Hello,
In this thread, I would like to list all the missing (or badly done) features which, in your opinion (and mine), are really missing in SH3 to make it a real good U-Boot and WWII simulation. This list could be useful to help developpers for a future U-Boot simulation.
I will update this first post with all your ideas.
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Before each line, the evaluation that I give to the difficulty to add the feature (1/5 = easy ----- 5/5 = very hard).
* = Possible to partially correct/add to SH3.
** = Possible to fully correct/add to SH3.
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The weather
Weather, night and moon light should be key factors having a major effect on detection ability (visual, hydrophone, ASDIC, radar) both for the enemy and yourself *. Cf. AI detection ability.
3/5 - The weather should be far more sophisticated, with a lot of various and precise parameters, different types of clouds, realistic wind speeds and sea states.
2/5 - The type of weather should depend on the period of the year and geographical position (for example, there are more storms in the North Atlantic during winter).
1/5 - Snow (snow squalls) and aurora borealis (illuminating the night) should be added.
1/5 - Bad weather (storm) should cause the convoys to scatter.
1/5 - You shouldn't be able to use periscope at night, or only (and hardly) with bright moon light (full moon in clear sky).
The AI units
2/5 - They should be able to attack with torpedoes (AI submarines, aircrafts, fast boats, destroyers...).
4/5 - They should adjust their attack depending on the power of the enemy in front of them (run away under a smoke screen, run for a torpedo attack, crash dive...).
2/5 - All the units escorting a convoy should not attack at the same time a single U-Boot, leaving the convoy without protection. They also shouldn't hunt it for too long (for example no more than 30 minutes), their main task being to escort the convoy. They should use ASDIC even prior to any enemy contact. They shouldn't go away too far from the convoy
3/5 - They should be able to not get stuck against the shore, and choose a "clever" route to avoid coast line and other obstacles.
Detection ability :
2/5 - they should't be able to detect you with hydrophone if you're sailing in the middle of a convoy ;
1/5 - they should't be able to detect you with ASDIC if you're near other ships or near/on the sea bottom ;
1/5 - they should't be able to see you at night (or hardly) with only visual sensor * (in order to be able to conduct realistic night surface attacks, including getting inside convoys without being spotted as some U-Boot's aces did in WWII) ;
1/5 - they should't be able to detect you with hydrophone or ASDIC during/after DC explosions ;
3/5 - hydrophone, ASDIC or radar should not give to the AI your exact position (distance, bearing and depth) nor your course and speed (or hardly).
1/5 - Airplanes shouldn't be able to fly/attack in storm (nor at night, except for special units equiped with radar/Ley light).
1/5 - It should be possible to stop a neutral ship to inspect her cargo, and ask the crew to leave the boat if you think you have to sink this ship. You should be able to detect if the ship is transmitting detress signals with her radio. Some merchant also refusing to stop, and even trying to ramm you.
3/5 - It should be possible to interact with a ship or submarine to refuel or load torpedoes at sea, something more realistic and sophisticated than just sailing to a point, anchor next to a ship/submarine and leaving game and reloading with random addition of fuel and torpedoes.
5/5 - You should be able to operate in wolfpacks, the AI U-Boots being enough clever to report (with useful informations) and follow a convoy without being detected, and choose the best moment and place to attack with torpedoes. The BdU should also give proper orders given the situations, including giving some patrol areas for each U-Boot of the pack.
3/5 - The enemy should be able to send a hunter killer group (if possible) where you have been spotted by visual detection, your radio transmissions (Hf/Df) or intelligence (decoded german encrypted messages with ULTRA).
Campaign and historical aspects
3/5 - All convoys should be historical (dates, route, composition, escort, etc.) *.
2/5 - The BdU should be much more active, telling you where the convoys are, what tactics to use, what new dangers to avoid... Historical messages should be used as much as possible **.
2/5 - Minefields should be historical (areas, density, type of mines, depth) *.
The crew of the playable U-Boot
4/5 - You should have the feeling to be in the shoes of the U-Boot's commander. Not having to do calculations, but only deciding about strategical decisions. You should have a large chat list containing precise orders to give to the crew. In particular, while in a torpedo attack run, a chain of historical orders and replies by the officers and crew members should take place.
2/5 - Repairs to the boat should be realistic. A flooding meaning most of the time surfacing and surrendering... if not too late to die.
2/5 - A crew member should be able to give (limited) medical assistance.
Misc
3/5 - The Earth should be spherical and not flat, in order to have real distances and GPS coordinates (to recreate real events, battles...). You should be able to see a ship disappearing under the horizon when sailing away of it.
1/5 - The distances of visibility should be far greater. In SH3 (with special env mods), the maximum is 20 km, but it can be 100 km in real life.
3/5 - Geography (including sea floor with shallows and reefs) should be accurate, at least in areas where we are often sailing or of historical interest (German and French coast, Scapa Flow, Helgoland...).
2/5 - Harbours should have historical look. U-Boots' bunkers should appear at proper dates.
2/5 - The merchant ships should have a realistic look and reflect variety **.
1/5 - Neutral merchant ships should wear neutrality marks on their hull **.
2/5 - Realistic and meaningful sounds given by the hydrophone.
2/5 - Chlorine gas should appear when the batteries are damaged, with consequences on the crew...
3/5 - All the work around the torpedoes should be more historicaly correct (it was necessary to regularly charge their batteries, to warm up them before launching for greater range, etc.)
The mission editor
1/5 - There should be a way to precisely script the weather for a specific mission over the time (for example : cloudy at the beginning, then little rain 2 hours and 22 minutes later with more wind, then some sun and clouds for 45 minutes, etc.) .
1/5 - It should be possible to script a special behaviour of units for a specific mission (kamikaze attack, or always withdraw attack if there is an any enemy cruiser...).
2/5 - More complexe conditions (with the use of boolean operators) should be available to determine different scenarios. The building of conditions, events, triggers... should be easier (less rigid) and clearer. It should be possible to create missions lasting several days or months.
1/5 - It should be possible to continue to play a mission, regardless of the objectives (all missed or all completed).
1/5 - It should be possible to choose what skin (texture) to apply to each specific unit.
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What else ?
