SUBSIM SH4 Patch 1.2 Bug & Discussion Thread

[DragonRR1]

Silent Hunter 4 - Bug list v3d n

Changelog 3c-3d
4 more bugs added 65) 66) 67) & 68)
Provisional bug escalated
Severity of item 34) changed.

Changelog 3b – 3c
5 more bugs added 60), 61) 62) 63) & 64)
Improved readability.
Added comment on 23)
Modified comment on 34)
More supporting information added to 36)
Added provisional bug section

Changelog 3 – 3b:
More information given
Additional issues 58, 59 added
Struck through the more dubious bugs or where there is little or no confirmation
Reduced duplication.
Moved comments and added square brackets for readability.

Please note:
Most bugs listed here have been mentioned by more than one poster.
Known protection bugs have not been listed nor have probable hardware/driver issues.
There may be duplicates.
The list is not ordered
I have not experienced all the bugs listed.


1) When crossing the International Date Line from Pearl to Japan the attack screen bug still happens. No Torpedo tracking once you cross the line.

2) Radar still doesn't work when heading South 90deg to 270deg.
[There is a possible mod fix for this issue.]

3) I noticed a minor rendering issue with 1.2: Seems the TBT view doesn’t scale to the resolution when not using 1024x768. There is a little part on top showing the scene behind the screen in 1280x1024. The bearing display is wrong, too.
[There is an error in the TBT section of the menu file. Mod fix for widescreen users here: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=112400 ]

4) Ship dimensions are still faulty = incorrect firing data (range) for TDC for some ships.

5) Removed.

6) Patch 1.2, After installing the new patch the DD's don’t often use their searchlights anymore (since 1.1)!
[Confirmed in several posts.]

7) Removed.

8) Chronometer still doesn’t work as described in the manual. “The Chronometer bug”

9) White outline along the hull of the sub when looking down through the external camera. Very noticeable on railings if sub is submerged to conning tower.

10) Sun shines still through objects, now even with full intensity.

11) If volumetric fog is enabled the deck crew still appears transparent after some minutes.
[See also 31.)]

12) AA gun repair bug still there – AA gun doesn’t repair.
[Dragon – I haven’t had this issue.. anyone else? - Confirmed as a problem in 1.2 by Subman1.]

13) Removed

14) Dive planes don’t even come down anymore after a few dives and surfaces. Halfway through a patrol the bow planes look inverted and refuse to move.
[Dragon – not seen this, Subman1 – not seen this.]

15) Many users report CTD errors, in the navmap, after ending a patrol etc.
[Dragon – no CTD since fresh install V1.2]

16) I've got a merchant here; that I put a torpedo into, stopping it's engines, but it still continues on at about 4 knts, despite a heavy list to Starboard.
[There is confusion on this issue. It is difficult to say whether there is a problem with this or not]

17) Sounds are still coming from a 180 degree wrong direction. Situation awareness suffers when submerged and evading escorts.
[Apparently this is a bug in SH3 too.]

18) Combined with 14.)

19) Can someone confirm if the SD radar is indeed fixed? As far as I can tell it is still detecting ships but now it does not detect aircraft at all. I just got bombed by a couple flying boats while I sat there watching the SD radar in different ranges and they did not show up at all. With the S-18 sub it doesn’t turn on.
[Feature request – more realistic radar. http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=112950 ]

20) Hydrophones still do not work at periscope depth.

21) Sound bugs still present with "Realistic Sound Travel" enabled (e.g., popping sounds when firing AA guns, explosion sounds cut off, slight delay in deck gun sound, etc.

22) We now have approx a 9.7X Magnification attack scope. (Should be 6X)

23) All AI needs tweaking, too often ships all come to a stop and muddle around. Destroyers guarding merchants and especially in task forces seem somewhat uninterested in firing back – see this thread http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=112904 and this http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=112853
[I personally wonder if the problem is to do with overly sensitive friendly fire tests by the AI. Tater queried whether poor weather conditions play a part]

24) Neat mechanical ticking sound when using the TDC is gone. Bring it back.

25) Being able to open multiple outer doors and having the sound effect play

26) Combined with 8)

27) Widescreen users get a cropped rather than expanded image. TBT & periscope scaling bitmap masks appear to be inaccurate – break the ability to manual launch torpedos?
[see also 3) ]

28) Save game issues - External viewable damage to subs vanishes on a savegame load. Speed settings and other settings not remembered, crew asleep when they weren’t before etc..

29) The deck gun doesn't repair. Several posters have commented on this.

30) There is no obvious visual way to ascertain true damage to the sub.

31) Transparency problems: The ghost crew issue - crew are slightly transparent all the time with full settings and like ghosts in fog. The conning tower is transparent or semi transparent when using the periscope.

32) Anomalies with torpedo damage... may be a "feature". Example 8 torpedoes + deck gun shots sink a merchant, 5 deck gun shots or less to destroy a destroyer. Stuck torpedo outside sub – mentioned by Subman1?

33) Feature request: Buttons still missing like weather, rank, how long distance at this speed, id target.

34) “The Message log delay problem.”
[There is at least one mod for this and a user can select messages sent as default rather than show all messages. The majority of people say that the delay is now small 1-2 secs]

35) The sub not responding to waves correctly especially in rough seas “Sub on rails”. The wake behind the sub, especially in rough seas, floats above the waves.

36) Possible problem with torpedo detonation choices. Some users report they are reversed, Akdavis – Magnetic detonators do not work. Also the detonation type chosen resets. Akdavis mentions:
“Something is fundamentally wrong with torpedoes and/or ship hit boxes. Magnetic influence setting seems to have no real effect. Both settings yield identical results.”
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=112193&page=15

37) Fix open all tube doors.
[There is a mod which does fix his issue]

38) Fix the radar and sonar
[There may be a mod fix for this.. ]

39) Campaign retirement – feature or bug? Suggestion that it should be optional.

40) Aircraft.. the skies are full of them! Far too many attacks.
[There is a workaround for this in the subsim mods forum.]

41) Aircraft flight model – Collide with mountains rather easily and there is a tendency for them to swoop rather low during attack runs.

42) Graphical flashes on the ocean.

43) Rotating hydrophone doesn’t do a full rotation and it doesn’t rotate underwater?

44) You can’t click on crew members to go to their station – like you could in SH3.

45) Crew sometimes don’t seem to verbally acknowledge orders.

46) Clouds are far too speedy.
[Possible Mod fix for this.]

47) Pilot bailouts are reported as merchant contacts, as are lifeboats.

48) Sound for lifeboats rubbing against sub sound like a destroyer hitting the sub.

49) Pencil on Navmap doesn’t allow note entry

50) AA gun crew can get injured even when not at the AA gun if the AA gun gets damaged.

51) Repetitive patrols still get assigned.
[There is some discussion as to whether this is due to having infinite fuel on]

52) Patrols do not suggest how long you need to stay on station unlike SH3.

54) The AA gun view is often blocked by conning tower walls.

55) Chronometer pops up after 256 time compression for no apparent reason.

56) A number of users report that despite owning the game they are experiencing the protection system “bugs”. Many users report crewmembers eyes vanish.
[I own the game, do not use any no-cd or other anti-protection systems and have see the missing eyes issue]

57) Is the Torpedo depth gauge running in metric when imperial settings are used?.
[Users report that assuming the TDC is running in metric allows them to hit on target\]

58) Graphics – the rev counters don’t work.

59) Torpedoes are not automatically loaded at base nor is there a reminder.

60) There appears to be some problem with the crew using certain deck guns especially when switching from aft to fore – no slots for crew.
[Not verified although I have seen this mentioned more than once]

61) A few people have mentioned that they sometimes can’t end a patrol latest here although tycho102 was using a mod http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=112193&page=15

62) Radio messages can be received underwater.

63) Messages sent are not shown when “all messages” is selected.

64) Some shipping does not stop following loss of all props & rudder.

65) Patrol Log book appears to contain internal games names for ships sunk rather than “Medium Old Tanker” etc..

66) Log book does not track items correctly – all ships sunk at the same time and date for example.

67) When SD radar fitted there is no A scope display – confirmed.

68) Air search radar on Japanese ships is detecting surface targets including the sub arising in unrealistic sub detection in the early war period 1942-43. More here: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show....php?t=112994, http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=112684

Provisional not included, need confirmation:

a) Watch officer freezes up with arms outstretched.

b) Should you be able to add a damage crew to the ship when docked? Provides more crew than Historical.

[Krupp]

Originally Posted by The General

I have alot of graphical glitches in my game, like exploded polygons that form lines that stretch from model to the edge of the virtual space.

I have seen this few times too and I also have a 7600 GT. It always happens to a crewmember.

edit: I just opened my pc and holy $%# the amount of dust covering the cooler and all! I could barely see heat sink fins. Looks like I really need to check that more often. CPU temperatures dropped a lot.

[DimDoms]

Originally Posted by DragonRR1

Provisional not included, need confirmation:

a) Watch officer freezes up with arms outstretched.

I can confirm this.

On another note, thanks for your efforts in putting this together.

Lets hope they get them all in the next patch.

D.

[Egan]

14) Dive planes don’t even come down anymore after a few dives and surfaces. Halfway through a patrol the bow planes look inverted and refuse to move.
[Dragon – not seen this, Subman1 – not seen this.]

I have a similar issue - I wonder if they are related:

When saving underwater, upon reloading the game seems to confuse the dive plane posistion so that the bow planes are down when surfaced and up when dived - except when in the 'up' position the animation seems screwed up and they go all wierd. Avoid it by saving only on the surface.

Also one that I don't think has been listed. I got my rear dive plane tranmission destroyed last night but it really seems to have destroyed the rudder tranmission as diving speeds remained the same but I could no longer turn. They seem to be reversed.

[U-Bones]

Originally Posted by The General

I have alot of graphical glitches in my game, like exploded polygons that form lines that stretch from model to the edge of the virtual space. I know it's something to do with my Nvidia 7600 card, 'cos the same thing happens in Tiger Woods '07. Does anybody know what the problem is? I've got the latest driver.

However, in Battlefield 2, with everything turned up to the Max, the game runs perfectly and the graphics are nearly as good as SH4. SH4 doesn't even have dynamic shadows and runs pretty badly. I guess it's the difference between a well made game and a bad one.

Same card, 600W power supply, no problem. If your power supply is 350 or less, it probably struggles to keep your 7600 happy.

When saving underwater, upon reloading the game seems to confuse the dive plane posistion so that the bow planes are down when surfaced and up when dived - except when in the 'up' position the animation seems screwed up and they go all wierd. Avoid it by saving only on the surface.

I've noticed this also, so i'm pretty sure this should be added to the list.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Uber Gruber

I've noticed this also, so i'm pretty sure this should be added to the list.

Probably not a listable thing. This game is based heavily on the SH3 engine and theory. With SH3, if you saved submerged, near ships or at port, upon reload, everything went haywire. Ships appearing inside structures or half sunk, etc.

Rule of thumb in SH3, save: surfaced, out of port, away from ships. This probably applies here as well.

[DragonRR1]

I will be posting... yes I bet you all can't wait .. the updated bug list (3e) later tonight.

I do need help on the following issues:

Can anyone confirm that item 61) is actually a bug?

Issue 38) Fix the radar and sonar,... There are other issues which refer to this 2), 19), 67) and 68).. Can someone provide a detailed explanation on what needs fixing that isn’t covered (if anything)?

If anyone knows of any workarounds or mods which fix any of the issues please provide links and I’ll include them in the next (exciting instalment)

[Reece]

If they fix everything in the list in the next patch I will be satisfied, & happy!! Might take them a few days though!

[Bane]

Originally Posted by DragonRR1

Issue 38) Fix the radar and sonar,... There are other issues which refer to this 2), 19), 67) and 68).. Can someone provide a detailed explanation on what needs fixing that isn’t covered (if anything)?

Well, for me personally, the first radar you can get on your first patrol for 500 renown doesn't do anything. SD I believe it is. I get no contacts, the station buttons don't do anything, and the 3D interface doesn't do anything either.

If you need more info I'll jump in the game when I get home and provide what you need.

[The General]

Originally Posted by Bane

Well, for me personally, the first radar you can get on your first patrol for 500 renown doesn't do anything. SD I believe it is. I get no contacts, the station buttons don't do anything, and the 3D interface doesn't do anything either.

I can confirm this.

I also wanna add that I made a mistake with the 'All Messages' issue. For some stupid reason, it displays your 'sent' messages at the top of the list. So, you have to scroll the list right back to the beginning to see those messages, which doesn't make sense if you take timelines into consideration.

Also, the issue with the on again, off again searchlights. I found that swithching off volumetric fog seemed to do the trick, which is a workaround and not a real solution. There seem to be so many problems related to the Fog that the Devs really need to do something about that alone.

[stuntcow]

I have been lucky compared to most I guess. Have not had CTD, map issues, the P or C key, and my Torps seem to fire ok. I did have the fuel not lasting problem but guessed that it was due to damage to the tanks and losses of fuel before damage was fixed. I play at 1280x1024 sometimes and 1024x768 when I have it running on my big screen.

Only problem I have had was when I was hit by a plane of the coast of Japan and was heavy in the bow. Had repair teams going full tilt and was able to get everything repaired. Was showing no damage other then the deck gun that would not repair no matter what. Was still down by the bow. I tried to go to P depth and went into a nose dive toward the bottom. Fired off all my forward tubes to liten the weight and back emergency with emergency blow and was just able to make it to surface. Tried sailing at slow speed for days and was never able to get her to leavel off. After shooting down 9-11 planes just to keep from diving, 2 dive planes and a bomber made me dive to P depth and went into another nose dive. Nothing stoped the dive. The damage screen showed nothing damaged all the way to the death screen. No damage, no flooding.

[DragonRR1]

Originally Posted by The General

I can confirm this.

I also wanna add that I made a mistake with the 'All Messages' issue. For some stupid reason, it displays your 'sent' messages at the top of the list. So, you have to scroll the list right back to the beginning to see those messages, which doesn't make sense if you take timelines into consideration.

Also, the issue with the on again, off again searchlights. I found that swithching off volumetric fog seemed to do the trick, which is a workaround and not a real solution. There seem to be so many problems related to the Fog that the Devs really need to do something about that alone.

Issue 67) I believe covers the issue with SD radar.. do you agree?

Issue 63) Messages - removed, thanks General.

Added some more info regarding the searchlights. 6)

@stuntcow

Issue 6) covers the deck gun, thanks for confirming. I believe that nothing can be "fully" repaired (although the interface shows items fully repaired) without a "refit" although nobody seems to be certain exactly how damage works. (I.e. I could be completely wrong) Issue 30) is a request for more information on the interface.

[Elder-Pirate]

Originally Posted by The General

I have alot of graphical glitches in my game, like exploded polygons that form lines that stretch from model to the edge of the virtual space. I know it's something to do with my Nvidia 7600 card, 'cos the same thing happens in Tiger Woods '07. Does anybody know what the problem is? I've got the latest driver.

However, in Battlefield 2, with everything turned up to the Max, the game runs perfectly and the graphics are nearly as good as SH4. SH4 doesn't even have dynamic shadows and runs pretty badly. I guess it's the difference between a well made game and a bad one.

Go here:
http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/referrer/ubi_srl

click on Select product, then click on Silent hunter. Wolves of the Pacific-PC

This will tell you how qualified your computer is for the SH4 Sim.

Then go here to see if you need more memory and just what kind of memory. ( minimum speed ect. ). Click on: Start my system scan.
http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/

Of course this is only one brand of memory but you will get the general idea of how much your computer and your wallet are at bay.

As a fairly old saying goes: "try it, you'll like it."


And most of all..............Good luck.

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by DragonRR1

Provisional not included, need confirmation:

a) Watch officer freezes up with arms outstretched.