Adding To The Immersion Factor

Mike 'Red Ocktober' Hense · 07-29-05, 10:04 AM

my 2nd day in a row playing the sim... i guess i'm a lil anxious, maybe too anxious, to get my hands on a TypeXXI...

i wake up, coffee ready, get out emails and other work (if any)...

open up the compiler, the editor, and/or the modeller...

and fire up SH3

Nov 17,1943... and UBoat command is sending me to the Carribean... how nice of them to realize i needed a lil sun and surf

but no complaints... i take the mission, even though i've heard that the American coast is a deadly place for Uboat crews to vacation this time of year...

a sense of forboding takes over... i now wonder if i'll ever see the control room of that prized new sub i've been hearing so much about lately...

ok... off the the pier...

i arrive there at early morning, about 03:30... the sub and crew are ready to go... after final checks, we wave our goodbyes to the pretty nurses, and i order all ballast tanks flooded down to scope depth and the snorkel mast raised...

we exit the docks submerged, only the big air pipe sticking up giving any indication of our progress... i keep the scope down, relying on some new operating procedures to enhance the sense of being there...

this time i move the keyboard out of reach, and rely on the mouse entirely for movement about the sub, and for selecting the stations and handling the controls... no more keyboard shortcuts... if i wanna turn left, i have to be at the engineers postion (left click and turn the view, then right click when facing him) and then, click on the rudder turn buttons as required... using the gyro compass to guide my turns...

when done i right click back to leave the station...

left click again (move mouse to a clear area first) to enable rotating the view and then center on the navigator station... right click and use that map instead of the big map that ruins the illusion of being cramped aboard the sub (there are gonna be times when you are gonna need to go to the big map, for instance, to reset the map, but using the smaller map at the station is kinda neat and makes it seem more real)...

there is no substitute for the attack map though... and i can't find a click control for the ballast tanks... so i guess i'll have to use the keys for those as well...

and the translucent gui overlays... hide em as much as you can...

i made a submerged departure from Lorient this way... at night (again) and this really adds a bit to the feeling of actually being aboard a uboat (admittedly, they probably wouldn't have rode submerged from the pier)...

i can't see outside... only popped the scope once to see how close i came to grounding the boat, but it was sooo dark outside, nothing was visible, so down the scope comes...

the red glow of the control room lights is my entire world... until we switch over to white light for the daylight hours... still, i may have to surface for a brief period to give the crew a lil break and some fresh air... maybe out in mid ocean, where the chances of running into a random air search flight is lessened...

well, we've cleared Lorient inlet... we're off on another adventure... i just hope i survive to get a XXI (and that the career saves keep working correctly)... then i can get one step closer to the totally submerged mission concept...

man... if they only had more of the interior spaces modelled...

--Mike

Duncan Idaho · 07-29-05, 10:24 AM

You aren't kidding, my immersion would be near complete if I could drop in on Axel back in the Engine Rooms, or pop up to the torp room to put a bit of pressure on old Hans and his crew.

Not to mention a cook. Boat really needs a cook. Keep safe, get your boat. I'm working towards getting mine in a new career.

SteamWake · 07-29-05, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Rowplaying

Thats the funniest thing Ive seen here in quite some time :rotfl:

Not sure wether that was intentional or not but its hilarious.

Have fun !

Mike 'Red Ocktober' Hense · 07-29-05, 11:27 AM

hahahaha :rotfl: ... me trying too type fast... it should've been 'row playing'...

i'll fix it...

man, the allies have really racheted up the air patrols... i'm just about 2 days out in grid BF46, and i've been forced down twice by aircraft...

even at scope depth with only the snorkel above water they seem to find you... i had to go down to 14 meters, so that only the head of the pipe is above the surface... and i still got harassed!!!

last time i managed to get enough air to refill the O2 and ballast... but the batteries are in the yellow...

it's a good thing i was at fast time and noticed the time wouldn't go past 8... a definite indication that something is close by... nothing on the sound gear, i decided to dive... and while passing through 30 meters, i heard the depth charges explode overhead...

i can see that this one is gonna be tough...

--Mike

SteamWake · 07-29-05, 11:40 AM

Why change it its okay if you roleplay or rowplay your sim honest they wont make fun of you

Yes the snorkle seems to have a big red beacon on it that only the allies can see.

Good luck !

Skweetis · 07-29-05, 11:56 AM

Quote:

and i can't find a click control for the ballast tanks... so i guess i'll have to use the keys for those as well...

You can control the balast tanks!!??!?! What about dive planes?!?!?

there are key strokes for these!!?!?

Where!?!? How!?!??!

Im all excited now!

James

Nopileo · 07-29-05, 12:01 PM

Mike,

I haven't read through all the bug reports, but as far as I've understood, there is a major bug with the snorkel.

It seems that if you use the snorkel, it gives out a visual signature about as large as if you were surfaced. So try to limit your use of the snorkel to only at night or in fog until a fix is available.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong though. Maybe this only relates to the XXI snorkel?

Regards,

Nopileo

Mike 'Red Ocktober' Hense · 07-29-05, 12:05 PM

that seems to be what i'm experiencing so far N...

it attracts everything that floats or flies, and has big guns...

... and scares away merchants... i found that lowering it works best after i get a solid chase contact, else i might as well be on the surface...

Sweetkis: sorry man... no, i haven't found a manual control for the ballast or the dive planes... I WISH

--Mike

Nopileo · 07-29-05, 03:22 PM

I forgot to mention that this snorkel bug is only related to visual visibility, and not radar like suspected earlier. So you'll still have an advantage snorkeling submerged.

I haven't tested this myself yet, as I'm still in late 1940. But I'm thinking of starting a new 'test campaign' in 1943 as soon as I dock and experiment with the snorkel.

I've started too many times over again in 1939, and I'm getting slightly bored. Jumping in in '43 with all the goodie equipment will be a nice change.

I'm even thinking of cheating myself into '44, type some renown into the patrol file and take the XXI out for a spin...

Only to test the snorkel bug of course...

Nopileo · 07-29-05, 03:44 PM

Just stepped over a possible fix for the snorkel bug. You'll find info in the post by Carcassonne (post 14) in this thread:

http://www.subsim.com/phpBB/viewtopi...=364829#364829

Ian · 07-29-05, 08:13 PM

Ref; the snorkel bug. A quick work around is that you don't use snorkel depth at all in the game. The snorkel will still function correctly at periscope depth so just use periscope depth when you are snorkelling. As was stated before in this post and others when you are at snorkel depth the game is coded so that you are virtually the same as being on the surface.
Hope this helps..

07-29-05, 10:04 AM	#1
Mike 'Red Ocktober' Hense Commander Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 445 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Adding To The Immersion Factor my 2nd day in a row playing the sim... i guess i'm a lil anxious, maybe too anxious, to get my hands on a TypeXXI... i wake up, coffee ready, get out emails and other work (if any)... open up the compiler, the editor, and/or the modeller... and fire up SH3 Nov 17,1943... and UBoat command is sending me to the Carribean... how nice of them to realize i needed a lil sun and surf but no complaints... i take the mission, even though i've heard that the American coast is a deadly place for Uboat crews to vacation this time of year... a sense of forboding takes over... i now wonder if i'll ever see the control room of that prized new sub i've been hearing so much about lately... ok... off the the pier... i arrive there at early morning, about 03:30... the sub and crew are ready to go... after final checks, we wave our goodbyes to the pretty nurses, and i order all ballast tanks flooded down to scope depth and the snorkel mast raised... we exit the docks submerged, only the big air pipe sticking up giving any indication of our progress... i keep the scope down, relying on some new operating procedures to enhance the sense of being there... this time i move the keyboard out of reach, and rely on the mouse entirely for movement about the sub, and for selecting the stations and handling the controls... no more keyboard shortcuts... if i wanna turn left, i have to be at the engineers postion (left click and turn the view, then right click when facing him) and then, click on the rudder turn buttons as required... using the gyro compass to guide my turns... when done i right click back to leave the station... left click again (move mouse to a clear area first) to enable rotating the view and then center on the navigator station... right click and use that map instead of the big map that ruins the illusion of being cramped aboard the sub (there are gonna be times when you are gonna need to go to the big map, for instance, to reset the map, but using the smaller map at the station is kinda neat and makes it seem more real)... there is no substitute for the attack map though... and i can't find a click control for the ballast tanks... so i guess i'll have to use the keys for those as well... and the translucent gui overlays... hide em as much as you can... i made a submerged departure from Lorient this way... at night (again) and this really adds a bit to the feeling of actually being aboard a uboat (admittedly, they probably wouldn't have rode submerged from the pier)... i can't see outside... only popped the scope once to see how close i came to grounding the boat, but it was sooo dark outside, nothing was visible, so down the scope comes... the red glow of the control room lights is my entire world... until we switch over to white light for the daylight hours... still, i may have to surface for a brief period to give the crew a lil break and some fresh air... maybe out in mid ocean, where the chances of running into a random air search flight is lessened... well, we've cleared Lorient inlet... we're off on another adventure... i just hope i survive to get a XXI (and that the career saves keep working correctly)... then i can get one step closer to the totally submerged mission concept... man... if they only had more of the interior spaces modelled... --Mike

07-29-05, 10:24 AM	#2
Duncan Idaho Marine Boy Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In your baffles Posts: 201 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	You aren't kidding, my immersion would be near complete if I could drop in on Axel back in the Engine Rooms, or pop up to the torp room to put a bit of pressure on old Hans and his crew. Not to mention a cook. Boat really needs a cook. Keep safe, get your boat. I'm working towards getting mine in a new career. __________________ Idaho- -I like to play poker with Tarot cards. The other night I got a full house, and 4 people died.

07-29-05, 12:01 PM	#7
Nopileo Watch Officer Join Date: May 2005 Location: Norway Posts: 333 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	Mike, I haven't read through all the bug reports, but as far as I've understood, there is a major bug with the snorkel. It seems that if you use the snorkel, it gives out a visual signature about as large as if you were surfaced. So try to limit your use of the snorkel to only at night or in fog until a fix is available. Someone correct me if I'm wrong though. Maybe this only relates to the XXI snorkel? Regards, Nopileo __________________ U-2502

07-29-05, 03:22 PM	#9
Nopileo Watch Officer Join Date: May 2005 Location: Norway Posts: 333 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	I forgot to mention that this snorkel bug is only related to visual visibility, and not radar like suspected earlier. So you'll still have an advantage snorkeling submerged. I haven't tested this myself yet, as I'm still in late 1940. But I'm thinking of starting a new 'test campaign' in 1943 as soon as I dock and experiment with the snorkel. I've started too many times over again in 1939, and I'm getting slightly bored. Jumping in in '43 with all the goodie equipment will be a nice change. I'm even thinking of cheating myself into '44, type some renown into the patrol file and take the XXI out for a spin... Only to test the snorkel bug of course... __________________ U-2502

07-29-05, 11:27 AM	#4
Mike 'Red Ocktober' Hense Commander Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 445 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	hahahaha :rotfl: ... me trying too type fast... it should've been 'row playing'... i'll fix it... man, the allies have really racheted up the air patrols... i'm just about 2 days out in grid BF46, and i've been forced down twice by aircraft... even at scope depth with only the snorkel above water they seem to find you... i had to go down to 14 meters, so that only the head of the pipe is above the surface... and i still got harassed!!! last time i managed to get enough air to refill the O2 and ballast... but the batteries are in the yellow... it's a good thing i was at fast time and noticed the time wouldn't go past 8... a definite indication that something is close by... nothing on the sound gear, i decided to dive... and while passing through 30 meters, i heard the depth charges explode overhead... i can see that this one is gonna be tough... --Mike

07-29-05, 11:40 AM	#5
SteamWake Rear Admiral Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 13,224 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Why change it its okay if you roleplay or rowplay your sim honest they wont make fun of you Yes the snorkle seems to have a big red beacon on it that only the allies can see. Good luck !

07-29-05, 12:05 PM	#8
Mike 'Red Ocktober' Hense Commander Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 445 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	that seems to be what i'm experiencing so far N... it attracts everything that floats or flies, and has big guns... ... and scares away merchants... i found that lowering it works best after i get a solid chase contact, else i might as well be on the surface... Sweetkis: sorry man... no, i haven't found a manual control for the ballast or the dive planes... I WISH --Mike

07-29-05, 03:44 PM	#10
Nopileo Watch Officer Join Date: May 2005 Location: Norway Posts: 333 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	Just stepped over a possible fix for the snorkel bug. You'll find info in the post by Carcassonne (post 14) in this thread: http://www.subsim.com/phpBB/viewtopi...=364829#364829

07-29-05, 08:13 PM	#11
Ian Nub Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 4 Downloads: 65 Uploads: 0	Ref; the snorkel bug. A quick work around is that you don't use snorkel depth at all in the game. The snorkel will still function correctly at periscope depth so just use periscope depth when you are snorkelling. As was stated before in this post and others when you are at snorkel depth the game is coded so that you are virtually the same as being on the surface. Hope this helps..