"Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

Can't seem to edit Original Post... :confused:

Here are the files :)

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

Thanks a million scorpio_rocks, well maybe not a million but a whole lot! I really want the boat for inclusion in my battle scenario.

Yeah you rocks

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

FYI folks:

TODO:
- Reinforcement schedule and waypoints for "Pirates, et al"
- Yemani Naval forces
- Additional equipment and units (Yemen and Somali Pirates)

Possible "Tweaks":
- Creating "height" of ship and it's superstructure
- Adjustment of VP/victory conditions as the Bataan cant be sunk


I WILL get back on this, if folks are still interested. I can only apologise for the length of time this has taken - Sorry (had a family emergency/tragedy).
S_R

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

Okay, I've looked at the boat and it looks good. But, there is always a "but" right? Anyways, the elevators are missing.

Second, A purchase of the Bataan does not include the flight deck, so we need a basic map of the flight deck, no problem.

Thanks for posting.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

The elevators should be there... unit #963 in the oob. Perhaps try looking in the scenario.

Yes the basic "Hull" needs to be created on the map of each scenario - just copy paste from my map into yours. (or create an island the right shape with a "road" down one side). :)

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

Since the Bataan can't be sunk a couple things you can do:
1) Increase the "unit cost" of it's on-board systems (AA missiles and such) so their destruction counts for a LOT in terms of victory.
2) Add a bunch of say "ammo dumps" to Bataan BOTH to represent/increase ammo supplies for it's weapons and blow up/burn when destroyed to represent damage to the ship.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

I'm looking at 963 in the OOB and there's no graphic for the elevator listed as unit class 56 Ammo carrier.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

I have tried this approach by making the ship's superstructure unit cost high.

The elevators are indeed "ammo carriers" so again hopefully covered :)

Thanks for the comments - looks like I'm thinking along the right lines, at least.

Eeek! Image should be #7809 (or duplicate at #7815) not sure why its not showing up... Sorry Mate I am new to modding / creating icons, etc. I am probably doing something wrong if the other icon number doesnt work either pls let me know and i will try to redo it.

Please also remember folks this is very much a work in progress and I am new at it so welcome all the advice and help I can get!

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

I recall wherein it was stated that user created formations should be listed at slot numbers greater than 900 in the OOB. Sorry, have not found the reference but I'm confident this is a "hard" rule.

Still can not see the elevators.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

awaiting on developments on this project :popcorn:

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

It's not a "hard" rule just good sense as no formations above 900 are used in any OOB. It makes it easier to find user created ones.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

The USMC OOB has quite a few "R&D" items in the 900's and a huge gap of nothingness in the 800's I put mine there so people could grab the info if they wanted it then delete it easily. I was unaware of the "rule", sorry.

Can I ask is nobody seeing the ship elevators?

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

Yeah, that's why I put the R&D stuff in the 900's. You'll note NONE of those formations can be purchased by players.
If you look them over they're the organizations for battalion and regimental assets between 1946-2020. Useful when making the "combat" formations players can purchase.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

I reloaded all the files. Double checked the installation. Pulled up the scenario. Everything looks okay, but I still can not see the elevators. Now, the unit id's are there, but the elevators are not.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

Sorry, I must have messed up :(

They should look like this:
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...ps3294176c.png

heres the .Bmp:

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

Thanks, looks good, but should they not be a simple rectangle shaped object?

Please post instructions to modify elevators or better yet, upload the modified shp file containing the re-worked elevators.

Smile.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

The Elevators on the Wasp-class LHD Stick out from the Hull over the sea:
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...ps85cf77ab.jpg

I will upload a new.shp file tomorrow.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

I'm playing with the boat, having created a map from the scenario as you rightly suggested; now, I am of the mind that the boat should be a map with the deck, bridge, island, all the non weapon pieces, available from the Map editor. However, weapons ought to remain available from the Purchase screen, obviously.

Otherwise, we have to build the boat with each scenario. And, I'm finding that a real pain. You know, when I purchase a bridge, since they're classed as a Fortification, I get three of them at a time. So, I created a formation with just one bridge listed, another formation for the island and so forth.

I suggest, that the boat be created as a map and the player can add the weapons from the Purchase screen.

We would loose some existing building structures, but I think well worth it.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

The main problems with making the ship elements "buildings" are that, as I understand it:

1. the amount of work required goes through the roof (icons need creating for each level of zoom).
2. they cannot be destroyed or count toward victory.

The formation I included for the ship (#801 USS Bataan in Misc purchase screen) should give:
1x bridge, 1x "island", 2x SAM/RAM(RIM116), 2x SAM(Sea Sparrow), 2x Phalanx, 2x 25mm chaingun, 2x well deck, 9x landing pads, 2x deck numbers and 2x elevators.
No idea why you get 3 of each.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

Sorry forgot to add redone SHP file: (file attached [zipped])
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...ps84f5ff20.jpg

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

If you're working on a campaign instead of a single stand-alone scenario one thing I've found useful is to create a "Base Scenario" using a blank map and buying/modifying all the units your campaign will use.

Then as you create each actual campaign scenario you can just load that "Base Scenario" into the editor and either set any units the particular scenario doesn't use to reinforce on turn 49 (presuming your scenario is shorter then that) or delete them (not as good if you want to keep campaign integrity).

This way you need only mess with the whole formation/unit alteration process once, and don't need to muck with the OOB.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

After loading the revised shp file 184 that includes the elevator, while I can see the graphic in ShpEd as image #11 AND image #17, the ship elevator does not appear in the Purchase screen under Ammo Carrier. In the OOB013, in slot #963 the ship elevator is listed, however there's no associated icon.

I'm thinking I've screwed something up, but at this point am at a lost as to how to rectify this issue.

HELP

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

More likley explanation is: I messed up somewhere - sorry!

I am currently working on redoing all files and scenario from scratch to avoid any issues - give me a week or so pls.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

No problem. Take your time, I've been on the Red Line Syria project nearly a year. Currently, investigating Syrian Mech & Infantry TO&Es, and AI Mech Infantry assaults. So yeah, I get it, a big learning opportunity, and I know zilch of making mods.

Thanks man, ur okay with this project in my book.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

In trying to understand the Shp file/icon process I have thus far understood that "18409" translates into 184 as the Icon Shp file with the identification "09" as pointer to the image in the Shp file. Now, when I inspect the Icon0184.shp file with the Shp Editor I note the elevator icon occupies the 11th place in the file not the 9th. Meaning, the reference should read "18411" rather than "18409."

Question: How does Mobhack link unit with icon? Does Mobhack read a config file to associate units, icons, and pictures?

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

as I understand it:

the shp file has an "extra" placeholder type picture (usually 2 tank silhouettes and MBT) in first position visually. The first actual position is number 0 (zero). Therfore every picture counted visually through the shp is 2 numbers lower in the identification number.

Place holder, 0 , 1 , 2, 3, 4, etc (4 in this example is the 6th image)

The entry in the file "WINSPMBT_MasterIconList.txt" in the design sub directory of the game data directory gives = {icon, turret}, // icon id "description so for example:
{18409, 6976}, // 7809 LHD Elevator = {shp184 11th image, "invisible" turret}, // icon7809 (for mobhack) description LHD Elevator.

TBH I have no idea how the game "looks up" this information, I think it is hard coded and therefore new icons must be in the right "kind" of empty shp file (ie turreted, un turreted, invisible turret).

Hope this helps.

(ps to add icon to shp file create .bmp file of right size then add using shpedit utility)

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

Sorry for the ongoing delays folks:

I am having HUGE problems getting the AI to attack the ship.
I may have to (if there is enough interest...) split into two scenarios to cover te attacks from each side (Yemen/Somalia).

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

Is it realistic to model Somali's attacking a carrier battle group? Would that not conjure up an image of the Santa Maria going up against the USS Iowa.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

Absolutely which is why the scenario was set up to "artificially" create a situation where the ship is alone(ish) and immobile, allowing all the beligerents in the area a "too-good-to-miss" oportunity. :)

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

I guess if you're Somali in this scenario, you could refuge in the ole adage: "Everybody gotta die sometime." I think it was Barnes in the movie Platoon.

It will be fun after you get it solved.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

Scorpio_rocks, I now have the port side elevator but not the starboard. Have you released another version? If so, let me know.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

both elevators are identical (just rotated differently) if you have one you should have the other.

I am having a nightmare trying to get the scenario to "run" how i would like - the AI is being unco-operative...

I hope to get a new (working) version up in a couple of weeks.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

It's a tough sell... you might want to coax the AI to attack the boat by adding max value to VFs and placing them near the stern where the Somalis could "board." Also, max out the cost of the stern areas of the carrier.

I'm trying to come up with something for ya, but afraid I ain't got much.

So, I can rotate the port elevator and then place it on the starboard, got it.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

Looks like we have an answer to why I was having such a hard time getting this to work!

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=50816

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

Well it could work if you made the "ship" beach hexes and put the pirates in barge class boats.
The AI will move a barge to a beach and unload the pirates.

Re: "Rusty Nickel" at the Gateway of Tears
 

I'm good with the boat. And, just maybe the Rusty Nickel should be played from the side of the Somali pirates. So, if anyone is crazy enough to attack an Expeditionary Strike Group with her compliment of cruisers and destroyers, I could only say a winspmbt player or a Somali pirate as two prime suspects.

George 'Kingfish' Stevens: What's goin' on here?
Sapphire Stevens: If it's anything to you, I'm cleaning the house. What do you think I'm doin' with this broom?
George 'Kingfish' Stevens: Well, from that outfit and the looks of you, I thought you were gonna ride the thing.

------ Amos & Andy show circa early 1950's ---------------