Essential Mods

[Brodie9666]

Hello everyone,

Firstly let me break the rules by immediately going off topic on my own thread and saying a massive hello, this is my first post of many in this community.
I would also like to say a thank for all the help you gave me when playing SH3 although you never knew it, i was lurking silently in the background reading your forums and gleening hints and tips from you all

Ok now back on topic.

I played SH3 for a while. years ago and really liked but the world of MMO's pulled me away and i started playing Lord of the Rings Online.
A week ago whilst trawling through Amazon.co.uk i come across a copy of SH5 for a few pound and was suddenly transported back to my SH3 days and in a moment of nostalgia bought it.
It arrived a few days ago and after the initial shock at seeing the massive changes that have occured in my absence i was immediately sucked back into the SH world.
Now i know these games are never perfect upon launch, in fact it can often take several years to get them ship shape, this is part of the appeal for me strangely enough. I also know that you hard working people put a lot of time, effort and love into making fantastic mods etc to improve the game for everyone else.

So here is my question and the reason for this thread.

What, in your expert opinion, are the essential mods for Silent Hunter 5 and why?

Now i know its based on personal preference and game play style.
Well i dont exactly play on the most realistic settings, in fact if it creeps up beyond 30 % im bricking it. I do however like beautiful graphics, additional missions, history and atmosphere, (i remember a mod years ago which would allow you to listen to actual radio broadcasts on your radio as and when they happened if you tuned in on the correct dates - things like that are right up my alley!).
Oh and something to stop the crew spinning around when im talking to them would be nice.

Thanks

Brodie.

[Paajtor]

hi, and welcome!
...allthough you already seem to feel at home for a while.

I guess you are a little overwhelmed by all the mods outthere, as I am.
I too bought the game recently, and after I finally finished a new gaming-rig this weekend, I'm about to submerge into SH5.

After spending some time in the mods-section, I think it's wise for you to go have a read here:

- 1st, a list of mod-loadouts that players have posted.

- and 2nd, 2 links to a couple of larger super-mods, that are a collection of great stuff that modders have created:

Magnus Opus (MO)

AVC 2

happy hunting!

[Cold_Gambler]

Hey Brodie,

seems like a number of us new Kaleun's have had the same experience (seeing the screenies prompting impulse buy of discount-bin SH5).


I've tried TheDarkWraith's Magnum Opus mega-mod + his New UI mod but stopped using it because I found the AI too rigorous for my taste (I've since discovered that they can be toned down to be much less aggressive). MO is a comprehensive mod pack and well worth giving a try.

I've currently using Obelix's AVC 2 mod pack and really like the way everything is presented... more "period" than MO, but it's a matter of subjective taste. I'm not into very high difficulty settings, so perhaps try AVC first and see how you like it.

I haven't tried up Open Horizons yet (I want to give the stock career a full run-through first) but it looks like another "must have" on the mod list to me.

Other than that, I like the Critical Hits mods for torps and guns which, to me seems to implement a more realistic range of torpedo and shell damage. The nice thing about JSGME is that it's fairly easy to come up with one's own "mod soup".
Happy hunting,
C_G

[mia389]

Originally Posted by Cold_Gambler

Hey Brodie,

I've tried TheDarkWraith's Magnum Opus mega-mod + his New UI mod but stopped using it because I found the AI too rigorous for my taste (I've since discovered that they can be toned down to be much less aggressive). MO is a comprehensive mod pack and well worth giving a try.

You can always run IRAI and adjust the difficulty of AI before enabling the mod.

[lazlow]

First off welcome.

I am also recently playing sh 5 and have had a few headaches re- mods, i wont play without them though so sticking to it,apparently it seems theres a correct order to install some mods so it might be worth asking/researching what order to install youre chosen mods.

Other than that id say essential mods for me are open horizens II ,magnus op,churchs nav map,critical hits >torpedos,equip upgrades,ohII light campaign radio messages and finaly newui`s by the dark wraith.

Without these i probebly wouldnt play so its worth saying thanks to the modders for thier efforts,im planning on adding more mods some enviroment mods and such but i want to get my current mod soup stable first, with some ( see a lot ) help from these guys here im getting there.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Welcome aboard at last

I'm keeping an eye on this one, as I bought SHV several months ago and haven't actually done anything but the training

[0rpheus]

Install orders can be checked for validity with TDW's SH5 Validator:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=186975

If you're using any combination of IRAI, FX Update & TDW's New UIs, they should be installed in that order. The rest of it is just common sense for the most part - remember that whatever is installed later will overwrite any earlier versions - so if you install two different wave mods, for example, you'll only see the effect of the last one, as they both use the same file and the last will overwrite the first.

In terms of 'must have' mods, opinions differ of course. I have a list in my sig containing the mods I'm running at the moment, in the right order, and Sober and Mia both have good lists too.

For quick reference, all of these I consider essential:

Magnum Opus
IRAI
FX_Update 019
New UIs with TDC 6.7.0
Open Horizons II campaign mod
Dynamic Environment pack

I also really favour KZS' Hull Wetness mod, Vorkapitan's Enhanced Caustics and Mia's Real Sink. All of these can be found in the Mods forum with a little searching.

Finally, you'll also need TDW's SH5 Exe patcher regardless of what mods you use (this fixes the broken Hydrophone), and the D3D Antilag file that improves fps. Neither of these last use JSGME, just follow the instructions included:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=181433
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...o=file&id=2871

[mia389]

Originally Posted by 0rpheus

Install orders can be checked for validity with TDW's SH5 Validator:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=186975

If you're using any combination of IRAI, FX Update & TDW's New UIs, they should be installed in that order. The rest of it is just common sense for the most part - remember that whatever is installed later will overwrite any earlier versions - so if you install two different wave mods, for example, you'll only see the effect of the last one, as they both use the same file and the last will overwrite the first.

In terms of 'must have' mods, opinions differ of course. I have a list in my sig containing the mods I'm running at the moment, in the right order, and Sober and Mia both have good lists too.

For quick reference, all of these I consider essential:

Magnum Opus
IRAI
FX_Update 019
New UIs with TDC 6.7.0
Open Horizons II campaign mod
Dynamic Environment pack

I also really favour KZS' Hull Wetness mod, Vorkapitan's Enhanced Caustics and Mia's Real Sink. All of these can be found in the Mods forum with a little searching.

Finally, you'll also need TDW's SH5 Exe patcher regardless of what mods you use (this fixes the broken Hydrophone), and the D3D Antilag file that improves fps. Neither of these last use JSGME, just follow the instructions included:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=181433
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...o=file&id=2871

I will just add if AI is to hard you can tweak their settings in the IRAI mod. The file is called init.aix and found here
C:\Ubisoft\Silent Hunter 5\MODS\IRAI_0_0_30_ByTheDarkWraith\data\Scripts\AI

Below I have what I use. At first I just could not get away from escorts until I changed this.

#################################################################
###################### Difficulty parameters ####################
# Note: difficulty is in range 0 - 100 with 0 being no difficulty (sensor doesn't exist)
    # all the below get divided by 100 in code
    # for non-merchants
    VISUAL_DIFFICULTY_MIN = 85;
    VISUAL_DIFFICULTY_MAX = 95;
    HYDROPHONE_DIFFICULTY_MIN = 65;
    HYDROPHONE_DIFFICULTY_MAX = 85;
    RADAR_DIFFICULTY_MIN = 85;
    RADAR_DIFFICULTY_MAX = 95;
    SONAR_DIFFICULTY_MIN = 65;
    SONAR_DIFFICULTY_MAX = 85;

Open Horizons II is a must

[Jacke]

Originally Posted by mia389

I will just add if AI is to hard you can tweak their settings in the IRAI mod. The file is called init.aix and found here
C:\Ubisoft\Silent Hunter 5\MODS\IRAI_0_0_30_ByTheDarkWraith\data\Scripts\AI

Below I have what I use. At first I just could not get away from escorts until I changed this.

#################################################################
###################### Difficulty parameters ####################
# Note: difficulty is in range 0 - 100 with 0 being no difficulty (sensor doesn't exist)
    # all the below get divided by 100 in code
    # for non-merchants
    VISUAL_DIFFICULTY_MIN = 85;
    VISUAL_DIFFICULTY_MAX = 95;
    HYDROPHONE_DIFFICULTY_MIN = 65;
    HYDROPHONE_DIFFICULTY_MAX = 85;
    RADAR_DIFFICULTY_MIN = 85;
    RADAR_DIFFICULTY_MAX = 95;
    SONAR_DIFFICULTY_MIN = 65;
    SONAR_DIFFICULTY_MAX = 85;
    # for merchants
    VISUAL_DIFFICULTY_MERCHANT_MIN    = 85;
    VISUAL_DIFFICULTY_MERCHANT_MAX    = 100;
    HYDROPHONE_DIFFICULTY_MERCHANT_MIN = 85;
    HYDROPHONE_DIFFICULTY_MERCHANT_MAX = 100;
    RADAR_DIFFICULTY_MERCHANT_MIN    = 85;
    RADAR_DIFFICULTY_MERCHANT_MAX    = 100;
    SONAR_DIFFICULTY_MERCHANT_MIN    = 85;
    SONAR_DIFFICULTY_MERCHANT_MAX    = 100;

What about the merchant difficulties (stock values now included in the example)? Does this lead to the merchants easily spotting your sub and eventually making effective attacks difficult?

[Gerald]

@ Svart! Welcome to SubSim,

[Jacke]

Originally Posted by Vendor

@ Svart! Welcome to SubSim,

...and the 85 degree slope learning curve! Thanks.

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by Svart

What about the merchant difficulties (stock values now included in the example)? Does this lead to the merchants easily spotting your sub and eventually making effective attacks difficult?

If you increase their difficulty settings then yes, they will be more difficult to attack. They may spot you sooner, them may call in air support sooner, they may fire guns sooner, who knows. That's the random nature of IRAI

[Jacke]

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

If you increase their difficulty settings then yes, they will be more difficult to attack. They may spot you sooner, them may call in air support sooner, they may fire guns sooner, who knows. That's the random nature of IRAI

Increase ?!?!? Stock in IRAI they have the same difficulty settings as those escorts that mia389 had to tone down to be able to escape at all.

I'm going to set the merchants to the same vales mia389 turned the non-merchants down to.

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by Svart

Increase ?!?!? Stock in IRAI they have the same difficulty settings as those escorts that mia389 had to tone down to be able to escape at all.

The stock settings in IRAI will provide a very challenging experience. You have to be an exceptional captain if you want to live. Most people will want to tone those settings down for warship. Having merchant at stock value is ok though.