GWX 2.0 New Features All-in-One

[Woof1701]

First of all I'd like to say: NO THERE'S NOTHING NEW HERE.

I just found that keeping up with the long sneak peak threads was quite a lot of reading due to all the (much deserved) praise, questions and other chat, and went through all the sneak peak threads and tried to unearth as much information as possible and compress it here in an all-in-one thread so everyone get's a nice overview. For more information I've provided the link to the actual thread.


Sneak Peak I: AI submarines
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=116843

The GWX team's objective is to further counteract the lack of AI submarines in stock SH3. As we all know from GMX 1.03 there have already been released the lend lease American S-class boats used by the Royal Navy as well as an American Gato/Baleo/Teng-class sub.

In GWX 2.0 we will see further more:

(real) British S-class
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/7050/sclass1tu7.jpg (http://imageshack.us/)

British T-Class
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y254/junkers88/SH3Img4-6-2007_23.jpg

Italian Adua Class
http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/1781/aduaclass1lu4.jpg (http://imageshack.us/)

Russian Scuka Class
http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/7636/russian1fd7.jpg (http://imageshack.us/)


Additional Information in Sneak Peak I:

Liberator Bomber
http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/2583/b2403cj6.jpg

He-111 Medium Bomber
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y254/junkers88/SH3Img8-6-2007_19.jpg

[Woof1701]

Sneak Peak II: The Sea Forts
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=117511

Those Forts were built to protect the English Coast from uboats and surface vessels and some still stand today.
They are land units but can be torpedoed and according the Kpt Lehmann are quite deadly :)

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f117/KptLehmann/fortshoot.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h22/bigboywooly/ScreenHunter_168.jpg

New German coastal ship
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f117/KptLehmann/Ichy.jpg

Additional Information:

Including whales was discussed but tabled:
http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/983/hbwls2.jpg

But there's hope yet:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=123111
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=123199
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h22/bigboywooly/ScreenHunter_775.jpg

[Woof1701]

Sneak Peak III: The Campaign
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=118211

- Hunter Killer groups now start and end in harbors
- Hunter Killer groups now can be randomly roaming around independantly or trail or precede a convoy. Therefore if you're nailed by a convoy escort in late war years, expect a hunter killer group to appear on the scene.
- Patrol routes around the coast have been randomized and now start and end in the harbors.
- Merchants, Destroyers, Patrol boats and Frigates are now plug and play. That means any of those ships added to the roster will automatically be included in the game without scripting! (especially important when Iambecomelifes Merchant Mod is finally released)
- Milk Cows now start and end at harbors too and do not simply appear out of nowhere.
- Convoys are now entirely generic except for historic convoys and lit (neutral) ships.
- New real Kriegsmarine units were completed and scripted into the campaign to replace placeholder units.
- more than 35 new sea units can be expected
- Black Sea and Pacific campaigns can now be activated via JSGME in order to improve loading times.
- Air cover has been tweaked to use more realistic airplanes and to be as realistic as possible.


Additional Information

There's been talk about audible SSS radio calls from torpedoed ships. But noone can say if something like this is included. Maybe a case for Cpt. Racerboy? :)

However, ships with barrage balloons will be avaiable
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f117/KptLehmann/bb.jpg

[Woof1701]

Sneak Peak IV: Shipping
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=119741

I especially recommend this thread for its extensive number of images :)

Just a few:
Cruiser
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h22/bigboywooly/ScreenHunter_429.jpg

Lutzow
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h22/bigboywooly/ScreenHunter_409.jpg

Milk Cow
http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/6363/bigbonedtz5.jpg

Higgins Boat
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/4374/higgins1yv1.jpg

Sperrbrecher
http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/3473/nmss2gb6.jpg

Kriegsfischkutter
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/9633/kfkskinsdi7.jpg

Trawler
http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/4839/nf4awm6.jpg

Raumboot
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/1096/raumbotskinsww8.jpg

Cyclops Type Collier
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f117/KptLehmann/cyclopstypecollieryj21.jpg

Granville Type Freighter
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f117/KptLehmann/granvilletypefreighterke11.jpg

Nipiwan Park Type Tanker
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f117/KptLehmann/nipiwanparktypetanker2lm21.jpg





Additional Information:

Loading times and ingame speed should be similar to GMW 1.03!

[Woof1701]

Sneak Peak V: Gameplay Issues
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=121331

This section deals with realism and gameplay issues that have often been a grounds for discussion with SH3. Hard to put into a few sentences. You'll have to read this one yourselves :)

Just a few things to give you an idea:
- Longer Repair Times Mod is not included
- Stay Alert Mod is not included
- Radar warners have been tweaked to be more realistic
- Loading Times will increase from 1.03 but the game will run well with the same specs as before
- no tails for map contacts.
- Enemy AI will remain unchanged from 1.01

And a small surpise to download :)

[Woof1701]

Sneak Peak VI: Aircraft Galore
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=123357


- All stock aircraft were replaced
- Aircraft AI behavior tweaked (repeated passes over the target and all aircraft attack as they should now)
- Better damage models
- real Leigh Lights
- many new units
- U.S. Navy airships!

Just a few pics:
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s64/danlisa_photo/sET1D.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s64/danlisa_photo/sET3-1.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s64/danlisa_photo/sET2Bcopy.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s64/danlisa_photo/sET4.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s64/danlisa_photo/SET5.jpg


Additional Information:
- floating drydocks
- new fighter planes (like the Fw 190) were left out due to the fact that they seldom served as naval planes and had little to do with the uboat war.

[bigboywooly]

:o
That took some doing Woof

:up:

[U49]

Very good collection!

Thank you for making me unable to sit still anymore... :damn:

:rotfl:

[JU_88]

cool. but just one mistake - your first pic is also of the russian sub, not the S-class.

[LeafsFan]

Color me salivating.

HB

[Paco]

Great collection, Woof, thanks!

Very good collection!

Thank you for making me unable to sit still anymore... :damn:

:rotfl:
you could translate danurves expanded radiolog, or help tarjak to draw subemblems, there ist enough work todo.. :arrgh!::D

auf,auf :rotfl:


I know, I'm sitting in a glasshouse ;)

[Gorshkov]

Am I to expect playing U-boats after 1943 will be completely senseless in GWX 2.0 mod?

[bookworm_020]

Now counting the days till the release! Thanks for getting together an overview of all the sneak peaks!:up:

[VipertheSniper]

Am I to expect playing U-boats after 1943 will be completely senseless in GWX 2.0 mod?

As was mentioned before in a another thread by Kaptn. Lehmann, the AI will remain unchanged. So 1943 will be still surviveable

[TarJak]

Am I to expect playing U-boats after 1943 will be completely senseless in GWX 2.0 mod?

To be honest for me it is one if the most interesting periods of the war. 1939 through 41 is relatively simple but after 1942 things get interesting. New technologies become available to both sides, there is a real challenge in hunting down and making a kill and unless you are very lucky no more turkey shoots. :arrgh!: 1944/45 is where things get really tough though and you spend more time submerged than up top more time hiding and trying to survive rahter than being the hunter you are the hunted. It is a different game and it is not to everyone's taste but imagine the thrill you get when you do score a kill under the adverse conditions in those years! Makes me feel good anyway.

[U49]

Great collection, Woof, thanks!

Very good collection!

Thank you for making me unable to sit still anymore... :damn:

:rotfl:
you could translate danurves expanded radiolog, or help tarjak to draw subemblems, there ist enough work todo.. :arrgh!::D

auf,auf :rotfl:
I know, I'm sitting in a glasshaouse ;)

Get a glassinsurance: I already volunteered for radiolog, awaiting input now... (stone coming) who else? :rotfl:

And I can NOT draw! Everybody tells be that all I draw looks like color dropping in nice spots on paper :damn: but not like a drawing

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Am I to expect playing U-boats after 1943 will be completely senseless in GWX 2.0 mod?

Your concern has already been answered concerning the AI. You read this answer, but here it is again to remind you.

The bottom line is, and forgive me if I'm rude, is that GWX sensors will remain the way they are, what we're trying to do is to simulate the conditions a uboat captain had to endure during the war, even so the chances of surviving in GWX are far better than they had in real life, if you don't like them, or you can't learn how to play well enough, you can always uninstall GWX, there are other excelent mods that you can try untill you find one that's easy enough for your skill levels.

Ref

I can't say it any better myself.

[JCWolf]

Well , this is a simulator,
I don't understand why people
want to make of this game an Arcade
shooter !:hmm:


The purpose of simulation is to get you close to reality,
as close as possible , cause it will never give you the
headhake that those guys had....
However you can try to get close if you dive inside
a barrel !:yep:

But this is the game, the fun and purpose of the
Modders in the SHIII Moding community is to
bring you guys closer to that simulation by hading
more reality into those Campaign files and Cfg files,
and this way give you a preaty much improved simulator !

If you want a easy game play the stock game !:yep:

[Carotio]

Well , this is a simulator,
I don't understand why people
want to make of this game an Arcade
shooter !:hmm:

Hi JCWolf,

not trying to start a long discussion, just giving a simplified answer to a question, which can be answered in many different ways:

as long as we are many subsimmers there will be many different ways of playing the game. Some, as yourself, feel this is your chance of having an experience so close to reality as possible. And hats off to that! :yep:

But some other people just don't have the patience, the time or the desire to give that much amount of energy into this game.

Anyway, hats off to the GWX team for their contribution! :up:

Best regards

[Badger Finn]

Well , this is a simulator,
I don't understand why people
want to make of this game an Arcade
shooter !:hmm:

Hi JCWolf,

not trying to start a long discussion, just giving a simplified answer to a question, which can be answered in many different ways:

as long as we are many subsimmers there will be many different ways of playing the game. Some, as yourself, feel this is your chance of having an experience so close to reality as possible. And hats off to that! :yep:

But some other people just don't have the patience, the time or the desire to give that much amount of energy into this game.

Anyway, hats off to the GWX team for their contribution! :up:

Best regards

U both have a valid point of view two sides to every coin but for this sim/game im personally after the reality hit...took a few years just to get through AOD :up:

[Wolfehunter]

.....:o ....:huh: ...:p .. ok now I can breath.:yep: Now I know GWX 2 will rock. Waiting for christmas oohhh ya.;)

[Capa]

This is ******* amazing! :o

I've honestly never seen such a genuine and commited mod. I'm used to mods (not for SH3) being fairly poor excuses where the modder has basically just abused the game within its current confines to give the illusion that it's different. Each and every component of this looks like a monumental task for anyone with a life to get on with, and I can't even imagine how some of these ideas were implemented. I don't doubt with a bit of funding you'd be able to make your own bloody sub sim. :yep:

I couldn't run GWX 1.3, but at this point I'm prepared to sit through several hours downloading just to see if the space time continuum might change reality and make it work this time. That or I'll try and manipulate it til it does. With your permission...(hint :p).

[Full salvo]

Congratulation GWX team on your latest & greatest accomplishment. I just joined Subsim after having been an avid lurker for the last year or so (this is my first post). Can't wait for the pending fallout with my wife once 2.0 becomes available and I am not.

Just one quick question. I know I read in an earlier update that there might be wolf pack capabilities and that non-german subs would be able to potentially attack german subs or be killed by a german sub. Did these 2 features actually make it into version 2.0?

Thanks in advance:sunny:

[bookworm_020]

Hi Full Salvo, and welcome aboard!:up:

Both of the points you raised where in GWX 1.3 in a basic way. There were enemy subs that you had to keep an eye out for. You did see AI german subs heading into port as you were leaving. There were wolf packs, but they were a little limited in what they could do.

From what I've been able to gather, there has been a great improvement in the GWX 2.0. The creators of this wonderful mod may tell us more, but then again, we will find out in the near future, won't we!:D

[Woof1701]

@BBW
About an hour or so. Was bored at work and thought it to be a good idea. Glad you approve :)
Been following the sneak peeks quite religiously and can't wait to get my hands on GWX 2.0. And I'm reasonably sure I'm not alone :)



cool. but just one mistake - your first pic is also of the russian sub, not the S-class.

Thx for mentioning! Replaced the pic! :up:


@Capa.
Surely there will be someone around to make you a DVD and send it to you by mail in case your web connection isn't up to the download!

[Capa]

@Capa.
Surely there will be someone around to make you a DVD and send it to you by mail in case your web connection isn't up to the download!

Connections fine, only 512kbps down but it's hardly dial up. I meant more that it probably won't run. :hmm:

[Woof1701]

@Capa.
Surely there will be someone around to make you a DVD and send it to you by mail in case your web connection isn't up to the download!

Connections fine, only 512kbps down but it's hardly dial up. I meant more that it probably won't run. :hmm:

Oh. ok. That's another topic then :(
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you then. Even updated my system to more RAM in order to make it work. But with my rather old specs it runs pretty nicely apart from the long loading times (which are mostly a result of all the addon ships I'm using). Does stock SH3 1,4b run with your system?

If yes: what I can recommend - if you got the disk space:
In case you don't already have a second partition, create one, and run a second fresh Windows installation with all major stuff deactivated:
- no printer spooler
- no internet services
- no USB (in case you don't need it for the mouse)
- no LAN
- all services deactived that don't have to do with playing.
This will considerably reduce your Memory load when Windows is running
Then give Windows a large pagefile of approx. 2048 MB.
You'd be surprised how fast your computer can be.

There's even a tool around that checks your system for running services you don't need for playing and deactivates them. It's called FS Autostart and was made for MS Flight Simulator. Quite a neat tool that even gives you tips which services to deactivate and which to leave on.

[Dowly]

Color me salivating.

HB
:hmm:

:rock: (Dont ask what's in the tree :rotfl:)
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee274/Finnish_Ferret/Salivating.jpg

[Capa]

@Capa.
Surely there will be someone around to make you a DVD and send it to you by mail in case your web connection isn't up to the download!
Connections fine, only 512kbps down but it's hardly dial up. I meant more that it probably won't run. :hmm:
Oh. ok. That's another topic then :(
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you then. Even updated my system to more RAM in order to make it work. But with my rather old specs it runs pretty nicely apart from the long loading times (which are mostly a result of all the addon ships I'm using). Does stock SH3 1,4b run with your system?

If yes: what I can recommend - if you got the disk space:
In case you don't already have a second partition, create one, and run a second fresh Windows installation with all major stuff deactivated:
- no printer spooler
- no internet services
- no USB (in case you don't need it for the mouse)
- no LAN
- all services deactived that don't have to do with playing.
This will considerably reduce your Memory load when Windows is running
Then give Windows a large pagefile of approx. 2048 MB.
You'd be surprised how fast your computer can be.

There's even a tool around that checks your system for running services you don't need for playing and deactivates them. It's called FS Autostart and was made for MS Flight Simulator. Quite a neat tool that even gives you tips which services to deactivate and which to leave on.
OOOO!

Thanks for the tips. I'll probably try some of that now regardless of GWX. I've stopped a few useless services but I never really thought of it in terms of how much performance they eat. Shame I need my USB though.

1.4b does work though, yes.

Edit: That picture is true art. ^

[Woof1701]

@Capa.
Surely there will be someone around to make you a DVD and send it to you by mail in case your web connection isn't up to the download!
Connections fine, only 512kbps down but it's hardly dial up. I meant more that it probably won't run. :hmm:
Oh. ok. That's another topic then :(
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you then. Even updated my system to more RAM in order to make it work. But with my rather old specs it runs pretty nicely apart from the long loading times (which are mostly a result of all the addon ships I'm using). Does stock SH3 1,4b run with your system?

If yes: what I can recommend - if you got the disk space:
In case you don't already have a second partition, create one, and run a second fresh Windows installation with all major stuff deactivated:
- no printer spooler
- no internet services
- no USB (in case you don't need it for the mouse)
- no LAN
- all services deactived that don't have to do with playing.
This will considerably reduce your Memory load when Windows is running
Then give Windows a large pagefile of approx. 2048 MB.
You'd be surprised how fast your computer can be.

There's even a tool around that checks your system for running services you don't need for playing and deactivates them. It's called FS Autostart and was made for MS Flight Simulator. Quite a neat tool that even gives you tips which services to deactivate and which to leave on.
OOOO!

Thanks for the tips. I'll probably try some of that now regardless of GWX. I've stopped a few useless services but I never really thought of it in terms of how much performance they eat. Shame I need my USB though.

1.4b does work though, yes.

Edit: That picture is true art. ^

If 1.4b does work you should get GWX working as well. It doesn't need THAT much resources. As I said: keep my fingers crossed for you!

[The Munster]

@ Full salvo .. Welcome aboard mate.

@ Capa .. Can you post your Computer specs ?

[Anvart]

...
Russian Scuka Class
http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/7636/russian1fd7.jpg (http://imageshack.us/)
...

What is it? :o
It will be correct on russian: Щука (Pike) ...
That that was written by Woof1701 sounds on russian (transliteration):
a) Скука (Boredom);
b) Сцука or Сука (Bitch) ...
May be it's necessary (transliteration): Shchuka ... ?
:lol:

[bigboywooly]

Ah Anvart
Nice to see you around :up:

Hope all is well with you

[Anvart]

Ah Anvart
Nice to see you around :up:

Hope all is well with you
Yes, thanks, that's all right ...

[Capa]

@ Full salvo .. Welcome aboard mate.

@ Capa .. Can you post your Computer specs ?
2.4Ghz CPU
64MB VRAM
256MB RAM

I don't really expect tech support though since I'm below even vanilla spec. :yep:

Edit: Wow. I disabled a lot of services that were apparently useless to me, killed a lot of background apps that didn't need to be there, set up FS Autostart to defrag RAM for SH3 and killed explorer before starting the game. Performance is about twice as good as before, which means it's actually acceptable instead of sluggish and twitchy. Happy.

[Full salvo]

Hi Full Salvo, and welcome aboard!:up:

Both of the points you raised where in GWX 1.3 in a basic way. There were enemy subs that you had to keep an eye out for. You did see AI german subs heading into port as you were leaving. There were wolf packs, but they were a little limited in what they could do.

From what I've been able to gather, there has been a great improvement in the GWX 2.0. The creators of this wonderful mod may tell us more, but then again, we will find out in the near future, won't we!:D

Thanks Bookworm 020 & Kpt. Munson for your kind welcome. I've seen the German AI subs coming & going to port and even once stumbled upon a submerged British sub that just hung there (near Scapa?) and couldn't be sunk.

With all the planes and hunter killer ASW groups being added or improved in version 2.0, I was really hoping to be able to get rid of a bit of heat when attacking convoys and task forces by increasing the number of german subs across all ASW boats protecting the convoy. So much of the realism of this sim works against the U-Boats for reality sake, I was just praying I might get a break by increasing the number of targets the destroyers can zoom in on.

I preparation for the 2.0 upgrade, I just increased my ram to 3 Gigs from 1 and upgraded my video card to 512 from 128:lol: . Tired of getting lockups in heavy frame refresh situations.

[bigboywooly]

The Hunter\Killer groups were already there
They are now more historical and start and end in port as opposed to just appearing mid atlantic as before

[Woof1701]

@ Full salvo .. Welcome aboard mate.

@ Capa .. Can you post your Computer specs ?
2.4Ghz CPU
64MB VRAM
256MB RAM

I don't really expect tech support though since I'm below even vanilla spec. :yep:

Edit: Wow. I disabled a lot of services that were apparently useless to me, killed a lot of background apps that didn't need to be there, set up FS Autostart to defrag RAM for SH3 and killed explorer before starting the game. Performance is about twice as good as before, which means it's actually acceptable instead of sluggish and twitchy. Happy.

Hey I'm glad to hear that! :up:
Although the CPU and video RAM is a bit low, it should do and it seems your remaining bottleneck is the RAM. 256MB is very low for SH3. So you should at least give the computer more room to swap files in and out of memory. Here the pagefile comes in. Normally Windows recommends a pagefile of approx. 1-1.5 GB. I deactivated mine, rebooted, defragged my HD, and permanently installed a fixed pagefile of 2.5 GB. But in case you can get some more RAM (like 1 GB) it will help a lot more. GWX isn't much more of a strain to the CPU or the video card than vanilla SH3, but since it has many more units to load it needs more time to load and more memory to store all that stuff while playing, and the pagefile is much much slower with that than RAM. Fortunately RAM isn't very expensive anymore.

[The Munster]

I agree about the RAM, that's the only drawback here; if poss, try and increase to 1 gb at some point. :D

[XXi]

The GWX team is just really awesome :)

Waiting for the 2.0 release although I have to admit that 1.03 was excellent anyway.

There`s one extra nice issue in my case: in January, I`m buying much better PC that I`m using right now so... :)