Questions, questions & more questions.. [Archive]

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RickR

01-08-10, 11:32 PM

I'm a noob. But, I've had the courage to load up and now playing GWX 3.0. FAN-FRIGGIN-TAS-TIC! However, lots of questions...about GWX and SH3 in general...

1. Do "Qualifications ratings' effect capability or just improve their fatigue?

2. What is the distance (in meters) for Type I & Type II Torpedoes? (I see something in SH3 manual but it doesn’t make sense).

3. SSS? What’s ‘SSS’? I know what SOS is but SSS? Getting it on the radio…perhaps that's just static?

4. Are there really Allied (enemy) subs modeled in the GWX? Has anyone seen or sunk one? (Got a radio message about one…)

5. I recently ran aground in trying to sneak in a port. Scared the heck out of me! The ping from ‘Depth under keel’ command is about the only way to truly determine depth but I’m afraid to use it as broadcasts my location. What does one do? Always stay in deep water?

6. Reference #5, in a crash dive (70 meters at Flank) won’t I smash into sea floor if and possible end my career if water is too shallow? Back to pinging again? I found the depth related coloring of map not very accurate in places.

7. I think I got a distress call (SSS?) but gave location (Lat/Long) in degrees and minutes…how do I convert that to something I can find on my map?

8. I sank a neutral by mistake…sure wish we had those star shells of old SH3… then almost sank myself trying to confirm a contact ‘neutral or enemy’ in bad seas ~100 meters away… Is there any sure way to determine enemy or neutral from a distance? I’m afraid they will court martial me next time!

Rick

RickR

01-08-10, 11:39 PM

Ahhhh... I found this which is good common sense for my question #8 to determine if it's 'Friend or Foe'

1. If the ship is sailing by itself and its blacked out - shoot it
2. If the ship is sailing by itself and it's not blacked out - don't shoot it.
3. If the ship is in convoy, it's probably fair game - check to be sure

Rick

Sailor Steve

01-09-10, 02:46 AM

3. SSS? What’s ‘SSS’? I know what SOS is but SSS? Getting it on the radio…perhaps that's just static?
Those messages are for immersion only, but they are actual messages sent by stricken ships during the war. 'SSS' means "I have been attacked by a submarine"

During the Second World War, additional codes were employed to include immediate details about attacks by enemy vessels, especially in the Battle of the Atlantic. The signal SSS signalled attacked by submarines, whilst RRR warned of an attack by a surface raider, QQQ warned of an unknown raider (usually an auxiliary cruiser), and AAA indicated an attack by aircraft. They were usually sent in conjunction with the SOS distress code. All of these codes later switched from three repeats of the letter to four repeats ("RRRR", etc.).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOS

Are there really Allied (enemy) subs modeled in the GWX? Has anyone seen or sunk one? (Got a radio message about one…)
I haven't, but several folks have posted pictures of British 'S' class submarines.

I recently ran aground in trying to sneak in a port. Scared the heck out of me! The ping from ‘Depth under keel’ command is about the only way to truly determine depth but I’m afraid to use it as broadcasts my location. What does one do? Always stay in deep water?
In the real war there were only two harbor raids by u-boats. Some players do them for fun. I pretend my life is really on the line, and I stay away from things like harbors, English Channels, and other places where there's nowhere to hide

Reference #5, in a crash dive (70 meters at Flank) won’t I smash into sea floor if and possible end my career if water is too shallow? Back to pinging again? I found the depth related coloring of map not very accurate in places.
Go to flank speed. Order 20 meters. It's the next best thing, and pretty fast in a pinch.

I think I got a distress call (SSS?) but gave location (Lat/Long) in degrees and minutes…how do I convert that to something I can find on my map?
As said, those are real calls included for immersion only. There's nothing there anyway. SH4 has latitude and longitude lines, plus KM grids if you're playing the u-boat version. SH3 doesn't.

I sank a neutral by mistake…sure wish we had those star shells of old SH3… then almost sank myself trying to confirm a contact ‘neutral or enemy’ in bad seas ~100 meters away… Is there any sure way to determine enemy or neutral from a distance? I’m afraid they will court martial me next time!
No court martial, in the game or in real life. In real life neutrals were off limits, but if they were in a convoy they were fair game. A couple of German captains accidentally sank their own ships. A subsequent court martial showed that in every case the German merchant was outside of its designated area, and disguised as an Allied ship to boot.

In the game, you lose the same amount of renown for sinking one that you would gain if it was an enemy, and ten times that if you sink a friendly. I went into Data/Cfg/Basic and edited mine so if I sink a neutral it gives me zero renown, and if I sink an enemy it gives me -1 rather than -10. This way I don't get hurt by sinking a neutral, but I don't get credit for it either.

Also the stock game has no lighted ships. Many are included in GWX, but by no means all. Just because it's not lit up doesn't mean it's an enemy. Always check the flag if you can.

Wreford-Brown

01-09-10, 03:27 AM

1. Do "Qualifications ratings' effect capability or just improve their fatigue?

4. Are there really Allied (enemy) subs modeled in the GWX? Has anyone seen or sunk one? (Got a radio message about one…)

5. I recently ran aground in trying to sneak in a port. Scared the heck out of me! The ping from ‘Depth under keel’ command is about the only way to truly determine depth but I’m afraid to use it as broadcasts my location. What does one do? Always stay in deep water?

Further to Steve's answers:
1. Fatigue is linked to a compartments efficiency and therefore capability. Qualifications therefore effect capability.

4. Yes, there are British S and T class subs, two American subs (Gato and another) and some others (e.g. Italian). Check out the museum to see all the ships you'll find in game.

5. The 'Depth under keel' ping won't be heard by enemy ships.

Rangoon

01-09-10, 04:08 AM

5. The 'Depth under keel' ping won't be heard by enemy ships.

This is good to know. I have always been very careful about using it since I read it broadcasts your position. Nice to know it's safe to use. I assume this applies even to ships actively hunting you?

Dissaray

01-09-10, 04:21 AM

As far as I konw the ping sound is just for the player's gratification. I belive it even playes the sound if you don't have an active sonar installed on your boat.

Rangoon

01-09-10, 11:47 AM

It plays on the Type IIa for sure. If that thing has an active sonar, I have yet to find it. :)

Sailor Steve

01-09-10, 01:01 PM

This is good to know. I have always been very careful about using it since I read it broadcasts your position. Nice to know it's safe to use. I assume this applies even to ships actively hunting you?
That's true, but in real life it did, so I always play as if they could hear me.

As far as I konw the ping sound is just for the player's gratification. I belive it even playes the sound if you don't have an active sonar installed on your boat.
It plays on the Type IIa for sure. If that thing has an active sonar, I have yet to find it. :)
All true, but active sonar couldn't be used for bottom-sounding anyway, as on surface ships it only aims down about 45 degrees and on submarines not at all. Why aim down when all the targets are above you?

What they all did have is a device called the Atlas-Echelot. This was a specific sonar machine pointed straight down and was only for bottom-sounding.

Next time you're in the SH3 control room right-click on the Navigator and you'll see it above the Nav Chart table. You can even push the button and read it yourself.

Rangoon

01-09-10, 01:57 PM

Thanks for the info Sailor Steve.

you'll see it above the Nav Chart table. You can even push the button and read it yourself.

Yes I've seen it there and made the connection. I also noticed that it only updates when you tell it to do so, then holds that number on the dial until you next update with a ping. These little touches go a long way.

SilentEnemy

01-09-10, 04:46 PM

[Noob question detected] Hi, I'm new here and I want to know how to use the guns in storm if I have an unpatched version of SH3 :hmmm: "StormConditions" line has no effect :-?

KL-alfman

01-09-10, 05:05 PM

welcome aboard, silentenemy!
I've read about a mod allowing to use deck-guns even in heavy sea. pls look for it in the download-section (in the menu-bar above, then: sh3, gameplay-mods. there are some pages .....).
maybe someone will give you a direct link, but I never used the mod due to getting more and more realism. :03:

Wreford-Brown

01-09-10, 06:53 PM

The mod you're looking for is one of jimbuna's mods.
He'll be along on a second to give us the link...

jim, where are you???

Vipper

01-10-10, 12:30 AM

Ahhhh... I found this which is good common sense for my question #8 to determine if it's 'Friend or Foe'

1. If the ship is sailing by itself and its blacked out - shoot it

Rick

I did sink neutrals several times on early war that way, they will sail blackened. You can discover is ship friend or woe making yourself visible (by gunshot or sailing VERY close when weather is bad) - if they evade and zig zag they are enemy. Or you just risk, blackened neutrals are rare.

Sailor Steve

01-10-10, 12:55 AM

WELCOME ABOARD!:sunny:

[Noob question detected] Hi, I'm new here and I want to know how to use the guns in storm if I have an unpatched version of SH3 :hmmm: "StormConditions" line has no effect :-?
How new is your version of the game? Newer purchases come already patched. On the original there was no option to change the 'StormConditions'. If you can see it at all you should be able to change it. Are you in the middle of a patrol? It might not take effect until your patrol is done.

SilentEnemy

01-10-10, 03:37 AM

Thank you all for helping a noob :oops:

Can I still play on my savegames after the installation of this mod, or I'll have to start a new mission/career ? :-?

Sailor Steve, I heard that the version of the game must be somewhere shown on main menu but I've been looking in every corner of the screen and no version displayed. When I first opened the submarine's cfg there was no "StormConditions" line and I added it thinking that will work :haha:

Sorry for my english :oops:

KL-alfman

01-10-10, 05:03 AM

SilentEnemy

01-10-10, 06:51 AM

yes!
after the intro-vid (main menu) in the right corner below there is written the version-number.
should be: v1.4b (if I remember correctly)

Yup, I'm completely blind because I still can't see the version :damn: here's a screenshot of main menu http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/6336/sh3.png

The only numbers I see are 17/10655-76575 and 16835.... so ? :-?

KL-alfman

01-10-10, 08:10 AM

but there is! :D

in the line: "who wants to be ......" to the right you can see the number, and it's v1.0 (if I'm correct).
therefore you better should patch to v1.4

SilentEnemy

01-10-10, 08:47 AM

cawimmer430

01-10-10, 09:09 AM

In real life neutrals were off limits, but if they were in a convoy they were fair game..

Just to clarify. If I come across a convoy with neutral ships, I can sink them just like that?

Jimbuna

01-10-10, 09:54 AM

[Noob question detected] Hi, I'm new here and I want to know how to use the guns in storm if I have an unpatched version of SH3 :hmmm: "StormConditions" line has no effect :-?

Here ya go: http://www.filefront.com/12858195/GWX3.0_All_Weather_Guns.7z

The mod you're looking for is one of jimbuna's mods.
He'll be along on a second to give us the link...

jim, where are you???

Better late than never :DL

Sailor Steve

01-10-10, 05:06 PM

So there :D I was confused of that splotch :haha: but I can't patch it to 1.4 because it says that some files have an unknown version even if the game it's freshly installed :x so I guess there's no other way patching the game ?
That note almost certainly means that you have a newer version of the game, and it's already patched.

Just to clarify. If I come across a convoy with neutral ships, I can sink them just like that?
No. You will still recieve negative renown for sinking them. The game is boggled in that respect.

Jimbuna

01-10-10, 05:34 PM

<FOR THE PURPOSE OF CLARITY>

If you attack any vessel of a country designated as neutral.....every vessel of said country will regard you as hostile for the following 24 hour period.

Sailor Steve

01-10-10, 11:40 PM

Yup, I'm completely blind because I still can't see the version :damn: here's a screenshot of main menu http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/6336/sh3.png

The only numbers I see are 17/10655-76575 and 16835.... so ? :-?
:rotfl2:

Sorry. Your screenshot doesn't show your whole screen. I just looked at mine and they are little tiny numbers just out of your shot on the bottom right.

KL-alfman

01-11-10, 01:51 AM

thx to sailor steve, in my answer was a small mistake!
the version-nr is on the bottom right (directly under the "splotch", as you called it).
I haven't paid attention to this sign for some time now, so I couldn't remember correctly. sry for this.

SilentEnemy

01-13-10, 10:16 AM

Sorry for being late :D

Jimbuna, as I said, "StormConditions" has no effect since I have the stock game, no patches installed. But I've solved this problem by editing the weather in scene.dat file and checked the option to apply the weather from scene.dat file to any mission/career.

More questions incoming:

-If I have flooding in my submarine, the sub's flooding speed will be affected by its current propulsion speed? If I'm moving, the flood will move faster?

-When I'm returning to base from my patrol, the time to travel the distance between my location and the base location will count?

Rangoon

01-13-10, 10:40 PM

When I'm returning to base from my patrol, the time to travel the distance between my location and the base location will count?

Perhaps someone can correct me, but I used the RTB function once and it did not seem to advance the time at all. I'm using GWX 3.0 for what that may be worth. As I recall the time the mission ended was the same time as when I selected RTB.

Dissaray

01-14-10, 01:43 AM

I think the RTB time is the time the game records as the end of the mission. At least that is what I have seen too.

As for flooding faster while moving; I don't think it works like that. I use propulsion to keep from hiting crush depth in caises of dire flooding. If you are sinking aft first you can throw your engeins into forward motion and stop your sinking and if bow first you can back up. That trick has saved me a few times now.

Rangoon

01-14-10, 02:08 AM

If you are sinking aft first you can throw your engeins into forward motion and stop your sinking and if bow first you can back up. That trick has saved me a few times now.

Nice...I'll have to try this. :salute:

Jimbuna

01-14-10, 10:32 AM

Flooding isn't accelerated by the speed the boat is travelling.

SilentEnemy

01-16-10, 09:38 AM

Thanks for the answers :up: and of course for that trick, Rangoon :yeah:

Sorry if this question has been already posted but I can't find where can I increase the damage the torpedo and deck/flak gun can make :oops: I saw somewhere that in library/shells.sim can be done but I don't know where exactly, so if you can help me please :-?

Later Edit: New stupid question :D in main.cfg if I set TimeStop to -1 when I pause the game it will run backwards? I'm afraid that this will lead to a CTD :haha: