It's too dark. I can't see anything…except reflected images!

scudhawk · 11-24-09, 03:24 AM

In my last patrol, I stayed on my patrol area for 4 days as ordered, but all I saw were several fising boats - of course, belong to the United States. After that, I ordered to patrol another designated area, and again, there was no single sampan passing by - for 4 solid days.

I was too aggressive

to end a patrol without a single achivement, so I decided to raid nearest Japanese harbor. I sneaked into the target at night, and it was completely defenceless - not a single subchaser patrolling!

I approched to the harbor structure as close as 500 yards, but I couldn't see nothing because it's too dark, and there was also possibility that the port is really empty because none of my officers - half-human and half-eagle, as you know - reported a single visual contact.

If I couldn't get my boat out of the shallow waters until sunrise, we will be completely vulnerable against enemy aricrafts, so I could't wait until dawn.

I decided to leave after one more observation, and I saw very strange images - On the calm surface of the water, I could see colorful - Yes, they were colorful - reflected images of several ships!

If you know the target's bearing - by observing the reflected image - and it is stationary, all you need to know is the range. By using active sonar, I got that information, too. It means…Fireworks!

6 Merchants, 2 Gunboats, about 20,000 tonnage sunk. RTB without a single scratch. Not bad.

Though that incident helped me, it bothers me too - Is it possible that colorful reflected images can be seen on dark night which no one can tell a mast from harbor sturcture within range of 500 yards?

I don't know that this is explainable event that really happens in the real world, or just a mistake. So if any of you know the answer, please tell me. This question is keep bothering me.

TMO 1.8.7(I noticed today that ver 1.9 released)

Rockin Robbins · 11-24-09, 03:30 AM

You have no idea. Spoiled by growing up in civilization, we have no concept of dark, unless we are strange enough to spend a lot of time in closets. But at sea in the Pacific, you get to meet and get really friendly with Mr Dark.

Dark means that you can wave your hand in front of your face and see nothing, no matter how close it is. Dark means that unless an object eclipses a star that you know is there (people who know the dark know the stars REAL well), you have no way to detect it. Dark is normal. It is our light infested way of life that is abnormal. I have heard reliable reports from Ayers Rock in Australia that the Milky Way casts a shadow on the ground. I'll be you can't even FIND the Milky Way because all the city lights obliterate it.

We've lost all concept of Mr. Dark, but heeeeeeeeeeeeee's back!!!

Munchausen · 11-24-09, 12:01 PM

In other words, "No ... you can't really see reflections in the water if it's too dark to see the ship being reflected." Evidently, the game uses a different sub-routine (npi) for determining when to display reflections.

11-24-09, 06:43 PM

in darkness you only see shadows, no color, no reflection, because reflection by definition is reflected "light"

G2B · 11-24-09, 10:20 PM

Welcome aboard scudhawk

Good catch on the reflections

Dark is dark but maybe there were enough stars to reflect (wishful thinking ???)

scudhawk · 11-24-09, 11:45 PM

Considering that I could bearly tell the sky from the surface of the water at that night (By using replay function, I find out that It was very cloudy), I think it was bug or error(or mistake?) of the game.

Anyway, I decided to stop thinking about any bizarre scenes I saw and might see in the future in this game, since I noticed one of my repair crew has no body - All I could see was his head and two hands(OMG, my boat is haunted! Let me out!).

11-24-09, 03:24 AM	#1
scudhawk Swabbie Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 6 Downloads: 44 Uploads: 0	It's too dark. I can't see anything…except reflected images! In my last patrol, I stayed on my patrol area for 4 days as ordered, but all I saw were several fising boats - of course, belong to the United States. After that, I ordered to patrol another designated area, and again, there was no single sampan passing by - for 4 solid days. I was too aggressive to end a patrol without a single achivement, so I decided to raid nearest Japanese harbor. I sneaked into the target at night, and it was completely defenceless - not a single subchaser patrolling! I approched to the harbor structure as close as 500 yards, but I couldn't see nothing because it's too dark, and there was also possibility that the port is really empty because none of my officers - half-human and half-eagle, as you know - reported a single visual contact. If I couldn't get my boat out of the shallow waters until sunrise, we will be completely vulnerable against enemy aricrafts, so I could't wait until dawn. I decided to leave after one more observation, and I saw very strange images - On the calm surface of the water, I could see colorful - Yes, they were colorful - reflected images of several ships! If you know the target's bearing - by observing the reflected image - and it is stationary, all you need to know is the range. By using active sonar, I got that information, too. It means…Fireworks! 6 Merchants, 2 Gunboats, about 20,000 tonnage sunk. RTB without a single scratch. Not bad. Though that incident helped me, it bothers me too - Is it possible that colorful reflected images can be seen on dark night which no one can tell a mast from harbor sturcture within range of 500 yards? I don't know that this is explainable event that really happens in the real world, or just a mistake. So if any of you know the answer, please tell me. This question is keep bothering me. TMO 1.8.7(I noticed today that ver 1.9 released)

11-24-09, 03:30 AM	#2
Rockin Robbins Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: DeLand, FL Posts: 8,900 Downloads: 135 Uploads: 52	You have no idea. Spoiled by growing up in civilization, we have no concept of dark, unless we are strange enough to spend a lot of time in closets. But at sea in the Pacific, you get to meet and get really friendly with Mr Dark. Dark means that you can wave your hand in front of your face and see nothing, no matter how close it is. Dark means that unless an object eclipses a star that you know is there (people who know the dark know the stars REAL well), you have no way to detect it. Dark is normal. It is our light infested way of life that is abnormal. I have heard reliable reports from Ayers Rock in Australia that the Milky Way casts a shadow on the ground. I'll be you can't even FIND the Milky Way because all the city lights obliterate it. We've lost all concept of Mr. Dark, but heeeeeeeeeeeeee's back!!! __________________ Sub Skipper's Bag of Tricks, Slightly Subnuclear Mk 14 & Cutie, Slightly Subnuclear Deck Gun, EZPlot 2.0, TMOPlot, TMOKeys, SH4CMS

11-24-09, 10:20 PM	#5
G2B XO Join Date: May 2009 Location: Guam, I think Posts: 420 Downloads: 80 Uploads: 0	Welcome aboard scudhawk Good catch on the reflections Dark is dark but maybe there were enough stars to reflect (wishful thinking ???) __________________

11-24-09, 12:01 PM	#3
Munchausen Commodore Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 608 Downloads: 25 Uploads: 1	In other words, "No ... you can't really see reflections in the water if it's too dark to see the ship being reflected." Evidently, the game uses a different sub-routine (npi) for determining when to display reflections.

11-24-09, 06:43 PM	#4
Webster Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	in darkness you only see shadows, no color, no reflection, because reflection by definition is reflected "light"

11-24-09, 11:45 PM	#6
scudhawk Swabbie Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 6 Downloads: 44 Uploads: 0	Considering that I could bearly tell the sky from the surface of the water at that night (By using replay function, I find out that It was very cloudy), I think it was bug or error(or mistake?) of the game. Anyway, I decided to stop thinking about any bizarre scenes I saw and might see in the future in this game, since I noticed one of my repair crew has no body - All I could see was his head and two hands(OMG, my boat is haunted! Let me out!).