Bridge lookouts need retraining?

[Diopos]

New to this forum, and to the game. Lurked around a bit and decided that it is definetely a good port to base my aging hull! Not a complete stranger to subsims (a lot of CAOTD and SHII hours played, completely missed out on SHIII though! ). Now sailing SH4 and enjoying it (besides some shortcomings eh!)

Game Version: SH4 1.4 dry! (funny for a subsim eh!) no 1.5 addon or mods (yet).

Current status: Career going into Sept 1942. Reloading when my internal pressure equalises to the surrounding 500 meters of water! Want to have a feel of the whole time span of the game.

Settings: Automated target recon, and torpedo firing, all other realistic (that would be an ~85% overall realism level[?]).

Game set up: Low end due to graphics issues (card issue?).

Question/Rant: Bridge outlook spots a plane. Shouts "Aircraft spotted" and no other info (a quadrant maybe or a "high-low" altitude hint?). How would that go in a RL situation?
-[Lookout]: AIRCRAFT SPOTTED!
-[Captain]: Care to elaborate?
-[Lookout]: Uhmm... No sir. I'm here for the announcement only!

Is this remedied somehow in the stock game or in any mod?

[Arclight]

Welcome aboard

Don't know about getting a bearing through voice, but isn't there a bearing in the message box? Something like "Aircraft spotted! Bearing 185, long range.".

[Sailor Steve]

WELCOME ABOARD!

Can't say for SH4 - still having teething problems - but SH3 lookouts would call it out with no info, and then the watch officer would give a full report. Surprised SH4 isn't similar.

[Diopos]

Originally Posted by Arclight

Welcome aboard

Don't know about getting a bearing through voice, but isn't there a bearing in the message box? Something like "Aircraft spotted! Bearing 185, long range.".

You usually get an initial radar contact ("single conatct...") and a bearing. This is OK! It allows you time to dive, if you choose (I usually do) or to start maneuring for a possible AA shoot out. But planes are fast moving criters and sometime they come from a different angle then initially reported. Or at least this is my impression.
And BTW I didn't mean the additional info to be "audio". A text msg would be fine.
The problem, in my case, is attenuated by some graphic tradeoffs I had to do so I can play the game. My contrast isn't so good and I wouldn't spot a Zero if it hoverd over the bridge to deliver mail (of course it usually delivers other stuff!)

Am I missing something here?

[Te Kaha]

Today, I had my first encounter with an enemy plane (1st career, 4th patrol) near the Marianas.

The lookouts reported "Plane spotted" both in text message and in voice. Both gave no bearings nothing.

And my SDa-Radar detected the plane, but that thing must have a blind spot close to the sub, as the marking on the nav-map disappeared when the plane came closer - to reappear again afterwrds further out.

I managed to shoot about 40 rounds after that plane when it was already moving away. I received 2 percent hull damage, luckily the plane just strafed my sub.

[Barkhorn1x]

Originally Posted by Te Kaha

And my SDa-Radar detected the plane, but that thing must have a blind spot close to the sub, as the marking on the nav-map disappeared when the plane came closer - to reappear again afterwrds further out.

Assume you are using TMO on v 1.5 w/ map updates set to on?

I also noticed that the plane contact icon disappears close to the ship. Don't know why that would be the case as the deck crew should basically have a constant visual - yes?

[Orion2012]

Originally Posted by Barkhorn1x

Assume you are using TMO on v 1.5 w/ map updates set to on?

I also noticed that the plane contact icon disappears close to the ship. Don't know why that would be the case as the deck crew should basically have a constant visual - yes?

I wonder if has somthing to do with the dashline.dds or contline.dds, as they are what add the trails to the contacts, I removed them from the tmo install to keep my "tails" on my contacts and whenever my radar contact disappears, its ALWAYS because the small red line for a visual contact has appeared.

[Te Kaha]

Originally Posted by Barkhorn1x

Assume you are using TMO on v 1.5 w/ map updates set to on?

I also noticed that the plane contact icon disappears close to the ship. Don't know why that would be the case as the deck crew should basically have a constant visual - yes?

Err no, I use RFB together with RSRD, map updates are on.

[Orion2012]

Originally Posted by Diopos

My contrast isn't so good and I wouldn't spot a Zero if it hoverd over the bridge to deliver mail (of course it usually delivers other stuff!)

:rotfl: Isn't that the truth!!

I know you stated you play stock, but with TMO1.5.2 there is a "nearest visual contact" button that will repeat the contact info be it ship, air or sub, as long as you have a visual. It also gives a distance in feet, which is a little unrealistic but very handy for the deck gun as its easily converted into yards.