Playing campaign first-time with no external view.

[kiwi_2005]

Call me a slow starter.
This is the first-time i have ever tried playing without world view. I always use to play with external view enabled so i can view my sub, but what a whole new gaming experience when playing with external view turned off! The WOW factor has tripled. Also makes recognising targets way harder, no press the (.) key to go view what type of ship is it, or no fly view to find that convoy you lost in heavy weather.

Cruising along in a IIA (nov 1939) i decide to enter the scarpa flow, just to test out my first terrifying depth charge experience. The british were happy to help. What a hell of a patrol, getting depth charged late at night with only your sonar man able to tell you whats out there no switching to external to see whether the destroyers are near or far. The tension is amazing.

Did i make it out? no i ended up grounded! Hans ( i blame Hans) yelled out in a panic 'Crash dive' and we hit the bottom hard. while repairing a escort came round we could hear him circling, all eyes watched the ceiling of our sub, swoosh, **** hes dropped them, are they too close, should i move at silent running. Well no need to ponder on what i should do next cos i got greeted with a end career screen.

But im playing with no external view for the rest of the war.

[Sailor Steve]

It does make for a different experience. I keep going back and forth (one session with, one session without). When I am using it I usually only look at other ships in my home base, or watch my sub surface and dive.

But you're right-without it the experience is much more confusing...and terrifying.

[jjmikkel]

swoosh, poo poo

Swoosh, poo poo?!?! What kind of depthcharges are those? :o
"Kaleun, we´re covered in...poo... :doh:

[kiwi_2005]

Swoosh, poo poo?!?! What kind of depthcharges are those?

When you type a swear word subsim changes it, Hence Poo Poo. :rotfl: Swoosh, dont you hear that, i always hear a swoosh swoosh about 3 times when depth charges are dropped. I have Surround 7.1 sound.

[Dowly]

I use the external view quite often. I just like to watch my boat on a long patrols.

As I`m in WaW now, I try to start keeping the external view off in my other careers as well.

OT: I`m starting my 2nd TCx1 patrol in a few minutes! Last time I sailed for three hours, got bored and hit the TC button to 128. :rotfl:

[JohnnyPotPie]

HAHAHA :rotfl:

I only sail without TC when im sleeping. Turn up the sound and make sure you have a good watch crew on deck. If they see anything they know how to wake me up. "GERMAN WORDS GERMAN WORDS!"

[FesterShinetop]

Hans ( i blame Hans) yelled out in a panic 'Crash dive' and we hit the bottom hard.

Ah, I always blame Hans as well! :yep: :smug:
:rotfl:

Still have to give that a shot, playing without outside view, just afraid I might get claustrophobic (sp?) :lol:

[kiwi_2005]

OT: I`m starting my 2nd TCx1 patrol in a few minutes! Last time I sailed for three hours, got bored and hit the TC button to 128.

:rotfl: :rotfl: Yup i lasted three weeks in 1x mode, gave up cos i took a liking to drinking lots of beer :rock:

[kiwi_2005]

As I`m in WaW now, I try to start keeping the external view off in my other careers as well.

I play WAW as well, but im waiting for my flottila, i completed the training mission wrote out my KTB and now await further orders, its been nearly two weeks now.

If BDU dont hurry up and give me and my crew a flottila, my crew will never want to leave that brothel!

[kiwi_2005]

Still have to give that a shot, playing without outside view, just afraid I might get claustrophobic (sp?)

One thing i had to get use to fast, when your watch crew site a ship, theres no more pressing the (.) key to take a sneaky look at whether its a enemy, you really have to hunt it down first.

All i need now is that DAS BOOT music playing when im off to chase a target. When in Das boot they chase the convoy in rough seas and theres that edge you on music playing in the background.

[wetwarev7]

Call me a slow starter.
This is the first-time i have ever tried playing without world view. I always use to play with external view enabled so i can view my sub, but

Are you at least using the event camera? I just can't get myself to disable the external view. I feel like I'm missing too much....

[kiwi_2005]

Are you at least using the event camera? I just can't get myself to disable the external view. I feel like I'm missing too much....

No, no cameras. i turned off the event camera ages ago cos it use to slow down my computer :rotfl: so she had to go. Yeah your like me at first i found it hard not having any external views, i just about went out of the game and changed it back to enable external view, but im glad i didn't. the first patrol was weird, every time ship was spotted i would press the (.) and nothing happened! Depth charging is even more terrifiying, you simply dont know where that damn destroyer is, it all comes down to your sonar man. My sonar man will probably get a medal after every patrol. Hes more important than ever before.

[wetwarev7]

Are you at least using the event camera? I just can't get myself to disable the external view. I feel like I'm missing too much....

No, no cameras. i turned off the event camera ages ago cos it use to slow down my computer :rotfl: so she had to go. Yeah your like me at first i found it hard not having any external views, i just about went out of the game and changed it back to enable external view, but im glad i didn't. the first patrol was weird, every time ship was spotted i would press the (.) and nothing happened! Depth charging is even more terrifiying, you simply dont know where that damn destroyer is, it all comes down to your sonar man. My sonar man will probably get a medal after every patrol. Hes more important than ever before.

Just gave me an idea. I am in the process of disableing the "GoBack" function and hotkeys for all stations - except for things like "GoBack" from the navmap to the navigator view, etc. - to force myself to actually run through the sub instead of warping. If I disable the external views as well......wouldn't THAT be interesting? :hmm:

As much as I hate to admit it(cause I do so love the external camera), I may have to start a new carreer to at least try it.....

[kiwi_2005]

to force myself to actually run through the sub instead of warping

Good idea :up:

I have disabled the following using a text i found here.
Although i feel its still not enough. Any others you know off?

1) Open commands_en.cfg in your data/cfg folder with notepad or whatever.

2) Find this block:

Quote:

[Cmd16]
Name=Periscope_camera
Ctxt=1
MnID=0x3F020003
Key0=0x72,,"F3"
Page=0x26000000,3702
GoBack=Conning_tower_periscope


just delete the Key0- line:
Key0=0x72,,"F3"

so that it looks so:

Quote:

[Cmd16]
Name=Periscope_camera
Ctxt=1
MnID=0x3F020003
Page=0x26000000,3702
GoBack=Conning_tower_periscope


4. find this block:

Quote:

[Cmd17]
Name=UZO_camera
Ctxt=1
Key0=0x55,,"U"
Page=0x28000000,3718
GoBack=Conning_deck_camera


just delete the line: Key0=0x55,,"U"

To delete the Key for Observation periscope, find and delete the line with Key0=0x4f,,"O"

Quote:

[Cmd58]
Name=Obs_periscope_camera
Ctxt=1
Key0=0x4f,,"O"
Page=0x2B000000,3727


Save and exit, and et voila! Now you have more key shortcuts to the scopes.

But there's one extra temptation we have to get rid of... that's the shortcut buttons on the shortcutbar.

1. Open menu_1024_768.ini in the data/Menu Folder! (Save it first)

2. Find these Line with the CTRL+F Searchfunction in Editor:
[G3F I31]

You will see the complete Block:

Quote:

[G3F I31]
Name=&Periscope
Type=1032;Button
ItemID=0x3F020003
ParentID=0x3F020000
Pos=1,-44,40,41
Materials=4
Display=0;No stretch
Mat 0=data/menu/gui/layout/Shortcuts.tga
Crop 0=0.0078125,0.169922,1,1
Mat 1=data/menu/gui/layout/Shortcuts.tga
Crop 1=0.0078125,0.169922,1,1
Mat 2=data/menu/gui/layout/Shortcuts.tga
Crop 2=0.0078125,0.169922,1,1
Mat 3=data/menu/gui/layout/Shortcuts.tga
Crop 3=0.0078125,0.169922,1,1
MatFlags=0x1
TexFmt=0x9
Font=1
TextFlags=0x0
StatesColors=0xB0B0B0FF, 0xFF, 0xFFFFFFFF, 0xFFFFFFFF
ToolTipText=2712


3. For deactivating/deleting the Shortcut, just set the semicolon (
before this line in the Block:
;Pos=1,-44,40,41

The semicolon will delete the button from the view and so you can't click on it no more.

Now you won't see the Icons for Bridgeview and UZOview anymore!

[wetwarev7]

to force myself to actually run through the sub instead of warping

Good idea :up:

I have disabled the following using a text i found here.

3. For deactivating/deleting the Shortcut, just set the semicolon (
before this line in the Block:
;Pos=1,-44,40,41

The semicolon will delete the button from the view and so you can't click on it no more.

Now you won't see the Icons for Bridgeview and UZOview anymore!

Actually, I find it easier to remove it from the commands.cfg file. You just find the correct block,

[Cmd16]
Name=Periscope_camera
Ctxt=1
MnID=0x3F020003
Key0=0x72,,"F3"
Page=0x26000000,3702
GoBack=Conning_tower_periscope

and remove the "MnID=0x3F020003" line. The icon will still show up, but I understand the commands.cfg file more than the menu.ini file.

Let's see, I'm removing ALL hotkeys for anything that I can access with the mouse - F2-F12, Hydrophone, radio, Launch torp(maybe), dive, surface, rudder(The new IuB adds these to the crew), etc...

Things like radio messages you have to use the ketboard for, I believe. The only problem with this is the observation scope resides in diferent places for different subs. With one sub, it's in the aft compartment, with another, it's in the conning tower. Also, Is there any way to access the deckgun or flak guns without using the keyboard or menu?

[Mike 'Red Ocktober' Hense]

i told everyone it was a different gaming experience with all the external views turned off!!! :know: :know: :D :D :D

hey, thx for the keyfixes... i'm gonna implement em and take start a new career and keep my TypeIID for as long as i can... Full realism, too...

it sounds like fun... running through the boat, no fast keys, no external views... almost like really being there :up:

well, sorta... almost... :D


--Mike

[kiwi_2005]

Also, Is there any way to access the deckgun or flak guns without using the keyboard or menu?

Hell i never thought of that. Yeah i wonder if there is another way to access the guns. I hope someone can answer this.

[Sailor Steve]

There shouldn't be, since the captain never fired the deck or flak guns.

[kiwi_2005]

There shouldn't be, since the captain never fired the deck or flak guns.

:yep: Ahh just thought of something, using the guns wouldn't be realistic then. Best to leave it to your gun crew. While the Kapitan scouts for destroyers. Many times i have taken to the deck gun happily blasting away only to get blasted by a destroyer that has crept up. This is in the stock game, i find when i spot a loan merchant to always keep an open mind that theres most likely a destroyer out of site waiting to surprise me on while on the surface.

[Wulfmann]

100% is a whole new game for sure.
I know I can sound condescending but there is nothing like 100% for the ultimate difficulty experience.
I have changed all escorts to 3 or 4 rated so you would be amazed how scary 3 different ships pinging you can be at different rates and distances.
Before you saw what the DD did and then reacted but now you have no idea so must interpret the sounds.
I get reports and man the hydrophone myself so I can get one escort tracking and watch another at the same time. (Watch as in looking at the hydro and imagine what I hear)
You get to start figuring where they are going at what speed and when they will attack. When they turn up the motor I hit flank speed for about 3 -5 seconds. When they make noise they can not hear you as well. This increases speed to about 5 knots and can be a big difference in not being where the DCs are landing.
Keep a good track of where the bottom is unless you know it is very deep.
In a convoy I crash dive when they are coming in at me and descend across the freighters as they must go around them. This allows me to get to 120-150 fairly safe and fast. I then hit silent and make a 90% turn. If they find me again, I listen for the pinging to stop, the motor to speed up, Wasser Bomben, hit flank for a spurt and do a 90% again.
The stress is so high during these constant attacks it is unreal. I have a 7.1 card but only 5.1 speakers but that makes a big difference because you must concentrate on little sounds you never heard before and, of course, the location of said Wasser Bomben can make the difference between a port or starboard turn and death.
Going 100% opens a whole new world in targeting as well.
I have on occasion, sunk ships by the hydrophone in a storm (But miss often this way)
With the hospital ship and like transport in the game one must be very careful.
I was nearly sunk by running into a hospital ship at night trying to ID it and the Norwegian flag looks like the German WWII one until very close all exasperated by no outside view.
The challenge is far greater keeping interest at a higher level.
There is no comparison but until one does it they just won’t get it.

Wulfmann

[wetwarev7]

OK, I started another patrol last night, and I turned off the external camera, now I'm hooked! :up:

The only problem is, I sank two ships. They were both friendlies. :damn: I just can't seem to get close enough to id the flag - by the time I'm that close, I've already forgotten to check who the ship belongs to and have launched torps!

I think what I'll do is to re-enable the external camera, yet disable the free camera. I've noticed that at depth(dodging DDs) the external camera doesn't allow you to see above the water if centered on your sub, doesn't allow you to see where your sub is in relation to other ships you may be centered on, but you can make out the flag - a must for me.

Disabling the keys to the different stations works very well! It adds a whole new dimension when you have to run from station to station during attacks! :up:

Am I the only one who uses the observation scope when dodging DDs? I never see anyone mention this, yet I use it constantly to see exactly where the DD is (they have to be nearly overhead) and what direction, where the Dcharges are being dropped, etc... Does anyone know if this is realistic or not? I would think that if it were possible, any RL captain would use it to thier advantage....

[Wulfmann]

I mostly use the Observation peri in a storm so I have a backview constant as escorts can appear sudden like out of the mist.
I have used it for looking up in shallow water but it actually distracts from concentrating on sound interpretations.
At 100% the game kicks in things to a higher level not available at anything less. Although I have been told this, I actually do not know what they mean by it..
As far as sinking German ships I can tell you they are not around England etc so the few places they might appear I just am very careful.
I set up an attack but wait for positive ID. I sank a Norwiegan ship and let a German one go by a couple days ago off Norway, April 1940.
If in doubt, do not shout. Well I meant shoot but was doing Johnny Kockrin, RIP! LOL

Wulfmann

[kiwi_2005]

OK, I started another patrol last night, and I turned off the external camera, now I'm hooked! [quote]



Am I the only one who uses the observation scope when dodging DDs? I never see anyone mention this, yet I use it constantly to see exactly where the DD is (they have to be nearly overhead) and what direction, where the Dcharges are being dropped, etc... Does anyone know if this is realistic or not? I would think that if it were possible, any RL captain would use it to thier advantage....

:up: Good your using no external. :hmm: Im gonna use the observation scope more often now since reading that. Put it this way i would say its not unrealistic

[jason10mm]

I would imagine that using the scope underwater would be next to useless. I know that memoirs mention a quick underwater sweep prior to surfacing to make sure nothing is directly overhead, but that would only detect a stationary obstacle in good light. I think I have read reports of submariners seeing the undersides of ships passing overhead. If you are already down 40-50 meters in poor lighting conditions though, you are not going to see much. I know that while SCUBA diving at 70-80 feet the surface is still easily seen, but a ship could be only 50-60 feet from overhead and you would have a hard time seeing it (a large ship like a destroyer might be a different story however). My vision while using a scuba mask is MUCH better than the optical clairty I've seen from any periscope (though those scopes date from WW2 or just after, probably dirty with aged lenses).

So while I use that trick too (no external camera), I don't think a submariner could realistically use it, at least not as often and well as in the game.