Total newbie just got SH4 - should I install mods right away?

[JustGotSH4]

I'm a complete newbie to submarine simulations, and I just got Silent Hunter 4 (and the expansion since they were both on sale) so I have version 1.5 .


I'm still progressing through Submarine School (about to start the convoy attack tutorial), but I was wondering should I install mods before I start the career campaign? As I mentioned before, I'm a total newbie so I'm not too focused on total realism or immersion at this point, but if there are mods that substantially improve the game play are there any I should install before starting the main campaign, or should I do a vanilla play through first?


Also, I know historically that there were issues with torpedoes running too deep. Does that also happen in game so I should compensate for it, or is it ignored?

[avers]

hi and welcome to subsim.

I do recommend mods, for newbies I recommend the mod called fall of the rising sun. I've used it a little and it changes the graphics and the UI without changing the gameplay to much. here's the info about it.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=147988

Btw the download link in the thread doesn't work so here's another place to download.
http://silenthunter.filefront.com/file/Fall_of_The_Rising_Sun;110483

[fitzcarraldo]

Try first GFO - Game Fixes Only mod -. It adjusts a lot of details for better realism. Then try GFO with RSRDC for a better campaign. After that you can try RFB and the most challenging TMO.

Regards.

Fitzcarraldo :salute:

[TorpX]

GFO would be a good choice, but it's up to you.

People often find TMO difficult.

[in_vino_vomitus]

I found the stock game a bit arcade-y for my taste and it got old really quickly, so for me I couldn't mod it fast enough. Never played RFB so I can't comment on it - You can pretty much look at Supermods as a completely different game. It all depends on what your personal preference is. Personally I would mod the game to the max from the word go. The way I understand it RFB was written to accurately model sub/warship performance whereas TMO was written to provide challenging gameplay. I wouldn't worry about learning the stock game first because as soon as you mod it you have to learn a different one anyway - so you might as well learn the mod.

Different people will say different things, but really you only have two areas of difficulty. Tactics and targeting. You can't automate tactics, so whatever you do do you have to learn those, and manual targeting, while challenging, has been made a lot less so by the efforts of lots of people on here formulating all manner of methods and tools to take the mystery out of it. It's a steep learning curve, but if you get bitten by the bug you're going to do it, so the sooner you start, the quicker you get there :)

P.S. Welcome aboard :salute:

[Loudspeaker]

Whatever you do, don't play stock. It is almost not playable, at it will make you very frustrated. It almost made me quit the game, even though I am a submarine freak and love simulators.

I'd say the GFO-mod makes the game work the way it really should. It's loyal to the developers concept, as it says in the title, Game Fixes Only-mod. Use it to learn how to handle the game and its mechanics.

Then move on to either RFB or TMO. If you are into realism, chose the first one, and if you like a challenging and exciting gameplay go for the latter.

[captgeo]

have to agree, GFO MOD is the one to start with, I played the stock 1.5 version for a few months before I tried MOD's,

made me appreciate the MOD's more I would say....

[Armistead]

Play stock a few hours so you can at least what mods do:D

Mods are different, so as you try different mods, be prepared for different ai's, etc. IMO, mod it to realism and learn to play that way.

[SilentPrey]

Welcome aboard!

I started with SH3, played stock a bit, started looking around online for explanations for various issues I was having and stumbled across subsim and GWX. Before then I'd not modded any games, now I don't play very many games stock.

With SH4 I played through app. one patrol before I started reading mod descriptions and landed on TMO and RSRDC. Since then I've added OTC and Traveller's Mod. So, my recommendation is to start the game once just to ensure that it does run and then mod.

One last thing: You probably have a 64 bit OS. Mods take a few more resources than stock. Check this thread out to keep from crashing when you have the eye candy.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=202192

[Aktungbby]

JUSTGOTSH4!:Kaleun_Salute:

[Jimbuna]

Welcome Aboard :sunny:

[Devil_dog1975]

Just got SH4 and I'm enjoying the Career mode thus far. I want to run some basic mods like GFO but i'm afraid of multiplayer compatibility. Any advice on this?

[captgeo]

I have never played the multi player part, have enough fun just trying to finish a career, took me 3 years to finish my first career with out loss of a boat.

[THEBERBSTER]

A warm welcome ‘JustGotSH4’ to the Subsim family.:subsim:

You will always find someone here to help you.:)

Link to my SH5 – SH4 posts::salute:

Step By Step Tutorials & How To Do It

Also Included Are Some Useful Download Links

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=211804 (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=211804)

There is a light version of TMO available also.

See my useful download links.

I started off with Webster's GFO the good thing is that you can add his mods to GFO knowing that they are compatible and all come with very good readme's so you will know exactly what they do.

RFB with RSRDC is a good intermediate after GFO.

TMO light version.

TMO will test you at most levels, not for the beginner.

Webster's mods can be found by clicking on Webster's from the 'Downloads' Tab at the top.

Peter