Blowing ships up - SH5 FX side by side with the real footage

[kapuhy]

Attention: due to contents of this thread, it should under no circumstances be viewed by Cool Guys.

I put together some actual footage from WW2 with similar photos and recordings done in SH5, to see how the explosions and fires in game compare to the real thing and hopefully spark some discussion about what (and how) could be improved. Even if this doesn't lead to anything for SH5, it might be of use to devs of new subsims (looking at you Wolfpack!).

1. Tanker on fire after being torpedoed:



I like this one. Whoever did these huge black clouds of smoke (I don't think they were in stock game) did a fantastic job at capturing it.

2. Burning carrier:



On the left, USS Bunker Hill after kamikaze attack. On the right, Ark Royal after torpedo hit. Again, I like how the game captures it, even if the game smoke dissipates too fast. I wonder if we could increase the amount of smoke while slightly slowing down its dissipation time...

3. British destroyer HMS Wishart during a depth charge run:



To me, the in-game water spray looks a bit timid compared to the real one. I don't know how much we can mod these, but perhaps using torpedo hit water spray for depth charges would make them look more similar?

And now two videos:

4. USS John Burke (ammunition carrying Liberty freighter) explodes



In this case, neither SH5 nor anything Michael Bay could come up with doesn't hold a candle to the real thing. I had no idea how scary those can look...

5.Battleship Barham Capsizing



I wasn't able to trigger ammunition magazine explosion on demand (and even if I was, in-game explosion doesn't look similar to it at all), but the capsizing itself looks very believable.

[vdr1981]

Very interesting! Thanks for this kapuhy!

[Pappy55]

That ammo ship going up is like a small tactical nuke. Those poor sailors aboard wouldn't even have a chance.

[FlyMaker]

Very nice comparison
I really like the real footage. Maybe SH5 still have potential for improvements

[kapuhy]

Originally Posted by Pappy55

That ammo ship going up is like a small tactical nuke. Those poor sailors aboard wouldn't even have a chance.

Speaking of which, while making this post I've come across the story of Halifax explosion in 1917, when a steamer loaded with TNT and picric acid blew up in port with energy of 3 kilotons, killing 2000 and flattening the city within 2 km from the harbour.

[kapuhy]

And here, several merchants loaded with different cargo exploding in SH5 and how these types of explosions could look IRL:



(note: empty merchant explosion happens so fast because at this point I had TC turned up).

[vdr1981]

Originally Posted by kapuhy

And here, several merchants loaded with different cargo exploding in SH5 and how these types of explosions could look IRL:



(note: empty merchant explosion happens so fast because at this point I had TC turned up).

Is that with or without TWoS FX addons?

[kapuhy]

Originally Posted by vdr1981

Is that with or without TWoS FX addons?

This is with TWoS 2.2.10, but with optional "no hollywood explosions" addon checked. Also, due to my aging laptop I had to disable dynamic shadows, so if someone could replicate it on true gaming rig with all bells and whistles on, that would be great

[Tonci87]

Jesus, that ammunition ship going up is scary

[johan_d]

Never saw one capsized..