What to do...What to do

[Goat]

I apologize for making this posting, but the situation is really getting frustrating. Growing stale in the World of Flight Combat Games, I decided to follow my instincts and try Naval Games. In very short order I owned Jane's 688i. Then I began reading SubSim and thought I had to get DW, to take advantage of the 'newer' things. Both seem unusually difficult to me, and when I saw SH3 for $20, I bought that one. Now, I have three Sub Games on my machine. The trouble is, it looks like it is not possible to make an Educated Choice of where to focus my feeble mental learning power...without actually learning the more difficult ones. I gotta admit to being 'retired', and also, remember clearly watching[I] Number 571 going out the channel to go to '90 North'. In other words, I ain't got the years left to devote to mastering too many things!

What I'd really like to know....[I]Do you think a long term 'study' of SH3 would be satisfying? I like graphics, and when I read the postings, it seems to be loaded with detail in operations... 'complexity'... that keeps an interest alive.

What else I'd really like to know... assuming using 688i as a 'boot camp' for DW, does operation of DW yield very much ..'activity' ? I mean, does the player spend most of his time interpreting the sonar, with little else going on? I understand how it must be with elaborate systems, like the radar and FLIR in the F/A-18, but in that game, ultimately you let go those missiles/bombs.. and get into the 3D maneuvering.

I hope I can get enough info from you guys to kind of stabilize my 'study time' in a fruitful direction. It is not..nor has ever BEEN.. my intention to start some battle over the Pro's and Con's... I just somehow GOTTA get aimed in some direction other than Shut-Down and watch M*A*S*H !!!

Sincerely...

Goat... and old surface sailor

[SubSerpent]

I'd go with spending you time learning SHIII. Those are the basics of submarine warfare and until you get those down you shouldn't attempt playing around with the nuclear subs. Also note, that SHIV is in developement, so once you master SHIII you will be more than ready to attempt US submarines in the Pacific campaign during WWII.


I don't see anymore modern nuclear submarine games being developed for quite some time. They are just too sophisticated for most game developer to handle and too sophisticated for most developers to risk on potentially bad sales. There is just not enough interest in nuclear submarines. People view them as slow and boring and uneventful. People are easily entertained with arcade type games that have lots of eye candy and special effects and they know that they won't find this in any submarine simulator.

But like I said, if I were you, I'd start off with SHIII (which is graphically better than Dangerous waters) but not nearly as sophisticated to learn. Once you learn the basics of undersea combat with a vintage WWII U-boat then it would be time to move onto modern submarines.


My personal preference is WWII weapons and vehicles. The modern stuff is just soo boring...Launch a missle and move onto next target (repeat as necessary)

[The Avon Lady]

I haven't played for a while but SH3 kept me happily busy for over a year. :yep:

Learning curve is easy and there are great tutorials out there for advanced playing.

For starting points, see my SH3 FAQ (http://www.theavonlady.org/thesh3faq/) (though it hasn't been updated in ages).

[Goat]

My thanks to both of You Folks. That's the kind of 'guiding words' I need !

Yes, the 'arcade'.. results NOW.. effect is sort of what caused me to shy from SH3. I remember as much immediate fun as Jane's World War Two Fighters was..... it only lasted ten minutes ! It took the complexity of of F/A-18 to 'hold'... but, I played 'at' that for almost ten years...and I'm not very good at it, at that.

The postings for SH3 indicate a Dynamic Game [Campaign]...which is super good news, and a complexity that will grab me, in spite of what appears, on the surface, to be simply another animated game.

Unless something comes along to alter my course, I'll put 688i and DW away... for the Grandkids.

Oh, that's interesting reading, Ma'am... Thanks for the link...

G

[Smaragdadler]

If you change your mind, you can download my Landlubber Guide. Its all about DW and modern SW/ASW-tactics. (over 90 pages).

[SubSerpent]

My thanks to both of You Folks. That's the kind of 'guiding words' I need !

Yes, the 'arcade'.. results NOW.. effect is sort of what caused me to shy from SH3. I remember as much immediate fun as Jane's World War Two Fighters was..... it only lasted ten minutes ! It took the complexity of of F/A-18 to 'hold'... but, I played 'at' that for almost ten years...and I'm not very good at it, at that.

The postings for SH3 indicate a Dynamic Game [Campaign]...which is super good news, and a complexity that will grab me, in spite of what appears, on the surface, to be simply another animated game.

Unless something comes along to alter my course, I'll put 688i and DW away... for the Grandkids.

Oh, that's interesting reading, Ma'am... Thanks for the link...

G


Your welcome.

SHIII may look like it's an arcadish game from the screenshots, but it is the total opposite. My recommendation is that you learn how to play the sim at 100% realism though by practicing on the training tutorials until you get it down. It is a real challenge at first on how to hit a moving target out at sea with unguided WWII torpedos. Once you master it, you will feel a sense of accomplishment and want to test it out in career mode in 1939. You start off as a young inexperienced U-boat commander but after a few patrols you will quickly become a salty dog. The next challenge is trying to survive the war until the end of the game as the allies technology and tatics began to surpass the Germans quite rapidly. All this and still you have to manage your U-boat (the crew fatigue, who's on watch, etc.) It is quite a challenge and a very rewarding one itself. Good purchase BTW :up:

[Goat]

Again.. thanks. Yes, I started doing the tutorial..Naval Academy..... You can never go wrong doing tutorials.. regardless of the Program!! This has given me the 'nudge' I think I needed, and the confidence to stick with it for a while...

And, Smaragdadler, I appreciate your effort also. I do, in fact, have that LandLubber Guide! Part of my collection of 'going around in circles' stuff... Thanks.

Yessss... beginning to feel good about this, now...

Good Crew...you Folks..

G

[Goat]

I just spent a couple hours getting organized... and getting my 'E' in a couple Academy Exams...

I appreciate the help of The Community and wanted to wish you all a great week to come.

Moving to the SH3 Forum now with specific questions... as they arise...

G.

[SubSerpent]

I just spent a couple hours getting organized... and getting my 'E' in a couple Academy Exams...

I appreciate the help of The Community and wanted to wish you all a great week to come.

Moving to the SH3 Forum now with specific questions... as they arise...

G.


Good for you! :up:

And welcome aboard! We're glad to have you here. We all try to express our love for naval combat sims to the unknowing and hope that they too will become interested.

Again, welcome to your new found addiction. It's an impossible one to break. The only thing that can potentially stop you now is a nagging wife or child. :damn: They are the BIGGEST immersion killers. :nope:

[Goat]

I normally don't let a hobby run things, but I gotta tell you my Present Bride has been on the job for forty six years..yesterday... Both her AND my 'kids' are tickled pink that Pop has something to keep his marble rolling straight....

'Fair Winds and Following Seas..' or the Underwater Version of same...

G

[SubSerpent]

I normally don't let a hobby run things, but I gotta tell you my Present Bride has been on the job for forty six years..yesterday... Both her AND my 'kids' are tickled pink that Pop has something to keep his marble rolling straight....

'Fair Winds and Following Seas..' or the Underwater Version of same...

G


Underwater version is "Run silent, Run deep"!