Love the screens, but can you try explaining in simple terms what you've done?

OK
It is all based on the EAW_RRD.DAT file.
Line sections have flags which control whether or not the track is displayed, and the makeup of the convoy that runs on it.
The flag for the section with the PAW carrier on it is 22. As 22 is not exactly divisible by 5 the track is invisible.
When the exe reads the flag of 22 it uses "TList22.mpf" file to get the makeup of the convoy.
If the convoy were a normal train then the length of each vehicle is used to offset the position of the next vehicle, so you see the engine, the tender, and the carriages or wagons.
The length value is the one in TModXYZ.dat file for the particular TMod, not the one in the 3dz file
There is an "additional spacing" value in the data, in FEET. For a train this is usually zero, but for a ship convoy it could be 1000 or so, allowing the ships to be well spaced apart. There is also an 18th value that sets the number of columns, which by default is 1.

So what I have done is to allow an "additional spacing" value of -1 to be used by the new exe to generate a group of Tmods at the same point.
When the exe reads a value of -1 it does not add the vehicle's length value to the offset position, so all of the vehicles are rendered at the same point.

TMod510.dat...TMod517.dat files (which relate to the eight different 3dz parts of this PAW carrier) are identical to each other, apart from their name and TMod value.
Their corresponding "Tlist.mpf" files have the "additional spacing" value set to -1 so they are all rendered at the same point, giving the impression that we have a single TMod

To be clear, the moving, multi-part carriers are targets only.

We haven't got moving carriers from which you take off and land. That might be pretty tough to do since it involves an invisible airfield sitting atop the carrier 3dz.

Although, the airfields are technically 3dz files.

OK Tony.

That's basically my first thought of how it could work, but Ray raised the problem of how to register hits on what is a loco, plus train.

What you have is a good first step, proof of concept.

The question is can we still stack the Tmods, but treat them as one?

We need to think of the carrier model, like the 3D Cockpit.

In the REM'ed out PAW code it was obvious the 3D cockpit code had been adapted from the HR PAW Ship models.

7 parts in each case, making a whole model, and the cockpit uses no Hardpoints, like the PAW Ships.

So, that's how it used to work, but can a way to back work this code?

And do we accept the fact that the moving, target only models will be much higher detail than stationary, landable ones?


Also, if we continue this discussion could you resize the screenshot. It's so big I have to scroll sideways to see what I'm typing.

The full size carriers used in PAW should be able to be used as a landable carrier, if the model is setup like the LR model, currently used.

I presume we are still using the zero deck height illusion? If so, lover the center point of all 7 models, so the deck is at zero.

Still needs a way of treating a master 3dz like Tony's TMod510.dat...TMod517 as TMod510.dat...TMod510_6.dat

"Still needs a way of treating a master 3dz like Tony's TMod510.dat...TMod517 as TMod510.dat...TMod510_6.dat"

Not sure what you mean by this.





On the other subjects -

1 - I suppose with some decent skinning those carriers would be just fine.

2 - FWIW, we did away with the zero deck height carriers all the way back with the development of SPAW.
One of the airfields, I think #9, has been replaced with an empty 3dz so it is invisible. In the target editor you start with the airfield 3dz and place the carrier 3dz in exactly the same spot which in laymen's terms means you slide the carrier under the airfield. it took some trial and error to get the airfield length and the carrier coordinated. In addition, to his everlasting credit, Ralf got the planes to land and line up properly without falling off the deck.




Lastly, I don't mean this in any way as the start of an argument but you really need to try out some of these scenarios if you wan to be involved in development projects. I'm suggesting this because recently you've made references and asked questions about things that have been superseded by more advanced modifications. It would be helpful if we were all on the same page.

Hi Ray.

Think of it as the loco 3dz + train = total 7 models. TMod510.3dz...TMod517.3dz

Now think of a loco 3dz TMod510.3dz and the train TMod510_1.3dz to TMod510_6.3dz = 7 models

The master and slave principle, so 1 model covers all 7

These are screens of some of the PAW HR ships.

IJN Akaga


USS Essex


USS Enterprise


IJN Horyu


IJN Hurio


IJN Battleship


IJN Cruiser


IJN Ryujo

IJN Kaga


IJN Heavy Battleship


IJN Destroyer


IJN Light Cruiser


IJN Shinano


INJ Saru


IJN SHH


IJN Shokaku

IJN Soryu


IJN Taiho


Transport


USS Wasp


US Battleship


US Battleship 2


US Cruiser


US Destroyer


US Heavy Cruiser

Taking the Yorktown model they are named YRK0 to YRK7, but not all HR models use as many 3dz's to make one model.

I get the concept of the multi-part 3dz's but what do you mean in your reference to the .dat files?

For some reason I thought it best to have the same data for the TMods, but on reflection it is not necessary. What I think I did was to take a TMod.dat file for a similar ship, rename it with the correct number, and copy it for all the other TMods too.
In reality they do not all need to be armed, and they do not all need to have smoke. Things that do need to be the same are the view distances.

I have said this before, but with the PAW 3dzs we ran into the problem that the elements were type 3, so there were no textures.

Destruction.
I am thinking in terms of getting the exe to find all TMods with the same [x,y) coordinates as the one that is destroyed to be destroyed at the same time.
I need to check the code re destruction of TMods

Hi Tony.

Ignore the PAW type 3 elements, as if we have a way to use them, then there is a reason to use them.

Chicken and Egg.

Another issue to consider is, for instance the Yorktown had for AA:

8 x 5 in/38 cal twin mounts in turrets
4 x Quad 1.1 in/75 cal
24 x 20mm Oerlikon guns
24 x .50 caliber machine guns

?

I have raised AA guns in the target upgrade. They can be seen in the static convoy that is heading towards Portsmouth.

All I did was raise them to the exact height of the deck of some of the freighters using 3dz Studio. It took some trial and error to place them exactly at the bow and stern but it's a neat addition.

You could use that approach for the landable, non-moving carriers.

And the moving ones? That is a whole new ball game.

I suppose they could be added to the whole kit, right?

There's something like 10 different rail cars and ships using the .mpf file system.

So if you use 6 or 7 for the ship itself you'd have three or four left over for gun add-ons.

There's a ground level triple light AA and a quadruple heavy AA in the target upgrade package. The light AA is you model but joined together three times over and the heavy AA is the original EAW model joined together four times over.

All you'd have to do is make sets that were raised to the level of the carrier deck and offset to the left and right and you'd could have banks of AA guns lining the edge of the flight deck.

Piece of cake.