[REL] Playable U-FlaK for SH5

[vdr1981]

Originally Posted by gap

I don't think so. To the best of my knowledge gun slots have nothing to do with camera.cam. It seems to me that valid slot settings in GunStationControllerPoperties are hardcoded values

,
Hmm, If there aren't any files which defines them, then it's probably hardcodded. Still, I cant understand why something like this would be hardcodded.
For now , the best I can do is to "teleport" a player to the stern flak , when he "cliks" front one...This can be somewhat confusing though...

[gap]

Originally Posted by vdr1981

Hmm, If there aren't any files which defines them, then it's probably hardcodded. Still, I cant understand why something like this would be hardcodded.

No idea, but generally when a setting in a controller refers to some items in another set of files, those files must be merged in the Goblin project for the items to be selectable. Besides that, slots selectable in GunStationControllerPoperties are numbered and as if they were an indexed value, and looking at their settings in Hex Editor they looked nothing like a bone ID. Either they refer to an hardcoded index, or to some preset values defined in an ascii file which gets preloaded when Goblin Editor is launched.

Originally Posted by vdr1981

For now , the best I can do is to "teleport" a player to the stern flak , when he "cliks" front one...This can be somewhat confusing though...

LOL, you re-discovered the teleport function
I guess this is happening because front Flak's GunStationControllerPoperties Slot property is set to S1 rather than S2

[vdr1981]

Originally Posted by gap

LOL, you re-discovered the teleport function
I guess this is happening because front Flak's GunStationControllerPoperties Slot property is set to S1 rather than S2

Yeah...Now even Commands,cfg file is involved...



Ahhh, screw it... 3 player usable flaks + 1AI controlled are more then enough. Anyone who don't think the same can contact Ubisoft...

[gap]

No matter what turm/U-boat the controller is applied to, in GunStationControllerPoperties there are four possible slot settings:

0 - SLOT_A01 (light Flak gun #1)
1 - SLOT_A02 (light Flak gun #2)
2 - SLOT_S01 (heavy Flak gun)
3 - SLOT_M01 (deck gun)

They are covering all the possible gun combinations for stock U-boats/cooning towers: max two single/double 20 mm Flaks, max one 37 mm Flak or one quad 20 mm gun, max one deckgun. The U-Flak is peculiar in having no deck gun and two heavy Flak guns instead of the one heavy Flak allowed in stock game.
Maybe we could rename the S02 gun bone/slot to M01, making the game to think it is a deckgun, but retaining Flak guns functionalities. If we do so, we should update UnitParts5VIIC41F.upc accordingly. If you are busy with other stuff, I can create a patch for you to test it in game. What do you think?

[gap]

Was there any special reason for using VIIC/41's hull in this mod?
All the U-Flaks were VIIC boats.

[Cybermat47]

vdr, any chance of making the heavy flak guns quad 20mms by default? I can only find photos of the U-Flak with the 20mms. They could have carried the 37mm, and presumably some did, but given that we only have photographic evidence of the 20mm quad, I think this should be the default.

[vdr1981]

Originally Posted by gap

No matter what turm/U-boat the controller is applied to, in GunStationControllerPoperties there are four possible slot settings:

0 - SLOT_A01 (light Flak gun #1)
1 - SLOT_A02 (light Flak gun #2)
2 - SLOT_S01 (heavy Flak gun)
3 - SLOT_M01 (deck gun)

They are covering all the possible gun combinations for stock U-boats/cooning towers: max two single/double 20 mm Flaks, max one 37 mm Flak or one quad 20 mm gun, max one deckgun. The U-Flak is peculiar in having no deck gun and two heavy Flak guns instead of the one heavy Flak allowed in stock game.
Maybe we could rename the S02 gun bone/slot to M01, making the game to think it is a deckgun, but retaining Flak guns functionalities. If we do so, we should update UnitParts5VIIC41F.upc accordingly. If you are busy with other stuff, I can create a patch for you to test it in game. What do you think?

Hmm, nice thinking Gap... Maybe that could work. Whenever you're ready...

Originally Posted by gap

Was there any special reason for using VIIC/41's hull in this mod?
All the U-Flaks were VIIC boats.

Because U-Flak tower was originally intended for VIIC41 I decided not to take any chances and use this hull. Is there any difference after all?

[vdr1981]

Originally Posted by Cybermat47

vdr, any chance of making the heavy flak guns quad 20mms by default? I can only find photos of the U-Flak with the 20mms. They could have carried the 37mm, and presumably some did, but given that we only have photographic evidence of the 20mm quad, I think this should be the default.

Other heavy flaks are available trough bunker upgrades...You can edit default AA weapons in UnitParts5VIIC41F.upc file.

[UnitPart 1.UpgradePackSlot 2]
ID= UpgConFlakHeavy
NameDisplayable= UpgConningFlakWG-Name
Type=NULL
AcceptedTypes=GerHeavyAA
UserCustomizable=Yes
IDLinkUpgradePackSlots= VIIC41Tower1FlakMount3
IDLinkUpgradePackSlotsIntervalDefault1= NULL, NULL, UpackUb37mmImpSingle

[UnitPart 1.UpgradePackSlot 3]
ID= UpgConFlakHeavy2
NameDisplayable= UpgConningFlakWG-Name
Type=NULL
AcceptedTypes=GerHeavyAA
UserCustomizable=Yes
IDLinkUpgradePackSlots= VIIC41Tower1FlakMount4
IDLinkUpgradePackSlotsIntervalDefault1= NULL, NULL, UpackUb37mmImpSingle

[gap]

Originally Posted by vdr1981

Hmm, nice thinking Gap... Maybe that could work. Whenever you're ready...

The patch is ready. I am now re-checking upc and upge files for any required tweak which I migh have overlooked. Stay tuned for updates

Originally Posted by vdr1981

Because U-Flak tower was originally intended for VIIC41 I decided not to take any chances and use this hull. Is there any difference after all?

No idea, probably not, but I will check it

Originally Posted by vdr1981

Other heavy flaks are available trough bunker upgrades...You can edit default AA weapons in UnitParts5VIIC41F.upc file.

Yep, by the way today I made a quick search on the web, and apparently the standard U-Flak gun outfit was as follows:

- 1 Flakvirling on the fore platform
- 1 Flakvierling on the Wintergarten
- 1 single 37 mm gun on the stern platform

Summing up: no light Flak, three heavy Flaks, no deck gun. If my test patch works, I will make all the changes required for reproducing this configuration

[vdr1981]

Originally Posted by gap

Yep, by the way today I made a quick search on the web, and apparently the standard U-Flak gun outfit was as follows:

- 1 Flakvirling on the fore platform
- 1 Flakvierling on the Wintergarten
- 1 single 37 mm gun on the stern platform

Summing up: no light Flak, three heavy Flaks, no deck gun. If my test patch works, I will make all the changes required for reproducing this configuration

Using only 3 flak slots instead of 4 can also solve some of the current issues...

I have no doubts that U-FlaK standard equipment somewhat differs, but we should also leave some space for bunker upgrades. People like to customize their U-Boats in bunker...

EDIT
Also, 2x Flakvirling + 1x single 37mm in default state would pose a significant overkill for poor planes AI in SH5...The worst RAF nightmare...

[gap]

Originally Posted by vdr1981

Using only 3 flak slots instead of 4 can also solve some of the current issues...

What do you mean?

Originally Posted by vdr1981

I have no doubts that U-FlaK standard equipment somewhat differs, but we should also leave some space for bunker upgrades. People like to customize their U-Boats in bunker...

Of course. I talked about standard gun outfit, but we can leave space for some non-historical user customizations through bunker upgrades

Originally Posted by vdr1981

EDIT
Also, 2x Flakvirling + 1x single 37mm in default state would pose a significant overkill for poor planes AI in SH5...The worst RAF nightmare...

Do you think that switching one 37mm and two double 20 mm with two quad 20 mm Flaks will make much difference?


P.S: man, the German equipment names you have put in upc/upge files instead of the English ones, are driving me nuts

[vdr1981]

Originally Posted by gap

Do you think that switching one 37mm and two double 20 mm with two quad 20 mm Flaks will make much difference?

Never mind that, we can deal with equipment types later... The system with 3x heavy flak slots could actually work, let's try that first. For now it seem OK, all stations are working, only fornt flak have opposite side crew again (A2 bone). Can we rotate bones in gr2 editor?

P.S: man, the German equipment names you have put in upc/upge files instead of the English ones, are driving me nuts

LoL sorry...

[gap]

http://www.mediafire.com/download/19..._test_patch.7z

Note that I have left the obj_Turret controllers unchanged, but they might need some training/elevation restrictions for the guns to fire a correct angles (i.e. for avoiding the message "cannot shot at the u-boat sir").

Let me know if it works

[vdr1981]

Originally Posted by gap

http://www.mediafire.com/download/19..._test_patch.7z

Note that I have left the obj_Turret controllers unchanged, but they might need some training/elevation restrictions for the guns to fire a correct angles (i.e. for avoiding the message "cannot shot at the u-boat sir").

Let me know if it works

Nope, I'm teleported to the stern heavy flak when front flak is "clicked"...
Did you get same results?

[gap]

Originally Posted by vdr1981

only fornt flak have opposite side crew again (A2 bone). Can we rotate bones in gr2 editor?

Yep. Tell me the which GR2 file, and exact bone name