That helps some. TM 1.4 is a very tough cookie. I took a bite out of it and promptly got sunk because i attacked 3 Fubuki DD's that were cruising alone together in a triangle formation from a perspective to try for all three. That put me just too close and with the two dud fish (failed detonation) it was a jinxed attack besides.

A whole new game. I have to admit that the previous gameplay of my previous MOD set was really just to easy.

Japs start the war now perhaps about equal the where the Allies were in sub detection vs Germany in 44/45. For example. I was over three km away and silent after sinking one of three Fubuki DD's as described above and the other two spotted my periscope apparently and even at 360 feet in a Sargo i was sunk for staying still and silent in one place.

Solution: stay silent, fire away at a distance and immedietely sink deep, kick in the engines 1/3 and put some critical distance between yourself and where you expect to hit your target. There's no more way to just sit tight and quiet anywhere close to a couple of searching DDs.

I'm happy with the incredible difficulty since it puts the rewards earned on a much higher level now. Eliminating DD's is still possible though by skirting cargo ships as cover. If the Convoy is slow moving enough.:|\\

Sitting still in one place is the worst possible thing you could do. ;)

Ducimus...
I was wondering if you could help me with something.

In all of your FTT &TM mods you removed the 3D crewman from the hydraulic manifold (X-mas tree) position and moved him to the un-occupied planesman position.

Would it be possible to add back the 3D crewman stationed at the x-mas tree, in addition to having the 3D crewman at the diving planes?


Is it just a matter of making adjustments in each of the Submarine UPC files?

Thanks for any help.
Cheers!

I thought about that, but i dont think its possible. If you look at the crew management station youll notice theres only so many crew slots for any given watch.

Isn't this intentional? Ie, to reflect that German raiders most often sailed flying other nationality flags?

The big question of any major MOD like TM 1.4 is - is it even playable as a game. I've no doubt that everything except one major test has been perfectly past. That one test is are we capable of evading Destroyers after they detect us?

To successfully evade requires having some help from thermal layers, rough seas and often just plain luck, since we never know exactly how 2 or 3 Destroyers will circle us overhead. If the scanning ability of the Japs is too good and the natural help like a thermal layer to weak, then there is no way out of the trap and it's game over.

I've yet to test this MOD completely since porting it's AI to my MOD set. So far i really like the fear-factor (some choose the word "challenge"). In real war i doubt many men in subs attacked shipping anywhere that Destroyers could possibly kill them because they liked a challenge. It was war and they had a mission to complete.

Courage is born out of overcoming fear. Challenge is for tough sports.

I think if a skilled sub captain can evade any Destroyer encirclement in this MOD, except for where it could be suicide in shallow water if we are left without anymore torpedoes to fire, then the MOD has achieved perfect balance in the greatest game breaking aspect of the game.

There may be a requirement to turn-off duds in the gamesettings, if this MOD has reached beyond very far into making the Japs very much more skilled than they really were in WWII. Now we're in purely gameplay fun territory. I'm willing to go there by allowing my imagination to concieve of the scenario where both are plausible. Perfect scanners and perfect torpedoes.

To complete an entire campaign the game has to be playable long term with a very good strategy.

Don't worry, ive tuned down the AI in the yet to be published update. I think its a tad much too. I could deal with it, but i dont think everyone else can. The real problem is i dont have much time to acutally play, so i don't get the time i need to accurately gauge the adjusments i make. I make some adjustments, fire up the game, see how it peforms in a quick 5-10 min test, then i exit the game and get back to work, thats about it, its all i get.

Hey no sweat. It's all for fun.

I've had to start a new campaign and so i'll just revert back to my already fairly tough one until your very tough MOD is adjusted again for long term gameplay.

Adjusted mainly to allow some more room to escape once being pounded by tin can would be where things could achieve closer to perfection for veteran players at least. Regular newbies will always have the option to drop your AI from the MOD if they can't deal with the upgraded Jap Navy.

I like the fear and the overcoming of the fear your MODS can eventually simulate with a possibility for a long tern campaign as well..

Updated front page with the following:

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NOTICE:
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Now then, the AI, has already been retuned, im just holding off until i have more material for a more substantial update.

For Tmaru 1.5 i hope to have
- the latest and greatest from Tater's Campaign mod
- some map fixes by Jace11.
- "New construction" flotilla, with the idea of being a "plank owner" of a new Gato or Balao in Mare island. I want to construct a series of scripted missions for the "shake down", and then have the boat released for duty to pearl harbor. This mod is tenative, and ive only begun prelimnary work on it.

Currently Tmaru 1.5 change log is as follows:

Right now im in crunch mode at work, and ill be working for the next two weeks straight without break, so my progress on my mod work here at home is going to be slowed.

How easy is it to remove the 9KM vis mod from TM? It just doesn't work for me, the ships appear too dark in contrast to the horizon. As it was (stock) the haze appeared a little more believable. Again this isn't a gripe. I'm just wondering if it's something I can take out myself. Thanks.

The thing I noticed is that it's almost impossible for me to see ships at max range. No matter what I do, even in crystal clear waters, using high periscope or TBT (one would think the 7x zoom would help), I can't visually see the contacts reported by the watch crew. Also at night my crew must have night vision because I almost never see ships that are next to me. :down:

Get your eyes checked sailor! :stare:

I admit sometimes they are amazingly faint, but if the watch can see it I can nearly always make out something, even if it's slightly darker haze above the horizon. I guess in that respect you could at least say the watch on deck are doing their job (until you TC and they get their heads down... ZZzzzz).

If you watch the very far horizion, what you'll see is the very top of the masts, with the ship "hull down", this is fairly realistic from what ive heard, been told. I'll try and come up with a screenshot. Besides, the alternative, is the watch crew being blind as a bat unable to see ships that are in plain sight to you.

edit: here you go:
http://www.ducimus.net/sh4/horizon_hulldown.jpg
That is a medium old split freight i placed in a single mission. If you look closely you can barely make out his masts, smokestack, and superstructure, the hull you can't see yet, and neither can the watch crew. Its on the Very edge of the horizion. If your spidey sense is tingeling, it's always a good idea to get on the bridge and scan the horizon yourself. I started a career game (which sadley isnt going to be compelted cause im too busy :( , and with no radar, i found a frighter such as this at night, watch crew didn't see it, but i saw this dark smudge on the horizion and dived for a sound contact.

to Ducimus
 

you really do a very good job for us all. just wanted to say thanks for everything mate.
love tm1.4.
must also add, your knowledge of pacific theatre ww2, is astounding.
looking forward to your future mods.
regards.
doc1133

Thanks DUCIMUS! Just gave it a try, very cool! ~tinkerings fun

*Speaking of Navigators, what would be killer would be a Sub stays in center feature on the NAV Map, making it a "moving map" or as a plan B, an F5 to center. (to quickly find your boat again when zooming and perusing the map)

TM is a Great Mod! Cheers :arrgh!: