It's only a game...

[don1reed]

Here's a copy of an email I sent to a friend:

Hi Ken,

You laughed when I sent you a copy of Google Earth of the location of U-33.

Let me try to persuade you why you shouldn't laugh.
First off, I play SH3/4 in TC 1x...(remember, I explained to you that I retired from the Merchant Marine)
I keep a hand written paper log of my hour by hour watch changes and navigation. I take 5 sextant sights daily during a cruise, morning twilight (round of stars) weather permitting,
morning sun,
noon,
afternoon sun,
evening twilight.
I sent you a copy of my position on Google Earth because it, by far, demonstrated where the "Game" really has me.
I also do a paper plot using the celestial bodies I've chosen in my sights. Both the morning and evening twilight sights of (usually three stars/planets) is the most accurate. The three sun sights during the day only results in a running fix (rfix).

Yes, I take navigation very seriously. It is my main hobby now since retirement, but I use my real sextant(s) to collect and verify celestial ephemeris routinely...like brushing my teeth.

Everyone's computer dir is different, for me, the game places the saved games here:
C:\\Users\\Gamer\\My Documents\\SH3\\data\\cfg\\Careers\\Achilles\\3\\A chilles.map

I use two stand-alone freeware programs, Python and Stellarium, running in the background; and, one costly program, "The Navigator"
http://www.tecepe.com.br/nav/ (http://www.tecepe.com.br/nav/)

for my almanac for the war years 1939-1945.

My SH3 game save looks like this:

[Mark]
PointsNb=1
Pt0=-686886.13,5761850.50,0.00,Mark 1
[Ruler]
PointsNb=4
Pt0=-569007.63,5711646.50,0.00
Pt1=-1581642.50,6138904.01,0.00
Pt2=-406507.63,5712146.50,0.00
Pt3=-569507.60,5712146.21,0.00
[Range]
PointsNb=0
[Angle]
PointsNb=0
[Waypoint] <------------------------NOTE. I don't use Waypoints
PointsNb=1
Pt0=-788292.85,5808923.05,-11.32

The following script written for Python, goes into the "SH3" file in my documents HIGHLIGHTED below, does it's magic and puts the data of where the game KNOWS where I am and places it in STELLARIUM.
#Python 2.5.2 (r252:60911, Feb 21 2008, 13:11:45) [MSC v.1310 32 bit (Intel)] on win32
#Type "copyright", "credits" or "license()" for more information.
#IDLE 1.2.2
#>>> #By Michael Jones, 01/01/2008.
#This program reads the latitude and longitude data for a
#sub in Silent Hunter III and creates a startup script for
#Stellarium. This sets the Date, Time and Location of the
#sub in Stellarium, allowing players to use celestial navigation in the game.
import string
#read 100. Change the directory on the next line to point to 100.map in your saved game directory.
f=open("C:\\Users\\Gamer\\My Documents\\SH3\\data\\cfg\\Careers\\Achilles\\3\\A chilles.map",'r')
content= f.read()
f.close()
#find lat & Lon in the file
start = content.find("Waypoint")
longst = content.find("Pt0=",start)
longnd = content.find(",",longst)
latnd = content.find(",",longnd+1)
print start
print longst
print longnd
print latnd
#convert to dec deg
longitude = float(content[longst+4:longnd])/120000
latitude = float(content[longnd+1:latnd])/120000
#get date&time (input)
date = raw_input('yyyy/mm/dd :')
time = raw_input('hh:mm :')
#Write startup script. Change the next line to suit for your Stellarium startup script.
stella=open("C:\\Stellarium\\scripts\\startup.sts",'w')
stella.write("date utc "+date+"T"+time+":00\n")
stella.write("moveto lon "+str(longitude)+"\n")
stella.write("moveto lat "+str(latitude)+"\n")
stella.write("script action end\n")
stella.close()
#now open stellarium and take your star sights

I then open stellarium and take my celestial sights, then reduce them to LOP's (lines of position) and where they cross, that's where I am.

The short answer to your question is: Yes. That's where I am.http://gfx2.hotmail.com/mail/w4/pr01/ltr/emoticons/smile_teeth.gif

Cheers,

Don

[Castout]

I would get lost even in a mall. No I'm no stupid kid I'm over 25.... so kudos to you :yeah:

[KL-alfman]

I think, don1reed has pushed SH3 to the max of realism.
it seems that it's not a "game" any more, but I bet it's even more thrilling ......

[don1reed]

alfman....


I feel so on-top of everything and pleased with myself until the DD's sink me. :DL

[don1reed]

@Castout

For me, :) 90% of SH3 is just getting to where the targets are supposed to be.

[Elektranaut]

I've often wondered how accurate the night sky is in SH3.Incidentally I can confirm that Stellarium is a wonderful programme for anyone remotely intrested in the sky above...and its a free download.

[don1reed]

I couldn't agree more, Elektranaut. Talk about bang for the buck, Stellarium has it.

As far as the accuracy of SH3's celestial canopy. Many the twilight I've waited on the bridge for the upper limb of the sun to sink beneath the horizon, so I could take some virtual sights in stellarium only to find the sun still visible there; but, for my purposes, SH3 is close enough to give you a ball-park closeness. Scientific predictions of nautical almanac quality...not so much. Where's the fun in making landfall 100% of the time? :haha:

[Thomen]

Here's a copy of an email I sent to a friend:

Hi Ken,

You laughed when I sent you a copy of Google Earth of the location of U-33.

Let me try to persuade you why you shouldn't laugh.
First off, I play SH3/4 in TC 1x...(remember, I explained to you that I retired from the Merchant Marine)
I keep a hand written paper log of my hour by hour watch changes and navigation. I take 5 sextant sights daily during a cruise, morning twilight (round of stars) weather permitting,
morning sun,
noon,
afternoon sun,
evening twilight.
I sent you a copy of my position on Google Earth because it, by far, demonstrated where the "Game" really has me.
I also do a paper plot using the celestial bodies I've chosen in my sights. Both the morning and evening twilight sights of (usually three stars/planets) is the most accurate. The three sun sights during the day only results in a running fix (rfix).

Yes, I take navigation very seriously. It is my main hobby now since retirement, but I use my real sextant(s) to collect and verify celestial ephemeris routinely...like brushing my teeth.

Everyone's computer dir is different, for me, the game places the saved games here:
C:\\Users\\Gamer\\My Documents\\SH3\\data\\cfg\\Careers\\Achilles\\3\\A chilles.map

I use two stand-alone freeware programs, Python and Stellarium, running in the background; and, one costly program, "The Navigator"
http://www.tecepe.com.br/nav/ (http://www.tecepe.com.br/nav/)

for my almanac for the war years 1939-1945.

My SH3 game save looks like this:

[Mark]
PointsNb=1
Pt0=-686886.13,5761850.50,0.00,Mark 1
[Ruler]
PointsNb=4
Pt0=-569007.63,5711646.50,0.00
Pt1=-1581642.50,6138904.01,0.00
Pt2=-406507.63,5712146.50,0.00
Pt3=-569507.60,5712146.21,0.00
[Range]
PointsNb=0
[Angle]
PointsNb=0
[Waypoint] <------------------------NOTE. I don't use Waypoints
PointsNb=1
Pt0=-788292.85,5808923.05,-11.32

The following script written for Python, goes into the "SH3" file in my documents HIGHLIGHTED below, does it's magic and puts the data of where the game KNOWS where I am and places it in STELLARIUM.
#Python 2.5.2 (r252:60911, Feb 21 2008, 13:11:45) [MSC v.1310 32 bit (Intel)] on win32
#Type "copyright", "credits" or "license()" for more information.
#IDLE 1.2.2
#>>> #By Michael Jones, 01/01/2008.
#This program reads the latitude and longitude data for a
#sub in Silent Hunter III and creates a startup script for
#Stellarium. This sets the Date, Time and Location of the
#sub in Stellarium, allowing players to use celestial navigation in the game.
import string
#read 100. Change the directory on the next line to point to 100.map in your saved game directory.
f=open("C:\\Users\\Gamer\\My Documents\\SH3\\data\\cfg\\Careers\\Achilles\\3\\A chilles.map",'r')
content= f.read()
f.close()
#find lat & Lon in the file
start = content.find("Waypoint")
longst = content.find("Pt0=",start)
longnd = content.find(",",longst)
latnd = content.find(",",longnd+1)
print start
print longst
print longnd
print latnd
#convert to dec deg
longitude = float(content[longst+4:longnd])/120000
latitude = float(content[longnd+1:latnd])/120000
#get date&time (input)
date = raw_input('yyyy/mm/dd :')
time = raw_input('hh:mm :')
#Write startup script. Change the next line to suit for your Stellarium startup script.
stella=open("C:\\Stellarium\\scripts\\startup.sts",'w')
stella.write("date utc "+date+"T"+time+":00\n")
stella.write("moveto lon "+str(longitude)+"\n")
stella.write("moveto lat "+str(latitude)+"\n")
stella.write("script action end\n")
stella.close()
#now open stellarium and take your star sights

I then open stellarium and take my celestial sights, then reduce them to LOP's (lines of position) and where they cross, that's where I am.

The short answer to your question is: Yes. That's where I am.http://gfx2.hotmail.com/mail/w4/pr01/ltr/emoticons/smile_teeth.gif

Cheers,

Don

Hats up to you! :salute:

I would like to know, how exactly does it work? Do run both (SH3 and Stellarium) at the same time? Do you play in window mode so you can check the other?
How does the output look like? :up:

[don1reed]

Hello Thomen:

Depends on the power of your cpu. I can run Stellarium in the background and do an ALT-TAB (SH3 full screen) or click on Stellarium Icon with SH3 in Windows mode.

in the Python script file here:

#Python 2.5.2 (r252:60911, Feb 21 2008, 13:11:45) [MSC v.1310 32 bit (Intel)] on
win32
#Type "copyright", "credits" or "license()" for more information.
#IDLE 1.2.2
#>>> #By Michael Jones, 01/01/2008.
#This program reads the latitude and longitude data for a
#sub in Silent Hunter III and creates a startup script for
#Stellarium. This sets the Date, Time and Location of the
#sub in Stellarium, allowing players to use celestial navigation in the game.
import string
#read 100. Change the directory on the next line to point to 100.map in your saved
game directory.
f=open("C:\\Users\\Gamer\\My Documents\\SH3\\data\\cfg\\Careers\\Achilles
\\3\\Achilles.map",'r' (file://\\3\\Achilles.map&quot;,'r')) <---------------Python gathers what it needs from SH3 (My Documents file)
content= f.read()
f.close()
#find lat & Lon in the file
start = content.find("Waypoint")
longst = content.find("Pt0=",start)
longnd = content.find(",",longst)
latnd = content.find(",",longnd+1)
print start
print longst
print longnd
print latnd
#convert to dec deg
longitude = float(content[longst+4:longnd])/120000
latitude = float(content[longnd+1:latnd])/120000
#get date&time (input)
date = raw_input('yyyy/mm/dd :')
time = raw_input('hh:mm :')
#Write startup script. Change the next line to suit for your Stellarium startup script.
stella=open("C:\\Stellarium\\scripts\\startup.sts",'w')
stella.write("date utc "+date+"T"+time+":00\n")
stella.write("moveto lon "+str(longitude)+"\n")
stella.write("moveto lat "+str(latitude)+"\n")
stella.write("script action end\n")
stella.close() <----------------Python then makes this "startup" in stellarium
#now open stellarium and take your star sights

"take your **** sights" means clicking on the body when you're in Stellarium...like I've done here below and it gives me the necessary data to go to a time-period almanac to do a sight reduction in order to make a line of position (LOP).

Some modders have already created the UBoat background below.


http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/2533/achillessun.jpg (http://img705.imageshack.us/i/achillessun.jpg/)

both python and stellarium are freeware:

www.python.org (http://www.python.org) and www.stellarium.org (http://www.stellarium.org)

I would dl the newest verion and try it if you're interested.

cheers,

[don1reed]

btw: that script file will work with your computer also. Just copy this one and edit it with notepad to suit your needs.

Let me add also:

Everytime you do a save in SH3 it writes the geo coords into a *.maps file (name of your skipper) and documents precisely where you boat is on the F5 chart in the game. Python calculates the necessary L&L and places that location in Stellarium so when you view the celestial canopy you are seeing if from your boat's location...

I think that Stellarium is just as good as Starry Night...mainly due to the price ($0.00)

Final note:

All of this is for naught if you use waypoints in your play. Try getting from point A to point B without waypoints and you'll understand the meaning of "being alert on watch." lol

[Canovaro]

It's amazing where this game can take you.
Wonderful way of playing it really.
Wish I had the time.

:salute:

[Thomen]

btw: that script file will work with your computer also. Just copy this one and edit it with notepad to suit your needs.

Let me add also:

Everytime you do a save in SH3 it writes the geo coords into a *.maps file (name of your skipper) and documents precisely where you boat is on the F5 chart in the game. Python calculates the necessary L&L and places that location in Stellarium so when you view the celestial canopy you are seeing if from your boat's location...

I think that Stellarium is just as good as Starry Night...mainly due to the price ($0.00)

Final note:

All of this is for naught if you use waypoints in your play. Try getting from point A to point B without waypoints and you'll understand the meaning of "being alert on watch." lol


hehe.. thanks. Taking a look at Stellarium right now.
Your position will be still shown on the in-game map?

[don1reed]

hehe.. thanks. Taking a look at Stellarium right now.
Your position will be still shown on the in-game map?


Yes. when you zoom out, but close in with OLC gui, it disappears. Which is like RL.

There is a mod kicking about that completely removes the boat from your chart...if you desire.

[FIREWALL]

Thx don1reed :salute: I've got some downloading and copy & pasteing to do. :yep:

I saw somewhere in the mods section IIRC a Sextant tool download.

[Thomen]

Yes. when you zoom out, but close in with OLC gui, it disappears. Which is like RL.

There is a mod kicking about that completely removes the boat from your chart...if you desire.

Let me start it slowly.. :D
Don't have much time to play at the moment. :nope:

[don1reed]

Hey FW. I had always hoped that something could be done with the Obs Scope. If some modder would find a way to measure the altitude from horizon to body with enough precision we'd be in business.

I'll have to take a look.

thanks.

[flag4]

don1reed

i am reading your posts, they are truely impressive - a little jaw dropping perhaps. i whish i had your ability with navigation, computers and the time you put into this 'game.'

my god! you are living it at a completely different celestial/cerebral level!

if you ever decide to make a mod or write something to explain how you do all this for meer beginners - i'm in!

...can't help wondering if you have read 'The Lost Flying Boat' by Alan Sillitoe:hmmm:

happy travells don1reed:salute:

[don1reed]

Why tnx, Flag. Kind words indeed.

If I can do it. You can do it.

If you've glanced thru that python script, you'll see the true genius of this endeaver, one, Michael Jones.

The beauty of this adventure is that you don't have to mod your game to do this. The trick is to DL the two freeware programs and that "script" in post #1 of this thread. Just cut 'n paste and edit it to suit your directory.

The next trick is to get them to work on your computer...a little iffy with vista or W7, but I can attest that they do work.

As far as Celestial Navigation is concerned...I can highly recommend one small book to get started:

CELESTIAL NAVIGATION FOR YACHTSMEN by Mary Blewitt

I don't know if she's still alive or not, but my understanding of the art is mainly due to that little book. Her writings on cel nav during WWII are top notch and taught many sailors and pilots how to navigate.

I believe it can still be purchased through SUBSIM at Amazon dot com.

Sailors have gotten a tad lazy in recent years with SatNav having taken over Cel Nav. This is a system that worked and still works. Just like Sliderules. In the right hands they help build the Uboats, the P-51 Mustangs, put man in space and on the moon. Handheld electronic calculators were just a dream.

I, along with cel nav and sliderules, just hate to get old I guess.

cheers,

[Jimbuna]

I am impressed http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[don1reed]

No. Tnx to you, Jim and all the straight shooters @GWX :yeah: without which, playing at tc 1x would be like sitting thru a sermon.

@Flag: Tnx for the tip on the book. I've a prime account w/amazon and just picked it up for $4.20.

cheers

[maillemaker]

I'm just now trying to figure out how to shoot torpedoes manually. I think I'll worry about celestial navigation later. :)

Steve

[don1reed]

I'm a septuagenarian, Steve. Don't wait too long. :salute:

(Not as much fun as a sexagenarian; but, time and tide wait for no man.)

[Snestorm]

@don1reed

Very impressed, sir.
Bowditch & Dutton?

[Jimbuna]

No. Tnx to you, Jim and all the straight shooters @GWX :yeah: without which, playing at tc 1x would be like sitting thru a sermon.



Thank you sir....I will see to it that your kind remarks are posted at The Lair http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[don1reed]

Very impressed, sir.
Bowditch & Dutton?

and HO 211 :up: (I don't believe they used HO 229 or 249 back then)

For those interested 211, check out Henning Umlands freeware HERE (http://www.celnav.de/page3.htm) toward the bottom of the page.