GWX.....incredible....some observations.....and an intro to me.

[suitednate]

To the creators of this mod.....This is so amazing it brings a tear to my eye.

Let me just say it's nice to meet everyone here and to get the insights everyone provides....

I have been posting here recently because I jumped back into playing war game simulations recently (within the last month). My other addictions are the NHL series on xbox for a long time, while also recently being addicted to world of tanks 360 edition. Battlestations: Midway and Pacific are tons of fun too even if they aren't so realistic.

Computer sims though take time and I have some of that now since my gf is away at school.

Anyways, I'm 33 yrs old now and played Silent service originally on the ole apple IIgs when I was about 8. Got me really interested in the subject matter. Then I played Aces of the Deep on DOS a few years after that for awhile and that was pretty cool for the time. Great Naval Battles was good around that time too and loved it (at the time) and recently tried playing that again only to find out that it really isn't so good. It's pretty bad when two convoy escorting destroyers can put the Graf Spee and Scheer out of action with gunfire and my 11 inchers can't hit them at all after still after expending more than half my ammo. (You would think after a few salvos of spotting shots that some would hit and 3 or 4 hits would send a DD to the bottom....well nope). A few years later I also tried to get into the modern subsim Sub Command (688, seawolf, akula) but college life got in the way for me to learn it in depth.

So fast forward and recently I decided to delve back into the subsim genre and had been lurking around these boards for a little trying to figure out which one I should try. Sounded like with all the issues that SH5 has had that SH3 was the way to go and then modding it. I'll probably give SH4 a go at some point too. So far it looks like I made the right choice. I have played the stock SH3 with Hsie and stiebler patches for a couple weeks now and was thrilled with how awesome it was.

I wasn't going to move forward to GWX until I finished up the career I had going. I was playing at about 80-85% realism. Was averaging about 35-45k tons sunk per patrol. Then in about August '41 I was attacking a convoy and made a stupid mistake. My favorite tactic had been to get into the convoy itself and create havoc from inside it. Fire all tubes and make it difficult for the escorts by having them chase me inside the convoy while I would dive under the merchants and then slip away or pop back up and fire another couple eels. Well this time, my calculations and situational awareness were a bit off and a destroyer came out of what I thought was nowhere (bad situational awareness) and made a well targeted pass right over me when I was at periscope depth in inside the convoy. Tried to dive but his charges hit the mark and all of a sudden I had more damage on the DC screen than I had ever seen to that point and was flooding quick in 3 or more compartments. The DC team couldn't save me, couldn't keep the boat for going deeper, I finally went under crush depth and it was over. The dead screen popped up and just sat there feeling shame and inside was just like "well....F@&k!!!" I actually forgot to try to blow ballast but I have a feeling it would not have made a difference in this case.

I had reloaded saves before but in this I made the decision to accept the consequences and accept Dead is Dead. (I'll still reload for high TC derp mistakes).

So then I decided......time to check out GWX and it's simply amazing. Kudos to the folks who sacrificed their time and effort to make this GEM.

I have noticed that it seems that escorts do not spot you as easily on the surface at night compared to vanilla SH3. That was a rub I had with the vanilla version. I was constantly asking "how in the hell could he see me?" When a lot of times I couldn't even see him then all of a sudden searchlights appeared out of nowhere. Anyone else notice this difference between the 2? However once you are under and trying to evade the escorts and the depth charge runs, it seems to be way harder in GWX and they don't give up near as easily. I've been getting pounded and it's only October '39 in my new career. They also seem to use active pinging a lot more too.

The 16km atmosphere in GWX also makes a world of difference as well. Adds so much. I think this is a factor about seeing the escorts at night before they can see me. The uses of Das Boot material are awesome as well.

Can anyone tell me if SH5 is actually worth a try at some point? The visuals do look pretty but do they make up for it's shortcomings?

Long post I know and a bit of a rant so I hope you didn't get lost. . Answers to the scattered questions above would be very welcome. Thanks everyone

[Sailor Steve]

The main shortcoming with SH5 these days is the lack of u-boat types. The effort to expand crew interaction and the ability to walk through the boat left them without enough time to create other boats. There are also a limited number of merchant types to attack. That said, there are a lot of players willing to live with that and like SH5 best of all. Considering the low price it's certainly worth a try.

Welcome aboard.

Also, if you want to tell more about yourself, we have this thread:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=87423

[Laufen zum Ziel]

[Schöneboom]

Congratulations on entering the GWX Realm. There are many wonders in store for you, Herr Kaleun.

Yes, the classic bug from stock SH3 was called "Vampire Night Vision" and GWX cured that. If you haven't installed SH3 Commander yet, I recommend it as one of the must-haves. For one thing, it simulates thermal layers, which will help you elude the ASDIC (active sonar) in the early war.

Gute Jagd!
Wayne

[HW3]

Welcome Aboard!

[suitednate]

Originally Posted by Schöneboom

Congratulations on entering the GWX Realm. There are many wonders in store for you, Herr Kaleun.

Yes, the classic bug from stock SH3 was called "Vampire Night Vision" and GWX cured that. If you haven't installed SH3 Commander yet, I recommend it as one of the must-haves. For one thing, it simulates thermal layers, which will help you elude the ASDIC (active sonar) in the early war.

Gute Jagd!
Wayne

I had read around on the vampire night vision thing......the way I read it is that the fix actually reduces your own crew's ability to see ships far away at night but the enemy's ability remains untouched? This has been confusing me because it really does seem like it is harder for the enemy to see you at night in GWX vs vanilla SH3.

The thermal layer thing alone gives me reason to SH3 commander then. I'm already in a career though. Only 3rd patrol though. Can I install that mid career? Or do I have to start a brand new one after install?

[maillemaker]

Where is the thermal layer option in SH3 Commander? I can't find it.

Steve

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by maillemaker

Where is the thermal layer option in SH3 Commander? I can't find it.

It's in the SH3 Commander/Cfg folder, 'Randomised Events'.

[maillemaker]

It's in the SH3 Commander/Cfg folder, 'Randomised Events'.

I see that in the file - how do you enable it?

Steve