[WIP] Wolves of the Kaiser:1914-1918 Mod

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

You bet!

I was sick for a few days with a cold but now recovered, the following things have been worked on:

-More tweaking of the new U-31 model

-Improving the water even more; water is inspired by SH5 and the game UBoat. I have found that many mods don't make the water choppy enough. My modification increases wave speed/naturalness and gets rid of the "blue taffy" or "liquid metal" looking water in stock SH4.

-Examining UPC files so that you can equip your sub with proper deck guns.
Planned deck gun roster will definitely include the following:

-8mm MG

-37mm Cannon

-88mm Gun

-105mm Gun

-150mm Gun (for U-139)

Some people say the UB-I class couldn't have a deck gun; this is incorrect because at least one was fitted with the 37mm gun. Not a great gun, but better than nothing.
I am very sorry you have been sick; I hope you get your strength back soon :Kaleun_Salute:

Your work is gorgeous as always :Kaleun_Applaud:
I really love the new Type 31 ( there'll be a gray/black paint scheme too ?) and the water colors, but I have some dubts about the gun roster: are you sure you want use the 3.7 SF L/14.5 ?
I ask this, bacuse yes, one was used by UB-14 (I think, but not entierly sure hahah :hmmm: ), but the main small gun used by u-boats was this one
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/5_cm_SK_L40_gun.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/5_cm_SK_L40-2.jpg
The 5cm SK L/40 Quick Firing Gun.
It was mainly a Torpedo-boat's gun, but it was also used as first surface weapon by many early subs until Nov 1915 [ Type 9, Type 13, Type 17 and some souces indicate even Type 19 (not to much sure about the last one)] and was used until summer 1916 by Type B2.
Type B-1 also used this gun: the first one to use it were the to boat sent by train to the Adriatic and used this gun until they were tranferred to Austria-Hungariy; the remaining boats (except of UB-2) were all fitted with this gun by the end of 1916.
I used the sound of that gun in the sound pack I sent to you.
Talking about sounds, have you recieved them ? Could be they be usefull for your work, or do you want I add something more ? :D
PS: one of them is not "good nominated" ( for "big Ammos Explosion", I meant the explosion of a munition ship, not the shell)

[iambecomelife]

I am very sorry you have been sick; I hope you get your strength back soon :Kaleun_Salute:

Your work is gorgeous as always :Kaleun_Applaud:
I really love the new Type 31 ( there'll be a gray/black paint scheme too ?) and the water colors, but I have some dubts about the gun roster: are you sure you want use the 3.7 SF L/14.5 ?
I ask this, bacuse yes, one was used by UB-14 (I think, but not entierly sure hahah :hmmm: ), but the main small gun used by u-boats was this one
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/5_cm_SK_L40_gun.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/5_cm_SK_L40-2.jpg
The 5cm SK L/40 Quick Firing Gun.
It was mainly a Torpedo-boat's gun, but it was also used as first surface weapon by many early subs until Nov 1915 [ Type 9, Type 13, Type 17 and some souces indicate even Type 19 (not to much sure about the last one)] and was used until summer 1916 by Type B2.
Type B-1 also used this gun: the first one to use it were the to boat sent by train to the Adriatic and used this gun until they were tranferred to Austria-Hungariy; the remaining boats (except of UB-2) were all fitted with this gun by the end of 1916.
I used the sound of that gun in the sound pack I sent to you.
Talking about sounds, have you recieved them ? Could be they be usefull for your work, or do you want I add something more ? :D
PS: one of them is not "good nominated" ( for "big Ammos Explosion", I meant the explosion of a munition ship, not the shell)

Thanks much for the pictures! And I didn't know about the 50mm being used by the UB-I type; I will include it. There are more than enough existing gun slots for it.

The round weight of the 50mm made it much better for attacking surface ships (though still not as good as an 88mm or 105mm).

If anyone has pics of old-fashioned 88mm, please let me know. I already have the pictures for the one in a Canadian museum (posted earlier on this thread).

And yes, the sounds are very useful and I will try to use as many as possible.

Hang in there boys, soon you will see the new versions of more submarines and many other mod features. I know this has taken long but I have more time off and less family obligations - again, hang in there :up:

[Torpex77]

This is Excellent Work!!! :Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

[iambecomelife]

This is Excellent Work!!! :Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

Thanks! There will be more screenshots later today, I was working on a little surprise last night. :Kaleun_Wink:

[iambecomelife]

Tired of bare, lonely decks when you return to port after a successful mission?

Miss having the boys "man the rail"? Like in Aces of the Deep, SH3, and a certain movie I'm sure nobody here has heard of?

https://i.postimg.cc/dVgP9yD4/AOD.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/4dbDZ2PS/CODSHE.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/GmRKk3x6/Dasboot01.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/ncBTj9Bv/Dasboot02.jpg

Well, Wolves of the Kaiser has got you covered...:Kaleun_Wink:
An easy addition - just tweak the standard SH4 snorkel and add visibleunderwater controllers via S3D. Yes, they appear and disappear with no problem by pressing the "I" key ... so you will not have crew on deck throughout combat & at inappropriate times.

Will likely add several animated crew, and will polish up the models a bit, depending on the final framerates. Working on animated crew bodies now. A related plan is for simple animation of crew on the submarine walking through compartments - doing a few easily modeled tasks like serving coffee, oiling parts, and cleaning floors.

I already have a walking and panic/running animated surface ship figure that I will post images/video of later - higher detail than the standard SH3/SH4 AI ship crew. It works well and will be adapted to the many different sailors/soldiers/snobby 1st class passengers/refugees/fishermen for the ships you encounter.

The way I see it, no reason not to adapt it to the player's submarine.

https://i.postimg.cc/C1V33pG8/COD-01.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/yx1wNhrY/COD-02.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/9Ff65p7L/COD-03.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/brm4SGK0/COD-04.jpg

[Bubblehead1980]

Tired of bare, lonely decks when you return to port after a successful mission?

Miss having the boys "man the rail"? Like in Aces of the Deep, SH3, and a certain movie I'm sure nobody here has heard of?

https://i.postimg.cc/dVgP9yD4/AOD.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/4dbDZ2PS/CODSHE.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/GmRKk3x6/Dasboot01.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/ncBTj9Bv/Dasboot02.jpg

Well, Wolves of the Kaiser has got you covered...:Kaleun_Wink:
An easy addition - just tweak the standard SH4 snorkel and add visibleunderwater controllers via S3D. Yes, they appear and disappear with no problem by pressing the "I" key ... so you will not have crew on deck throughout combat & at inappropriate times.

Will likely add several animated crew, and will polish up the models a bit, depending on the final framerates. Working on animated crew bodies now. A related plan is for simple animation of crew on the submarine walking through compartments - doing a few easily modeled tasks like serving coffee, oiling parts, and cleaning floors.

I already have a walking and panic/running animated surface ship figure that I will post images/video of later - higher detail than the standard SH3/SH4 AI ship crew. It works well and will be adapted to the many different sailors/soldiers/snobby 1st class passengers/refugees/fishermen for the ships you encounter.

The way I see it, no reason not to adapt it to the player's submarine.

https://i.postimg.cc/C1V33pG8/COD-01.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/yx1wNhrY/COD-02.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/9Ff65p7L/COD-03.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/brm4SGK0/COD-04.jpg


This is amazing, always wanted this, yet another UBI oversight. Would great to incorporate into the pacific side. You are doing some amazing work!:Kaleun_Salute::Kaleun_Salute:

[Niume]

Tired of bare, lonely decks when you return to port after a successful mission?

Miss having the boys "man the rail"? Like in Aces of the Deep, SH3, and a certain movie I'm sure nobody here has heard of?

https://i.postimg.cc/dVgP9yD4/AOD.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/4dbDZ2PS/CODSHE.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/GmRKk3x6/Dasboot01.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/ncBTj9Bv/Dasboot02.jpg

Well, Wolves of the Kaiser has got you covered...:Kaleun_Wink:
An easy addition - just tweak the standard SH4 snorkel and add visibleunderwater controllers via S3D. Yes, they appear and disappear with no problem by pressing the "I" key ... so you will not have crew on deck throughout combat & at inappropriate times.

Will likely add several animated crew, and will polish up the models a bit, depending on the final framerates. Working on animated crew bodies now. A related plan is for simple animation of crew on the submarine walking through compartments - doing a few easily modeled tasks like serving coffee, oiling parts, and cleaning floors.

I already have a walking and panic/running animated surface ship figure that I will post images/video of later - higher detail than the standard SH3/SH4 AI ship crew. It works well and will be adapted to the many different sailors/soldiers/snobby 1st class passengers/refugees/fishermen for the ships you encounter.

The way I see it, no reason not to adapt it to the player's submarine.

https://i.postimg.cc/C1V33pG8/COD-01.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/yx1wNhrY/COD-02.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/9Ff65p7L/COD-03.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/brm4SGK0/COD-04.jpg
This is great:Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

[Hitman]

Actually the snorkel could be a great way of implementing in the old petrol boatds the foldable chimeny they had to use on the surface. :hmmm: By tweaking the deph at which it can be used/not used you could maybe enforce its use on surface and not have the engines start unless it's up.

[iambecomelife]

Actually the snorkel could be a great way of implementing in the old petrol boatds the foldable chimeny they had to use on the surface. :hmmm: By tweaking the deph at which it can be used/not used you could maybe enforce its use on surface and not have the engines start unless it's up.

Good point. Another way to do this is to use S3D Editor and mod it in as a fake dive plane, "stealing" the dive plane extension/retraction animation from stock SH4 sub. That is how I modded in retractable masts on the U-31/U-35 model.
Unfortunately that method does not limit engine use if the stack isn't raised.

Too bad I can't use the dive plane method for the crew on deck bc then they will be on deck automatically at all times when surfaced. If anyone knows how to implement different extensibles with different key combos, please let me know. :up:

[Mad Mardigan]

Good point. Another way to do this is to use S3D Editor and mod it in as a fake dive plane, "stealing" the dive plane extension/retraction animation from stock SH4 sub. That is how I modded in retractable masts on the U-31/U-35 model.
Unfortunately that method does not limit engine use if the stack isn't raised.

Too bad I can't use the dive plane method for the crew on deck bc then they will be on deck automatically at all times when surfaced. If anyone knows how to implement different extensibles with different key combos, please let me know. :up:

On the crew on deck... would not the cmd structure for the SH3 version, not work with using it in SH4... perhaps.??? :hmmm: :hmmm:

Just a thought... :shucks:

:Kaleun_Salute:

M. M.

[iambecomelife]

On the crew on deck... would not the cmd structure for the SH3 version, not work with using it in SH4... perhaps.??? :hmmm: :hmmm:

Just a thought... :shucks:

:Kaleun_Salute:

M. M.

Not a bad idea; I will try this. I have dl'ed the SH3 mod and am looking into the structure.

My plan is to have different key combos so you can simulate rescue parties, demolition parties, funerals for dead crew, etc.

At the very least crew at attention will be included, probably using the snorkel slot.

Tried and failed to get a crewman waving his cap added to the men on deck; however, I think I know where I went wrong and will try again this evening.

In other news, finished adding new high-res bronze propellers to the submarine, plus propeller shafts and tail assembly, all looking nice. (Note the screenshots above don't show the props, they were not complete and very ugly at the time.) :haha::haha:

Conducted a stress test with about 40-50 men on deck in a mission with 10 high detailed battleships, plus heavy particle effects. No framerate problems!

Lowering the poly count on tank openings tonight too.

Also researching old photos etc to convert the U-31 model to U-23 Class, and then U-27 Class - very similar boats.

[Mad Mardigan]

Not a bad idea; I will try this. I have dl'ed the SH3 mod and am looking into the structure.

My plan is to have different key combos so you can simulate rescue parties, demolition parties, funerals for dead crew, etc.

At the very least crew at attention will be included, probably using the snorkel slot.

Tried and failed to get a crewman waving his cap added to the men on deck; however, I think I know where I went wrong and will try again this evening.

In other news, finished adding new high-res bronze propellers to the submarine, plus propeller shafts and tail assembly, all looking nice. (Note the screenshots above don't show the props, they were not complete and very ugly at the time.) :haha::haha:

Conducted a stress test with about 40-50 men on deck in a mission with 10 high detailed battleships, plus heavy particle effects. No framerate problems!

Lowering the poly count on tank openings tonight too.

Also researching old photos etc to convert the U-31 model to U-23 Class, and then U-27 Class - very similar boats.

not a prob... it works... will be glad knowing on having helped with a solution... :Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

:Kaleun_Salute:

M. M.

[Hitman]

Too bad I can't use the dive plane method for the crew on deck bc then they will be on deck automatically at all times when surfaced. If anyone knows how to implement different extensibles with different key combos, please let me know. :up:

IIRC there was an extendable radar mast? That for sure has no use in WW1 :D


Unfortunately that method does not limit engine use if the stack isn't raised.

I think it will if your sub is never surfaced, the engine will only work when the snorkel is extended. Probably setting the minimum depth of the whole boat to be underwater can do that?

[iambecomelife]

IIRC there was an extendable radar mast? That for sure has no use in WW1 :D




I think it will if your sub is never surfaced, the engine will only work when the snorkel is extended. Probably setting the minimum depth of the whole boat to be underwater can do that?

Ah, I see what you're saying. And I will look for the radar mast this evening, thanks for the idea!

To you all, a few more screenshots will be posted later today.

Various aspects going extremely well:

-New crew page background has been created
-Animated crew on deck for when you return to port
-Researching the top aces list is going nicely; tonnage scores for the years 1914 and 1915 have been finished
-Cleaned up the U-35 model based on photographic evidence. Corrected mis-textured areas.
-Designed lower poly U-Boat tank openings that look better and have less performance cost.
-Successfully implemented interior crew movement using rotation controllers!
Confirmed it is theoretically possible to have crewmen randomly walking and performing tasks on the boat.
I won't bother you with all the details but this is a supplement to the "official" method of placing crew used by the developers.
Ducimus created a nice tutorial on how the official method is done:

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?p=1513272

The catch is you are limited to the positions, movements, and accessories created by the SH4 developers.
With new method, you simply insert an .obj with mesh controllers or rotation controllers to imitate body animation. Y
ou can have crewmen dressed however you want doing whatever you want with any accessories you like.
The main problem is skin textures are somewhat inferior to stock SH4 bodies, but in my opinion it is worth it!
It makes SH4 a bit more like UBoat in a good way.

Again, new screenshots coming today and hope to also start posting new videos in the near future - they will be the first videos since the Lusitania movie.

[vickers03]

-Successfully implemented interior crew movement using rotation controllers!
Confirmed it is theoretically possible to have crewmen randomly walking and performing tasks on the boat.
very impressive!:Kaleun_Applaud:

[Jeff-Groves]

Maybe an early version of SH4 has that NAB file cause mine don't.
I guess I have to install the 1st release?

[iambecomelife]

Maybe an early version of SH4 has that NAB file cause mine don't.
I guess I have to install the 1st release?

:06: NAB file - what is that?

[iambecomelife]

Different paint schemes for player units.

https://i.postimg.cc/HLgNZGCV/Dark.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/jqDrJbqb/Rustbucket.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/hjJ3hKLZ/White01.jpg

Propellers I designed and textured for the U-31 Class.

https://i.postimg.cc/ydn23LtW/Props01.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/Qdbzy4Nm/underwater04.jpg

U-31 Class underwater. Next work will be on more wiring, torpedo tube doors, and dive planes.

https://i.postimg.cc/Bb6kTxfp/underwater.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/26CP5sHP/underwater02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/pTdq4RcX/underwater03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/RVwycCjj/underwater05.jpg



Implemented new crewman running on deck of the battleship in a successful test. The figures are more detailed than the standard SH4 AI ship crew; they are based on the submarine crew models in part. As mentioned before, the idea is to have various characters spawn and take action on ships in emergency situations.

https://i.postimg.cc/y6M2g3rm/Crewman01.jpg

Partially animated crew on deck for the player submarines.

https://i.postimg.cc/CKcWzvW5/WavingBB.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/PqVRtCw8/Waving-BB-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/rpwHX1Kk/Waving-BB-xv.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/mDm0qdbC/Untitled-18.jpg

Stress testing with a squadron of highly detailed battleships & heavy particle effects. Got good framerates and the ships are not even fully optimized yet; I'll be using controllers in S3d so that small items and crewmen are not rendered on distant ships.

https://i.postimg.cc/jSzgJ8JK/Stresstest.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/FFW29n0B/Stresstest2.jpg

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

Awsome work :up:
Can't wait to see screenshot of other units and new videos :D

[Mad Mardigan]

Ahoy, IamBecomeLife... :Kaleun_Cheers:

Understandably curious, on that idea I had, concerning crew on deck...

Any opportunity, to investigate & see if that idea I had on that worked...? :hmmm:

Just wondering, as I hope you did have an opportunity to check & see if it did... & that it worked. :shucks: :yep:

:Kaleun_Salute:

M. M.

[Jeff-Groves]

That NAB.dat was listed in the link you posted.
Don't know if you have 010 Editor but if you do?
I have Scripts to work with the Stock animations in SH4.
Using those Scripts? One could cut and paste from/to different animations to create ALL NEW animations.
Those would be in the exact standard for SH4.
Not some 'work around' sub par thing.

There's also 1,305 Animations in SH5 where SH4 is short at 1,168
That's 137 potential Animations that can be ripped and placed in SH4!

And YES! I helped develop the Tools and Scripts to do that!

[iambecomelife]

That NAB.dat was listed in the link you posted.
Don't know if you have 010 Editor but if you do?
I have Scripts to work with the Stock animations in SH4.
Using those Scripts? One could cut and paste from/to different animations to create ALL NEW animations.
Those would be in the exact standard for SH4.
Not some 'work around' sub par thing.

There's also 1,305 Animations in SH5 where SH4 is short at 1,168
That's 137 potential Animations that can be ripped and placed in SH4!

Oh I understand; that would be nice! Because I don't completely like how the joints look when you use rotation controllers. And those extra SH5 animations would be useful; for instance I might like to add a cook to the interior, which SH5 has with various food prep animations. Will look into 010 Editor and see if I can master it.

[iambecomelife]

Awsome work :up:
Can't wait to see screenshot of other units and new videos :D

Hey; I was just thinking about you Oliver! Your comments about the nose of U-139? A couple months ago? You were right - I spent some time last night working on that sub; now the nose looks better.....when I have the chance this evening I will also redo the four forward torpedo tube indentations.

@Mad Mardigan: I am still trying to learn how to use Statemachine controllers properly; need to do that in order for your idea to work. :oops: I am honestly kind of an amateur in a lot of respects with S3ditor's functions. :doh::doh:

[Jeff-Groves]

A license is $49.95
I upgrade every year at another $19 or so.
It is WELL WORTH THE MONEY!
And given I write Scripts for it? Would save you work!
It allows me to do things that nothing else can do!
And if it's repetitive? I just write a Script!
Check this thread as a recent example.
https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=2789470&postcount=1

What it comes down to is this.
I can identify every position of every part of a moving character in each frame of any animation.
Then I can change those or add to them creating a NEW Animation!
Is not that hard when you understand the file structures and I am the one that figured all that out YEARS ago!

If I'm guilty of anything? It would be trying to explain how a Laser Printer works to Kindergartners using crayons.
S3D is fine when one wants to be limited. Kind of like trying to edit hex with Notepad. NOT GONNA HAPPEN!
010 allows things with UNLIMITED abilities!

[Mad Mardigan]

@Mad Mardigan: I am still trying to learn how to use Statemachine controllers properly; need to do that in order for your idea to work. :oops: I am honestly kind of an amateur in a lot of respects with S3ditor's functions. :doh::doh:

No sweat... so the idea does have merit then, I take it... glad to know if that is the case... :)

Is still, a lot that I don't even begin to have a grasp of, as it pertains to modding & such... as with what John Pancoast said, on another thread... short on skills... long on ideas on improvements that I'd like seen done, though... or to that extent... paraphrasing from memory here... :yep:

That idea works, will be glad knowing that even in a small way, I was able to help bring it about... even if it was on putting forth the general idea on it... that made it possible. :shucks: :yep: :up:

:Kaleun_Salute:

M. M.

[iambecomelife]

Admiral Gerlach, please check your email! More emails to you coming soon & thanks for your special support.

Also, to everyone else, more screenshots coming up, too.:yep:

[Texas Red]

This is coming along so nicely!!
I can't wait to get my hands on this mod...

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

Hey; I was just thinking about you Oliver! Your comments about the nose of U-139? A couple months ago? You were right - I spent some time last night working on that sub; now the nose looks better.....when I have the chance this evening I will also redo the four forward torpedo tube indentations.

:Kaleun_Salute:

btw, I sent you something via PM; hope you'll apreciate it :03:

[gregb41352]

me want this!

[Aktungbby]

gregb41352!:Kaleun_Salute:

[SargoClass]

:Kaleun_Thumbs_Up::Kaleun_Salute:
Just finished reading this thread! The mod looks great, hope it can come out soon, just please don't overwork yourself.

[Niume]

How did you solved the problem where when you detected neutral ship the time compression doesn't drop to 1 tc.?

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

Still under the surface Captain ? :))

[Bubblehead1980]

Thought you would enjoy this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hmk21R2MQc

[iambecomelife]

MINOR UPDATE:

Never think this mod is dead; it's pretty much my main hobby. :haha: My career can be demanding but WOTK eats up almost every spare moment.

Very important milestones have been reached!

1) Established the U-31 as an almost 100% functional unit in its near final form. It now has 4 torpedo tubes, masts raise and lower, crew on deck, texture errors corrected, historical, speed/range, correct displacement, and more. I am improving the use of AO maps on player subs - in previous screenshots the submarines may have been flat-looking; the final verisons will have a working AO layer.

2) I've educated myself about the .upc and .upcge files. Basically, the files that control who appears where in the submarine, and what equipment is on board. The interiors will have many more sailors than the standard SH4 subs.

3) Nearly 100% of the dates ingame have been changed! Lots of things had to be done, like weapon availability, torpedo pistol characteristics, upgrades, campaign starts, etc. Initially, the plan was to have the game run from 1941 - 1945, with dates only changed in the interface ... However, apparently it will be possible to really have the correct years, 1914 - 1918. I just ran a mission during WWI (1915) with no problems! This is a big positive.

4) Reduced the crew slots on the U-31 submarine to only 30-40 men. You will need to manage your crew carefully; this is a lot less men than fleetboats. And the UB-I will have even fewer men (about 15).

5) Began changing the WW2 torpedoes to common WWI torpedoes, like the G/6 and G/6D. Gave correct torpedo layout (a lot less than fleet boats). U-31 for example will carry 6 torpedoes. Maximum 10 torpedoes for the improved late war version. All based on historical data about ammo capacity.

6) 3d modeling of the generic Light Merchant and Medium Merchant models. Added several different funnel sizes and dozens of bridge shapes that the game will cycle through, to create more variety.

7) Deciding which medals to include in the new Medals Room. The existing awards system is being overhauled; you will award yourself medals + trophies and see them on your submarine. Here's one possible order:

-UBoat Badge (1918 Only)
-Iron Cross 2nd Class
-Iron Cross 1st Class
-Hanseatic Cross
-Military Merit Order
-Royal House Order of Hohenzollern
-Pour Le Merite (Blue Max)
-Pour Le Merite with Oak Leaf

8) WWI-era 88mm gun is finishing up - modeling is about 70% complete. No more fleet boat guns for WWI subs. :haha: Work on the 50mm and 150mm is in its early stages.

9) Added lots of dramatic radio messages about what's going on around the world. This is far from done but it's coming along well - I just wrote up a great news series on the killing of Archduke Franz-Ferdinand, the diplomatic crisis, and the war declaration. And an action-packed account of the Battle of Tannenberg. Next comes the Battle of the Marne, the Christmas Truce of 1914, Gallipoli, Verdun, the Somme, Neville's Offensive, etc etc etc!!

Thank you for the movie, Bubblehead. Niume, unforuntately that bug has not been resolved yet.

[Bubblehead1980]

MINOR UPDATE:

Never think this mod is dead; it's pretty much my main hobby. :haha: My career can be demanding but WOTK eats up almost every spare moment.

Very important milestones have been reached!

1) Established the U-31 as an almost 100% functional unit in its near final form. It now has 4 torpedo tubes, masts raise and lower, crew on deck, texture errors corrected, historical, speed/range, correct displacement, and more. I am improving the use of AO maps on player subs - in previous screenshots the submarines may have been flat-looking; the final verisons will have a working AO layer.

2) I've educated myself about the .upc and .upcge files. Basically, the files that control who appears where in the submarine, and what equipment is on board. The interiors will have many more sailors than the standard SH4 subs.

3) Nearly 100% of the dates ingame have been changed! Lots of things had to be done, like weapon availability, torpedo pistol characteristics, upgrades, campaign starts, etc. Initially, the plan was to have the game run from 1941 - 1945, with dates only changed in the interface ... However, apparently it will be possible to really have the correct years, 1914 - 1918. I just ran a mission during WWI (1915) with no problems! This is a big positive.

4) Reduced the crew slots on the U-31 submarine to only 30-40 men. You will need to manage your crew carefully; this is a lot less men than fleetboats. And the UB-I will have even fewer men (about 15).

5) Began changing the WW2 torpedoes to common WWI torpedoes, like the G/6 and G/6D. Gave correct torpedo layout (a lot less than fleet boats). U-31 for example will carry 6 torpedoes. Maximum 10 torpedoes for the improved late war version. All based on historical data about ammo capacity.

6) 3d modeling of the generic Light Merchant and Medium Merchant models. Added several different funnel sizes and dozens of bridge shapes that the game will cycle through, to create more variety.

7) Deciding which medals to include in the new Medals Room. The existing awards system is being overhauled; you will award yourself medals + trophies and see them on your submarine. Here's one possible order:

-UBoat Badge (1918 Only)
-Iron Cross 2nd Class
-Iron Cross 1st Class
-Hanseatic Cross
-Military Merit Order
-Royal House Order of Hohenzollern
-Pour Le Merite (Blue Max)
-Pour Le Merite with Oak Leaf

8) WWI-era 88mm gun is finishing up - modeling is about 70% complete. No more fleet boat guns for WWI subs. :haha: Work on the 50mm and 150mm is in its early stages.

9) Added lots of dramatic radio messages about what's going on around the world. This is far from done but it's coming along well - I just wrote up a great news series on the killing of Archduke Franz-Ferdinand, the diplomatic crisis, and the war declaration. And an action-packed account of the Battle of Tannenberg. Next comes the Battle of the Marne, the Christmas Truce of 1914, Gallipoli, Verdun, the Somme, Neville's Offensive, etc etc etc!!

Thank you for the movie, Bubblehead. Niume, unforuntately that bug has not been resolved yet.


You are welcome, figured would enjoy it. Will there be operations off US East coast in the mod? Thanks for the update. :Kaleun_Salute:

[iambecomelife]

You are welcome, figured would enjoy it. Will there be operations off US East coast in the mod? Thanks for the update. :Kaleun_Salute:

Yes; there will be East Coast traffic. However, everything outside of Europe and the Med will be basic .... coastal towns and cities in North America will not be modeled to the same detail as the North Sea/European Atlantic coast. Destructible buildings, bridges, etc from Maine to Florida is just too much work; no way am I creating a realistic New York City circa 1918...:haha: I'll probably just leave in the stock SH4 non-destructible buildings.

But you will have ships carrying ore and fuel, among other things, spawned from the Caribbean & the Gulf of Mexico, plus coastwise traffic moving past Cape Hatteras & other areas where U-Boats historically sank ships in WWI. These spawn points will be designed mainly for Cruiser Submarine careers with the U-139 Class. Possibly some missions will involve boats like the U-51 Class (as mentioned in that video), which were smaller but could reach the US Coast during the war.

[Torpex77]

I hope when this MOD is released that you'll have a link so that donations are possible. I remember when SH1 came out and then the add-on disc's were released, about 25% the cost of the initial sim, but well worth it.

Frank

[Bubblehead1980]

Yes; there will be East Coast traffic. However, everything outside of Europe and the Med will be basic .... coastal towns and cities in North America will not be modeled to the same detail as the North Sea/European Atlantic coast. Destructible buildings, bridges, etc from Maine to Florida is just too much work; no way am I creating a realistic New York City circa 1918...:haha: I'll probably just leave in the stock SH4 non-destructible buildings.

But you will have ships carrying ore and fuel, among other things, spawned from the Caribbean & the Gulf of Mexico, plus coastwise traffic moving past Cape Hatteras & other areas where U-Boats historically sank ships in WWI. These spawn points will be designed mainly for Cruiser Submarine careers with the U-139 Class. Possibly some missions will involve boats like the U-51 Class (as mentioned in that video), which were smaller but could reach the US Coast during the war.



Excellent. Yes, would not expect to added destructible buildings etc all over US east coast, too much work and not needed as to my knowledge really were not attacking land targets in US same way did in europe yes? I just meant traffic to interdict traffic etc.

I just finished adding light houses all around US east and west coast lol and such a pain. If map edit mod in the ME would not cause a CTD every time try to add a new unit would be okay. I end up having to mark the coordinates on map and then adding via notepad, quite tedious! lol However, managed to build half way decent representations of some bases and cities play will use during new construction and transit to pacific, as well as relocating bases such as Cavite that were in the wrong location, in addition to adding light houses and labels on key places across the theater and globe.


:Kaleun_Salute:

[shoiga]

Hi

Could you release any playable WW1 U-Boat mod that include in this mod ?

I know that this mod project is too huge to finish yet, but I would like to at least use the U-Boat.

Thx

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

Hello, Gentlemen;
any news from the front ? :D

[adrianstu98]

Hi and cheers, any update on how it's going?😃

[iambecomelife]

To be honest I have some (sort of) good and bad news.

My job is offering weekend overtime, and I have been working full workdays Saturday and Sunday. I am earning a decent sum (which is good), and will help me buy sources for the mod..but this also means that I have much less time to mod. Work has been going on, but unfortunately at a slower pace.

My supervisors don't know when their bosses will stop offering the overtime, but once that happens the modding pace will pick up again.

The good news is I have a very large amount of vacation time unused, and this will be devoted to WOTK! In terms of work, here is what has been done since my last post:

-Major improvements to U-51 hull

-U-51 Class conning tower successfully tested ingame

-Replaced the 3d object of crew on deck with real crewmember slots. Now you will see your real crew man the rail! Not the "fake" characters using the snorkel. This frees up the snorkel animation for something else.

-More additions to the WWI radio messages with war news.

-Much more work on the top aces tonnage scores. All tonnage scores for top Uboot aces from 1914-1915 are done, and a lot of work is now finished for 1916 - 1918.

-"Light Merchant" model is nearly complete. This model is much better than the ships from the Merchant Fleet Mod, and is a prototype for all of the advanced merchant ships to be included. Major features include:

-Component Nodes for Bridge Superstructure, Masts, Funnel, etc. There will be dozens - possibly hundreds of different combos for each hull to represent building styles and different companies.

-Smoke Floats...new defensive weapon to block your view

-Shell hole damage - hundreds of shell holes possible, unlike standard SH4 that can only display about 5-6 holes per model

-Steam and oil leaks from engine room damage

-Structural failure - damage a ship enough and huge pieces of hull blow away

-Multiple keel failure - will produce a variant that can explode and break into 3-4 big pieces

-Crew on deck - various ranks including captains, officers, sailors, etc.

-Sailors run on deck, put on life vests, enter lifeboats if ship is badly damaged

-Crew jumping overboard

-Visible cargo - Iron Ore, Coal, Minerals, Lumber, or Boxes become visible if hatch cover blows off. Fast sinking rate for iron ore ships or other heavy cargo...ships carrying lumber, on the other hand, will be very hard to sink.

-National flags that may be inaccurate. Enemy ships may use fake neutral flags or fly no flag. Also, German ships may even use enemy or neutral flags as a disguise, especially when they are running the blockade off England. You will need to approach and ask what cargo is being carried.

-Of course, Q-Ship versions that will sink you if you're not careful. :haha:

[Bubblehead1980]

To be honest I have some (sort of) good and bad news.

My job is offering weekend overtime, and I have been working full workdays Saturday and Sunday. I am earning a decent sum (which is good), and will help me buy sources for the mod..but this also means that I have much less time to mod. Work has been going on, but unfortunately at a slower pace.

My supervisors don't know when their bosses will stop offering the overtime, but once that happens the modding pace will pick up again.

The good news is I have a very large amount of vacation time unused, and this will be devoted to WOTK! In terms of work, here is what has been done since my last post:

-Major improvements to U-51 hull

-U-51 Class conning tower successfully tested ingame

-Replaced the 3d object of crew on deck with real crewmember slots. Now you will see your real crew man the rail! Not the "fake" characters using the snorkel. This frees up the snorkel animation for something else.

-More additions to the WWI radio messages with war news.

-Much more work on the top aces tonnage scores. All tonnage scores for top Uboot aces from 1914-1915 are done, and a lot of work is now finished for 1916 - 1918.

-"Light Merchant" model is nearly complete. This model is much better than the ships from the Merchant Fleet Mod, and is a prototype for all of the advanced merchant ships to be included. Major features include:

-Component Nodes for Bridge Superstructure, Masts, Funnel, etc. There will be dozens - possibly hundreds of different combos for each hull to represent building styles and different companies.

-Smoke Floats...new defensive weapon to block your view

-Shell hole damage - hundreds of shell holes possible, unlike standard SH4 that can only display about 5-6 holes per model

-Steam and oil leaks from engine room damage

-Structural failure - damage a ship enough and huge pieces of hull blow away

-Multiple keel failure - will produce a variant that can explode and break into 3-4 big pieces

-Crew on deck - various ranks including captains, officers, sailors, etc.

-Sailors run on deck, put on life vests, enter lifeboats if ship is badly damaged

-Crew jumping overboard

-Visible cargo - Iron Ore, Coal, Minerals, Lumber, or Boxes become visible if hatch cover blows off. Fast sinking rate for iron ore ships or other heavy cargo...ships carrying lumber, on the other hand, will be very hard to sink.

-National flags that may be inaccurate. Enemy ships may use fake neutral flags or fly no flag. Also, German ships may even use enemy or neutral flags as a disguise, especially when they are running the blockade off England. You will need to approach and ask what cargo is being carried.

-Of course, Q-Ship versions that will sink you if you're not careful. :haha:


Thanks for the update. :Kaleun_Salute:

[iambecomelife]

Miscellaneous recent images from testing: New ship model, new 88mm gun WIP, damage effects, and superstructure variations for ships.

https://i.postimg.cc/bJwTFJ9Y/Ablaze.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/bJwTFJ9Y/Ablaze.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/8cFbN0Yq/Approach.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/mk0yDSfh/Bridge-Damage.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/YqWxPTYF/Damage01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/8CtdWGQ2/Damage02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Vk9WfM7L/Debris.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/P5nMnKQR/Debris-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/h4wrpKzg/Gun01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/9Mgp3hLd/Gun02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/nLHYCz5K/Gunners.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/85cRmYTj/Gunners2.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/26t4cx5T/Huge-Explosion-00.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/vT65p6gy/Huge-Explosion-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/grF3dk8Z/Huge-Explosion-03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/L4q7HCj9/Lifeboat01.jpg

[iambecomelife]

https://i.postimg.cc/MZhLX7Yy/List00.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/MpwrmzNH/List01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/rpFn7Q8L/List02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/W3d91zFW/Overhead.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/g2KtMfbD/Shelling-011.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/43LLGVdH/Sinking01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/7Y0Wz5Bj/Sinking02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/kG8fWHyW/Sinking03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/HxF6cmbp/Sinking04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/DfbjVWKm/Smoke-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/8PQyT114/Steamer-Render-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/02YVQLjs/Steamer-Render-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/9QcJqJwq/Steamer-Render-03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Mptt0V13/Steamer-Render-04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/pdTCsrZW/Steamer-Render-05.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/tgM5wbSh/Steamer-VX.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/yxqT6Pzx/Stern.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/DZ4gKNHR/U53.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/BbxBjKqg/U53-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Y2g3nJ1W/Undamaged-00.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/529StyDB/Undamaged-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/bN9R8kVY/Undamaged-05.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/DyTctBgY/Wreckage-01.jpg

[ReallyDedPoet]

:Kaleun_Cheers: Looks great!

[adrianstu98]

Looks amazing!:Kaleun_Applaud:

[iambecomelife]

Hi

Could you release any playable WW1 U-Boat mod that include in this mod ?

I know that this mod project is too huge to finish yet, but I would like to at least use the U-Boat.

Thx

I may release some items to people willing to help with aspects of the mod.


Thanks for the compliments; be advised - items like the human figures & particle effects are always being optimized.

Last night I did a "stress test" with many human figures on the merchant ship and was very happy with the results - great frame rates. Apparently we can have a large number of detailed sailors on each ship. This can be further optimized using the minimum render dimension controllers (thus, no sailors at distances where you could barely see them anyway - great way to improve frame rates even more).

This leads me to another topic....working lifeboats. This sub-project is going well - Davit model has been created and skinned (based on plans of the Wellin Davits used on RMS Titanic). Next? Animate lifeboat launch sequences that can go well or go haywire, depending on the skill of a ship's crew. Some animations will show successful launches - others will end badly for the sailors.

Some unfortunate news about the water....it has been impossible to resolve the "jello water" / deformed wave bug from Silent Hunter 4. For those who don't know, the wave patterns get ruined at time compression over about 32x.

The only way to solve the bug is to keep the wind speed/wave state constant.

My solution will be to have two versions of water... 2-3 foot waves that do not change, and standard, changing water+weather for players who play at low time compression (or don't mind the distorted water).

Forgot to mention - additional upcoming projects include final details for the UB-I and U-139 subs... the dwarf and the giant. :haha:

Work still humming along on the WWI news messages (I write them in the break room at work - that way I can make progress on the mod even when my desktop is not accessible.)

Good news about the tonnage entries for the U-Boat aces - Years 1914 to 1916 are 100% complete, and 1917 is about 90% complete. Hard to believe that a few weeks ago I was struggling to finish 1914.

[Bubblehead1980]

I may release some items to people willing to help with aspects of the mod.


Thanks for the compliments; be advised - items like the human figures & particle effects are always being optimized.

Last night I did a "stress test" with many human figures on the merchant ship and was very happy with the results - great frame rates. Apparently we can have a large number of detailed sailors on each ship. This can be further optimized using the minimum render dimension controllers (thus, no sailors at distances where you could barely see them anyway - great way to improve frame rates even more).

This leads me to another topic....working lifeboats. This sub-project is going well - Davit model has been created and skinned (based on plans of the Wellin Davits used on RMS Titanic). Next? Animate lifeboat launch sequences that can go well or go haywire, depending on the skill of a ship's crew. Some animations will show successful launches - others will end badly for the sailors.

Some unfortunate news about the water....it has been impossible to resolve the "jello water" / deformed wave bug from Silent Hunter 4. For those who don't know, the wave patterns get ruined at time compression over about 32x.

The only way to solve the bug is to keep the wind speed/wave state constant.

My solution will be to have two versions of water... 2-3 foot waves that do not change, and standard, changing water+weather for players who play at low time compression (or don't mind the distorted water).

Forgot to mention - additional upcoming projects include final details for the UB-I and U-139 subs... the dwarf and the giant. :haha:

Work still humming along on the WWI news messages (I write them in the break room at work - that way I can make progress on the mod even when my desktop is not accessible.)

Good news about the tonnage entries for the U-Boat aces - Years 1914 to 1916 are 100% complete, and 1917 is about 90% complete. Hard to believe that a few weeks ago I was struggling to finish 1914.



:Kaleun_Salute:


Very nice. Messages are a key for immersion but such a pain lol. One of my least favorite parts of modding.

[iambecomelife]

:Kaleun_Salute:


Very nice. Messages are a key for immersion but such a pain lol. One of my least favorite parts of modding.

Certainly ... At least I've learned a lot about WWI, especially the land battles. Verdun, the Somme, Neville's Offensive, Tannenberg, etc. Plus, there's no way I can do 3d modeling on lunch break in the office, so text-based modding while at work makes sense.

Mini update: Finished all the top ace sinking tonnages! Completed 1918 last night. Woohoo! To simplify things, the game will calculate top ace scores biweekly, but in my opinion that's a good compromise. Early in the war, Otto Weddigen is the man to beat (Aboukir, Cressy, & Hogue gave him about 36,000 tons to start with!) Later in the war you compete with aces like de la Periere, Rose, & Saltzwedel.

[Jeff-Groves]

I may release some items to people willing to help with aspects of the mod.

Would some animations in SH4 format count?
NOT Mesh animations as in SH3. But TRUE SH4 animations.
:hmmm:

[iambecomelife]

Would some animations in SH4 format count?
NOT Mesh animations as in SH3. But TRUE SH4 animations.
:hmmm:

Hey great to see you again! I would be happy to give you pretty much anything I've worked on, knowing your skill....you name it I can send it! We will be in touch. I have gigs and gigs of source material and ships/figures/aircraft.

I did not forget about our discussions, and actually it's a good time to get together again because I have decided on the poly count for new NPC human figures (about 1400 polys for men, 1800 polys for women). I tested my high-poly freighter with about 40-50 crewmen at ~ 1500 polys each, and got no slowdown.:up: On top of that, we can use minrenderdim controllers and object substitution to optimize things even more. Imagine a realistic number of people on ships, going about their business or abandoning ship. :D Much nicer than stock silent hunter "ghost ships", eh?:yep:

I am starting to build a library of ship crew members, based on the SH4 submarine crew and some 3rd party figures I paid for to get permission to use. Categories will be:

-Navy Sailors
-Soldiers
-Merchant Sailors
-3rd Class Passengers/Refugees
-Wealthy Passengers
-Fishermen
-Nurses/Hospital Ship Crew
-Dock Workers

IMHO we probably don't need anything too extravagant, just "at rest", "panic", and maybe jumping overboard animations. Possibly a few others like soldiers firing guns, fishermen fishing, etc.

I have already gathered some pictures of Edwardian-era clothing so we can have nice, period appropriate skins.

Also, a few new animations for the player sub wouldn't hurt (U-Boat chef cooking, crew torpedo maintenance, helping injured comrades, etc).

[Mad Mardigan]

Hey great to see you again! I would be happy to give you pretty much anything I've worked on, knowing your skill....you name it I can send it! We will be in touch. I have gigs and gigs of source material and ships/figures/aircraft.

I did not forget about our discussions, and actually it's a good time to get together again because I have decided on the poly count for new NPC human figures (about 1400 polys for men, 1800 polys for women). I tested my high-poly freighter with about 40-50 crewmen at ~ 1500 polys each, and got no slowdown.:up: On top of that, we can use minrenderdim controllers and object substitution to optimize things even more. Imagine a realistic number of people on ships, going about their business or abandoning ship. :D Much nicer than stock silent hunter "ghost ships", eh?:yep:

I am starting to build a library of ship crew members, based on the SH4 submarine crew and some 3rd party figures I paid for to get permission to use. Categories will be:

-Navy Sailors
-Soldiers
-Merchant Sailors
-3rd Class Passengers/Refugees
-Wealthy Passengers
-Fishermen
-Nurses/Hospital Ship Crew
-Dock Workers

IMHO we probably don't need anything too extravagant, just "at rest", "panic", and maybe jumping overboard animations. Possibly a few others like soldiers firing guns, fishermen fishing, etc.

I have already gathered some pictures of Edwardian-era clothing so we can have nice, period appropriate skins.

Also, a few new animations for the player sub wouldn't hurt (U-Boat chef cooking, crew torpedo maintenance, helping injured comrades, etc).


Whooaaahhh.... :o

[Jeff-Groves]

I think I can manage what you want.
I have a vast collection of animations that I can adapt to the SH4 standard.

I'll dig out my Scripts for 010 and update them as needed.

[fithah4]

Found this article tonight and thought about your MOD!
http://www.hisutton.com/Brazilian-Navy-Sip-Ceara.html

The Surprising Secret Of This Brazilian Navy Ship From 1915 ~ 1946
Brazilian Navy's “Ceara” Submarine Tender

BraziliaCearas Specifications
Displacement: 3,500 tons light, 6,400 tons fully loaded
Length: 101.6 m
Beam: 15.7 m
Draught: 6.45 m (fully loaded)
Speed: 12-13 knots
Propulsion: 2 x 2,100 HP Diesel engines, 2 shafts

Armament: Modest weapons. Possibly 2 x 101.6 mm, 2 x 57mm 4 x Hotchkiss 3-pounder 'Armstrong', 2 x 7mm Hotchkiss machine guns. Reports vary
Complement: 89

The ship was designed and built in Italy in 1915 to support 3 'FF' type (Foca Class) submarines. These were also Italian and formed Brazil's first submarine force. Small and relatively fragile, they primarily provided training in Brazil.

FF Type (Foca Class) Submarine Specifications
Displacement: 160 tons surfaced, 260 tons submerged
Length: 46 m
Beam: 4.4 m
Draught: 4.4 m
Speed: 13.5 knots surfaced, 6.5 knots submerged
Propulsion: 2 Fiat 6cyl 700 hp diesel engines driving 2 electric motors, 2 shafts
Endurance: 1600 nm @ 8.5 knots surfaced, 100 nm @ 4 knots submerged
Armament: 2 x 450 torpedo tubes (some sources say 3)
Complement: 20
Operating Depth: 40 m

Ship’s Fate
Ceara’s service life, from 1917 until 1946, seems unremarkable. And although active on the Allied side in WW2, naturally this ship did not see combat. Yet its long service life meant that it far outlived the FF type submarines which it was designed to house. Subsequent Brazilian Navy submarines were larger and would not fit inside the hangar. So it is unclear whether the hangar was still useful (I suspect not). The design was however still noteworthy, a particularly well-equipped strategic asset

[iambecomelife]

Found this article tonight and thought about your MOD!
http://www.hisutton.com/Brazilian-Navy-Sip-Ceara.html

The Surprising Secret Of This Brazilian Navy Ship From 1915 ~ 1946
Brazilian Navy's “Ceara” Submarine Tender

BraziliaCearas Specifications
Displacement: 3,500 tons light, 6,400 tons fully loaded
Length: 101.6 m
Beam: 15.7 m
Draught: 6.45 m (fully loaded)
Speed: 12-13 knots
Propulsion: 2 x 2,100 HP Diesel engines, 2 shafts

Armament: Modest weapons. Possibly 2 x 101.6 mm, 2 x 57mm 4 x Hotchkiss 3-pounder 'Armstrong', 2 x 7mm Hotchkiss machine guns. Reports vary
Complement: 89

The ship was designed and built in Italy in 1915 to support 3 'FF' type (Foca Class) submarines. These were also Italian and formed Brazil's first submarine force. Small and relatively fragile, they primarily provided training in Brazil.

FF Type (Foca Class) Submarine Specifications
Displacement: 160 tons surfaced, 260 tons submerged
Length: 46 m
Beam: 4.4 m
Draught: 4.4 m
Speed: 13.5 knots surfaced, 6.5 knots submerged
Propulsion: 2 Fiat 6cyl 700 hp diesel engines driving 2 electric motors, 2 shafts
Endurance: 1600 nm @ 8.5 knots surfaced, 100 nm @ 4 knots submerged
Armament: 2 x 450 torpedo tubes (some sources say 3)
Complement: 20
Operating Depth: 40 m

Ship’s Fate
Ceara’s service life, from 1917 until 1946, seems unremarkable. And although active on the Allied side in WW2, naturally this ship did not see combat. Yet its long service life meant that it far outlived the FF type submarines which it was designed to house. Subsequent Brazilian Navy submarines were larger and would not fit inside the hangar. So it is unclear whether the hangar was still useful (I suspect not). The design was however still noteworthy, a particularly well-equipped strategic asset

Thanks! Will have to take a look at that when I get home. South American countries like Brazil /Chile had some very good Dreadnought designs actually, like BB Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais....they were some of the first ships to be equipped with super firing main guns, an important innovation..for a time they were some of the best dreadnoughts in the world, although unfortunately Brazil did not have enough money to maintain them well....also, the battleships that became HMS Agincourt and HMS Canada were initially South American. The battleship Sao Paulo really fascinates me because not what happened to her...mas you may know, she was sold for scrap after WWll but went missing from her tow in 1951 in a storm..the huge battleship and her 8 man scrapping crew were never seen again. Sao Paulo's wreck site is one of the biggest mysteries in Naval History, and has not been located to date.

[Avimimus]

Hi,

I've been following this mod for many years and enjoying the updates. I have noticed a bit of feature creep with you discovering new techniques within the engine, increasing your skills, expanding the scope of content.

I'm curious about what the list of features and content you'd consider acceptable for an 'initial release'?

I was think that - if you set goals for an initial release, and then started planning version 2.0 and version 3.0 (or other expansions) we might get to try some of it sooner!

Something like a single player controlled submarine, and enough assets to replace the existing opponents with a couple of WWI escorts. With additional ships coming in subsequent releases. But even if you don't do that - I'd be very curious what you'd consider complete enough for a 'beta' or a version 1.0!

Thanks!

[Aktungbby]

Avimimus!:Kaleun_Salute: after a long 'silent run'!:up:

[iambecomelife]

Hi,

I've been following this mod for many years and enjoying the updates. I have noticed a bit of feature creep with you discovering new techniques within the engine, increasing your skills, expanding the scope of content.

I'm curious about what the list of features and content you'd consider acceptable for an 'initial release'?

I was think that - if you set goals for an initial release, and then started planning version 2.0 and version 3.0 (or other expansions) we might get to try some of it sooner!

Something like a single player controlled submarine, and enough assets to replace the existing opponents with a couple of WWI escorts. With additional ships coming in subsequent releases. But even if you don't do that - I'd be very curious what you'd consider complete enough for a 'beta' or a version 1.0!

Thanks!

The 1.0 release will have multiple player subs, complete North Atlantic/Med campaign, limited US East Coast campaign, new awards, prize warfare system, new particles, and extensive new ship roster including dozens of British & German WWI capital ships. At the very least.

Goals for later versions include British & Austro-Hungarian subs, possible speedboat/destroyer campaigns, more extensive East Coast warfare, Black Sea Campaign, detailed Gallipoli campaign, accurate interiors for multiple subs, and battleships/cruisers for the following nations:

-France
-Austria-Hungary
-Turkey
-Italy
-United States
-Russia

There's no need to worry about feature creep; I always maintain a good idea of what the core features of the mod will be.

Note that 3d modeling for the large warships is about 100% complete, and that the other player units will come along quickly now that the U-31 is done.

Excellent progress was being made a couple months ago; the only reason for the current slowdown is my office offering overtime that lets me increase my salary by 40%. This is a huge opportunity, and of course the extra money goes to more WWI source material for the mod.

[iambecomelife]

Super minor update: Working lifeboats are in! In other words, cables actually dropping down from the pulleys & lowered from the davits...As opposed to ghost lifeboats that come out of nowhere. This was an easy improvement to create, and I'm surprised that nobody else has done it before..

Of course, work on
"important" stuff goes on, but IMHO the project to make sinking ships look "more alive" is itself important, and a major goal of the mod. WOTK is basically a big collection of sub-projects making their way to completion.

Tonight...finishing touches on the U-139 cruiser submarine hull. I have three wings3d windows open right now.:haha:

[Bubblehead1980]

Super minor update: Working lifeboats are in! In other words, cables actually dropping down from the pulleys & lowered from the davits...As opposed to ghost lifeboats that come out of nowhere. This was an easy improvement to create, and I'm surprised that nobody else has done it before..

Of course, work on
"important" stuff goes on, but IMHO the project to make sinking ships look "more alive" is itself important, and a major goal of the mod. WOTK is basically a big collection of sub-projects making their way to completion.

Tonight...finishing touches on the U-139 cruiser submarine hull. I have three wings3d windows open right now.:haha:

Impressive!:Kaleun_Salute:

I am quite excited for this mod.

[ReallyDedPoet]

Impressive indeed :yep::up:

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

Can’t wait !! : ))

[iambecomelife]

Coming soon .... the BEHEMOTH. :ping::ping::ping:

[propbeanie]

Coming soon .... the BEHEMOTH. :ping::ping::ping:
... anticipation with baited breath and bells on!!! :yeah:

[loftyc]

Coming soon .... the BEHEMOTH. :ping::ping::ping:
I've been following your development all these years and successfully resisting getting too excited with anticipation, knowing it would take some time.

until now. Oh boy!

[iambecomelife]

Don't want to give the wrong impression, this update is images of a unit and not the whole mod....However, rest assured I am accumulating time from work, I have a month and a half off from work and that will be mostly devoted to the mod!

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

Any news from the front ?

[iambecomelife]

Any news from the front ?

Good news for you guys, after giving it a lot of thought I have decided to cut back on overtime hours and increase time spent on WOTK.....I honestly have not been happy with my latest work-life balance, and was feeling "out of sorts".

Modeling work on the last labor-intensive player unit (UB-I) is nearly done; just doing the finishing touches!

I gave my old U-87 model another look and confirmed that, despite being old, it is good enough for final release with a few "nips and tucks". I'm surprised honestly because in my opinion my older models were usually quite sloppy....this one is OK. Just need better vent holes and a higher overall standard of detail. Take heart, it's been a long ride but we are getting there.

[Bubblehead1980]

Good news for you guys, after giving it a lot of thought I have decided to cut back on overtime hours and increase time spent on WOTK.....I honestly have not been happy with my latest work-life balance, and was feeling "out of sorts".

Modeling work on the last labor-intensive player unit (UB-I) is nearly done; just doing the finishing touches!

I gave my old U-87 model another look and confirmed that, despite being old, it is good enough for final release with a few "nips and tucks". I'm surprised honestly because in my opinion my older models were usually quite sloppy....this one is OK. Just need better vent holes and a higher overall standard of detail. Take heart, it's been a long ride but we are getting there.




Excellent. :Kaleun_Salute:


I've been wondering what the AI will be lik. I know its got to be a balancing act, given boats cant dive very deep so cant really use default SH 4 sensors meant for deeper diving boats in WW II. Especially balancing the hydrophones, since there is no ASDIC during WWI .For S Boats for example in TMO, I had to make a mod for escorts to enable in S Boat career, didnt make things easy but tuned the sim to provide a proper experience for a S Boat that really didnt want to go deeper than 200 feet.

[iambecomelife]

Excellent. :Kaleun_Salute:


I've been wondering what the AI will be lik. I know its got to be a balancing act, given boats cant dive very deep so cant really use default SH 4 sensors meant for deeper diving boats in WW II. Especially balancing the hydrophones, since there is no ASDIC during WWI .For S Boats for example in TMO, I had to make a mod for escorts to enable in S Boat career, didnt make things easy but tuned the sim to provide a proper experience for a S Boat that really didnt want to go deeper than 200 feet.

I might make the hydrophones more powerful to compensate for no ASDIC and radar; I really want it to become dangerous to dive and escape after 1917 ..... after that year, the combination of depth charges and hydrophones killed quite a lot of submarines.

[iambecomelife]

The "Behemoth" I was talking about .... not complete but getting there. I am very happy with how the conning tower turned out; later on I will reskin so that rust streaks, metal panels, etc. show up better.

https://i.postimg.cc/tJ9xDx2F/Standard01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/nhWqZMht/Standard02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/nccmDqsJ/Standard03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/nrTQWhPg/Standard04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/441tyWxP/Standard05.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/FKrp8y2T/June-Update-00.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/7PfsqNbc/June-Update-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/V5Pv06zh/June-Update-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/RCyPhnH0/June-Update-03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/zfx7rLN8/June-Update-04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/wv3VT6xJ/June-Update-05.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/GmJzX7SB/June-Update-06.jpg

[iambecomelife]

https://i.postimg.cc/qMK13Msx/June-Update-07.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/T1DJgCD3/June-Update-08.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/CM3NST3B/June-Update-09.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/4475DNSR/June-Update-10.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/GhvjpgRM/June-Update-11.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/htrbLJfT/June-Update-12.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/N0j8pgHV/June-Update-13.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/YSD6PJNS/June-Update-14.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/0Q6Y1cZ0/June-Update-15.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/wvShqLG8/June-Update-16.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/wMLD7MCt/June-Update-17.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/9X7dxgDW/June-Update-18.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/kgnWgnf4/June-Update-19.jpg

[iambecomelife]

Also some work on UB-I type and U-51; all going quite well. BTW, the big 150mm gun in the screenshots is just a "placeholder"; I am making a more detailed one for the final version.

https://i.postimg.cc/c4GQP73f/June-Update-20.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/vmT950Rw/June-Update-21.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/N0nXDRY9/June-Update-22.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/G2sy59hM/June-Update-23.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/MH2Q2xnz/U51-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/t42W1LMz/U51-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/WzGJsKZg/UB1-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/DfLGQWN0/UB1-02.jpg

[ReallyDedPoet]

:o:o Wow, iambecomelife :yeah:

[Jimbuna]

Some great work there matey :Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

[Mad Mardigan]

Have been following along, for a bit now & am... eagerly awaiting a chance to play this mod variation of sub simming with... much anticipation.


With some of the work done, would love to see of some of it... if possible, being ported over for other mod variations, such as OM: D or KSD II: Ace to even FotRS-U & TMOverhauled BH edition.

Just thinking out loud there... btw... :shucks:


Would love to throw My hat in the ring, when the time comes... to be a crash test dummy, to cross check it & ensure of no issues or at best, minimize issues when that time comes. Just respectfully saying that I'd be honored to do so... no pressure. :yep: :up:





:Kaleun_Salute:


M. M.

[Bubblehead1980]

I might make the hydrophones more powerful to compensate for no ASDIC and radar; I really want it to become dangerous to dive and escape after 1917 ..... after that year, the combination of depth charges and hydrophones killed quite a lot of submarines.


Great! Yes some reading have done, their losses grew quite heavy. Definitely want a challenge. I know it can be tough because with all my tweaking of sensors in other mods, if hydrophones are too strong, then its impossible to get close enough for attack even if running silent etc. Then can be easy to escape them after initial attack, going below a relatively shallow depth.


One work around if run into trouble, I did a while back when testing, could be to not eliminating active sonar, but to limit it, then replace the sonar.wav file with the ping in the data/sound folder with a blank sound file. Player never hears a ping but still have competent escort. Of course if can go the hydrophone only route, that is best.

Let me know if need any assistance/testing.

[Kal_Maximus_U669]

Good evening sirs :D
I must say that I have been following your work for quite a while...
at the beginning I must say that I did not believe it.. especially after all the difficulties that you would have to apprehend.... then after having learned that your hard disk had abandoned you... and all the problems that you encountered during all this project...Now I have to say that "I'm on my ass" if you allow the expression...in this world of underwater games no game equals your talent...nothing has been done like this.. .!!! especially with this graphic engine of "Mdr" could you be kind enough to give us an approximate horizon of the output of your work ... even if you have not planned an exact moment simply an approximation ...
Anyway a donation will be made for this magnificent project because you equal... you exceed the "devs" of the moment...
I'm posting some screens to flesh out your work. I wish you good luck in this fantastic project and I wouldn't miss this work for anything...
My best regards Kal Maximus U669 :salute:
http://image.noelshack.com/fichiers/2022/26/1/1656359126-germany-ww1-project-50-steam-cruiser-submarine-plans.jpg
http://image.noelshack.com/fichiers/2022/26/1/1656359108-1280px-submarines-cherbourg-nh-43777.jpg
http://image.noelshack.com/fichiers/2022/26/1/1656359214-germany-ww1-project.jpg

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

Oh my God... :o :o :o :o
your Type 139 is INCREDIBLE !!!
can't wait :)

[iambecomelife]

Thanks for the words of support guys!

You can now muster your crew upon entering and leaving port using ACTUAL crew slots, instead of the modified snorkel I showed earlier. :)

The snorkel, which has been freed up, can be used for maybe another special event. Like burying dead crewmembers at sea, for instance.


https://i.postimg.cc/dVd6LY3t/Muster01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/28gTk6zK/Muster02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/zfFkFFTs/Muster04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/KzcDq3NR/Untitled-5.jpg

I can also mod in kill pennants if you like, but I would need to replace one of the periscopes to do this; not 100% sure if that is a good idea. It would depend on how much people use both periscopes when playing the game.

[SlySkydiver]

Thanks for the words of support guys!

You can now muster your crew upon entering and leaving port using ACTUAL crew slots, instead of the modified snorkel I showed earlier. :)

The snorkel, which has been freed up, can be used for maybe another special event. Like burying dead crewmembers at sea, for instance.


https://i.postimg.cc/dVd6LY3t/Muster01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/28gTk6zK/Muster02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/zfFkFFTs/Muster04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/KzcDq3NR/Untitled-5.jpg

I can also mod in kill pennants if you like, but I would need to replace one of the periscopes to do this; not 100% sure if that is a good idea. It would depend on how much people use both periscopes when playing the game.

The more I see of this mod the more excited and impressed I get with your work! This is truly one of a kind!

[Bubblehead1980]

Thanks for the words of support guys!

You can now muster your crew upon entering and leaving port using ACTUAL crew slots, instead of the modified snorkel I showed earlier. :)

The snorkel, which has been freed up, can be used for maybe another special event. Like burying dead crewmembers at sea, for instance.


https://i.postimg.cc/dVd6LY3t/Muster01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/28gTk6zK/Muster02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/zfFkFFTs/Muster04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/KzcDq3NR/Untitled-5.jpg

I can also mod in kill pennants if you like, but I would need to replace one of the periscopes to do this; not 100% sure if that is a good idea. It would depend on how much people use both periscopes when playing the game.



:Kaleun_Salute: Nice touch!

Well, if they had two periscopes, best to keep two, especially in case one is destroyed. If they only had one, then would go with the pennant,

[Jeff-Groves]

Would be nice to add some life to the crew on deck.

[iambecomelife]

Would be nice to add some life to the crew on deck.

Hey there, good to hear from you. They are animated (with Silent Hunter 4 standard animations). So they fidget and rub themselves a little bit when they stand on deck. I used one of the interior animation routines and added a bunch of crew slots on the bow.

I have two sort of unrelated questions for you:

1) - Have you had any luck getting rid of the "Jello Water" bug for SH4? Where waves are distorted when you exceed about 32x time compression and the weather changes? I spent many days trying to resolve this bug and I couldn't. :/\\!!:/\\!!:/\\!! Especially frustrating because, not to brag but IMO my wave modifications look better than stock water. This "Jello water" bug has affected literally every weather mod/supermod combo I have tried, and stock SH4.

For now my workaround is to have two sets of weather files: one with no wave state changes for players who use time compression above 32x, and another set for people who play SH4 in real time. Far from an ideal solution, obviously. :oops:

2) Do you know of any way to have an extensible object that can be raised gradually like a periscope, or is the number of periscopes hard coded? I would like the player to be able to raise a string of kill flags incrementally so that for instance, 25% raised = 4 kill flags, 50% raised = 8 kills, etc. I could use the snorkel for kill flags but I can't raise it incrementally.

[Jeff-Groves]

There's a LOT of torpedo tubes that would probably be available once you did new animations.

[iambecomelife]

Mini update: All is well but the Wolves of the Kaiser staff is going on a brief vacation with family! There will be few posts between now and July 25th.

Expect new images July 25th - August 1st.

Past few days have seen more work on the UB-I model (which will be featured soon ingame), conning towers for U-23 and U-27, and more.

Also work on new AI crew in panic state/jumping overboard from damaged ships when you start to shell/torpedo them. The new crew look a lot better than the low polygon SH3 and early SH4 figures. I have found a way to generate semi-random body movements as they run on deck - nice! Now my main issue is generating crowds with minimal work....but I suspect I can resolve it.

Jeff Groves, Capt. Lehmann, and Admiral Gerlach, expect additional private messages soon!

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Sounds good, Iambecomelife.

Enjoy your vacation!

If you're in a submarine....

SINK'EM ALL!!! :arrgh!:

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

Hi Sir, any news from the front ? :D

BTW, recently, I reworked on the sound project for WotK and remade the music tracks, adding many new from movies and docs and taking some from the original SH3 and SH4.
https://www.mediafire.com/file/pltl1gyv1bulpe9/Reworked_Music.rar/file
Hope you'll enjoy it :up:
Some time ago I sent you a new intro for the mod, in case you want a new one. Did you like it ? :)

I was even thinking to change the speech's folder too, adding some voices from SH5, just for addictional immersion; let me know if you want I change something or if you prefere the version I sent you on January.

K.O.L. :Kaleun_Salute:

[kongovsfuso142]

I cant wait to play it one day.

Kongo.
:Kaleun_Salute:

[Zinmar]

Will you be including the unarmed Deutchland in the game? An historical mission where you have to sneak out of the area to get the cargo you're carrying to port?

[iambecomelife]

Hi Sir, any news from the front ? :D

BTW, recently, I reworked on the sound project for WotK and remade the music tracks, adding many new from movies and docs and taking some from the original SH3 and SH4.
https://www.mediafire.com/file/pltl1gyv1bulpe9/Reworked_Music.rar/file
Hope you'll enjoy it :up:
Some time ago I sent you a new intro for the mod, in case you want a new one. Did you like it ? :)

I was even thinking to change the speech's folder too, adding some voices from SH5, just for addictional immersion; let me know if you want I change something or if you prefere the version I sent you on January.

K.O.L. :Kaleun_Salute:

Thank you very much; this is being downloaded. If you want to add SH5 voices I think that may be nice; I like that the English voices in SH5 are accented without sounding too overbearing. :up:

Aboujt music, though, I have a couple tracks already in mind that I may use though it's still up in the air ..... some of them come from the WWI flight simulator Red Baron 3d: Full Canvas Jacket and include patriotic speeches from various WWI leaders. Also might use music from several war movies: Gladiator, Flyboys, and Blackhawk Down (Steve Jablonsky and Paul Newman, etc.)

About the Deutschland - unfortunately Deutschland will not be included in the initial release (possibly later as an enhancement after the main release comes out).

[iambecomelife]

Miscellaneous shots of the latest work. Happy to say I resolved a CTD bug in Museum and now multiple units have been added with no crashes! UB-I, U-23, U-27, and U-31 classes.


https://i.postimg.cc/2S59qjNB/UB1-1.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/G2vX0HG6/UB1-2.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/GmS7v0bg/UB1-3.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Kvfsvkw2/UB1-4.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/9fRxpxMm/UB1-5.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/W4CyLBKq/Explosive.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/x8ypmcdL/Interior.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/7hyQbgqx/Museum-U23.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/bYQBWFRd/Museum-U27.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/fTDrNjHC/Museum-U31.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/YS5dy1G1/UB1-Museum.jpg

[iambecomelife]

https://i.postimg.cc/R0NYYSPz/Turm01.jpg


https://i.postimg.cc/WzjXsT7z/UB1-Roster.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/GtQz2VMQ/Underfire.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/DfdxB42X/Untitled-1.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/PrS2kGvf/Untitled-4.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/134MmWDG/Wreck01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/4xMPmz1r/Wreck02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/qRHGG4Sw/Wreck03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/9f7pTr8z/Wreck04.jpg

[Randomizer]

Spectacular screenshots! Wolves of the Kaiser will be mind-blowing when it's done. Thanks.

-C

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

Your work is a Masterpiece !! I really love your incredible work. :arrgh!:
The only thing I have some doubts about is the shape of the Type 23.
Let me explain: in your screeshot the hull shape and the some vents are very similar to the types 27 and 31, but they weren't

https://i.postimg.cc/7hyQbgqx/Museum-U23.jpg


Type 23 hadn't that 5 vents right over the torpedo tubes and a net cutter and the anchor should be in a slightly rearward position, because the hull number (very big in that class, like Type 19)
https://image.jimcdn.com/app/cms/image/transf/none/path/s6f83a957bd4e7300/image/i8215185e23a12fd7/version/1630837228/image.jpg
https://static.arkivi.de/thumb/1080000/arkivi_1081392.jpg
https://static.arkivi.de/thumb/950000/arkivi_958229.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/6wi66v7azil37eg/SSK_U25_1916.png?dl=0
https://naval-encyclopedia.com/ww1/images/ships/germany/u23.GIF
(Only U-25 had that two humps)
https://image.jimcdn.com/app/cms/image/transf/dimension=1920x400:format=jpg/path/s6f83a957bd4e7300/image/i874f000f981da64d/version/1641019320/image.jpg

Sorry for so many images and for always pointing out for these small details :oops:
Anyway except for this small doubt, your work is impressive and outstanding. :Kaleun_Wink:

[iambecomelife]

Your work is a Masterpiece !! I really love your incredible work. :arrgh!:
The only thing I have some doubts about is the shape of the Type 23.
Let me explain: in your screeshot the hull shape and the some vents are very similar to the types 27 and 31, but they weren't


Type 23 hadn't that 5 vents right over the torpedo tubes and a net cutter and the anchor should be in a slightly rearward position, because the hull number (very big in that class, like Type 19)
https://image.jimcdn.com/app/cms/image/transf/none/path/s6f83a957bd4e7300/image/i8215185e23a12fd7/version/1630837228/image.jpg
https://static.arkivi.de/thumb/1080000/arkivi_1081392.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/6wi66v7azil37eg/SSK_U25_1916.png?dl=0
https://naval-encyclopedia.com/ww1/images/ships/germany/u23.GIF
(Only U-25 had that two humps)
https://image.jimcdn.com/app/cms/image/transf/dimension=1920x400:format=jpg/path/s6f83a957bd4e7300/image/i874f000f981da64d/version/1641019320/image.jpg

Sorry for so many images and for always pointing out for these small details :oops:
Anyway except for this small doubt, your work is impressive and outstanding. :Kaleun_Wink:

Don't be sorry, thank you for the feedback and support! :Kaleun_Salute::Kaleun_Salute::Kaleun_Salute: Changes to the model will be my new project for next week. Also, I think I will create versions of the conning towers with the old-style canvas screen you see instead of the metal shield.... based on what I've seen they used the canvas screens early in the war, and later on they used the rounded metal ones. If you look at U-20 which sank "Lusitania", she had a tower with rails for canvas around 1914, but had this replaced if you look at pictures of her wreck in 1916-1917.

After a lot of thought I will not be including user-updated Turms in the mod. There will be minor Conning Tower changes, but they will be equipped automatically and not in base mode. This is for several reasons:

-Too many of the SH4 supermod makers have had problems with CTD's & other glitches due to conning tower upgrades. I aim to make this mod as stable as possible (note how I just spent several sleepless nights getting rid of a museum CTD!) :) WOTK aims for QUALITY. and Stability.

-There was not a great variety of anti-aircraft weapons mounted on WWI conning towers. In fact I have only seen evidence of Conning Tower AA guns on the UB-I type. With a few exceptions, the blueprints show that AA machine guns were kept stowed and mounted on the bow or stern using a portable tripod if they were needed. Not fixed in place like the AA guns on a WWII Type VII.

-Aside from better crew screens, conning towers either didn't really change that much throughout WWI based on my research ... or the changes are so poorly documented I can't be accurate with them. Hope this is not a big issue.

[Mork_417]

Awesome screenshots! :up:

[fitzcarraldo]

A great work. Congratulations. Hope you can made a video with the "beta" version.

Many thanks.

Fitzcarraldo :Kaleun_Salute:

[iambecomelife]

RIP to Sailor Steve; we talked outside of Subsim and his encouragement will be sorely missed. I regret he was never able to play WOTK. I plan to add a special commemoration to him in the mod's final version.

Preparing some more screenshots now for the coming days.

[Mad Mardigan]

RIP to Sailor Steve; we talked outside of Subsim and his encouragement will be sorely missed. I regret he was never able to play WOTK. I plan to add a special commemoration to him in the mod's final version.

Preparing some more screenshots now for the coming days.



~~~~~~~\\~ On eternal patrol ~//~~~~~~~

~~:Kaleun_Salute: :Kaleun_Cheers: ~R. I. P.~ :Kaleun_Cheers: :Kaleun_Salute:~~

~~~~\ Sailor Steve /~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~






:Kaleun_Salute:


M. M.

[kongovsfuso142]

R. I. P. Sailor Steve you are dearly missed.

:Kaleun_Salute::Kaleun_Salute::Kaleun_Salute:





His name shall sail the seven seas for all eternity.


Kongo.
:Kaleun_Salute:

[iambecomelife]

Made a quick pivot back to surface ships..... stay tuned for screenshots of an ultra-high detailed ship involved in the most tragic convoy disaster of WWI! More news coming soon. :Kaleun_Cheers::Kaleun_Cheers::Kaleun_Cheers:

[iambecomelife]

As promised .... WIP of this lost ship. Finishing up all of her parts in Wings3d.

https://i.postimg.cc/rmRJ61vr/Mary-Rose-Wings3d-BW-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/j2VhRWbk/Mary-Rose-Wings3d-BW-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/qq8xqkBB/Mary-Rose-Wings3d-BW-03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/VL8FTb4J/Mary-Rose-Wings3d-BW-04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/v89z3v7R/Mary-Rose-Wings3d-BW-05.jpg

[iambecomelife]

...the "M" Class destroyer! Over 100 were built between 1914 and the end of the war. They were highly successful, but were all scrapped after the end of the war .... being worn out and obsolete compared to newer, bigger Royal Navy destroyers.

Below is the "M" Class HMS "Mary Rose" - a ship that became famous in the war for all the wrong reasons. Fittingly, I am working on this model almost on the anniversary of "Mary Rose's" last battle.

By October 1917 the convoy system was slowly but surely defeating the U-Boats. To protect trade between Scandinavia and the UK, the Royal Navy deployed large numbers of DD's and armed trawlers to shepherd merchant vessels on the Norway - England route.

On October 16, 1917 the regular Scandinavia convoy of 12 freighters sailed West, with "Mary Rose", her sister destroyer "Strongbow", and two armed trawlers as escort .... more than enough to deal with any submarine.

Unfortunately for the British, the German cruisers "Brummer" and "Bremse" were in the area - information about their raid was not passed on to "Mary Rose's" commander. On the morning of October 17, "Mary Rose" challenged the Germans at close range, mistaking them for British cruisers ... and got blown out of the water in a hail of gunfire. Her gunners bravely returned fire but were soon forced overboard as she sank beneath them. "Strongbow" was also sunk in minutes, and the raiders went on to annihilate the convoy. Only three cargo ships escaped. Out of Mary Rose's 100 crew, only 10 men reached shore in a damaged lifeboat. In all, more than 250 sailors were killed, and the German raiders escaped with no loss.

https://i.postimg.cc/xCB6qxK5/Mary-Crew.jpg

Photo of Mary Rose's crew is courtesy of the author Kristen den Hartog.

https://i.postimg.cc/qMVmTFBM/Mary-Rose-Pic-Paper-Headline.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/prYKxqkp/MR-Painting.jpg

Almost exactly 105 years later, the sacrifice of "Mary Rose" and her brave men is almost forgotten - probably because it was such an embarrassing defeat for the Royal Navy. May the men of "Mary Rose" RIP as their anniversary approaches.

My model of the "M" class has several errors and still needs some parts and crew figures, but it is much better than the previous version IMHO ... I am a slow learner but I learn. :haha:

https://i.postimg.cc/qMxGdMZj/AAAScreen01.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/4ytBc6Pg/Mary-Rose-Pic01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/RCnP2mBD/Mary-Rose-Pic02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/qvpjtCCP/Mary-Rose-Wings3d-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/tgTkkQkD/Mary-Rose-Wings3d-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Nf6dfxL8/Mary-Rose-Wings3d-03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/CxJJbLGz/Mary-Rose-Wings3d-04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/6Qm01j1K/Mary-Rose-Wings3d-05.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/QdNJNG2s/MClass01.jpg

[iambecomelife]

https://i.postimg.cc/1tDqcJkJ/MClass09.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/fTDx5QTX/MClass10.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/SK36GXJN/MClass11.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/2yfnPPQs/MClass12.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/44z6zxZs/MClass13.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/KjFg9tFF/MClass02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/B6Fx7qK5/MClass03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/xdcGHGj4/MClass04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/x1sycpQm/MClass05.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/W4BZkQHd/MClass06.jpg

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Excellent stuff, Iambecomelife! :up:

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

Always hats off to you and your incredible work :Kaleun_Applaud:

[iambecomelife]

Next project is corrections to U23 that were pointed out, plus early war conning towers ... I am going to make some nice canvas screening for 1914 before they realized that all metal conning towers were better. If you look at Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt's screenshots you will notice how they draped canvas over the early war boats to protect the crew.

Also a list of the most important outstanding items .... keep faith, trying for a 2023 release. Thanks for the support.

[Jimbuna]

Slacker! :o

:03:

[Bubblehead1980]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeEeraGBEPc

[iambecomelife]

Thanks for the support! One of the things I am proud of is that the Mary Rose contains no parts from existing ships...like the other models for WOTK she is 100% scratch built.

And thank you for that video, it's very valuable. Good news, a new submarine has been implemented...no CTDs or problems! U23 model has been corrected too. More screenshots to be posted this weekend or Monday.

[Texas Red]

I have secured from silent running to say this: keep up the great work!

I'm beyond thrilled to see this mod be released.

I'll be damned if you don't get a medal for this, skipper. This is super exciting stuff right here! :Kaleun_Salute:


"Rig for silent running!"

[SwissSubCommander]

In WW2 the U-boat skippers had gadgets like the RAOBF to calculate the target data and the TDC to compile it into a firing solution. Plus a hydrophone to detect ships and submarines. How did the u-boats of WW1 handle these tasks? And how is early war ASW going to be represented in the mod? Small boats with sailors armed with hammers? :hmmm:

[J0313]

In WW2 the U-boat skippers had gadgets like the RAOBF to calculate the target data and the TDC to compile it into a firing solution. Plus a hydrophone to detect ships and submarines. How did the u-boats of WW1 handle these tasks? And how is early war ASW going to be represented in the mod? Small boats with sailors armed with hammers? :hmmm:

When do you think depth charges and and early hydrophones were introduced.
Rhetorical question. No reply required. Sounds to me like you need to do a little reading on ASW in WW1.

[Randomizer]

Sounds to me like you need to do a little reading on ASW in WW1.
I suspect that you're being a bit harsh on SwissSubCommander.

Passive hydrophones on escorts were rare until very late in the War and the problems of self-noise and signal interpretation were both works in progress and nowhere near to being even vestigially solved. The British had worked ahead on the problem because thanks to the fixed array of hydrophones that were placed in the Channel near Dover in 1917 but they generally only managed to detect surfaced U-Boats running the Dover Patrol's gauntlet.

ASDIC would not appear for trials before 1919 and it was into the 1920's before the first destroyer was so equipped. Then it took several years of trial and error to develop the skills and the tactics and to train instructors to run the operator training courses.

Most WW1 submarines were sunk by gunfire and or ramming but the biggest killer was mines. Depth charges were large and few in number, at least at first, during the summer of 1917. However, submarines were quite fragile, had poor underwater endurance and limited battery power. With few exceptions, the obvious one being the Royal Navy's R-Class boats, subs and U-Boats lacked hydrophones so unless the captain risked raising the periscope, he was as blind as the hunters.

Most submarine and U-Boat classes were slow to dive, which made them vulnerable to being surprised, particularly at night and in bad weather. Because antenna theory was still in its infancy, virtually all installations had a transmitting and separate receiving antenna, which required stowing before the boat could dive and this took time. Failure to do so would usually render the wireless useless and that usually aborted the patrol.

Being a submariner in any navy during WW1 was a dangerous business.

The Battle of May Island (https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/world-war-i-articles/the-battle-of-may-island-january-1917-and-k-class-submarines-of-the-first-world-war/)

-C

[J0313]

I suspect that you're being a bit harsh on SwissSubCommander.

Passive hydrophones on escorts were rare until very late in the War and the problems of self-noise and signal interpretation were both works in progress and nowhere near to being even vestigially solved. The British had worked ahead on the problem because thanks to the fixed array of hydrophones that were placed in the Channel near Dover in 1917 but they generally only managed to detect surfaced U-Boats running the Dover Patrol's gauntlet.

ASDIC would not appear for trials before 1919 and it was into the 1920's before the first destroyer was so equipped. Then it took several years of trial and error to develop the skills and the tactics and to train instructors to run the operator training courses.

Most WW1 submarines were sunk by gunfire and or ramming but the biggest killer was mines. Depth charges were large and few in number, at least at first, during the summer of 1917. However, submarines were quite fragile, had poor underwater endurance and limited battery power. With few exceptions, the obvious one being the Royal Navy's R-Class boats, subs and U-Boats lacked hydrophones so unless the captain risked raising the periscope, he was as blind as the hunters.

Most submarine and U-Boat classes were slow to dive, which made them vulnerable to being surprised, particularly at night and in bad weather. Because antenna theory was still in its infancy, virtually all installations had a transmitting and separate receiving antenna, which required stowing before the boat could dive and this took time. Failure to do so would usually render the wireless useless and that usually aborted the patrol.

Being a submariner in any navy during WW1 was a dangerous business.

The Battle of May Island (https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/world-war-i-articles/the-battle-of-may-island-january-1917-and-k-class-submarines-of-the-first-world-war/)

-C
Yawn. But thanks for trying to impress me.

[iambecomelife]

Please keep it civil, everyone.


Apologies for no screenshots as scheduled .... the landlubbers at my job are driving me nuts. :haha: On the plus side I had a nice chat with Capt. Lehmann on Friday; very productive!

Work this past week included the following.

-Adding U-51 Class details as seen below. Needs polishing and correct vent holes, plus more conning tower work, but she is in and doesn't crash the game.

https://i.postimg.cc/QxFYT0CT/Untitled-5.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/66j1qDWK/Untitled-6.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/QCy6zW4C/Untitled-7.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Gh67JGTS/Untitled-8.jpg

-Began WOTK architecture sub-project...all new destructible buildings. Detailed and appropriate for European - theatre ports of 1914-1918. (As a side note, there are plans for an indestructible monument to Sailor Steve and other fallen shipmates who contributed to the project). :salute:

-Research on additional sub types .... things have been going so well with existing subs that more player units may be added; this represents very little additional work because some of them were modeled earlier and then put aside on my hard drive. Likely additions include UB-II Class, U-81 Class plus variants, U-63 Class, U-93 Class, and U-66 Class.


https://i.postimg.cc/kgFFPVwT/U63-Submarine-WWI.jpg



-HMS Arethusa Class light cruisers being modeled as AI units. Very common enemy units that fought at Jutland and in the North Sea.

https://i.postimg.cc/ZKPyCG3R/Arethusa-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/WpkZPF10/Untitled-86.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/65xv6W8g/Untitled-87.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/g2YLRgqK/Untitled-88.jpg

-Preparing the U-9 Class for implementation; the attack on Aboukir, Cressy, and Hogue will be one of the single missions available.

https://i.postimg.cc/q7JcJk54/U9-Submarine.jpg

[SwissSubCommander]

When do you think depth charges and and early hydrophones were introduced.
Rhetorical question. No reply required. Sounds to me like you need to do a little reading on ASW in WW1.
I was not asking only about ASW, but also about the offensive tools of the German U-Boats. I was wondering what tools the U-Boat skippers had to aid them in determining the lead angle for their eels or if they had to rely solely on guesswork. Btw here is your early-WW1 ASW: https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/5-wackiest-ideas-british-defeating-german-subs/#:~:text=Hammers%20and%20bags&text=So%2C%20if%20the%20crew%20spotted,could%20to% 20break%20the%20periscope.

[Mad Mardigan]

On adding in monuments to those that have helped you & gone on to Eternal patrol... IABL.



:Kaleun_Cheers: :Kaleun_Thumbs_Up: :Kaleun_Applaud: :Kaleun_Wink:







:Kaleun_Salute:



M. M.

[KaleunMarco]

On adding in monuments to those that have helped you & gone on to Eternal patrol... IABL.
:Kaleun_Cheers: :Kaleun_Thumbs_Up: :Kaleun_Applaud: :Kaleun_Wink:
:Kaleun_Salute:
M. M.

IABL?

[Mad Mardigan]

IABL?



IABL = Iambecomelife, KM bud... :shucks:



:Kaleun_Cheers:







:Kaleun_Salute:



M. M.

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Awesome stuff! IABL! Impressive to say the least!

:arrgh!:

[iambecomelife]

In WW2 the U-boat skippers had gadgets like the RAOBF to calculate the target data and the TDC to compile it into a firing solution. Plus a hydrophone to detect ships and submarines. How did the u-boats of WW1 handle these tasks? And how is early war ASW going to be represented in the mod? Small boats with sailors armed with hammers? :hmmm:

There was a good post several months ago about the primitive "computer" and rulers used as a targeting system by WWI skippers....nothing like a modern "computer"; it was an unpowered device with no screen. Unfortunately it can't be included in the mod because of the lack of images; I have not been able to find out what all its parts looked like. Also, exchanging the existing targeting objects for them would be another problem. Not a huge loss because in real life the "computer" was disliked by many skippers and inaccurate. At present I will have a WWII targeting interface similar to what is in UBoat and SHIV ATO mods with restrictions, such as no FAT functionality/leg settings, no homing, and reduced torpedo gyro arc setting options to represent more limited WWI torpedoes, like the 45cm "C" series and the 50cm G6.

Early ASW will feature crude depth charge predecessors like bomb-floats; these equipped several Q ships and escorts. There will also be some hydrophones; they were used with some success but were more common on late war escorts circa 1917-1918. I may use a weakened version of sonar just to make sure escorts don't give up the chase, although it is not 100% historical; I still want there to be frightening depth charge attacks once DC's are available. Despite mediocre sensors the allies often had a good idea of where a U-Boat was in WWI - to the point where in one month in 1918 front line U-Boats suffered about a 25% sinking rate. By the end of the war, the hydrophone + DC equipped destroyers were very deadly.

I will try to find the post for you after work; going out on the job now! :up:

And thank you, Captain Lehmann, for the compliments, this week expect to see more progress!

[Muckenberg]

Hello. So I have to say that you are doing a perfect job. Although I prefer SH5.5 TWos, but I am looking forward to your supermegamod.

:Kaleun_Salute::Kaleun_Thumbs_Up::Kaleun_Salute::K aleun_Thumbs_Up::Kaleun_Applaud:

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

I can't do nothing but applause to your superb work :Kaleun_Applaud:

Sorry again to bother you always for these small details, but there are few historical errors in your Type 51 model

In your model, the stern is identical to Type 31
https://i.postimg.cc/QxFYT0CT/Untitled-5.jpg
They were however very different. Type 51's stern was like this:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Japanese_submarine_Maru-3_in_1919.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/U_65_submarine_WW1.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/ms1xx9jk2zgfv0e/SSK_U55_1918.png?dl=0
https://uboat.net/media/wwi/boats/types/u51.gif
They had even a small hump just below the deck gun platform.
An other intresting feature was the position of the net cutter (unique upon german subs), which was in a backward position.
https://i.postimg.cc/y6pp3NFd/u54-zpsd803fnfi.jpg
https://static.akpool.de/images/cards/287/2871529.jpg
https://modelist-konstruktor.com/img/6421/8.jpg
as you can see here, by drawings, the anchor position should be different (not too sure in reality, seeing the photos).
And last: this class lacked on bow, of protective railings, as you can see in the pics of U-53 in Newport (Type 31 was the last class to adopt them)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/German_Submarine_U-53._%2851250993186%29.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9e/7f/c4/9e7fc4df26e6d08ed78c956fc8a2165e.jpg
The stern ones were different too, because after Type 43, the German Navy adopted some kind of "standard type" which was this:
https://gwfattachments.s3.amazonaws.com/monthly_2020_05/1916137264_SMU048-07.jpg.4b52375d46517155466f68995d325905.jpg
U-44

I took this intresting image of U-46 too, because it shows a nice camo scheme, infact I wanted to ask you if you'll add camoflage paint schemes too for our u-boats :D
https://gwfattachments.s3.amazonaws.com/monthly_2020_05/1159449148_SMU048-05.jpg.d7e74a826c2fbb2a597f0b3298538fbe.jpg

Hope it could be helpful for you and sorry for taking so much space for these images and for some of them, which are not in good quality :oops:
:Kaleun_Salute:

[SwissSubCommander]

Do you think it will be possible to make the exhaust-particles white for the U-9 class? :hmmm:

[iambecomelife]

I can't do nothing but applause to your superb work :Kaleun_Applaud:

Sorry again to bother you always for these small details, but there are few historical errors in your Type 51 model



Good eye, there are several corrections needed; the stern will certainly be revised before release along with the other details.... luckily the German painter Klaus Bergen produced many excellent paintings of this class, which I can use as sources. He was one of the most accurate WWI naval painters....unlike other painters who exaggerated ships' and submarines' appearance, his illustrations have accurate proportions and professional-grade detail.

To Swiss Sub Commander - yes! There will be billowing white exhaust fumes for kerosene boats like U-9. There will also be a smokestack that raises and lowers. More modern, diesel boats will have darker exhaust that is less visible...more "wispy" and hard to see at long range.

In the way of updates, lots of work on U-87. U-81, cruisers and destructible buildings. Modeling of the Arethusa class is almost done; pretty happy with the model. Wisebaden class cruisers have been started using wings3d modeling software. A few more similar classes and light cruiser modeling will be done.

Partial list of light cruiser classes is:

-Ceres Class
-Chatham Class
-Birmingham Class
-Weymouth Class (60% Complete)
-Arethusa Class (90% Complete)
-Caroline Class
-Calliope Class
-Bristol Class (55% Complete)
-Active Class
-Patrol Class (20% Complete)

-Kolberg Class
-Karlsruhe Class
-Pillau Class
-Wiesbaden Class (10% complete)
-Brummer Class
-Graudenz Class

Note that I already have many parts already textured and several classes can be created with minor changes to funnels, masts, & so on ..... this list really is not over ambitious or hard to do. New screenshots coming soon.

[iambecomelife]

Updated comprehensive list of player/non-player units coming soon! Everything's going well. Were it not for my overtime (working 7 days a week) this would be nearly ready for beta. However, the extra money (which I put into research and equipment) is worth it.

Considering a purchase of a new, state-of-the-art PC; if bought, it will be my main test rig and I will probably ship my current computer across country - that way I can work on the game when I am on vacation with my family.

As far as I know, this modification will have more World War I ship classes than any WWI simulator aside from SES's Jutland, which is by now quite old.*


Screenshots were delayed because I worked overtime Saturday and Sunday. If you guys like I can bundle the old game screenshots as a preview, along as a few never before seen shots, and make the images available as a .RAR or .ZIP on a filesharing host. Let me know!


*A few newer games like "Steam and Iron" have more ship classes but no realtime 3d aspect.

[DeepSixNiner]

I can't imagine there is anybody in the subsim community that isn't eagerly awaiting this incredible mod. Can't wait to see more sneak peaks!

Thanks for all the hard work, don't know how you do it on that work schedule my friend.
Keep up the great work!

[ElCid97]

I have no skills whatsoever in this, and I'm a casual simmer when it comes to this genre.


Still, I'd like to contribute what I can.


For what it's worth, I found this website and thought I'd share since this looks like it'll be my preferred subsim when it comes out. :up:


https://www.virtualdockyard.co.uk/index.html


There are some really good drawings you folks could use to make some German ships and British subs.


Regards,


El Cid

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Updated comprehensive list of player/non-player units coming soon! Everything's going well. Were it not for my overtime (working 7 days a week) this would be nearly ready for beta. However, the extra money (which I put into research and equipment) is worth it.

Considering a purchase of a new, state-of-the-art PC; if bought, it will be my main test rig and I will probably ship my current computer across country - that way I can work on the game when I am on vacation with my family.

As far as I know, this modification will have more World War I ship classes than any WWI simulator aside from SES's Jutland, which is by now quite old.*

Screenshots were delayed because I worked overtime Saturday and Sunday. If you guys like I can bundle the old game screenshots as a preview, along as a few never before seen shots, and make the images available as a .RAR or .ZIP on a filesharing host. Let me know!

*A few newer games like "Steam and Iron" have more ship classes but no realtime 3d aspect.

For what it is worth, putting my thoughts here:

This is exciting stuff.

I'm certainly historically uninformed as it relates to WWI submarine warfare, but I do know that there is no WWI submarine simulator out there that does what Iambecomelife is building.

When this project is released. It will be a LANDMARK day not just for Subsim, but for the entire submarine simulation genre.

No pressure, Iambecomelife. :D

Keep up the good work! :arrgh!:

[igor7111]

For what it is worth, putting my thoughts here:

This is exciting stuff.

I'm certainly historically uninformed as it relates to WWI submarine warfare, but I do know that there is no WWI submarine simulator out there that does what Iambecomelife is building.

When this project is released. It will be a LANDMARK day not just for Subsim, but for the entire submarine simulation genre.

No pressure, Iambecomelife. :D

Keep up the good work! :arrgh!:


I agree that this is gonna rock the sub sim world. The amount of work put into this project is unbelievable. Can't wait for the supermod.

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

Any news out there? :Kaleun_Periskop:

[ElCid97]

All,

I came across this while trying to wrap my head around what has been referred to as, "Dick O'Kan's" method of firing torpedoes. As it turns out, this was the method that was used during the First World War.

Here's the link:

http://tvre.org/en/torpedo-attacks-during-wwi

There is other information in there, to include some info on torpedoes as well as tactics used by U-Boat commanders during the "Great War."

I now the torpedo data has been spoken about before - about a year or two ago - but thought I'd share the link since I would think there is no "stadimeter" in the "traditional" SH4 sense being planned for WOTK.

Because of this, it would probably be a good idea to try and get some understanding on how we're going to employ these wonderful works of art once they get off the virtual slipways. :D

I've been using the "lead angle" method for FOTRSU with success (so far) by calculating range using periscope marks (as long as it's not rocking too bad) and lead angle using formulae. By cross-checking on the map with the ruler or compass I've been coming fairly close. Almost to a few hundred yards.

I can offer those formulae here for the project it you think it can help, though I've gotten many them from scouring MANY different places here on SOH.

Likewise, if there's someone out there with programming skills that can incorporate them into the game somehow it would probably be something that can be used to enhance the immersion.


Just let me know if you think they're worthwhile and I'll post them.

Regards,

El Cid '97

[Aktungbby]

ElCid97!:Kaleun_Salute:

[ElCid97]

I've attached an image with what I was thinking. I've managed to get this into SH4 by "splicing" it onto the gramaphone image. Unfortunately I can't use the original image data anymore since this table is on top covering the numbers for the times. Not perfect, but it at least let's me know something can be done.

I obtained the numbers by using the following formula which I got somewhere on the SOH forums. Credits to the original poster(s):

Lead Angle = arctan (target spd in kts / torpedo spd in kts)

The "arctan" is the "arc tangent" which is sometimes written as tan-1 (the "-1" in small number to the top-right). I'm explaining it since I'm not a mathematecian and it took me a while to figure out.

German scopes had their vertical marks in "mils" from what I understand. The horizontal marks were in degrees.

I believe the formula for the range was mast height in meters divided by the number of mils observed in order to get the range in meters.

I'm not sure if you guys were going to go with a more accurate German scope, or just a "rehash" of the default "4-lines-to-the-scope" we have with the default SH4.

I'm not sure what they have for the U-Boat side of the house in SH4.

If using the default SH4 scope (US), the numbers are 1* per line at low power and 0.25* per line at high power - with the large lines being 4* and 1* respectively.

With that in mind, the following could be used to get range a-la-WWI using default scopes. Mind you, this is using feet since the SH4 manual has them in feet for US boats:

Low Power
----------------

Range = (Mast Height (ft) / tan of Angle observed) / 3

Example: Ship has 30 ft mast. You count 1 mark on scope at low power. That's one degree. So,

30 / tan 1 = 1,718.69 ... feet away. Divide further by 3 and you get 572.89 ... yards. Still too far for some WWI torpedos, but at least you get the idea.

High Power
----------------

30 / tan 0.25 = 6,875.44 ... feet. Divide by 3 and you get 2,291.81 ... yards away. Definately out of range for the first year or two of WWI.

Please bear in mind the image I've posted here is for US "S-Boats" and "Fleet Boats" right now, but the numbers can be used for DW or OM as well since the angles were derived from the speeds in knots.

Again, not sure how the scopes on the German side are in-game or if any of this was even looked at yet, but thought I'd help in what little way I could.

Can't wait until more screenshots come out! :up:

[kongovsfuso142]

Any updates on this mod?


Kongo.

[iambecomelife]

Any updates on this mod?


Kongo.

Would like to sincerely apologize for no recent screenshots! But be reassured, NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS .... a HUGE HUGE amount of work is going on behind the scenes - the evidence will be out there soon. Many hours are spent as soon as I come home from work.

Recent work also ties into some work for the next SH3 GWX mod, but that's all I can say for now. :ping:

I am experimenting with certain features that Playway's UBoat has and SH1 thru SH4 never implemented. But that's all I feel comfortable saying now. Not trying to be coy, but I don't want to let people down if my plan doesn't work.

My methodology at present is this:

1) Brainstorm while working on player subs+AI ships most of the time
2) Experiment with "Reach Goals" for several hours - using S3ditor
3) After verifying it can be done, set aside "Reach Goals" to continue work on the core sim

Thus, the vast majority of work since my last post has been done on core features: player units and AI ships. But maybe 20% of work has been on long-term revamps that will really add to the "wow" factor of the game! They have been verified as feasible but will be introduced as time allows - this prevents feature creep and getting bogged down. Wolves of the Kaiser is, at its heart, about submarines hunting ships!

To use an example, although destructible trains would be nice, I have no intention of getting bogged down creating Silent Hunter - Thomas the Tank Engine Edition. :haha: I know how deadly feature creep/digressions can be to these projects; I have no intention of letting it happen. Again, I plan to have people hunting and killing ships with this mod as soon as possible!

Much more news coming soon.

[iambecomelife]

2023 early Winter update coming soon... in 24 hours l promise! For real this time.

[iambecomelife]

A very small look behind the scenes - AI destroyers. Modeling going well - current German destroyer roster is:

-G101 Class
-V25 Class
-S31 Class
-S49 Class
-V1 Class

British DD roster is as follows:


-Acorn Class
-K Class
-L Class
-Admiralty "M" Class
-Faulknor Class
-30-Knotter 1890's Type (Needs Work)

Me attacking German DDs with my submarine to test the damage model. British DD's perform well as submarine hunters with only hydrophones when they first detect your sub. At present if you are careless they can sink you with one DC run; however, they they give up too soon in my opinion; I want them to hunt for more than 45 minutes. I will upgrade AI so that they hunt your sub for hours and increase the damage radius for DC's.

https://i.postimg.cc/1RMgC2gL/G101-Intact-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/NfMKWDmL/G101-Intact-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Gpktk5wg/G101-Intact-03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/4NSYZcQP/G101-Intact-04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/3wMW0H6D/G101-Intact-05.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/rwRKpphk/G101-Sink-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/ydsdny71/G101-Sink-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/HxzLN8LQ/G101-Sink-03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/tJggGR18/Heavylist.jpg

http://x
http://x

[iambecomelife]

More DD images: Still lots of errors/work to do but the new damage methodology/system is complete at last....it was a huge headache. But now I can have events such as crew panic phase, men fighting fires, looking for life vests, lifeboats lowering, fire spreading gradually, ships breaking in pieces without sinking, etc.... the damage will be very dynamic and vary from ship to ship. Even within the same class. One ship may blow into little pieces from a magazine detonation ... another might sink intact after 5 minutes. Still another might take an hour to sink, burn out, or even survive if just the tip of the stern or bow breaks. Dramatic sinkings, men jumping overboard, structural failure like "Titanic", panicked crowds on deck trapped by fires...S3ditor makes it all possible.

http://x

https://i.postimg.cc/0jHykgDj/Ina-Hurry-G102.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/SQZs7934/Incl-05.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/TYF3B6TH/Incompl-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/VNcLLWrq/List-Heavily.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/NjXjczMG/Listy2.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/HL4WJ8Xf/Museum-G101.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/63WWC6hT/Race01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/ydLVjqfj/Race02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/3J4KXc2j/Salute-Friendly-Ship.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/90zcNxKh/Salute02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/c15x8St4/Shellholesddd.jpg

[iambecomelife]

http://x


https://i.postimg.cc/d0BvQPKF/Sinking-G101-Crewman.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/7LDwyPdX/Stbd-Sink.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/GmvdNT7H/Torphit.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/vHJG3tvJ/V25-WIP-A.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/HnTycCrt/A-Building-Panic.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/qvNCCwvW/Ablaze.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Qx4Ttwhp/DD-Overheraad.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/m229TBfL/DD-Tubes-Smokestack.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/59mvcjrK/DDG101-Light-Smoke.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/s2SQT2Sc/Depthcharge-German-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/D05b1Ys3/Destroyer-Squad-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/9Mh4KjYj/Destroyer-Squad-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/4dQKTFWH/Disaster-Strikes.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/GtMH4Twc/G101-Big-Explosion.jpg

[iambecomelife]

Various British destroyers:

http://x

https://i.postimg.cc/3wPWs0m6/Acorn-Chase-Sub.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/FHzR1Vx8/Acorn-Stern.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/vTvBxPkF/British-DD-Acorn-Class.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/fysyL4Hf/British-DD-Admiralty-M-Class.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/c4s6GSts/British-DD-Faulknor-Tipperary.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/j5PCtqhj/British-DD-Kclass.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/DfQmNZZj/British-DD-Lclass.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/vH3TQN55/KClass-Distance.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/SxPK9YTs/MClass-Clean.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/mDf2XfGW/NDD-Acorn-Prof01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Y08rCvLt/NDD-Acorn-Prof02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/k4QML1n6/Tippy01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/WzspVG39/Tippy02.jpg

[iambecomelife]

Interface options .... of course subject to change

http://x


https://i.postimg.cc/jSbpFxDX/Interface-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/DyLV6Jw0/Interface-03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/76WX8Vm4/Interface-04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/7hJ9x2W2/Interface-Last.jpg

Closer shots of various models - DD's, subs, buildings, and more


https://i.postimg.cc/ncyFcfCj/Arethus-00.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/dVGqhNyW/Arethus-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/28bjDS8N/Arethusa.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/ZR5ZDTDg/Bowgunnerz.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/x8kQn6Q3/Bowtorps.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/9Mg26v6f/British-DDs.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/6pVXW7kg/Euro-Buildings.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/wBVgVtFL/Burning-Destroyer-German.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/bYFYWtPR/Camel-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/nr6Jzqcb/Chasum.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/XNh3Q6KH/DD-Distance.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/9QH2HPny/Depthcharge-German.jpg

[iambecomelife]

Last few shots

http://x

https://i.postimg.cc/q7kdzJ0R/Firetube.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/0QjR0Vz1/Green-Stbd-V25.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/50rc78zY/Gunners01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/q7jHKPMG/Incl-03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/HjGqHHBT/Incl-04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/056r8fc4/Sink-Freighter.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/wxSM3mrj/Smoke.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/15wtFzxc/SMS-V25-Wolves-of-the-Kaiser-00.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/nhxLGtp8/SMS-V25-Wolves-of-the-Kaiser-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/XYgY2DYr/SMS-V25-Wolves-of-the-Kaiser-03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/7LYYjM5m/SMS-V25-Wolves-of-the-Kaiser-04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/0Qz5ykdS/SMS-V25-Wolves-of-the-Kaiser-05.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/cHPxKpXb/SMS-V25-Wolves-of-the-Kaiser-06.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/KjXbcnYX/SMS-V25-Wolves-of-the-Kaiser-07.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/9MwVjxCt/Stander-V252.jpg

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

:Kaleun_Applaud:

[J0313]

This is going to be so great when you are finished IABL. You are a legend!

[Jimbuna]

A great deal of excellent work on show here :Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

[kongovsfuso142]

They are awesome cant wait for this mod. 😊

[ElCid97]

I really, really hope "Alte Kamaraden" or "Preussens Gloria" aren't copywrited! I can "hear" them when I see some of these shots! It would be great if it was part of the background music, or at least the gramophone!

Excellent work, my friend!

ElCid97:Kaleun_Salute:

[iambecomelife]

I really, really hope "Alte Kamaraden" or "Preussens Gloria" aren't copywrited! I can "hear" them when I see some of these shots! It would be great if it was part of the background music, or at least the gramophone!

Excellent work, my friend!

ElCid97:Kaleun_Salute:

Thank you and everyone else for your comments, you make it all worth it!!

I was hgoing to post some more screenshots but hit a technical snag - but I can overcome it! Just need to finish my work shift this morning lol.

Work on the UPC Submarine data files is nearly done, this is a big step forward!

Light cruiser models were delayed by the need to model new destroyers, but as you can see work on the destroyers is wrapping up.

Current plan is for AI ships to have the following features:

1) Crew panic effects (running/getting life vests etc) along with fire fighting
2) Lifeboat/Raft lowering - no more need for "magic lifeboats spawn!"
3) 3d shellholes - about 20-50 large 3d holes and hundreds of less detailed damage marks per model
4) 3d boilers, turbines, magazine, and cargo hold (only rendered at close range) - plus real turrets with parts and crew that have destructible sub-components.
5) Varied flags (sometimes false flags!) Be careful or you could sink a German blockade runner disguised with a British flag. Alternatively, some British merchants will disguise themselves with US, Dutch, Spanisb flag etc.
6) Pennant numbers/signal flags/funnel bands for warships
7) Neutral hull markings/ Q Ships that raise British Flag and drop flag boards before opening fire
8) Many new smoke, fire, oil leak, and fume effects for damage
9) Possibly, seaplane take off effect for ships that had them. And barrage balloons.
10) Varied armament for ships as the war goes on - some merchants will just have men with rifles, others will have 2 or even 3 big guns especially late in the war
11) Crew performing simple tasks on deck, just like in UBoat
12) After a ship sinks or plane crashes, rescuing 1-2 passengers with your U-Boat to get information or renown...small chance of rescuing someone important for big renown. Also, retrieving documents/code books for intelligence from flotsam or floating corpses....renown will count towards medals/promotion. Not kidding, this is doable.
13) Not going to go in too much detail, but weapon impacts will affect AI crew. Also, in midocean I plan to add occasional encounters with survivors (or "non survivors"). Again, not going to be too detailed but "non survivors" will .... "change" over time, if you observe them for long enough. These aspects will be optional to make WOTK acceptable for Subsim regulations/all age groups/people who don't want to deal with such things - I completely respect that.

I am tired of naval games - even the latest naval games - using the same old smoke/fire particles to represent damage. It's time to do better... WOTK will have what I call DSD (dynamic ship destruction). Remember, when you target ships you are targeting people. I'm not going to go overboard on blood/guts but I want to make this mod poignant. My ultimate goal is to make it so that you actually REGRET sinking ships, in a way. For example, when I play Red Dead Redemption 2, certain aspects are so realistic that I try not to target civilians. When you feel that way? That is how you know a game developer has succeeded.

Of course the priority always is the basic game, so don't worry - I will not let "feature creep" stall things, main objective always is core simulator with working U-Boats and a smaller/manageable number of AI target units. In a working core game to be released as soon as possible. Trust me, I will not get sidetracked with little things although details are fun. :up:


I spent this morning before work on a new Chatham Class light cruiser, and research for the HMS Falmouth Class, Weisbaden Class, Emden, Karlsruge, etc. Also work on sub interiors, character features and effects, and a very special surprise that I think has potenital to change Silent Hunter 4 in a big way.... I will say it has to do with the MARINE.dat file in the Library section.

I am not brilliant modder, these changes are not rocket science - it's just that no one has bothered to do them!! We could have achieved so much if we had a bigger modding team like the Total War or Mount and Blade fan communities. So much is possible using Silent 3d Editor - I highly recommend all modders study it!

More news coming up!


Stay tuned!!! Will be trying for more regular posts, images, and youtube movies showing progress more regularly.... also update on FB page and screenshot/preview packages for download. :D

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

So many exploding news Sir; I have no words to describe how much hyped I am for this project and thinking I saw it for the first time so many years ago (I visited this thread first time 10y ago, when I was 12 haha) has…. Well: I don’t know how to explain it; I can only say I’m really glad you are doing this project, an unicum of its kind.

Anyway, reading your new post I thought that the sound pack I sent you is not enough; I already have the idea of redoing some part of it, so I ask you: do you need any other new sounds I for the mod ?

[iambecomelife]

So many exploding news Sir; I have no words to describe how much hyped I am for this project and thinking I saw it for the first time so many years ago (I visited this thread first time 10y ago, when I was 12 haha) has…. Well: I don’t know how to explain it; I can only say I’m really glad you are doing this project, an unicum of its kind.

Anyway, reading your new post I thought that the sound pack I sent you is not enough; I already have the idea of redoing some part of it, so I ask you: do you need any other new sounds I for the mod ?

Thanks! I need the following sounds (no pressure, though) - many other things need to be done first, so take your time

-Harbor ambient noises (like a mix of dockworkers, factories, seagulls - whatever you would hear at a dock.)

-Horse sounds (hooves, neighing)

-Train noises/whistles

-Several different ship steam whistles

-Better water leaking/dripping noises. It leaked constantly in WWI submarines ... it was so bad that sailors on U-Boats even had special rubber sheets for their beds, because cloth blankets would mildew and stink! :haha: Leaks/condensation were everywhere, and the stock SH4 command room sound doesn't reflect that.

Thanks again!

[iambecomelife]

I am pretty mad at myself ... I was going to post a great demonstration last night of the new AI "abandon ship" routine, but I had trouble with node attachments in S3d Editor! :/\\!!:/\\!! Like an idiot I wasted hours in part due to a simple error I made in an .eqp file. Spent the night frustrated and angry. Oh well, tomorrow is another day. And I am on the verge of solving the problems. This week I will be doing much more work on AI units and the player's subs.

As a consolation, took some more screenshots so you can see how different the mod will look from unmodified Silent Hunter.

[iambecomelife]

This may not look like much, but pay attention to what's next to the merchant ship's hull! Actual lifeboats that lower .... ideally, we will no longer need to have "magic lifeboat" spawning effect! Davits are based on the real Wellin lifeboat davits used on RMS "Titanic" (lower detailed obviously). This is just an example, with old lifeboat model and no crew for testing purposes - the test went well. Will be worked on more diligently later, because of course player submarines and ships are highest priority.

https://i.postimg.cc/V6L901dr/Lifeboat-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/3RSXg6vL/Lifeboat-02.jpg

[KaleunMarco]

This may not look like much, but pay attention to what's next to the merchant ship's hull! Actual lifeboats that lower .... ideally, we will no longer need to have "magic lifeboat" spawning effect! Davits are based on the real Wellin lifeboat davits used on RMS "Titanic" (lower detailed obviously). This is just an example, with old lifeboat model and no crew for testing purposes - the test went well. Will be worked on more diligently later, because of course player submarines and ships are highest priority.

when there is an explosion on the ship, will the lifeboats catapult themselves into the ocean and then bounce like Superballs?

[iambecomelife]

when there is an explosion on the ship, will the lifeboats catapult themselves into the ocean and then bounce like Superballs?

Actually no! I have resolved the problem of bouncing boats/rafts - you just need to give them a higher mass in Silent 3ditor.. You need to set it to an ahistorically high value, like maybe 250 tons (which is actually the weight of a small trawler) but it makes the lifeboats handle much better.

The side effect is that colliding with them can damage your submarine, but this in turn can be eliminated by strengthening the submarine's bow compartments - again with Silent 3ditor.

[ElCid97]

-Better water leaking/dripping noises. It leaked constantly in WWI submarines ... it was so bad that sailors on U-Boats even had special rubber sheets for their beds, because cloth blankets would mildew and stink! :haha: Leaks/condensation were everywhere, and the stock SH4 command room sound doesn't reflect that.

Thanks again!

FotRSU has these things from what I've seen.

One thing I noticed on the S-Boats working with the BuPers Mod is that the gauges "sweat" and there are a few other things that come to mind like the "water" in the command room / interior with the "drips" when underwater. :up:

I could have sworn I actually saw water in the boat itself one time, but could be wrong. It was during flooding and could've sworn there was a "pool" of sorts in the command room? :hmmm:

I've also seen a video of an SH3 Type VII with dripping water and noises coming from the conning tower ring.

Would be interesting to see how that's done, because it really gives you something unique, that's for sure!

ElCid97

[iambecomelife]

FotRSU has these things from what I've seen.

One thing I noticed on the S-Boats working with the BuPers Mod is that the gauges "sweat" and there are a few other things that come to mind like the "water" in the command room / interior with the "drips" when underwater. :up:

I could have sworn I actually saw water in the boat itself one time, but could be wrong. It was during flooding and could've sworn there was a "pool" of sorts in the command room? :hmmm:

I've also seen a video of an SH3 Type VII with dripping water and noises coming from the conning tower ring.

Would be interesting to see how that's done, because it really gives you something unique, that's for sure!

ElCid97

Thanks, I would love to see how the mod maker created a pool of water (if he did) because one "holy grail" of interior SH4 modding is severe interior flooding on the floor of the compartments - like UBoat from Playway and SH5 has .... such flooding is one of the few advantages SH5 has over SH4.


https://i.postimg.cc/C1MPF6XF/Whole-Gang.jpg

Screenies as promised .... HMS Tipperary, HMS Shark, and their squadron bump into a distinguished visitor... lol...keep in mind that, as always, work in progress and subject to change, in particular Tipperary needs changes to stern and caustics/bump mapping enhancement.... Portholes were lower in my plan drawing than in the actual photos of her sister "Broke", which survived the war.

"Lucy" needs skin work too, because the model was created before I had learned how to add these channels to the ship models. I will be going back and improving all of the older ships without them.... actually quite simple and not very time consuming so it is worth doing.

Note how enormous "Tipperary" is compared to typical WWI destroyers; she was a flotilla leader. Flotilla leaders were big ships designed to be at the head of an attack and help cripple smaller enemy destroyers.


https://i.postimg.cc/wjCYjHQ9/Comparison.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/vZ6CjkFk/Comparison2.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/SNHvWd2r/Tippy-00.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/mrypWGdX/Tippy-02.jpg


What they were NOT designed to do was duel enemy battleships, and at Jutland HMS "Tipperary" found herself fighting the German BB "Westfalen" at close range....but that's another story. :hmmm:

In WWII, much bigger destroyers would be common, with Fletcher Class, Tribal Class, and so on being over 2,000 tons or more full load.




https://i.postimg.cc/dQ6Fmbw9/SL-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/YqywTQ4G/SL-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/D0ytMznP/SL-03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/v80R65tq/SL-04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/1tKkBFhz/SL-05.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/MTxk1DL4/SL-05-small.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/WbzBmt92/SL-06.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/zfC6Dhfk/SL-07.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/tT9fsgZG/SL-08.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/B6NzHGHL/SL-09.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/cCHbc5BD/SL-10.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/FFWqKNhw/SL-11.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/7Z7QXzSy/SL-12.jpg


https://i.postimg.cc/mkX0fGrf/KClass.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/tCgjrBgG/Sailor-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/HsNf6HKb/Sailors0122.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/MpM8wXRs/Shark-00.jpg

[kongovsfuso142]

Thanks, I would love to see how the mod maker created a pool of water (if he did) because one "holy grail" of interior SH4 modding is severe interior flooding on the floor of the compartments - like UBoat from Playway and SH5 has .... such flooding is one of the few advantages SH5 has over SH4.


https://i.postimg.cc/C1MPF6XF/Whole-Gang.jpg

Screenies as promised .... HMS Tipperary, HMS Shark, and their squadron bump into a distinguished visitor... lol...keep in mind that, as always, work in progress and subject to change, in particular Tipperary needs changes to stern and caustics/bump mapping enhancement.... Portholes were lower in my plan drawing than in the actual photos of her sister "Broke", which survived the war.

"Lucy" needs skin work too, because the model was created before I had learned how to add these channels to the ship models. I will be going back and improving all of the older ships without them.... actually quite simple and not very time consuming so it is worth doing.

Note how enormous "Tipperary" is compared to typical WWI destroyers; she was a flotilla leader. Flotilla leaders were big ships designed to be at the head of an attack and help cripple smaller enemy destroyers.


https://i.postimg.cc/wjCYjHQ9/Comparison.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/vZ6CjkFk/Comparison2.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/SNHvWd2r/Tippy-00.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/mrypWGdX/Tippy-02.jpg


What they were NOT designed to do was duel enemy battleships, and at Jutland HMS "Tipperary" found herself fighting the German BB "Westfalen" at close range....but that's another story. :hmmm:

In WWII, much bigger destroyers would be common, with Fletcher Class, Tribal Class, and so on being over 2,000 tons or more full load.




https://i.postimg.cc/dQ6Fmbw9/SL-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/YqywTQ4G/SL-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/D0ytMznP/SL-03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/v80R65tq/SL-04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/1tKkBFhz/SL-05.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/MTxk1DL4/SL-05-small.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/WbzBmt92/SL-06.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/zfC6Dhfk/SL-07.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/tT9fsgZG/SL-08.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/B6NzHGHL/SL-09.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/cCHbc5BD/SL-10.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/FFWqKNhw/SL-11.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/7Z7QXzSy/SL-12.jpg


https://i.postimg.cc/mkX0fGrf/KClass.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/tCgjrBgG/Sailor-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/HsNf6HKb/Sailors0122.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/MpM8wXRs/Shark-00.jpg




This is the best looking mod ive seen for sh4 cant wait to play it :salute::):Kaleun_Salute::Kaleun_Thumbs_Up::Kaleun _Thumbs_Up:

[J0313]

I was wondering why your model of the Tipperary has two gun mounts on the stern versus the one mount shown in the photo?

[Randomizer]

Wolves of the Kaiser is not going to be just an SH4 Mod, it is clearly going to be a work of art as well.

-C

[ElCid97]

Thanks, I would love to see how the mod maker created a pool of water (if he did) because one "holy grail" of interior SH4 modding is severe interior flooding on the floor of the compartments - like UBoat from Playway and SH5 has .... such flooding is one of the few advantages SH5 has over SH4.

I wanted to dig through my install to give credit to the author before I posted anything. His name is "vickers03".

It's part of the Fleetboat Interiors from going through the various readme files I have, and though it's not "full" flooding, it does show something to some extent depending on the situation. It's part of the FotRSU install now.

Same level of excellence when it comes to the broken glass on gauges and sweating in the older boats like the V-Boats and the S-Boats. It's just absolutely AWSOME in my opinion.

It's a true gem by Vickers I can't say enough good things about. It really increases the immersion to be able to go up and down the ladder to the different stations in the conning tower when you're on a boat other than an old S-Boat.

I don't just hit F3, F4, O, H, etc. to go to those stations directly that often anymore. If I do, I'll do it from the conning tower! :D

ElCid97

[torpedodude23]

Hello, iambecomelife!!
I've been checking your thread about your upcoming supermod for about 3 years and recently decided to make an account. I just wanted to say that i'm amazed by how much patience you've had the past years!! No matter what happened, you still continued to work on the mod! Thank you!!

Support from Canada.:Kaleun_Thumbs_Up::Kaleun_Cheers:

[brickvapie]

More of a question, how will you represent depth charges? Depth Charges were more of a middle-of-the-war invention. So, will the destroyers attempt to ram the submarines, or will they attempt to coax them up for surrender?

(also yeah, I am suggesting surrender...thanks steibler.)
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1049231396020949074/1071845925565235200/image.png

[Xall]

Iambecomelife, I been following this mod for years, its great to see it still being developed and the progress you made is impressive.

Very excited for the day when we get to play it, keep up the great work and thank you for sharing this journey with us all.

:salute:

[iambecomelife]

I was wondering why your model of the Tipperary has two gun mounts on the stern versus the one mount shown in the photo?

The photo is Broke, her surviving sister, in 1918. After Tipperary was sunk at Jutland, her sister ships had the dual 4" guns at the stern replaced by one 4.7" gun. Probably for stability; too much top weight can be dangerous to a destroyer.

@Torpedodude23 - Thank you for your interest! We are always happy to have new faces at subsim - in the end, I hope this mod doesn't disappoint. Everything is always a work in progress - I still have a lot to learn, but hopefully the latest ships look better than what I posted at the start of the mod.

@brickvapie - Early in the war 1914-1915 they will use ramming, guns, or makeshift ASW bombs. The interesting thing is, there were quite a lot of primitive anti-submarine weapons that are older than the depth charge. :yep: Before the war, the Royal Navy had designed what were called "cruiser mines". They were big and heavy, over 1,000 lbs and had a slow sink rate - plus, they only had one depth setting (45 feet). This meant that they were not very successful and scored no kills as far as I know.

Navies also used bomb thrower float/stick bomb combinations.... a thin stick of explosive attached to a ball that looked like a toilet tank float. :haha: These were also crude, ineffective, and had a poor kill rate (once again I cannot confirm any kills through my research).

The Royal Navy also had aircraft bombs attached to floats as makeshift depth charges, designed in 1914 and used in 1915....also bad weapons.

My plan is to give a few destroyers depth charge predecessors in 1914-1915. By December 1915 DC's will be in service, by the end of 1916 they will be somewhat common, and in 1917-1918 they will be standard equipment. However, hunter-killer destroyers will "only" have about 30 DC's in 1917-1918 which is a historically accurate load - not like the hundreds on some WWII escorts.

To counterbalance the smaller DC load - keep in mind that the British had THOUSANDS of trawlers and drifters that they put to work in WWI; the fishing fleet was much larger than in more modern times, and it was easy to equip trawlers with a couple guns and maybe 2-4 DC's. The first Battle of the Atlantic was no cakewalk for the German subs - despite some stupid mistakes by the Allies before 1918, they learned fast. I have heard of submarine hunts that involved 40 patrol craft, trawlers, etc.... all it takes is for you to surface in front of one, and it calls in the destroyers. Assuming you sink it with your deck gun, 4-5 others will be breathing down your neck - shooting and calling in the destroyers. No wonder about 50% of K.M. U-Boat men did not survive the war. Below is an image of primitive ASW weapons from early in the war.

https://i.postimg.cc/V6dBL2jr/floats.jpg

[brickvapie]

Thanks, just one more thing

Saying that something like this happens, such as a Depth Charge almost ripping apart and destroying your boat, is there some type of surrender feature where you can raise up to depth, and will there be some type of scuttle system too?

[iambecomelife]

Thanks, just one more thing

Saying that something like this happens, such as a Depth Charge almost ripping apart and destroying your boat, is there some type of surrender feature where you can raise up to depth, and will there be some type of scuttle system too?

No plans for that unfortunately. I would love that idea but I don't know how to implement it.

I have some excellent news however...I have solved the "jello water" bug! I've been trying to do this for years and it took hundreds of hours. This means I will not need to have only calm weather for the entire mod...for the first time I was able to go severa in game days and have normal looking storm waves! :up: This is also useful for other modders ... the "jello water" issue has been a problem ever since SH4 was first released. The problem was that, in SH4, the game changes sea states too slowly - if you use time compression, eventually the wave patterns look weird, with jagged waves or big, fake "jello" waves. After increasing sea state change speed I finally get weather like it should be - realistic storms, off and on, and properly-shaped waves. I can't tell you guys what a big releif this is.

Other work this past week: preparing AI light cruiser models, and adding radio messages/news events. I thought it would take forever to add war news messages but it's coming along well! Now I have all of 1914-1915 done, and I'm in August 1916! You will get radio news of the war nearly every day (20-25 days per month). The Archduke Assassination, Battle of the Marne, Tannenberg, Verdun, The Somme, Passchendaele - it's all there, including some pretty exciting stories!

Also working on a video that showcases new ship damage/particle/crew figure/lifeboat effects, so stay tuned.

[SlySkydiver]

Every day this mod looks more and more promising. Congrats on solving the jello water issue!

[scorch092]

Made an account just to say how much I'm looking forwards to trying this mod! I'm interested to see how Canada will be represented. Keep up the good work!

Also, if you plan on adding them I know a good resource for the WWI-era British skiff dinghies that tended to the Empire's fleet. Not sure if that's useful but could be used as flavour in harbours or something.

Anyways, cheers from Canada!

[Aktungbby]

scorch092!:Kaleun_Salute:

[iambecomelife]

Made an account just to say how much I'm looking forwards to trying this mod! I'm interested to see how Canada will be represented. Keep up the good work!

Also, if you plan on adding them I know a good resource for the WWI-era British skiff dinghies that tended to the Empire's fleet. Not sure if that's useful but could be used as flavour in harbours or something.

Anyways, cheers from Canada!

Thanks for the support, and the information! Maybe I can use it when it's time to model small craft; feel free to link to whatever resource you like.

Re: updates, last night I did more work on light cruisers (Weymouth Class); the model is coming along well. The most well known ship of the class is HMS Falmouth, sunk by a U-Boat in 1916.... I also did more war news messages. I will be continuing the model tonight.

Forgot to mention last week I did a little more work on the playable U-9 (which sank Aboukir/Cressy/Hogue) - obviously, the "Live Bait" sinkings will be one of the single player missions.

Also, the past several days abandon ship+panic state AI ship crew animations were worked on ... not to knock SH5 or Playway's U-Boat but it annoys me how crew in those games stay calm when their ships are sinking. In WOTK, as indicated in some of my past messages, men on sinking ships will run and put on life jackets when a ship is sinking. On top of that you will get real lifeboat launching! Not just the "magic boats" from earlier games. Lifeboats may or may not be launched successfully....before release there will be some flipping over/breaking scenarios added to random boat loadouts.

I believe I have resolved a bug where crew arms/legs would flail around after using time compression.... :haha::haha::haha: it was kinda funny but annoying.

Another mini-project will be rust/cosmetic damage to player units. I have noticed that in service KM U-Boats often had issues like bent handrails, chipped hull plates, and of course rust .... wear and tear that looked bad but was not enough to keep a submarine out of service. This will be enabled using a similar S3d Editor enabled animation procedure to lifeboat launching; thus, once you have been out on patrol for a couple weeks your boat will have more and more rust streaks along with twisted grab irons, damaged ladders, and other minor stuff.


More updates to this thread, the facebook page, etc will appear soon.

[Niume]

Could we have some sneak peaks at the environment? How dark are the nights? How does storm look like?

[iambecomelife]

Could we have some sneak peaks at the environment? How dark are the nights? How does storm look like?

Unfortunately I don't have screens of the complete environment yet. Plan is to use W_Clear's work with permission; his stuff is quite beautiful. Enhanced with volumetric clouds....I believe they did not exist when he first released his environmental mod.

Various modifications will be added such as the necessary changes to eliminate "jello water"...also reduced overhead opacity. When I lived near the Atlantic Ocean I had the chance to observe its opacity...SH4 environments far overestimate how easy it is to see underwater from overhead. For instance, when looking at freighters docked in harbor I could never see very far underneath the hull at the waterline...high plankton content, pollution, and impurities make Atlantic water very hard to see through.

Nights will be extremely dark; I have read of subs going undetected in real life at about 500 meters. Ships will be hard to see at night for the player but that's just something you will need to deal with. I will offer a lighter night mod for aesthetic reasons.

I will also add a more "washed out" set of colors for those who don't like environments too vivid, as well as a standard version with brighter colors. My idea for the washed out version will look kind of like "Saving Private Ryan" - I loved how Spielberg conveyed a dreary wartime ambience by using a restricted color palette, with heavy browns, beiges, and greys...it also conveyed an Early 20th Century atmosphere, before bright synthetic pigments for paint, clothing, etc existed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Nw7xleqDZM

[iambecomelife]

Minor update: This week was spent primarily on AI ships and one player submarine.

-Researched crush depths for all player submarines

-Researched crew ranks in preparation for possible changes

-Arethusa Class and Weymouth Class CL's (which had been delayed by me making destroyers) are nearly ready for "launch"

-Improved ship damage modeling was done

-Models will now have about 20 large 3d shell/torpedo holes that can be blasted into the hull, if hit by a torpedo or battleship/armored cruiser caliber shell

-Destroyers will sink faster after one torpedo hit, due to changes in zones.cfg

-New animated smoke with improved flame... some of the old smoke looked too thin

-Preparations for implementing U-9 model (of Aboukir/Cressy/Hogue fame). This primitive submarine will be available for the "Live Bait Squadron" single mission, as well as campaign/careers in 1914-1915 before it is replaced by later models.

-Collaborated with a new assistant team member on revised special abilities

-In what I think is another first, AI ships now have a firefighting system! Animated firefighters automatically deploy on ships & spray water when fire breaks out. The U-Boat HAHD team discussed doing this, but to my knowledge they never finished it.

-Firefighters will only deploy on large or well-crewed ships; small ships like dinghies, sailboats, etc will burn to a crisp....:haha: Also, there will be a certain chance that a ship will blow up with no chance for firefighting, or burn out of control. Especially if a magazine or ship is tanker carrying full cargo.

-Fine tuned lowerable lifeboats.

[Tigerzhunters]

i have question are you already release the mod or still working on it?:Kaleun_Cheers:

[iambecomelife]

i have question are you already release the mod or still working on it?:Kaleun_Cheers:

Not yet released - still being worked on!

As an aside one of the reasons this has taken years is work issues (needed to study for a professional exam) and a family member's health issues - these responsibilities are no longer a problem; my current job is great in terms of vacation days (also no more 14-16 hour workdays, which were common 2012-2013). Hence much more progress in recent months. :yep: Always stay tuned here and on FB for the latest updates!

[iambecomelife]

Had a very successful 48 hours; the light cruisers are coming! Was afraid HMS Chatham & Birmingham would take long but a few well-placed changes to "Falmouth" and viola!

https://i.postimg.cc/SNxr46Vt/British-Cruiser.jpg

This is great news because they have been a thorn in my side for a long time, WOTK has long suffered from a poor light cruiser roster. On the German side "Weisbaden" is looking good after being delayed by the destroyers I posted pics of earlier. These pieces falling into place really put me a lot closer to all surface warships at 100% complete in undamaged state.

More images coming soon, plus the second WOTK video (first was that old Lusitania video still on youtube - how long it's been!)

More good news, I am in discussions with a couple people who may serve as new team members; I will need to see what their skills are and how they can help but this is yet another step forward for WOTK.

[Texas Red]

What do you use for your research?

At times, I'm not able to find any information on ship sizes (tonnage, weight etc.) and other misc. items.

I applaud the amount of effort you put into this mod. It truly is shaping up to be something truly incredible.

[iambecomelife]

What do you use for your research?

At times, I'm not able to find any information on ship sizes (tonnage, weight etc.) and other misc. items.

I applaud the amount of effort you put into this mod. It truly is shaping up to be something truly incredible.

TY! Conway's Fighting Ships is the most important source; it is used to make sure each model's hull length/breadth is the correct number of scale feet and it also has data on tonnage, armament, & armor. TonnageKing, you have a PM!

[iambecomelife]

The good news keeps coming; we are now in negotiations to take on a couple more development team members - including one with advanced coding knowledge! We will let you know more soon but if it all works out it will save me a tremendous amount of time and be a huge boon to the mod.

In terms of updates, current focus is deciding which ship(s) new team members will work on. The following were begun Friday and will continue this weekend and beyond:

-A few finishing touches to AI ship firefighting by NPC's
-Implementing Submarine U-9 Class
-Raisable funnel and smoke particle effect for U-9
-New AI ship damage feature: disintegration (magazine hit causing warship or merchant to shatter completely - or break up in about 4-5 big parts)
-Tweaking smoke effects
-Work on player/crew injuries - research, modeling and texture phases
-Correcting errors to Iron Duke Class battleship model battleship/getting it into release state
-Minor corrections to SMS Westfalen Class German battleship model
-Damage effects for Iron Duke Class (torpedo and shell impacts)
-British/German light cruiser research completion (already well underway)

[J0313]

That is awesome IABL! Finally someone will get into the code and do some great things with SH4. I have always wondered why somebody with the right skill set hasn't done it when SH3 has been tinkered with for years.

[scorch092]

Hi iambecomelife, I hope everything is going well with you and your new team!

I recently read (on Wikipedia) that the U-boat campaign during the First World War "saw U-boats operating in both the Far East and South East Asia... [and] the Indian Ocean...". There is no citation for this and I can't find any other information on it. Is this true? I think that whoever wrote it might have been referring to WWII by mistake. If it is true, will it be a part of the mod?

Also, I was wondering (as a Canadian who always likes to see Canada represented in video games) how Canada will be represented in the mod? Will the HMCS Niobe (or the Diadem class cruisers in general) be in the mod? We hear a lot about the HMCS Niobe and HMCS Rainbow in high school history classes because they were the first two ships bought for the navy, so they would be interesting to see (and sink) given their importance in Canadian politics in the years before the war. However, the HMCS Rainbow operated off the West Coast so I guess I can't sink her :wah:

The last things I wanted to ask have probably been asked before but it was if you plan on adding Austro-Hungarian U-boats or any other playable faction into the mod at any point? Also, what will the UI for the "targeting computer" look like? Basically, do I need to learn any additional math before I play the mod :haha:

Sorry for all the questions, just really excited about the mod!

Cheers!

[iambecomelife]

Hi iambecomelife, I hope everything is going well with you and your new team!

I recently read (on Wikipedia) that the U-boat campaign during the First World War "saw U-boats operating in both the Far East and South East Asia... [and] the Indian Ocean...". There is no citation for this and I can't find any other information on it. Is this true? I think that whoever wrote it might have been referring to WWII by mistake. If it is true, will it be a part of the mod?

Also, I was wondering (as a Canadian who always likes to see Canada represented in video games) how Canada will be represented in the mod? Will the HMCS Niobe (or the Diadem class cruisers in general) be in the mod? We hear a lot about the HMCS Niobe and HMCS Rainbow in high school history classes because they were the first two ships bought for the navy, so they would be interesting to see (and sink) given their importance in Canadian politics in the years before the war. However, the HMCS Rainbow operated off the West Coast so I guess I can't sink her :wah:

The last things I wanted to ask have probably been asked before but it was if you plan on adding Austro-Hungarian U-boats or any other playable faction into the mod at any point? Also, what will the UI for the "targeting computer" look like? Basically, do I need to learn any additional math before I play the mod :haha:

Sorry for all the questions, just really excited about the mod!

Cheers!

There will be Canadian ships in the mod. HMS Niobe might be modeled .... mainly because the Cressy class armored cruisers are confirmed for the roster (needed for the "Live Bait" mission of course!!) and the Niobe and her sisters were very similar in appearance to that class, so they won't take much work....basically, remove the big 9.2" turrets from Cressy Class and make a few other adjustments.

We also will include the Canadian liner "Royal Edward" if there is time.

Players will also encounter Canadian merchant ships and fishing boats at random.

Austro-Hungarian subs are definite "reach goal"/add-on territory, since I want to get a German player campaign out as soon as possible. But maybe by 2025.

I believe the comments about WWI subs in the Pacific were a mistake. All records I have reviewed say the most distant missions in WWI were to the United States East Coast....with no Pacific or Indian Ocean cruises.

No plans for a detailed WWI period analog targeting computer due to inadequate source materials - plus the limits of SH4's moddability.

Thanks for your interest and I hope you enjoy our next updates.:Kaleun_Applaud:

[Antonin Dvorak]

On the German side "Weisbaden"
Wiesbaden.
"ei" and "ie" sound completely different in German, and yes, mixing them up is very common in English speakers.


In other news ... this mod gets better by the week, and I am pretty stoked. Not many WW1 sub games/simulators out there (I only know of "Shells of Fury". Which does incorporate mine laying ... an important activity in WW1)

[Aktungbby]

Antonin Dvorak!:Kaleun_Salute:

[fitzcarraldo]

Getting better each day. Hope we´ll have a beta version for try it :Kaleun_Wink:

Thanks for a work of years, Iambecomelife.

Best regards.

Fitzcarraldo :Kaleun_Salute:

[iambecomelife]

Couldn't resist revisions to the "Iron Duke" .... the good news is this helps put the Orion Class and King George V Class up to date. Hang in there people, we are getting there.

https://i.postimg.cc/BZKjHqxs/AProf0001.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/d3rDYBqD/AProf0002.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/xTVcPWRm/AProf0003.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/L8N52hMk/AProf0004.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/RV1qpXsD/AProf0005.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/8Cc55D12/Boatdeck.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/mD0hJqW0/Bow00.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/nhHryBNc/Bow01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/JhFhHg0G/Bow02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/LXZ8tTgv/Prof01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/QCGx0TpD/Stern01.jpg

[vickers03]

:Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

[iambecomelife]

There's always so much to do... but the surface ship revamp of old units on my HD is humming along! Juggling this and a ton of playable unit stuff....


https://i.postimg.cc/CxQQwdSr/Img-SS-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/XYJPM9Sy/Img-SS-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/6QFgfqP4/Img-SS-03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/hPKwrH2s/Img-SS-04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/R0Jbh90S/Img-SS-05.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/9M3gqS4G/Img-SS-06.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/L4twjH3h/Img-SS-07.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/26vJcmpc/Img-SS-08.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Pxm3b4Z0/Img-SS-09.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Wb997tFp/Img-SS-10.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/6pgYDSfD/Img-SS-11.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/cLrFkZwR/Img-SS-12.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/tg62y5r7/Img-SS-13.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/50MptCGg/Img-SS-14.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/Kzrf3Yh2/Lancha-01.jpg

[lederhosen]

the wait is killing me:D

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

Can't wait :Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

[iambecomelife]

More good news; one of the biggest reenovation jobs of the mod is complete - HMS King George V and Orion class are very nearly finished and ready for skinning, using parts from the new Iron Duke model. :Kaleun_Applaud:

That was another big thorn in my side and time sink, so things are coming together rapidly.

This morning I built a flying-off platform for the Orion Class; it will be added to other Royal Navy ships that had aircraft. In the game, these ships will get an airgroup of Sopwith Camels or Short 184 seaplanes, so players will have to be careful when attacking.


https://i.postimg.cc/mgTfKF7s/Foplat01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/pdXv5ndZ/Foplat02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/QM43Qx9r/Orion01.jpg

Work on U-9 class should not take long because it has the same 2 Bow - 2 Stern torpedo tube configuration as several existing submarines like the U-31 class. Just have to remove a few crew slots in the files and work on proper kerosene exhaust - plus the retractable funnel.

Also Tonnage King just handed over Devonshire class for detailing, which is more great news; it is so helpful to have capable contributors. :salute: Salute to him - this takes the place of the old Devonshire model that was destroyed by a virus attack.

[Vox165]

I’m really forward to this. The graphics continue to amaze me.

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

IABL: the revisited sound pack is ready. I sent you via PM, the mediafire's link with it. Hope you'll apreciate it :Kaleun_Salute:

If you don't like it, feel free to send me your doubts. :)

[iambecomelife]

Thanks Oliver - downloading now!

In other news I typed up an updated complete list of confirmed major warships for the mod!

As I stated before - to save time the initial release focuses only on the German and British navies. Other nations will have warships such as generic armed trawlers, gunboats etc. Other countries rosters will be done later.

United Kingdom

Queen Elizabeth Class Battleships
Revenge Class Battleships
Iron Duke Class Battleships
King George V Class Battleships
Orion Class Battleships
Colossus Class Battleships
St. Vincent Class Battleships
Bellerophon Class Battleships

Tiger Class Battlecruiser
Queen Mary Class Battlecruiser
Lion Class Battlecruisers
Indefatigable Class Battlecruisers
Invincible Class Battlecruisers

Defence Class Cruisers
Warrior Class Cruisers
Duke of Edinburgh Class Cruisers
Devonshire Class Cruisers
Drake Class Cruisers
Cressy Class Cruisers
Monmouth Class Cruisers
Hawke Class Cruisers
Weymouth Class Light Cruisers
Bristol Class Light Cruisers
Chatham Class Light Cruisers
Birmingham Class Light Cruisers
Arethusa Class Light Cruisers
Caroline Class Light Cruisers
Ceres Class Light Cruisers
Gem Class Light Cruisers
Patrol Class Light Cruisers
Heavy Armed Merchant Cruiser
Medium Armed Merchant Cruiser
Light Armed Merchant Cruiser

V & W Class Destroyer
Botha Class Destroyer
Admiralty M Class Destroyer
Improved M Class Destroyer
M Class - Four Funnel Destroyer
M Class - Two Funnel Destroyer
R Class Destroyer
L Class Destroyer
K Class Destroyer
Acorn Class Destroyer
Acheron Class Destroyer
1890's 30-Knot Type Destroyer
River Class Destroyer
Tribal Class Destroyer

Germany

Konig Class Battleships
Kaiser Class Battleships
Helgoland Class Battleships
Nassau Class Battleships
Deutschland Class Battleships

Derfflinger Class Battlecruisers
Seydlitz Class Battlecruisers
Moltke Class Battlecruisers
Von der Tann Class Battlecruiser

Scharnhorst Class Armored Cruisers
Yorck Class Armored Cruisers
Roon Class Armored Cruisers
Furst Bismarck Class Armored Cruiser

Magdeburg Class Cruiser
Kolberg Class Cruiser
Wiesbaden Class Cruiser
Brummer Class Cruiser

V-25 Class Destroyer
V-1 Class Destroyer
S-31 Class Destroyer
S-49 Class Destroyer
G-37 Class Destroyer
G-101 Class Destroyer

A-1 Class Torpedo Boat
A-26 Class Torpedo Boat

There will also be AI submarines - 2-3 British classes (not decided yet), and AI variants of probably every German class.

[iambecomelife]

Suffered a minor setback that was recently overcome....lol..had NIGHTMARISH problems with the HMS Orion renovation, which was to have taken very little time...That modeling job became a disaster, but through perseverance I now have that ship approaching proper quality. The problems with the Orion model in turn delayed the King George V model, the light cruiser models, U9, and lots of sweet damage effects - to say nothing of the upcoming video. But that has been resolved! Hang in there, things are back on track.

[brickvapie]

Hey, brickvapie here, will there be US Naval ships beyond Troop Transports and Merchant Vessels? and what about countries like Norway and Sweden? I would also like to add that there was Uboot Naval Squadrons in Germany-targeted towards Russian Trade and ships in the Baltic, will those be represneted?
thanks, brickvapie

"We die in the dark so you can live in the light."

[iambecomelife]

Hey, brickvapie here, will there be US Naval ships beyond Troop Transports and Merchant Vessels? and what about countries like Norway and Sweden? I would also like to add that there was Uboot Naval Squadrons in Germany-targeted towards Russian Trade and ships in the Baltic, will those be represneted?
thanks, brickvapie

"We die in the dark so you can live in the light."

Unfortunately, no unique US warships in the initial release, except maybe four-stack destroyers (USS Wickes type)....in order to save time only Britain and Germany will have many unique warship units. The US, French, Norwegian, Austrian etc navies will only have generic armed trawler - types.

Stock SH4 has US battleships from WWI but it would take too much work to bring them up to standard.

Turkey will have the battlecruiser Goeben, because I have already modeled her sister ship Moltke.

Currently we will have Baltic missions. The U-9 Class has been modeled, and that class saw a good deal of service there.

High priority nations for later warship releases are:

Austria-Hungary
France
Italy
Russia
United States

In other news, great strides are being made with WOTK aviation! The mod's aircraft will be the subject of upcoming posts, along with U-9 sub class (have been working on her exhaust) .... Don't want to spoil the surprise yet. Furthermore, in a major behind the scenes success, war-related radio broadcasts are nearly complete! I plan to have messages from June 1914 to December 1918 (thus covering a little time before and after the war) - As of today, I have completed literally THOUSANDS of unique news items from 06/01/1914 to 04/10/1917. So a little more than a year and a half left; this seemed like an almost endless task.

The late Sailor Steve deserves credit for this achievement....without his epic World War I daily news thread on subsim, I never would have been able to do this. Rest in peace, buddy - when I join you we will be blasting merchants at the Pearly Gates together. :Kaleun_Salute: I am still planning a special tribute to him as a WOTK Easter Egg.

I also want to give a shoutout to Tonnage King and the other volunteers from WOTK's facebook team. Thanks to them I am looking into some very special "reach goals" for the sim that will also improve SH4 as a whole. Again, I don't want to spoil the surprise, but big things are coming.

[brickvapie]

Thanks for the response, hope you have a good day, Looking forward towards the mod

"We die in the dark so you can live in the light."

[Tigerzhunters]

well the mod was like 10+ years but still WIP Idk How much Devoloper there probally 1?:hmmm:oh yeah i think we will start as submarine? wich nations

[brickvapie]

yeah, I did notice that, but, I'm pretty sure this one guy is probably the only guy, which is too bad, because if we had more, I'm sure we would have it by next year

We die in the dark so you can live in the light

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

Any news out there ?

[Jeff-Groves]

iambecomelife

I have perfected the tools to rip animations from SH5 and convert to SH4 format.
You will need 010 Editor. I'll not waste time explaining here as I just don't need the head aches from others asking questions.
Take it or leave it as is. Don't care one way or the other.

[Aktungbby]

Jeff-Groves!:Kaleun_Salute:

[iambecomelife]

iambecomelife

I have perfected the tools to rip animations from SH5 and convert to SH4 format.
You will need 010 Editor. I'll not waste time explaining here as I just don't need the head aches from others asking questions.
Take it or leave it as is. Don't care one way or the other.

Jeff! Great to see you again! Many thanks; you will be credited if I manage to get such a tool working (if not it'll be my fault not yours...:haha:.) I spent some time on a program likw 010 Editor a couple months ago...still trying to regain skills I lost in my 20's.:O:

That would be most helpful because IMO the figure animation for SH5 has held up quite well; torpedo loading and watch crew behavior is pretty nice.

You can PM me at your convenience.

And Kapt. Oliver, very good stuff is in the pipeline! I have been studying for my real life job but WOTK soldiers on. Lots of work on battlecruisers and some work on animated player sub parts....one nice bit with aviation is that some units will have close aerial escort! That is, planes distinct from those spawned in game-these planes will have a semi-random flight path around the parent unit and can take off, land, suffer damage, or be destroyed. This was tested with the Sopwith Camel for the King George V battleship and went off without a hitch. More later...

[iambecomelife]

Forgot to mention that Jeff Groves's advice was a big help! Thanks to him I have much better crew models available for use - well detailed but not poly killers! The alternative would have been purchasing expensive payware figures, something I don't like to do (my human modeling skills aren't great). Here's a small preview of fire/smoke damage effects, firefighting on board ship with hoses, crew running/grabbing life vests, and lifeboats with working davits! Although the lifeboat is a bit hard to see due to smoke. Animations will be improved before release; I am learning as I go along!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HKpmiA38h4

[igor7111]

so good

[Mork_417]

Very nice!

[Jeff-Groves]

Damn! There's a lot of work to do on some animations.
:03:

[Tigerzhunters]

Forgot to mention that Jeff Groves's advice was a big help! Thanks to him I have much better crew models available for use - well detailed but not poly killers! The alternative would have been purchasing expensive payware figures, something I don't like to do (my human modeling skills aren't great). Here's a small preview of fire/smoke damage effects, firefighting on board ship with hoses, crew running/grabbing life vests, and lifeboats with working davits! Although the lifeboat is a bit hard to see due to smoke. Animations will be improved before release; I am learning as I go along!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HKpmiA38h4

https://i.ibb.co/nzWgTz5/image.png (https://imgbb.com/)
Whut The Hell Man that Alot Of Work Yes it was great for freeware Mod And Yep wings 3d Kinda hard but Man its masterpiece wings 3d Was Another level than Blender :haha::haha:

[iambecomelife]

Damn! There's a lot of work to do on some animations.
:03:

lol! Yeah Jeff, the joint movements are not the best unfortunately ... what I do is, I use rotation controllers to represent arm/leg motion so that the crew walks, turns heads, moves the fire hose, and so on.....another thing I want to improve...ideally the final product will look less jerky and puppet like...was very impressed with your post of that SH5 figure walking with the rifle! :up: Good work... I just finished my real life work related project, Jeff, so I will be emailing you re: animations soon!

In other news, the roster of ships gets larger and larger! More updates/screenshots coming here and on the FB group...Plus, I am investigating one of the big "reach" goals in re: player sub interiors. :ping: Lastly (and a bit less exciting), news radio messages have now reached the end of May 1918! Woohoo! Now I just need June - December 1918 and I am done with that aspect! (Whenever I do not have access to my modding PC I make sure to work on radio messages, etc on my laptop ...... it's a great use of my time when I am at work and can't work on ships or subs in Wings3d.)

[torpedodude23]

Progress, progress..
Very happy to see this mod get better and better! I've been following this mod for about 1 - 2 years, and I just want to say that you're doing great!! We can wait. And of course, if you need breaks, go ahead and take one, we don't mind! (Or atleast I don't)

:Kaleun_Cheers:

[Tigerzhunters]

lol! Yeah Jeff, the joint movements are not the best unfortunately ... what I do is, I use rotation controllers to represent arm/leg motion so that the crew walks, turns heads, moves the fire hose, and so on.....another thing I want to improve...ideally the final product will look less jerky and puppet like...was very impressed with your post of that SH5 figure walking with the rifle! :up: Good work... I just finished my real life work related project, Jeff, so I will be emailing you re: animations soon!

In other news, the roster of ships gets larger and larger! More updates/screenshots coming here and on the FB group...Plus, I am investigating one of the big "reach" goals in re: player sub interiors. :ping: Lastly (and a bit less exciting), news radio messages have now reached the end of May 1918! Woohoo! Now I just need June - December 1918 and I am done with that aspect! (Whenever I do not have access to my modding PC I make sure to work on radio messages, etc on my laptop ...... it's a great use of my time when I am at work and can't work on ships or subs in Wings3d.)

well you was like need rework it from zero also is there will have any event like battle coronel Battle of doggerbank 1914-1915 Battle Of Jutland :hmmm:

[Jeff-Groves]

was very impressed with your post of that SH5 figure walking with the rifle!
The stuff to create MeshAnimations is like the first releases of S3D.
There are things I can Script to improve the ease of usage. First is to see Who is Brave enough to use the process!
:haha:
I just might update the Rowers for SH3 Survivors as proof it works.

I do have another version that creates SH4 style animations! Not MeshAnimations but Skeletal Animations as used in SH4. So the stock Secondary Characters in SH4 can do SH5 Animations.

That is being worked on to allow the Characters IN THE SUB run SH5 Animations. They have more bones so get a more refined action.

[iambecomelife]

The stuff to create MeshAnimations is like the first releases of S3D.
There are things I can Script to improve the ease of usage. First is to see Who is Brave enough to use the process!
:haha:
I just might update the Rowers for SH3 Survivors as proof it works.

I do have another version that creates SH4 style animations! Not MeshAnimations but Skeletal Animations as used in SH4. So the stock Secondary Characters in SH4 can do SH5 Animations.

That is being worked on to allow the Characters IN THE SUB run SH5 Animations. They have more bones so get a more refined action.

That's good to know about the rowers, because I had been using the old "rotation key frames" method for my own lifeboat rowers - clearly, SH5 offers the chance for more smooth, realistic looking action. Very excited by your other thread!!

In the meantime, I am hard at work on the big battlecruiser update, getting them into their release shape - Invincible class and Indefatigable class have been tested and everything has been going well! Plus updates to particle effects - I am much happier with smoke from damaged units at this point. Question for true experts - does anyone know where exhaust was emitted from WWI diesel boats? I know that U-19 class and UB-I class had a pipe like the old U-9 kerosene engined boats, but not about other classes. Thanks!!

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

Question for true experts - does anyone know where exhaust was emitted from WWI diesel boats? I know that U-19 class and UB-I class had a pipe like the old U-9 kerosene engined boats, but not about other classes. Thanks!!

Here I am :D
Actually the last type with a pipe was the Type 19 (which was the first diesel run class); from Type 23 on, every type had, like the boats from ww2, one or two exaust vents on the hull sides.
You can see them in this nice pic of U-54 steaming at full speed
https://static.akpool.de/images/cards/198/1985293.jpg
U-111 manouvering
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/U_111_at_sea_1919.jpg?20090127205442
and on this nice model of U-64
http://www.modellanfertigung.de/REMO/wp-content/uploads/CIMG6329.jpg
Not every class, houever had the exaust vents places near the stern.
Type 43 had the exaust vents paced near the conning tower
https://taucher.net/media/images/big/e4/34/c3/e434c31c5768f3a0bdd2f53149a370cc.jpg
I don't know however if that was an unicum or if other classes had similar arrangment.

btw I didn't know UB-1 had a pipe too; where was it placed ?

[iambecomelife]

Thanks Oliver you are a lifesaver!! I was not expecting anyone to have an answer. I will go ahead and model exhaust vents as shown in your pictures. On the UB I type blueprints the motor exhaust is a muffler that has vent holes. Like what you see on a modern Diesel powered tractor trailer truck. I think actual details varied in service, and some may not have been equipped like this.

I have more good news...wartime wireless news messages are finally done! This was a major research project itself. There are about 1,050 news messages...from June 1914 to December 1918. Players will learn about Franz Ferdinands assassination, the July 1914 crisis leading to war, the battles of Tannenberg, the Marne, Gallipoli, Ypres, the Somme, Zeppelin bombings, Isonzo, Verdun, Jutland, US entry into the war, first poison gas attack, the Neville Offensive, the death of the Red Baron, French army mutinies, the 1918 German Spring Offensive, and much more! News comes by radio daily or about every third day, it will be very immersive.

[Admiral Von Gerlach]

Excellent to see the progress continuing on this epic effort. That is very interesting about the exhaust vents. That looks like a much better arrangment than the vertical pipes. Those are very nice photos posted of some of those early boats ..the wonders of photography never cease to amaze me what has survived all of these years. Well done!!!!


and Happy 2023 to all hands and esp the Master of this marvelous effort. thank you sir


Admiral Von Gerlach
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/200x124q90/924/JLTPMt.jpg

[iambecomelife]

Excellent to see the progress continuing on this epic effort. That is very interesting about the exhaust vents. That looks like a much better arrangment than the vertical pipes. Those are very nice photos posted of some of those early boats ..the wonders of photography never cease to amaze me what has survived all of these years. Well done!!!!


and Happy 2023 to all hands and esp the Master of this marvelous effort. thank you sir


Admiral Von Gerlach
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/200x124q90/924/JLTPMt.jpg

Oh my goodness it's great to hear from you again friend!! I will be sending you a message with screenshot updates and other new stuff (since you said you don't use Facebook and are not a member of the WOTK group).

About recent updates I finished a big work interview so I am modding again! Next update is battlecruisers ... total list is Invincible Class, Von Der Tann, Moltke Class, Indefatigable Class, Derfflinger Class, Lion Class, and Queen Mary. SMS Lutzow/Derringer model I made earlier was not good enough and I am finishing up the new model as a much nicer replacement. The latest models will have nice features like 3d doors, deck hatches with animated crew walking our, and 3d life rings/portholes....no reason to use the old SH3 and SH4 system of painting these details on, I am getting great framerates with the new ships.

I have run multiple missions to test sinking behavior of Indefatigable, Invincible, Iron Duke class, Colossus Class, King George V Class and Orion Class, so far I am very happy with flotation and sinking rate
....learned a lot about using the ZONES.CFG file. Plus it's so nice to have most of the capital ships installed on my test setup! The roster feels much more populated.

I also need to generate a new battlecruiser explosion effect..hopefully something nice and dramatic. I will mod files so German battlecruisers are quite sturdy, while British ones have a substantial chance to explode (if your torpedoes hit a shell room or powder store).

Another big goal is about to be reached...about 90% of the ace tonnage scores have been done! I just need to do part of 1918. That way you can compare how well you do compared to Otto Hersing, Walter Schwieger, and of course Lothar von Arnauld de la Periere. The king of aces! About a quarter of the great aces didn't survive the war and one was captured (Claus Rucker, who was sunk by Titanics sister RMS Olympic).... just goes to show how hazardous U-Boat duty was.


HMS Tiger, Lion, and Queen Mary also come out soon. Many other things ste happening behind the scenes so sit tight...

[Admiral Von Gerlach]

wonderful to see that roster of BC they were the noble greyhounds of that era, majestic and amazing spearkheads of the fleet. My Brandfather became friends with Von Hasse who wrote the chronicles of Derfflinger, and had some remearkble insights and stories shared with that fine German Officer with him after the war.



that is a good idea re the vulnerablity of the English ships to magazine explosion, as it actually happened multiple times at Jutland, the other catastrophic event that did also occur was bunker combustion but that was usually in harbour so not an issue for this project.



Having those 3D details will be marvelous. Well done re that those details mean a great deal for immersion and realism in modeling. Great to hear about. Glad you are forging ahead on this amazig and so very worthy effort.



Carry on!


https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/1748/HGYTAE.jpg



https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/2898/0Ybfv7.jpg








Admiral Von Gerlach (still beached ashore)


https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/200x124q70/924/JLTPMt.jpg

[Jeff-Groves]

So. Where is this "WOTK group"?
I know the WOTK page but doesn't appear any option to join a group.
:hmmm:

[iambecomelife]

So. Where is this "WOTK group"?
I know the WOTK page but doesn't appear any option to join a group.
:hmmm:

I meant a follower of WOTK on facebook - there is not any official WOTK group. Although some people in the FB group are helping with the mod, like subsim member tonnageking

[Jeff-Groves]

Ah. I get it. So............
Could I post things like animation stuff there?
:hmmm:

[iambecomelife]

Admiral Gerlach, Kpt Lehmann, TonnageKing, Kapitan Oliver, and Jeff Groves,
I will be sending a PM soon.

Ah. I get it. So............
Could I post things like animation stuff there?
:hmmm:

Yes, you can PM me your animation work and recommendations - did you already sign up to follow the facebook group? At this point there are about 600 members and I don't remember seeing you yet. :hmmm: There are no membership requirements, you can just like/follow on FB and make posts commenting on the work, or select PM's. :salute:

[iambecomelife]

From now on I will be going for weekly updates! Either here or on the FB page.

07/15/2023:

-SMS Lutzow and Derfflinger were damage-tested ingame, using a player U-Boat as the attacking vessel. Compartments/hit zones were corrected from the USS North Carolina "parent unit"; now these German battlecruisers catch fire properly, list, and sink like they should.

-I had UK destroyers depth charge U-31; based on the results I will be increasing the DC lethal radius and/or hit points. In my opinion the standard DC's are not dangerous enough; several exploded quite close to us and inflicted minor damage which IMO is not enough of a challenge.

-Two major refit jobs are very close to completion in time for our big Summer battlecruiser update! SMS Seydlitz's hull received corrections and will be ready for in-game testing probably Sunday or Monday after I return from work. HMS Lion/Princess Royal Class and HMS Queen Mary received fine details that improve the model dramatically over the old variant.

-On Wednesday, the German battleships SMS Konig and SMS Helgoland and cruiser SMS Emden were added ingame and tested successfully! They were generously provided by jhapprich, who unfortunately has not been around recently....he modeled these ships so well. This, of course, saves me a lot of time.

-TonnageKing has kindly volunteered to model ships for the Austro-Hungarian Navy! Thanks to him we will have at least one navy modeled in the initial release other than the Royal Navy and Kaiserliche Marine. His first vessel will be the Viribus Unitis Class battleship. You may have seen the infamous movie of the Szent Istvan rolling over in 1918, that was a sister ship - it was one of the first disasters at sea ever to be filmed!

-I am making a big advance in ship part construction that will save time - to make a long story short, I'm working hard on high detailed parts that can be manipulated in wings3d more easily. A lot of time spend modeling was wasted, in the past, manipulating tiny parts to create quality looking ships - this will be a thing of the past! which means a much faster release date. :up:

-One very exciting change is coming - improvements to interiors. I am collecting photos of WWI U-Boat interior compartments wherever I can; unfortunately these are rare but I did come across some excellent material. To save time a lot of material will be reused - for example there will be no more than two torpedo rooms for all classes, one will represent subs with twin bow tubes, the other will be for four torpedo tube boats like U-87 Class and U-139 Class.

-Intelligence radio messages are being generated!

As stated before, the Wireless news message project was finished recently, and added over ONE THOUSAND unique World War I news messages between June 1914 and December 1918 for Silent Hunter IV - these intelligence messages are a supplement. They will notify you of certain ship movements in the campaign layers, naval hazards, Q-Ship sightings, and news about Allied or German officers - who has been promoted, decorated, KIA, captured, etc. They will be monthly or bimonthly messages - less frequent than the news reports.

Please note this is NOT mission creep; these messages are text-based modifications that can be done while I am on the train, flying on vacation, on lunch break at work, or visiting relatives. Basically situations where I cannot access my main modding computer. So this is a great use of time that does not detract from the modeling/interface work. Hang in there and thanks for your patience, this long ride is a marathon not a sprint but we are getting ever closer. I hope the new weekly update commitment keeps everyone more informed. Much more news soon, and there will probably be more posts between now and next week!!

[iambecomelife]

Mini update Wolves of the Kaiser: 1914 - 1918, 07/21/2023

-Corrected a .zon file modeling bug that kept the battlecruisers Derfflinger and Lutzow from taking damage; now they flood, catch fire, and sink like they should.

-Made excellent progress with the Kaiser Class battleship. I believe someone at subsim modeled it years ago but the model has been lost; this forced me to make my own which was a setback but fortunately it's on the brink of completion! This battleship and the UK battlecruiser Tiger are the last major warship modeling jobs.....every other battlecruiser and battleship needed has now been modeled. :salute:

-Took and edited screenshots for the WOTK facebook group.

-Started the process of interior modeling; I already have some pipes and valve handles but will be making a lot more. The plan is to start on U-Boat command rooms and then work on other spaces. Reference materials include the pictures of UB-110, which was photographed in detail by the British (see below.)

-Lastly, Jeff Groves has kindly offered to help with some animation issues for AI crewmembers.

Many screenshots will be posted here today or Saturday; keep a lookout. :up:

https://i.postimg.cc/FKYR5KPk/8770771712-8cac3b9215-o.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/sg6XNWJR/8770729394-3c91e707d4-o.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/gkpnXm01/8770688346-a255014c5b-o.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/NjfFDDm4/8766090305-4e99dd9355-o.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/NfxLRS9F/8766089089-a8eb118fbb-o.jpg

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

Don’t want to sound like a spammer, but talking about u-boat interiors, you should take a look and maybe write to the admin of Instagram page u_boat_history, which is focused only in ww1 crafts and has many intresting u-boat interior pics, some from Ms types, some from the U-140 and I think some from u-12 or u-17. (many of them, impossible to find on internet; Infact I think he took them, directly from archives).

[iambecomelife]

Don’t want to sound like a spammer, but talking about u-boat interiors, you should take a look and maybe write to the admin of Instagram page u_boat_history, which is focused only in ww1 crafts and has many intresting u-boat interior pics, some from Ms types, some from the U-140 and I think some from u-12 or u-17. (many of them, impossible to find on internet; Infact I think he took them, directly from archives).

Oh wow; thanks for the info! That page is an absolute treasure trove - not what I expected to find on Instagram. And don't worry about spamming, post here as much as you like! You and other Subsim members have been very helpful on this thread. :Kaleun_Salute:

[iambecomelife]

Late July screenshots. Including a new feature, patrol aircraft! These are not generated by the campaign layers; they are like an independent weapon system - completely animated - with semi random patrol paths. Takeoff (and landing for carriers like HMS Argus) can easily be added.

https://i.postimg.cc/XJxHY05H/Aviator-00.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/HLDPSzH2/Aviator-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/bN55n8B4/Aviator-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/NFMNyP7g/Aviator-03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/y8SbXtqx/Aviator-04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/R07p2tZz/Aviator-05.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/7hWKSMmS/Aviator-06.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/XJn1WvrB/Aviator-07.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/v8q2RbbD/Aviator-08.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/MKnPqNp5/Aviator-09.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/ZKXfRH9S/Aviator-10.jpg

[iambecomelife]

https://i.postimg.cc/85LCGf5W/3frendz.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/gkg2GWYM/A-Image-06.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/VsBNHt2P/A-Image-07.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/pLyXT6rP/A-Image-08.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Hn2scGbk/A-Image-11.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/TYdP8wXL/A-Image-12.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/kG9ggM6H/A-Image-13.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Mp4ZjmfV/A-Image-19.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/PqwXbv1c/A-Image-22.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/ydCVL6PN/A-Image-23.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/W3msCRWw/A-Image-24.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Gtcb1M6w/A-Image-27.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/HnBdWwCJ/Aircraft.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/dQBq9YTq/Battlecruiser-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/m2pB0ywJ/Battlecruiser-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/X7YnHzw9/Battlecruiser-03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/RZj90C2T/BB-Line01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/DzLh4kT3/BCs-German.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/zBNrntzb/Beller-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/pTBtkfr0/Biggurl.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/mk2WnPFT/Black-00001.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/PrJkz8j4/Black-00003.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/HnZ11TQX/Black-0002.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/bY3ht9Kr/Bprince01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Fs6XPsFQ/Bprince-Stern.jpg

[iambecomelife]

https://i.postimg.cc/fT2ys9Zt/Colossus-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/x8QJkDFX/Cruiser-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/nhrs91TG/Cruiser-05.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/GpZsCsFJ/Cruiser01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/wMktLfS0/Cruiser-Sub-04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/j2v5LW71/Dangerdeep.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/fyMyz7JX/Dawn-Sub-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/TPWpCYzy/Dazzle-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/5tv28KzL/Dazzle-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/63X5cVVS/DD-G101-German-Class.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/2yjjRzK7/Emden-00.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/tRDCdxsS/Emden-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/zGHz1206/Emden-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/L8PpWYsM/Emerg01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Kjs26tLm/emmy.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/RVN9cb5h/Explode02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Rh0mpgWP/FE-Duke-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/qBm46HFW/Feller-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/g0qPYCRS/Fire01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/RhqrLqYy/Fire0222.jpg

[iambecomelife]

https://i.postimg.cc/DyJkWJLb/Flagproud.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/t4WK5Krq/George-King-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/V6GpvmNR/George-King-04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/PJ07byYv/Germanboot.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/3ryYGcHR/Germanboot2.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/vmXS2b5s/Image-04.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/g2V7RvJr/Improved.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/15wSCVX1/Indef-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/W3xRSsP4/Inflex-Profile.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/LsCFYzCL/Interior.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/2Srs0Hgn/Invincible-Profile.jpg
[IMG]https://i.postimg.cc/9QbvKdjK/Invy-Dawn.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/BZFR490x/Ironduke.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/kXFZRQDG/Leaderrr2.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/V6CZfM3Y/Lucy-Escort.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/3r2fzXX1/Lutz000.jpg

[iambecomelife]

https://i.postimg.cc/prHdkw8K/Lutzow-Friendly-Ship-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/FFyz1K5p/Newsdawn.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/ZqXnvB57/Newsdawn-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/sx4gLT9q/Orion-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/pXPTjtPH/Orion-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/cLHLDMKk/Orion-03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/tTPT3q1X/panic.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/q7Ng7X46/Re8-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/wTFBcbBs/Re8-02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Z5MKXBpb/Silent-Hunter4-8-31-2022-5-01-08-PM.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/43HNGfQz/Silent-Hunter4-8-31-2022-5-01-23-PM.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/G203hWX6/Silent-Hunter4-8-31-2022-5-01-39-PM.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/k4xJVTZG/Silent-Hunter4-8-31-2022-5-01-51-PM.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/qq4k28VL/Sistercruisers.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/yxj7jk7z/Sopwith-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/vH8YBLv8/Sopwith-03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/ryNyMYxY/Torpedoboot01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/J4T1BDTN/Turm-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/zfh5Mdq7/Turm-Big-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/nhCnKF56/Turmn9.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/zvzry8K2/U51.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/MpNq9kJX/U9-002.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/d1KvK81Y/U9-v1.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/ZRFmYCBy/U9-v2.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/T1tXmFcd/UB-1-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/02HsNgQZ/UB1-Crew.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/W40LSh7f/UB1-Crew02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/xj5QWNVw/UB1-Crew03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/m2r4RZbt/UB1-Crewless.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/HkcCcS8m/UB1-Flag2.jpg

[iambecomelife]

https://i.postimg.cc/bw7fQQ1t/Untitled-9.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/HxHGNdZW/VDT.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/BbQrqNfd/Walker-01.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/DZgVkHHr/weis02.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/2j0pHp4m/weis03.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/x8xWqH0q/WOTK-Wallpaper1.jpg

[SlySkydiver]

These models are really beautiful, you can tell just by looking a lot of work has gone into making them.

[Jimbuna]

Absolutely stunning :Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

[fitzcarraldo]

Awesome. The aircraft models are beautiful.:Kaleun_Applaud:

Waiting a first release.

Many thanks for all the work.

Fitzcarraldo :Kaleun_Salute:

[1Patriotofmany]

Did I mention, I volunteer to be a tester??

[iambecomelife]

Mini update Wolves of the Kaiser: 1914 - 1918, 07/29/2023

-Experienced another minor issue; I made a survey of the Nassau Class battleship I had modeled over a year ago and found it needed extensive work. The good news is that it should be done soon! The hull has been remodeled with the bottom plating shaped properly. The skinning (one of the hardest parts) is about 95% done and was performed on Thursday and yesterday night. Next she just needs lifeboats, anchor chains, gun turrets, and other fine details I've already modeled.

-This week the SMS Kaiser Class battleship was tested extensively. Checked damage modeling, zones, fire locations, sinking rate, and so on.

-I hardly need to tell you that these updates are great news for the surface ship roster. Between the model of Nassau and Kaiser Class - that's 9 of Germany's modern battleships taken care of:

-Nassau
-Posen
-Westfalen
-Rheinland
-Kaiser
-Kaiserin
-Prinzregent Luitpold
-Friedrich der Grosse
-Konig Albert

Given that jhapprich already modeled Konig class and Helgoland class and we already have German pre-dreadnoughts from SH5, I'd say German battleships are set!

-Backed up the most recent work on the mod to an internet account. Learned a hard lesson from the big ransomware attack in the past that destroyed almost everything! If someone nuked my computer today it would hardly be a setback. :up:

-Reviewed interior work done by experts, including Tomi99 and the UBOAD developers. Also studied the layout of objects in "Das Boot" - pipes, valve wheels, oxygen cylinders, and torpedo tubes. Jeff Groves provided some help again! More details later.

-Another screenshot update will be coming soon! This will, again, be featured here and on facebook.

[1Patriotofmany]

Dying to see this mod completed!

[flush deck]

Awesome !! Really imptessive work here !😮🤩
It’s just crazy to think about the work done for this fantastic mod. Really amazing. Respect!
If I could help. That will be a pleasure 😁

[iambecomelife]

Mini update Wolves of the Kaiser: 1914 - 1918, 08/13/2023:

Another major step forward - anti-submarine sensor and weapons values are nearly done! It took MUCH less time than I thought it would, so this is great news.

A few notes:

-For gameplay purposes I needed to keep in sonar, even though it was not used on WWI destroyers. Equipping DD's with just hydrophones (which the best WWI escorts DID have) results in non-aggressive escorts. I will remove the "ping" sound effects to make it seem like there is no sonar sensor.

-The best escorts WILL hunt you for a long time; I have read stories of WWI hunts that lasted for days. Early escorts (1914-1915) will be more tentative, and will not have true depth charges. Only light "depth bombs" that are weak and inaccurate.

-I adjusted damage values and explosion radius for stock DC's. After multiple runs I think I have a great balance between playability and realism. There will not be pinpoint accurate DC drops; depth sensors on DCs will often be faulty (as they were in WWI). However, careless players (who run at high speeds underwater) will be destroyed quickly in 1917-1918.

-Shallow charges can be very deadly, in situations where you are taken by surprise.

-Underwater sensors can detect you at a much narrower aspect than in stock SH4. This helps make sure escorts are more persistent, and deliver longer/more challenging depth charge attacks.

-Subs will be destroyed fairly often but you have a fighting chance....I increased hitpoints while making minor damage more likely. I also modified files to make crew injuries much more likely. If you have time to hide, DC drops over time will usually damage your sub gradually. Damage is often manageable, but you will want some capable damage control staff. This is more historically accurate - depth charges usually sank subs with cumulative damage over several hours - not with "golden BB" accurate shots. It's very suspenseful moving your men around the compartments, dealing with injuries, and pumping out water. :yep:

-Usually, 2-3 destroyers will hunt you at a time. I ran many missions with about 6-8 M Class, K Class, and L Class destroyers hunting together, and they used pretty good tactics. One listening while two made coordinated runs, and the other 3-5 did not do any hunting and kept escorting their battleships.

-One thing in your favor is depth charge loadouts - in WWI even the best destroyers only had about 20-30 DC's by 1918. In 1916 some ships only had two. So if you run silent and deep, you can sometimes cause them to run out of charges.

I will be on vacation for a while, but will be posting again very soon.

[Kapitain Oliver Leinkraunt]

That's incredible, but i have some questions:

- more than depth charges, the real enemy of central power submarines were mine fields. what will you do for them?

btw, here is a scheme with submarines losses (by cause) during the war:
Mines 58
Depth charges 30
Submarine torpedoes 20
Gunfire 20
Ramming 19
Unknown 19
Accidents 10
Sweeps 33
Other (including bombs) 2

- you told about destroyers, but there were many other submarines hunters like the armed drifters, harbour defence launches and small crafts like the british CMB motor torpedo boats or the american subchasers SC-1 class. What kind of "hear" will have them (if there will be them in WotK)? Some kind of nerfed sonar or just the stock sh4 hydrophone? or will they hunt in tandem with bigger units (the destroyer listen and they drop the charges)

- bonus question, cause for now, we will have just the British navy as our opponent :D
you described the british destroyers as very powerful and infact they were. After them, the best sub hunters were the Americans and, surprisely the japanese (even if they had no confirmed victory and lost one unit, their destroyers in the Med were one of the most persistent during their hunts and thanks to this most of the attacks against the covoys protected by them, failed comletly). After them both Portugues and Brazilian destroyers had at last one confirmed vicotry (Romanians too, but their units hadn't depth charges and used a torpedo to sink a german sub), but Russians, Italians, French and Greeks were not that smart on hunting subs. Their tactics were often weak and their hunts usually persisted for very short time, in contrast with the British units. So: in the future, will there be this contrast between allied navies or every destroyer will be like the british ones ?

Anyway have a nice vacation Sir. :Kaleun_Salute:

[astvitaliy1982]

Hi guys) The topic of the first world war is very interesting. There are in this topic and certain subtleties of that time, about which I want to ask.Will be implemented navigation, speed, time and distance to the target in the tools and tables that relate to that time period?

[Jeff-Groves]

On AI for different Countries? It's an easy job to create custom AI Sensors.
One can create those for diffent sized and equipped Units.
That has been done many times in the past.

[iambecomelife]

On AI for different Countries? It's an easy job to create custom AI Sensors.
One can create those for diffent sized and equipped Units.
That has been done many times in the past.

Yes; quite right. The stock game already gives Japan different sonar from what the Allies have, and it is easy to mod in sensors for different nationalities. I agree this is important, Oliver. :up: Some nationalities will not even have hydrophones very often, while others like the Royal Navy will tend to have them quite early. There will be different ASW craft like drifters, trawlers, motor boats, and steam/motor launches.

"What kind of "hear" will have them (if there will be them in WotK)? Some kind of nerfed sonar or just the stock sh4 hydrophone? "

I have included a weakened sonar plus hydrophones as the most state of the art sensors. No sonar caused very nonagressive AI; this solution has worked well and I am happy with it. I successfully deleted the "ping" noise (which also had the nice effect of stopping certain CTD's). So basically, my weakened sonar represents good hydrophones, plus the intuition of the enemy crew. So far results have been very nice....You get hammered if you run at high speed, but no pinpoint drops, especially if you go to silent running at about 1-2 knots.

"the real enemy of central power submarines were mine fields. what will you do for them?"

There will be lots and lots of mines at varying depths. Early on, many will be duds - by 1917-1918 they will be much more reliable, and you may just run into one. Mines will usually mean instant death....DC's and shells will kill you slower but will still cause severe damage.

Many units will be the drifters/patrol boats/trawlers you mentioned, Oliver. There will be no "tank submarine", so even a 37mm or 57mm shell (like what small escort boats had) will damage the pressure hull badly. And kill you due to progressive flooding -> inability to surface -> sinking to crush depth before repairs can be completed. 3 inch/4 inch shells and larger will be VERY deadly....your sub will only survive 1-2 such hits.

I am using the U-31 Class as a testbed for all damage models; basically the DM has very high hit points so no sudden explosions, instant death except with mine hits, instead, if you take a shell or close DC you will die most of the time from gradual flooding (like in real life). Also increased crew injury probability which is fun....often times near DC's will drop the sailors' health to 80% or even 33%. Makes it much more challenging. Morale also deteriorates more during depth charge attacks.

In totally unrelated news, the naming system has been updated to make characters more interesting! Just part of the high detail level we are striving for:


-First and last names are based on common German names of the time period

-Each crewmember now has a hometown or home region of Germany, in addition to his name (Berlin, Wilhelmshaven, Hamburg, etc.)

-Occasional probability of Austro-Hungarian hometowns

-Resolved problem with SH4 .upc files repeating the same names over and over, and not using the entire crew name file. All that was needed was to create new entries in CrewMembersNames

-Many thousands of possible name combos

-Statistical weighting to make certain names much more common (Muller, Schmidt, etc.)

-Greater likelihood of "aristocratic" names for officers (Graf, Von [whatever])