Finally joined the USN in the Pacific!

[Syxx_Killer]

I just wanted to expand on my experience with SH4 so far. I mentioned finally getting the game in my thread with a question about the Ubisoft Autopatcher thing. Anyway, this game just blows me out of the water (pun sort of intended )! The graphics are simply amazing. I can turn all the options on and still get enjoyable framerates. The only thing I am debating if I like or not are the post processing filters. They look good, but they remind me of the type of filters you could choose in Grand Theft Auto III and Vice City (I always turned those off). I forget the term they use, but I think the effects are similar. I did a patrol with my first career in a Porpoise class boat. I was sent to patrol off Honshu. I sunk a couple ships (forget the exact names, still getting used to the new ships). One was a medium split cargo or something (reminded me of a small merchant in SH3). The other kind of reminded me of a C2 or something. Anyway, they got me about 12,000 tons. I used four torpedoes against the split cargo vessel (only one hit amidst the duds ). I surfaced and finished it off with the deck gun. The C2 like ship took two torpedoes. After those two encounters I headed back to Pearl. I just wanted to do a quick career mission to get the feel of the game.

I just want to say that with patch 1.4, the load times are phenominal. I couldn't believe how quick it loaded. I hear 1.5 is even quicker. The water looks fantastic. I will have to get ROW at some point, although I can't imagine the water looking even better.

I don't want to get into the fleet boat vs. u-boat thing so I'll just say that the Pacific is a nice change of pace. I will still keep SH3 around with GWX so I can get my u-boat fix from that. I will say, though, that I did move the map over in SH4 back to the Atlantic almost in a reminiscent manner.

Just a couple questions that I can remember right now. First, how can I check to see how far I can go at my present speed? I looked all over and can't find it. I couldn't find it in the book either. Also, when I get ordered to patrol a certain zone like off Honshu, how long do I have to stay on station and how far can I go within that patrol zone? Can I go anywhere in the big square when viewing the nav map zoomed out or do I have to stay within one of the smaller squares?

I'll stop rambling now.

[peabody]

Originally Posted by Syxx_Killer

Just a couple questions that I can remember right now. First, how can I check to see how far I can go at my present speed? I looked all over and can't find it. I couldn't find it in the book either. Also, when I get ordered to patrol a certain zone like off Honshu, how long do I have to stay on station and how far can I go within that patrol zone? Can I go anywhere in the big square when viewing the nav map zoomed out or do I have to stay within one of the smaller squares?

I'll stop rambling now.

I don't know the answer to the first, but it is on this forum somewhere.

If you are suppose to patrol an area, if you get a "star with Binoculars" then if I remember right you have to stay within 100nm of the star for at least 48 hours. At first I didn't know that and went outside the area and the time started over. BUT, I don't know if I went outside by mistake another time but I sank two merchant ships and then sailed in circles. When I checked the log it was 5 days after the sinking before the star changed and I drew a 100nm circle around the star so I wouldn't go outside of it. So now I just go sit on the star for 48 hours, use time compression and then go hunting. The logbook button should flash when the mission is "complete". Sometimes the star doesn't change color until you move the map.
If you get a "Star with a flag" you just have to get there and that is complete then they tell you what to do. (In the other patrol you don't get a second mission.) Usually engage AND DESTROY Merchant shipping. And anything you already sank doesn't count. So be careful on that one. I know in real life if you see a ship on the way you sink it. But you may end up with not enough fish to complete the mission. If you don't complete the mission, you don't get the renown points and can't get the things you need like better radar, guns, etc. So play it any way you like but that's how it goes with those two types of patrols and they are the only two I have seen, but I am new to the game.
Also, if you click the button on the logbook to report your status they will give you another mission, so if you don't have the torpedos or the fuel, don't check in and it won't count against you as not competed because you never got it assigned. If you are close to a base or refit station (anchor), then you should be ok.
Ok, I'll stop rambling now.

Peabody

[gouldjg]

They were exactly the questions that I had as from my first time playing yesterday.

Cool answer.

Would also be nice to find out range at speed for me also.

Jay

[Syxx_Killer]

Thanks, peabody. I had the star with binoculars. I wasn't sure just how long to stay so I patrolled the area. I must have gone beyond the 100nm mark because it took longer than 48 hours to complete the mission. I haven't got the star with a flag yet.

If anyone knows how to get the range at current speed (if possible) I would greatly appreciate any pointers.

One thing I like to do is view the museum and just watch the ships. The level of detail is just amazing. I was kind of disappointed to not see any Pennsylvania class BBs. Anyway, when viewing the American subs, I notice that the Porpoise, Tambor, and Gar look quite a bit different than the ones I start careers with. Even though I choose one of the three when starting a new career, I can't tell them apart. What version of the subs appear in the museum? I'd rather have one of the nice looking gray subs than the black, rusty one they start you out with.

Sorry for all the questions. I looked at the book and it really didn't help.

[Torplexed]

American subs change a lot during the war in appearance. The conning towers get cut down to lower their profile and make room for flak guns and the overall paint job is changed from black to gray. I think the Tambor, Gar, and Porpoise presented in the museum are possibly the later versions.

[Syxx_Killer]

Thanks, Torplexed. I was almost starting to think it was a bug since it looked like I was getting the same sub despite choosing different classes. If I have an early model, will it automatically change color when the time comes?

[Torplexed]

I think so, but I'm not sure. I've mostly played with the Gatos and they're always gray.

[JREX53]

Peabody was right for the most part, except the distance from the star. The distance should be 50nm from the star. Another thing you can do after you do your 48 hrs is to radio in a status report, you may be given another patrol area depending on how many torpedoes and how much fuel you have left. (i.e. I have heard as few as 6 torpedoes and less than half your fuel).

When you get ready to start installing mods, I would recommend RSRD, ROW, NSM, and either RFB or TM be used.
RSRD - Run Silent Run Deep - reworked Campaign layer
ROW - Reflection on Water - graphic updates
NSM - Natural Sinking Mechanics - reworked sinking characteristics for ships
RFB - Real Fleet Boat - Realism mod - most realistic mod
TM - Trigger Maru - realism mod but with gameplay differences.

Hope this helps some.

[Paajtor]

Originally Posted by Syxx_Killer

The only thing I am debating if I like or not are the post processing filters. They look good, but they remind me of the type of filters you could choose in Grand Theft Auto III and Vice City (I always turned those off).

If you want to keep the post-processing filters enabled, but want to remove the grainy effect, then use this little mod.

Looks much better!

[THE_MASK]

My advice is when starting off playing SH4 , play with stock plus RSRDC

[DavyJonesFootlocker]

I use TM and RSRDC mods and you can gauge the distance you can travel with present speed by using the menu buttons on the orders task bar located at the bottom of the interface. With RSRDC the orders of your patrol around the star is defined, eg. patrol off Samar and stay within 75nm from its center. How you do this is like this- go to your map locate the star use your ruler and zoom into the star. Find the center of the star and measure 75nm, then use your compass and draw a circle for that distance. This is your patrol area- stay within it. Don't worry too much about the time to stay. When the time is up the star turns grey. If you have enough torps left and isurfaced radio in for further instructions.


Cost of information- $100
Cost of DavyJonesFootlocker- Priceless.

[Triad773]

Syxx_Killer wrote: "First, how can I check to see how far I can go at my present speed?"

I don't know how far you can go, but I do know you can tell how long it will take you to get there. On the Map tab there is an icon with a broken line and a stop watch that when clicked, will tell you time remaining based on current heading/speed.

Don't know if that helps, but for me beyond that it is a matter of being very practical with fuel: balancing submerged time vs. surface time to get the most out of my resources.

[Syxx_Killer]

Thanks for the help, guys. The main reason I wanted to know how far I can go at current speed is so I can find the sweet spot to get max range like I did with SH3. Right now I just go the fastest I can at 1/3 speed and watch the fuel gauge at the bottom. I got JSGME and installed the RSRD campaign files & ROW (or Pacific Environment as it's now called). PE looks great. I haven't had a chance to really test the campaign or look at PE that much, but so far it is really cool. I don't notice any sort of fremerate drops or anything.

[Ark]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

I've mostly played with the Gatos and they're always gray.

Except in the beginning...when they are black as well. hehe