RFB Patch 1.52
 

People,please upload RFB Patch 1.52 to another host.Cannot download this patch from Filefront even using different providers.:damn:
Thanks.

About the periscope: it was re-configured for the patch so you don't have the crew "watching over your shoulder" every time you raise the scope and thus automatically calling out targets. The end purpose is to make the player scan the area around him in order to see what's out there, just like a real captain would.

Yes, we scaled them back to realistic levels.

It's a random chance by the game and depends on the crewman's rank (certain skills can be "acquired" only by officers and others only by petty officers).

It depends on your overall campaign rating. The better the rating, the more likely you are to be offered an upgrade. The key is not just sinking tonnage but also completing your objectives.

Hey Luke,

Thanks for popping in, so how does one acquire a "lock" if using auto targetting?

Martin

Night vision on clear nights
 

Is it supposed to be atrocious? 'Cause I can't seem to get a lasting lock on target( 3 seconds).Also is there any Night Scope mods out there outside TMO?:hmm:

Although the lock does not last all data sent to TDC is captured and inputed to the solution. Its a side effect that adds to the realism. I had completely forgotten about the lock.

Even i dont need a locked target cause i am always use manual targetting only with Dick O' Kane method for the RFB Team as a feedback to further patches:

:D

Several times under bad weather conditions or in dark nights i have this strange effect when i am surfaced:

http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/1763/visual2vq7.jpg


As you can see: the crew reports a visual contact, i can lock the contact but through the TBT i see nothing. Same is with the periscope.
:hmm:

Next is that the effect of "Auto Loosing Locked Targets" works only dived. As long as i stay surfaced an once locked target is kept locked.

To those having issues with the "Lock:" more work is being done in this area, so don't think we've shelved this issue for good. Just be patient with us. ;)

You folks have done fantastic work thus far!

Us "lazy" skippers patiently await....!

thanks for the reasurement Luke. To be honest I thought it wasnt beieng worked on anymore. It impedes us Auto Targeting captains a little more.

Thanks for the info, AVGWarhawk! What's funny is I just started reading Clear the bridge! a few days ago. Well, with that knowledge, I'll just assume at least some of my crew escaped. Thanks again!

EDIT: Thanks also to Nisgeis for the very informative post!

There's a simple method to get around the lock issue, which is similar to manually setting the SH3 UBoat TDC.

Everything is done manually and easier than the locking method, etc..

- You estimate the target AOB, range and speed by your favourite method
- You want to fire torps when the target is at an AOB ~70. So you estimate target AOB and calculate you scope firing/solution bearing.
Example: If target AOB = 30, you want to add 40 to scope bearing to get ~70
- So you set your scope at current angle + 40 - scope is under water to minimise detection - Punch AOB (= 70) into TDC
- Adjust the TDC range setting to when the target is at bearing 20, punch it in.
- Set the target TDC speed, punch it in.

NOTE: You might have to re-punch these values in as this TDC is 'forgetfull'.

DO NOT SET AUTO TRACKING OF TARGET.

Once these values are in the TDC, it's back to monitoring the target. Best method is to monitor via Sonar to about 15 degrees from firing solution, then it's popping the scope up and down.
When the target gets to the solution bearing, send your fish swimming.

I haven't tested whether the fish follow your current scope bearing or the TDC settings, as I've only fired when my scope is at the firing solution bearing, that i set earlier - I'll check this.

Note if you change course, you have to re-enter all the data.
:up:

Question about radar contacts and when they appear on the map...

I was in a terrible storm (heavy seas/rain/wind) so I decided to give my crew a break and spend some time under the waves. Well no sooner than I reached 100ft my sonar man picked up a merchant at long range. So I pointed the boat at the bearing of the contact and I surfaced to chase it down. When I surfaced I could manually go to the radar set and pick up the contact just fine. It was at about 4000 yards at 10 deg on the PPI. However my radar operator NEVER called out the contact and NEVER did it appear on the map.

Is this intended or a bug?

So I decided to track it on my own. I manned the radar station myself and maneuvered the boat closer to the target. I came within 1000 yards and it still wouldnt plot on the map. So I went to the bridge to see if the target was visible through the fog. Well good thing I did since I misread the range on the A-Scope (an easy thing to do on that goofy thing) and there was a medium old tanker dead head!! I was a flank speed and I almost ran right into him! My right full rudder order just barely brought the bow over from slamming right into the side of the tanker. As we passed I could clearly see the stunned crew of the tanker staring at me without my binoculars!

However throughout this whole encounter my crew called out nothing and no contact appeared on the map. The fog was very heavy so I can understand the crew thing but why no radar contact on the map?

This mod is awesome though. I had a near collision in a foggy storm. Now thats realism...
.

+1

I had the same thing happen, although without the collision part, in similar conditions just west of Truk. At first the weather was like this:
http://staufa.sytes.net/files/sh4/pics/radar1.jpg

The crew reported the contact just fine when it was detected on the radar, and I conducted the first attack on the surface but failed to sink the target. While I was preparing for another attack run the weather turned into this:

http://staufa.sytes.net/files/sh4/pics/radar2.jpg

At this point the crew failed to report the contact at all, even though they were in good health and in battlestations. Turning the radar on/off, cycling battlestations and diving/surfacing didn't help. I didn't go to visual range at any point so I don't know how the crew would have reacted to that, but they did hear the target just fine on the sonar, and that's also how I ended up sinking it.

Mods used were RFB 1.52(without the patch as this happened before it was released) and RSRDC, time was january 1943 and I was in a Balao equiped with the SJ-radar.

Thanks for the answer LukeFF. But not to be missunderstand: I really dont care about the lock issue because i dont need this. i am scared ;) about the possibility to get a sight report by the crew, locking this target correctly BUT SEEING NOTHING. Thats like the movie "The Fog". Although no problem but its a little strange that my ingame visibility is so much less than the crew ( AI).

:hmm::hmm:

I wonder if crew experience plays a part here:hmm: In any case, I'll patrol a given area at 6kts. at 128x TC. When the TC drops to 8x, I know something is up. I'll immediately drop to normal speed, and it's usually at this point that my Radar operator calls out the target and bearing. What he says next if anything at all, dosen't matter because from this point on, I take control. I'll start to plot the target track, I'll check the radar and determine range, ect...

I can't depend on those greenhorns. If you want something done, do it yourself:yep:

Sir, thats right. So do i. But as u can see i my screenshot i can lock "fog" and i am pretty sure that the TBT needs no experience. ;);). I can only repeat this is a quality or bug report to the modders who do such a great work. They worked so hard for bringing so much reality into the game but if someone can lock "invisible" targets you have contra-productive effects.

Happy Hunting , kwbgjh2 :arrgh!:

I was wondering what the reticle markings on the periscope and TBT represent in RFB.

According to official docs, each small line represents 1 degree in low mag and 0.25 degrees in high mag. Each big line represents 4 degrees in low mag, and 1 degree in high mag.

Does this match up in RFB?

Also, what about the markings on the TBT / UZO?

I haven't come across any "invisible" targets as of yet, much less any I could lock on to. What usually happens is that I see the targets with my own eyes way befor my blind as bats crew dose. What you're seeing seems to be a bug of some sort I think, and I'm sure if it is it'll be looked at in due time. These guys produce a quality mod, and bugs will be fixed if possible:yep:

I've just done some tests with the periscope and it seems the FOV values in RFB are not correct.

Test Procedure

Surfaced during daytime, placed the center-line of the reticle on the center of the bow of the boat.

Moved the reticle to the right until the center of the bow is on the left edge of the reticle. Recorded bearing.

Moved the reticle to the left until the center of the bow is on the right side of the reticle. Recorded bearing.

Repeated with both high and low magnification.

Also repeated the results using the stern of the boat.

Results

LOW POWER

Right bearing: 009, Left bearing: 351.

Field of View: 18 degrees.

HIGH POWER

Right bearing: 002.3, Left Bearing: 357.7.

Field of View: ~4.6 degrees.

Historical Data

From: http://www.maritime.org/fleetsub/pscope/index.htm

Low Power FOV: 32 degrees.

High Power FOV: 8 degrees.

Conclusion

The periscope as currently modeled in RFB is not accurate. The FOV is much too low for both the high and low power zoom modes. Also, this makes the reticle markings useless as they do not match realistic data.