Crew suddenly developes undocumented third 'local ability.'

[Juju]

I've just returned from my third patrol and noticed one of my rear torpedo room guys now has a third ability, a 'local ability' named 'increased surface speed.' And one of my engine room crew also suddenly sports a third ability that says 'increased torpedo speeds.'

This one is completely new to me! I've searched the forum about it, but nothing came up.

The manual doesn't mention this. No more in-game info available either. So, okay, the abilities speak for themselves, but what about the term 'local ability?' It could suggest such a crewmember needs to be in a specific compartment for his ability to work (i.e. increaded torpedo speed guy should be in a torpedo room for that ability to work).

[DeePsix501]

From what I gathered on seeing this, the crewmember has worked in that certain compartment long enough that he has gained skill in an area. What I mean is, that if John Doe works in the Torpedo room long enough, he will gain a local ability for torpedoes. I guess this represents well trained crew members.

But that is just my hypothesis...

[SteamWake]

How can a crewmans skill make a torpedo faster ?

Maybe they mean reload times.

[Lukemb]

There are 7 local abilities

4 for the torpedo dept. and 3 for the engine dept.

Read the following for the details, it's copied and pasted from the game folder (UPCCrewdata)

N.B.
There are also 2 global abilities (Increase Fanatical Chance and Reduce Broken Chance)

************ Torpedo ************

[SpecialLocalAbility 1]
ID=LAbilTorpSpec1
NameDisplayable= Torpedo Crew Leader
AbilityType= SLA_ReduceTorpedoLoading
AbilityValue= -25 ;%
AbylityActsIn= SternTorpedoRoom, BowTorpedoRoom
Image=1
SkillRequiredLeadership= 0.4
SkillRequiredMechanical= 0.5
SkillRequiredElectrics= 0
SkillRequiredGuns= 0.2
SkillRequiredWatchman= 0

[SpecialLocalAbility 2]
ID=LAbilTorpSpec2
NameDisplayable= Torpedo Detonators Specialist
AbilityType= SLA_ReduceTorpedoMalfunctions
AbilityValue= -50 ;%
AbylityActsIn= SternTorpedoRoom, BowTorpedoRoom
Image=1
SkillRequiredLeadership= 0
SkillRequiredMechanical= 0.6
SkillRequiredElectrics= 0.2
SkillRequiredGuns= 0.6
SkillRequiredWatchman= 0

[SpecialLocalAbility 3]
ID=LAbilTorpSpec3
NameDisplayable= Torpedo Engine Specialist
AbilityType= SLA_IncreaseTorpedoSpeed
AbilityValue= 20 ;%
AbylityActsIn= SternTorpedoRoom, BowTorpedoRoom
Image=1
SkillRequiredLeadership= 0
SkillRequiredMechanical= 0.6
SkillRequiredElectrics= 0.4
SkillRequiredGuns= 0.2
SkillRequiredWatchman= 0

[SpecialLocalAbility 4]
ID=LAbilTorpSpec4
NameDisplayable= Torpedo Warhead Specialist
AbilityType= SLA_IncreaseTorpedoDamage
AbilityValue= 50 ;%
AbylityActsIn= SternTorpedoRoom, BowTorpedoRoom
Image=1
SkillRequiredLeadership= 0
SkillRequiredMechanical= 0.2
SkillRequiredElectrics= 0.5
SkillRequiredGuns= 0.6
SkillRequiredWatchman= 0


************ Engine *************

[SpecialLocalAbility 5]
ID=LAbilEngineSpec1
NameDisplayable= Surface Propulsion Specialist
AbilityType= SLA_IncreaseSurfaceSpeed
AbilityValue= 20 ;%
AbylityActsIn= PropulsionRoom
Image=1
SkillRequiredLeadership= 0
SkillRequiredMechanical= 0.6
SkillRequiredElectrics= 0.4
SkillRequiredGuns= 0
SkillRequiredWatchman= 0

[SpecialLocalAbility 6]
ID=LAbilEngineSpec2
NameDisplayable= Underwater Propulsion Specialist
AbilityType= SLA_IncreaseSubmergedSpeed
AbilityValue= 20 ;%
AbylityActsIn= PropulsionRoom
Image=1
SkillRequiredLeadership= 0
SkillRequiredMechanical= 0.4
SkillRequiredElectrics= 0.6
SkillRequiredGuns= 0
SkillRequiredWatchman= 0

[SpecialLocalAbility 7]
ID=LAbilEngineSpec3
NameDisplayable= Propulsion Specialist
AbilityType= SLA_IncreaseOverallSpeed
AbilityValue= 200 ;%
AbylityActsIn= PropulsionRoom
Image=1
SkillRequiredLeadership= 0
SkillRequiredMechanical= 0.5
SkillRequiredElectrics= 0.5
SkillRequiredGuns= 0
SkillRequiredWatchman= 0

[davejb]

I REALLY hope that..
How can a crewmans skill make a torpedo faster ?
does mean reload speed - what with the 'fast' setting not actually delivering the correct torp speed the last thing needed is an extra boost :D

Assuming it's reload, and similar extras are in the game (not seen anything myself yet) then it's a nice little touch.... might even shave a second or two off a reload.

Odd... lost a lump...try again - from the post above by Luke it might well be making faster torps - hope the code includes a section to ensure this doesn't make 'em miss as a result of decreasing the travel time !

[-Pv-]

It could be the cross-training that occured was because those crew were in a compartment that isn't their prime ability for a while. Something to avoid if you want local abilities to make sense later on.
-Pv-

[razark]

It could be the cross-training that occured was because those crew were in a compartment that isn't their prime ability for a while. Something to avoid if you want local abilities to make sense later on.
-Pv-

I don't know about that. One of my sensor guys in the conning tower seems to have learned to load torpedos faster. Just saw it last night, didn't make any sense. His ability and specialization is sensors, and he's never set foot in the torpedo room.

[Sailor Steve]

Maybe he studies in his spare time.

I know, that's no answer, but who knows what they programmed into the game?

[BlackSpot]

Maybe he studies in his spare time.

I know, that's no answer, but who knows what they programmed into the game?

It does say something about crew studying in the manual :sunny:

[-Pv-]

"..I don't know about that. One of my sensor guys in the conning tower seems to have learned to load torpedos faster. Just saw it last night, didn't make any sense. His ability and specialization is sensors, and he's never set foot in the torpedo room..."

Does he have torpedo as secondary skill?
-Pv-

[Lawndart]

I had a guy with 4 abulities in my crew, he was the senior ranking officer but it was my first patrol so I assumed it happened a lot... They were all leadership related... Sorry I don't have a picture...

[Lukemb]

It seems to be working in this way:

As an example, when a crewman becomes CPO, SCPO or MCPO there's 25%, 30% or 35% chance that he gets Increase Torpedo Speed local ability ONLY IF he has these minimum values

Skill Mechanical= 0.6
Skill Electrics= 0.4
Skill Guns= 0.2

In general, the crewmen need a minimum requirement of 3 skills to get the local ability.

Check my previous post for the correct values, in this way you can assign people with the required values in the correct dept. and there will be a chance to develop a local ability when the promotion comes.

[Immacolata]

How can a crewmans skill make a torpedo faster ?

Maybe they mean reload times.

He winds up the propeller elastic band real tight?

[Tieg]

Now this local ability term...I suppose that means he has to be in the compartment to take advantage of it?

I have several of these local abilities but I have noticed for example I have a guy in the engineroom with increase torp loading skills....when I switch him with someone in the torp space my effectiveness in both spaces go down. Does anyone have any ideas?

[Kurev]

I don't know...

Increase load speed is ok, training makes you better.

Reduce torpedo malfunctions is ok too, if you take better care of them, they will work better.

But, the two other sound very arcadish. You just don't increase the speed or damage of a torpedo just like that, on board ship.

[davejb]

A couple of these make obvious sense, the more you drill the better you get. I have to agree about the 'arcadish' comment though - it's hard to see how you could increase the explosive effect, and a speed increase should mean your 'improvement' causes torps to miss ahead of the contact . This last point seems so outlandish that I have to assume it's doing nothing of the sort - as has been pointed out, we don't actually know what's in the game, so it could simply be that things were labelled with the first things that came to mind whilst the actual effects these skills have is applied to something else entirely (or has no effect at all).

[Front Runner]

Maybe he studies in his spare time.

I know, that's no answer, but who knows what they programmed into the game?

It does say something about crew studying in the manual :sunny:

Has anyone found anything about "drilling" the crew for faster crash dive times?

[BlackSpot]

I haven't seen anything on "drill" times. To quote the manual:

"Each man stands a four-hour watch, after which he is allowed eight hours off-duty time dedicated to minor repairs, studying submarine theory and - finally - rest and sleep"

Now whether this is implimented in the game or it's just a throw-away sentence, I don't know.

[LukeFF]

Increase load speed is ok, training makes you better.

Reduce torpedo malfunctions is ok too, if you take better care of them, they will work better.

But, the two other sound very arcadish. You just don't increase the speed or damage of a torpedo just like that, on board ship.

Agreed. Might be a good mod idea to try to get rid of these last two "extra" skill modifiers. Increasing the damage on a torpedo warhead? Right, the sub's commander is just going to let some knuckledragger fool around with highly explosive material within the confines of a cramped submarine. :roll:

[Frederf]

Tweaking the magnetic pistole to go off 0.1m from the ship's hull instead of 3m from the ship's hull would certainly have an effect on torpedo damage. Also it could be considered that the torpedo officer might have taken very good care of the warheads before and during the voyage so they were the best they could be. While Johhny NoSkill leaves them out on the dock in the sun before shoving off.

[Captain Scribb]

If I have a recruit named Johnny Noskill, he can expect to be traded out before we even leave Pearl.

[Frederf]

It would be an interesting tactic to try to cycle through as many "Johnny could have gotten a skill on his promotion and didn't" guys as you could, buying fresh sailors that are about to roll the dice so to speak and ditching them if they didn't get the lucky roll.

[chopped50ford]

Maybe he studies in his spare time.

I know, that's no answer, but who knows what they programmed into the game?

I thought at first this was a far out response, but I would say I agree with you.

When I was on the Asheville, I was was studying to be Auxillaryman of the Watch and Chief of the Watch as a TM2(SS).

Of course, being sub qualified gives you the advantage.

- Hey maybe im on to something here, I wish all the crew members have to put in time to be sub qualified and get a set of Dolphins on each crew members description and job.

[chopped50ford]

If I have a recruit named Johnny Noskill, he can expect to be traded out before we even leave Pearl.

LOL :lol:

Wait a min, you need a bilge and tube diver while performing PMS (Planned Maintenance System) while underway.

[Sailor Steve]

I've been looking over those skills again, and some of them do seem odd:

ReduceTorpedoLoading: They load them faster. That's good.

ReduceTorpedoMalfunctions: Also a good thing.

IncreaseTorpedoSpeed: It does look like he can make it go faster, as loading times are already covered above. That doesn't make sense.

IncreaseTorpedoDamage: Maybe, but how? He packs in more torpex?

IncreaseSurfaceSpeed: This guy makes the engines function better than best? Not that I've ever heard of.

IncreaseSubmergedSpeed: Same thing, but with the motors.

IncreaseOverallSpeed: Same thing again, but he's so good he makes them both work better than they can.



It looks like they wanted to give unrealistic skills that would look cool; something like the 20-knot "superchargers" in SH3.

[JT1981]

IncreaseSurfaceSpeed: This guy makes the engines function better than best? Not that I've ever heard of.


haha,maybe the CE put some alcohol into the engine,you will see it in the movie Das Boat!!

[LukeFF]

I've been looking over those skills again, and some of them do seem odd:

...

It looks like they wanted to give unrealistic skills that would look cool; something like the 20-knot "superchargers" in SH3.

Easy enough to mod, thankfully. :D