Must have mods list.

[Melonfish]

Is there a current list of Must have mods for SH4?

alot of the surface reflection and immersive mods look very nice but i'm totally at a loss what to get and where to get em all from?

can anyone suggest some base must have's?
pete

[Excalibur Bane]

Well, my list (It's in my sig) will provide you with where to get the mods from, and it has pretty much all of them but it won't really tell you which ones are must have mods. It's something of a matter of taste. Some people prefer more realism, while others prefer more entertaining gameplay. It's really something you'll have to find out for yourself by trying some of them.

[jbt308]

<Before reading my post, understand that I've no malice, I'm just in somewhat of an information overload, so to speak. The modders do a grand job, and I'm just trying to figure things out>

Having read over a couple of threads and done some research, I can honestly say that my confusion cauldron doth boil over.

We've got reflection mods, which are now different slightly than the originals, and are downloaded differently. When I install the new versions, things look slightly different than before, not bad, just different.

We've got RFB and Trigger Maru, the difference between the two, I'm not sure. They both incorporate a certain number of other mods(I believe) or at least mimic other mods, and can I live with/without them?

We've got Tater's Campaign layer and the RSRD campaign layer. I know the difference between the two. But do they interfere with TM? Are they needed if TM is running or vice versa?

We've got LBO, which really made the game for me, but now that's suppose to be integrated with ROW, but when I remove LBO and leave ROW, the game just doesn't look right anymore.

The NSM is integrated with another mod, TM I believe, but it's an older version, so I download the new one, and install that, and I'm hoping that works.

Oh, and when I reloaded my mods, it seems that ships now display torpedo damage again oddly enough. Seriously, I could shot a ship 6 times and would get 1 hole in the side. Now I shoot them with 4 even dispersed, and I get 4 holes. Who knew?!?

All I want is a good campaign layer, good graphics, and decent realism. The communities here always fill in for what the Devs leaveout, it's just hard finding the right sequencing I guess.

[Ducimus]

TM no longer contains NSM for the time being.

[leovampire]

When you get the game. Then add mod's little by little to find out what you want in your game and see the changes these mod's make to understand what they do in the first place and see if you like them in your own game.

Until you play a vanilla patrol you will never understand or apreciate what most of the modders have done here with the work.

[Ducimus]

Im starting to wonder about the wisdom in that leo. I mean, even i have to admit, stock sh4, is a traumatic let down. Stock would put just about anyone off from the game. of course, modded its a night and day difference, but first impressions are the most lasting, ya know?

[Webster]

Im starting to wonder about the wisdom in that leo. I mean, even i have to admit, stock sh4, is a traumatic let down. Stock would put just about anyone off from the game. of course, modded its a night and day difference, but first impressions are the most lasting, ya know?

well i play stock sh4 and it is because i have no choice, it is all my computer can handle without reduced frame rates so i make do.

this is why i wish modders would concider making just the parts of their mods that fix errors in the game as a stand alone mod for those of us who are forced to play on older computers. even if i cant use the new mod as a whole i still want to use any fixes that come from its making.

[jbt308]

Im starting to wonder about the wisdom in that leo. I mean, even i have to admit, stock sh4, is a traumatic let down. Stock would put just about anyone off from the game. of course, modded its a night and day difference, but first impressions are the most lasting, ya know?

Thanks for the update on TM concerning the NSM.

I whole heartedly agree with the above quote. I think I ran 2-3 patrols in stock and shelved the game till such time some good mods were created. That was release day.

As for the mods, don't get me wrong, I appreciate everything the modders do, they LITERALLY make the game, in SH4 even more so. But I can also see where a newcomer can easily get overwhelmed the sheer amount of options out there.

Like I said before, when I installed TM and LBO, I started actually playing SH4, they transformed SH4.

[ReallyDedPoet]

Im starting to wonder about the wisdom in that leo. I mean, even i have to admit, stock sh4, is a traumatic let down. Stock would put just about anyone off from the game. of course, modded its a night and day difference, but first impressions are the most lasting, ya know?

For someone new the mods list can be a little daunting to say the least, specially if you try to jump right in. Many here have used a lot of the present mods so we know the difference, so going back to stock is not very appealing. However for someone just starting out 1.3 gives them a basic feel for the game and allows new players to wade in a little slower.

Just some thoughts.


RDP

[ironkross]

I see your point RDP, however I think I'm feeling more like jbt308. As it is now, if you have one of the big mods installed and want to add a mod you have to ask how will X mod work with y and z mods. I wish there was something like an Excel program maybe, where you could type in your mods and it would tell you where overwrites and incompatabilties would occur. Also like jbt308 I can only try to express my gratitude for the work the modders put into this game. I had left the game only to come back after reading the TM stickie and wanting to try it. So please don't take this as grumbling. I know the modders are probably just or more frustrated with all the questions.
Thanks
Ironkross

[ReallyDedPoet]

I see your point RDP, however I think I'm feeling more like jbt308. As it is now, if you have one of the big mods installed and want to add a mod you have to ask how will X mod work with y and z mods. I wish there was something like an Excel program maybe, where you could type in your mods and it would tell you where overwrites and incompatabilties would occur. Also like jbt308 I can only try to express my gratitude for the work the modders put into this game. I had left the game only to come back after reading the TM stickie and wanting to try it. So please don't take this as grumbling. I know the modders are probably just or more frustrated with all the questions.
Thanks
Ironkross

Yeah, that part can be a bit confusing, it does get a little easier the more you frig with things ( the learning process ), but for somebody new it must seem like a jungle out there :o:doh:


RDP

[Melonfish]

a jungle and a half aye it does.

see this is where supermods worked in SH3 you just ran it and went "ooooh" but initially the mods trickle in and you have to build em. some of the stuff i've seen so far has been truelly amazing i've got to say and they only make a decent game better! i guess its just balence.

got to say tho even as stock i'm finding i rather enjoy sh4. i don't know what boat is capable of what yet. and damn but these yank boats dive slow yet they surface like posiden himself is chasing them..

i love that i can blow the depth charges off a destroyer and kill it by doing so (i have just detonated about two tonnes of explosives on their deck) i love HOLES! i shoot it with a deck gun, it gets divine! holier then the holiest of cheeses!

can't wait for the u-boat addon. that will be a sight to see, meantime i think i'll make it prettier.

pete

[ironkross]

got to say tho even as stock i'm finding i rather enjoy sh4.
pete:huh:
Don't let Ducimus hear you say that.:rotfl:
Seriously the stock vers. is a looong way from the modded game. As for the jungle, I think where the jungle gets thickest is when you decide to use a mod but then have to scan thru X number of pages in the Mod's thread just to find out what is compatible/incompatible. TM has over 50 pages in it's thread and RFB over 60.

[ReallyDedPoet]

got to say tho even as stock i'm finding i rather enjoy sh4.
pete:huh:
Don't let Ducimus hear you say that.:rotfl:
Seriously the stock vers. is a looong way from the modded game. As for the jungle, I think where the jungle gets thickest is when you decide to use a mod but then have to scan thru X number of pages in the Mod's thread just to find out what is compatible/incompatible. TM has over 50 pages in it's thread and RFB over 60.

Checking out the read-me for each does help a bit with this, the reality is that you have to put some time ( with some trial and error ) in to customize your game to how you want it. I went through this with SH3 and now with SH4 and have learned alot in the process.

At least with JSGME you can quickly uninstall\reinstall if there are any conflicts, etc.


RDP

[Melonfish]

okay, here's one, name me a mod ANY mod that reduces the amount of airpower the japs have up around the place. i can't go an hour without getting attacked by another stray plane during the day, its like being in the bay of biscay during black may...

pete

[ReallyDedPoet]

Trigger Maru tones this down, also parab did a mod awhile back, I will have a look.
Post from Ducimus:http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?p=676000#post676000

Edit: The parab Mod:http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=109586&highlight=parab
On the second page in that thread there is another mod by CaptainKabouk.

Also, the RFB Mod reduced air strikes somewhat.


RDP

[ironkross]

Checking out the read-me for each does help a bit with this, the reality is that you have to put some time ( with some trial and error ) in to customize your game to how you want it.
Plus reading the posts on Subsim everyday.:up:

At least with JSGME you can quickly uninstall\reinstall if there are any conflicts, etc.
RDP

I wouldn't be using Mods w/o JSGME.

IK

[Melonfish]

I wouldn't be using Mods w/o JSGME.

IK

Me either, i've found it indespensible since shiii.
anybody know if there's an SH4 commander btw?
ta for all this btw chaps ;)
pete

[jbt308]

I believe I read/heard that the guy doing SH3 Commander isn't going to do one for SH4 as of now. I believe it would require a good bit of reprogramming, I could be wrong.

As for mods, although it's a daunting task, especially going through all the posts, which a lot of us just don't have the time to do, there are some basics as I see it.

This is what I do:
Trigger Maru as a base
NSM on top of that
LBO on top of that
ROW on top of that
FooBor/FooFighter's Hi-rez boats
Tater's Imrpoved Campaign Layer

Those, for me, are really the basics that make the game enjoyable. I've not played stock + 1.3, but I played stock the day it came out and I thought it was crap.

There are a few extra's I run:

Sober's Better Mountains
Muzzle Flash
R&L Interior Scopes
2RTR US Periscope
Silent Service Graphics
Giep
Groton Naval Academy

Those basically round out the game, make it more immersive and are just plain cool

As for the psychology of the mods, man, how far did all of us go with modding in SH3 till we arrived at GWX. I used to have a massive list of mods, now it's just a bit over a handfull. It's really a shame though, there are so many good points about SH4, technical points, but I just don't have the same enjoyment as I did with SH3. SH3 seemed more like an adventure almost, always anxious or on the edge somehow.

[ReallyDedPoet]

I wouldn't be using Mods w/o JSGME.

IK
Me either, i've found it indespensible since shiii.
anybody know if there's an SH4 commander btw?
ta for all this btw chaps ;)
pete

At some point in time I think you wil see a version of this come out, you are right it requires a lot of front-end work plus support once it is completed, just ask JScones ( he did SH3 Commander).


RDP

[FooFighters]

As for mods, although it's a daunting task, especially going through all the posts, which a lot of us just don't have the time to do, there are some basics as I see it.

This is what I do:
Trigger Maru as a base
NSM on top of that
LBO on top of that
ROW on top of that
FUBAR's Hi-rez boats
Tater's Imrpoved Campaign Layer


Where can I find Fubar's hi-res skins for SHIV ?
:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

[ironkross]

As for mods, although it's a daunting task, especially going through all the posts, which a lot of us just don't have the time to do, there are some basics as I see it.

This is what I do:
Trigger Maru as a base
NSM on top of that
LBO on top of that
ROW on top of that
FUBAR's Hi-rez boats
Tater's Imrpoved Campaign Layer

Where can I find Fubar's hi-res skins for SHIV ?
:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
Same file as the flying pigs and frog's hair.

[jbt308]

As for mods, although it's a daunting task, especially going through all the posts, which a lot of us just don't have the time to do, there are some basics as I see it.

This is what I do:
Trigger Maru as a base
NSM on top of that
LBO on top of that
ROW on top of that
FUBAR's Hi-rez boats
Tater's Imrpoved Campaign Layer

Where can I find Fubar's hi-res skins for SHIV ?
:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
See what all these mods do to me!?! Can't even keep people's names straight anymore.

Sorry for the mistype there, meant to say FooBor/FooFighter's skins.

[Melonfish]

As for the psychology of the mods, man, how far did all of us go with modding in SH3 till we arrived at GWX. I used to have a massive list of mods, now it's just a bit over a handfull. It's really a shame though, there are so many good points about SH4, technical points, but I just don't have the same enjoyment as I did with SH3. SH3 seemed more like an adventure almost, always anxious or on the edge somehow.


I totally agree, stock SH4 i don't get that tense nervousness i got in sh3. i mean creaping up on a convoy i get a bit worries but i'm not practically sat at my pc holding my breath like in 3. then trying my damndest to get out of the area when the DD's come banging away with their sonar.
perhaps its the warm sunny waters? i think the atlantic has me in her cold grip!
pete