There is a mod somewhere that restores the U-marker.

Copy and paste the Umark into data>Misc folder.

Ok, I´m assuming i´ll get the umark file in the stock game, right? I´ll try it out. Thanks.

By the way, any thoughts on the u-boot designation number as stated above?

Thanks, it worked fine.

So, back to the main issue, I installed SH3 recently on a Dell notebook with Windows 7 and an Intel integrated graphics card to test it out... see if some of the graphics issues were present, just to compare with my mac.

Well, no sign of the squared particles, but the reflection issue was there too. So I was wondering: since using Parallels the game did not have the reflection issue, but the squared particles one, and using both bootcamp on a mac and a Dell computer presented the reflection issue, and both had Windows 7 installed (in Parallels I installed Windows XP SP2), I refuse to accept that the problem resides in my graphics card. Could the problem then rely on the OS???

By the way, on my MAC I ran Windows 7 with Windows XP compatibility mode on. On the Dell, off.

Any ideas? Is there a way to advance configure anything on my windows 7 to make the reflection issue go away?

Thanks.

That could be the graphic card. Because the integrated graphic cards don´t have as much power as an extern one, they do things different than extern. Integrated cards have all qualifications but they do some exercises in different way.
So the only way to avoid this problems is to use SH3 on a PC with AGP/PCIe graphic card installed. You can use a notebook with any mobile version of an desktopchip, too.

YES!!!

Finally i solved all the issues! As stated before, it was not my graphics card, as I suspected. I simply reinstalled parallels 9, but this time I created a VM out of my windows 7 bootcamp. Surprisingly, the squared particles did not show up, and the reflection distortion too!!! Go figure... Running Windows 7 via bootcamp had the reflection issue, but running it on parallels did not.

And to think this procedure was not intentional...

Only thing i can think of are the drivers. Maybe bootcamp drivers had some incompatibility and the newest drivers of parallels tools did not, I really don´t know. I did notice one thing though. On my previous Parallels installation, running my VM with Windows XP, i did not get to make any option about 3d acceleration. Now it shows me Directx9, Directx10...

Now I´m back with my patrols, running the game with no issues on my 2011 Macbook Pro with an Intel HD graphics card.

Woohoo!

Final answer?
 

OK, so I've read the thread. I'm still a bit unclear. So, may I ask what may be a totally stupid question?

Do I understand correctly that the best option for me - running a MacAir - would be to install BootCamp, running XP Pro? I've been running Parallels for my Windows software, with Windows 8.1 Pro? Where can I get a copy of XP Pro? Will the $9.95 downloadable version of SH3 from Ubisoft work?

I miss - oh, how I MISS - playing my submarine games.

If there really is a solution, I would be one happy camper.

Thank you, folks!

I can't answer your post unfortunately but hope you get a positive response....and welcome to Subsim :sunny:

If you want to dedicate nearly EVERY system resource to SH3 you will need to bootcamp. You can run parallels but just remember you are also running a program inside a program so you may not be able to run a heavy mod profile.
You CAN run SH3 on windows 8.1 pro. Just don't use the default install directory and yes the copy from ubisoft will work