Randomize Cloud Formations with SH3 Commander?

panthercules · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 444

As I was looking at my newly-restored clouds (had some wierd issue with GW briefly where I went for a couple of weeks in game through all sorts of wind/seas conditions but not a single cloud in the sky), it struck me that the clouds I was seeing looked pretty familiar. I began to wonder if it would be possible to provide a lot more variety in the cloud graphics by having several different cloud designs/patterns and have SH3 Commander randomize a selection from among the many available choices each time you started up the game.

I have no idea how the game handles generating the clouds, or if the cloud graphics mechanisms are so entwined with things like the 8Km vs 16Km visibility mod files or other mod files so that trying to have SH3 Commander do this would screw up some other aspects of certain mods or you would have to have a separate set of random cloud graphics for each major mod out there (like RUB, IUB, GW, NYGM, etc.), which sounds pretty unworkable. I always felt like the weather effects really added to the enjoyment of the IL-2 series and SH3, and if this would work without a lot of effort i think it could add a lot to the SH3 experience. Anybody know if this would be do-able?

JScones · Joined: 21 Apr 2005 Posts: 1129 Location: Australia

With SH3Cmdr R2.5, I can pretty close to boldly state that any aspect of SH3 can be randomised.

Your task could be achieved one of two ways:

1. If the clouds are stored in image files, use the Random folder structure. Images shouldn't clash with any mod, but I would naively suspect that there may need to be some consistency in image size and content - and this may be linked to other environment files. But hey, I really have no idea other than it could be done. Wink

2. If the clouds are defined by data file settings, use the new "Randomised Events" feature. gouldjg is successfully using it with his Hollywood Chaos mod, and it's the way Hemisent's Thermal Layers mod has been implemented. Less likelyhood of conflict, but even if so, easier likelyhood of rectifying.

Dowly · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 5:02 am Post subject:

This would be great to have! Rock

panthercules · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 444

Ok - sounds like this should be possible - now someone just needs to step up and do it Smile

If I had any artistic skills I might actually try this myself, but I shudder to think what my clouds would look like even if I knew what files there were in and how to manipulate them. I hope someone with some actual skills will see this and take a shot at putting something like this together. [where's the emoticon for "begging"?]

Hartmann · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:27 pm Post subject:

Very interesting !! Rock

i think that there are only two clouds textures in the game

Nori00.tga

Nori01.tga

and CloudsTransition.tga

panthercules · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 444

Dowly · Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 2:49 am Post subject:

I tried it too. I made the files seamless, but still the sky didnt look quite right. The seams were visible in one case and in other there was spots where there was no clouds at all.

I have some nice pics to use as skies, I just need to figure out how to make it! Damn

panthercules · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 444

C'mon you artistic wizards out there - surely someone understands how these cloud files/pictures work and could throw something together for us weather-realists Smile

Maybe some nice cirrus, altocumulus, nimbostratus, stratocumulus, and my personal favorites, the cumulonimbus - gotta have something for those pesky Catalinas and our friendly Condors to play hide and seek in, don't we?

With the new randomization capabilities of the latest SH3 Commander versions, this seems like such a natural enhancement (not to be confused with the ever-popular "male enhancement") to the game - somebody please rise to the challenge Thumbs Up

Dowly · Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 11:25 pm Post subject:

Dowly · Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 1:18 am Post subject:

Ok, here´s some shots of the sky and the problem I´m having.

Oooo.... Nice sky!

Huh?! huh?!!!?? Damn

I´ve been struggling with this problem all the time. I wish that someone could give me a hint on how to get rid of that.

panthercules · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 444

Man - glad to see someone is still messing with this - things were looking pretty good with that first shot - but looks like you're getting the same sort of tiling I was getting when i played around with this too. Maybe this bump will trigger someone who knows the secret to chime in here and give us some great new cloud formations.