Dials are small

[Chicharito]

Hi,

I just purchased Silent Hunter IV Gold from Amazon. As I've been playing the tutorials, I've seen that all of the dials are pretty small. They are enlarged when you mouse over them. But being legally blind, that only helps me so much. Is there a mod to make them a little bigger? Thanx for your help.

[Sailor Steve]

WELCOME ABOARD! :sunny:

Here is a mod that makes them larger. Unfortunately it is only for the u-boat side, made for use with the supermod Operation Monsun and its environmental add-on.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=193980&highlight=grandpa%27s+dials

[fireftr18]

Try MaxOptics. It's a real nice mod.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/downloads.php?do=search:Kaleun_Binocular:

[CapnScurvy]

I don't remember if I put larger HUD dials in with MaxOptics or not? Been too long since I released it. :88)

In the "Downloads" menu section of this forum (under SH4/GamePlay Mods) you'll find a mod I made called "Magnified HUD Dials" (go HERE (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/downloads.php?do=file&id=1843)). It's for the stock game running at a 1.5 version. A long time forum user (clayp) asked me to make something similar for him, for the same reasons. I decided to release it for the stock game after making him a special one.

[Gerald]

:sunny:

[Chicharito]

This is much appreciated. I really no nothing of naval simulations nor submarines. But I've been reading this site for a few weeks now. It seems very friendly and knowledgeable. I look forward to learning.

[fireftr18]

Don't be afraid to ask questions. We're all glad to help. We were all once new ourselves, many (before me) discovered a lot of hints just by playing.

[Chicharito]

I'll do that. I also picked up Dangerous Waters. Wow...now THAT is complicated.

[magic452]

Welcome to the boat mate. :salute:

fireftr18 mentioned Maxoptics, that would be a very good one as well.
Bigger periscope view.

Magic

[TwoGamers]

Welcome and good on you for playing games while legally blind:salute:

[Chicharito]

I've tried the magnified HUD file. I really like how much better that is to see. However, it does block out the bottom right corner of the recognition manual. Not a huge deal because there is still the left arrow.

I'll have to try MAXOPTICS as well.

Yes it is hard to play some of these games being legally blind. But I've always enjoyed sims ...though mostly flight sims until now. I'm thankful that others have been so good at making these mods.

[CapnScurvy]

I've tried the magnified HUD file. I really like how much better that is to see. However, it does block out the bottom right corner of the recognition manual.

One of the problems with SH4 is the screen resolution/aspect ratio that a player uses can be different than the next guy (it may be true for both SHIII and SHIV too). It depends on your computer, the size and type of your display monitor, and your personal preference. If you don't like how the game looks using the resolution/aspect ratio, you will change it to something you like better. The fact that the game offers so many choices in resolution and size, yet actually renders the views differently, has caused a problem for some that others will never see.

The truth is the advances in computer hardware has out paced a 2007 game. When the game was released in March, '07, there were few (if any) "main stream" LCD wide screen monitors available. We were still buying analog CRT's that flirted with 20" screens at the standard 4:3 aspect ratio. Today, folks are still using their old monitors, plus a huge number of flat screen LCD models of every conceivable size. This causes a game that hadn't planed on so many different aspect ratios really show it's age, and flaws. The biggest flaw is not rendering the same screen view for the different possible resolution/aspect ratios available. The difference in hardware causes differences in what one player sees compared to another.

I'll not get into the specifics here, but if anyone has the time, you may want to read the "Discussion" section of Optical Targeting Correction (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=181172) to learn more. If you use the computer controlled firing solution, there's no problem in the differences in what you see. The game computer knows exactly what the "sub to target" relationship is and uses this data to figure the auto fire process. However, when using manual targeting where you judge range, speed, Angle on Bow, target relative bearing by what you see through the screen view, there's a huge difference in accuracy. The reason is not because your technique is flawed (well it could be :88)) but, the view is not the same as it should be either compared to the real world, or to another players view. That's why putting into the game a measurement of a real world object (like mast heights or ship lengths) is folly IF the world view isn't true in it's size representation.

Getting back to Chicharito's point, a solution for the dials covering some of the screen may be the use of the "Delete" key on the numbers pad. This hides the HUD interface, allowing for things that may be covered up to be viewed. Striking it again will return the games control panel.

[Chicharito]

I only get 3 resolutions in the options. 1024, 1360 and 1366. I've tried all of them and have the same issue with the recognition manual.

My other issue is the nav map's "compas rose" when using the tool helper is very light and difficult to see. I'll see if I can find a mod for that too.

[Chicharito]

I've found a mod that makes the tool helper compass better because of more contrast.

[Chicharito]

I've installed the MaxOptics which did have the magnified HUD dials as well. I really enjoy the bigger optics. Thanx.

[CapnScurvy]

I've installed the MaxOptics which did have the magnified HUD dials as well. I really enjoy the bigger optics. Thanx.



I made MaxOptics IV just for fun.

The views are magnified to give a player a better/closer look at what's seen through the periscope's;TBT/UZO; or binoculars. It's not intended to be authentic (after all, the standard pair of binoculars do not give you two sets of magnification, nor the authentic periscope give you three different magnifications). It's just a fun thing to do. If it helps....GREAT!!

The views aren't "scaled" to provide an accurate measurement if you wish to use the scopes telemeter divisions (the hash marks on the periscope/TBT lens) to find range. Those "marks" are accurately portrayed.....the world view behind them is not. You're still left with the stock game inaccuracy of the game world view, and the inaccurate stadimeter calculation of having wrong mast height measurements. Both will throw off a players manual targeting firing solution. Optical Targeting Correction corrects both (and gives larger HUD dials to boot).

As long as you use the auto targeting option, you'll be fine. Moving up to the manual targeting option, you'll need to have the views corrected for a more authentic experience.

[Chicharito]

I've been using the manual targeting option. I don't like auto targeting. I'm not very good yet. But I'll look for the more realistic optics and see how that goes.