Included in Build Flags: Additional Personal and Pirate Flags

[Pieter Boelen]

A plain red flag already exists as pirate flag. I have now immediately changed Lafitte to use that one instead:
View attachment 21999

He does. He told me how much he appreciated me changing it.

Spoiler

Wait, WHAT!?!?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

New flags now included in here: http://www.piratesahoy.net/threads/build-14-beta-3-5-internal-wip-for-testing.24817/

However, before the public Beta 3.5 release, we definitely still need to do at least the following:
- Correct their graphics so they match with the others and don't stand out
- Also use the other spots in the newly added Personal Flags line so that we don't have any doubles shown

 

[pedrwyth]

Other than that, we may not need a 7th row of personal flags as I'm not sure that would quite fit in the interface.
On the other hand, HEX-editing a DLL file is easy enough and we DO have a lot of personal flags in the archives here.
.

I thought row 7 and 8 wouldn't be as easy as row 6 and I was right! Initially I just changed the tga name in the copied and renamed dll files but later found two more references to change by comparison with the existing ones. I only added perflg and perpnt lines to the rigging file because it is clear that merchant and nation etc are period related and six limited as a result (actually I put them all in to start and had no luck there either so took them out). All the flag textures are just copies to see if it will work at all.

My current problem is that flags from row 7 or 8 don't show on the ships presumably due to the errors as logged

RUNTIME ERROR - file: sea_ai\AIShip.c; line: 219
Cant create class: QFg7
RUNTIME ERROR - file: sea_ai\AIShip.c; line: 226
Cant create class: QPn7

or similar. this is arising from (for example)

CreateEntity(&PersonalFlag[ntexture], "QFg" + sid);

What does cant create class mean. I suspect it is still related to a six limit in some way (although it could as easily be in one of my additions that can't be done as I have tried) but I can't see where it comes from. Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Have you made a new perflag7.dll and perpennant7.dll for your MODULES folder?
I accidentally opened the wrong file for this example, but some numbers like these need HEX-editing:

Did you already do that?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I accidentally opened the wrong file for this example, but some numbers like these need HEX-editing:

Just in case you aren't too familiar with how to do that, I have tried it myself in the attachment.
Consider it an apology for me showing a screenshot of a fort flags file while you're working on personal ones....

 

[pedrwyth]

No problem -yes I had done the dll with the three different numbers as you show. but I'll stick yours in anyway. The two TEX numbers were the ones I missed the first time round.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

So you sorted it out on your own then? Even better!

 

[pedrwyth]

So you sorted it out on your own then?

The dll files yes - the problem with AIShip and can't create class QFg7 as above No - it still remains the same.


However there are errors in the system log a whole series with 44 size dereements from

Leak: 'C:\PROJECTS\DRIVE_V2\XINTERFACE\NODES\xi_strcollection.cpp' line 209, size 1144

down to a final size 44

and I think I saw that address (or at least the start of it C:\PROJECTS\DRIVE_V2\XINTERFACE strikes a chord) in the dll hex code when I was searching for likely code to alter. So it may well be dll related.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Maybe @Levis has some ideas? Though the best person would be @konradk if we could get through to him as he originally did mod.

I'm not sure it is wise to add more than is already supported though.
The Different Flags mod is a bit tricky and occasionally troublesome as it is and we wouldn't want to make that worse.
You added support for two extra rows of personal flags, right? Could that not be enough?

It is always possible to add more flags by adding in extra guest nations similar to the United States.
In some cases, that might even be the most ideal solution. But that can wait for Build 15.

In the meantime, I suppose it is mainly texture work to be done to get this ready for release, isn't it?

I think that address must have been the path where the developers had the game files when they compiled the release version.

 

[Levis]

You know for sure you changed all init stuff etc also?
Looks to me like its trying to get something from an array which doesn't exist (at least the earlier error).
The leak error sound more dangerous and I agree with pieter that we for now have enough again I think...

 

[Pieter Boelen]

This here in AIShip.c is where it is trying to "create that entity", whatever that is or whichever way it works:

  GetPersonalFlag(mchr, &ntexture);
   sid = "" + ntexture;
   CreateEntity(&PersonalFlag[ntexture], "QFg" + sid);
   LayerAddObject(sCurrentSeaExecute, &PersonalFlag[ntexture], iPriority);
   LayerAddObject(sCurrentSeaRealize, &PersonalFlag[ntexture], iPriority);
   LayerAddObject("sea_reflection", &PersonalFlag[ntexture], 3);
   iPriority++;

   if (hasPennant) {
     CreateEntity(&PersonalPennant[ntexture], "QPn" + sid);
     LayerAddObject(sCurrentSeaExecute, &PersonalPennant[ntexture], iPriority);
     LayerAddObject(sCurrentSeaRealize, &PersonalPennant[ntexture], iPriority);
     LayerAddObject("sea_reflection", &PersonalPennant[ntexture], 3);
     iPriority++;
   }

Any chance it is related to this stuff at the top of that file?

// KK -->
object Pennant, MerchantFlag, MerchantPennant, FortFlag;
object PirateFlag[PIRATEFLAGS_TEXTURES_QUANTITY], PiratePennant[PIRATEFLAGS_TEXTURES_QUANTITY];
object PersonalFlag[PERSONALFLAGS_TEXTURES_QUANTITY], PersonalPennant[PERSONALFLAGS_TEXTURES_QUANTITY];
// <-- KK

Actually, HEX-ing a bit further, I found this:

Probably worth changing that in the new DLL files too....
Try the attached versions instead.

 

[pedrwyth]

Actually, HEX-ing a bit further, I found this:

Probably worth changing that in the new DLL files too....
Try the attached versions instead.

Great the fourth change in the dll was the trick. Thanks -saved me a lot of peering at the screen because in the absence of anything else to try I was about to trawl through the dlls line by line today but my TV screen/monitor is a bit far away to read the characters in the editor - nice for playing but troublesome with my old eyes when reading the hex editor finer text. Still all behind us now AND you got to fix some other stuff too perhaps.

So we now have the full extra three rows to go at (although I have already used three of the first one) So potentially another 18 additional to allocate (and produce). It is of course simple (technically) to add the extra Pirate ones you are looking for too. I did wonder if any of the personal ones were really personal pirate flags that could be moved into pirates whilst this is ongoing. The key difference I guess is how a personal or pirate flag is reacted to in the game (or was in reality) - which I know has been the subject of discussion. I'm just interested in the gameplay.

Here are the four dlls as I have them (two are probably as you sent revised but I did my own and that is what I have working so I include them anyway) plus the amended rigging file for RESOURCES/textures/INI to add them to the ships. The requisite textures don't exist - I just copied existing and dozens of duplicates would look silly. However until globals.c has the number uplifted only the six rows will be active.

Not really my thing but for completeness I will go off and add the worn textures over the flags I added (If Microsoft Image composer and I are up to it)

 

[Pieter Boelen]

AWESOME! I have added this in my game version now so we can make use of it once the required texture work is done.
If nobody else steps up, I might be able to do some stuff myself once I figure out the GIMP or decide to revert back to my old Photoshop.

I did wonder if any of the personal ones were really personal pirate flags that could be moved into pirates whilst this is ongoing. The key difference I guess is how a personal or pirate flag is reacted to in the game (or was in reality) - which I know has been the subject of discussion. I'm just interested in the gameplay.

In reality, of course, a personal flag was very similar to a pirate flag. But if they truly ARE the same, then that particular flag might as well BE a pirate flag.

I have been doing some substantial rewrites, but for now at least I do intend to keep that particular functionality as it always was.
So that means when you fly a pirate flag, all ships at sea hate you and the pirates are friendly to you (regardless of your actual relations).
If you aren't truly friendly with the pirates, they may be able to detect your false flag, though.

When you fly a personal flag, your relations at sea are equal to your REAL nation relations as shown in the Nations Relations Interface.
Perhaps that didn't occur very often in real life, but there IS a historical precedent in this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serapis_flag
And when you're flying a personal flag, there is no false flag detection because it isn't a false flag.

 

[pedrwyth]

On further thought after re-reading the thread (for the texture files you quoted) I note

I'm not sure it is wise to add more than is already supported though.
The Different Flags mod is a bit tricky and occasionally troublesome as it is and we wouldn't want to make that worse.

Now given I have missed stuff before and all I have done is stand on the quay changing flags and checking they appear. Probably OK for row 6 since the functionality was already in place just unused.

Before others spend time producing new textures only to find I have wasted their time through some later to emerge ingame problem I think I would like to see row 7 tested in play. For unreleased 3.5 we could just use copies or I could grab some flags from the stuff you posted a produce another line (only rough and ready - and definitely not a "chosen" or finished set, probably with no matching crests) so that we can encourage some play testing just in case. Idea?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Before others spend time producing new textures only to find I have wasted their time through some later to emerge ingame problem I think I would like to see row 7 tested in play. For unreleased 3.5 we could just use copies or I could grab some flags from the stuff you posted a produce another line (only rough and ready - and definitely not a "chosen" or finished set, probably with no matching crests) so that we can encourage some play testing just in case. Idea?

Maybe I did fix those annoying flag problems we've been having yesterday, but we won't know until after some thorough testing.
So I do agree for Beta 3.5 it might be a good idea to have only one extra line of personal flags and see what happens.

But for a public release, I do want all flags that we do have in the game to look as good as possible.
If I must, I'll tweak them myself until they match with what we've already got.
Though if I could avoid doing that work, I certainly wouldn't mind; there's enough left to do as it is....

 

[pedrwyth]

Here are flags,crests and strip flags for rows 6 & 7. You will see I gave up on the crests and just stuck small flags onto the crest plate for some- but they will at least act as place holders for testing. The last four flags in row 7 are just duplicates of row 5 but the first three are new so may get chosen for variety. I'm not that happy about the washout effect of overlaying the worn flag on some but I said I'm no modeller.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Here are flags,crests and strip flags for rows 6 & 7. You will see I gave up on the crests and just stuck small flags onto the crest plate for some- but they will at least act as place holders for testing. The last four flags in row 7 are just duplicates of row 5 but the first three are new so may get chosen for variety. I'm not that happy about the washout effect of overlaying the worn flag on some but I said I'm no modeller.

Thanks!
I'll have a look at the when I'm done with my nations stuff and improve whatever still needs to be done there.

 

[Takeda-One]

Here is some material for futher inspiration...

http://www.flag-encyclopedia.com/

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Here are flags,crests and strip flags for rows 6 & 7. You will see I gave up on the crests and just stuck small flags onto the crest plate for some- but they will at least act as place holders for testing. The last four flags in row 7 are just duplicates of row 5 but the first three are new so may get chosen for variety. I'm not that happy about the washout effect of overlaying the worn flag on some but I said I'm no modeller.

I just had a look, but I see that the new flags tend to bars from other flags above and below them.
Looks like some work is still needed, but I can do that myself some time later.
In the meantime, it is great to have this for testing purposes!

 

[Bartolomeu o Portugues]

About Bartolomeu and Elting, I'm already happy with the flags they have.
Now, I'd like to see Roxanne Lalliere with this own personal flag