Sonar Realism

auknight · 01-05-08, 01:40 AM

Hey all! This is my first post, and I am relatively new to the subsim genre. My experiance is limited to Enigma: Rising Tide (sucks) and SH4, that's it!!

Anyway, I wanted to bring up the whole sonar/environmentals/detection thing. When I first started playing, I was curious how accurately sound propogation and such were modeled in this game. I read a few of the other threads related to the thermal layer.

Now, from my experience, I think there is no complex oceanographic modeling. There seems to be a simple implementation of a 'thermal layer' which I assume to be the sonic layer depth. When you pass this depth, the game simply tones down the sound your sub emits. In reality, the layer depth will quiet you significantly due to the fact that your props pretty much stop cavitating. You'd have to go much faster in order to cavitate at lower depths. The primary sound source for a sub running silent is the screws turning. I don't think subs back then had THAT many auxiliaries that could emit sound, other than the transients like the rudder, and dive planes moving, and I'm sure those were kept to a minimum.

So before I go further, what do the rest of you guys think? About ocean modeling, sonar detection, thermal layers, and the enemies ability to track you via passive/active sonar.

01-05-08, 01:40 AM	#1
auknight Swabbie Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 5 Downloads: 31 Uploads: 0	Sonar Realism Hey all! This is my first post, and I am relatively new to the subsim genre. My experiance is limited to Enigma: Rising Tide (sucks) and SH4, that's it!! Anyway, I wanted to bring up the whole sonar/environmentals/detection thing. When I first started playing, I was curious how accurately sound propogation and such were modeled in this game. I read a few of the other threads related to the thermal layer. Now, from my experience, I think there is no complex oceanographic modeling. There seems to be a simple implementation of a 'thermal layer' which I assume to be the sonic layer depth. When you pass this depth, the game simply tones down the sound your sub emits. In reality, the layer depth will quiet you significantly due to the fact that your props pretty much stop cavitating. You'd have to go much faster in order to cavitate at lower depths. The primary sound source for a sub running silent is the screws turning. I don't think subs back then had THAT many auxiliaries that could emit sound, other than the transients like the rudder, and dive planes moving, and I'm sure those were kept to a minimum. So before I go further, what do the rest of you guys think? About ocean modeling, sonar detection, thermal layers, and the enemies ability to track you via passive/active sonar.