Something frustrating - am I missing something?

[phoenixworld]

Hi all

Just got onto SH3 and think the simulation is wonderful.

I'm an ex submarine officer and find this frustrating:

In real life, when using the periscope in day to day use, or in an "attack", you are thinking totally in relative terms. ie, when you put up the periscope, you know where you're looking relative to the boat. The true bearing of what you're looking at is way less relevant than where it is relative to YOU. ie, is it on your port bow or starboard quarter?

In the daytime in real life, it's easy, but a little harder at night, but you still know which way you're looking by the various noises of pumps, etc

So, in the game when I put up the periscope, I find it hard to get a feel for where all the contacts are relative to my own ship's head, and hence can't get the picture. All the other stuff - ranging, ATB etc is all good. It's only early days yet, so am I missing something which will become apparent later?

if I could just get this bit, I'd enjoy it far more :shifty:

Cheers

Philip

[Corsair]

I am only a sailboat skipper ;), but as far as I know, the graduations inside the periscope and UZO give you the relative bearing. If you read for instance 320, it means it's looking 40° port from your heading. But maybe I misunderstood your problem...

[_Seth_]

Welcome to Subsim, mate! :up:
I guess this could be done, atleast the noise of diesels, pumps etc. in Stereo..
Someone here will know if this is possible, believe me!

again, Welcome!!

Argggg...Corsair beat me to it....:damn: :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

[Corsair]

It's not often I can beat you...:rotfl:

[Jimbuna]

Welcome aboard phoenixworld :arrgh!:

I tend to use the compass overlay on either the nav or attack map...hope this is of some use to you :up:

[AVGWarhawk]

If I understand your question, I use two things to get an idea of relative heading of myself and the target. First and foremost is the periscope and what degree I find the target via the numbers at the top showing 360 degrees and I also hit H for the hydrophones and listen myself. I stay there for a while with one of the contacts on the phone and see which way I have to turn the wheel on the phone. Depending on which way I'm adjusting the wheel to keep in phone contact gives me a relative idea of the target heading. Once I'm close enough to the target, this is at night, I look at the bow wake. If I see white water on both sides of the bow, this means the target is heading towards me. If I only see the closest white water on the bow, generally the target is moving away from me. I adjust my heading based on this observation. Again, look at the white water, you see both in the darkness coming off the bow, generally means it is coming at me.

[phoenixworld]

Been playing some more...

The graticule in the periscope view as you rightly say, goes from 0-360. In Brit boats, one thinks in left and right, or red and green. So you're either looking somewhere left - red, or somwhere right - green. A contact will be at green 120 for instance (on your starboard quarter), of red 35 (on your port bow). So, a direction in terms of degrees will never exceed 180, in either direction.

There's also a problem in navigating. Maybe not "problem", because the designers may well be using conventions which are current in, for instance the US navy. However, the chart clearly is "north-up", ie north is upwards. However, when you overlay a compass rose, it seems to show north pointing downwards. Hellishly confusing! And in the first bit of learning, the lookout says "ship bearing 209 degrees (or something like that) which should place it south west of the boat, but it isn't, it's off to the north west.

It all probably wouldn't confuse me at all if I hadn't spent years in boats!

Philip

[AVGWarhawk]

Philip, I must have missed something here. If I hear the WO say ship at 100 degrees and swing my scope or UZO to 100 degrees this is where I find the ship. From my understanding, this is 100 degrees from the bow(0 degrees) from my boat.

The compass rose I believe is upside down(anyone, correct me if I'm wrong) on this. I always use the compass on the right hand bottom screen to indicate my heading. It has not failed me yet. I recommend not using the compass rose and use the compass and change of heading/rudder compass in the lower right hand corner. There is a little green button next to it that will allow you to change from rudder angle to compass and back. Furthermore, when I have a contact, it is me and them and what senerio I need to lay out to sink the vessel. After a successful attack, I turn my attention back to navigation. Kind of like making the ship and me in my own little world without a N, S, E and W. Just me and the degree off my bow I can find the target.

[Razman23]

There is a reason why the compass rose is 180° in the nav map. The modder who created it had an explaination on why he did it. I cant recall who he/she was though.

Since I hardly use the rose when I run SHIII, I cant be much help with your issue.

About the headings in periscope view, what was posted is correct. 0° is straight ahead, 90° is directly abeam on starboard, 180° is straight astern, 270° is directly abeam port in relation to your sub.

[Monocell]

I'm completely new to this game, so can't be sure about anything, but i belive the compass on the helper tools and the overlay are inverted to allow for easier plotting. if you want to draw a line from any point in a specific heading you can just read directly from an upside down compas centered on the end of the line. If the compas would be normal you would have to either guess the heading or suptract 180 from the value read from where the line intersects the compass. Sorry for the confusing explanation, but just try to draw a line in a specific bearing with the helper turned on and I'm sure you will understand why it is done as it is.

[Kiwi Commandant]

I'm completely new to this game, so can't be sure about anything, but i belive the compass on the helper tools and the overlay are inverted to allow for easier plotting. if you want to draw a line from any point in a specific heading you can just read directly from an upside down compas centered on the end of the line. If the compas would be normal you would have to either guess the heading or suptract 180 from the value read from where the line intersects the compass. Sorry for the confusing explanation, but just try to draw a line in a specific bearing with the helper turned on and I'm sure you will understand why it is done as it is.

That's exactly my understanding too Mono. It's actually like that to make things easier. :yep:

[Tachyon]

It's not often I can beat you...:rotfl:

*Knight's Cross with Swords,Oaks & Leaves awarded to thee*

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: