My Silent Hunter 3 impressions

[drEaPer]

<S>
I played SH3 for the last 2 days and its really fun. Coming from Dangerous Waters, I REALLY had to get used using bearing data relative to the bow instead true bearings. :dead:
Is there a way to see and control your actual true bearing a bit better? For example, when I wanna order course 270, I always order 273 or 269 or 267 cause clicking the compass is so inaccurate.
I got used to it somehow, but its really bothering me, also cause the image of the compas has a low resolution and reading the true bearning numbers is a pain.
What I really like it the style and the atmosphere. Nothing more immersive than using the deck gun at night to finnish off a freighter that refuses to sink even after 2 fishes. In facts its so immersive that if I saw the the sailors jumping into the ice cold water, it'd be a bit too realistic for my stomach :)

The 3D interior is also really immersive, but I have the feeling the developers had planned more here. I have the impression that they tried to let the player either play by menues or entirely virtual in the 3D world. I can use the navigators echo range finder for keel depth in 3D view, I can use the sonar etc. but there are many things where my mouse cursor turns red, though they cannot be used.
Im also wondering what the captains bed is good for, I cannot click anything there. After getting used to the sim, I rarely use the 3D interior anymore. :( I guess development time was an issue here, the interior interface feels so incomplete. After getting used to switching stations by hotkeys (F1-F12, U, H etc) it was more fun.
I still love to be ont he bridg though. The weather system is great! Really really cool.
Coming from DW, I always wish I had a light amplificator in my scope lol. Its so hard to see stuff in the night. I guess thats why they use red light, so the eyes can see better in the dark, right?
I have alot of trouble especially when identifying targets. I open up the book, and its bright white paper is so intense compared to the dark background of the scope that after I checked the ship in the book, looking back into the dark night of the scope is like closing my eyes. Even if I saw the contact before, after looking on the bright white pages its gone. In the attack scope its just the ships book, and you can close that, but in the UZO the top right notepad is having the same effect for me, but I cannot turn it off. Is it just me, or anyone else also having probs with that?
Other than that, I enjoy night dives alot. Turning off the lights in the room, just a small lamp in the corner, some headphones...just great!
Its a pitty you cannot walk on the deck. Okay, you have free flight camers, but I play on full realism , except for the last setting (I dont understand why it is accounted as being more realistic if you turn off the ability to ask your 1WO for a fire solution. I dont believe the Kaleun did all fire solutions by himself).
Speaking of fire solutions, its there a way to make a snapshot? So far I use the manual method (range, AOB, speed) but ofteh I dont have time, and I d rather say: Fire torpedo bearing 123 NOW!
And when in a convoy, I d like to make a fire solution for all targets I wanna fire at before I actually fire. That doesnt seem possible, cause the AOB changes for the first target while I calcutlate the solution for the second target. Any advice / tipps here would be welcome! :)
At the moment it is Feb, 1940 and I am using electrical torps only. I was tired of ships seeing the bubbles and turning away form the torp. That reminds me: How do I have to adjust my solution if I know the target is doing a turn and not going straight? Coming from DW, that was never really a problem with homing weapons. :)
Anothr thing on the torps: I read that the electrical torps had problems with the dive control that were solved after the norwegian campaign . Is this simulated in the game as well?
Anyway, real great game! I enjoy it alot. In the start I thought it was boring (DW is a tactical sim, much more to do in combat) but after I realized the whole range of things that are simulated I feel set back right into the days of "Aces of the Deep" which I considered one of the best WW2 subsims.

On a last note, something funny (I think): I installed the game in german (since I am german) and when ordering all ahead flank the LI sais: WAHNSINNIGE Geschwindigkeit vorraus. Wahnsinn means madness, insanity, lunacy LOL.... The only tiem I heard that term was in a movie called Spaceballs.
I sometimes wonder what kind of QA there is for translations: None? :roll:

Alright, gotta hunt some more tonnage!
Hopefully my dieselsub ventures dont affect my nukesub skills :)

cheers!

[Kalach]

Welcome aboard :up:

If you hold down your mouse button and drag it to a point on the compass/speed dial then release it where you want it you will be more accurate than trying to click where you try to.
Theres many great mods for this game, you should be able to ffind ones to change your dials (to make them readable) and to darken your recognition book/map.

I have to admit that I also dont hang out in the 3d interior much anymore. Most of the time I'm just looking at the NavMap. I have tried to at least talk to the guy I'm giving orders to in person (going in to the command room and talking to the CE to change speed and such) which really adds to the experience.

If you continue to read these forums and gain experience in game all of your other problems/questions will be worked out soon.

Also you mentioned you use mostly electric torps, many of the veterans (certainly not everyone) mostly rely on the original TIs. They can be programed to 3 speeds up to an excellent 44kts, and have the longest range (at S or M speed).

I hope I've at least helped a bit here :know:


Enjoy the game.

[Deimos01]

Ahoy Mate

Most of the irritating things you mention, like the manual being to bright, can be solved with some simple mods. Pop over to the mods section and check the list of mods sticky. Youll find alot of what your looking for.

As for inputting multiple solutions into the TDC.... no can do. However, once you get bearing, range AOB and speed for one target in a convoy, then you only need to get new range info for any other targets since the speed, bearing and AOB will be updated automatically. Look around on this site and youll find some good tutorials.

Good Hunting Kaluen :up:

[supersloth]

i agree, i wish they would have modeled more of the ship like the offcers quarters and the torp room etc. then you would have to move around the sub like you would in a fps.

[CptGrayWolf]

The 3D areas are great for the sea motion.
Sometimes in rough weather I just sit back and stare at the control room swaying back and forth..but not too long.. :doh:
To me this is an important feature for immersion :up:

[drEaPer]

Thanx for the input! Im going to check out the mods.

So you recommend using steam torpedos? I found that the merchants often make evasive maneuvers at day when being attacked with the steam torps.

[Camaero]

Just make sure you get in close. Then they don't have time to evade! Also, when using steamers, make sure you set the torp speed to full.

[CptGrayWolf]

So you recommend using steam torpedos? I found that the merchants often make evasive maneuvers at day when being attacked with the steam torps.

Use a tactic from real life, fire steam torpedos on night attacks.

[Marhkimov]

It depends. If you are close enough to the target (~500 meters), you should shoot a steam torpedo (remember to set it to fast) because his evasive actions probably will not have much effect. However from a longer distance, it would be more wise to use an electric torpedo.

Also, visibility plays a key role in determining torp selection. At night, you should use steam torps because the wakes will not be visible to the target until it is too late. Same goes for fog. Use electrics in the daytime.


But this is just a guideline. After all, if you have four electrics loaded in the tubes, you really have no choice... That's why it is sometimes beneficial to have a loaded mix of torpedo.

Another good strategy is to leave one tube empty (You first have to uncheck the autoload option), that way you can load it on-the-fly. For example, you have 2 steams and 1 electric in the tubes. Then if you happen to encounter a ship at night, you can load another steam torp. Vice versa if you encounter a ship in the day, you can load an electric into the tube. With this method, you will have 3 steam torps for nighttime and 2 electric torps for daytime.


Just ask around, there are plenty of good techniques. :up:

[Camaero]

I have a quick question to add to that. I pretty much know that the electric torps are pretty unreliable early in the war. Just curious though, how bad are they if you switch to impact only? Are they still less reliable than steamers?

[Marhkimov]

Myself, I play with dud torpedoes off, so I'm not really sure.


But I think putting electric torpedoes on impact detonation makes them more reliable than if you put it on magnetic detonation, but overall it is still less reliable than a steam torpedo.

My impromptu reliability chart:
electric(magnetic) < electric(impact) < steam(magnetic) < steam(impact)

[drEaPer]

I read somewhere, that the magnetic setting is in fact a "magnetic AND impact" setting, while the other setting is impact only. Is that true?
If yes, the only additional problem you can get out of setting the torp to magnetic is a premature detonation. Is that correct?

[Marhkimov]

Yep. that's correct... But the whole reason why torpedoes are unreliable is because of the premature detonations.

[Deimos01]

Ive also noticed more duds when using the magnetic setting but having to torp inpact the target.