What can we really expect from SHV?

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by jerm138

If I had one wish for SH5 it would be for a better solution to the "update contacts" options. Right now, we can either turn them off completely (unrealistic, because in real life, the skipper doesn't plot dots... he has a tracking party for that) or turn them on and have a 100% accurate real-time representation of the situation... not far from using an external camera, and pretty unrealistic too.

My solution would be a "mark" button similar to the "Send data to TDC" button, except it sends the data to the plot. For instance, I'm looking at a contact in the scope and I estimate it's range and dial it in. Click the "mark" button and a time-stamped mark is placed on the plotter based on my range estimate and bearing. If I estimated the range incorrectly, I now have an incorrect dot on the plot. This would require the player (in 100% realism) to make his own range estimates manualy, without having to take the time to manually plot the dots since real skippers have people to do that for them.

Absolutely what is needed in a sub simulator.

The crew/computer with absolute precision plots the information the Kaluen/player gives it. To be even more accurate, the quality of the plotting crew could be included -- Kaluen says bearing 152 but plots 150 sometimes.

But yes, your suggestion (and the other posts on the same concept) is what is missing from the SH3/4. The player is forced into either two unrealistic situations

1. Crew has GPS and omnipresent information on everything

2. Kaluen is alone on the sub

Neither one of these is accurate. The Kaluen did have people to assist him. But these people were blind and totally dependent on the reported observations of the Kaleun. I would very much like to see a simulation where the computer does what it does (plot things graphically) and allows/forces the player to do what they enjoy/do best, make the observations. This, to me, is much better than the dichotomy we have with the two unrealistic situations above.

I, as the Kaluen, should not be forced to take myself way from the scope to manually make little marks on the plot. My job as the Kaluen is to make the observations and to interpret the plot and make the command decisions.