New goodies coming with the next SH3 Commander...

[Beery]

Here are just a few of the new goodies coming with the next version of SH3 Commander:

Bismarck gets 2 new skins, thanks to Macstu23 and Type941. Also included is my Bismarck swastika fix:

Here's her sea trials scheme:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/Beery/Bis1.jpg

Here's her 'Rheinubung' camouflage:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/Beery/Bis2.jpg

And here's her North Atlantic colour scheme that she was sporting in the Battle of the Denmark Strait:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/Beery/Bis3.jpg
All of these changes happen automatically when you use SH3 Commander to load the game, so you get the right colour scheme for whatever date you're playing.

Also included is extended range for the Type VIIC boats from April 1942 until December 1943. This simulates BdU's resupply strategy (Milk Cows) during this period.

Plus, all the standard stuff that was in earlier versions:
Monthly news reports that appear when loading a patrol, and during the patrol.
A map of Europe and the Mediterranean which updates based on the progress of the war.
Historical radio broadcasts that appear at their correct dates. These play via the gramophone.
Correct availability dates for U-boats based on the historical date each flotilla received the boats.
Also included is a crush depth mod that gives players an increased crush depth for the Type VIIC/41 when they are using that boat in a campaign.
1939 flotilla names are included (1st Flotilla is named 'Weddigen', 2nd is 'Saltzwedel' and 7th is 'Wegener'.
All this, and the random tonnage mod by Observer.

Even more new stuff is coming - more features, more flexibility. More details later.

[Salvadoreno]

coolio! I like the name changes to flotillas! Awesome. Good historic little input.

[The Avon Lady]

If you're already including skin changes, how about supporting Iambecomelife's Merchant Variety Pack, incluing the new edition he's currently working on?

Also, minor request: I always have to manually uncheck the REALISTIC LENGTH setting on SH3C's main screen. Could you retain the checkbox's last setting (checked/unchecked) between executions?

Thanks! :up:

[Beery]

If you're already including skin changes, how about supporting Iambecomelife's Merchant Variety Pack, incluing the new edition he's currently working on?

I'd love to include it if he's willing, and once it's complete. Last time I checked (last week) I think it wasn't fully completed though. It's the same deal as the radio messages mods - I'm a bit wary of adding mods that cover half the war, in case the other half never gets done. ;)

Also, minor request: I always have to manually uncheck the REALISTIC LENGTH setting on SH3C's main screen. Could you retain the checkbox's last setting (checked/unchecked) between executions?

I'll see if it can be done.

[Catfish]

Hello,
thank you, looks fine !
I still have to install it though, i still have some questions on the SH3 commander: Is it possible to install it during a running career - i don't mean being on a patrol, i'm sure you at least have to be in port. But do i have to start an all new career to use it ?
Thank you,
and greetings,
Catfish

[Oesten]

Beery,

Please give the readme and installation installation instructions a look over before you release the new mod.

I haven't dared to install the last version of SH3 Commander for fear it would mess up my RUB 1.42 installation, and it was because the compatibility issues weren't covered clearly enough (for me) in the readme.

Thanks

[Egan]

I've been using it recently and I love it. This next version looks good!

There are a couple of things I would still like to see - The Ability to actually choose the month you start your career in would be very, very cool and hugely apriciated. I Don't know whether this sort of thing is hardcoded or not...

And crewmen being replaced to simulate tranfers would be great as well..Lol, I know you guys have probably got a huge list of things you want to do alrady - on top of everything else...

One thing i did note, though, is that the career summary that gets generated doesn't seem to keep a note of when you get promoted. It shows promotions upto the start of the war and shows when medals were awarded but not wartime promotions.

Oblt. Kell's is having a great career, though. looking forward to seeing what he does when he retires from active service. :up:

[Skweetis]

(previously posted in the RUb 1.43 thread, erroneously)

Beery, I have a question about the Fatigue model you are using.... this might even be something more for SH3 Commander however...

Would it be possible to have different fatigue models for different types of Uboat? For example, I would imagine that it would be more "tiring" to patrol in a type II than in the relative spacious comfort of a type IX.... because of the confined space, less living quarters more affected by sea states etc.... this would also in effect alter the length of time a Uboat could remain on patrol...

Is this feasable, or even desirable by anyone else?

[Beery]

Would it be possible to have different fatigue models for different types of Uboat?

I've answered your question more fully in the other thread. Basically, the answer is, unfortunately, no.

[Beery]

I would still like to see - The Ability to actually choose the month you start your career in would be very, very cool and hugely apriciated. I Don't know whether this sort of thing is hardcoded or not...

It's not. This info resides in the Flotilla.cfg file. I've looked at it and done a few tests. It seems quite easy to do - just a matter of changing one number in the file based on the year and the flotilla you want to join. I've asked Jaesen if he can make SH3 Commander do it, but it was a while ago, so maybe he forgot - or maybe it's too difficult to set up SH3 Commander to find the required entries. I don't know.

And crewmen being replaced to simulate tranfers would be great as well...

I'm not sure how this could be done. However, it can be done manually through the game's replacement system. I think what you're asking for would be a random transfer feature. It might be a lot of work.

One thing i did note, though, is that the career summary that gets generated doesn't seem to keep a note of when you get promoted. It shows promotions up to the start of the war and shows when medals were awarded but not wartime promotions.

Hmm. That's odd. I thought it did note in-career promotions. Have to look into this one. I guess it may only do this once the career is over - but I'm not sure. Anyway, I just checked the upcoming version (which I'm testing), and it works fine on that.

[Egan]

I would still like to see - The Ability to actually choose the month you start your career in would be very, very cool and hugely apriciated. I Don't know whether this sort of thing is hardcoded or not...

It's not. This info resides in the Flotilla.cfg file. I've looked at it and done a few tests. It seems quite easy to do - just a matter of changing one number in the file based on the year and the flotilla you want to join. I've asked Jaesen if he can make SH3 Commander do it, but it was a while ago, so maybe he forgot - or maybe it's too difficult to set up SH3 Commander to find the required entries. I don't know.



This, for me, would be my number one request for any modder who knows their way around the relevent files. I can't believe the limited choice we have in the stock game.

The crew stuff would be nice but as you can do them manually anyway (And I just lost my expericened XO to a New Construction....Sniff....), it don't matter too much.

As for the Rank thing; I have yet to get to the end of a career since I started using it so maybe that is the reason.

[iambecomelife]

If you're already including skin changes, how about supporting Iambecomelife's Merchant Variety Pack, incluing the new edition he's currently working on?

I'd love to include it if he's willing, and once it's complete. Last time I checked (last week) I think it wasn't fully completed though. It's the same deal as the radio messages mods - I'm a bit wary of adding mods that cover half the war, in case the other half never gets done. ;)

Also, minor request: I always have to manually uncheck the REALISTIC LENGTH setting on SH3C's main screen. Could you retain the checkbox's last setting (checked/unchecked) between executions?

I'll see if it can be done.

It's fine with me, and the late war vessels should be finished soon. Hopefuly the size and batch file won't be an issue.

[The Avon Lady]

If you're already including skin changes, how about supporting Iambecomelife's Merchant Variety Pack, incluing the new edition he's currently working on?

I'd love to include it if he's willing, and once it's complete. Last time I checked (last week) I think it wasn't fully completed though. It's the same deal as the radio messages mods - I'm a bit wary of adding mods that cover half the war, in case the other half never gets done. ;)
It's fine with me, and the late war vessels should be finished soon. Hopefuly the size and batch file won't be an issue.
If the MVP will be incorporated into the SH3 Commander, the batch file will no longer be necessary.

[Beery]

It's fine with me, and the late war vessels should be finished soon. Hopefuly the size and batch file won't be an issue.

Thanks! I'll look at the batch file to see how it works. It may not be necessary because of how SH3 Commander works. I've been looking forward to this mod for a while.

[HEMISENT]

Beery,
I've been using Commander since its beginning but so far find it only useful for the short monthly news summaries and for the gramaphone broadcasts. I think I'm missing something here.

In the area of crew selection you can basically "build" a crew with whatever ratings or qualifications you desire. how then is this crew implemented in a career? Or is this component used only for setting up a single mission? Do the qualifications actually affect the game or are they just eye candy. The readme tells what it does but doesn't exactly get into the area of how to use it properly for full effect.

As before Your work is greatly appreciated. There are so many different factors involved in getting used to Commander, RUB and pretty soon the upcoming Ops mod it all gets a bit confusing at times.

Semper Fi!

[Beery]

Beery,
I've been using Commander since its beginning but so far find it only useful for the short monthly news summaries and for the gramaphone broadcasts. I think I'm missing something here.

Those are the main 'mods' that have been added to it so far. The other stuff is either very small or it has no immediately visible effect. Originally, SH3 Commander was to include realistic crush depths for the different U-boat sub-types, but since SH3 1.3 fixed the crush depths the differences weren't enough to warrant it, so now only the Type VIIC/41 has this feature. Similarly, the flotillas get U-boats at different times based on their historical availability - it's hardly noticeable, and so far it's only implemented for flotillas 1, 2 and 7.

In the area of crew selection you can basically "build" a crew with whatever ratings or qualifications you desire. how then is this crew implemented in a career? Or is this component used only for setting up a single mission? Do the qualifications actually affect the game or are they just eye candy. The readme tells what it does but doesn't exactly get into the area of how to use it properly for full effect.

So far the medals and promotions are really just eye candy - a way of rewarding a good crewman when the game won't allow it. Qualifications should work properly, unless you award more than that crew type can use. Basically, to get the full effect, have the game award what it can, and just use the crew manager when you really feel a crewman deserved more than to be passed over for an Iron Cross, etc.

As before Your work is greatly appreciated. There are so many different factors involved in getting used to Commander, RUB and pretty soon the upcoming Ops mod it all gets a bit confusing at times.

The Ops mod will be a part of RUb, so that should make things a bit easier. RUb and SH3 Commander were created to lessen the confusion that normally happens when players have literally hundreds of little mods to choose from. Basically, the SH3 Mod Team chooses the mods that go into RUb based on their preferences, and if players share those preferences they have only one or two mods to worry about.

[sdcruz]

WOW this sim is becoming all consuming!!! thanks so much Berry!

Shelton.

[The Avon Lady]

Another suggestion:

Can the SH3C be used to randomize the intro movie file shown at startup?

That is, players could drop as many flicks into the same folder as the intro. SH3C would create a list of the files pic one at random. If it's not the original intro, backup the original, rename the randomly selected one to the intro file name and start SH3C.

When SH3 ends, restore the files as they were originally. Create some sort of a checkpoint file just in case SH3 CTD's so that files can always be restored the next time SH3C starts up.

[snowsub]

I'm eagerly awaiting the next insallment :up:

Congrats and a big pat on the back to all the people involved in this ongoing Mod

:rock: :rock: :rock:

[Ibber]

Me Too!!! :up:

[SmokinTep]

Sounds awesome. Keep up the great work.

[aquasal]

loving all of it, but one question/comment - anyway to make the starting date of patrol easier to mod/change on the front screen? by changing days in port or something, would be nicer for WaW, luv it either way though, great work thanks.

[Beery]

loving all of it, but one question/comment - anyway to make the starting date of patrol easier to mod/change on the front screen? by changing days in port or something, would be nicer for WaW, luv it either way though, great work thanks.

It would be very hard to do. It's possible to randomize it to some extent, or to set it to different 'days in port' based on the date, but that would mean other features currently included in SH3 Commander would have to go - e.g. you'd never be able to have realistic U-boat type availability for the different flotillas.