Sub Skipper's Bag of Tricks--Techniques, tactics, tutorials, videos

[ColonelSandersLite]

Hey robbins, something I learned the hard way: don't go usb on that. I found that you can't record the game output sound on the last one I had. I believe it was an ms product too. I forget the exact reason, but it had something to do with the way the sound channels where split. If you've got the standard plugs on either an integrated or standalone sound card, that'll be more likely to successfully do what you need it to do.

[Rockin Robbins]

O crap! As Strongbad would say. I have a USB mic out for delivery by USPS right now and will probably be there when I get home. Right now my strategy is to use the Mic but record stereo mix, which hopefully will include the microphone. Otherwise it's back to the drawing board!

[Rockin Robbins]

Confirmed that getting my voice overlaid with the game sound track is going to be difficult with a USB microphone. That is really unfortunate. They should require a warning sticker on all USB microphones: Warning! Your style is about to be seriously crippled by this piece of dog squeeze.

Possible solutions include recording the game session and mixing my voice in later. My son says he likes to make videos that way because he can think about exactly what he wants to say and do retakes if necessary. I'm a spontaneity type guy and although I will do that if forced, would rather have an authentic video where everything happens real time.

I'm looking at some other alternatives and all I can find is paid programs, when I'm spoiled by Linux to think that great software should be available for free. After all, I paid extra to get a Microsoft LifeChat 3000, only to find that in order to use it I have to spend that much again for software? Makes me cranky just thinking about it.

So the search continues for free software that will take the USB microphone feed and repeat it into the stereo mix. Google is gonna earn its money today!

[ColonelSandersLite]

Damn, bad timing huh? If only I had seen your post sooner...


Edit:

You might be able to record both audio track seperately, rip the audio from the vid, use vdm sound to integrate the two, and tell virtualdub to use your new integrated sound file as the soundtrack. I can't say I really recommend going this route, but it (or something really similar) might work.

[Rockin Robbins]

Originally Posted by ColonelSandersLite

Damn, bad timing huh? If only I had seen your post sooner...


Edit:

You might be able to record both audio track seperately, rip the audio from the vid, use vdm sound to integrate the two, and tell virtualdub to use your new integrated sound file as the soundtrack. I can't say I really recommend going this route, but it (or something really similar) might work.

Yup, that's the plan using Audacity for the mixer. I'll just record the game using Fraps or CamStudio while doing my narration recorded with Audacity. Then I'll mix the two soundtracks with Audacity, then add them to the video with VirtualDub.

That's just too much trouble to do something that can be done real time in one step if you use the old fashioned microphone plugged into the mic jack of the sound card. But it will work.

[Rockin Robbins]

I've discovered a new video for everybody on You Tube by HalfjackHJ. He does a sonar only attack that works out quite nicely.

I hate to put any corrections to his technique here, but there are a couple that absolutely have to be covered.

• He does all this from a stopped submarine. In a real submarine this wouldn't be possible. His results would have been just as good from a moving submarine. He was too worried about precision when precision is not on the menu with a sonar attack. I'd be moving at a knot or less while pinging and quite quickly when moving for a great firing position.
• He uses a calculator for determining speed when it just isn't necessary. The number of hundred yards the target moves in three minutes is his speed in knots. If, as he did, you choose 15 minutes, that is five times three minutes. 2500 yards divided by five is 500 yards in three minutes: 5 knots. See how fast that is? Look Ma! No calculator!
• Looks like he forgets to open torpedo tube doors before firing. In his case with the slow target it meant he hit the aft part of the target. With a faster target that buys you a miss.
• He pauses the game. Real sub skippers couldn't pause the game and in his case it did not buy him any advantage. Use the three minute rule, keep sub speed at a knot when pinging and calculating and you're all good!

He did this in weather conditions so bad he couldn't cheat if he wanted to. He did it with naked SH4 1.5 so instructions are extremely clear. He is very well-spoken and complete. If you watch his video you WILL succeed at bagging a nice juicy target without ever laying your eyes on his filthy carcass.


What's not to like! Thanks HalfjackHJ! Great job! I'm editing post #1 to reflect the addition.

[Ruff EL]

ok....im learning this technique just to expand my toolbox and i have one question.
Im running 1.5 w/tmo 2.5 and RSRDC 502 and im unable to move the haired triangle on the TDC to maximize range. Does that matter if you cant change that from the default setting?

[Rockin Robbins]

There's another way to set range there but since I'm not running that combo I can't tell you what it is. The only truly important thing is that the range is non-zero. Just do a fake stadimeter range and some kind of range will go in there. That will be adequate.

[Lancezh]

Your Manual Targetting Video is down due to overlength, is it this one ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k5yJI6Z5AU

If yes, update the link will ya, thanks for these!!!

[Rockin Robbins]

That's the one! Thanks.

[maxklinger2001]

Does any one know what the approximate range of the hydrophones?

[Rockin Robbins]

Originally Posted by maxklinger2001

Does any one know what the approximate range of the hydrophones?

Hey Max! I'd say 20 to 30 miles. I've never bothered to find out. Ducimus can tell you to the yard but that's really cheating. You see, the range changed with conditions and the real sonar operators had no idea what their hydrophone range was either.

[Rockin Robbins]

Thought I'd repost something I put in a thread that's just going to fall into the abyss and never be seen again. I had a brain defect and suddenly gained clarity of thought long enough to post my best explanation of how the position keeper works in normal US submarine targeting. I could never remember that in my aged state (just when I had it all together I forgot where I put it....) so here goes:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you're missing astern there's something wrong with your procedure. I propose that it's probably that you are entering the information in the wrong order, since the order of operations is almost never talked about and of course is not in the manual, which seems to be a reprint of the manual for a 1955 Sunbeam Toaster, not a game manual.

When you are entering info to the TDC it is very important that the last piece entered is the range/bearing of the target. And the reason is very apparent if you can visualize how the TDC with position keeper works.

The TDC merely establishes a target position, course and speed. It's a dot with attributes. And that data is good for the instant your button is stabbed. If you were to stab the button, wait ten seconds and then fire a torpedo, guess what?

The target has moved past your aiming point and when the torpedo hits, if it hits, it will be behind the point you aimed at when you stabbed the send range/bearing to TDC button. That's pretty clear, no? So you can miss astern with the PK off. It's easy. Just take too long between your observation and when you fire.

Now lets involve the PK. Instead of a fixed target point, the PK actually takes that target point and moves it along the course you tell it to and at the speed you tell the TDC. Then that target point actually follows the real target over time. In theory you can fire at any time you want and the solution remains good, unlike the old non-PK TDC.

So lets do it wrong. We'll use our periscope and stadimeter to get the bearing and range of the target. As soon as we stab the send to TDC button the TDC plots the position of the target, right on top of the real target. So far, so good.

Now you do your mental gymnastics and get ready to enter the AoB of the target, which tells the TDC the target course. You enter the AoB and stab that send to TDC button. What's happened? Not much. The target position is right where you told it to be and it is moving at zero knots in the direction you just told it. That means it's not moving.

Finally you enter the target speed and press that send to TDC button. NOW the artificial target point begins moving at the course and speed of the real target. But since you just told it to begin moving and it's been fifteen or twenty seconds since you told the TDC where the target is, the artificial target is quite a distance behind the real one! You are going to miss astern aren't you?

How do you prevent this? Just be sure you tell the TDC target AoB and speed first, THEN as a last step pop up the scope and take your range/bearing observation. Since you have already told the PK how to move the target point, you'll hit the send range/bearing to TDC button, the TDC will plot that artificial target right on top of the real one and the PK will immediately begin moving it to follow your input course and speed.

Order of operations is critical. You won't read this anywhere else, no matter how hard you search. I can't tell you why because it is critical information. NOW you will not miss astern.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On another note, I've had a software meltdown on my computer. I held onto my old motherboard long after it started to malfunction. It scrambled my Windows XP installation to the point that even with new hardware my computer was crashing three times a day or so. I put up with it for three months and then it began blue-screening on bootup with no access to Windows at all. It was time for a complete reinstall. That means I also have to reinstall all my programs and that is the delay in the Dick O'Kane Sonar Only video update. It will happen.

[derstosstrupp]

Hi all,

Does anyone happen to have Hitman's "100% manual targetting" tutorial they could send my way? Searched all over for a good link to no avail. I checked with Hitman himself and he doesn't have a copy available. I'd appreciate it!

hamacher@uwm.edu

[delta6]

If you should come accross a small convoy comprised of 2 destroyers and 1 kiturn maru,leave them alone..Especially if you are in a flat sea and zero wind..I do not know what is so important on that transport,but the destroyer captains take great offence if you sink it..Its been 3 hrs now and they seem to have and unlimited supply of depth charges...