new dials found!
 

As I was working on a side project for OLC I made a fascinating discovery. There are some dials that were not instituted originally with the game. Actually, there's quite a few of them. I quickly slapped together something to test these to see if they in fact work and they do! (at least the ones I quickly tried). What I quickly made were dials for port engine RPM, stbd engine RPM, and depth under keel. Like I said there's some more to be used that I will further investigate. In the pictures (they are crude but it serves the point) the top left hand black dial is port engine RPM, the top right dial is stbd engine RPM, and the bottom left dial is depth under keel. Now depth under keel will not report in real time :down: If you ask for depth under keel the dial will move to the correct value and stay there until you ask for it again. The engine RPM's work real time and even change for when you recharge batteries! :rock: The scale on the engine RPM dials movement was set from -135 to 135, value range 0-800rpm. The depth under keel gauge was set to -90 to 90, values from 0-100 meters. Here's some screenies:

this is all stop and I haven't asked for depth under keel yet. Both Engine RPMs show 0:

http://static1.filefront.com/images/...r.thumb500.jpg

now I order up ahead slow. Notice both engine RPM dials move to a new position denoting the RPM for ahead slow:

http://static1.filefront.com/images/...o.thumb500.jpg

next I order up ahead 1/3. Looks like engine RPM for both shafts is ~350rpm:

http://static1.filefront.com/images/...x.thumb500.jpg

I then dive to periscope depth and order up ahead standard bell. I run the batteries down a little. Then I surface and lo and behold I have the stbd engine at max rpm (whatever it is) and port engine at ahead standard setting while the batteries recharge :rock: :

http://static1.filefront.com/images/...u.thumb500.jpg

Next I order up ahead slow again and port engine goes to an RPM that looks like double the ahead slow value originally. Seems to be making up for the stbd shaft since it has to do the work for 2 while the stbd engine is recharging the batteries. Stbd engine stays at max while it recharges batteries:

http://static1.filefront.com/images/...a.thumb500.jpg

next I order up depth under keel and the dial moves to indicate the depth under keel:

http://static1.filefront.com/images/...u.thumb500.jpg

I'll experiment with the remaining dials I have found that aren't being used currently and see what I can come up with. :|\\

:huh: Very interesting.:)

:hmm: Aren't the RPM indicators already in the command room?

Ref

Hi RB, excellent find!

Quick question though - are the dials for information only, or are they clickable? (or could they be modded to be? :hmm: ).

If so this could open up a whole new side to SH3 - imagine being able to set angle of the dive planes for example.........:o

Just a thought,

Px3000

Le's not get ahead of ourselves, but that was my thoughts as well.

I was already aware of these dials. They aren't much use as they stand. The problem with, say, setting the dive planes manually, is that there is no "set dive planes" command in the list of commands which is exposed to the user. Same for the other dials.

That doesn't mean it's impossible to mod it... but it's not straightforward either.

This is a great find but,
you should pay atention to what Ref is saying above !:yep:


Aren't the RPM indicators already in the command room?:hmm:

Danurve - that was the only suggestion I could think of at the time!;)

I'm bored sh*tless in the office at the moment, and brain switched off.....:dead:

Couldn't think of any other use than the one many people have requested over the years.

The RPM indicators are definitely in the command room. If you switch to the CE by right-clicking him, you can easily view them to the right of all the other main dials. I read tips on here soon after I got started with SH3 about avoiding escorts by keeping your RPM to <50, but had no idea how to find the RPM. Later I noticed the RPM gauges and was able to better judge the speed to set on the knotmeter.

The depth gauge probably relates to the Atlas Echolot - if you are in the navigator's position (again, right-click him in the command room to jump the camera to his spot) and ask for depth - you will see a little white arrow marker move around on the device, stopping when the reply 'ping' is heard. There is a circular gauge with markings - the depth can be read off that depending where the arrow stops (should you not want to read the reply from the NA in the text box!).

So it seems to have the same functionality as RB describes above - the depth is only shown when the depth is asked for, and not updated in real time. So probably this gauge controls the arrow. Still, I hope there are some other useful things to be found, or that I'm wrong! :D

Old world discovery I'm afraid.....not very eye pleasing on screen :hmm:

I think it would be neat to have these gauges on your HUD....I'm putting some there currently :yep:

Ditto... go Speed Racer!

I envy your talent....

Be kinda interesting to see how they eventually evolve.

and how about this....how would you like to fine tune your RPM?? :rock:
Right now we have to select bells or select certain speeds.....but how would you like to select RPM values from a dial?? :smug: :rock: oh yes, it can be done!

SWEET!!!!! :o :o :o