How do you keep the game interesting?

[flag4]

Originally Posted by musides

I bought this game a couple of months ago. It has been fun to learn and play, and the Grey Wolves expansion is one of the most impressive community add-ons I've seen for a game.

The trouble is, I've done about 8 patrols or so (72% realism). I typically sink around 10 ships per patrol, and try to use all my ammo efficiently in so doing. I don't really understand why I should put out to sea again because every patrol is so similar! I hit a large convoy once, which was pretty fun, but every merchant encounter is essentially a replica of the last encounter: approach at a distance, submerge, line up the shot, fire, surface, finish off with deck gun if necessary. Rinse and repeat.

I'm wondering if I'm missing something, or perhaps this isn't a long term game for me. I'm almost totally a strategy-only gamer, so this genre is a first for me. Anyway, I'm curious to know how veterans find this game compelling over the long term.

if not already doing so, begin reading the history. a good place to start is OPERATION DRUMBEAT by Micheal Gannon. available from amazon at a good price in paper back - order it through Subsim too, they get a cut.

its not just the game but the history will immerse you even more. there are many excellent and controversial books (Iron Coffins) to read on your long patrols...

[Sailor Steve]

And watch Das Boot; preferably the 5-hour uncut version.

[flag4]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

And watch Das Boot; preferably the 5-hour uncut version.

oh god!! - here come the DVD's: HITLER'S LOST SUB. by NOVA. available at Amazon...

...any more?

Bored? You can:

Up the realism to 100% (no map contacts).
This will give you a chance to make mistakes.

Use a Type II boat.
This removes the deck gun, for when you do make mistakes.

Start in 1943, or so.
It's a whole different game.

[Mittelwaechter]

I love to sink ships only with hydrophone data. I don't see them and they don't see me. Friday I sent a volley of four eels into a stormy, foggy, midnight convoy from estimated 7000 meters range and sunk a tanker and two freighters.

[pickinthebanjo]

Yeah I suggest slapping the game on 100% and doing a harbor raid. Scapa Flow and Gibraltar are the two where I've sunk the most tonnage.

[musides]

Thanks everyone for the great responses. It is very impressive to see such a lively forum for an old game! You have given me some good things to think about, and I'm going to stop trying to be so damned efficient, and just flow with the stream of gameplay. I just put out to sea again tonight, and this method is working well, along with using the real time more often. I can now see that using time compression too much and you miss the forest for the trees.

Mittelwaechter: That is very impressive. I've listened to the hydrophone before (I love my Sennheiser cans!), and have spotted things my Sonar man missed... but I can't begin to imagine "flying blind". How interesting.

I'll put some sub books on my reading list. Interesting about the survival goal, particularly that 1943 is so elusive. Now I have a goal. Yet -- with save games -- why would it be hard to eventually get there? Do you not go one with a game if you die?

[pickinthebanjo]

When I'm sunk I start a new file, everything goes well unless I get a CTD then I usually just end that patrol and try to find out why it crashed. I use to continue my old files but I realised that I tend to be more cautious when I know that I can't re-load after I get destroyed. It causes me to be more weary and careful like in my current career I usually only get 15000-20000ton per patrol but when I used to load old saves I would get at least 50k

[Sailor Steve]

Hydrophone-only attacks were pre-war doctrine for the Americans. The quickly abandoned it, because it never worked. The Germans never did it either.

[PappyCain]

I typically sink around 10 ships per patrol

Hmmm. Re-check your realism selection options, play through each year and return to base with your boat and crew. I am surprised you have not had white knuckle experiences with escorts and or aircraft or for that matter Q-boats, bad weather, and boat management issues, not to mention identifying neutral ships properly .. played to the fullest this is NOT an arcade game IMHO! this sim maximizes U-boat strategy and tactics.



PS: last night in a storm, dark, pelting rain, high seas, I raised my periscope near the convoy to see the steel hull and bottom paint on an escort that was two meters from shearing it off - and then the concussions ... hot diggety dawg, I dropped my hamburger (dinner) and had to pull off a quick maneuver!!! Dead is dead is the only way to go. Fortunately we are alive and well and tracking that convoy today ...

[Brag]

Among other things, I play DID. At the end of a patrol I reward myself with time in port for about a week or so.During this time I stay away from the game and treat myself to something special.

Once on a type IX boat, there are some exciting patrols chasing after the Freetown convoys, operation Paukenschlag.

The more realism you have, the more exciting will be your patrol.

Due to a move, I've not played SH3 for over a year. Getting a new computer shortly, I'm looking forward to get back into the fray. And, umm, drive people nutz with Balz stories

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Brag

And, umm, drive people nutz with Balz stories

*claps hands*

YAAAAAAY!

[Pisces]

Use SH3 Commander and set up malfunctions and sabotage. Then when you notice something doesn't work right you figure out ways to deal with it. (like malfunctioning attackscope, or limited surface speed, fuel leak etc.) Instead of going home and getting it fixed right away. And even then you might get into risky situations on the way home.