The first day I started in SH3 I played on something like 20-30% to get a feel for the interface. The day after that I jumped up to 75% with only auto targeting and externals unchecked, and a few months after that I began playing at 100% which is where I am now. The key is to practice in the training missions as much as possible until you are comfortable with the game, after that go out and have a blast in the North Atlantic!
