New to SH3, and some nitpicks

[WH4K]

I bought Silent Hunter III in a Steam sale last week. I also found out about & installed the Grey Wolves eXpansion 3.0 soon thereafter.

So far, I'm very impressed! I just completed the first of the "Naval Academy" missions, and extended my cruise a bit to watch the sun set. Not a bad sunset for a computer game!

I was wondering about a few things though:

1) Why is it that the observation & attack periscope heads always face forward? Even if I leave them pointed towards the stern, then go back to the bridge view when on the surface, they look like they're facing forward.

2) Similar question about the UZO. Shouldn't the attack periscope housing be in the way when I look directly astern?

[GoldenRivet]

on both points, the periscopes are not animated to rotate.

I have ALWAYS wondered this but never said anything.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Nitpicking in 3, you wait till you try the others!!!

Welcome aboard

Enjoy your cruising enjoying the sunsets as hours of real life pass you by, it's that good.

As soon as you click or press a key to go to them?
You get the same settings.
So if a Camera is programmed to look straight ahead of your U-Boot?
That's what you'll get.
As soon as you leave that area?
It defaults to programmed settings.
Easy to understand.

[Arnold]

Greetings from a fellow noob! What I like about SHIII is the realism regarding the ocean waves. I'm on my 2nd patrol out of Kiel. On my 1st patrol I was impressed upon my return to Keil to be welcomed at night by two blinking lighthouses! Good hunting!

[K-61]

One that's always bothered me is the way light shines through solid objects. It's not a deal breaker, but it does annoy me. It was either through laziness or lack of time to correct it before release to public. Great game that could've been perfect if given enough time to work out a few broken things.

[desirableroasted]

Originally Posted by WH4K

I bought Silent Hunter III in a Steam sale last week. I also found out about & installed the Grey Wolves eXpansion 3.0 soon thereafter.

So far, I'm very impressed! I just completed the first of the "Naval Academy" missions, and extended my cruise a bit to watch the sun set. Not a bad sunset for a computer game!

I was wondering about a few things though:

1) Why is it that the observation & attack periscope heads always face forward? Even if I leave them pointed towards the stern, then go back to the bridge view when on the surface, they look like they're facing forward.

2) Similar question about the UZO. Shouldn't the attack periscope housing be in the way when I look directly astern?

And shouldn't that cold spray actually sting my face? And shouldn't Hans get washed overboard? Why don't those swinging sausages actually stink up the control room?



It's always irked me, somewhere deep, that the watch crew is never in the way when I do a binoculars/UZO sweep.

Welcome aboard U-000, where it is never immersive enough!

[WH4K]

Another, much bigger problem: Is there any way at all that I can get SH3 to minimize to the taskbar?

So far, I can't. At best, I get flickers of the taskbar, but can't actually switch to any other app.

This is really annoying. Sometimes I need to go look something up on a website. It takes a while to quit SH3 completely, then re-load it. Kind of a hassle.

[krashkart]

Originally Posted by desirableroasted

And shouldn't that cold spray actually sting my face?

Have the wife/girlfriend hose you down with a 2-1/2 inch fire hose every couple of minutes. Might want to waterproof the computer beforehand, though.

And shouldn't Hans get washed overboard?

Buy one of those kiddie pools, set it up in your gaming room and fill with water. Then have a friend or co-worker jump in once or twice per patrol.

Why don't those swinging sausages actually stink up the control room?

Simple. Hang some sausages up in your gaming area and leave them there for a few weeks. Helps to leave dirty socks and spent underpants lying around, too.



And above all, don't forget to forget to shower.



Oh, and welcome aboard WH4K!

[GoldenRivet]

Originally Posted by privateer

As soon as you click or press a key to go to them?
You get the same settings.
So if a Camera is programmed to look straight ahead of your U-Boot?
That's what you'll get.
As soon as you leave that area?
It defaults to programmed settings.
Easy to understand.

I think he means that - as he rotates the scopes - the 3D models of the scopes in external view remain pointed straight ahead.

[FIREWALL]

Originally Posted by WH4K

Another, much bigger problem: Is there any way at all that I can get SH3 to minimize to the taskbar?

So far, I can't. At best, I get flickers of the taskbar, but can't actually switch to any other app.

This is really annoying. Sometimes I need to go look something up on a website. It takes a while to quit SH3 completely, then re-load it. Kind of a hassle.

Alt - Tab at same time. Sometimes it takes 2-3 times

[WH4K]

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

I think he means that - as he rotates the scopes - the 3D models of the scopes in external view remain pointed straight ahead.

This. When I go back to the periscope, it's just where I left it, even though it doesn't look that way from the bridge.

SH3 is the first sub sim I've encountered that even acknowledges most subs had 2 periscopes. That they're present at all, and able to be used separately, is impressive.

[Gerald]

Good luck,

[Sailor Steve]

First of all, WELCOME ABOARD!

As to the periscopes, it's probably just something they didn't think of (or didn't have time for, or were too lazy). This is also the case for the observation 'scope in the control room. It always points forward. It's either FM's New Interiors mod or the Open Hatch Conning Tower mod that makes it work, but you can have it be pointed the way you left it - at least when you're inside.

Attack periscope housing in the way? I think the UZO is higher, but I also don't think they could point it aft. Not enough room.

And speaking of the UZO, why is it there at all? The only time they brought the thing to the bridge was when they were actually conducting a surface attack.

Originally Posted by desirableroasted

It's always irked me, somewhere deep, that the watch crew is never in the way when I do a binoculars/UZO sweep.

Sergbuto made a freecam mod that made you move around the bridge because the watch crew were in the way. Unfortunately it's no longer available, and I can't find it in my collection even though I know I used to use it.

There is an adaptation of it, but I don't remember if this version had the crew in the way, but here is the link:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...o=file&id=1953

Originally Posted by WH4K

Another, much bigger problem: Is there any way at all that I can get SH3 to minimize to the taskbar?

As said, Alt+Tab works. I've always used the Windows key without any trouble.

[Tessa]

Welcome aboard and enjoy the ride

Alt+Tab has always worked for me in the past to move between desktop and game, be sure to pause the game before you move out otherwise the game will continue to run at whatever TC setting you were using.

For a more enhanced bridge you might want to check out this mod. While SH3 does have its little annoyances or lack of nuances, don't loose site that the game is 6 years old! The GWX team and moders have done a tremendous job in reproducing the historical accuracy and increasing the quality level of the graphics over the years, more work has been done on this game than any other I've played (and is continually being moded).

If you've only installed GWX you have only just opened pandora's box; there is a plethora of great mods to add on to enhance graphics, add more/new ships, and much much more. All add to the realism and make it even better.