New to Silent Hunter 4

[Julie Whitefeather]

Hi There,

I recently bought silent hunter 4 and the u boat add on. I loaded it up, went through the submarine school and even looked up tutorials on youtube.

Everything was fine until I got tot he patrol missions. It seems like I patrol the assigned areas for half of forever with out any encounters or completing the mission. When I to get a warship siting it seems like I follow it for half of forever (even with compressed time) and never catch it...at least most of the time. when I do catch it, it seems like the torpedoes never hit like they did in the submarine school. It seems like a great game I am just very frustrated at the moment after hours of trying and getting no where with the patrol missions.

I need some good sound advice. Help please.

Julie

[WernherVonTrapp]

http://i1045.photobucket.com/albums/b456/archangel501/Smileys/2e960000.gifWELCOME!

Don't get frustrated with the game/sim. It has a bit of a learning curve and takes some time to master. We all went through the same teething process that you are now experiencing. I'm still learning and I've been playing it for a few years now.:o :hmmm:Hmmm, with that in mind, I probably shouldn't try to give you any advice.:D

Anyway, when you get a sighting, are you talking about a sighting by your crew, or do you mean a radio reported sighting? You can use your sonar and the maps to plot the target ship's course and in this way, learn which direction the ship is traveling so that you can intercept it.

In the meantime, you can find a lot of answers to questions by browsing through the "Sticky:" threads at the top of the page.;)

[Sailor Steve]

WELCOME ABOARD! :sunny:

This type of game does try to replicate the reality of being a WW2 submarine skipper, including the frustrations. Sometimes you will have a fat convoy head right into your lap, and other times you might go for weeks without ever seeing an enemy ship.

I can't guarantee that it will get better, but you came to the right place to ask. You will find a great many members here who will help any way they can.

[les green01]

Welcome aboard one thing to remember from 41 to 43 the torpedoes ran deeper than set and use impact exploders to cut back on prematures course you will still may have duds from the fire pins and if your using auto the wepons officer can be dead on everytime or can miss the inside of a barn standing inside it just keep working at it and you will get better over time:)

[Loudspeaker]

Welcome!

Don't worry. If a beginner isn't frustrated, it's a poor simulation. It's like riding a bike for the first time, exept there was no save game-option back then.

Jump right to it and don't be afraid to ask. :up:

[Gangrene]

Once to get to a destination and are told to find ships to sink... You don't have to stay in that particular part of the grid... I did this in my first patrol and stayed in my little grid square forever combing it for ships... no ships EVER came through that grid... after hours and hours of of following plotted courses in that grid, I gave up for more fruitful territory... after I sunk a few ships(outside of the assigned area) I achieved my mission goal, so you don't have to stay to that area if nobody is there.

Remember that you have to get to the destination before you sink the ships or they don't count toward that mission.

[HW3]

WELCOME ABOARD Julie!

:salute:

[Hinrich Schwab]

Patrol sectors are pretty much shotgunned by the AI. Traffic almost never goes through a designated patrol area. If you cannot find a convoy or lone merchant, the only alternative is a deep-water harbor raid. Melekeok is always a fun target. :yeah: It might have a lone destroyer poking about and there is usually a decent amount of merchants docked for easy pickings.

[donna52522]

Welcome aboard Julie :)

Below is a link to a guide you may want to breeze through.

http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6421019045/m/4351073726/p/1

[Julie Whitefeather]

Thanks for all the help everyone. I was up until 1:15 am trying to figure out what I was doing wrong - not the least of which is I wish somewhere there was instructions that said "hey you! Patrol near those binoculars on the map!"

Reading through the instructions now.

Also how do I change the avatar to a different picture on the forums here?

I am also wondering about all the many mods I have seen on the internet. Do they all change the exterior of the subs or do any of them change the interiors?

thanks everyone and happy to meet you all.

Julie

[Sailor Steve]

Also how do I change the avatar to a different picture on the forums here?
They're locked into the post count. The more you post the faster they change.

BUT...

For a small donation you can have Neal Stevens, the website owner, put up an avatar of your choosing.

BUT...

Since you are apparently a kaleun of the female persuasion, Just PM Neal and you'll get one absolutely free!! :yep:

[DrBeast]

BUT...

Since you are apparently a kaleun of the female persuasion, Just PM Neal and you'll get one absolutely free!! :yep:

Thank you, Steve. I now have coffee spatter all over my monitor. Which is a good thing, really, because a) I shouldn't still be drinking coffee at 7am, and b) I should be in bed at 7am! :yawn:

Regarding mods: there's an extensive selection available here (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=155786). Some are purely cosmetic, such as the paint job of your sub, others touch upon the environment, and then there's the supermods which alter multiple game mechanics, such as Trigger Maru and Real Fleet Boat.

Welcome aboard! :arrgh!:

[I'm goin' down]

Julie, I started knowing absolutely nothing, nada, zip. First, get a handle on auto targeting. Then go the Skipper's Bag of Tricks sticky and start with the Dick O'Kane tutorial. You can use it with manual targeting. You will start sinking boats with the O'Kane method. Manual targeting is tough, so I suggest you struggle through Hitman's classic tutorial "Manual Targeting with 100% Realsm." From that you will understand the basics of manual targeting and the theory behind it. Back to the Skipper's Bag of Tricks, and work on the various tutorials. All are good, and all are helpul. Depending on the situation, you may use one or more when attacking. For manual targeting, download the Easy Aob mod, as it will make your life much easier. Use JGSME to load the mods.

As far as intercepting ships, look at the Noob tutorial. You cannot catch a warship, unless its captain is asleep at the helm. You need to be ahead of it to intercept.

The learning curve is long, but there are some very intelligent captains here, and a few geniuses, like aaronblood, capn scurvy, nisgeis, lurker, ducimus, and nicolas, just to mention a few, who can program, design mods, and write tutorials that most of us can understand. Then there is Rockin Robbins, the backbone of the forum, who keeps us in line when we forget who is in charge. They and others will help.

Contact Neal for a avatar (not signature). Most captains make a contribution to subsim to get theirs. For a signature at the bottom of your posts, contact Gunfighter via PM. Tell him what you would like, and he may design it for you. He designed mine and many others in the forum.

Mods can change everything and there are hundreds to choose from. If you want sharks, you can download a mod. Different uniforms, different oceans, different radio stations -- mods deal with all and more. Supermods change the entire game. If you want to play in a UBoat, you can download a supermod in the ATO (Atlantic Theater of Operations) forum. You will figure it out over time.

:salute:

[TorpX]

Thanks for all the help everyone. I was up until 1:15 am trying to figure out what I was doing wrong - not the least of which is I wish somewhere there was instructions that said "hey you! Patrol near those binoculars on the map!"

Reading through the instructions now.

Also how do I change the avatar to a different picture on the forums here?

I am also wondering about all the many mods I have seen on the internet. Do they all change the exterior of the subs or do any of them change the interiors?

thanks everyone and happy to meet you all.

Julie

Welcome aboard! :salute:

First, I would not be overly concerned about not seeing very many targets. In many areas, it is entirely possible not to have a contact for a week or two. The WWII fleetboats had supplies for 75 days and were 'scheduled' to patrol for 60 days. Coming up with targets could be difficult.

When starting out, it is often easier to learn the game with map contacts on, the event cam on, and auto-targeting. In this way, you can learn the basic mechanics without being overwhelmed by all the minutia. Many, after they get better, dispense with some or all of these.

You will most likely want to start using some mods soon. I would recommend installing JSGME (a mod enabling utility), and one of the mega-mods (RFB, TMO, GFO, or FOTRS). They change or correct various aspects of the game, including exterior/interior graphics, campaign elements, as well as fuctional elements. They provide a much more enjoyable experience without having to select and install 40+ mods ala carte.

[I'm goin' down]

You will most likely want to start using some mods soon. I would recommend installing JSGME (a mod enabling utility), and one of the mega-mods (RFB, TMO, GFO, or FOTRS). They change or correct various aspects of the game, including exterior/interior graphics, campaign elements, as well as fuctional elements. They provide a much more enjoyable experience without having to select and install 40+ mods ala carte.

GFO stands for Game Fixes Only. It is a supermod that fixes many glitches in the stock game. What makes it attractive is that it is designed to have mods added. So if you want to use it and try a mod that interests you, it is a safe way to go. Mixing mods is always a risk, as sometimes it screws up the game, overwrites files you do not want overwitten, and can cause a crash to desktop. You can always uninstall the mod via JGSME.

An interesting mod is Run Silent Run Deep Campaign (RSRDC.) Lurker has recreated the routes and components of TF and Convoys during WW2. So, when you get ready, you can find the location of key naval battles, sail to the location, and participate. This is a mega or supermod that is integrated with the stock game, GFO, RFB and TMO. The mod is named after a famous Hollywood submarine movie.

[Julie Whitefeather]

Thank you all for the help. I had to look up "Kaelun" but I am definately "of the female persuasion" as I am a 50+ year old nun. Still, based on Dr. Beats coffee spitting a think Sailor Steve might be pulling my leg about the free avatar thing.

Also a word of advice to Dr. Beast, it is NEVER to early or late for coffee - on a work day I average a liter of coffee a day - so if you ever hear about a nun who drown in a vat of coffee that might be me (only after I beat people off trying to save me three times before going under).

I do miss the old days with the instruction manuals. I was on my second mission and found the Japanese fleet had taken over my base in Manila. I sailed all the way to midway and found I couldn't end the patrol there. It wasn't until later that I found I had to look for "the tilted anchor" for my new base.

Thanks everyone for the help, advice, and words of cheer.

[Dread Knot]

Welcome aboard!
Give 'em a taste of thier own medicine sister. :salute:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zDpZI5DSrbQ/ToKlHYMra_I/AAAAAAAAFBI/-B_2pEtclAM/s1600/url-3.jpg

[DrBeast]

Also a word of advice to Dr. Beast, it is NEVER to early or late for coffee

Amen to that! Still, sipping on coffee (Greek frappe, to boot, some REALLY potent stuff!) when it's WAY past bedtime (i.e. the sun is up and the birds would be chirping were it not for this incessant rain) is not exactly prudent :yawn:

[I'm goin' down]

I was on my second mission and found the Japanese fleet had taken over my base in Manila. I sailed all the way to midway and found I couldn't end the patrol there. It wasn't until later that I found I had to look for "the tilted anchor" for my new base.
.

So that is how you end a mission! Finally.:D