->Enhancements to SH3 Commander<-*UPDT: v2.3 now avail

[JScones]

***LATEST RELEASE NOTES ON PAGE 13***

I'm currently working on v1.2 of the SH3 Commander engine. I plan on including some of the most requested enhancements. At this stage it will include:

- a new "Set up for a new career" option. This will mimic SH3 and will limit your year and flotilla selections to those corresponding in SH3. The starting base, month and U-Boat type will be displayed so you know what you'd be getting.

- Career Summaries (now retitled Personnel Files) and Crew Lists generated in HTML format with links. A formatted log summary is planned to be included as part of this functionality (the demo just displays the raw log file for now);

- a specific error trap to cover the situation where SH3 replaces certain values in Careers.cfg with zeroes. Until a cause for this can be found, summaries will not be able to be generated for these careers;

- ability to alter default SH3 career or patrol start dates;

- implementation of the Tonnage randomiser (Observer's creation);

I thought I'd also open the floor and seek your suggestions/comments/feedback etc. What would you like to see included in SH3 Commander? removed? enhanced? What do you like about SH3 Commander? Dislike? (C'mon, I can take criticism :D).

I won't promise that every suggestion will be implemented, but some things might. ;)

[Gaddow]

Would some form of 'hall of fame' or tonnage leaders feature be possible? I'd like to be able to compare my various careers.

[EAF274 Johan]

First of all, thank you for making this great utility! :up:

Some negative...
- I prefer the original SH3 values for crew fatigue, hull integrity indication and a few other things. Could you use cfg files that are modelled on the original files?
- (probably an SH3 limitation) The date-specific briefings get corrupted in the game. After a few lines the text is broken off and substituted with words from the weather report ("kein Niederschlag" I think)

Feature requests:
- Use SH3Commander to edit the crew_config files so we can assign faces, uniforms and voices to each crew member
- I love the date specific radio.wavs. Can you add more?

That New Career Setup looks really interesting!

[Egan]

- ability to alter default SH3 career or patrol start dates;

Does this meen we will be able to start a career any date we want, as opposed to just the stock options?

Does it? Please? please? :D :D

That would make the game for me - no joke! :up:

[Rubini]

Further on the dates, the ability to choice the hour of the patrol's start will be a good thing too.


Rubini.

[EAF274 Johan]

Further on the dates, the ability to choice the hour of the patrol's start will be a good thing too.

I agree

[CWorth]

Some negative...
- I prefer the original SH3 values for crew fatigue


I agree with this.Though I dont like the original crew fatigue settings.I have my own settings that I use and dont like the fact that SH3Commander overwrites them which has kept me from using what sems to be a very useful mod.

[The Avon Lady]

Some negative...
- I prefer the original SH3 values for crew fatigue


I agree with this.Though I dont like the original crew fatigue settings.I have my own settings that I use and dont like the fact that SH3Commander overwrites them which has kept me from using what sems to be a very useful mod.
I agree somewhat. I like the idea of getting the crew run down, after an extended patrol but they seem to get too lethargic too soon.

I'd put a belt to some of my crew members but some of them actually appear to like it. :roll:

[Gairith]

Some negative...
- I prefer the original SH3 values for crew fatigue


I agree with this.Though I dont like the original crew fatigue settings.I have my own settings that I use and dont like the fact that SH3Commander overwrites them which has kept me from using what sems to be a very useful mod.
I agree somewhat. I like the idea of getting the crew run down, after an extended patrol but they seem to get too lethargic too soon.

I'd put a belt to some of my crew members but some of them actually appear to like it. :roll:


:rotfl:

Request: After you retire, having a comparison graph to U-boat Aces showing how well you did as compared to real captains.

[CCIP]

Yes, it would be really good if you could allow automatically changing patrol start dates as well. (that would really help some of us at WaW :) )

Boat upgrade management would also be nice, though I guess that'd just be yet another shiny bonus rather than something we absolutely need.

[dize]

yay! that startdate thingie would be extremly cool.

my suggestion.... a randomizer for days in port. afaik the value is always 31 days plus the overhaul days.
when comparing to actual careers on uboat.net, we in sh3 have a too high patrol frequenzy imho.

[CCIP]

my suggestion.... a randomizer for days in port. afaik the value is always 31 days plus the overhaul days.
when comparing to actual careers on uboat.net, we in sh3 have a too high patrol frequenzy imho.

Excellent idea! Given how turnaround times varied (and also tended to be shorter in late war and longer early on), that would indeed be very cool. Including both a random patrol interval AND a possible manual patrol date selector would indeed be very nice.

[Gaddow]

Some negative...
- I prefer the original SH3 values for crew fatigue


I agree with this.Though I dont like the original crew fatigue settings.I have my own settings that I use and dont like the fact that SH3Commander overwrites them which has kept me from using what sems to be a very useful mod.

I've gone in an edited the basic config files in the SH3\flotilla folders. It seem to work but I have not tested it extensively and I don't know if it will have other unexpected effects.

[The Avon Lady]

Some negative...
- I prefer the original SH3 values for crew fatigue


I agree with this.Though I dont like the original crew fatigue settings.I have my own settings that I use and dont like the fact that SH3Commander overwrites them which has kept me from using what sems to be a very useful mod.
I agree somewhat. I like the idea of getting the crew run down, after an extended patrol but they seem to get too lethargic too soon.

I'd put a belt to some of my crew members but some of them actually appear to like it. :roll:


:rotfl:

Request: After you retire, having a comparison graph to U-boat Aces showing how well you did as compared to real captains.
I still do better, of course. The game isn't perfect but the crew management leaves much to be desired. I'm babysitting too much at late points in a patrol. The game does not necessarily fill up a given compartment with the most efficient crew I can get at any moment and that leaves me guessing.

And when this happens during an attack in progress and I need the fastest torp loading crew available, it's a real time waster.

So I believe a comprimise is in order because it's not realistic to begin with and it affects critical game components in an unfair way at times.

[Observer]

Yes, it would be really good if you could allow automatically changing patrol start dates as well. (that would really help some of us at WaW :) )

Boat upgrade management would also be nice, though I guess that'd just be yet another shiny bonus rather than something we absolutely need.

Done. It's in my code I'm sending over tonight.

I can also add the start hour as well, but it's not built yet.

[Observer]

my suggestion.... a randomizer for days in port. afaik the value is always 31 days plus the overhaul days.
when comparing to actual careers on uboat.net, we in sh3 have a too high patrol frequenzy imho.

Excellent idea! Given how turnaround times varied (and also tended to be shorter in late war and longer early on), that would indeed be very cool. Including both a random patrol interval AND a possible manual patrol date selector would indeed be very nice.

Also done. It's in my code. I could release a version, but I'd rather see it rolled into SH3 Cdr. I've also included a feature to update patrol grid.

[Egan]

This sounds like the best update yet. :up:

[zombiewolf]

Avon Lady said
I'd put a belt to some of my crew members but some of them actually appear to like it. :roll:[/quote]

:|\ Like uh were do I sign up :yep:

[Pascal]

The first original program was great. I dont like very much to be oblige to use mods included i dont wanti do not wish to use or the hiding of the hull integrity.
These goodies should be in option.

[Beery]

First of all, thank you for making this great utility! :up:

Some negative...
- I prefer the original SH3 values for crew fatigue, hull integrity indication and a few other things. Could you use cfg files that are modelled on the original files?

Firstly, I guess I should point out that this relates to an SH3 Commander mod - not the utility itself.

All you have to do to remove the crew fatigue values is delete SH3 Commander's Flotilla folder. That will also remove the realistic U-boat availability dates, but if you really want a more annoying fatigue system (hehe) that's the price you must be willing to pay, unless you want to edit each Basic.cfg file.

- (probably an SH3 limitation) The date-specific briefings get corrupted in the game. After a few lines the text is broken off and substituted with words from the weather report ("kein Niederschlag" I think)

We have yet to find the problem that causes this problem with the Newsmod. It's intermittent and it doesn't appear to cause any lasting damage.

- I love the date specific radio.wavs. Can you add more?

If you tell us where to find them, we can add them to the Newsmod/Radiomod. Players can also add them themselves by simply saving the files as Radio.wav and putting them into the correct date folder.

[Beery]

- ability to alter default SH3 career or patrol start dates;

Does this meen we will be able to start a career any date we want, as opposed to just the stock options?

Does it? Please? please? :D :D

That would make the game for me - no joke! :up:

At the moment we are working towards giving the utility this functionality. It will be limited by what the game allows, so it will only be possible to start a career on the first day of the month, but it should be possible to start a career in any month between September 1939 and December 1943.

[Beery]

I agree somewhat. I like the idea of getting the crew run down, after an extended patrol but they seem to get too lethargic too soon.

I still don't quite understand why players fear fatigue so much. A couple of patrols gets the crew working just fine, even when they are fatigued..

[iambecomelife]

I agree somewhat. I like the idea of getting the crew run down, after an extended patrol but they seem to get too lethargic too soon.

I still don't quite understand why players fear fatigue so much. A couple of patrols gets the crew working just fine, even when they are fatigued..

I kind of like the RUB method of dealing with it - your crew starts out fresh and then crashes because of combat fatigue. This long-term stress probably couldn't have been alleviated at sea because of the living conditions on board a typical U-boat, so it makes sense that the crew doesn't really recover until they get back to base.

[baxter]

Outstanding...the new features sound great. Being able to start a career at any point in the war would be excellent. Would that include being able to start one late in the war, like 1944?

[Beery]

The game isn't perfect but the crew management leaves much to be desired. I'm babysitting too much at late points in a patrol...

When using the crew management in SH3 Commander, if you get just a couple of qualifications you should be able to run the boat even with a fully fatigued crew. As you get more qualifications the crew will need you less and less, until by patrol 5 or 6 you shouldn't have to bother with crew management at all. There is no reason why you should be babysitting the crew late in a patrol if you've accumulated even a very few qualifications. The only time the crew needs babysitting is when they are on their first two patrols, before they've got any qualifications.

[Beery]

The first original program was great. I dont like very much to be oblige to use mods included i dont wanti do not wish to use or the hiding of the hull integrity.
These goodies should be in option.

No one is obliged to use any mod in SH3 Commander. If you don't want the Hull integrity you have to disable the text part of the Newsmod (which is built to work with RUb - that's why it doesn't have a hull integrity value). To disable it, remove all the de_menu.txt and en_menu.txt files in the folders inside SH3 Commander's Date folder.

[Beery]

Outstanding...the new features sound great. Being able to start a career at any point in the war would be excellent. Would that include being able to start one late in the war, like 1944?

It may be possible, but I tried adjusting this a while back, and it's not a simple change - you can't just open up 1944 as a starting date in Flotilla.cfg. It may need some alteration doing in Flotillas.cfg or en/de_menu.txt as well, but I haven't explored this yet. Maybe later it will be possible.

[gonzman]

I agree somewhat. I like the idea of getting the crew run down, after an extended patrol but they seem to get too lethargic too soon.

I still don't quite understand why players fear fatigue so much. A couple of patrols gets the crew working just fine, even when they are fatigued..


Different reasons for different people i assume.

I perfer not to mess with fatigue (I've actually disabled it entirely) because it's not an exciting part of the game, a bit of a null feature, it's a bit boring swapping crew members one at a time from the crew quaters all the time.

I believe the system is a bit underworked, it would go hand in hand with food management systems and other things to enhance the feeling of life on board, but fatigue alone and how it has been implemented is a bit of a bore, a feature that doesn't enhance my SH3 experience at all, just takes a bit more of my limited playing time these days.

[Beery]

I perfer not to mess with fatigue (I've actually disabled it entirely) because it's not an exciting part of the game, a bit of a null feature, it's a bit boring swapping crew members one at a time from the crew quaters all the time...

I agree. That's why I changed it in the way I did. The standard game doesn't give the player a real incentive to work the fatigue system efficiently. Basically, players spend a lot of their time playing musical chairs with the crew. But there's a long-term solution for crew fatigue that works much better as a way to overcome fatigue: this is the qualification system. As crewmen get qualifications their usefulness at fully fatigued states equals or exceeds their usefulness in their unfatigued and unqualified state. This means that by accumulating qualifications you can make fatigue have no effect on your crew. But players need an incentive to use qualifications, because the immediate response is to go for the short-term solution - and this makes players ignore the long-term solution of qualifications. The way to get players to use the qualification system is to lengthen the time it takes to accumulate fatigue and, most importantly, to disable fatigue recovery altogether. Once fatigue recovery is disabled, players must use qualifications to overcome fatigue. The standard game features a never ending work cycle, which is tedious and unrewarding - you generally end up playing the same game of musical chairs on patrol #8 as you did on patrol #1. RUb's and SH3 Commander's fatigue system, on the other hand, features a 'work for reward' fatigue system - on patrol #1 you have a green crew that will be affected by fatigue so that they are much less effective after a long patrol, but by patrol #3 they will be much less affected by fatigue, and by patrol #8 fatigue will not be an issue at all. The standard game's fatigue system merely simulates day-to-day fatigue, and it never gets better. My fatigue system simulates a crew overcoming fatigue and battle stress by means of gaining experience. Veteran crews in the standard game still seem to require babysitting, but veteran crews in my system don't need any management at all - put these Grey Wolves at their stations at the beginning of the patrol and they will perform as well after 9 months at sea as they did on their first day.

Anyway, I don't want to hijack Jaesen's thread and turn it into yet another fatigue debate. I'll leave it at that.

[baxter]

I like the fatigue mod and have been happy with it since I first started using RUb. It requires management and some planning which is why I like it. The fatigue in the stock game was a pain because no matter what you did you had to keep changing people back and forth to rest them. I also like that the crew gets gradually more fatigued as the patrol progresses, especially if you see much action.

[caspofungin]

maybe sergbuto's multiple warship skins, along the lines of the mvp.

[gonzman]

I'd have perfered a system where unqualified personell can't do jobs they're not qualified for, or can do it at about 1/5th of the efficiancy (Say your watchman with the FLAK skill dies, you can get someone else to do it but they're far less useful).



I also think fatigue should not only impact the speed of the operations they perform (say a sloppy tired crew , trained or not, in the engine room would be slower to respond to speed change commands etc) but increase the chances of making mistakes. I'm daydreaming about having a very worn out tired but trained crew in the torpedo room load one incorrectly, or a engeering crew accidently make turns for 1 knot faster than ordered, or perhaps diving just a tiny bit too deep.

I'd day dreamed about having to manage food , illnesses (overworking , bad ration quantity, poor food, bad weather etc could lead to crew members becoming ill and therefore far less efficient) and unrest on the ship (part of overworking or stressful situations in abundance), but i guess thats beyond the scope of the game, maybe if it had more development time?


That is the kind of crew management system i'd love to play a game with, but i guess what we have now is too far from what i'd expect from a sim that in most cases does a pretty good job.

:(

[zombiewolf]

I can't wait I use both RUB and Sub Commander .
Love em both

[The Avon Lady]

The game isn't perfect but the crew management leaves much to be desired. I'm babysitting too much at late points in a patrol...

When using the crew management in SH3 Commander, if you get just a couple of qualifications you should be able to run the boat even with a fully fatigued crew. As you get more qualifications the crew will need you less and less, until by patrol 5 or 6 you shouldn't have to bother with crew management at all. There is no reason why you should be babysitting the crew late in a patrol if you've accumulated even a very few qualifications. The only time the crew needs babysitting is when they are on their first two patrols, before they've got any qualifications.
OK. This is happening to me on my 3rd patrol in my current career. I'm looking forward to the crew's improvement a few patrols up the road.

Again, I prefer your fatigue model over the game's default anyday. Maybe initial patrols fatigue is the only thing that needs to be tweaked just a drop.

[JScones]

Would some form of 'hall of fame' or tonnage leaders feature be possible? I'd like to be able to compare my various careers.Request: After you retire, having a comparison graph to U-boat Aces showing how well you did as compared to real captains.
Yeah, I'm a bit of a stats man...I'll look into these ideas...

Use SH3Commander to edit the crew_config files so we can assign faces, uniforms and voices to each crew member
Yeah, that's easy to do and has been on the list since release 1...I've just been too lazy to play with the graphics (which have to be obtained real time due to the different commander image mods available). It takes longer to tinker with the graphics than it does to write the application!

Does this meen we will be able to start a career any date we want, as opposed to just the stock options?
Well, the first day of the month anyway :-) In the screenshot in my first post you'll see that the default start month is retrieved based on Year and Flotilla selected. In the released version, I anticipate this to be adjustable, meaning that using the above example, if you select 1942 and 1st Flotilla, you'll be able to start the career any month between Apr and Dec 1942. This just needs testing in SH3 to make sure it doesn't cause problems.

Further on the dates, the ability to choice the hour of the patrol's start will be a good thing too.
Hmmm. I think Observer has done some testing on this and it hasn't worked out...

my suggestion.... a randomizer for days in port. afaik the value is always 31 days plus the overhaul days.
when comparing to actual careers on uboat.net, we in sh3 have a too high patrol frequenzy imho.
Yep, I think Observer has this working in his prototype.

Outstanding...the new features sound great. Being able to start a career at any point in the war would be excellent. Would that include being able to start one late in the war, like 1944?
It may be possible, but I tried adjusting this a while back, and it's not a simple change - you can't just open up 1944 as a starting date in Flotilla.cfg. It may need some alteration doing in Flotillas.cfg or en/de_menu.txt as well, but I haven't explored this yet. Maybe later it will be possible.
Surely SH3 wouldn't "hard code" the upper year? (de ja vu, hey Beery???)

maybe sergbuto's multiple warship skins, along the lines of the mvp.
Would love too. But we'd need his permission :-)

BTW, to demonstrate how easy and portable the new Personnel FIles are, here's one just created with one of Beery's careers (http://members.iinet.net.au/~jscones/software/Personnel%20Files/Hans%20Dreschler/Personnel%20File%20-%20Hans%20Dreschler.html)

[Beery]

Surely SH3 wouldn't "hard code" the upper year? (de ja vu, hey Beery???)

Yeah. I'm pretty sure it won't be hard coded. I wish I had more time to look into it, as this (1944-45 career starts) would be something I'd like to get working.

[edit]
Actually, I've just been looking at it again, and I've figured out how to do it. It wasn't that hard after all, but there are a couple of annoying bugs in the standard game that makes it a little annoying - one is that in certain flotillas in 1944 and 1945 you only get 1000 points of renown even if you've fully completed the training courses. The other problem is that if you start a career in 7th Flotilla in 1945 the game forces you to start in a Type IIA, which is a little silly. I'm wondering if it would be best to disallow 1945 starts in 7th Flotilla?

[edit #2]
The 7th Flotilla bug is only intermittent. You can get a Type VIIC if you click on other flotillas before choosing 7th Flotilla, so I think I'll leave it in. It will now be possible to start in any flotilla in any year, and once Jaesen gets the 'any month' thing figured out we'll have almost all the flexibiity (in terms of start dates) anyone could desire. :up:

maybe sergbuto's multiple warship skins, along the lines of the mvp.
Would love too. But we'd need his permission :-)]

The problem with doing this is that Sergbuto's multiple skin mod uses files that are also adjusted in the Ops mod, and I don't know enough about those particular files to merge the two versions. Maybe someone working on Ops will figure it out or clue me in on it.

[BladeHeart]

This reply should have been added last night but I added it as part of a reply on another thread; been a long day. :roll:

Personally I like Beery's fatigue modification. :up:

A suggestion, or three ;)
:lurk:
How about a system that automatically transferred crew in between patrols when they are eligible for promotion and there is not a suitable position in your crew to take. For example the 1st officer who should be promoted to his own boat.

Also, the ability to start a new career with an existing crew. When a career ends due to the realistic setting, I think it would be great to have the choice starting a new career in the same boat, as if you were taking over from the transferred captain. :)

Finally, the ability to purchase skilled petty officers, i.e a medic or machinist for renown beyond what you would pay for the unskilled crew equivalent. Could this be done by purchasing the unskilled crew in SH3 and then the qualification in SH3Cmdr which deleted the appropriate amount from your renown?
If the qualifications for the seamen becomes more then cosmetic, then I would like the option for this to be also applied to them.

Great work, regardless. :up:

[JScones]

OK, just letting you all know how the next version is progressing...

So far included:
- better integration with SH3 by linking Date, Flotilla and U-Boat selection to that allowed by SH3 (through Flotilla.cfg) when starting a new career (no more selecting XXI U-Boat in 33 Flotilla in 1939);
- ability to start new careers in any month between 9/39 and 5/45 (Flotilla availability as per Flotilla.cfg);
- option to randomise days spent in base based on historical averages (still fine tuning this);
- option of returning (or removing) the "Hull Integrity %" text in SH3
- Career Summary now retitled to Personnel File;
- Personnel Files and Crew Lists in HTML format, linked;
- specifically advises if required information can not be found in career files when generating Commander history - now handles gracefully (no more ambiguous error messages);
- many (interface) tweaks and code improvements.

Still to go (at least):
- HTML Log Summaries (underway);
- HTML "Hall of Fame" and U-Boat Aces list, linked to the Personnel File Tonnage total;
- improved tonnage randomiser (from Observer);
- ship name randomiser (from Observer);
- ability to adjust officer faces, uniforms and voices in Crew Manager.

Feel free to continue to raise suggestions...

[Rubini]

Great!

And about the possibility to choice the start hour... Any chance?:hmm:

Rubini.

[larsen]

Aaaarrrgh ! Another great release that will force me to start another career again ! :damn:

Seriously, with every new release of RuB and the Commander I barely had more than three patrols in any career since the past two months... because I do want to get all these new features ! :D

Doesn't matter guys, I love and admire the great job you do with these mods !

BTW, in a post long time ago I wondered if it would be possible to couple SH3 Commander with the Milk Cow mod, maybe as an option... The idea would be that if you dock to a Milk Cow you start your new patrol the next (or same) day while if you dock to a regular base you have the usual delay.

[The Avon Lady]

Aaaarrrgh ! Another great release that will force me to start another career again ! :damn:
Whose forcing you?

At the most, you'll have to restart the last patrol you began.

And I wonder if SH3 Commander requires that, too?

[Beery]

Yes. You should be able to switch over in mid-career. I have a career that I started using an early version of RUb and SH3 Commander, and it's working fine with the newest version.

[larsen]

Yes. You should be able to switch over in mid-career. I have a career that I started using an early version of RUb and SH3 Commander, and it's working fine with the newest version.

Nobody's forcing me except myself... I just NEED to have the new features from the start of my career !

:D

[JScones]

If anyone is interested, here (http://members.iinet.net.au/~jscones/software/Personnel%20Files/Hans%20Dreschler/Personnel%20File%20-%20Hans%20Dreschler.html) is what the new Personnel File now looks like - complete with links to Crew lists, Captain's logs and U-Boat Aces list (as at current career date). All generated in about one second by pressing the "Summary" button.

[Gaddow]

The career summary looks excellant. I can't wait for the next version. How's progress on the 'Best Career' feature going? I don't know if it's possible or feasible but it would be great to be able to sort the list by various things like tonnage, ships sunk, number of patrols, etc.

[JScones]

And about the possibility to choice the start hour... Any chance?:hmm:
Unfortunately, this doesn't seem possible. Three of us (Observer, Beery and I) have individually tried playing around with the patrol start time but with no success. It appears SH3 determines the start time internally (in other words, it's not as simple as just changing the StartHour and StartMin in Patrols_0.cfg).

The career summary looks excellant. I can't wait for the next version. How's progress on the 'Best Career' feature going? I don't know if it's possible or feasible but it would be great to be able to sort the list by various things like tonnage, ships sunk, number of patrols, etc.
This one's on the "to-do" list, but it will slip from the next release due to time constraints (in other words, I don't want to delay the release of other more requested features for x months while I build this minor functionality, which incidently requires major resourcing). Especially when it's a feature that can form part of a minor upgrade at any time.

Request: After you retire, having a comparison graph to U-boat Aces showing how well you did as compared to real captains.
Hopefully the link above to the new Personnel File has met this request.

my suggestion.... a randomizer for days in port. afaik the value is always 31 days plus the overhaul days.
when comparing to actual careers on uboat.net, we in sh3 have a too high patrol frequenzy imho.
This one's in, but due to the way SH3 works, patrols 1 and 2 of new careers will get the same random value (at worst - I'm still playing around with this, but won't mark it as a "show stopper" if I can't get it to work differently). Beery's done some work on determining realistic days in port by year which I have implemented. Note that in addition to setting randomised days in port, you can also set a specific number of days in port which will apply to all patrols.

[JScones]

The first original program was great. I dont like very much to be oblige to use mods included i dont wanti do not wish to use or the hiding of the hull integrity.
These goodies should be in option.
No one is obliged to use any mod in SH3 Commander. If you don't want the Hull integrity you have to disable the text part of the Newsmod (which is built to work with RUb - that's why it doesn't have a hull integrity value). To disable it, remove all the de_menu.txt and en_menu.txt files in the folders inside SH3 Commander's Date folder.
The next version has an option allowing the user to force the inclusion, or exclusion, of the "Hull Integrity %" text.

BTW Pascal, I'm not really into the eye candy stuff myself, but I must say that I have every one of your mods enabled and couldn't imagine playing the game again without them! :up:

[Gairith]

Request: After you retire, having a comparison graph to U-boat Aces showing how well you did as compared to real captains.

Hopefully the link above to the new Personnel File has met this request.

Perfectly! :yep: :up:

What is "Date of Intake" ? Is that when your commander was first assigned to a boat?

[Beery]

Just a quick general note: I think the next version of SH3 Commander is a big leap forward. Jaesen has done some fantastic work implementing some great features - new features and more flexibility in terms of the game, and in terms of SH3 Commander itself, which will include one or two often-requested configuration options. I think users are going to be really pleased with this next version.

[The Avon Lady]

What is "Date of Intake" ? Is that when your commander was first assigned to a boat?
Or when the captain was sucked into the snorkel? :rotfl:

[Gairith]

What is "Date of Intake" ? Is that when your commander was first assigned to a boat?
Or when the captain was sucked into the snorkel? :rotfl:

:rotfl:

[BladeHeart]

It will be ready when it is ready. :know:
However, any idea when 1.44 SH3Cmdr and RUB are likely to be ready? :)

My recollection is that RUB will be some time, but I'm curious none the less. :hmm:

Cheers.
:lurk:

[JScones]

What is "Date of Intake" ? Is that when your commander was first assigned to a boat?
No. See http://uboat.net/men/training/crews.htm. Usually, there was one intake of officer cadets in April each year (more often in later years). These intakes were known as "crews". Crew 28, for example, refers to the 1928 officer cadet intake.

[Gairith]

Gotcha, thanks for the info.

[BladeHeart]

Oh, come on, give us a clue. :roll:

When will SH3Cmdr 1.44 be ready?

Maybe next week, next month a couple months along with RUB?

Pretty please. :ahoy:

Cheers :up:

:lurk:

[JScones]

A release candidate has been prepared and is currently the subject of integration and user acceptance testing (the delay in release is through the testing that is done - nothing half-arsed here). Pending the results, I think it should be ready sometime this week and will include:

- New interface
- Better integration with SH3 by linking Date/Flotilla/U-Boat selection to that allowed by SH3 when starting a new career (no more selecting XXI U-Boat in 33 Flotilla in 1939)
- Added ability to start new careers in any month between 9/39 and 5/45
- Added ability to randomise or set specific days spent in base
- Added ability to include (or remove) the "Hull Integrity %" text
- Added ability to use any one of three different types of fatigue handling models, with ability to add your own fatigue models
- Added ability to change next patrol grid
- Added ability to delete selected career from the hard drive
- Added ability to return Commanders from retirement
- Career Summary now retitled to Personnel File
- Now generates Personnel Files and Crew Lists in HTML format
- Now specifically advises if required information can not be found in career files when generating Commander history
- Added ability to check the internet for updates
- Many (interface) tweaks and code improvements

Not every request has been included in this release - some just take too long to implement! So, I have created a "to do" list which I will work through as time permits and release as incremental updates (ie minor releases). The "to do" list includes:

-Adding ability to set a future patrol start date (note though, that this is achievable via the new "Set number of days spent in base" feature, which is part of the major release)
-An option to allow random transfer of crewmen
-Ability to continue "retired" careers with new Commanders
-A ship name randomiser
-Improved tonnage randomiser
-Ability to adjust officer's faces, uniforms and voices
-A "Hall of Fame" list
-Replacing the banner in SH3 Commander with something more imaginative (this will become apparent when you download the new version)

This product is now starting to get to the same level as that of my professional products, so hopefully you will be pleased with the results. Watch this forum for the release!

[Reece]

Great work! :up: Never tried the earlier versions but this mod is turning into an essential install! :D
I want this yesturday. ;)
Thanks.

[Gairith]

bravo :up:

[jaxa]

Sounds fantastic. When it will be release?

[simsurfer]

bookmark

[Beery]

Sounds fantastic. When it will be release?

It's undergoing final testing now. I expect it will be published today or tomorrow. Watch this space. :)

[jaxa]

What about install? Will it be possible to install over 1.43 version with existing campaign?

[Beery]

SH3 Commander doesn't install like a regular mod. When you install it, it changes nothing in the game. It only alters the game when you use it to launch the game. It's fully compatible with RUb 1.43 and also with the latest version of the standard game (version 1.4b), and it should work fine with careers in progress.

[BladeHeart]

Beery WroteI expect it will be published today or tomorrow. Watch this space.

Was just about to start a new patrol, but thought I would just check in on the forum first.

Guess what? My engineer now tells me that our boat has a minor probelm that will cause our departure to be delyed by a day. ;)

Gives me some time to do some space watching. :-j

:lurk:

[jaxa]

OK, I'm waiting for new SH3Commander 1.44 now.
BTW, what about release date of RUb 1.44?
Will it include a new version of Improved Convoys?

[Beery]

The new version of SH3 Commander (SH3 Commander Pack Release 2) is now available from www.beerymod.com/SH3Cmdr2.7z

Since Jaesen has covered all the bases regarding what the mod does (see his earlier post in this thread), I don't think I have to add anything, except that I think this is a big step forward.

[JScones]

Screenshots (not actual size)...

Main interface:
http://members.iinet.net.au/~jscones/software/screenshots/SH3Cmdr2.gif

New Options screen:
http://members.iinet.net.au/~jscones/software/screenshots/SH3Cmdr2O.gif

Crew Manager screen, demonstrating random name generation:
http://members.iinet.net.au/~jscones/software/screenshots/SH3Cmdr2CM.gif

[vois2]

That is really amazing.

For the longest time I kept wondering why the heavy-hitters modders were working so hard on SH3 Commander. It seemed to me (purely from my perspective) that development of RUB was where effort would best be invested.

But clearly, those contributing to SH3 Commander have completely invaded the game without an SDK, and revamped it into an almost wholly awesome new game!

I have it downloaded and can't wait to try it. Thanks!

[999-Jay-999]

OH MY GOD... DOWNLOADING now...... Cant wait to play !!!!!

WELL DONE.

[Rubini]

JScones,
Beery,

Thanks for more this great work! :up:

I'm working with Sansal in the update for milk cow mod. So, some few questions:

-This new SH3 Cmdr. feature that allows to player choice the time spent in bases: Are only the NbDaysInBase and DaysSpentInBase entries in Basic.cfg modified for the SH3Cmdr?

- If i have a modified Basic.cfg: Will SH3 Cmdr overwrite all my Basic.cfg or only specific entries?

I would like very much to do the milk mod compatible with the SH3 Cmdr. Thanks for your advise.

Rubini.

[rulle34]

I have a question.

If I don't start the game from the cd/dvd-drive, it can occur glitches in the game. It took some while before I read about it in subsim.com, but after this alternate way of starting, the game runs nice and without glitches for me.

Here is a link to subsim.com where this matter is discussed.

http://www.subsim.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=29629

When using this application, will it start from the original exe.file? If yes, will the application work if I create a shortcut to the autorun.exe file on my DVD-player, move this shortcut to my SH3 folder (same place as the sh3.exe), and then rename the sh3.exe to something else (i.e. "sh3_old.exe") so the application now will start from the DVD-drive instead?


And of course, a big Thank's for a nice and useful application :up:

[JScones]

-This new SH3 Cmdr. feature that allows to player choice the time spent in bases: Are only the NbDaysInBase and DaysSpentInBase entries in Basic.cfg modified for the SH3Cmdr?
Just NbDaysInBase. Of course, what this means is that if NbDaysInBase is set to say, 1, and the player decides to upgrade to a bigger and brighter toy in the meantime, he won't be leaving port the next day, he'll be bound by the delays that are created by the upgrading, which stands to reason. But of course, this won't be a problem for the Milk Cow mod...I would suspect.

- If i have a modified Basic.cfg: Will SH3 Cmdr overwrite all my Basic.cfg or only specific entries?
SH3Cmdr comes with versions of Basic.cfg that include Flotilla updates, so if you select 1st, 2nd or 7th Flotilla, your Basic.cfg will be replaced (backed up of course) by SH3Cmdr's version. Of course, you can delete these files, but you'll lose the Flotilla changes. But I'll leave this part to Beery to explain further...or better...

The new SH3Cmdr SH3 options, viz "Display Hull Integrity %", "Randomise number of days spent in base", "Set number of days spent in base to" and "Use fatigue model" write only to the relevant parts of Basic.cfg (or _menu.txt in respect of the Hull text) and *only* if selected by the user. No selection means no changes. Again, files are backed up for restoration when the next "Rollback" occurs. These options are fairly exclusive - ie setting the Hull text is not going to conflict with any (mod) changes made to _menu.txt, nor really will setting a fatigue model (note that you can also import your own fatigue models into this version and then you are guaranteed of always getting the same fatigue model regardless of what mods you install). Your conflict may be with the Days spent in base option, but if you have a NbDaysInBase setting which you don't want overwritten, it just needs to be made clear to the user to keep the option unchecked. Alternatively, Milk Cow users could simply set the value in SH3Cmdr themselves to be 1, or 2, or even 0 if they are in a hurry.

I'm not sure if I've covered your question, so let me know if not.

[JScones]

When using this application, will it start from the original exe.file? If yes, will the application work if I create a shortcut to the autorun.exe file on my DVD-player, move this shortcut to my SH3 folder (same place as the sh3.exe), and then rename the sh3.exe to something else (i.e. "sh3_old.exe") so the application now will start from the DVD-drive instead?
Yes, it starts from the hard drive's copy of sh3.exe. Will your method work? Dunno, try it. Alternatively, you can run SH3Cmdr *without* your DVD inserted. When you press "Launch SH3!" you'll then get an "Insert your DVD" error message. This is OK, cause SH3Cmdr has done everything it needs to do by this point. So, press "Exit", then insert your DVD, select your language, then press Play and you will end up with the same effect.

[Beery]

That is really amazing.

For the longest time I kept wondering why the heavy-hitters modders were working so hard on SH3 Commander. It seemed to me (purely from my perspective) that development of RUB was where effort would best be invested...

RUb can only do what the game allows us to do. It is severely limited. SH3 Commander is able to extend the game's limits far beyond what the developers have allowed. SH3 Commander has almost unlimited potential. With SH3 Commander, the structure exists right now to add huge amounts of content to the game. The development of RUb and similar mods that are confined by the game's limitations is nearly over - there's just not that much more that can be done - we can make the game a bit more realistic and historically accurate, and we can overcome a few bugs, but that's about it - the law of diminishing returns has already started to impede such development.

I believe SH3 Commander is where the future of SH3 Mod-making lies, because it targets the areas of the game that can be expanded, and it sets up ways to facilitate such expansion.

[Rubini]

Thanks for the reply JScones,

Yes, I also think that milk mod and SH3 Cmdr are absolutely compatible each other. Sansal made some others modifications on the Basic.cfg - some more days spent in base when you upgrade something - to compensate that only "one" day at home (for resupply purposes).

But with a worry-free and easy work we will fix this to guide the players who want to use these two mod together! If I have some new doubts when we go to finish the new milk mod I will contact you.

Many thanks to all your effort here!


Rubini.

[rulle34]

[Yes, it starts from the hard drive's copy of sh3.exe. Will your method work? Dunno, try it. Alternatively, you can run SH3Cmdr *without* your DVD inserted. When you press "Launch SH3!" you'll then get an "Insert your DVD" error message. This is OK, cause SH3Cmdr has done everything it needs to do by this point. So, press "Exit", then insert your DVD, select your language, then press Play and you will end up with the same effect.

I have just tried and it didn't work :( , so I will go for your tip and start without the DVD inserted.

Another question, there are now three options for fatigue. Could it be possible to add an fatigue option for 1x TC users? In Rub there is that option with Basic.cfg. Then this follows the same possibilities as Rub alone does.

[JScones]

Yes, I also think that milk mod and SH3 Cmdr are absolutely compatible each other.
Good! 'Cause I'm quite interested in trying it out.

[JScones]

Another question, there are now three options for fatigue. Could it be possible to add an fatigue option for 1x TC users? In Rub there is that option with Basic.cfg. Then this follows the same possibilities as Rub alone does.
I'll try to remember to add it as part of the next minor update. In the meantime, by reading the instructions in SH3Cmdr Help.html, you can add the model yourself with a bit of cutting and pasting.

I believe there is also another "realistic fatigue" model floating around, one that adjusts the default SH3 model by a factor of 4 or something (so instead of fatiguing at two hours the crew fatigue at eight)? I wouldn't mind adding it if it is popular.

[Beery]

The Milk Cow mod should be compatible with SH3 Commander. All it would require would be that the player uses SH3 Commander to manually set 1 day in base whenever he stops to refuel at a Milk Cow. I don't see any other problems with the mod, except for where I assume it conflicts with RUb's version of the scripted layer, but that's a matter unrelated to SH3 Commander.

[Egan]

The Milk Cow mod should be compatible with SH3 Commander. All it would require would be that the player uses SH3 Commander to manually set 1 day in base whenever he stops to refuel at a Milk Cow. I don't see any other problems with the mod, except for where I assume it conflicts with RUb's version of the scripted layer, but that's a matter unrelated to SH3 Commander.

It Shouldn't affect the scripted layer at all. It will definatley effect the LND layer, though, unless there is a version of the milk-cow that expressly usues the one from the RUB-Ops mod.

[Rubini]

It Shouldn't affect the scripted layer at all. It will definatley effect the LND layer, though, unless there is a version of the milk-cow that expressly usues the one from the RUB-Ops mod.

If Sansal don't matter I will do it. ;)

Rubini.

[Beery]

It Shouldn't affect the scripted layer at all. It will definatley effect the LND layer, though, unless there is a version of the milk-cow that expressly usues the one from the RUB-Ops mod.

Oh that's right - the LND model. I was thinking of the Milk Cow as a boat rather than as a base.

[Rubini]

Beery,

It's a mix unit: a ship/uboat with the properties of the Naval Base LND unit.

Rubini.

[Egan]

Beery,

It's a mix unit: a ship/uboat with the properties of the Naval Base LND unit.

Rubini.

Yeah, but it needs to be defined in the LND file regardless as the game classes it as a base.

Oh, before I forget. Anyone using a milkcow mod based on the RUB-Ops LND file has to actually be using the RUb_ops due to the way the airbases are confgured or it will crash. Thios is due to the new airbase type that the mod introduced. Thats the only really important thing to keep in mind.

[Rubini]

I already notice that, Egan. The Ops team introduce a new 'very small' air base, no? :hmm:

Rubini.

[Egan]

I already notice that, Egan. The Ops team introduce a new 'very small' air base, no? :hmm:

Rubini.

Yep, thats the one. I guess it will have to be a similar deal as with the harbour traffic one. This is another mod that some people like or don't.

Lol, how many versions of HT are there now anyway? It was somewhere around 200 - 300 hundred last time I looked!

[Rubini]

Lol, how many versions of HT are there now anyway? It was somewhere around 200 - 300 hundred last time I looked!

Yes, just a bit confuse for some peoples, no? :D
But is just a matter to use the last version...

Rubini.

[perdu]

Well I found a little problem, not a common one I think but annoying for people in my case:

I reinstall windows, but as i use partitions, i hadn't to reinstall SH3 in order to play.
As SH3cmdr gets the s3 path from the registry, in my case the needed key doesn't exists.

so sh3cmdr displays errors msg instead of sub's type, get flotilla's list , or cannot lauch sh3 for example

the only solutions are then to create manualy the registry keys (power users) or to reinstall the game from scratch.

will it be possible in the next relase to make the tool ask for the SH3 path if it doesn't find it by himself? and use a line in the SH3Cmdr.ini file.


nevertheless great work done :)

[vois2]

Well I found a little problem, not a common one I think but annoying for people in my case:

I reinstall windows, but as i use partitions, i hadn't to reinstall SH3 in order to play.
As SH3cmdr gets the s3 path from the registry, in my case the needed key doesn't exists.

so sh3cmdr displays errors msg instead of sub's type, get flotilla's list , or cannot lauch sh3 for example

the only solutions are then to create manualy the registry keys (power users) or to reinstall the game from scratch.

will it be possible in the next relase to make the tool ask for the SH3 path if it doesn't find it by himself? and use a line in the SH3Cmdr.ini file.


nevertheless great work done :)

Hmmmm ... I was just getting ready to install Commander v.2,
when I saw this helpful warning from perdu.

I have my Win XP install on one partition, and my games including SH3, on an entirely different partition.

I think I would have exactly the same problem as perdu had. Am I correct?

[Beery]

Hmmmm ... I was just getting ready to install Commander v.2,
when I saw this helpful warning from perdu.

I have my Win XP install on one partition, and my games including SH3, on an entirely different partition.

I think I would have exactly the same problem as perdu had. Am I correct?

Maybe, but installing it shouldn't cause you any problems. When you install SH3 Commander nothing is installed into the game, and if it doesn't work, nothing will get installed into the game either. SH3 Commander only installs files into the game after you use SH3 Commander and hit the 'Launch SH3' button. According to Perdu, this doesn't work if you've reinstalled Windows after installing SH3, so you can't possibly screw up your SH3 installation by installing SH3 Commander. In other words, if there's a chance it might work, there's every reason to try installing it. If it doesn't work, just delete it - no harm done.

[JScones]

I believe SH3 Commander is where the future of SH3 Mod-making lies, because it targets the areas of the game that can be expanded, and it sets up ways to facilitate such expansion.
The natural progression of SH3Cmdr is to provide users with a "build your own" experience. You can see this starting with the SH3 Options - users are presented with a series of non-conflicting options and can select which ones they want. SH3Cmdr then simply builds the Basic.cfg, Flotilla.cfg, _menu.txt, whatever, files on the fly and copies them into the game. So, you can install say, RUb, but with SH3Cmdr, you can get back your no fatigue or hull text with a single click. Best of both worlds!

The question for me though, is balancing how far I take this and how much effort I put into it, with the shelf life of SH3. I'm on leave at the moment, but I'm back to my paying job next week, so spare time will be limited.

[JScones]

will it be possible in the next relase to make the tool ask for the SH3 path if it doesn't find it by himself? and use a line in the SH3Cmdr.ini file.
PM me your email address and I'll send you a tool I just wrote to test this.

[Rubini]

perdu wrote:
will it be possible in the next relase to make the tool ask for the SH3 path if it doesn't find it by himself? and use a line in the SH3Cmdr.ini file.

PM me your email address and I'll send you a tool I just wrote to test this.

Is this only for test? I have 3 SH3 installations/folder in my PC to make tests for the stock game mods, RUB etc. So, I guess this is a good thing for many guys here. It's possible to be added in a patch?

Thanks again JScones,

Rubini.

[JScones]

Is this only for test? I have 3 SH3 installations/folder in my PC to make tests for the stock game mods, RUB etc. So, I guess this is a good thing for many guys here. It's possible to be added in a patch?
Yep - but I need to test possible solutions before I implement them. ;)

[JScones]

I have 3 SH3 installations/folder in my PC to make tests for the stock game mods, RUB etc. So, I guess this is a good thing for many guys here.
Curiously, how in the Registry are multiple SH3 installs recorded?

[Lane]

To JScones or Berry,

I hate to bother you with this question? but I have a question about
SHC 1.43 this is the one I am running now ?
Question when you run the exe file does it change the fatigue settings
in the basic .cfg files ? I just when in sh3 and edit my Basic.cfg settings
for zero fatigue?
I have d/l your sh3 pack release2 in a folder on desk top but did not
run the exe yet I know it changes the fatigue files. How would I run it
with zero fatigue? Hope your not mad for me asking these questions?
Regards
Lane :D

[JScones]

... I have a question about SHC 1.43 this is the one I am running now ? Question when you run the exe file does it change the fatigue settings in the basic .cfg files ? I just when in sh3 and edit my Basic.cfg settings for zero fatigue?
I have d/l your sh3 pack release2 in a folder on desk top but did not run the exe yet I know it changes the fatigue files. How would I run it with zero fatigue? Hope your not mad for me asking these questions?
SH3Cmdr v1.43 comes with a few versions of Basic.cfg that may overwrite your changes depending on your current career Flotilla (1, 2 or 7).

SH3Cmdr Release 2 includes an option to "force" a selected fatigue model, so that regardless of what mods you have installed, or will install, you will always get the same fatigue model. Release 2 comes complete with three models, including a no fatigue model, so you can set that as your fatigue model of choice and it will always be used within the game. Also, if you have a (unique) fatigue model that differs to the three available in SH3Cmdr, you can add it as a selectable model. See SH3Cmdr Help.html for more info.

Note, though, that a fatigue model is *only* implemented if you want it to be. So if you do not want to override your current fatigue model, don't select the option and SH3Cmdr won't go there. But remember, other mods may still overwrite your changes.

[Rubini]

JScones,

Only one official installation. The others 2 are only a copy of the full SH3 folder installations with different mods. The folder with the saves are the same. And all goes well (but obviously not in the same time :D )


Rubini.

[Lane]

Thank's guys I will go and run the pack 2 exc file I am in port at
St Nazaire will give it a go? Set the fatigue to zero and see what happens
Thank's
Lane :D

[JScones]

Only one official installation. The others 2 are only a copy of the full SH3 folder installations with different mods. The folder with the saves are the same. And all goes well (but obviously not in the same time
OK, so you've only physically installed SH3 once, you've then simply copied and pasted it elsewhere. Correct? I understand - I do the same thing for Panzer Elite. ;)

Curiously though, if you just wanted to test how SH3Cmdr interacts with different SH3 installations residing on the same HD, why wouldn't you just temporarily rename the copied SH3 folders? That is, if you have:
C:\..\SilentHunterIII
C:\..\SilentHunterIII with RUb
C:\..\SilentHunterIII with Milk Cow

and you want to test "SilentHunterIII with RUb", why don't you just rename "SilentHunterIII" to "SilentHunterIIIwhatever" and rename "SilentHunterIII with RUb" to "SilentHunterIII"? A bit of a pain, but it's what I do when testing SH3 careers (with the SH3 data files)?

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Is there any need to re-name the SH3 folder in "My Documents" when using multiple installs, or is that superfluous? :hmm:

I've been deleting that folder whenever I switch installs... bit of a pain as you have to re-do your preferences.

[oRGy]

Nice work jscones and beery - the selectable fatigue model is a nice touch.

[Schultzy]

Just wanted to say thanks. This new version is really great!!

Nice work. :up:

[JScones]

will it be possible in the next relase to make the tool ask for the SH3 path if it doesn't find it by himself? and use a line in the SH3Cmdr.ini file.
OK. Because of the way SH3Cmdr integrates with SH3, it *must* have the correct SH3 installation path from startup to finish. Therefore, it is not practical to provide an "in application" option to change the SH3 path as SH3Cmdr would need to untangle itself from SH3 and start from scratch anyway.

So, this is how the next version of SH3Cmdr will work in this regard:
1. It will look for a /l switch (new feature). If it finds a /l switch, it will use the path that follows (ie /l:"C:\Program Files\SilentHunterIII with RUb"). Note the colon after the /l and the double quotes around the path. Old MS-DOS users will be familiar with this approach.
2. If there is no /l switch, it will look for an SH3Location value in SH3Cmdr.ini
3. If there is no path found in SH3Cmdr.ini, it will look for the path in the registry
4. If there is still no path, or if the path found through any of the above steps is not a valid SH3 installation path, it will ask the user to browse for the folder, saving the result in SH3Cmdr.ini for next time.

If the user cancels out of step 4, they will receive an error message and SH3Cmdr will terminate.

For most users, they won't even notice. It will slide through steps 1 and 2 and find the value in step 3. For those who *want* to override the Registry value, such as Rubini, they just need to set up shortcuts for each of their SH3 installations and they will be covered by the /l switch.

For everyone else, such as those with partitions or any other nuance, steps 1 to 3 will fail but they will be able to set manually through step 4. Next time SH3Cmdr is run, it will pick this path up from SH3Cmdr.ini.

I think this approach will appease everyone. Mind you, just implementing this code has added 2kb to the file size!

***As an aside, to determine whether I should put effort into it, how many people here need to run SH3 direct from the DVD in order to fix other problems that they may be experiencing? I know of one person. There is a simple workaround, but if there's many of you, I can implement another option, such as "Run SH3 from DVD".

[Lane]

JScones or Berry,

One more question about fatigue :D I am using New Cmd pack 2
and have fatigue set to zero using 1.4b On patrol 8 seems to be
working. If I were to load Rub 1.43 when i get back to port
How would the fatigue work with Cmd set to zero? would Rub 1.43
over ride the fatigue settings and change them? :D
I like your new SH3 Commander pack 2 seem's to work fine.
Date Feb 6, 1942 I did get attacked at night with about 3 aircraft
in BF 55 surprised with night attack but was able to crash dive and escape :D Is this any function of the new Cmd ver 2?
Regards
Lane :D

[Lane]

Ok I went to reload my saved mission patrol 8 was at sea at area BF 54
with New Cmd ver 2 and it said career was over after patrol 7?
Is this normal with the new version 2?
Said I need to start a new career? Is this normal ?
Going to see if i can reload saved mission with out SH3 Cmd ver 2?
I would though it would have said this when I try to start patrol 8
in port?
Thank's for any info
Lane :D

[JScones]

If I were to load Rub 1.43 when i get back to port How would the fatigue work with Cmd set to zero? would Rub 1.43 over ride the fatigue settings and change them? :D
It would, but SH3Cmdr would simply overwrite RUb's model again next time you ran it, assuming that you still had a fatigue model selected as your preference.

In a nutshell, the last thing SH3Cmdr does before loading SH3 is write the requested options to the game files, backing up and overriding whatever settings may already exist. So if you select it in SH3Cmdr, you will get it in SH3, everytime.

A point though, before installing RUb, perform a rollback in SH3Cmdr in order to avoid any potential conflicts. Not saying there will be any, but it's good practice.

Ok I went to reload my saved mission patrol 8 was at sea at area BF 54 with New Cmd ver 2 and it said career was over after patrol 7?
Is this normal with the new version 2?
Said I need to start a new career? Is this normal ?
Going to see if i can reload saved mission with out SH3 Cmd ver 2?
I would though it would have said this when I try to start patrol 8
in port?
Due to the potential for in-game crashes, SH3Cmdr does *not* recognise in-progress patrols, it stops at the last time the user was in base. So, reminder to all: If you run SH3Cmdr whilst you are mid-patrol, you need to switch off the realistic career length option. It is not overly realistic to be retired mid-patrol, unless you want to introduce the possibility of mutiny. :lol:

However, if you do forget, you can always use the "return from retirement" option to bring the career back.

Essentially, if you:
-are mid-patrol and
-started the current patrol via SH3Cmdr and
-have not loaded any other missions or careers with SH3Cmdr between starting the patrol and now

you can bypass SH3Cmdr and load SH3 direct. In these circumstances, SH3Cmdr will only be copying across the same files as it already had done when you started the patrol (apart from any random folder files, such as the MVP, which may differ. If you want more variety with your skins, then you can use SH3Cmdr mid-patrol, but turn the bl*&dy realistic career length option off! LOL).

If this last part does not make sense to anyone, let me know.

[CWorth]

Well I am now a satisfied SH3Commander user.

I have tried it before but the fatigue model was the big thing that kept me from using it.Now that we have an option of what we want to use I now am very satified with the program and plan to use it all the time now.

[JScones]

I have tried it before but the fatigue model was the big thing that kept me from using it.Now that we have an option of what we want to use I now am very satified with the program and plan to use it all the time now.
Yes, historically RUb and SH3Cmdr were closely related. This is changing (hence why this is pack release 2 and not 1.44, it's now following the engine version number sequence and not RUb's) and by about minor release 2.3 or so SH3Cmdr should be pretty much fully divorced from RUb and fully customisable by the user.

[Lane]

Thank's guys for the help :D
OH' some how I missed the return from retirement setting :D
I just started a new career from St Nazaire 7th flotilla Oct-1 1941
Lt Z.S Willy Schnee U-135 going to CF-98 using the CMD ver 2 :D
V11C boat. Thank's for explaning how the fatigue works if I want to
use RUB 1.43 for right now I will just go with a few mod's and Ver 1.4b
Thank's again
Lane :D

[joea]

I have a question about the "realistic career length" option. I have always understood the dice is rolled every time SH3 commander is started up, which prevented me starting more than one career at a time as in order to switch I'd have to risk getting one guy retired or manually change the ini file to "0". But reading the help in the newest version (GREAT STUFF BTW) I understood this calculation is made everytime you launch SH3 from SH3 commander.

Could someone clarify this for me?

[JScones]

I have always understood the dice is rolled every time SH3 commander is started up
No.

But reading the help in the newest version (GREAT STUFF BTW) I understood this calculation is made everytime you launch SH3 from SH3 commander.
Correct. And applies only to the selected career based on the last patrol completed at that point.

[joea]

Excellent!!!! Off to start a new career while I still run my old one. :cool:

Oh and thanks again to you and Beery. :up:

[The Avon Lady]

I'm sorry to bore you but thanks, fellas! It looks great. :up: :up:

[Rubini]

JScones,

Thanks for your great effort on listen all the community request. SH3 Commander is now the most democratic and complete mod here. :up:

Greetings,


Rubini.

[Reece]

As Mel Brooks once said "Why do I always get a warped one" :cry:
Hi, I downloaded SH3 Commander & unpacked to SH3 directory (still in its own though "SH3 Commander"), when I run it displays the setup for a new career but selecting a commander displays the commanders name (one of the internal commanders, not one I typed in) but no picture. :-?
If I ignore this problem, continue setup then launch all appears to be fine in game, I select the commander that was chosen by SH3 commander run for a while, save, then exit. On running SH3 commander again still no pics, & if I choose on the left "Existing Careers.." all it shows on the right is "Select an existing career from the list on the left" What list? there aint one! :x Also I have never seen an option for selecting "Crew Manager screen".
This is from the file "SH3Cmdr2.7z"
Any help would be very much appreciated.
Thanks, Reece.

[Beery]

SH3 Commander won't recognise a career until the first patrol is over because the game doesn't write the career files until the first patrol is over. Once the first patrol is over you will get access to the pictures, crew lists, etc.

[Reece]

Thanks, so even at the start when selecting a commander there is no picture?

[Beery]

Thanks, so even at the start when selecting a commander there is no picture?

No. You can only get pictures on the 'Existing Careers' window, and your career doesn't technically exist until patrol #1 is completed.

[Reece]

Ah, the help file didn't say anything (unless I'm blind) & as you can guess I'm new to SH3 Commander, just thought there was a problem with my setup. I will continue knowing all is ok! :up:
Thanks Beery & Jaesen.

[joea]

Actually we need (not in SH3 Comm necessarily) a map of what grids are in the game map as we can change what grid we will be assinged for our next patrol. Problem I got some charts from Terrapin's site and choose a grid up north that doesn't exist in the game. :damn: Nothing bad just I like the cheap renown for reaching my patrol area and staying for 24 hours.

[The Avon Lady]

Actually we need (not in SH3 Comm necessarily) a map of what grids are in the game map as we can change what grid we will be assinged for our next patrol. Problem I got some charts from Terrapin's site and choose a grid up north that doesn't exist in the game. :damn: Nothing bad just I like the cheap renown for reaching my patrol area and staying for 24 hours.
Kriegsmarine Atlantic Ocean grid map (http://143.50.93.50/werner/blah/Nordatlantikkarte/), from the game Aces Of the Deep.

[Beery]

Ah, the help file didn't say anything...

No it didn't. Sorry about that. Unfortunately, SH3 Commander is fairly innovative, and (because it's workings are often forced to be un-intuitive - as in this case) it needs a lot of explaining, and a lot of the time, because we're kinda too close to the problem, we miss stuff that should be in the help file. Anyway it's in there for future versions. I just hope the size of the help file doesn't put people off from reading it.

[Beery]

Actually we need (not in SH3 Comm necessarily) a map of what grids are in the game map...

Doesn't a map come with every SH3 game? I got one in mine.

[joea]

Yea, but it doesn't show all the small numbers, plus I consulted a real WWII map and went to a grid that was not included in the game for whatever reason. It was grid AF21 IIRC, but the game only shows the tops from AF-17,18,19,27,28,29. Cuts off the top...can still sail up there of course but apprently way up north was AB and AC (Murmansk was in AC). This was the chartpack.zip file at Terrapin's http://u-boot.realsimulation.com/ site at the "Silent Hunter 3 Charts And Maps"section. The game though included the grids as in the maps Avon Lady posted (thanks a bunch btw). Live and learn.

[baxter]

Version 2 is excellent. Being able to change the next patrol grid is a great idea...allows for correction of some of the historically inaccurate destinations in the game. I also love the new format for the personnel files. Thanks for all the improvements!

[JScones]

Just a heads up to announce that the first of the promised SH3Cmdr minor updates (meaning just the core engine files which can be simply unzipped over your current full installation) should be available by this weekend. New features:

- Now allows for the Silent Hunter III installation path to be forced via a /l switch, or manually entered if SH3 Commander cannot find it
- To accommodate future growth, career options are now contained in a pop-up menu, retitled "Actions"
- Now recognises and supports French text language setting in Silent Hunter III (credit to Perdu)
- Added ability to force (corrected) ranks, medals and badges to display in Silent Hunter III in English (with American or British ranks) or German, regardless of in-game language setting
- Added ability to adjust deck gun reload times
- Added ability to adjust water density (murkiness)
- Now displays last patrol end date on existing career screen to allow for easier "specific days in base" calculations when wanting a specific next patrol start date
- Added new fatigue model based on RUb's 1x TC model
- Added new background image for generated HTML files
- Added new banner image (credit to Beery)

As always, post questions here...

[rulle34]

This will be great!
Have you seen Kpt Lehmann's new tribute mod with real names?
http://www.subsim.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=43475
Maybe this can be implemented in SH 3 commander's crew list?

[Beery]

SH3 Commander already uses real commander and crewmen names (using the 75 top-scoring commander names plus the entire crew of U-47 and the most highly decorated U-boat crewmen of WW2). The names are randomized so that it's somewhat unusual to get the exact name of a real commander or a real crewman, but it does happen. If I recall correctly I once had an Erich Topp as a crewman.

[Kpt. Lehmann]

My mod is intended to model nine different crews in their entirety on their respective boats.

Type IIB- U-12,
Type IID- U-144, U-147

Type VIIB- U-83,
Type VIIC- U-89, U-767

Type IXC- U-65, U-166, U-869*

*featured on the history channel... rumor has it a movie about this boat is in the works.

There has been much work done for the "famous" crews, aces, and tonnage kings. My focus is intended to represent those who where not so famous or successful.... The "Average-Joes" who worked just as hard as any other... and just weren't lucky.

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Sorry for the double posts... see this thread for further discussion related to the Tribute mod.

http://www.subsim.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=43475

[Trefoil]

Many thanks for your work on this great utility - It has increased my enjoyment of SH3 greatly.

Is it still your intention to introduce an option to allow random transfer of crew? I know it is historically inaccurate for a u-boat commander to keep the same crew throughout his career, but I get attached to them and cannot bring myself to dismiss them :cry: Some method of changing them for me would be much appreciated. I' m a bit of a reality nut, so any assistance is appreciated.

[Beery]

Many thanks for your work on this great utility - It has increased my enjoyment of SH3 greatly.

Is it still your intention to introduce an option to allow random transfer of crew?...

Jaesen is working on it. I think (if there are no problems with it) it's likely to be in the next major update.

[Kalach]

I'm using RUB and commander and always find that one of those changes my torpedo loadouts :-?
Is there any chance of getting Commander to overwrite any other loadouts and let you have what you want?

[Rado]

Where can I get a copy?

[Beery]

Where can I get a copy?

The newest version is here: http://www.beerymod.com/SH3Cmdr2.7z

[JScones]

Many thanks for your work on this great utility - It has increased my enjoyment of SH3 greatly.

Is it still your intention to introduce an option to allow random transfer of crew?...

Jaesen is working on it. I think (if there are no problems with it) it's likely to be in the next major update.
My plans are:
- (minor) release 2.1 will include the features I stated above;
- (minor) release 2.2 will include random crew transfers (Beery has nicely created some realistic rules pertaining to crew transfers) and other small bits and pieces; and ***EDIT - THE RANDOM CREW TRANSFER FEATURE WILL NOW BE IN RELEASE 2.1***
- (major) release 2.3 will include:
a) more flexibility in allowing for updates to *parts* of SH3 game files. In other words, the 70 odd current _menu.txt files included in SH3Cmdr will no longer be needed - all necessary changes will be drawn from a series of data (txt/cfg) files and inserted at the right locations.
b) continuing "retired" careers with new Commanders
c) support for "surrendering", as raised elsewhere today (maybe)
d) ship name randomiser (maybe)
e) improved tonnage randomiser (maybe)

[AlanSmithee]

My plans are:
- (minor) release 2.1 will include the features I stated above;
- (minor) release 2.2 will include random crew transfers (Beery has nicely created some realistic rules pertaining to crew transfers) and other small bits and pieces; and
- (major) release 2.3 will include:
a) more flexibility in allowing for updates to *parts* of SH3 game files. In other words, the 70 odd current _menu.txt files included in SH3Cmdr will no longer be needed - all necessary changes will be drawn from a series of data (txt/cfg) files and inserted at the right locations.
b) continuing "retired" careers with new Commanders
c) support for "surrendering", as raised elsewhere today (maybe)
d) ship name randomiser (maybe)
e) improved tonnage randomiser (maybe)

Depending on timing, release 2.2 and 2.3 may merge.

Just amazing. SH3Cmdr is great as it is - couldn't imagine not using it - and it looks like it will be even better with the upcoming improvements. Many thanks to both you and Beery for all of your efforts - you've made the SH3 world seem that much more "real." :rock:

[Kpt. Lehmann]

This will be great!
Have you seen Kpt Lehmann's new tribute mod with real names?
http://www.subsim.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=43475
Maybe this can be implemented in SH 3 commander's crew list?

As it turns out it is a simple copy-and-paste operation. :up:

Also, it does not appear to interfere with ANY existing feature of SH3 Commander.

You can still randomize your U-Boat captain's name, or as long as you still have the option in SH3 Cmdr, choose your own captain's name. Therefore if you want to use a historic crew from my mod, no problema! It is also my understanding that in SH3 Cmdr you can choose or alter your U-boat number. So you just match your Captain's name and U-Boat number to your crew as mentioned in my mod's readme.

The two mods would appear to work perfectly in concept.

To import crews from my mod to SH3 Cmdr... just copy the individual crew files (ie: crew_config_VII_1 etc. etc.) into your SH3 Cmdr document- Crew/Data/Cfg... and Voila!

[Sailor Steve]

Being unable to download currently, I was overjoyed when a fellow subsimmer actually mailed me a disc with the latest RUB, SH3 Commander and Rubini's Harbor mods.

SH3 Commander is the current recipient of my personal Most Valuable Mod award. Sometimes have two crewmen with the same last name? I can re-randomize the entire crew or just one man. It assigned me the correct U-boat for my starting flotilla and date. I love looking at the "Career" listings, including my kapitan's birthdate and home, when he joined up and when he was promoted. This is just too cool! :cool:

[rulle34]

This will be great!
Have you seen Kpt Lehmann's new tribute mod with real names?
http://www.subsim.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=43475
Maybe this can be implemented in SH 3 commander's crew list?

As it turns out it is a simple copy-and-paste operation. :up:

Also, it does not appear to interfere with ANY existing feature of SH3 Commander.

You can still randomize your U-Boat captain's name, or as long as you still have the option in SH3 Cmdr, choose your own captain's name. Therefore if you want to use a historic crew from my mod, no problema! It is also my understanding that in SH3 Cmdr you can choose or alter your U-boat number. So you just match your Captain's name and U-Boat number to your crew as mentioned in my mod's readme.

The two mods would appear to work perfectly in concept.

To import crews from my mod to SH3 Cmdr... just copy the individual crew files (ie: crew_config_VII_1 etc. etc.) into your SH3 Cmdr document- Crew/Data/Cfg... and Voila!

This is great! I rather prefer an intact crew than a too randomized one. I prefer that Erich Topp should be a captain and not a helms sailor. Now I guess SH 3 Commander supports this, and that is great! :up:

[JScones]

An updated version of SH3 Commander is now available. This is a minor core engine update - you must already have release 2 of SH3 Commander installed (available at www.beerymod.com/SH3Cmdr2.7z - the latest full download includes this patch).

Release notes:
- Now allows for the Silent Hunter III installation path to be forced via a /l switch, or manually entered if SH3 Commander cannot find it
- To accommodate future growth, career options are now contained in a pop-up menu, retitled "Actions"
- Now recognises and supports French text language setting in Silent Hunter III
- Added realistic crew transfers option; you may lose up to one crewman per patrol
- Added ability to force (corrected) ranks, medals and badges to display in Silent Hunter III in English (with American or British ranks) or German, regardless of in-game language setting
- Added ability to adjust deck gun reload times
- Added ability to adjust water density
- Now displays last patrol end date on existing career screen to allow for easier "specific days in base" calculations when wanting a specific next patrol start date
- Added new fatigue model based on RUb's 1x TC model
- Added new background image for generated HTML files
- Added new banner image

Screenshots (not actual size or scale)...

Main interface:
http://members.iinet.net.au/~jscones/software/screenshots/SH3Cmdr2.gif

New Options screen:
http://members.iinet.net.au/~jscones/software/screenshots/SH3Cmdr2O.gif

To download, use your SH3 Commander "Updates" feature. As this is a minor release, once you have downloaded the 418kb file just simply unzip over your current installation and then read "SH3Cmdr Help.html". Whilst performing a "Rollback" prior to installing this update is not necessary, it is always recommended as good practice.

Notes:
-When you first load this version, please review the "SH3 Options" screen. There are new options available and failing to review prior to launching Silent Hunter III may result in unwanted (albeit temporary) gameplay experience.
-"Fatigue.cfg" is no longer used - Fatigue models are now stored in a file called "Crew fatigue models.cfg", located in the SH3 Commander "Cfg" folder. If you have added your own fatigue models to "Fatigue.cfg", you will need to copy and paste them to the new file.
-"U-boat numbers.cfg" has also been moved to the "Cfg" folder.

As always, pls post your questions/feedback/problems to this thread...

[BladeHeart]

Love the idea of crew transfers; saves me having to do it manually at the end of each patrol. :D

Could someone please explain to me the difference between the RUB fatigue model and the RUB 1xTC fatigue model?

Again, like those above, many thanks for this excellent addition. :up:

:lurk:

[JScones]

It's for people who play SH3, with RUb, at 1x time compression. I dunno what the differences are, so I'll leave that to Beery or someone else to explain...

[Beery]

It's just a very much slower fatigue progression, intended to give 1x players a lot more time before crewmen reach highly fatigued states.

[U-214]

Hello.I dont use the mod anymore after some frustrating attempts to correct my problem,but i thought i should tell you what was wrong for me:

1)There was no way to get rid of that Hitler speeches on the radio even if i was cancelling the file from the grammophone folder.Compared to the mp3s i have in the same folder,the sound (apart the fact that i dont it interesting hearing nazi radio since i dont speak german) was too lower.The result was i was playing all the time with the volume control of my headphones.I would prefer the option to get completely rid of the german speeches.

2)There was no way to make my edited basic.cfg to work.My fatigue model is simple.Everything to zero.I m too old for putting my sailors to sleep.I tried all possible combinations restoring my basic.cfg everytime and each time,i was getting another fatigue model where the crew was getting tired sooner or later.

Apart this,a very nice mod for the monthly news and captain infotmation.

[Beery]

Hello.I dont use the mod anymore after some frustrating attempts to correct my problem,but i thought i should tell you what was wrong for me:

1)There was no way to get rid of that Hitler speeches on the radio even if i was cancelling the file from the grammophone folder.Compared to the mp3s i have in the same folder,the sound (apart the fact that i dont it interesting hearing nazi radio since i dont speak german) was too lower.The result was i was playing all the time with the volume control of my headphones.I would prefer the option to get completely rid of the german speeches.

Yes. Because of the way SH3 Commander installs files to the game, merely deleting the offending file from the gramophone folder won't do anything. What you have to do is this:

Use SH3 Commander to do a 'Rollback' - there's a 'Rollback SH3' button at the bottom of the main SH3 Commander screen. Then you need to go to your computer's Start menu (hit the 'Start' button on the taskbar) and do a 'Search'. In 'All or part of the file name' put in 'Radio.wav'. Then, where it says 'Look in', choose 'Browse' from the drop-down menu, and when the 'Browse for folder' window pops up, highlight the SH3 Commander folder and hit 'Okay'. Then hit the 'Search' button. About 34 Radio.wav files will pop up. Highlight all of them and delete them all. You will never hear another Hitler speech.

2)There was no way to make my edited basic.cfg to work.My fatigue model is simple.Everything to zero.I m too old for putting my sailors to sleep.I tried all possible combinations restoring my basic.cfg everytime and each time,i was getting another fatigue model where the crew was getting tired sooner or later...

A 'no fatigue' model now comes with SH3 Commander. Just start SH3 Commander and go to the 'SH3 Options' screen. In the 'SH3 Gameplay Settings' box, select 'Use fatigue model and choose 'No Fatigue' from the dropdown list.

[joea]

Actually the radio.wavs are not just Hitler speeches but genuine period radio broadcasts are they not? Anyway been testing for a bit great stuff well done guys.

[BladeHeart]

Please delete wrong thread. :doh:

[Beery]

Actually the radio.wavs are not just Hitler speeches but genuine period radio broadcasts are they not? Anyway been testing for a bit great stuff well done guys.

That's right. There are a couple of Hitler radio broadcasts, but most of these radio.wavs are Wehrmacht news reports. There is also one American propaganda broadcast, but naturally that's in German too.

[U-214]

Thank you very much Beery.I can handle the radio wavs,i understood what you mean.

I think i tried the no fatigue model,but if i remember well,i looked at the basic.cfg and values were not completely zero.I was using version 2.7.So i thought that it was simply a "slower" fatigue model.I guess i should try it and see what happens.

Thank you again.

Regards

[JScones]

I think i tried the no fatigue model,but if i remember well,i looked at the basic.cfg and values were not completely zero.I was using version 2.7.So i thought that it was simply a "slower" fatigue model.I guess i should try it and see what happens.

Hehe, you should just trust the programmers. ;)

Firstly, if you are looking at the values in SH3 Commander's "Basic.cfg" files (there's three), ignore them completely, as they get overwritten by your SH3 Commander fatigue settings, which are stored in SH3 Commander's "Crew fatigue models.cfg" file.

If you are looking at the values in SH3 Commander's "Crew fatigue models.cfg", or the resulting values in SH3's "Basic.cfg", you need to know:
-the individual crew FatigueMax and FatigueStep values are irrelevant for the "No Fatigue" model.
-the -0.1 values are kept for the rest rooms. Negative=rejuvenation. Again, irrelevant if crew don't tire, but still there to reflect the positive aspects of rest.
-the two very small positive values relate to the radio room. There is a bug within SH3 (Beery knows more about it) which sees crew still fatigue in the radio room if the values are set to zero. These very small values overcome it.

The aptly titled "No fatigue" model in SH3 Commander is as close to no fatigue as one can reasonably get. :D

Of course, if you are still not convinced, you can change the values in SH3 Commander's "Crew fatigue models.cfg" file or even add your own fatigue models to the file. Instructions to do so are contained in "SH3 Help.html". It is *very* flexible to cater to what *you* want.

BTW, there is no SH3Cmdr v2.7 - the latest is v2.1, released yesterday.

[Sheppard]

Is it possible to add in a future release the capability to change the
type of U-Boat you have? As it is now, transferring from a flotilla
to another one, you retain your old boat and number, when
in reality IIRC, it was just the commander who moved to a new
boat.

[BladeHeart]

You can do that now in game; via the u-boat screen; unless you want to do that without a cost to renown? :hmm:

:lurk:

[JScones]

OK, now that you have had time to get used to the new release, I again open the floor to suggestions/enhancements/feedback.

The next release will be a full release, and so far includes:
- Improved insertion of date based variable menu text (ie the newsmod). No more need to include multiple copies of *_menu.txt files in the Date folder structure (this reduces the download file size by about 10mb!). The new method also makes it much easier for people to add variable text to the game.
- Improved random tonnage calculations (also reduces download file size, by 300kb). Credit to Observer for the concept behind this one. This feature is totally dynamic, meaning new ship details can be added to SH3Cmdr as they are created (they'll be copied into the game only if the game has the ship installed).

I'm looking at including:
-Identifying when mid-patrol and overriding commander/crew retirements.
-Continuing "retired" careers with new Commanders (if I can "force" SH3 to do a few things for me).
-???

[BladeHeart]

If the crew transfers do not include the officers already then I believe it should; also the possibility of having more then one individual transfered in between patrols.

In respect of the mid patrol issue, from experience I think it has something to do with the change of month whilst on patrol.

Linked to the random tonnage issue; personally I believe the various points at which on is promoted and receive the KC could be tweaked. It seems that it takes a lot to be promoted and with the renown for a class of ship sunk being the same regardless of the tonnage, easy to earn the KC, etc.

I like the idea of being able to carry on using a boat and its crew after a captain is retired as sometimes I want to play out the life of a boat. The only problem would be if you tired to represent the difference is skill of the new captain, i.e. you.

You already know what my views are on buying qualified petty officers, etc.

The companion project is one that I also like, but it would have to be accessable in-game for my own tastes.

Purely submitted for consideration. :)
:lurk:

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Regarding tonnage randomization, is this plus or minus "percentage x?"

My question is how much variation do you model?

Great stuff by the way. I've just recently begun to use SH3 Commander and I love it! :up:

[Trefoil]

I've been involved in a forum discussion on CCIP's Leigh Lights mod and whether it is possable to randomize whether a ship and/or plane has lights or not.

I've looked into using the random folder in 'SH3 Commander, but it seems only a semi-random effect could be created. ie. In any session of play started with 'SH3 Commander', all of one ship type such as C3s would either have searchlights or all of them wouldn't.

Is it possible for the dynamic concept, behind your new random tonnage calculations, to be adapted to randomize other ship details, such as whether individual ships have searchlights or not?

[1shmael]

I like the idea of being able to carry on using a boat and its crew after a captain is retired as sometimes I want to play out the life of a boat. The only problem would be if you tired to represent the difference is skill of the new captain, i.e. you.


I would love this feature as well. Here's how I would love to see it work.

1. The name of UBoat commander is changed to that of your currently most-high-ranking officer. All game records (in the /my documents/SH3 folder) using this name are copied over to a folder based on the first officer's name.
2. The first officer is dismissed (to simulate his taking over command)
3. Half of the renoun accumulated is lost (the boat and crew are still "renouned" even though the captain has changed).
4. Total Tonnage and number of Patrols are reset to zero

[JScones]

I actually have this feature mapped out...but I don't mind the idea of your 2IC "taking over" as Commander...I'd be curious what others here think...

[Rubini]

JScones,

Any news on the milk cow's "Days in base" and "Emblems" tweaks?


Rubini.

[Kpt. Lehmann]

I actually have this feature mapped out...but I don't mind the idea of your 2IC "taking over" as Commander...I'd be curious what others here think...

As long as this is an optional feature no problem.

Otherwise my vote is no... for no other reason than I don't like it.

[JScones]

Any news on the milk cow's "Days in base" and "Emblems" tweaks?
Sorry I haven't responded yet, just finishing a few other loose ends first. Will hopefully get back to you shortly.

As long as this is an optional feature no problem.
Yes, you would need to physically select this from the list of available actions.

[Beery]

I actually have this feature mapped out...but I don't mind the idea of your 2IC "taking over" as Commander...I'd be curious what others here think...

Usually (as I understand it) the Ubootwaffe didn't promote a commander from among the crew. The reason being that they wanted the crew to view the commander as separate from them - he had to have a certain mystique. If they knew him as a WO, he could not command the same respect. From a continuity standpoint, it's a nice idea to be able to promote the WO, but it's not historically accurate.

[Beery]

Observer just brought up an interesting suggestion - randomizing the time the destroyers spend looking for you after they lose contact. In the standard game it's 15 minutes and in RUb it's 40 minutes. It might be nice to randomize it so that it falls somewhere between 15 and 60.

[JScones]

Observer just brought up an interesting suggestion - randomizing the time the destroyers spend looking for you after they lose contact. In the standard game it's 15 minutes and in RUb it's 40 minutes. It might be nice to randomize it so that it falls somewhere between 15 and 60.
I was waiting to see when this would pop up LOL. Just let me know what value(s) to change and it can be done. :)

[Beery]

Observer just brought up an interesting suggestion - randomizing the time the destroyers spend looking for you after they lose contact. In the standard game it's 15 minutes and in RUb it's 40 minutes. It might be nice to randomize it so that it falls somewhere between 15 and 60.
I was waiting to see when this would pop up LOL. Just let me know what value(s) to change and it can be done. :)

The value is in data\Cfg\Sim.cfg. It's the following:

"[AI detection]
Lost contact time=40 ;[min] (was 15)"

This is from the RUb version of the file. For those people willing to experiment with this figure, the standard SH3 setting is:

"[AI detection]
Lost contact time=15 ;[min]"

This can be set to any number. After about 40 it gets a bit dodgy though, as the escorts lose contact with the convoy they are supposed to be guarding. The longer the escorts stick around the longer they tend to keep you submerged.

[Rubini]

Sorry I haven't responded yet, just finishing a few other loose ends first. Will hopefully get back to you shortly
-Ok, just waiting... :up:


Rubini.

[JScones]

Ok, just waiting... :up:
Beery and I are liaising on it now :)

[Beery]

I've been involved in a forum discussion on CCIP's Leigh Lights mod and whether it is possable to randomize whether a ship and/or plane has lights or not.

I've looked into using the random folder in 'SH3 Commander, but it seems only a semi-random effect could be created. ie. In any session of play started with 'SH3 Commander', all of one ship type such as C3s would either have searchlights or all of them wouldn't.

That's correct. It's an all-or-nothing proposition. I worry that it would look a bit odd.

[Beery]

JScones,

Any news on the milk cow's "Days in base" and "Emblems" tweaks?

You can already use SH3 Commander to make the Milk Cow mod work properly. All you have to do, in the SH3 Commander 'options' menu, is set the number of days spent in base to 'random', then, every time you end a patrol at a Milk Cow, exit the game, set the days spent in base to '1' and continue. When you get into a regular base again, exit the game and set the days spent in base to 'random' again.

You don't need to do all that juggling of emblems anymore.

[JScones]

Observer just brought up an interesting suggestion - randomizing the time the destroyers spend looking for you after they lose contact. In the standard game it's 15 minutes and in RUb it's 40 minutes. It might be nice to randomize it so that it falls somewhere between 15 and 60.
I was waiting to see when this would pop up LOL. Just let me know what value(s) to change and it can be done. :)

The value is in data\Cfg\Sim.cfg. It's the following:

"[AI detection]
Lost contact time=40 ;[min] (was 15)"

This is from the RUb version of the file. For those people willing to experiment with this figure, the standard SH3 setting is:

"[AI detection]
Lost contact time=15 ;[min]"

This can be set to any number. After about 40 it gets a bit dodgy though, as the escorts lose contact with the convoy they are supposed to be guarding. The longer the escorts stick around the longer they tend to keep you submerged.
This is now in the next release...fully tweakable. :)

[jaxa]

Beery, thanks for your reply. This is answer for my question about setup "days in base" and "emblems" in another post.
What about "0" instead of "1" day for setup "days in base" for Milk Cow fuel transfer?

[Beery]

Beery, thanks for your reply. This is answer for my question about setup "days in base" and "emblems" in another post.
What about "0" instead of "1" day for setup "days in base" for Milk Cow fuel transfer?

It should work, but it may take you backwards in time because the game's patrol start time is randomized. It could cause bugs. Anyway, a day is probably more realistic because it would take a good few hours to do all the necessary work of refueling and resupplying.

[rulle34]

Hello!
I have a question for SH 3 Commander.

Does this program affect the config file "NSS_Uboat7c" in submarine folders? I make changes with "SH 3 Crush depth v2 so I can run with decks awash and sometimes the values are back at normal values. I wonder if SH 3 commander have anything to do with that?

[Beery]

Hello!
I have a question for SH 3 Commander.

Does this program affect the config file "NSS_Uboat7c" in submarine folders? I make changes with "SH 3 Crush depth v2 so I can run with decks awash and sometimes the values are back at normal values. I wonder if SH 3 commander have anything to do with that?

Yes it does. The crush depth is adjusted so that you get a deeper crush depth when you're using the Type VIIC/41.

[Sailor Steve]

Here's my suggestion (though it may not be possible): I understood that you were working on the possibility of randomised dates during the starting month, i.e. September 8th instead of always the 1st. If that becomes doable, might it also be possible to have the earliest starting date be sometime in August 1939? That way a captain could be ordered to his grid early and thus be on station when the war starts.

Just a thought... :88)

[Beery]

I'm pretty sure that starting dates for a career must be the first of the month. There is no starting date listed anywhere as far as I can tell - only the month appears, so it's like a default hard-coded thing. I suppose we could fudge it - but it would have to involve entering the game, running a patrol, ending the patrol, then exiting the game and advancing the date in SH3 Commander. As you can see it would be hideously clunky. The problem is, the career doesn't get a proper career listing until the first patrol is over, so SH3 Commander can't really do any manipulation of data until then.

As for August 1939 as a starting date, it definitely is possible to start patrols on August 1st. If anyone wants it, I can talk to Jaesen about supporting an August 1939 date in SH3 Commander, and I'll get some functionality into RUb for that. The problem is, I'm not sure anyone will want to wait around for a month - you can't sink anything until Sept. 3rd anyway, and it usually only takes 3 days to get off the English coast. I'm not sure there's much to be gained from an August start, unless you're in 2nd Flotilla with a Type VII and you want to get out into the Atlantic - that might take up enough time to make it worthwhile.

[Pkunzipper]

First of all let me say that SH£ Commander is a great tool, added to RuB is even greater!!

A few suggestions for the future releases:
- To allow the player to boost its own Renwon, in order to take new boats at the beginning of the career...

- To allow the player to set the minimum level of experience of enemy ships... First years are boring now, since I'm getting more and more experienced, after playing some campaigns, and since I can't reset my memory, enemy ships are no match for me in that timefame...

- To create a Top aces list common to all commanders used by a player, so on the same list the player can see his own old commanders together historical ones... Currently only the selected commander can be seen on that list.

Thanks! :up:

[gdogghenrikson]

To create a Top aces list common to all commanders used by a player, so on the same list the player can see his own old commanders together historical ones... Currently only the selected commander can be seen on that list.

I also like this idea

[JScones]

- To create a Top aces list common to all commanders used by a player, so on the same list the player can see his own old commanders together historical ones... Currently only the selected commander can be seen on that list.
I also like this idea
OK, this has been a common request for a while. So... in the next release, when creating a Personnel File for a selected career, the resulting U-boat Aces list will also include all other player Commanders with their tonnage sunk for the corresponding period. For example:
U-BOAT ACES : 10JUL42

Name Tonnage
*Von Scheerbach 800391
**Wolfonso 773143
Otto Kretschmer 256684
Herbert Schultze 228300
Heinrich Liebe 218419
Günther Prien 191918
Erich Topp 184095
Viktor Schütze 180073
Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock 170237
Joachim Schepke 153677
Wilhelm Rollmann 152360
Wolfgang Lüth 122044
Hans Jenisch 120914
*Hans Dreschler 120630
Reinhard Hardegen 119348
Günter Hessler 118822
Heinrich Bleichrodt 116719
Karl-Friedrich Merten 113821
Ernst Bauer 113562
Klaus Scholtz 110695
Richard Zapp 106200
Victor Oehrn 104846
Erwin Rostin 97371
Johann Mohr 97261
*Jäsen Jones I 92616
Jürgen Oesten 79693
Werner Hartmann 78560
Ernst Kals 59721
Robert Gysae 59427
*Heinz Dammeier 51603
Helmut Witte 50505
Adolf Cornelius Piening 50049
Carl Emmermann 40619
Harald Gelhaus 39277
Georg Lassen 36731
Hans-Ludwig Witt 35670
Of course, it looks better formatted. ;)

In this example, Wolfonso is the selected career and those marked with a single asterisk are the player's other careers, with their tonnage sunk for the same period, in this case up to the date of their last completed patrol closest to 10 Jul 42.

Hope this appeases :)

[Pkunzipper]

GREAT!! Thanks very much! :sunny:


A possible bug:
When I start a career with "No fatigue" selected for fatigue model, the sonarman and the radioman get low on endurance.... Can someone double check this?

[Beery]

There's a bug in the standard game that causes anyone in the radio room to fatigue. It's very hard to balance so that it doesn't happen.

[Pkunzipper]

Ah, I understand.... just just gave those guys the anti-fatigue medal (can't remember the name).... on the next patrol I'll know if it works...

[HEMISENT]

Another thought on additions to SH3 Commander.
In real life a captain may survive x amount of patrols then be retired. SH3 Commander already retires captains-great.(Beery's Roll of Dice Method)
As I understand back in 1943 things were starting to turn around and Donitz was taking retired, experienced captains and putting them back in boats. Effectively starting a second "career" for them. Since SH3 Commander retires captains can SH3 Commander return a captain to front line duty from the saved files and create a second career?
example:
Let's say I have a career starting in 1940, My captain is retired after 4 or 5 patrols. Later on I start a new career say in 1944 and I'm given the option to choose either an experienced captain called back from hq or a school posting or choose a random name and start fresh.
Just a thought.

[Sturm]

Sturm, you can change it yourself by going into the Data/Cfg/Basic file. It's down near the bottom, right below the 'Coning Tower' files. I got rid of my AA and StarShells a long time ago, and only use the proper HE loads.


Already done that :)

I was just thinking if someone else would also want this. Besides it would save me some time that I don't need to check if there is some other changes in basic.cfg when new RuB version comes out. Also if you are playing with IXD2, SH3 Commander would automatically change number of HE shells to 150.

[Beery]

...I was just thinking if someone else would also want this. Besides it would save me some time that I don't need to check if there is some other changes in basic.cfg when new RuB version comes out. Also if you are playing with IXD2, SH3 Commander would automatically change number of HE shells to 150.

SH3 Commander could do that. But if the AI won't use HE I fear some players won't be able to use the mod. I'll have to check into it some more.

[JScones]

Release 2.2 of SH3 Commander is now available. This is a full minor release - no previous version of SH3 Commander is required.

Changes:
- Improved insertion of date based variable menu text. No more need to include *_menu.txt files in the Date folder structure
- Now recognises when a career is "mid-patrol" and ignores realistic career length and realistic crew transfer options accordingly
- "U-Boat Aces" listing now includes other player Commanders (marked with single asterisk)
- Added "Use real ship names" option which if selected replaces standard SH3 ship labels in patrol logs with real ship names. Note that changes are irreversable (credit to Observer for the extensive research undertaken on this one)
- Improved random tonnage calculations (essentially Observer's mod re-engineered and integrated within SH3 Commander)
- Now randomises the time Escorts spend looking for U-Boats after losing contact (by default between 15 and 45 minutes)
- "Randomise crew names" renamed to "Use realistic crew configurations". Functionality is unchanged
- Moving the mouse cursor over text "hidden" under the Commander's image now shows the text
- Improved the robustness of recording a Commander's pre-career history
- Improved the insertion method of Basic.cfg modifications
- Modders can now use a /nolaunch switch to stop SH3 loading (ie for mod testing purposes)

New mod inclusions:
Skins added for Sergbuto's two new merchants (credit to iambecomelife for early war skins and Beery for late war skins)

No screenshots this time as this release focusses on "under the bonnet" tweaks and improvements. The interface is largely unchanged.

Note that this release marks the separation of SH3 Commander and RUb. You'll notice that SH3 Commander no longer copies in full versions of the *_menu.txt files, only the labels that it is asked to adjust (by default #46 for the NewsMod and #902-904 for the pre-1940 Flotilla names - but you can add whatever you like by following the instructions outlined in SH3Cmdr Help.html). This means no more text "side effects". Likewise, real U-Boat availability dates are now written individually to Basic.cfg, meaning that there are no Basic.cfg files included with SH3 Commander either.

These improvements mean that major mods can now work harmoniously with SH3 Commander.

One key thing to remember about SH3 Commander is that it can be modded and tweaked too - you can browse any file within the Cfg sub-folder and by following the instructions outlined at the top, you can tweak to suit your individual gameplay style and preference. Just remember to back up the original files first as neither Beery or I have the resources to answer every "I've stuffed up an SH3Cmdr file" question. ;)

And modders, if you have created camo skins, dials or whatever that are U-Boat, Flotilla or Date related, you can zip them up to run with SH3 Commander just as you can with JSGME. Let Beery or me know if you have questions or if you would like your creations included in a future release of SH3 Commander. :)

To download, use your SH3 Commander "Updates" feature or click here (http://www.beerymod.com/SH3Cmdr22.exe). To make it easier for users, this release comes with full install/uninstall support - no more .7z file. When installing, please ensure that you read the !!PLEASE READ BEFORE CONTINUING!! information.

Notes:
-When you first load SH3 Commander please review the "SH3 Options" screen. Failing to review prior to launching Silent Hunter III may result in unwanted (albeit temporary) gameplay experience.
-For efficiency and dynamic reasons, I have slightly changed the Fatigue key names in "Crew fatigue models.cfg". Please note this when reinserting your own models. This change now allows you to add other CREW_* block values that exist, such as FatigueMin and so on.
-The setup wizard version is approximately 43mb. Alternatively, the same release is available as a 31mb .7z download at http://www.beerymod.com/SH3Cmdr22.7z. Please read SH3Cmdr Help.html before installing the .7z version. Should demand call, a "Lite" version will be made available which will include everything except for the random ship skins.

As always, please post your questions/feedback/problems to this thread...

[uhu]

Great work!!!


How about a new feature? :)

The XXI - theme.

I think, many player would regard, if they could command the XXI some earlier. Not much earlier, so not unhistoric, only as it was (about). -> http://www.uboat.net/boats/u2511.htm
Maybe there could be an option for that in SH3 Commander...
I don't know, how much is 30.000 renown - is it very hard to collect, or not. But I think, this would give a big motivation to players: not only to survive the 42-44 period, but also to hope for the new wunderwaffe.

The U-2511 was Commissioned 29 Sep, 1944.
It has left the Bay of Danzig on 30 January, 1945.
(other dates in that link)
So, there could be a possibility, if the plyer have much more renown points, maybe he could buy this beauty for 45.000 at september 44,
40.000 at oktober, 35.000 november, and 30.000 at dec. The time, spent in base would be the normal (about a month).


Kapitanleutnant Daniel Uhle

[Martin1813]

Hi !


I began a new career yesterday and I'm still around the Cherbourg harbour on September 4th, 1939. when I open SH3Cmdr and I choose that new career, I've gt an error message : Invalid argument to date encode


I suppose this is becouse I haven't finished yet my first mission.

[Marhkimov]

Normally, I would not hesitate to test the "use real ship names" feature, but as it says so in this thread...

Note that changes are irreversable

I am sort of scared as to what files I may lose in this process.
Maybe if someone could explain how this interesting feature works, I might try it out...

And is the name randomizer thing complicated enough to name ships with appropriate names... i.e. will I be encountering any British ships named "American Freedom" or American ships named "Queen Mary II" ???

[JScones]

I began a new career yesterday and I'm still around the Cherbourg harbour on September 4th, 1939. when I open SH3Cmdr and I choose that new career, I've gt an error message : Invalid argument to date encode

I suppose this is becouse I haven't finished yet my first mission.
Correct - However what's more perplexing is you stating that you *could* select the career in SH3Cmdr. New career files are not created by SH3 until the first patrol is completed. SH3Cmdr looks for these files and if they are not there, the career is ignored. Are you using the latest SH3Cmdr, v2.2.0.40?

[Martin1813]

yes. downloaded just a few minutes ago :yep: :up:

Maybe my career is recognized because I saved the mission yesterday.
In my SH3 career folder, I have the careers and patrols CFG files.

[JScones]

Maybe my career is recognized because I saved the mission yesterday.
In my SH3 career folder, I have the careers and patrols CFG files.
EDIT: "Careers.cfg" and "Patrols.cfg" or "Careers_0.cfg" and "Patrols_0.cfg"? You should have the latter two files, but not the former two if you are mid-first patrol.

Can you pls zip up your career folder and files (including sub folder) and email it to me (email address is in SH3Cmdr readme)? I'll have a look. This is something I have never seen before.

I don't know why you would have the first two files - SH3 doesn't create them until the first patrol is completed. Are you running HT1.46? What did you do in base before starting the first patrol? Have you tried to reload the saved patrol in SH3? If so, has it worked?

[JScones]

I am sort of scared as to what files I may lose in this process.
Maybe if someone could explain how this interesting feature works, I might try it out...

And is the name randomizer thing complicated enough to name ships with appropriate names... i.e. will I be encountering any British ships named "American Freedom" or American ships named "Queen Mary II" ???
No files will be lost. The feature replaces instances of the default SH3 ship labels "C3 Cargo", "T2 Tanker", "Victory Cargo" etc in your Log_*.cfg files with real ship names. Once changed, you would need to manually change them back if you wanted the SH3 labels again.

The one limitation is that SH3 does not record the nationality of ships sunk, so SH3Cmdr has no way of knowing either. So, yes, it could be possible for an English C3 Cargo to be retitled to "S.S. American Merchant".

Perhaps Observer, the creator of the ship names list, may consider removing or replacing some of the more obvious nationality named ships? There's over 3559 ship names in total! Although, from a quick scan, I'd say about 100 at most have obvious country related names.

I'm impressed that you remember the nationality of every ship that you have sunk!

[Martin1813]

EDIT: "Careers.cfg" and "Patrols.cfg" or "Careers_0.cfg" and "Patrols_0.cfg"? You should have the latter two files, but not the former two if you are mid-first patrol.

Can you pls zip up your career folder and files (including sub folder) and email it to me (email address is in SH3Cmdr readme)? I'll have a look. This is something I have never seen before.

I don't know why you would have the first two files - SH3 doesn't create them until the first patrol is completed. Are you running HT1.46? What did you do in base before starting the first patrol? Have you tried to reload the saved patrol in SH3? If so, has it worked?

I've all the four.
I have Improved U-boat v. 1
I emailed you.

[bandit44]

thank you very mutch :up:

[Martin1813]

I think I know why my career is recognized by SH3Cmdr :
yesterday, I made a few saves because of some black sreens (and come back to desktop). Once, I died, and the nxt time, instead of save & quit, I just quited, without saving. and my "new" career was already over.

[JScones]

I think I know why my career is recognized by SH3Cmdr :
yesterday, I made a few saves because of some black sreens (and come back to desktop). Once, I died, and the nxt time, instead of save & quit, I just quited, without saving. and my "new" career was already over.
Yes. Dieing on your first patrol is considered completing your first patrol. SH3Cmdr will happily, and correctly, display such careers as by this stage SH3 has created Careers.cfg and Patrols.cfg files. However, if you then revert to a mid-first patrol save game, SH3 re-writes a 0 to your Patrols.cfg file signifying that the first patrol has in fact not been completed. SH3Cmdr only checks for the presence of a Careers.cfg file, which 90% of the time is sufficient for making sure the first patrol has been completed either way. I'll have a look at improving the handling of this scenario in the next release. Essentially, such careers should be excluded from the list.

[jaxa]

JScones - I play RUb1.44, SH3Commander2.1 and Rubini's HT 1.46 for RUb 1.44.
Is new version of your SH3Commander 2.2 compatible with HT mod or not?
I'm on patrol now - can I install SH3Commander 2.2 with no risk?

[Rubini]

JScones,

-Great work and thanks one more time!:up:
-When I try to install (the self install version) I received a error message saying that some files are corrupted (like Radio.wav). Could be a error on my downloaded file? (i'm installing over a fresh SH3 installation) :hmm:
==>Edit: problem solved! (my download is really corrupted)


jaxa,
-If I understood correctly this version don't have more conflicts with the F1 help screen...



Rubini.

[JScones]

I play RUb1.44, SH3Commander2.1 and Rubini's HT 1.46 for RUb 1.44.
Is new version of your SH3Commander 2.2 compatible with HT mod or not?
As per...
These improvements mean that major mods can now work harmoniously with SH3 Commander.
the answer is yes, HT1.46 is now compatible with SH3 Commander. At worst, if you don't get your F1 text back, you *may* have to disable and re-enable HT1.46 again via JSGME.

Basically, the only game setting changes that SH3Cmdr makes are:
- those that you select via the Options screen;
- the NewsMod, which changes *_menu.txt string 46, 902-904 pre-1 Jan 40 and 260-266 to support 1944 and 1945 career start dates but is fully removable;
- the random tonnage mod which you can adjust or remove;
- the random lost contact time which you can adjust;
- the correct historic U-boat availability dates, again these can be adjusted or removed.

So, there's nothing that really can conflict with anything, unless you set it to!

I'm on patrol now - can I install SH3Commander 2.2 with no risk?
Yes. Follow the installation instructions and you'll be right.

[Marhkimov]

This feature is stated in the readme:

- Modders can now use a /nolaunch switch to stop SH3 loading (ie for mod testing purposes)

But I have yet to figure out how to do it.... :roll: Any help?

[JScones]

This feature is stated in the readme:

- Modders can now use a /nolaunch switch to stop SH3 loading (ie for mod testing purposes)

But I have yet to figure out how to do it.... :roll: Any help?
In your SH3 Commander shortcut (if you don't have one you will need to create one) add /nolaunch to the end of the Target. It should look like:
"C:\<installpath>\SH3Cmdr.exe" /nolaunch

Note the quotes, the space after the quotes and then the /. You can also add alternative SH3 locations as well, ie:
"C:\<installpath>\SH3Cmdr.exe" /nolaunch /l:"C:\Games\SilentHunterIII" or
"C:\<installpath>\SH3Cmdr.exe" /l:"C:\Games\SilentHunterIII"

[jaxa]

JScones - it works!
I see "Resuply info" on F1 help screen now using HT 1.46.
Thanks a lot!

[Marhkimov]

I am sort of scared as to what files I may lose in this process.
Maybe if someone could explain how this interesting feature works, I might try it out...

And is the name randomizer thing complicated enough to name ships with appropriate names... i.e. will I be encountering any British ships named "American Freedom" or American ships named "Queen Mary II" ???
No files will be lost. The feature replaces instances of the default SH3 ship labels "C3 Cargo", "T2 Tanker", "Victory Cargo" etc in your Log_*.cfg files with real ship names. Once changed, you would need to manually change them back if you wanted the SH3 labels again.

The one limitation is that SH3 does not record the nationality of ships sunk, so SH3Cmdr has no way of knowing either. So, yes, it could be possible for an English C3 Cargo to be retitled to "S.S. American Merchant".

Perhaps Observer, the creator of the ship names list, may consider removing or replacing some of the more obvious nationality named ships? There's over 3559 ship names in total! Although, from a quick scan, I'd say about 100 at most have obvious country related names.

I'm impressed that you remember the nationality of every ship that you have sunk!

oOOOOOOOooooo... I think I finally understand... :lol:

This feature does not alter the ingame captain's log, correct?

The log that changes is the html log - the one that we have to access with SH3 Cmdr personnel file... correct?

[Beery]

It does alter the in-game log files, and it is permanent (unless you go through the file and change each listing by hand). It is fairly easy to edit the text though, as the log files are simple text files. No files are removed, but text is changed.

[Pkunzipper]

I think that the most critical issue left to being improved is mission objectives in campaigns...
I don't know what were the orders for WW2 real commanders, but I think that "patrol for 1 day a zone" is quite absurd (even more if the zone is inear Sud America or Caribbean).

So, what can be done here?

[Martin1813]

Ok jaesen !
I finished my mission and now, it works great !

thank you very, very much :up:

[CCIP]

I have a question about the randomized time-in-port feature, actually:

Why is this time increased for 1944-45? Is there any sources you have on that?

Last I recall, I remember that the turnaround times for '44-'45 were actually the shortest in the war (as were the patrols themselves). Conversely, the still-untested boats had quite a few problems early in the war which resulted in much longer turnover times :hmm:

[Beery]

Why is this time increased for 1944-45? Is there any sources you have on that?

This came up when I did the work on this, as Jaesen remembered that you mentioned that. What I did was choose 100 of the more active U-boats (about 20 boats covering each year) and I listed their in-base turnaround times. I then averaged out the turnaround times for each year. The resulting averages were used as the base number, while the range of results around the average was used as... well the range, hehe. The source I used was U-boat Operations of the Second World War.

Turnaround times for the boats I researched tended to flatten out a bit in 1944-45, but they were definitely at least as long as in 1943 (over 40 days), and there's no way that they were anywhere near the turnaround times of 1939, which were under 30 days. The sample I used represented nearly 10% of all boats, so it should be reasonably good.

Patrols, on the other hand, were definitely much shorter.

[Rubini]

JScones,
Beery,

-First of all I'm "new" on SH3Cmdr and I should to say that this is a incredible work! Thanks, many thanks for this great addon for SH3.

-Now some feedback and suggestions:

1. I notice that you have add a extend fuel for type VIIC between 4/1942 until 12/1943 to simulate milk cow duties. Great, but I really prefer play with the "real" milk cow mod and probably a lot of people too (it's obviously a personal taste). So, I think that is very important to make this feature (extend fuel) a optional one.

2. I like merchant skins by Iambecomelife, but i notice that the stock ones are more detailed and with more resolution. So my suggestion is that you put also the original ones as a random texture sparse on the Merchants Variety Pack mod. It's a shame that we simply discard them.

Cheers,

Rubini.

[Beery]

1. I notice that you have add a extend fuel for type VIIC between 4/1942 until 12/1943 to simulate milk cow duties. Great, but I really prefer play with the "real" milk cow mod and probably a lot of people too (it's obviously a personal taste). So, I think that is very important to make this feature (extend fuel) a optional one.

Well, like everything in SH3 Commander, it is optional. All you have to do is remove the files that govern it - the two NSS_Uboat7c.sim files in the 19420401 and 19431201 folders. The problem with the 'real' Milk Cow mod is that (in my opinion at least) it just doesn't work right. I'm told that if you dock at a Milk Cow it adds another patrol onto your career. That will cause people who use SH3 Commander's realistic length career feature to have shorter careers than they should be. My Milk Cow mod may be less flashy, but it does the job as well or better with none of the Milk Cow mod's inherent problems.

2. I like merchant skins by Iambecomelife, but i notice that the stock ones are more detailed and with more resolution. So my suggestion is that you put also the original ones as a random texture sparse on the Merchants Variety Pack mod. It's a shame that we simply discard them.

The standard textures are exactly the same resolution as the stock ones - 512x512. To my eye, Iambecomelife's skins generally look cleaner and less cartoony than the standard skins. But if anyone wants to make a mod for SH3 Commander with better skins, that's very easy to do. It's just a matter of creating a mod that overwrites the current files. SH3 Commander was built with the intention of making it easy to add to or tweak the mods in it.

[Rubini]

Beery,

I don't intend to prolong the discuss about resupply duties, but I think that is possible to do a adjustable career lenght. And, yes, we know, milk cow mod have it's little flaws but like virtually all the mods include RUB, HT and SH3Cmdr have their flaws too. It's just a matter of adjusts here and there (just my opinion). Sometimes I guess that the resistance to the milk cow mod are in majority from people which never used the mod (please, Beery not an offence here, only a comment), you know, like the people which never used RUB but made criticism about realism or like a lot of people (me include) that had never used the SH3Cmdr before and now notice what big mod they were missing.

But this is not important. I already change these VIIC files and include that textures "randomly". So, now, for me, SH3Cmdr is perfect!

Thanks again, (and what a great work of yours with Red Baron!) :up:

Rubini.

[Beery]

I haven't used the Milk Cow mod because: 1 - it used to require manual changing of the DaysSpentInBase number, something which SH3 Commander just recently automated; 2 - I understand it ruins SH3 Commander's patrol tally (one patrol might look like two or three if a Milk Cow was involved); 3 - Currently, use of a Milk Cow still forces the player into another patrol, which is a fatal flaw for someone like me who uses SH3 Commander's realistic career length feature. I'd love to be able to use the 'real' Milk Cow mod, and I've racked my brain for ways to support it, but I can't figure out a way to solve problems 2 and 3.

Given the ongoing conflict between the Milk Cow mod and SH3 Commander's career features, unfortunately I have to conclude that the Milk Cow mod is simply not compatible with SH3 Commander. It's not the same as saying that every mod has flaws. The Milk Cow mod has a flaw which makes it impossible to use in conjunction with two of SH3 Commander's most popular realism features. I'm not saying that's the fault of the Milk Cow mod creator, but it is a serious flaw imposed on the mod by the way the game works. Then there's the fact that essentially, the SH3 Commander Milk Cow approximation feature does every essential thing that the 'real' Milk Cow mod does - it just does it more subtly and without player input.

On the adjustable career length issue, I don't see how we could automatically adjust it. Players don't have to visit a Milk Cow on every patrol, so it's not a reliable factor that can be added into the realistic career length equation. In order to have any way of getting the Milk Cow mod integrated into SH3 Commander, use of the Milk Cow mod would have to completely disable the realistic career length feature.

Like I say, I'd love to support it, but the harsh reality is that it's not supportable unless we were willing to cripple SH3 Commander for it, and since we already have a milk cow approximation I see no need to do that.

[Rubini]

I understand your point of view. And for the same reason I'm not using the SH3 Commander's realistic career length feature for now. When I finish my first complete career (in truth I don't ever enter in 1942 until now...the HT mod waste all my free time in these last months) i will experiment others settings, include your solution for milk cow and the realistic career mode. And allow me to suggest the same to you: If you whish, when you start a new career take a look on the "new" milk mod , perhaps you will be surprised. ;)

But now I want to play a bit more, if i find some useful info or suggestion about SH3Cmdr i will post later!

Keep up the great work!

Rubini.

[JScones]

Let's think laterally for a second - there may be another way to simulate docking at a milk cow that doesn't treat the docking like the end of a patrol. Perhaps, and this is just concept, instead of docking at the milk cow, you save the patrol with the name "milk cow" and exit SH3.

You then run SH3Cmdr, which picks up the "milk cow" save name and marks career status as "Refuelling" or somesuch. Now the tricky bit which I haven't worked out...SH3Cmdr queries the .sav file and updates the time to be plus what, 3 hours? 6 hours? Also updates the fuel and torpedo loadout to replenished stocks. When you launch SH3, realistic retirement and crew transfer options are ignored. When back in SH3, you reload your "milk cow" save file, which now has full fuel, torpedoes and determined future start time, and away you go again.

Now, to test this theory will require someone viewing the (binary) .sav file and finding the offsets for where these values are stored. I don't have the tools to do so unfortunately. If someone can crack that, then I think this may be a perfect solution.

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Now you're cookin' Jaeson! :up:

[Rubini]

JScones,

I would like to say that I'm very, very pleased with SH3Cmdr and that the HT/milk cow mod is also great as it is now (although it's not perfect). And even though Beery had commented their reasons to not use it I use and also use SH3Cmdr and don't see any problem or a real incompatibility (except for the realistic career lenght, but even this should not really a issue for me), the game just run fine and for my tastes in a much better and nice way. Your idea about the milk cow matter is good but have theirs flaws to: it's necessary to exit the game any time when you resupply. So, i will just insist for the guys who are in doubts: try it as it is now and see by your self.

But it's a good idea. I will take a look on the .sav files. Perhaps we find something interesting and a new approach can be done for the milk cow mod. :up:

[Beery]

Last I recall, I remember that the turnaround times for '44-'45 were actually the shortest in the war (as were the patrols themselves). Conversely, the still-untested boats had quite a few problems early in the war which resulted in much longer turnover times :hmm:

I'm curious, because it contrasts quite starkly with my research. Where did you get this info?

[Martin1813]

Hi everyone !

Another strange thing : sunk ships are still named with their generic name, not with their ''real" one...
This could comes from the translation patch I use.

[CCIP]

Last I recall, I remember that the turnaround times for '44-'45 were actually the shortest in the war (as were the patrols themselves). Conversely, the still-untested boats had quite a few problems early in the war which resulted in much longer turnover times :hmm:

I'm curious, because it contrasts quite starkly with my research. Where did you get this info?

I'm going to have to look again, to be honest - it was one of the number of books on the subject that I've read from my library. It might have been Doenitz; I will have to check this again first chance I get.

I recall that in reference to the Snorkel operations in British coastal waters that started in the spring of '44. It mentioned that the patrols were much more stressful, and much shorter than before - as were the turnaround times for these boats. It also later mentioned the type XXIII operations of early '45, which I believe were described as almost 'touch and go' (or was it that they were supposed to be this way in theory?).

Maybe it's just my memory playing tricks on me :hmm:

[JScones]

Another strange thing : sunk ships are still named with their generic name, not with their ''real" one...
This could comes from the translation patch I use.
Have you turned on the "Use real ship names in patrol logs" option?

SH3Cmdr fully supports the "TripartiteTraduction1.4b" language pack, so there shouldn't be any problem there, unless you change your language preference mid-career, which I doubt you would have done!

[Martin1813]

:damn: :damn: :damn: :damn: :damn: you're right
I searched everywhere, except in the "Options"
I'm too stupid :rotfl:

[Rubini]

I notice that the size of the fonts/text on the Captain career info window (where you see the photo and personal info) are not fitted for 1024X768, sometimes the text occupies two lines. It's just a perfectionist touch, but when I switch to resolutions >1024x768 the text is ok. Is't possible to use a scalable font to the job? :hmm:

Rubini.

[JScones]

I notice that the size of the fonts/text on the Captain career info window (where you see the photo and personal info) are not fitted for 1024X768, sometimes the text occupies two lines. It's just a perfectionist touch, but when I switch to resolutions >1024x768 the text is ok. Is't possible to use a scalable font to the job? :hmm:
The pages use scaling true type fonts. The side effect is that in certain resolutions the fonts will appear either too big, or too small. That's why browsers have the option to adjust the text viewing size for individual pages.

The pages also use scaling table widths to take advantage of different resolutions. This means that pages will display without the need for horizontal scrolling and will print to paper without truncation (albeit in landscape for the Personnel File). It's when the tables scale more than the text that it wraps.

I could use cascading style sheets/javascript to force specific scaling...but I'm not going to - it's overkill for me (remember these pages are all created on the fly). Alternatively, I could force the text not to wrap, but then users will need to horizontally scroll to see the full tables and printed output may be truncated. Both have their pros and cons - it's really six of one, half a dozen of the other.

Believe me Rubini, this has been carefully considered and I believe the way the pages are currently created is the best compromise for all resolutions including and above 1024x768.

PS It's not just the resolution that impacts, it's the dpi and monitor size too (if not more importantly).

[Rubini]

Thanks for the reply! :up:

Rubini.

[Martin1813]

hum, real name option still doesn't work...
And I assure you that I turned it on before launching SH3 :lol:

[Rubini]

JScones,
Beery,

I notice that SH3Cmdr changes some entries for uboats in the Basic.cfg. These infos are inside the 'U-boat availability.cfg' file on SH3Cmdr structure. Can you explain why and for what these changes are?

Thanks,

Rubini.

[JScones]

hum, real name option still doesn't work...
And I assure you that I turned it on before launching SH3 :lol:
The only likely reason that it would not work is if you changed language mid-career, as the name function works off your *current* language preference. For example, if you played in the English language for the first 5 patrols and then switched to French, the first five log files would not be modified as they were created using EnglishNames.cfg whilst the rest were created using FrenchNames.cfg. SH3Cmdr looks for matches of ship names, and in this scenario would fail on the first five log files, as, for instance, T3 Tanker <> Pétrolier T3.

Other than that, I'm stumped. I'd be curious to know whether other French players, who have the language pack installed, are having problems.

Curiously, do you have a "Used ship names.log" file in the selected career folder?

EDIT: I've had a look at the career files you sent me last week and this is essentially the problem. Your log files are in French, as per fr_menu.txt, but your ship labels are in English, as per EnglishNames.cfg. Your log file has a "Coastal Merchant" label when according to FrenchNames.cfg it should be "Cargo Côtier".

So, either the French version of the game really uses EnglishNames.cfg, or your FrenchNames.cfg has been overwritten with an English version. Can you confirm the latter for me. If that's not the case, someone running the French version will need to do some more investigation...

[gouldjg]

JC

Can I verify with you the following:-

I have started a career with your mod,

As I use a realtime 8hr crew model which I have now installed in sh3 comander, I have obviously got quite a few pit stops before a patrol area to rotate crew.

I therefore save ingame on route to area when time for play runs out and the wife takes over.

When I then use sh3 commander to start game, my career is not highlighted so I use the start career except I do not place in a new name.

I then reload my save point and continue mission.

Am I doing something wrong or is it just a simple case of when I get back to base all will be calculated and career will then show up on sh3 commander screen under current careers.

Thanks for any advice.

I just hope that I can save halfway enroute to mission points and this does not effect the sh3 com workings.

[JScones]

When I then use sh3 commander to start game, my career is not highlighted so I use the start career except I do not place in a new name.

I then reload my save point and continue mission.

Am I doing something wrong or is it just a simple case of when I get back to base all will be calculated and career will then show up on sh3 commander screen under current careers.

Thanks for any advice.

I just hope that I can save halfway enroute to mission points and this does not effect the sh3 com workings.
A new career will only appear in SH3Cmdr *after* the first patrol is completed. This is because SH3 does not write all the career files until this point. I'm gonna investigate this some more as this aspect causes the most confusion for users. Anyway, if you are simply continuing the patrol that you last played (ie no unrelated patrols or missions in between) you can load SH3 direct as the required files have already been copied into the game.

[gouldjg]

Thanks again

I feel much more at ease with it now.

[Rubini]

JScones,
Beery,

(I will repeat my question because I think that you don't notice it... :D )

I notice that SH3Cmdr changes some entries for uboats in the Basic.cfg. These infos are inside the 'U-boat availability.cfg' file on SH3Cmdr structure. Can you explain why and for what these changes are?

Thanks,

Rubini.

[Martin1813]

The only likely reason that it would not work is if you changed language mid-career, as the name function works off your *current* language preference. For example, if you played in the English language for the first 5 patrols and then switched to French, the first five log files would not be modified as they were created using EnglishNames.cfg whilst the rest were created using FrenchNames.cfg. SH3Cmdr looks for matches of ship names, and in this scenario would fail on the first five log files, as, for instance, T3 Tanker <> Pétrolier T3.

Other than that, I'm stumped. I'd be curious to know whether other French players, who have the language pack installed, are having problems.

Curiously, do you have a "Used ship names.log" file in the selected career folder?

EDIT: I've had a look at the career files you sent me last week and this is essentially the problem. Your log files are in French, as per fr_menu.txt, but your ship labels are in English, as per EnglishNames.cfg. Your log file has a "Coastal Merchant" label when according to FrenchNames.cfg it should be "Cargo Côtier".

So, either the French version of the game really uses EnglishNames.cfg, or your FrenchNames.cfg has been overwritten with an English version. Can you confirm the latter for me. If that's not the case, someone running the French version will need to do some more investigation...

I didn't change the language, I've played in French since the begining.
FenchNames.cfg in the data/sea folder is in French but, that's right, in the game, I have "coastal merchant", not "cargo cotier".

I don't have any "user ship names.log" in my career folder.

EDIT : Actually, according to the Tripartite Team who translated the game, some texts, including ships class in the notpad or in the museum, will remain in English, despite of their work...

[Martin1813]

But others French players have those real names... I really don't understand...
EDIT : He played with the English Language.


I'm trying with the FrenchNames.cfg overwritten in English. Wait& See

[Ula Jolly]

I think I have a small problem... I have a captain named Wilhelm Früder, and can't locate his personnel file, even though it has been created!
The error-message reads "/c:/ etc". Is it REALLY supposed to have that first / in it??

[Martin1813]

I'm trying with the FrenchNames.cfg overwritten in English. Wait& See

:damn: it doesn't work :cry:

[JScones]

I didn't change the language, I've played in French since the begining.
FenchNames.cfg in the data/sea folder is in French but, that's right, in the game, I have "coastal merchant", not "cargo cotier".

I don't have any "user ship names.log" in my career folder.

EDIT : Actually, according to the Tripartite Team who translated the game, some texts, including ships class in the notpad or in the museum, will remain in English, despite of their work...
So is this 100% confirmation that the French version uses EnglishNames.cfg? If so, it's an easy fix for me.

It's also an easy fix for you in the meantime. Delete/backup your FrenchNames.cfg and copy your EnglishNames.cfg, renaming the copy to FrenchNames.cfg. SH3Cmdr will still pick up your FrenchNames.cfg file, but now it will be the same as EnglishNames.cfg, so the name replacement should work.

[JScones]

I think I have a small problem... I have a captain named Wilhelm Früder, and can't locate his personnel file, even though it has been created!
The error-message reads "/c:/ etc". Is it REALLY supposed to have that first / in it??
What's the exact message and when does the error message appear? Also, where have you installed SH3Cmdr?

[Martin1813]

So is this 100% confirmation that the French version uses EnglishNames.cfg? If so, it's an easy fix for me.

It's also an easy fix for you in the meantime. Delete/backup your FrenchNames.cfg and copy your EnglishNames.cfg, renaming the copy to FrenchNames.cfg. SH3Cmdr will still pick up your FrenchNames.cfg file, but now it will be the same as EnglishNames.cfg, so the name replacement should work.

That's what I did yesterday. but apparently it didn't work. But I haven't finished my mission yet and I've been told that the "real" names would only appear in the SH3 log once the mission is over.

:hmm:

[JScones]

So is this 100% confirmation that the French version uses EnglishNames.cfg? If so, it's an easy fix for me.

It's also an easy fix for you in the meantime. Delete/backup your FrenchNames.cfg and copy your EnglishNames.cfg, renaming the copy to FrenchNames.cfg. SH3Cmdr will still pick up your FrenchNames.cfg file, but now it will be the same as EnglishNames.cfg, so the name replacement should work.

That's what I did yesterday. but apparently it didn't work. But I haven't finished my mission yet and I've been told that the "real" names would only appear in the SH3 log once the mission is over.

:hmm:
Oh, I thought you'd finished your first patrol now? Nah, you've got to finish it first. The one log file in your career folder is from when you "died". It's no longer recognised until you re-finish your patrol. Then you have to generate a Personnel File for the selected career. Until that point the log files contain the standard SH3 names.

[Martin1813]

No it's not my first mission but my 7th :rotfl:

and you're right, it works :-j thanks

[Beery]

JScones,
Beery,

(I will repeat my question because I think that you don't notice it... :D )

I notice that SH3Cmdr changes some entries for uboats in the Basic.cfg. These infos are inside the 'U-boat availability.cfg' file on SH3Cmdr structure. Can you explain why and for what these changes are?

Thanks,

Rubini.

There are a couple of different changes made to U-boat availability in the Basic.cfg file. They are done in the name of historical accuracy.

The changes to U-boat availability dates are instituted because standard SH3 has only a single availability date for any particular U-boat type. This date applies equally to all flotillas even though some flotillas often received a U-boat type months after the type was available elsewhere. SH3 Commander inserts historically accurate flotilla-specific dates dependent upon what flotilla is in use when playing a campaign. Come to think of it, I'll have to look at these again because the new way SH3 Commander sets up the game might allow more precision in terms of availability dates.

The 'DaysSpentInBase' values exist to allow players to adjust the training time for when they transfer to a new U-boat type. By default these are set to the delay used in RUb. Players can adjust these to suit their preference.

[Rubini]

Thanks for the reply Beery,

I notice that you set 7 days for a type IID, 45 days for type VIIb/VIIc, 75 days for type iX and 259 days for type XXI. This means that if I change my boat to a , let's say, type ViiC I will "wait" more 45 days, if I change for a type iX I will "wait" more 75 days. Is this? :hmm:



Rubini.

[Beery]

Thanks for the reply Beery,

I notice that you set 7 days for a type IID, 45 days for type VIIb/VIIc, 75 days for type iX and 259 days for type XXI. This means that if I change my boat to a , let's say, type ViiC I will "wait" more 45 days, if I change for a type iX I will "wait" more 75 days. Is this? :hmm:

Yes. This is an early change that was made in RUb to adjust the sometimes ridiculously small training periods in the standard game. Players who want the standard SH3 settings can either insert the values they want in this file, or, if they want their Basic.cfg file to be unchanged, just remove the keys in the U-boat availability.cfg so that the standard Basic.cfg file takes precedence.

[Rubini]

Thanks Beery,

I think that this is Ok. I will use as it is in RUB.

Rubini.

[Camber]

Apologies if this isn't the correct forum to bring up problems with SH3 Commander in, but I've searched and haven't found any info about the issue I'm having.

I installed SH3 Commander and no other mods so far (still trying to find good mods that are useful for me as I learn the game), and it seems to have somehow disabled the messages from my crew members about radio contacts. I still get the markers on my navigation map, but I don't get any message from my crews about the contacts, either audibly or in the text box.

I like these messages because I often let the sim go on time compression while I'm on a preset course, and come back to the computer when I get an audible alert about a contact.

Is this an "intended" feature of SH3 Commander, or is there an option setting I'm missing, or a known bug?

Thanks in advance.

[JScones]

No it's not my first mission but my 7th :rotfl:

and you're right, it works :-j thanks
Great. Can you pls confirm for me with the language pack developers that FrenchNames.cfg is never used? Or, more to the point, that EnglishNames.cfg is always used when the user selects the French language option in SH3?

[JScones]

Apologies if this isn't the correct forum to bring up problems with SH3 Commander in, but I've searched and haven't found any info about the issue I'm having.

I installed SH3 Commander and no other mods so far (still trying to find good mods that are useful for me as I learn the game), and it seems to have somehow disabled the messages from my crew members about radio contacts. I still get the markers on my navigation map, but I don't get any message from my crews about the contacts, either audibly or in the text box.

I like these messages because I often let the sim go on time compression while I'm on a preset course, and come back to the computer when I get an audible alert about a contact.

Is this an "intended" feature of SH3 Commander, or is there an option setting I'm missing, or a known bug?

Thanks in advance.
It's not an SH3 Commander feature at all, at least definitely not release 2.2 anyway - SH3 Commander goes nowhere near such things. You've definitely installed the v1.4b SH3 patch? You're running SH3 Commander r2.2? OS is WinXP/2000?