SH3 Transplant questions

[SleightOfHand]

A few things. I think a lot of these are answered in tutorial videos, but if there's any other option at all (a writeup, for instance) I'd prefer that (no offense to the video-makers, it's just I'm better off with something I can print out and refer to later on).

I'll start at the beginning, I guess, and ask a few interface/general things.
1. Where's my 'maximum range at current speed' button?
2. At what speed are the US subs in general most fuel efficient? I've been going at 2/3, and that seems pretty close, at least.

And now onto the bane of my current existence, the US TDC. <.< I wasn't laser-accurate in SH3, but here I am ridiculously bad.

1. Snapshots: say I'm either in real close to an enemy ship, or I'm firing at things docked in a harbor from ~2000 yards--what TDC settings result in a shot that tracks precisely along the periscope bearing-to-target? I've tried 0 speed, 0 AOB, and entering the bearing/range via that button, but that tends to be two or three degrees off. It's not a huge problem when you're shooting at something close, but I've missed shots against stationary things in harbors because I've had to jiggle the periscope over three degrees to get the torpedo to take the right course.

2. The periscope TDC stuff: what does the speed/track calculation button require when it says it doesn't have enough data? What does the red 'S' on the torpedoes panel that usually has a tooltip of 'poor' mean (can I guess that it's my solution?)?

3. The position keeper: best to activate after a full initial set of data is in, or after the range/bearing is in?

[Syxx_Killer]

Originally Posted by SleightOfHand

1. Where's my 'maximum range at current speed' button?
2. At what speed are the US subs in general most fuel efficient? I've been going at 2/3, and that seems pretty close, at least.

1. There is none. When playing stock SH4 you have your fuel bar at the bottom. Mods like Trigger Maru add a button for that function.

2. Except for the S-Class subs, 9 knots seems to be the most efficient speed.

[Platapus]

it is tough going from SH3 to SH4.

" The periscope TDC stuff: what does the speed/track calculation button require when it says it doesn't have enough data? "

The speed estimation function requires two separate range calculations. The longer the time interval the more accurate (in theory). I believe that when your crew reports not enough data, they are asking for another range reading. Try to keep the range readings about 10 seconds apart.

"The position keeper: best to activate after a full initial set of data is in, or after the range/bearing is in?"

well there are some who never use the PK. Reference this lively thread

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=133122

If I were to use it I would wait until I had a full set of data... If I ever used it.

"And now onto the bane of my current existence, the US TDC. <.< I wasn't laser-accurate in SH3, but here I am ridiculously bad."

Same here. I was actually pretty good at manual targeting in SH3 but I find the controls in SH4 awkward and slow to use.

Try Rockin's technique in the thread I give you. It is a pretty good technique that really helped my manual targeting in both SH4 and SH3.

"What does the red 'S' on the torpedoes panel that usually has a tooltip of 'poor' mean (can I guess that it's my solution?)?"

The red "S" is to tell you when the Ice Cream machine needs servicing. I can't seem to find any other use for it.

Good Hunting

[Quillan]

Probably the biggest single difference between the TDC functions on the German and American boats is that on the US boats, the bearing-to-target does NOT update as you turn the scope. It only transmits the bearing when you send a range reading. In SH3, you could input a range, speed, and AOB, and then it would update the solutions based on where your scope was pointing. In this one, you have to remember to retransmit a range once you turn the scope, otherwise it's going to fire on the previous bearing. It caused me to miss a ton of follow-up shots before I got into that habit.

[SleightOfHand]

One more before bed:

is there a way to ask your watch crew on which bearing the nearest enemy is? >.>

[Rockin Robbins]

Sometimes I feel like a shameless huckster, but Trigger Maru really does contain the fixes for all the concerns you have, plus a host of others you don't realize you have yet. Real Fleet Boat may, also, but with my SH3, SH4 Fleet Boat career and SH4UBM U-Boat career, I just can't seem to find the initiative to install it.

I just can't imagine playing SH4 for Fleet Boats without TMO.

[SleightOfHand]

Just like with SH3, I'm forcing myself to play through an unmodded campaign before I go for one of the supermods. :P

[Quillan]

Well, you might want to get one mod, anyway. A part of Trigger Maru is a change to the commands.cfg file, that restores all the SH3 keyboard shortcuts. Most of the commands you're looking for either had keyboard shorcuts under SH3, or at least had entries in the commands.cfg file allowing you to make keyboard shortcuts for them. I think that file is available as a separate mod; if not, I'm sure any number of us could send it to you.

[Rockin Robbins]

Originally Posted by Quillan

Well, you might want to get one mod, anyway. A part of Trigger Maru is a change to the commands.cfg file, that restores all the SH3 keyboard shortcuts. Most of the commands you're looking for either had keyboard shorcuts under SH3, or at least had entries in the commands.cfg file allowing you to make keyboard shortcuts for them. I think that file is available as a separate mod; if not, I'm sure any number of us could send it to you.

I have that keyboard configuration. It's Trigger Maru plus shift-i for whoever identify target. Now I have to fiddle with filefront to get the link.......stand by..........THE LINK!

Now, this is not Trigger Maru, just the keyboard configuration, which will work in the default game. Now you'll have your old SH3 key commands back plus some SH4 improvements! Install with JSGME.