RFB (realistic) vs TMO (more difficult)

[tmdgm]

I'm still trying to decide which super mod of these two to use. I'm currently using FOTRS.

I've read RFB is more realistic, but TMO is more difficult. Struggling to understand the difference.

Usually, realistic = more difficult. But not in this case. How can less realistic be more difficult in TMO?

[tmdgm]

I'm still trying to decide which super mod of these two to use. I'm currently using FOTRS.

I've read RFB is more realistic, but TMO is more difficult. Struggling to understand the difference.

Usually, realistic = more difficult. But not in this case. How can less realistic be more difficult in TMO?

sorry this should be in sh4 mod workshop. Can a mod move please :oops:

[Sailor Steve]

Because real life isn't always more difficult. Sometimes the enemy can't get it right either.

On the other hand, the difficulty levels in TMO encourage more realistic gameplay by making it harder than it was in real life. How can that work? Because one of the things that it's hard to put into a game is the uncertainty factor. Some players have boasted that they can figure out exactly what the AI is going to do and counter it. With it being harder than real life the player is forced to think twice before doing something he 'knows' how the enemy will react to.

Different subject but same topic: I've read many players here talking about turning off the magnetic pistols on the torpedoes, because early in the war there are a lot of magnetic duds. The problem is that they real submariners didn't know why they were having problems, so we have the benefit of hindssight. Likewise here. RFB makes things about as difficult as they really were, but since we know what to expect we actually can counter that by playing unrealistically. TMO tries to force the player into the dilemma of not knowing what to expect, so he becomes more cautious.

Technically less realistic, but more accurate reactions from the player.

[Soundman]

I've played with both, but used TMO the vast majority of the time. Ducimus (TMO Creator) has set parameters for escorts to be much more aggressive and harder to evade. The same can be said for the planes. That's probably where much of the "Harder" opinion comes from. However, he is also mindful that too much realism can be very boring for game play and as an example, set the reload times for the deck gun a little quicker than in reality. I would suggest trying both for a while and see which fits your style of play. Also, if you go to the TMO thread in the Mod Forum, you can download the TMO manual, and Ducimus details his reasoning behind his tailoring of the game. It's a good read! :up:

[Bubblehead1980]

I enjoy both.However I tend to stick with TMO with RSRD(for accurate traffic) due to the challenge, the escorts are tough but not unbeatable.TMO has some features in it that hopefully will make it into RFB.The Radar Warning Reciever for Fleet Boats is realistic as well as being able to take some boats below 450 feet, which drove me nuts in stock.

The AI in RFB was too easy for me and lets face it, sinking ships in a convoy and getting no response from escorts is rather anticlimatic.TMO def forces players to think.Having said that, both are great mods.Depends on what you want.RFB with RSRD is pretty sweet itself.

[Fish40]

I've always been a fan of realism in a sim. It's my opinion that this is what a sim is all about; to get the most realistic experience possible without actually being there. Aren't real life military simulators designed to do just that? Many may complain about the AI escorts being too easy, but in truth, Japan's anti submarine responses lacked for the most part. In just one example, if you listen to the real life recording of the Sealion attacking the Kongo, you will see the Japanese escorts had no clue as to where the sub was, so much so that they begin to depthcharge in the complete opposite direction.

Another sore area that has been brought up time and time again is the reload time of the deckgun. I remember this argument from SH3 days, and RUB. The only thing I'd love to see if it were possible to implement, is a "change" in the rate of fire. In other words, the first x amount of rounds would load quicker to simulate the crew having ammo at the ready in the ammo lockers on deck. After that, the ammo needed to be passed up from below, so that would take longer.

[I'm goin' down]

I have played them all. FOTRS, RFB and TMO. Since none of were around in ww2, how can we know what realistic means? Leaving that aside, the first version FOTRS, which I haven't played for a couple of years, had beautiful graphics. I did not find RFB or FOTRS nearly as difficult as TMO. If you can escape the dds easily, which I can do in those games, you have more shooting chances, but I get bored. I enjoy the fact that I may get my head shot off when I gun for the enemy. I get a kick out of TMO because half the time you are running and evading escorts, attacking a convoy is tough, and going after a big TF is REALLY tough (It is like trying to get a sunbeam past a rooster at the crack of dawn.*) If you like sinking ships, TMO is not for you, but if you want a tough game, it is the one. A rep from Ubisoft once told me the SH4 forum members were as hard core as it gets. She certainly had to be referring to those that played TMO, and various modders --too many to name -- that have produced some brilliant work.

* How pitcher Bob Feller described trying to throw a fastball past Ted Willams.