Let`s Play Silent Hunter 5 realistically!

[Shaefer]

Originally Posted by Darkseed

Personally I don't want you to cut the recording so much. Searching for contacts is a big part of the game as well, and just skipping to contacts feels like something's missing. Maybe you could just record everything and then edit some really boring parts out later? Maybe it's just me though.

I understand what you are saying, and have been thinking about this. I`ll try to include some searching as well.

Originally Posted by Trevally.

Just watched part 3 - nice shooting

For me, the recording is very good. Where options allow, perhaps you could try a fast90 or perhaps just a solution using the scope only (no map).

The option for a fast 90 will present itselfe as we start to hunt shipping around Greate Britain. Doing a solution with only the scope, I have never tryed before, but that sounds interesting. It`s nice to have several ways to engade the target for diversion.
Can you give me some hint about how to do this? I guess it involves the u-jaged, and the gun officer...

[skidman]

Originally Posted by plj

I had a sub contact once on my hydro .. thought it was an error

No error. There is at least one English sub in the bay near Danzig. It's no Polish boat (i.e. Orzel, Wilk) but a S-Class (?).



I managed to hit her, peeping throught the scope at 14 meters depth. She sank to the bottom showing no visible damage and of course the kill didn't add to my tonnage.

[gap]

Originally Posted by Trevally.

Yes - it was meant to give a wow factor to the start.
The less a player does - the more they will see in this objective.

Being a fanatic of randomness and realism, personally I would have made that objective more free and more difficult, but I see your point and I respect it

Originally Posted by Trevally.

I am just about to watch part three of the lets play - so lets hope

Going to do it myself

Originally Posted by Trevally.

Just watched part 3 - nice shooting

For me, the recording is very good. Where options allow, perhaps you could try a fast90 or perhaps just a solution using the scope only (no map).

two more ideas:

- setting an intercept course with a far contact (BdU report)
- calculating a torpedo solution with no visual data, using hydrophone bearings (useful for foggy weather)

[gap]

Originally Posted by skidman

No error. There is at least one English sub in the bay near Danzig. It's no Polish boat (i.e. Orzel, Wilk) but a S-Class (?).

That is an U-class submarine, the one non-German submarine modelled in stock game, exceptionally manned by a Polish crew in this case.

Importing submarine models from other games of the SH series in not the same as importing planes or ships, because dat objects are rendered blurry underwater, and they would look rather ugly.

For submarines to look decent, we would need to convert them into GR2 objects, which is still a bit complicated at this stage.

[skidman]

Originally Posted by gap

That is an U-class submarine, the one non-German submarine modelled in stock game, exceptionally manned by a Polish crew in this case.

I see Thanks for the explanation.

Originally Posted by gap

For submarines to look decent, we would need to convert them into GR2 objects, which is still a bit complicated at this stage.

Does this mean an enemy submarine (GR2 object) could show visible damage when hit while it is submerged?

From my experience an enemy submarine (submerged or at the surface) can be sunk but is not listed as a destroyed target. So fighting them is rather pointless (still fun though).

Being able to simulate the Venturer vs. U-864 torpedo duel (maybe this time with a better ending for U-864) would be a dream coming true.

[gap]

Originally Posted by skidman

Does this mean an enemy submarine (GR2 object) could show visible damage when hit while it is submerged?

Never messed with damage textures before. I don't know how the game renders them in the correct place when an unit is damaged, but I remember having read something on this subject on this forum.

What I meant is that, underwater, only GR2 objects are rendered as they should. Dat objects and particles get blurred, unless you look at them against the water surface. To understand what I say, try looking in game at bubbles coming out from your deck, or look at the picture below:



It depicts the whale featured in OH. You should notice how blurred is the fin tip at the bottom of the screenie, where the water surface blends with the underwater horizon. This undesired effect is even more perceptible in the following picture:



This is the Japanese midget sub imported by Cybermat from SHIV. Everything but the conning tower (which lies on the water surface) is blurred this time.

Originally Posted by skidman

From my experience an enemy submarine (submerged or at the surface) can be sunk but is not listed as a destroyed target. So fighting them is rather pointless (still fun though).

Yes, they don't count for tonnage calculation, but you should still get reward from sinking them. Other than this, they could be used for setting traps against our sub, if only TDW managed to make them more aggressive


@ Shaefer

I have finished watching yourthird video. I have a few more remarks/suggestions:

- the ships you have attacked so far, sank pretty fast with just one or two, (for your last attack) torpedo hits. Since you are using Fx Updates, sinking mechanics should be much more realistic, i.e. ships should suffer several fires and/or heavy listing before you are credited for their sinking, eventually forcing you to long waits or to administer the classic coup de grace.

- this is for Trevally:
I wonder where the destroyer which is heading toward you at the end of you last video, is coming from: British are not yet at war by your current date (not to mention the fact that they shouldn't be in the Baltic anyway), and the one Polish destroyer left in Baltic (ORP Wicher), should be busy facing the German attack in the Danzig Bay.

- Don't forget showing us your evasive maneuvers in case the destroyer manages closing on you, and make sure not to use your echolot too much: enemies can hear its ping.

- About your comment, on underwater being to clear in game: that's true. Many realism adicts like me and you tried making it darker and lesser transparent, but whenever they thought they were close to a solution, a weird side effect (sky getting visible under a certain depth, IIRC) popped up and spoiled their efforts

- Show us how you approach Kiel using real navigation, and don't cheat censoring the scenes where you and your navigator will be lost

[stoianm]

Very nice videos.. I watched all 3 of them.. well donne!... keep them coming!

[plj]

Originally Posted by gap

I wonder where the destroyer which is heading toward you at the end of you last video, is coming from: British are not yet at war by your current date (not to mention the fact that they shouldn't be in the Baltic anyway), and the one Polish destroyer left in Baltic (ORP Wicher), should be busy facing the German attack in the Danzig Bay.

I havent watched, but 2 german destroyers seem to want to kill danzig bay targets before I get there .. if I dont flank it there, they have already killed the taskforce .. which may be the reason this mission is flagged succesfull while all we did was recieve a radio message and might explain this contact .. again, I didnt watch yet .. can't at work

- Show us how you approach Kiel using real navigation, and don't cheat censoring the scenes where you and your navigator will be lost

Lost ? Why ? Weather that bad over there ? Or plotting that impossible in SH5 ?

[stoianm]

Gap.. I see a picture with a whale on it.. did u managed to put whales in the campaign?... I remember that if u are submerged and u are close to a whale to intercept on the hydro.. CTDs appear.. did u fix that problem?

[gap]

Originally Posted by plj

I havent watched, but 2 german destroyers seem to want to kill danzig bay targets before I get there .. if I dont flank it there, they have already killed the taskforce .. which may be the reason this mission is flagged succesfull while all we did was recieve a radio message and might explain this contact .. again, I didnt watch yet .. can't at work

German detroyers are historically correct: Baltic was full of them by that time.

As for your remark on them destroying the Polish taskforce for you, Trevally has already answered this question here: the first objective is heavily scripted, and once you enter the mission area everything goes on automatically (taskforce spawned and Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe units dispatched).

It is a matter of tastes, but if it was on me I would make the hunt for the Polish minelaying taskforce "real", and I would make German Zerstörer's and Stuka's to be dispatched only after the player has reported the discussed enemy units, using the 'send contact report' button

Originally Posted by plj

Lost ? Why ? Weather that bad over there ? Or plotting that impossible in SH5 ?

Using real navigation, you are never 100% sure about your current position: you must rely on dead reckonings and celestial fixes provided by your navigator and/or on your knowledge of home coasts. A while back, TDW has also coded a fully working sextant in his UI mod which can provide pretty accurate position data, for the ones who know how to use it.
None of the above methods but the least accurate dead reckoning, are viable when weather is stormy/foggy. There starts the fun!

Originally Posted by stoianm

Gap.. I see a picture with a whale on it.. did u managed to put whales in the campaign?... I remember that if u are submerged and u are close to a whale to intercept on the hydro.. CTDs appear.. did u fix that problem?

yes, I fixed that problem, and I also brong many improvements (new skins, sounds, particle effects, etc.), but there are many other details that could still be improved

[Trevally.]

Originally Posted by Shaefer

Doing a solution with only the scope, I have never tryed before, but that sounds interesting. It`s nice to have several ways to engade the target for diversion.
Can you give me some hint about how to do this? I guess it involves the u-jaged, and the gun officer...

Ah ha - now we are onto my fav subject

You can try the RAOBF see here http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...72&postcount=1

or just the plain old observ attack:-

Lock on IDed target (mast-height to tdc)
Use stadi to input range
Use guessing () to enter aob
use u jag to get speed
redo range with stadi
point scope at target and

[Shaefer]

Originally Posted by Trevally.

Ah ha - now we are onto my fav subject

You can try the RAOBF see here http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...72&postcount=1

or just the plain old observ attack:-

Lock on IDed target (mast-height to tdc)
Use stadi to input range
Use guessing () to enter aob
use u jag to get speed
redo range with stadi
point scope at target and

Oh,boy!
The RAOBF looks really complicated. I think I need to play the tutorial for that thing several 100 times to get all that

[Trevally.]

Originally Posted by Shaefer

Oh,boy!
The RAOBF looks really complicated. I think I need to play the tutorial for that thing several 100 times to get all that

Yes... take a bit of learning that one

The other method I posted is easy and fast

[Trevally.]

Me again

When you use the rec manual - the is a line called "Additional Information" - if it is written in black ink, you can click on it for some historic facts on that ship

[gap]

Originally Posted by Trevally.

Me again

When you use the rec manual - the is a line called "Additional Information" - if it is written in black ink, you can click on it for some historic facts on that ship

Good suggestion

I have one more: rather than entering numerical TDC data into the XO dialog, you can set AoB, target range and target speed directly using the TDC knobs on the right of the scope view