Run out of gas!!! Another gripe!

[PopManiac]

I understand that the name of the game is to play in 100% realism.

In that context, I understand that fuel is supposed to be limited (we are indeed a couple of decades away from nuclear fuel ;))

What I do not friggin understand is why the designers - in their programming majesty and infinite wisdom (if you believe that then I also know you sit by the fireplace waiting for Santa to arrive:p) - did not put a friggin indicator / command (a la SH3) / plotting device / whatever to show-tell how many miles are available at current fule state!!!

Or worse, the designers - again in their infinite wisdom (yeah, right) - have put an obscure command somewhere us laymen cannot find indicating so!

This is the second friggin time (yes, I knowingly use the word friggin too much - apologies) I have had a fantastic patrol but... well....duh.... I cain't go home!!!! (That is Pearl in this case, but I was planning to pit-stop at Midway)

Thanks again Ubisoft! Once upon a time there was another great sim - went by the name of 'Falcon 4.0' - that ran the software house to the ground... Guess why!

Cause they decided to let their customers be the beta testers (without telling them so!!!!!!!)

[mookiemookie]

If you use the "Flavored to Taste" mod, it puts a nice little icon on your navagation menu that will tell you exactly how many miles you can go at your current speed.

[Egan]

CCIP's keyboard config mod does the same. It's very handy. It includes some very useful commands from SH3.

[AVGWarhawk]

Definitly a pain man. I start in the Asiatic Fleet but I was just transfered to PH for a new sub. Knowing fuel is a problem I go at 10kts. I know this is slow but for the name of 100% play we have to go at 10kts. But, what I do is plan my route to take be relatively close to a base to refit or reload. Anyway, as soon as I hit the 1/2 mark on the fuel guage time to think about working my way back or to a port just for refit. Yes, a nice button that estimates miles at current speed would be just dandy:yep:

[Ducimus]

I wonder if i should come up with a better name for that mod. :lol:

But ya, FTT has amenities that should make any SH3 vet feel more at home.

edit:
Yes, a nice button that estimates miles at current speed would be just dandy:yep:

I agree :88)
http://www.ducimus.net/sh4/release/new_buttons.jpg

[Chock]

There is a way around this problem. Go to your save files (usually in My Documents) and edit the two cfg files related to your save and the game realism settings (you can use notepad to do it), change the line 'unlimited fuel=false' to 'unlimited fuel=true'. This will get around not being able to change your realism settings mid patrol via the game. When you've done that, load your save, drive your sub home and change it back again if you like using the same method.

You can regard this as having been towed into port or having a PBY flying boat drop some fuel off to you after a radio call to base if you want to.

[FIREWALL]

I just eat alot of Navy Beans :D pheeew !!!

Ahead Full :arrgh!:

[zylark]

With fuel economising, you basically should not run out of fuel. there are recent threads explaining this.

But, I see the point. Say you have a great patrol, but get a smidge hurt in the process. You bleed fuel, and basically run out due to a leak. Now given enough time to radio for help, some sub-tender ship should be able to intercept your course and top off your fuel supply. Any ship should suffice as long as it got a fuel-hose and some diesel to spare. Especially if you are within say 20-400km of any friendly port. Beats swimming. And I'd think it would be prudent for ComSubPac to rescue both ship and crew in such vicinity to friendly ports.

[CaptainHaplo]

Well.... I understand the concern raised... but folks, the devs gave you way more fuel than a regular fleet sub "carried". Basically - your range is way greater than historical..... but who wants to be putting at 6 knots all the way to Honshu and back?

Go lean and slow when in any kind of doubt - and you can always use the "electric cheat" - the batteries recharge even when your out of fuel....

Enjoy and Good Hunting!
Captain Haplo

[AVGWarhawk]

I do not see the concern either. 2/3 from PH leaves plenty of fuel to make your rounds. I went from PH to Melekeok. I had just under 3/4 of a tank. Sank ships in Melekeok and exhausted all my torps. No sense going to Celebes Sea to patrol like they assigned me. I can't sink ships launching trash from my tubes;) . I had plenty fuel to go to Celebes Sea. Brisbane was closer than Midway or PH. I spotted a convoy and radioed in. They said I was one stud of a Skipper and can go home when I was darn good and ready. Since I was so close to Brisbane I pulled over for fuel and checked the oil under the hood. Now that I'm in the general area of Celebes Sea, I motor on over and complete my original assigned patrol. PH return can wait for now. Men, once your over there in the thick of the battles, use the refit capabilities. Return to your assigned base when you good and ready. Lets face it, SUBCOM said come back to port at your descretion...which means....you do not have to go back now, go refit in the other ports and keep on patrolling. When your ready to collect your booty and upgrade the goodies on your sub then do so. Many a Skipper did their own thing once out there looking to sink ships. Some will say, it takes forever at 2/3. TC on over...to handle the studders while in map screen and TC, zoom in on your sub and the studders should stop for you and then you can set the TC even higher. Does not take long at all to get on station from PH.

Your crew is always ready to go out and stay out. They just look at you funny and say, 'rudder rudder';) .

[vindex]

Is there a place I can get the range indicator without implementing the whole FTT mod? I don't like some of its other features.

[nattydread]

Its not that hard to keep from running out of gas. Travel at the same speed while in transit, I always travel at "slow"...2/3s i think it is. When you are almost had half tanks, it stime to go home, if your not sure you have enough or if you want a buffer in case of bad weather and currents slowing you down, travel at 1/3. If thats just too slow, switch speed views and pick a speed in between 1/3 and 2/3s...for my porpoise thats 9kts. By keeping a consitent transit speed to and from your patrol station you know exactly how much fuel you need because the fuel burn is the same.

Stay away from standard speed or higher until you reach your patrol area or you are chasing down a target...they just burn too much fuel.

[PopManiac]

Many thanks for your replies and assistance to my somewhat exasperated post :up:; it is just that sometimes I get mad seeing good ideas existing in one game (SH3) being removed from sequel for no apparent reason.

Still, a command indicating range left to current fuel state at current speed would clarify things without compromising for realism (I am quite sure that US subs were not going blind in the Pacific following the 10 kts rule ;)).

I will give the FTT mod a shot, although there are things in it that do not much interest me.

[nattydread]

Hey, slow speed gives you range, its why merchants go slow, and DDs do 15kts when they cab easily exceed 30kts. Its why fighter flew at 60% power while escorting bombers into europe.

If you want more time in your patrol area you took your time getting their.

[Kant Schwimm]

Also submerged travel by day is your friend:up:

[fredbass]

I just look at my fuel gauge and go slow. :know: Close enough for me.:lol:

[U-Bones]

I just look at my fuel gauge and go slow. :know: Close enough for me.:lol:

I map my speeds to my preferences
1/3 to creep speed
2/3 to about 1/3 (slow)
standard to economy speed (10kt)

I know it does not match the dial, but captains were never restricted to the telegraph - I just prefer to have a keyboard mapping to the speeds I need, not the speeds marked on the telegraph.

Was standard ahead really higher than 66% throttle ??? Our telegraphs make no sense, although it was partly because of the electric drive.

[SteamWake]

Yea I had trouble with fuel on my first patrol.

Then I figured out I had to conserve and use some planning.

[PopManiac]

Conservation is indeed an issue which admittedly I sort of neglected.

However, still an issue remains with the ability to have ready the information of range given current fuel state and in this the game seriously lacks for no apparent reason.

Otherwise, going around with 'guesstimates' might give the game an arcade sens of trial and error but takes away lots in terms of simulation.

[AVGWarhawk]

Conservation is indeed an issue which admittedly I sort of neglected.

However, still an issue remains with the ability to have ready the information of range given current fuel state and in this the game seriously lacks for no apparent reason.

Otherwise, going around with 'guesstimates' might give the game an arcade sens of trial and error but takes away lots in terms of simulation.

Yes and no, it would be nice to have that function but this is also a guess as well. The subs had a range of about 10000nm. I agree with you, need a simple estimate, same as we had in SH3. All in all, if you conserve or plane a stop at another port to refit, patrolling and lack of fuel should not be a problem.

[Bando]

Watch out for a damaged batterie set. Sometimes the batteries won't recharge further than say 85%. Your recharger will still try to recharge yor batteries. This will DRASTICALLY reduce your ability to make homebase. Switch the recharger manually off in this case, everytime you resurface.

Normally sailing at 2/3 will give the best range/fuel ratio.

Hope it helps.