Thanks
I would like to extend a special thanks to
joegrundman and
Hitman who developed the
U-Jagd Tools Mod which some of the tools in this GUI are based on.
I would also like to thank cuervo111 for creating the DoubleMastTool and thereby making it possible to release a generic version of the GUI.
About the Mod
The main features of the OLC GUI are:
Maximum historical accuracy and realism. All of the tools at the players disposal now accurately reflect those used in real life (and they are far more effective than the tools provided by the stock game). These include:
Tools for calculating the Range/AOB/Speed of a target.
Tools for calculating and plotting the course of a target.
Seperate, realistic functions and capabilities for the UZO, Attack Scope, and Observation Scope.
A fully redesigned interface (GUI) featuring:
Hideable-at-the-press-of-a-button TDC firing solution controls (including the TDC auto-update switch) which are available at all times, so that the firing solution can be entered from any screen.
Hideable-at-the-press-of-a-button SH4-style (growing/shrinking) control dials (Speed, Course, Depth, etc).
Torpedo setting controls integrated into the UZO and Attack Scope.
A redesigned navigation map with improved plotting tools and quick and easy access to the maps and charts included in GWX.
No slide-out dials. The GUI fits together like a jigsaw so that even on the busy screens you can see everything at once if you like.
The most-used functions from the GWX Integrated Orders mod. Mouse-lovers / keyboard-haters should never find that they need the keyboard when playing with this mod.
The option to use an "anti-glare" (darkened) version of the GUI.
Supports English and German languages.
Screenshots (showing darkened version)
Download Links
1.2.3 is compatible with stock and with all supermods.
latemail has made a version of OLC GUI with much bigger dials which can be found in
this thread.
An Important Note About Non-Stock Ships
Many people like to make new ships and add them to the game. However, when making or modifying a ship most people do not consider accurate recognition manual data to be a high priority, and consequently some of the new ships made by the SH3 community have incorrect masts and lengths in the recognition manual. This applies to supermod ships as well as ships released by individuals, and it means that when using the U-Jagd tools to get a firing solution, you'll be innacurate against those ships.
This is not a problem when firing at stock ships, and I plan to ensure that the OLC GUI for GWX 2.1 will include corrections to all incorrect masts/length values in GWX 2.1 (
if any corrections are required). However, if you use any other mod or supermod which adds ships, I cannot guarantee accurate solutions from the U-Jagd tools when you fire at them. It's up to the ship modders to release ships with correct recognition manual values.
Manual/Tutorial/Documentation
OLC GUI Video Tutorial (download from FileFront)
OLC GUI Video Tutorial (download kindly hosted by
MONOLITH)
OLC Mods Forum at Beyond The Shadows
The (40 minute!) video tutorial and small "User Manual" document (included in the mod) cover everything in the GUI. You may need to install the DivX codecs (
www.divx.com) before you can watch the video. There's a couple of mistakes in it
but all the methods demonstrated do work. Also, written instructions (with pictures) on how to get a firing solution can be found
here (subsim post by
Friedl9te) and
here (downloadable, printable PDF document written by
skookum). The visual style of the mod has changed a bit since the video was made, but the function of the tools has not.
F.A.Q.
Q: What happened to the night-time red light (a.k.a. "night filter") on the navigation map?
A: It was removed because it makes the draggable depth tool inoperable at night time. Instead, as of version 1.2, a moon icon shows on the navigation map to let the player know when it is night time.
Q: What happened to the night-time red light (a.k.a. "night filter") on the attack scope?
A: It was removed because there is no way to make it "move" with the Range/AOB Finder. Instead, the entire GUI can be (optionally) darkened to a level that is usable at any time of day or night.
Q: Why did you double all the mast values?
A: I did it to make the Range/AOB Finder operable without having to close and re-open the Recognition Manual.
Q: Why isn't there a nice big compass/heading dial like the one in GWX2?
A: Apart from the fact that such a tool is IMO unnecessary, it also goes against the mod's raison d'être. The dials and tools in every single screen can all be shown/used at once, without needing to open and close things, or slide things in and out from the edge of the screen. This is no accident, and I am not going to cover up a quarter of the screen with an unnecesary slide-out which (more than likely) will decide to pop-out just at the moment when I need to use the tools that are behind it.
Q: My shots always either hit the stern of the target or miss aft of it. What am I doing wrong?
A: Checklist for torps missing aft:
- Remember to open the tube doors before you fire.
- Are you firing gas/steam powered torpedos? It's not a good idea (especially in GWX with 16km visibility) because the target ship will see the torpedo coming and go ahead flank. Fire electric eels instead.
- Still want to use gas/steam torps? Then be aware of this stock SH3 bug: if you fire a torpedo and then, later, fire another torpedo at a different speed, you must click the torpedo speed switch even if it is already set correctly, otherwise it will fire at the same speed as the last torpedo that was fired and miss. This isn't an issue with electric eels as they only have one speed setting.
- Your chronometer speed calculations may be wrong. Although the method does work at any AOB from the target, you will get more accurate results if you are positioned at an AOB of roughly 90 from the target i.e. directly to the side of it. Also, if you like to stop your U-boat so you can measure the speed of a target which is not directly in front of you (i.e. not crossing the 0 line) then remember that U-boats do not stop instantly, and if you are moving even at only 1 knot then it will considerably reduce the accuracy of your reading. Either come to a full stop, or time the target accross the 0 line.
Q: Can I play OLC GUI with automatic targetting?
A: Yes, but there isn't a notepad in the OLC GUI. IMO you don't need one with automatic targetting because the colour of the small triangle under the ship you're firing at tells you all you need to know (green is a good shot, orange not so good, and red will almost certainly miss) but if you really feel the notepad is essential, you should uninstall the OLC GUI.
Q: Is OLC GUI compatible with U-Boat 1.2?
A: No, not by default.
pkl75 merged OLC GUI 1.1.5 with U-Boat 1.2 and released it
here. He is planning to do another merge
after OLC GUI 1.2.2 and the U-Boat 1.2 patch have both been released.
Q: Is OLC GUI compatible with the high resolution "fix"?
AFAIK it works okay as long as you don't increase the resolution too much, but be aware that I will not fix problems/bugs caused by playing at higher resolution, as this mod is designed for use at 1024x768 resolution.
Q: Will you please change [whatever] in the OLC GUI?
A: Suggestions are always welcome here, and many things previously suggested by OLC GUI players have already been implemented in the mod, but... some changes please some but not others, and some suggestions go againts the intended purpose of the mod, so chances are good that whoever you are there will be
something in the OLC GUI that you want changed which I will refuse to do.
Known Problems and Workarounds
TDC Switch/Panel gets out of sync...
...resulting in inoperable firing solution dials. I've never had this problem and can't replicate it, but if it ever happens to you there is a workaround: right click on your weapons officer and then left click on the TDC auto/manual button (the one in the 3D world) once, and that should fix it.
DoubleMastTool.exe doesn't work!
Probably because you haven't installed v2.0 of the .NET framework. You can download it from Microsoft.