR2 file? Those models are not that high in details.

Why ? Is there any limitation ?

Don't forget to add lots of seagulls all around... :O:

Look at the files for the Interiors. Pretty much no limit.
Only thing would be does a new ship drop the Game to it's knees?
The Granny system is a really robust thing.
Even Units done with a flawed import seem to have little impact on Game play.

Looks cool :)

The (currently) only tool available for modders not speaking binary (that is, everyone but Jeff right now) to export/import models to SH5, TDW's GR2Editor, inflates files during import (you'll find more info in Jeff's Almagest thread), which means models imported with it take more system resources than they should. That's why I would not advise to use this tool to make small improvements to existing models (like, say, adding a single crate on deck of a ship) unless you can use strict import option, because entire file will then be inflated in size for relatively small gain.

Still, even these inflated files are handled rather well by SH5. To give you an idea:

- Stock Armed Trawler has 11236 triangles and 1,55 MB gr2 file
- Large Fishing Trawler (my remodel of the above unit), 12201 triangles but 2,81 MB file

Seems suboptimal, but at the same time PB4Y plane in TWoS has 160671 triangles and 8,38 MB .dat file and there is no visible lag when a flight of these appear. Or, for gr2 example, command room o our boat has 55 MB .gr2 file. So, the game can handle way more than stock units "weight".

When I was making first units of this mod I was very stingy with details because I was worried about performance, but I've relaxed my detail limits a lot since.

The Granny system is coded to optimize. Thus the success of the system!
It reads, compiles, and dumps garbage on a fantastic level!
On the fly optimization of files is unmatched! Thus the reason large files created with TDW's program work.
Now cutting file sizes down makes the read process faster, allows smaller file sizes over all, Thus the reason for creating Almagest.

Wow, I see some amazing new ship/boat models coming.
Well done kapuhy and Mister_M, I can't wait to see your creations rendered in game :yeah:

Speaking of which, how's your puffer? (no pressure, just curious ;) )

Trawler I'm working on does not have such booms - it's a drifter, so more like this:

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/07/7c/95/0...426a166af2.jpg

In order to depict it "at work" I'd have to be able to make buoys and net that is connected to the ship but not rigidly - its bouncing due to wave movement should be independent, or every time ship rolls on waves buoys would jump out of the water. Same thing with trying to depict minesweepers while sweeping. Currently I have no clue how one would do it (but to tell the truth I haven't been looking into this much yet).

Worst case, as far as trawlers are concerned, one could make a docked version as part of port traffic, with nets deployed as separate "ship".

Edit 2: Current progress on the trawler:

https://i.imgur.com/rU7zFJY.png

I've just realised that the plans I have are for the tugboat "Actif" of 1954, and not for the one of 1939 ! ... I've found this info on archives, it was not written on the plan (in fact not readable)... :wah:

You mean these?

http://freeshipplans.com/free-model-...at-actif-1939/

Yes exactly ! Tugboat of 1000 CV (CV = "chevaux" = horse power) and it's written "R : 21056" on the plans.

Now, https://www.aamm.fr/docs/pdf/reperto...tellerault.pdf --- page 71 :

ACTIF - Remorqueur de 600 CV
- Documents communs à : LAVANDOU - PALMIER ET TATIHOU
- Groupes motoventilateurs de 5000 m³/h
1939 - Ensemble - rechange

ACTIF - Remorqueur de mer de 1000 CV
- A 707 - 1954 R.21056
- Projet d'un dispositif de mouillage et relevage des
mines d'exercice
- Document commun aux : CEPET, COTENTIN et TEBESSA
- Groupe motopompe de circulation
- Notice pour la conduite et l'entretien

And indeed, loonking again on the plans, you can read a date with "54" (1954), but it's not readable at first glance.

So, it is another ship... Actif is a very common word in french to design ships. It might be the same ship but with a new and more powerful engine, but I really don't think so. :hmmm:

It is the sentence "Projet d'un dispositif de mouillage et relevage des mines d'exercice" which drew my attention, because I had already read it on the plans I have.

Hmm, look here:

http://uim.marine.free.fr/URO/nav-comp/URA/assinie.htm

From what I can decipher from it "Actif" is also a name for an entire series of tugs, some of them built during and some after WW2 - and indeed ship on the photo resembles yours. So you might be modeling a ship from right time period for the game after all :yeah:

Yes, you're right, it's the same ! :o

https://nsm09.casimages.com/img/2021...9017699420.png