Two weeks ago, August 12th 2014, I had the end of summer blues and was scrolling through Steam for a quick cheap game. Some how I ended up watching the Silent Hunter 5 trailer and after reading some reviews settled on Silent Hunter 4.
The following 14 days went something like this...
1. Read Manual.
2. Launched Vanilla Silent Hunters IV: Wolves of the Pacific.
3. Played Single Mission on 100% Realism. (it's the only way to go)
4. Read Manual again. (lol)
5. Searched "Silent Hunter 4 tutorials" via google.
6. Read CaptnScurvy's High Realism Tutorial and printed out AoB Calculator.
7. Downloaded Silent Hunters IV: U-Boat Missions.
8. Watched Rockin Robbin's Youtube tutorials.
9. Registered on subsim.com.
10. Read, read, read.
11. Download JSGME.
12. Download and activated Webster's GFO 1.1.
13. Download and activated CaptnScurvy's SCAF 1.5. (I know it was stated as being part of GFO 1.1, but I wasn't getting the Recognition Manual and graphics tweaks I was hoping for.
NOTE: there are some CTD conflicts with this combination)
14. Watched movie 'U -571'.
15. Played CaptnScury's 'High Realism Tutorial Single Mission' 15 times until I could destroy a modern tanker at 100% realism in real time by sonar only with one eye closed. Thank you Dick O'Kane!
16. Download and activated a fresh set of mods starting with TMO 2.5 w/ career sub patch.
17. Read TMO Manual. (very, very much appreciated Ducimus)
18. Download and activated RSRDC for TMO 2.5 w/ fix.
19. Pay $5 to support my local subsim.com establishment out of the kindness of my heart.
20. Read
'The Submarine Commander's Handbook'.
21. Downloaded and activate OTC 1.5(for TMO 2.5 + RSRDC) using realistic optics of course...
22. Started first American career campaign.
23. Watched movie 'Run Silent, Run Deep'.
24. Download and installed a heap of fred8615's music and radio station additions. Very nice!
25. Read
"The Fleet Type Submarine Online" Manual.
26. Placed a hold on the book 'Run Silent, Run Deep' at my library.
27. Finished my first patrol with 5 ships down and very proud of myself.
28. Created personal submarine emblem for myself (256x256 targa file named emblem.tga placed into Data>Textures>TNormal>tex) and a kills.tga graphic as well. It's a shame too that I won't be able to see it in game on 100% Realism TMO 2.5, but I'll know it's there.
29. Published my first post on subsim.com. (that is this one)
..................................
30. Preparing for resultant job loss and placement in doghouse by wife.
Looking forward to some good times.
A big thank you to the community out there and all of the work you've done. It is still being appreciated.
Cheers, JR