Do multiple installs each need a SH3 folder in My Documents?

[Tigrone]

With multiple parallel installs of the game in my Program Files/Ubisoft directory, do I need to keep specific matching SH3 folders for each one in the My Documents directory? Or, will a single SH3 folder serve for all the versions? I just want to simplify things.

I’m afraid that I’m confused and a little frustrated by trying to figure out all the iterations of the game. I’ve made parallel installs of the game in my Ubisoft directory and will try to play them alternately to see what is really there in each version. I’ve read everything posted about these consolidated merged mods over the past months and found myself increasingly lost. Right now I’ve got 9 versions—and I think you could cube that with all the variations, additions and patched variations on top of Silent Hunter III 1.4b:

SilentHunterIII_original (which is often referred to as the Vanilla Installation.)
SilentHunterIII_original+mods that I like (actively playing)
SilentHunterIII_iub102+mods that I like (actively playing.)
SilentHunterIII_iub103
SilentHunterIII_Seawolves101 (actively playing)
SilentHunterIII_GreyWolves+mods (actively playing)
SilentHunterIII_NYGM TonnageWar v1.03
SilentHunterIII_Extend Unified Campaign (GW+NYGM)
SilentHunterIII_Unified Campaign_GW (actively playing)

Does anyone have a handle on which of the above versions simply cleans up the inherent bugs, improves stock game play & campaign, and does not take away from the interface, situational awareness and playability?

But please, could someone let me know if I need to keep the extra SH3 folders in My Documents? Is that just an unneeded repetition of identical folders, or does each version of the game need its own specific SH3 folder?

[Boris]

I wasn't even aware the game was able to create multiple folders, if one is called SH3 what are the rest called?

As far as I know one should serve all, but I thought there can only be one...
Each installation should detect the SH3 folder as its own, no matter which one your running.

[donut]

After my concerns,reguarding your question. The answer is no.

Silent Hunter III,is designed to point to SH3. Use different career names to different installs,all of same kept in one
SH3 folder/careers This has been the answer to me,previously :roll:

[Tigrone]

It's simple. You can play only one version at a time. I just add a suffix to the end of the SilentHunterII directory that I'm leaving, such as "SilentHunterIII_BAK iub103," and it just sits there in the Ubisoft directory. I then remove the identifying suffix from the version I want to switch to, and it becomes the active SilentHunterIII directory. Right now, I do the same with each matching SH3 folder created, but do I really need to? My question is: do those SH3 folders need to be kept for each version of the game?

[JScones]

To save typing, I'll simply copy and paste my response from the last time this question was asked (a few days ago)...

Basically, you can have 100 installations of SH3 and they will *all* write to C:\Documents and Settings\<user name>\My Documents\SH3\data\cfg\Careers\. That's the way the game is programmed.

But I don't see why this is something to get all hung up about (a few people have lately).

1. All careers are saved to their own exclusive folder, so all you need to do is remember what careers you play with what installations. No problem.

2. You *may* have an issue if you play different installations with different TC settings. This is really only a concern if you *need* the 3DRender TC to equal 1024x in installation #1 and the 3DRender TC to equal 32x in installation #2 (ie, to match a set fatigue model). But just change the value either manually or via SH3Cmdr prior to loading the game. No problem.

3. Similar to #2 if you play each at a different realism percent.

Yes, perhaps an annoyance if you have different realism or TC settings, but still very minor and quick to fix. The only other alternative is to continually adjust your "My Documents" location, but I will not outline how to do that here as I think it is really way overkill. But anyone who understands how to repoint special folders will know what needs to be done.

You'll need to determine whether points 2 and 3 apply to you. If not, no problem. If so, then yes, your solution of renaming the data folders is one workaround.