WIP Updating the Island Models

[Pieter Boelen]

Oops. Looks like I messed that up when I updated the texture. I fixed it the first time round, but forgot last time.
See attached for a fixed version.

Thanks! I thought that was new.

That's pretty weird then, because I moved the fort reload locator right next to the new fort (west side).

I stand corrected; it is NOT on the other side anymore. Perhaps I needed to start a new game? Didn't expect that with a locator file change.
However, the range still doesn't cover the entire bay. The forts' CANNONS do, but the "danger range" doesn't. So you can escape through the West side.
Perhaps you should move the locator to the middle of the bay or something?

Pirate J has suggested we put the old "castle" back. While I don't quite agree with that, it would provide coverage on the other side of the bay.

Then again, there are two more fort reload locators in the "QuestShip" group, so perhaps they need moving as well.

I doubt it. None of the other islands have that; I suspect it is some "new CoAS feature" left-over.

BTW: Could we do some turning around of ship locators too? Would be nice if we'd be turning with our bow towards the sea when setting sail.
Though the stock game Isla Muelle turns us the wrong way too. Did it always do that???

 

[Armada]

Perhaps you should move the locator to the middle of the bay or something?

Wouldn't that affect where you'd have to land troops to take the fort? And I'm pretty sure most of our forts have a longer range than the 'danger' range, anyway.

Pirate J has suggested we put the old "castle" back. While I don't quite agree with that, it would provide coverage on the other side of the bay.

San Felipe already covers both the east and west sides with some pretty good firepower, so I don't think we'll be needing another fort.

BTW: Could we do some turning around of ship locators too? Would be nice if we'd be turning with our bow towards the sea when setting sail.
Though the stock game Isla Muelle turns us the wrong way too. Did it always do that???

Erm, I tried, but I can't seem to make it work by following Jack Rackham's TOOL tutorial.
See attached for the updated locators anyway.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Wouldn't that affect where you'd have to land troops to take the fort?

I do believe so.

And I'm pretty sure most of our forts have a longer range than the 'danger' range, anyway.

That is not a problem. But right now, the West part of the bay isn't covered by the "danger zone" at all. And neither is the port itself.
So if you set sail, you can go straight to the worldmap. Or stick to the West side of the bay and be able to do something similar.
I tried increasing that islands init radius value to reach the town and the other side of the bay, but that doesn't seem to do anything.

San Felipe already covers both the east and west sides with some pretty good firepower, so I don't think we'll be needing another fort.

Indeed the balls do seem to be reaching.

 

[Armada]

Well, on the bright side, I've just finished fixing Antigua; see Antigua_NEW.7z.
The (new) port is now in a slightly different location, and the locators have been moved accordingly, but most importantly the collision has been fixed.
I haven't updated the COL files yet (no time now). Will try to sort out Saint Martin tomorrow.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

That port looks really good! Unfortunately the ships still don't quite understand where they can and can't go:


I can do the COL files; easily done.

 

[Armada]

Hmm. Maybe recalculating the foam would help with the 'dumb ships'? Not sure what else we could do, there.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I'll try for sure.

Unless.... could it be using the seabed model? I remember the game insisted that it be there for Cartagena, but who really cares about being able to see the sea bottom?
And why is it a separate model file in the first place? Perhaps there is a "hidden" reason? Such as the ships using it for navigation?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I just finished the COL files and I am happy to confirm that the sun/moon do NOT shine through the land anymore.
But I did still encounter ships that hit the island even after re-generating the foam.

 

[Armada]

Unless.... could it be using the seabed model? I remember the game insisted that it be there for Cartagena, but who really cares about being able to see the sea bottom?
And why is it a separate model file in the first place? Perhaps there is a "hidden" reason? Such as the ships using it for navigation?

I doubt it, based on the help files saying that the seabed model should be exported without the "Build BSP" option, which is what generates collision detection.
Then again, has the seabed model ever been tampered with? A re-export might somehow improve things.

It could also be some ship spawn locators pointing towards the island, in which case turning them around would be the best solution. I'd probably have to import and export them with Maya, because turning them in TOOL has proven useless so far.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

When I made that Saint Martin screenshot, those ships WERE happily sailing parallel to the coast and then turned right into it apparently on purpose.
So I'd be inclined to say the orientation of their original locators isn't necessarily the problem.
I know that is what causes it when you are ashore, but the game was never made to have ships sailing in the shore scene and I doubt they navigate at all in that case.
But at sea they should.

Since Antigua looks so much like KhaelRoa and it had messed up lighting, I've been wondering if it may have been the first island the Russian modders made.
WE never touched the GM files for the island, but perhaps they were never exported entirely correctly in the first place?

 

[Armada]

Fix for Saint Martin island model now available! Includes port models that match the locations themselves. See SaintMartin_NEW.7z

 

[Hylie Pistof]

Snatch!

 

[Pieter Boelen]

This I have got to see!

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Just tested ad made the COL files: works great! No more sun/moon through the cliffs either. Much more better!

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Armada, how much work would it be to put at least some buildings at the locations of Willemstad and Oranjestad on the island models?
A fort isn't necessary. After all, why can't towns NOT have a fort? But it would help as a marker to let people know where the towns are without the Sail-To Menu.

 

[Armada]

With a bit of luck, it wouldn't be too much work. Are you sure those towns should remain without a fort?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

SHOULD they remain without a fort? Well, I wouldn't mind if they DO get a fort.
But since you mentioned how much work it is to sort out the cannon locators, I figured forts wouldn't quite be necessary. Just to decrease the work you have to do.
If you DO want to do forts, by all means do so! You won't hear me complain. Not by a long shot.

 

[Armada]

What I said about fort locators being a pain was before I figured out how to export locators directly from Maya. They're much easier to deal with now.

Besides, since I'd be using existing fort models for these towns, they already have locators, which would probably just need to be shifted around a bit.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Even better! I didn't want to distract you too much from your newly re-won enthusiasm for HoO though.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

This thread split off from http://www.piratesahoy.net/threads/updating-the-worldmap.20710 as it is technically a different subject.

Other things that could be done, in order of priority:
1. Adding towns to the island models of Aruba and Curacao
2. Adding forts to the island models of Aruba and Curacao; possibly put this one to use: http://www.piratesahoy.net/threads/an-ambitious-project.11556/page-49#post-458799
3. Putting the real "El Morro" to use on the Puerto Rico island model; we've got the GM file for that already anyway
4. Making the towns on islands more accurate to their shore counterparts for other mod-added islands (low priority)
5. Improving the look of the islands altogether, making some smaller and lower like real Caribbean islands can be; perhaps add some detail on the coast like palm trees and the like