New Captain Slowly Learning.

[Swordfish12]

Salute !

Sirs,
Though a member of the forum for a long time Im just starting to learn this great sim.

Im working my way through the tutorials before trying to do more ambitious things. Im not really off to a good start as I do find it hard to shoot down those planes in the AA tutorial. I run out of ammo cos Im a rubbish shot. I have not yet left the tutorials for a war career.

I am busy reading lots of guides etc on the forum and elsewhere, so that should help. It seems to be a friendly community so I hope my future questions dont irritate too much? I will use the search function where possible.

I read a lot about various mods,and updrades with lots of abbreviations eg JSGE <sp>, and I dont really know what these do or where to find them. A lot of these abbreviations I dont understand what they mean ?

Thank you.
Swordfish12

[fitzcarraldo]

The "JSGME" is the Generic Mod Enabler, it allows you to activate mods and disengage the same mods without problems in your installation of SH4.

This is my list of mods in my actual SH4 1.5 installation:

Generic Mod Enabler - v2.6.0.157
[C:\SH4\MODS]

TriggerMaru_Overhaul_2
TMO_Update_20_to_22
TMO_Stock_Gramaphone
Full Screen Scopes for TMO or FOTRS
Nav Map Make-Over v. 2.0
NMMO Airbase Add-on
Convoy Routes TMO 2.0
Poul-Sound for SH4
Return for Creaks
Return for Man the deck and flak gun
Webster's Missing Voices
speech_overhaul
SMALLER SEABED ROCKS
SMALLER SEA PLANTS SMALL
TDW_Ship_Plane_Fire_Damage_v1_3_SH4
d3d_antilag101
Webster's Eliminate Floating Plankton

You can obtain all this mods in SUBSIM and in the dedicatet threads.

TMO: Trigger Maru Overhauled, actual version - 2.2 (TMO 22).
RSRDC: Run Silent Run Deep Campaign, a campaign mod for TMO and RFB (Real Fleet Boat, another supermod).
FOTRS: Fall of The Rising Sun, a supermod based on TMO 1.7 or 1.9 (I don´t remember it). A great mod with lots of ships and traffic. Actual version: 1.3 for SH4 1.5. The FOTRS v2 will be finished soon, according the development team.

And there are lots of mods by Webster, TDW, etc...

Try they and welcome aboard!

Fitzcarraldo :salute:

[max-peck]

JSGME is a tool to let you easily and safely enable and disable mods

Download here
http://www.users.on.net/~jscones/software/products-jsgme.html (http://www.users.on.net/%7Ejscones/software/products-jsgme.html)

Here is a step by step guide to enabling a mod via JSGME.
It is written as if you are enabling TMO, but the steps are the same whatever mod you are enabling.
http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6421019045/m/5181035206

There are several major mods that change pretty much every aspect of the game.

TMO - Trigger Maru Overhauled
RFB - Real Fleet Boat
FOTRS - Fall of the Rising Sun
These 3 are for US Fleetboat operations in the Pacific

OM - Operation Monsun
This is for U-Boat action in the Atlantic

You will probably want to get the basics down first before jumping in to a major mod like one of the above.
But you will probably see the above acronyms bandied around on the forums so I thought it would be helpful if I mentioned them.

I wouldn't worry too much about the AA tutorial.
Standard procedure when an aircraft turns up is to dive.
If you try to duke it out with an aircraft in any of the major mods, you are in for a world of hurt :DL
This is realistic.
Submarines v's aircraft - there was usually only one winner, and it wasn't the sub.

There's a steep learning curve at first, but stick with it.
SH3 and 4 are the only games I have that I continually come back to.
They're very addictive.

Continue reading any guides you may find on the forums.
Ask any questions you want - you're right, this is a friendly and helpful place.

Welcome aboard and good luck Skipper :salute:

[Swordfish12]

Captains Fitzcarraldo & Max-Peck,

Thanks for the quick replies, welcome advice and info. I am playing ver 1.4 of SH4 and will not be trying any mods until I have a good grasp of basic sub operations and all the sub systems. Yes it is rather complex for a beginner.

I will continue to practice and read the forum guides etc, and should improve over time. Thanks for pointing out that sub V aircraft is generally a no-no, I thought it a strange situation, but one that possibly could happen if a captain was not being alert .

Thanks for the advice and the welcome.

Swordfish12

[CapnScurvy]

Welcome aborad Swordfish12!!

The games been out for over 4 and a half years and we are still learning new things about it too.

The abbreviation of JSGME is for Jones Soft Generic Mod Enabler. It's a tool once downloaded and correctly loaded into your games root folder, that will keep track of the various mods you "activate" through its use. You use it before starting the game to change the game files with the mods chosen. Most, if not all mods have their files put together so they are "compatible" with JSGME and will go into the game seamlessly. One word of caution, loading the game full of mods can have detrimental effects if the mods overwrite each other in a way that takes away important files one needs. You need to know whether the mods are "compatible" with each other before taking the "all but the kitchen sink" approach to adding many mods to the game.

As a new player, I'd learn the game first before adding some of the mods through JSGME. The game offers many different ways to play. Depending on which "version" you have, you can play as an American or German Captain with either automatic targeting or manual targeting. Or, pick and choose the amount of difficulty you prefer.

Make sure your game is patched to the highest level. Depending on how or where you bought the game you're either using one of the first release CD versions that may only show the version of 1.0 in the bottom right corner of the "main" game menu screen. Or, you've bought a newer version (1.5 is the latest) found in the "Gold Edition" or you have the "U-Boat Missions Add on" which also has the 1.5 version. The "Add on" patches the original game 1.0 version and brings it up to date as much as the game producer allows. The point is, patch your game (if necessary) to the highest level to get the most out of it. Another version only patches the game to 1.4 (without the German involvement). There are fewer mods found for this version, even though there were plenty for the 1.4 version in it's day. Modders simply didn't want to evolve their mod with the 1.4 version after the 1.5 version (with the German side added) came along.

I think I'd spend some time at this post found HERE (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=155786). It's the "Sh4 Popular Mods, Tools, Technical advice and Tactical Tips" thread that will explain most of the abbreviations you don't know, and provide more knowledge than what you really want to know about the game.

[max-peck]

. . . and will not be trying any mods until I have a good grasp of basic sub operations and all the sub systems. Yes it is rather complex for a beginner.

Good idea

Thanks for pointing out that sub V aircraft is generally a no-no, I thought it a strange situation, but one that possibly could happen if a captain was not being alert .

You're right, it is strange.
Luckily in a US Fleetboat we have air search radar that will give you plenty of warning of enemy aircraft.
I suppose it's possible to get caught during the day in an area where it's too shallow to submerge.
But a bit of forward planning by the captain should ensure this will not happen.
Think of the AA tutorial as a demonstration of how ineffective submarines are against aircraft :DL

[WernherVonTrapp]

Salute !

It seems to be a friendly community so I hope my future questions dont irritate too much?Swordfish12Welcome abroad Swordfish12.:D
I like your screen-name, pretty cool. But, let's get something straight right now!:stare: This IS a friendly community! So don't go startin' rumors to the contrary, you hear!
Oops, was that me?:oops: I didn't raise my voice, honest.http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-fc/whistling.gif
It was strictly a vocal anomaly caused by a recent cold I've been trying to fend off.
http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-ashamed005.gif
BTW, I'm always learning new things about this sim.:salute:

[Armistead]

Welcome aboard......

Most play stock and learn the ropes, other jump into mods. Stock will teach you the basics and always a good place to start, but remember it's not realistic and has several bugs that can drive you nuts, such as non stop planes where they don't belong. Just expect changes when you move to mod and many of the habits you learn in stock you'll have to adjust. The first thing you'll notice about mods is graphic changes, they improve 100%.

As others stated, this game continues to evolve, almost to the point of historical perfection if you set the game up the right way.

There is a version of the supermod TMO called TMO with Training Wheels. Basically gives you the eye candy, 100's of changes, but an easier AI and stock playability. It's a good next step.

[I'm goin' down]

The finest captains have responded to your post, so take heed. :salute: Unfortunately, Rockin Robbins, a crusty old b****** :D, did not post. But he has lots of great advice, introduced me to the game, and started the Skipper's Bag of Trick sticky thread above. Get familiar with the attack techniques linked in his opening post as you progress though your missions.

When you are ready to try manual targeting, there is a pdf tutorial entitled "Manual Targeting at 100 Percent Realism" that will teach you manual targeting theory for the stock game. Work through it, and do the simple math calculations. Once you understand it, you can easily use the Easy Aob mod and Cap'nScurvy's (he is my hero!) OTC mod. Don't forget to visit the MoBo forum and download aaronblood's manuevering board masterpiece. It will blow your mind. You can find links to the above mods and MoBo in the mods forum and particularly in the Popular Mods sticky thread started by the web site commander, Neal Stevens.

When you get really good, ask Armistead where all the battles take place in RSRDC, a supermod that faithfully recreates the routes of task forces and convoys. He is like an encyclopeia. I think he must be related to the American pilot (was it Gomer Pyle?) whose plane was shot down at Midway, and who had a front row seat when the American pilots counterattacked and sunk three Japanese carriers. He advised me once that he had intercepted the task force that attacked Pearl Harbor as they were returning to port through the Bungo Straigts! And then there is the time I dodged Japaneses dds by mooring in an enemy harbor at Truk, but that is for another time.

Oh yea! Welcome aboard, captain.:salute: This game will kick you butt for awhile, but the forum will ultimately save you, and except for the occasional idiot (like me), there are some brilliant commenders that will help you win the war, and be a hero.

[Swordfish12]

S!,
Sirs,
Im blown away by the response from SH4 veteran Captains who have taken the trouble to respond and offer advice and guidance. Thank you all.

I have a lot to read in the forum and in the numerous guides and downloads so I will be busy reading and practicing to get up to speed.

Thanks for all the info on some of the available mods, I have noted all this , but will get my basic skills sorted before trying these mods.

As I have ver 1.4 I will need to update it to 1.5 as soon as I get the chance.

Once again thank you all.

Swordfish12

[I'm goin' down]

COMSUBPAC notifies you that you are needed on the line. NOW!

[Dogfish40]

Welcome Aboard Swordfish12!
I would suggest that you upgrade to 1.5 ASAP so you can take advantage of all the improvments to the Game in general. I play 1.5 W' "GFO (GameFixesOnly) and a graphics mod calles "Real Enviornments" for eye candy.
I played 1.4 for quite a while but I had so many mods loaded to enhance and fix things that more problems would crop up. Yeah, I would get to 1.5 when you can, it's worth it. (Besides, most of the major Mods are built around 1.5 anyway)
Anyway, Good Hunting! :salute: PS:Try some of those training missions, they're a good way of learning on the fly, and there's no worry's about renown and career issues).
D40 / My 2 cents/ Going up the Makassar Strait

[Rockin Robbins]

And remember: fight the boat! This is no pleasure cruise where you hide out at periscope depth all day and feel safe. You're not. Especially in TMO enemy planes can and will see you and bomb you at periscope depth all the way down to 100' in clear water. What seems safe is actually much more unsafe than staying on the surface and submerging when necessary.

Your job is to find and sink as many enemy vessels as you can. It isn't black magic. In general, the more square miles of ocean surface you can search in a day the more contacts you get.

Best cruise speed for a fleet boat is 9.5 knots. That is ahead standard in most mods. At 9.5 knots you'll never drink enough diesel to have a fuel shortage. And you can use higher settings in combat situations. Just don't use them for cruising.

Early in the war torpedoes like to run deeper than they are set. I just set mine to run on the surface. The damage to the target is the same. Although the Mark 10s are more reliable early in the war, resist the urge to use them. I'm on a mission right now with an S-Boat and Mark 10's. You get only 12 torpedoes and it will take 4 to sink just about anything. Do the math. It's not good!

I'd make my first couple of cruises with automatic targeting. You have to learn how to handle your boat and targeting just gets in the way. Your goal is to know which buttons to push to do what you have to do without looking it up all the time. Manual targeting can be so engrossing that you forget that you don't know how to handle the boat yet. One step at a time.

This game is supposed to be fun! If you find yourself not having fun, and you will, take a break. This game, like the real submarines, contains plenty of frustration. Walk away, come over to Subsim and talk it over. When you go back to the game the problem will seem to solve itself.

And finally, in SH4 there are many ways to do it right now. Sometimes the proponents of alternate ways to do it right get hot under the collar and try to argue about who's got it right (implying that the other way is wrong). CapnScurvy and I like to do that sometimes. Ignore us, we're just having fun.:D

[I'm goin' down]

tips hat to Rockin Robbins, my first instructor (taught me auto targeting [I was a sorry case].)