:rotfl:I used it religiously before I was making vids too, I love the ability to roam like a bird. I rarely use it to cheat, and mostly in ports. Like Stve I love watching the sub from above, when it glides slowly along. Subsims ftw!

First One !! although I would not call it "Lifes Blood" but rather my window to
see how the AI is reacting to everything I do. Then someday (when layers are
fully upgraded to historical levels) I can begin my first campaign knowing that
I will not get all the Dev shortcuts that came with the stock game....

JIM

Never use anymore.

Just trying to be as realistic as possible within my own limitations. I always play with unlinited fuel due to time game-play contraints (read high TC use) and map contacts on. That's all. Have not yet figured out how to get by without the later.

Spend most of my time on the nav map and at the periscope, visit the bridge mostly to watch ships sink.

External what? I live in the 2D world that is the nav map

At least, until I get the parts needed to rebuild my PC...to something reasonably modern...

i cant let go of the external cam.

i want to, but the lure of the external cam is to strong

interesting effect going on with your ocean there looks odd

Movie ticket for me.

Ditto

I would vote that it should be an option in TM. If the player wants true reality then he can choose not to use it. I have been running TM for about 3 weeks now and it has really added to the full imersion of the game. I would probably not turn it on too often unless I wanted a little change of gameplay after so many hours at "real life".

....girly man here....:nope:

External camera manifesto! Orgasmic!
 

I am on a cruise you could never dream of it has been so incredible. First, I encountered a convoy of 2 tankers, a medium split freighter and another merchie accompanied by 5 escorts. Approaching from the north with intent to engage escorts with a sternful of cuties, I was detected long range, driven under and swarmed. Whilst twisting and evading, I came up to 99 ft and swam out a couple of cuties to see what happened. What happened was I wasted 2 cuties and was driven off. Not a good beginning.

This evolved into an all-night battle with 4 separate approaches during which I sank the two tankers, the medium split and two escorts with cuties. My first approach was before sunset and my last shot, sinking a DD was at 10:30 am, the whole battle fought in real time over three days of my time! Leaving the scene of the crime I couldn't dream it would get better!

Proceeding to the Formosa Straits, I found RSRD just swarming me with convoys. I had to avoid targets to get to the ones I wanted! With no cuties and only 4 torps left, 2 Mark 18's and 2 Mark 23's I started off sinking a tanker, which attracted three escorts! Now I had 2 Mark 18's and 1 Mark 23. I resolved to make trouble for the escorts, since I had 30k tons of merchies under my belt. The following testimony of the external camera will justify the above bullschnitzel:
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...190024_218.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...192403_187.jpg
Two of the suckers after me, an Akizuki and a friendly Shiratsuyu.
First, I disabled one with a down the throat shot: not my normal tactic vs Akizukis. Then I had a choice with 1 torp left. Finish off Akizuki or shoot Shiratsuyu. Shiratsuyu attacked with great vigor, leaving me no choice. I got lucky and he went down.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...192516_484.jpg
So now the Akizuki is hanging out with no power and I'm hanging out with no torpedoes. Mexican standoff? Let's find out. I came up to 30' directly astern so I could dive quickly if he fired. Nothing. What now? What do you mean, what now?:arrgh!:

The crippled DD began firing starshells! They're the first I've seen in the game! The sound of a gun firing momentarily freaked me out. And then the whole world lit up! I guess they know I'm here....
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...192136_437.jpg
Surface! Battle stations surface! Man the deck gun! We pounded the Akizuki for 20 minutes listening to the screams of dying men as HE tore up the weaponry, searchlights and deck. I took the external camera aboard my victim to record the carnage.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...202030_703.jpg
Finally he went down by the bow, finalizing my cruise at a record for me of 5 escorts of DE or above. Out of torpedoes and out of ammunition for the guns I prepared to return to base.

But what did TM and RSRD serve up for me? The most beautiful sight possible in the game, one everyone thought was impossible until Leovampire pulled the ultimate buffalo out of the hat. This one's for Dave:http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...203754_109.jpg
There were five beautiful plumes of smoke on the horizon from yet another approaching convoy. I set course to avoid. Enough for one cruise.

Lastly, my finest screenshot to date, as a DD takes one on the chin and charges to his death. This one has drama.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...193950_691.jpg
Finally I got all the elements together to make a perfect shot: the water, the fire, the motion of the dying DD, the stars, the smoke, the clouds. One shot justifies the external camera. This one has jigsaw puzzle written all over it! :eek:It's movie time!

Movie Ticket, I just love to what the torpedo's go home and sink that ship I've been hunting for 2 hours!:up:

Movie ticket for me! I just love the way this sim looks. The external camera is far too much fun not to use it. As I have limited time to play, and not being one to stay up for five days without sleep to sail across the Pacific, the external camera puts that little icing on the cake when a plan comes good and some ships are sunk. Just watching my sub sailing is good.

My F4 and F12 buttons are completely worn out (TM layout)..

I love the visual aspect of SH4.. especially with ROW.

:up: