Digital Download Install and Modding on Windows 10
 

Howdy folks.

I purchased a digital download copy of SH4 via Amazon a while back as it seemed difficult to find a hard copy to utilize. It seemed to work fine with the install over Windows 8 on my old computer, but mods were a bit wonky.

I am wont to know, now, if there are specific intstructions for digital downloads onto Win10 and modding thereof. (IIRC, the primary issues I had with the former install were mainly textures not displaying properly when I modded.)

I am aiming to use either RFB or RSRD, though am really up for anything that provides a good experience while maintaining a decent level or realism (hence why GWX is one of my favorite mods for SH3).

Thank y'all in advance.

Of primary importance, and it matters little the version of the game, whether digital Amazon, Steam or Ubisoft, or even if you have a disk version, you want to avoid the Programs Files folders in Windows. You will have to alter the default path used in the game's install routine to something else. The easiest thing is to just remove the reference to "\Program Files (x86)" in that path, such that "Install Path: [C:\Program Files (x86) \Ubisoft \Silent Hunter 4]" becomes "Install Path: [C:\Ubisoft \Silent Hunter 4]" instead. Other folks will rename the Program Files portion of the path to "Games" or whatever. Anything to get your base game outside of the Windows UAC controls, which is what makes most mods seemingly behave badly.

Second item of importance is to be certain to install the DirectX v9.0c that came with the game, along with the codecs. SH4 will not run without them.

Third item of importance is the mod version versus the game version. You do NOT want to use a mod written for v1.4 of the game in a v1.5 of the game. RFB especially has that, and their numbering somewhat coincides with that, with v1.4 of the mod being for v1.4 of the game. v1.5 is for v1.5. Of course, they later came out with v2.0 and then a patch, which would also be for v1.5 of the game.

Fourth, After you activate a mod(s), you have to empty the Save folder for the game, which is defaulted to "C:\Users \UserName \Documents \SH4", with UserName what you use to log into Windows with. It is also a good idea to familiarize yourself with MultiSH4 and use it to "segregate" your Save folders from the various copies of the game you might have on your hard drive. Your Amazon copy of the game should be copy-able to where you can paste copies into new folders for other mod sets you might want to use. The game runs off of information in the Save folder, and that does not update unless a new file is involved. The easiest way to do that, is to delete the contents, and the game will populate it again with new, modded data.

Lastly, the use of LAA or NTCore 4GB Patch is always helpful in todays modern computer, though not necessary with RFB...

Thank you kindly. Off to the mod section now!