SH4 noob, overwhelmed with mod options

[Panser]

I've decided I would like a change of pace from SH3, a game I have been playing on and off for 5 years. For the first time I have picked up SH4 with the U-Boat missions add-on. I'd previously overlooked SH4 since release given that I had little or no interest in US sub operations, a position no doubt not helped by my general ignorance of the topic and the lack of attention the subject generally receives in the UK.

Still, being something I would not normally go for I figure it would make an ideal change. I installed the game the other day and have finished the training school missions a couple of times and went a lot better than expected.

Having read around on here I get the impression that using some of the available mods is highly recommended, even for new players, and this is where I have come unstuck. Options to enhance the US side, options to enhance the UBM addon, even atlantic operations. I've been truly missing out all this time and now don't even know where to start. The mechanics of using mods with JSGME is not the problem, just the choice of what to use and with what else.

I guess my post falls into three questions, one more open than the other two.

1) Are there any mods for SH4 that are analogous to the GWX/NYGM supermods for SH3 in terms of scale and completeness?

2) Can mods for different theatres and nationalities be installed side by side, or do I have to make a choice / run multiple installs? Specifically, can I run any of the US PTO mods and UBM mods in parallel or are they mutually exclusive?

3) Lastly, what are considered to be popular and/or reliable combinations of mods for the various facets of gameplay (US/German/ATO)? Obviously something as subjective as "the best" is pointless to ask but hopefully there will be a general consensus on which mods are complementary to one another.

Sorry to post such a wall of text and I thank anyone who has reached this far for their patience. Again, I appreciate that most of this information is out there already but I have looked through the forums, searched and looked at my options on the downloads section and have not really found found the answers I'm looking for in a manner that I understand.

[Platapus]

I
Having read around on here I get the impression that using some of the available mods is highly recommended, even for new players

you don't have to be in a hurry to install mods. Stock SH4 is playable and enjoyable without mods. The Mods improve the game, but can hardly be considered mandatory. Most people on this site use mods, probably the majority of the public that plays SH4 don't.

I've been truly missing out all this time and now don't even know where to start. The mechanics of using mods with JSGME is not the problem, just the choice of what to use and with what else.

You can't go wrong with sticking with one of the "mega mods" that are on the download pages. That would be a good place to start - one mod, not mod soup.

I guess my post falls into three questions, one more open than the other two. [/quote]

1) Are there any mods for SH4 that are analogous to the GWX/NYGM supermods for SH3 in terms of scale and completeness?

Difficult to answer. GWX is great, TMO and RFB are also great. Can one compare RFB with GWX? I don't think so.

2) Can mods for different theatres and nationalities be installed side by side, or do I have to make a choice / run multiple installs? Specifically, can I run any of the US PTO mods and UBM mods in parallel or are they mutually exclusive? [/quote}

I am not aware of any mods that are mutually exclusive between the Theaters, however I rarely play the SH4 uboats. When you are installing mods, make sure you are installing the right mod for your version of the game.

3) Lastly, what are considered to be popular and/or reliable combinations of mods for the various facets of gameplay (US/German/ATO)? Obviously something as subjective as "the best" is pointless to ask but hopefully there will be a general consensus on which mods are complementary to one another.

You will probably get 1,000 different answers to this one and they will all be correct. Personally, I am more interested in a simulation for a submarine, so I am very happy with RFB (real fleet boat). Others are more interested in a simulation of submarine missions/patrols and they are happy with TMO (Trigger Maru). Who is right? Both are. One thing that is nice is that another big mod, RSRD (Run Silent Run Deep) can be installed with either RFB or TMO.

My worthless recommendation is to initially stick with one of the mega mods (RFB or TMO) try them for a while, then start researching the other mods (RSRD) or the smaller mods that address specific issues. There is no best combination of mods, only popular ones. Some like to play with mod soup and others prefer only a few mods. Who is right? They both are.

Good luck and the bestest thing about JSGME is that it makes it easy to experiment with the mods of your choice.

Sorry to post such a wall of text and I thank anyone who has reached this far for their patience. Again, I appreciate that most of this information is out there already but I have looked through the forums, searched and looked at my options on the downloads section and have not really found found the answers I'm looking for in a manner that I understand.

[Ducimus]

Stock SH4 is playable and enjoyable without mods. The Mods improve the game, but can hardly be considered mandatory

I respectfully disagree. :O: Stock SH4 is horrid. Friends don't let friends play vanilla SH4. :haha: I don't care what supermod people use, just don't play SH4 vanilla. It will traumatize you!

[tater]

There basically two supermods that alter the behavior of the submarine, RFB, and TMO. TMO also has a campaign component, while RFB relies on Run Silent, Run Deep Campaign (RSRDC). RSRDC is also available for TMO, as well as stock.

The stock campaign is abysmal.

Abysmal. Nothing about it is acceptable, IMHO. It's not the least bit realistic from a historical standpoint, and as a GAME, it's nothing if not boring. The convoys are overescorted, yet the escorts are 100% incompetent. They didn't even get Midway right (too few CVs, LOL, dunno how you mess that one up).

So IMO, RSRDC is mandatory, unless you are running TMO, in which case the TMO campaign or RSRDC is available.

RFB vs TMO is preference.

Playing stock is a bad idea, IMO, and playing the stock campaign is unforgivable. :)

[Ducimus]

So Tater, how do you really feel about the stock campaign? :O:

Anyway, what tater said. Since im one of the yahoo's responsible for one of said mods, i have this social obligation to keep my yap shut and let people who play SH4 speak for themselves. :salute:

[tater]

TMO makes the gameplay harder, of the two. Meaning that you'll be forced to act like a real skipper because the enemy will kill you otherwise. RFB is more forgiving, but you will still have to fight the boat, particularly with more than one escort, and/or in shallow water (and much of the PTO is shallow).

If you are a skilled ATO player, you'll be fine with either TMO or RFB. Try both.

RSRDC is not optional for RFB unless you have incredibly low standards. :)

[Platapus]

I respectfully disagree. :O:

Nothing wrong with disagreements. Our members are best served when they are given different opinions on a topic. In this case, they were given two opinions:

1. The right opinion
2. Your opinion

:D
:haha::haha::haha:

[Ducimus]

Ouch! Oh.... my liver! My liver! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIJre5IZ15A)

[Platapus]

Thank you, you have been a great thread. I will be here all week. Remember to tip the veal and try the waitress. :woot:

[Armistead]

I played SH4 for about 3 weeks then put it on the shelf. After finding the forum and mods, it's been my favorite game ever played. I'm in the camp that the game sucks without mods. Why eat a hot dog when you can have a steak.

I've played all the supermods, TMO is my favorite by far.

Here is my setup. Still finishing a career with TMO 1.9, then will move to ver2 which I think includes many of the smaller mods I run.

Mods that I think are a must for TMO are RSRD, 3d interiors really add to the sub interior, EAX sound...just wow. Ship pack adds some nice ships.
Merchant skinpack at least gives you many different paint jobs, instead of the same old same old.

I run maxoptics, just older eyes.

TriggerMaru_Overhaul_19
TMO19_Patch_25012010
RSRDC_TMO_V502
RSRDC_V5xx_Patch1
TMO19_interior3d_GATO_overhaul
TGT DIALS TO PK FIX
EAXsoundsim_without_WebstersManeuver_TMO19
Ship pack 1
MaxOptics IV for TMO 1.9
TMO19_ChartsOverhaul
Nav Map Make-Over
Merchant Skinpack v2 TMO
SS285 USS Balao_Historical BALAO HI-RES Weathered
SCAF for RSRDC v502
SofuGan

[Panser]

Thanks for the feedback everyone, the thread has been good for a chuckle as well as informative!

At least I have some idea of where to begin now; the mod options for SH4 don't seem quite as clearcut as they do for other versions but at least now I have seen a few different opinions I know what I might like to try.

Tater, I don't mind mods that make the game harder at all. The stock campaign in SH3 was always too easy so I figured that was likely to carry over to the sequel.

Armistead, thanks for your mod list and recommendations - besides simply knowing which mods you choose, it's good to know why you like them.

[Ducimus]

At least I have some idea of where to begin now; the mod options for SH4 don't seem quite as clearcut as they do for other versions

Well, if this helps:

Fleet boat supermods:

Real Fleet boat. - Similar in vein to NYGM for SH3.

Trigger Maru Overhauled - frankensteinian monster managed by yours truly.

Fall of the Rising sun - Couldn't tell you, never played it, but its managed by the AOTD guys.

Game Fixes Only - by webster. For people who prefer the orginal game with the fixes, sans realism interpretations.

Pacific Campaign mods:

Run Silent Run Deep. - It's the only major pacific campaign mod, so it deserves its own classification. That said, this is practically a supermod in and of itself. Three versions exist. RSRD for stock, RSRD for RFB, and RSRD for TMO. As stated elsewhere, this is required for RFB, but optional for TMO.


Uboat Supermods:

Operation Monsoon - this is the only uboat supermod that exists, made by the same guy who did RSRD. The Uboat side is largely ignored by subsim users who prefer uboats. Probably fallout from the fleetboat vs uboat fanboy forum war a year or two back.

I started another supermod, (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=171443) for uboats because i was dissatisfied with SH5, but interest in it is as low as my motivation currently is, so i doubt it will progress much further then it currently has.

[Panser]

Again, thanks for the comprehensive breakdown.

As I'm trying to play SH4 I shall give the fleet boats a fair play - after all, it's U-boats I wanted a break from. OM and 9D2 both look good and I'll be sure to give them a looking at in the future.

Because I'm still new to SH4 I'll try the RSRD campaign first and any other tweaks and eyecandy mods I like the look of. Once I've got the hang of those then I will give TMO a go and prepare to get my ass handed to me. :cool:

Thanks everyone for your input and patience with yet another "which mods do I get" thread.

[raymond6751]

Oh, and get some good music for your gramophone because the Pacific is an awfully big place.

There are a few excellent mods for just the music/radio. Of course you can just copy your own music to the gramophone folder.

[Armistead]

Just think historical with RSRD or you may get bored. The action is seldom at your patrol star. Pay attention to the action reports why docked, the lil movies telling what's happened what's coming or just learn history.

This is a good link for RSRD. Study the battles and invasion forces, dates and routes they take and you'll find plenty of action. For instance study the invasion of Java. Late Feb to early March you'll run into many large invasion forces along the coast of Java.

The Solomons campaign is great with RSRD, from the battle of Coral Sea, the Port Moresby invasion group, battle of Savo, Santa Cruz, ect...

Study up.
http://www.historyanimated.com/pacificwaranimated/

[tater]

I stick with my patrols in RSRDC, and I don't get bored. One thing I do is to put the compass over the star and draw the patrol radius on the map. I will certainly make part of may patrol outside that radius if I think I might find targets.

[Ducimus]

As I'm trying to play SH4 I shall give the fleet boats a fair play - after all, it's U-boats I wanted a break from. .

BTW, I just have to say, I think that's awesome! And kudo's to you for broadening your horizons. I wish more could be as open minded. US sub's were always my favorite, So i tend to "play favorites", but ive studied, played, and modded for both Uboats and Fleet boats. Anywho, if you ever fancied type IX uboats, you might just fall in love with the classic fleet boat configuration. 6 tubes forward, 4 aft, all reloads internal, and radar usage while mostly submerged. It'll spoil you. :O:

Fleet boats aside, the wonderful thing about SH4 is better graphics, faster loading time, no DRM, and its virtually two sub sim's in one with UBM.

[Rockin Robbins]

I'm afraid SH4 does have DRM unless you buy SH4 Gold. The original game patched up to 1.5 still has SecuROM scanning your running processes at all times, refusing to run SH4 if it finds innocuous software, such as Microsoft Sysinternal's Process Explorer, running. If you find yourself in that position, quit the "offending" program, start SH4, alt-tab out and restart the offending program.

While SecuROM refuses to run SH4 when a harmless Microsoft utility is run, it completely ignores my driver that mounts ISO images as virtual DVD ROMs. Go figure! The DRM isn't just offensive, it's stupid and ineffective. I sneer in its general direction.

[tater]

I have the original game (with UBM), and I don't have securom...

Try running the app from the SH4 folder, NOT the shortcut it provided. I think I got some weird network thing recently, then realized it was the first time I had used the desktop shortcut—I'm always modding, so I click from the root SH4 directory.