Why manual targeting???

vergol · 03-12-10, 12:52 AM

Why use manual targeting...

What else is there to do?

You already spend the vast majority of your time just staring at the navigation chart while running your sub at high TC. And if afterward you just 'point and click' a few times, then it's not much of a game, and hardly satisfying.

Think of manual targeting as a set of challenging puzzles. No two have the same solution. And if you get it right, you get a prize -- an explosively wonderful prize.

sharkbit · 03-12-10, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vergol

You already spend the vast majority of your time just staring at the navigation chart while running your sub at high TC. And if afterward you just 'point and click' a few times, then it's not much of a game, and hardly satisfying.

Like people have said above: It's the challenge.
Like getting bored with stock and then moving on to a super-mod, you may get bored eventually with auto targeting and try manual as a challenge.
The next challenge is to probably play with map contacts off. I'm not there yet though and probably never will be. As has been stated elsewhere, the choices are too extreme.

Map contacts on-too easy and unrealistic; God's eye view, GPS, etc.
Map contacts off-too hard and unrealistic; you as the captain are doing everything, including marking up a chart.(From what I've seen in that other forum, SH5 may be on a little better track when it comes to this.)

I think the assisted plotting mod helps this, but I haven't tried it out though.

I'd bet that once you do make the leap to manual, you'll never go back to auto.

Sailor Steve · 03-12-10, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharkbit

I think the assisted plotting mod helps this, but I haven't tried it out though.

The Assisted Plotting mod removes all local contacts - ships you can see yourself - from the map. If you move the cursor around you discover that there are dotted circles everywhere, and it you click on them they say "Unknown". Once you identify them and plug in the information it will appear next to that circle, but it will still be the only one on the map. It also takes away the renown hit for having 'Map Contact Updates' on.

Here is GWX's version of Kiel harbor, with a bunch of ships in sight.

It's one of my favorites.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...o=file&id=1328

Flopper · 03-14-10, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharkbit

The next challenge is to probably play with map contacts off. I'm not there yet though and probably never will be. As has been stated elsewhere, the choices are too extreme.

Bah, turn those map contacts off right now, LOL.

It's not that bad. If on the surface, ask the watch (if it's the nearest one you want). If submerged, get a range and bearing, and put an X there!

vergol · 03-15-10, 12:26 AM

I would recommend stepping up realism GRADUALLY. Throwing someone into a lake is not a good way of teaching them to swim.

Keeping map contacts, event camera, and external free cam (god eye) is perfectly acceptable if you're practicing attacks and studying enemy behavior. Without these things enabled, it's hard to know if your tactics are working as intended.

Often times, it's extremely hard to tell if your torpedo hit or missed, where or by how much. The slightest manual calculation error may easily waste 25,000 Reichsmarks.

When I was starting out, I was intrigued by the way destroyers comb the area for my sub, especially in pairs. They do this 'figure 8' and take turns depth-charging/listening. That knowledge helped me paint a mental picture of what's going on topside. Without it, I'd have been blind underwater.

More experience will bring a better grasp of the tactical situation, at which point these 'helper features' will just reduce fun and suspense.

I've been playing at max realism for a long time now, but still keep event cam on. I'm always interested to see if I hit the part of the ship I was aiming for. And there's always room for improvement.

Good hunting.

03-15-10, 01:18 AM

When I started, the only things I used were Map Contacts, and Weapons Officer Assist.
I didn't take long to get rid of the Map Contacts, but loosing Weapons Officer Assist was the final, and biggest step for me. He realy is a guy one can lean on, even for safe navigation around friendly ports. ("He's X far away, doing Y knots, and has an AOB of Z.")

How fast, and far, one wishes to progress can be a very personal thing.
Positive encouragement can certainly be a good thing, as sometimes people don't realize how well they're doing, or how little some of these realism features effect difficuty.

03-12-10, 12:52 AM	#1
vergol Machinist's Mate Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 121 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 0	Why use manual targeting... What else is there to do? You already spend the vast majority of your time just staring at the navigation chart while running your sub at high TC. And if afterward you just 'point and click' a few times, then it's not much of a game, and hardly satisfying. Think of manual targeting as a set of challenging puzzles. No two have the same solution. And if you get it right, you get a prize -- an explosively wonderful prize.

03-15-10, 12:26 AM	#5
vergol Machinist's Mate Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 121 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 0	I would recommend stepping up realism GRADUALLY. Throwing someone into a lake is not a good way of teaching them to swim. Keeping map contacts, event camera, and external free cam (god eye) is perfectly acceptable if you're practicing attacks and studying enemy behavior. Without these things enabled, it's hard to know if your tactics are working as intended. Often times, it's extremely hard to tell if your torpedo hit or missed, where or by how much. The slightest manual calculation error may easily waste 25,000 Reichsmarks. When I was starting out, I was intrigued by the way destroyers comb the area for my sub, especially in pairs. They do this 'figure 8' and take turns depth-charging/listening. That knowledge helped me paint a mental picture of what's going on topside. Without it, I'd have been blind underwater. More experience will bring a better grasp of the tactical situation, at which point these 'helper features' will just reduce fun and suspense. I've been playing at max realism for a long time now, but still keep event cam on. I'm always interested to see if I hit the part of the ship I was aiming for. And there's always room for improvement. Good hunting.

03-15-10, 01:18 AM	#6
Snestorm Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	When I started, the only things I used were Map Contacts, and Weapons Officer Assist. I didn't take long to get rid of the Map Contacts, but loosing Weapons Officer Assist was the final, and biggest step for me. He realy is a guy one can lean on, even for safe navigation around friendly ports. ("He's X far away, doing Y knots, and has an AOB of Z.") How fast, and far, one wishes to progress can be a very personal thing. Positive encouragement can certainly be a good thing, as sometimes people don't realize how well they're doing, or how little some of these realism features effect difficuty.