Local weather - what is it good for..? hopefully 'absolutely nothing' isnt the answer

[ATAG_Ezzie]

I'm still on my journey of discovery re the COD FMB as i build an ATAG mission/map (hopefully). Today's topic has been Weather!

Thanks to Salmo I've gotten his random weather generator going so that should mean that each time this mission is played it will be a different time of day and weather conditions. But I'd like to see what else can be done with the weather as this mission will be set in Nov which is not exactly beach weather in the UK and I'm hoping the weather will have some influence on how people will play re tactics etc. Perhaps I'm wishing for too much but that's my starting point (and I am prepared to be disappointed though - in Il-2 you could set the exact time and date and that changed sunrise/sunset times etc but i cant seem to find where i can do that in COD for instance).

So I've just discovered local weather and a quick search on the ATAG forums hasn't shed much light on this so I figured I'd post some questions.

(a) It looks like i can insert weather objects (clouds) as local weather but am wondering what happens if i insert a lot - ie is there a limit to how many of these local weather objects i insert before FPS becomes an issue?

(b) There are several things you can select - Ra, Rb, H and can check/uncheck rain (which i think isnt working?) and a check box for dynamic. I'm guessing Ra is radius? of the local weather zone and Rb might be altitude? and H might be cloud base? Does any one know for sure what they are? And dynamic - does this mean the winds selected in the weather section move these objects about?

(c) There's a bunch of different cloud types available - cumulus, overcast, flat overcast etc. Are these all OK to use on the ATAG server of do they impose an FPS hit if used too much?

(d) My properties tab for the local weather is all scrambled up and i cant seem to do anything with it. Is this the way it is for others as well?

Thats about all i have for now - any advice, answers etc much appreciated.


Tomorrow i open my C# book for dummies.....

Edit - seems i didnt do a very thorough search - http://theairtacticalassaultgroup.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6430&highlight=local+weather

Sorry....

Ezzie

[bolox]

a) fps is a rather subjective, but more clouds will drop fps. Some cloud types are heavier on fps- in partic thunderstorms. Fps is also dependant on other things going on- so it can be useful to slightly reduce cloud in 'intense' areas slightly and leave the really heavy clouds for scenery on route- I do this sometimes in my SP missions (where it is a bit more controllable on where the action is.
The other problem you may come across if you use heavy clouds (and lots of smoke effects is a bug where if clouds/smoke gets too much all the clouds smoke and glass effects 'vanish'. Try a thunderstorm weather with radius params at 20,000 or higher usually brings on this effect at certain viewing angles.
b) answered in post you linked
c) Those 3 should be ok (tho I have no idea about MP desires/limits). I would avoid thunderstorms because of FPS and overcast with breaks often doesn't work, best avoided.
d) yes properties tab is screwed up, always has been. However with a little 'squinting' you can work out what the text is meant to say. You can alter sliders/number box inputs. Raising levels of some /most params will increase fps hit, layers in partic. Different cloud types have diff params.
You can also edit these params in .mis file with notepad (they are near the foot of the file).

Have fun with C#:-)

[ATAG_Ezzie]

Thanks Bolox - much appreciated.

Thanks re c# - decided I'd rather fly an online sortie than open the book thus far today. But later......

Ezzie

[♣_Spiritus_♣]

Thanks Bolox - much appreciated.

Thanks re c# - decided I'd rather fly an online sortie than open the book thus far today. But later......

Ezzie

Bad Ezzie, bad! Get back to work! :D

[ATAG_Ezzie]

ha ha- yeah I know.

Now I'm back in my Amazon account looking at books. If they looked up procrastination on wikipedia there would be a picture of me......

[Salmo]

Weather thread here http://theairtacticalassaultgroup.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6430&highlight=local+weather
The Team Fusion Wiki is also your friend. Link at the top of the ATAG forum page http://www.theairtacticalassaultgroup.com/wiki/doku.php?id=dynamic_weather


(a) It looks like i can insert weather objects (clouds) as local weather but am wondering what happens if i insert a lot - ie is there a limit to how many of these local weather objects i insert before FPS becomes an issue?
You can have one local weather object over the top of another weather object. Say winds at 1000m going in one direction & winds at a higher altitude going in another direction. This messes with the mud-movers bomb drop calculations no end! Keep in mind not everyone has a uber computer so watch the cloud densities.


(b) There are several things you can select - Ra, Rb, H and can check/uncheck rain (which i think isnt working?) and a check box for dynamic. I'm guessing Ra is radius? of the local weather zone and Rb might be altitude? and H might be cloud base? Does any one know for sure what they are?
Ra is radius along an a-axis. Rb is radius along a b-axis (at right angles to the a-axis. So you can use Ra & Rb to create a elipse-shaped weather front. Rain tickbox has no effect. The wiki link above has descriptions.


And dynamic - does this mean the winds selected in the weather section move these objects about?
Yes, weather is fully dynamic. Your weather object will move in the direction of the prevailing wind.


(c) There's a bunch of different cloud types available - cumulus, overcast, flat overcast etc. Are these all OK to use on the ATAG server of do they impose an FPS hit if used too much?
Irrespective of cloud type you select, the FMB will write a mission file that has THUNDER_GEN as the weather type (game bug). After creating your weather object, open the saved mission file & manualy change THUNDER_GEN to CUMULUS_GEN or OVERCAST_GEN.


(d) My properties tab for the local weather is all scrambled up and i cant seem to do anything with it. Is this the way it is for others as well?
Yes. Another game bug. Place your weather object. Save your mission file. Then manually edit the mission file to change the various weather parameters.

[ATAG_Ezzie]

Thanks Salmo - excellent info and appreciate the reply.

I may have another question to post in your thread about dynamic weather - got it working OK but when in try and include a trigger in the mission (using the FMB) the trigger isnt working. Still need to troubleshoot before i am sure its not an error on my part - if i cant figure it out i will post and provide more detail.

Ezzie