[REL] Dark Waters

[raymond6751]

Looks very good. Thank you for this.

[R4ib3N]

There seems to be a problem with the optics which makes the AOB wheel unusable:

I ran a mission where the Battleship in front is 914m (1000yds) away (as shown by the Nearest Visual Contact), at 1.5x maginification.

The battleship mast covers just over 5 marks (5.1 as far as I can tell, which according to Kiub User Guide is 10.2 Degrees).



I insert the optical range of 5.1 under the black 1.5x ranging cursor (A).

Where the mast height (23.4m) aligns with the range (B) I get 4.60 periscope marks. B should show 900m but does not.




I also aligned the known range of 900m (A) with the mast height (23.4m) and received the expected height of the mast in periscope marks (B) showing around 2.64 periscope marks which is wrong.

My Resolution is 1920x1080 HD.

This is clearly an error in the optics, any chance of a fix?

[SonnySmiles]

Seems I have another problem Everytime I find a convoy and save it
It just won't load the save afterwards is there away round this at all
Killing me inside

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by SonnySmiles

Seems I have another problem Everytime I find a convoy and save it
It just won't load the save afterwards is there away round this at all
Killing me inside

hard to say without knowing your system config or your SH4/DW config.
are you installed in the default Windows folder? what is the order of your SH4 mods? which version of SH4 are you modding, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5? are you running with LAA enabled?

have you tried to reconcile the Windows compatibility issues that we encounter after Microsoft updates your OS?

for example, i was playing just fine and then encountered exactly what you describe: can't load a presumably good save for no apparent reason. Immediate reaction is to blame the app.

in fact, unbeknownst to me, Microsoft applied some updates that affected SH4 (written for XP/Vista).
i reran the compatibility exercise and found new settings that work.

this is an old game by computing standards. as an analogy, try plugging an Atari game cartridge into a Sega Genesis console. that is what we are kinda sorta doing with SH4 and win10.

[KaleunMarco]

playing DW for the first time since it was released, formally, and i have noticed some strange behaviour by Allied aircraft.
the time line is Late 1943-Early 1944.
Missions are either Midlant or Iceland.
when we encounter a Coastal Command patrol aircraft, one of two things happens as the a/c nears our position:

1. the a/c presses home an attack
2. disappears

the Liberators and Sutherlands attack. The Marlets and Avengers disappear.
i am trying to figure out why there is disparate behaviour.

any hints as to what to look for?

Generic Mod Enabler - v2.6.0.157
[C:\Ubisoft\Dark Waters\MODS]

100 OM_DarkWaters_V6
110 OM_Harder_Escort_L2
120 OM_Strategic_Map_Symbols
130 OM_UMark
140 OM_Warm_Clothes
150 OM_U-Jagd
160 OM_Med_Env
180 OM_Voice Mod

[propbeanie]

As odd as it may sound, try removing the Warm Clothes mod. We found that any little bit of submarine crew configuration that is "off" will result in the crew not being able to see, and airplanes doing odd things, such as flying directly overhead and not bombing. It most likely is not that, but try it. My guess would be load-out conflicts. I'll run Hebe's mySH3-Tool on my install and see if it finds anything like that.

Edit: Loadouts can be a bear to deal with, and DW has its fair share of mis-configurations, probably left-overs from OM. But neither the Martlet nor the Avenger show on the list. However, the Hurricane has several mis-matches...

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

As odd as it may sound, try removing the Warm Clothes mod. We found that any little bit of submarine crew configuration that is "off" will result in the crew not being able to see, and airplanes doing odd things, such as flying directly overhead and not bombing. It most likely is not that, but try it. My guess would be load-out conflicts. I'll run Hebe's mySH3-Tool on my install and see if it finds anything like that.

Edit: Loadouts can be a bear to deal with, and DW has its fair share of mis-configurations, probably left-overs from OM. But neither the Martlet nor the Avenger show on the list. However, the Hurricane has several mis-matches...

under the heading of: be careful what you ask for.....
there are a ****pot-full of bad dates (and a bunch of other gobbly-gook), however it DID find some things on the Martlet and Avenger

what do these lines from DB_Roster.csv mean? if i make a SWAG, i'd say that there is a file somewhere that is referencing the incorrect .CFG file for these planes, but that is just a SWAG. where in this report does it disclose the file with the bad pointers? or am i supposed to know that because i am running SH3-tool?

FBMartlet.cfg;C:\Ubisoft\Dark Waters\data\Roster\British\Air\FBMartlet.cfg;FBMartlet;British;300;Air;19370101;19480101
the file is actually named AFB_Martlet.cfg.

ASWAvenger.cfg;C:\Ubisoft\Dark Waters\data\Roster\American\Air\ASWAvenger.cfg;ASW_Avenger;American;302;Air;19420201;19480101
the file is actually named AFB_Avenger.cfg.
TBAvenger.cfg;C:\Ubisoft\Dark Waters\data\Roster\American\Air\TBAvenger.cfg;ATB_Avenger;American;302;Air;19420201;19480101
the file is actually named ATB_Avenger.cfg.

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

As odd as it may sound, try removing the Warm Clothes mod. We found that any little bit of submarine crew configuration that is "off" will result in the crew not being able to see, and airplanes doing odd things, such as flying directly overhead and not bombing. It most likely is not that, but try it. My guess would be load-out conflicts. I'll run Hebe's mySH3-Tool on my install and see if it finds anything like that.

Edit: Loadouts can be a bear to deal with, and DW has its fair share of mis-configurations, probably left-overs from OM. But neither the Martlet nor the Avenger show on the list. However, the Hurricane has several mis-matches...

next question:


on the left is the EQP file and the right is the CFG file.
the error message: AFB_HurricaneMk1C (Air) ==Loadout "1x250Kg Bomb " not found in cfg

the error does not match what is stored in the files. what am i not understanding?

and....

follow-up question:

where are the ordnance files stored(1x250Kg Bomb)? they are NOT in the Ordnance folder.
edit: found it....\library\Bombs.dat

[propbeanie]

A spelling error, mis-placed semi-colon, any one of a number of typo errors can upset things in those files. You also have to have the "B" nodes, or "R" nodes, or whatever equipment you are attempting to mount, has to have that mount point on the platform itself. For the Loadouts themselves, you "Name" and outline a load-out in the cfg file, and you define it in the eqp file. Kind of like programming and sub-routine procedures. btw - The "DummyBomb" in your example is there as a "fake" so that the plane will come down and at least strafe you. So the cfg file names the load-outs, but each plane's eqp file should start with a "default" load-out, so make certain that set of nodes is at the top of the file. Most of the eqp files we've dealt with will call it "Basic", such as:

; Basic Loadout definition
[Equipment 1]
NodeName=B01
LinkName=Bomb250Kg
StartDate=19380101
EndDate=19431101

Five lines for each entry when including the dates. Notice the Start and End Date lines generally only have to be there for at least the first item of a loadout definition, and that everything about the plane is listed in ALL of the loadouts that are outlined (cfg) and defined (eqp). If there are five "B" nodes on a given plane that you wish to use in a load-out, the empty slots need a NULL listing in the other definitions. When you get to building the "named" loadouts, then you add another line to the equipment listing:

;3x250Kg Bomb Loadout definition
[Equipment 10]
NodeName=B01
LinkName=Bomb250Kg
Loadout=3x250Kg Bomb
StartDate=19431102
EndDate=19451231

There would now be six lines for each entry (including dates), adding the "Loadout=" line. Also, be certain that the headers are listed in proper numerical order. Blank lines are not necessary, and the ";3x250Kg Bomb Loadout definition" line isn't necessary either. Those are there for the human. The game uses the "Loadout=" lines for that. It is good practice (possibly necessary for the game) to keep all Load-outs with the same sequence of "[Equipment XX]" sections, and as mentioned, if not used in a given load-out, use "NULL". Also, don't overlap dates if the loadouts are for spawned assets... This particular plane above is set to "automatically" change its loadout by date. All items in a given loadout definition need to have the same dates, if listed. You can have overlapping dates if the mission builder chooses the loadouts when placing the asset in a mis file and chooses a particular loadout, such as one plane for ASW, another for divebombing, etc...

However, again, you are illustrating the Hurricane, but describing the Martlet and Avenger as avoiding you. Of course, each of those generally only has one bomb slot, so if they used it elsewhere, they won't tangle with you - unless they have a "loaded" "DummyBomb" still on a "B" node... Thanks to Hebe and Jeff-Groves for helping us to further understand loadouts - IF I did this correctly, that is...

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

;3x250Kg Bomb Loadout definition
[Equipment 10]
NodeName=B01
LinkName=Bomb250Kg
Loadout=3x250Kg Bomb
StartDate=19431102
EndDate=19451231

There would now be six lines for each entry (including dates), adding the "Loadout=" line. Also, be certain that the headers are listed in proper numerical order. Blank lines are not necessary, and the ";3x250Kg Bomb Loadout definition" line isn't necessary either. Those are there for the human. The game uses the "Loadout=" lines for that. It is good practice (possibly necessary for the game) to keep all Load-outs with the same sequence of "[Equipment XX]" sections, and as mentioned, if not used in a given load-out, use "NULL". Also, don't overlap dates if the loadouts are for spawned assets... This particular plane above is set to "automatically" change its loadout by date. All items in a given loadout definition need to have the same dates, if listed. You can have overlapping dates if the mission builder chooses the loadouts when placing the asset in a mis file and chooses a particular loadout, such as one plane for ASW, another for divebombing, etc...

ok, in the example above and using your explanation as the basis, the line
Loadout=3x250Kg Bomb
is incorrect, and should be
Loadout=3xBomb250Kg
because that is the definition name in the Bombs.dat file.

did i read/learn correctly?

However, again, you are illustrating the Hurricane, but describing the Martlet and Avenger as avoiding you.

yes, the Hurri was a nice simple example.
AFB_HurricaneMk1C - "FBHurricaneMk1C" - "300" (Air) ==Loadout not exist in cfg (diff cfg<>eqp)==
when i inspected the Bombs file, it was obvious that the ordnance names were not the same.

in the case of the Martlet and Avenger, they did not appear in the DB_Diffs file, they appeared in the DB_roster.csv file.
that would lead me to believe that the name in the Names.cfg file did not match the actual file name in the Roster\Air\British folder (American for the Avenger).

ASWAvenger.cfg;C:\Ubisoft\Dark Waters\data\Roster\American\Air\ASWAvenger.cfg;ASW _Avenger;American;302;Air;19420201;19480101
TBAvenger.cfg;C:\Ubisoft\Dark Waters\data\Roster\American\Air\TBAvenger.cfg;ATB_ Avenger;American;302;Air;19420201;19480101
FBMartlet.cfg;C:\Ubisoft\Dark Waters\data\Roster\British\Air\FBMartlet.cfg;FBMar tlet;British;300;Air;19370101;19480101

when i checked the Roster folder(s), i discovered that the Avenger config file is named the same: ASWAvenger.cfg
However, when i checked the AIR folder (data\air\plane name) i discovered that the Avenger folder is named ASW_Avenger and the config file within the folder is named ASW_Avenger.cfg.

so.....to resolve this, i suspect that i need to change the Names.cfg file, under Avenger to match the AIR Folder name of ASW_Avenger.

does that seem correct?

edit: my suggested fixes did not fix the problems.

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

A spelling error, mis-placed semi-colon, any one of a number of typo errors can upset things in those files.

it was discovered (although you and others may have known) that in the various CFG files in the Roster and Sea folders, SH4 does NOT like comments on the same line as the data.
for example.

DOD=19420931 ;comments

the above will give an error condition of some type because the user must enter spaces or a tab between the data and the comment and SH4 will consider the spaces part of the date, which they are not. hence an error, somewhere.

if you need to leave a comment (or you are cleaning up after the person who left the comment), this alternative is acceptable:

DOD=19420931
;comments

[KaleunMarco]

i am stumped. this hasn't happened to me in a long, long time, when i was doing things the wrong way.

we shoved off for patrol driving a 7C out of La Pallice on the west coast of France, late in August, expecting changes while we are out.

La Pallice ceases operating 8/31/44 and my flot is to be transferred and assigned to Bergen at that time. Bergen opens for business for 7C's on 7/1/44 and continues to the end of the war.

so, we are patrolling an ISC zone, north of Scapa Flow. time passes, radio announcements of the French ports closures come and go. La Pallice goes away but, while it is a base, Bergen is never designated as our base. and now it is September 5. in the past, these things took a day or so to take effect but never several days. we reloaded at Harstad because it was not far from our area but i do not want to stay on patrol until May, if you get my meaning.

any ideas on what to check?

Generic Mod Enabler - v2.6.0.157
[C:\Ubisoft\Dark Waters\MODS]

100 OM_DarkWaters_V6
110 OM_Harder_Escort_L2
120 OM_Strategic_Map_Symbols
130 OM_UMark
140 OM_Warm_Clothes
150 OM_U-Jagd
160 OM_Med_Env
180 Voice Mod
900 DarkWaters V6_Errors-fix

[propbeanie]

It does not always happen like this, but from what I see? The "Command" runs from 1941-03-01 to 1944-08-30, with Base 1 being Kiel from 1941-03-01 to 1941-10-01, which it then moves to La Pallice 1941-10-02 to 1944-08-30. Now, for me, the game does not document when that "1941-03-01" begins... I have seen mention of "midnight" from reliable sources, but that is kind of a "which one" question? When military counting though, 0000 for midnight, is the first stroke of the new day, so 0000 1941-03-01 is at the first moment of that day, at 0000 hours. Likewise with 1944-08-30... you go from 2359:59 and however many milliseconds you want to count on 1944-08-29, and then right at 0000:00 hours it is 1944-08-30. I beat this point beyond the point of 'dead' at 0000 hours, because at exactly that same time, you have the VIIC:

[Flotilla 5.UserPlayerUnitType 1]
ID= F5VIIC
NameDisplayable= Type VIIC U-boat
AvailabilityInterval= NULL, NULL <--- Basically 1941-03-01, 1944-08-30
IDLinkUserPlayerUnitType= VIIC
UnitTypeCommonality= 5
IDFlotillaLinkTransferTo= 11Flotilla_BERGEN

which just so happens to 'die' at that same exact moment in time of 0000:00 hours on 1944-08-30... my thought is that the Command should be until 1944-08-31, and the same that the Base 2 of La Pallice should be 1941-10-02 to 1944-08-31, but making the sub NULL, 1944-08-30, so that the "IDFlotilla Link TransferTo= line actually gets a chance to kick-in and be utilized. It seems like it should fuction correctly anyway, but we have found the same issue in FotRSU with the newest update, and ran into a boat without a home more than once during testing. Not cool, and very difficult to "fix" in the Save folder, if it is even possible... I tried editing the Save folder data, but I always mess that up. I would look in the CareerTrack, find the lines, and then search for the hits elsewhere. But in the meantime, unless a boat is purposefully set to expire for a game default upgrade path to the next higher boat, I would make certain all boats transfer out prior to the Base and / or Command expire by at least a 24 hour period of time...

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

[Flotilla 5.UserPlayerUnitType 1]
ID= F5VIIC
NameDisplayable= Type VIIC U-boat
AvailabilityInterval= NULL, NULL <--- Basically 1941-03-01, 1944-08-30
IDLinkUserPlayerUnitType= VIIC
UnitTypeCommonality= 5
IDFlotillaLinkTransferTo= 11Flotilla_BERGEN

thank you for reminding me about this feature, PB.
it is one of those subtle things that drive me nuts.
ok, so, under the heading of: nothing dared, nothing gained...i modded Flotillas during the mission (don't do it) and ....it worked.
Approx 3 hours after the reload began, Bergen popped open as our base.
I'll have to go back and try and finish the mission after work tonight.

[propbeanie]

Excellent! Just remember though, that it might not be "Success!" just yet.. With one of my edits, it showed my base change, but when I went to dock, it would not give the prompt to End Patrol, only re-fit. Another time, a CTD was there to greet me. Either result could mean an incomplete or incorrect edit though, of course, and just ask strikeback, or CapnScurvy or Rockin Robbins - I am known for my penchant to create CTDs at the drop of a hat, or comma or semi-colon in this case... lol