mods advice - current status of releases

[orengreen]

Hello everybody!
After getting some opinions from people here, I have finally got my hands on SH5!
I installed it, updated with patch 1.2, and installed some mods. The game is beautiful and impressive, but I'm a little lost here.... too many mods, too many clashes!

I'd appreciate some advice about what mods I should get from people who are familiar with the SH5 mod "scene" and are familiar with the current state of events.

This is what I'm looking for:
1. (I know about New UIs with TDC v4.5.0 by TheDarkWraith (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/downloads.php?do=file&id=1811)) mods that improve the UI, especially ones that let me teleport from station to station and provide a "SH3 style" officers command bar. It would be great if the mod also has the F1 screen changed to fit the mod changes, otherwise I'm lost.
2. I want to be able to use the "connect the dots" torpedo attacks (so please no mods that disable it or at least let me choose).
3. mods that improve visuals.
4. mods that improve realism, but not make the game too hard... I'm not a hardcore kaleun.
4. mods that are up-to-date with 1.2, and hopefully don't clash with each other.
5. I'd prefer a few big mods than many little mods.

I really appreciate everybody's time and help here, and a special thanks to the modders as well!

Last question - is there a "super mod", similar to GWX, in the works for SH5? I loved GWX for SH3, but I have to say that it was a little too strict. For example - it disabled the external camera - I understood the need for realism, but I really liked the movie feel of the external camera, and if I wanted to be hardcore I could simply not use it. I like to be able to choose and not have things imposed...

[renthewog]

Just when i was going to ask the same question on here, I too am lost with the amount of mods released for sh5 to improve the game overall. At current i have just about every mod installed and is causing huge clashes with other mods and usually a CTD making gameplay virtually impossible. If someone has a list of just the best and essential mods you need, that would be good, otherwise Im lost aswell :06:

Thanks

[Husksubsky]

I join in!
I have sh5 still unused and I get lost if I try to see how far it actualy have come moddingwise. is there a package of singlemods that make the game ok now? is there a supermod on it s way? I loved the RFB style from SH4 and I am a realismgeek . Still I share some of the same curiosity about the moddingprogress.
Needless to say ... big thanks to all those who use their time and knowhow to make the game better for the rest of us.

[Husksubsky]

Found this ...http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=173193..a place to start :)

[orengreen]

The post you linked to is one of the reasons I posted this one!
what we really need is a short list of the really useful (and up-to-date) mods that do the job, with a little bit of explanations and no clashes.
I know this is a lot to ask, but there must be an experienced hand out there who can help us noobs out...

Thanks!

[Zedi]

orengreen, there is no such list you asked. SH5 is still a baby, born premature with bugs and diseases it's still under doctors hands. That's mean that most of the mods are addressing bugs and try to make the game playable, as those amateurs from Ubi have no intentions to release patches to repair their disaster.

If you cant wait another 5-10 years for big mod packs or polished stand alone mods, do what Husksubsky said. Look around, try those mods and build up your own mod list that will fit your play style. So far, is not other solution. Or stick with SH3. In 10 years the moders there had plenty of time to polish it and make it shine even if is an ancient and very outdated game/sim.

[orengreen]

Hey Magnum,
I'm not asking for a list of mods that would make the game perfect.
I think the "requirements" I posted will, with the help of this community, make things easier for noobs like me. If there's an "essential mods" list then it's easier to continue from there and build a mod list further.
There's a post somewhere else where people post their entire mod lists, and this is confusing. I'm asking for something a bit simpler, and it's not impossible, please don't be a downer man...
I hope it made you feel better to let off some steam about ubi... I feel the same way...:hmmm:

[TheDarkWraith]

It's not an easy answer to the question you asked. Some people are eye candy freaks, some are hard core realism, some are functionality freaks, some are a mixture of all. There are many different styles and trying to cater to all is not an easy task.

Yeah we don't have a mega-mod yet but once I get all my projects completed to a level I deem satisfactory I'll combine them all and release as a stand-alone combined mod (but being the perfectionist that I am that might be awhile...).

[orengreen]

I can appreciate what you're saying, and I know it's not easy to create a list such as what I asked for.
However, I believe that, even though the majority of the people contributing here are hardcore realists, visualists, or functionalists, most SH players are like me:
we look for good functionality but we don't have to have it all,
most of us are not dedicated enough for manual firing,
we want improved visuals (such as explosions, waves, etc.) but it's not a big deal if the insignia is inaccurate or if a radar mast is missing...etc.,
and we want decent but not perfect realism (one-hit sinks like in vanilla SH3 are ridiculous, but I don't want destroyers to have superman asdic...).
I might be wrong, but I think most players (the silent majority) are like that.

This is why I think an "essential starter" mod list would help a lot of players.
This community is a big reason why I liked SH3 all these years ago, and why I bothered buying SH5 after reading all the awful reviews.
I, as many other newbies, appreciate the hard work and trust the advice of the people here and why I started this thread, which I know isn't an easy request.

P.S. it's great news hearing you are working on your "mega-mod" (or is it more accurate to call it "mod pack"? There's no shame in using other people's efforts if you give credit!). Please keep us updated!

[Zedi]

orengreen, don't be afraid of the manual targeting and high realism. Once you discover it, you will like it more than just "shot & lol" at ships. It's a very different dimension of this game/sim. Also, forget bout SH3 and 4. This is not anymore a SF game with a sub called Enterprise where you teleport to stations. Get on "your feet" and walk around the sub, observe it, learn how it works and eventualy you will fall in love with it :P

In SH3 I thought that I'm a simmer and I play hardcore by clicking on all those dials on the UI. Move the bearing pointer, set up the gyro angle, aob.. click click click until ma mouse gets broken. And I said.. whoa, this was a hard work.. I rule. In SH5 I realised that I was a nub all the time. Just because the SH5 is so f'up on the sim part, I started to learn and read how to do the things right. No more lock on target, no more millions of dials to click, no helpful crew who gather all the data for me and I just order "Los".

Now from the moment I got a contact, the true fun begins. I get out a paper and start the drawings (map tools are useless, so I do it like a real captain.. with real pencil and paper). Listen to the contact, work out a relative bearing, calculate an intercept course, run to the scope and check if I got a visual contact, check the dials on the sub wall and give out orders ("Speech Recognition" mod is great for this, so you don't have to click on any crew member or dials to get your orders out). And after you manage to sink a ship... and escape from the escorts.. you will feel how fun is the sim part in SH5. Play it with the UI hidden and you may feel that you are there for real :P And forget about those stupid requirements from the campaign.. sink hundred of BB's and million ships/month. Install the Lite campaign mod and the requirements will get more normal.

Anyway, here a short answer for ur questions:
1. Head over the TDW topic and ask there.
2. No mods will disable that, it's the player option.
3. There is a lot of it, is really hard to make a list. The most used may be SteelVikings interior mod and W_Clear's Environment 3.7 mod. Be aware, Environment mod is pretty bugy and may cause a lot of ctd's. If not works, try Sh5EnvModGold or Ail (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?p=1303509#post1303509) simple but very effective environment improvements mods.
4. UHS (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=168012) is a "must have"! Also, search for Lite campaign, Elite Campaign and also try IRAI. But I think the stock realism will be just enough for what you need.
4. All mods are 1.2 compatible, no guarantee for conflicts tho.. read about them before install.
5. None so far, is to early for that.

[Husksubsky]

Hrm ..what I did was just to go there , tell my playstyle and begged for a packagesolution.Got a good basis from magnum.I m sure you ll get some suggestions too if you like it a bit different :).I agree that the site is not an easy easy to find a solution just by looking around on players lists with their conflicts.
regards

[THE_MASK]

The mods that you definately need are IMHO
Lite Campaign LC 1.2
NewUIs_TDC_4_5_1_ByTheDarkWraith
IRAI_0_0_26_ByTheDarkWraith

[DavyJonesFootlocker]

And don't forget that FX mod by TheDarkWraith..those plumes of water from torpedo hits are the bomb! (erm, excuse the pun:D).

[renthewog]

The mods that you definately need are IMHO
Lite Campaign LC 1.2
NewUIs_TDC_4_5_1_ByTheDarkWraith
IRAI_0_0_26_ByTheDarkWraith


I just installed the U-boat historical specifications on top of DarkWraiths UI and IRAI mod, and JSGME says it will overwrite the files of both of Darkwraiths mods..is this ok? or do they clash if used together?

Cheers,

Ren

[germansub]

I've had installed U-boat historical specifications and got a semi-automatic 8,8cm :wah: