ISP 2.0 is READY!

[TorpX]

Originally Posted by pdiddy

The UPCLocalization and UPCUnitsData files are the culprits for me.
Does this make any sense? I'm still trying to figure out why I'm experiencing the loss of notes in the first place.

The UPCLocalization file has the text displays, but does not effect operation of equipment. I did change that file to display notes about the special abilities, of course. I don't recall making changes to the UPCUnitsData files.

Tbh, I've already forgotten a lot of the details of this stuff. You can open the *.cfg and *.tsr files with Notepad and make edits.

Maybe I used the same UPCLocalization file from the RFB version, instead of making a new one from the TMO file. This is the only explanation I can think of. If you uninstall all your mods, then make a copy of the TMO UPCLocalization file, you could hand edit the changes regarding the 'special ability' notes from ISP, then put that file in the ISP mod.

[CapnScurvy]

The UPC files are the worst ones for causing strange behavior with saved games, and the practice of shifting in and out mods. The reason is they are saved in your "SH4" folder, found within the "Documents" (or "My Documents" for an older OS) folder. The "SH4" folder is NOT to be confused with the main game folder called "Silent Hunter Wolves of the Pacific". The SH4 folder is made automatically the first time you start the game, and remade anytime you delete it from your "Documents" folder. It contains your chosen game options like screen resolution, unit of measurements, manual or auto targeting etc. It also holds all of your automatic and self made saved game information that make up a saved game point.

I'm not saying this is anyone's problem that have been pointed out lately, but.....just for your information.......the saved UPC files in the SH4 folder will cause CTD's due to adding/removing mods, then replaying a saved game point. Any changes made to the saved UPC files are trouble when replaying a saved point. It's the changing of UPC files that have required the known instructions to "add this mod only when your in-port", not during an active patrol. The game automatically set's a new saved game point everytime you enter/leave port.

[pdiddy]

TorpX:
You can open the *.cfg and *.tsr files with Notepad and make edits.

Powerful piece of info, thanks.

To be clear, I am working with ISP 2.15 for RFB 2.0.

I copied the following segments from the RFB_2.0_Patch_23Apr2010 UPCLocalization file and pasted them into the ISP 2.15 UPCLocalization file and voila...all is well.

;UPCUnitsData\UpgradePacks.upc
;UPCUnitsData\Weapons.upc

(That was kind of cool.)

CapnScurvy:
The reason is they (UPC files) are saved in your "SH4" folder, found within the "Documents" (or "My Documents" for an older OS) folder.

MultiSH4 solves this problem though right, by creating separate versions of this folder for each version of SH4 installed?

I initially thought this was my problem because I had a few versions on my computer that I hadn't used MultiSH4 with. (I have a USB 3.0, 2TB external drive that I've gone a little crazy with!) Anyway, I cleaned house (including the registry using CCleaner) started with a fresh copy of SH4, used MultiSH4 with fresh downloads of the mods and still had the same problem.

This was all to fix a very minor issue, but it was fun and I learned alot. I'm afraid I might have the modding bug now.

[merc4ulfate]

If one begged and pleaded could you be talked into making a version of ISP with your latest fixes that would be compatible with the U-Boats and Operation Monsun and Omegu?

I'm wanting to start up another U-Boat campaign but really enjoy using your ISP. I think it would be lovely to use out in the north Atlantic especially if the fog was tweaked a bit for those coastal hazes storms of the North Atlantic.

[TorpX]

Since I've never played the German side of SH4, I don't see myself as the one to take on this task. Besides, there are still things I would like to do for the RFB side of things.


On a related issue, I am coming back to base from a first patrol in a Dec. 2 '41 career (S-class). It has been a truly miserable experience. Most of my patrol time has been in 15 force wind. The weather hardly changed since I started, and has ruined my patrol. I found I was not able to move on the surface, and had to resort to submerged travel. You can imagine how slow this was. I have stuck to my house rules regarding TC, length of patrol, etc. Oh, I forgot to mention, I haven't seen a single ship, since leaving Manila.

As I don't wish to ever have another such patrol, I am going to take another look at the scene.dat file in ISP. The weather in my tests was never this bad, and I think I need to dial it back some. This is my next priority.

[les green01]

im using the Tmo version right now out of midway December 41 in a Tambor class i don't have a weather button so have to guess the wind i say maybe 8 knts every once in awhile get knock off course love that makes it a lot better

[pdiddy]

Originally Posted by TorpX

I have stuck to my house rules regarding TC, length of patrol, etc.

Would you share your house rules please?

[merc4ulfate]

The disappearing button issue is most likely caused by unloading mods then loading other mods and then saving a game over a save from a past mod list. The best rule for running these mods in my book is that if you want to change mods :

Remove them all
Remove the game
Reboot
Reinstall the game
Reboot
Install 1.5
Reboot
Install JSGME and populate it with your mods
Reboot

Play game

I have never had a corrupt save doing this.

Torpx ... I understand what your saying about ISP and OM. You should give the other side a try sometime it is nice starting the war in 1939 with a boat that only has three tubes. A good challenge. I would love to see some major North Atlantic storms. The fog in the mods I am running for OM is tricky. You think you can not be seen but they do see you and chase your hiney down but in some areas your only talking 215 feet in the North sea so it is much more of a challenge than dipping down to 450 in the great depth of the Pacific and hiding from the Japanese.

I find those english buggars can be much more persistent than the Japanese at ASW.

[TorpX]

Originally Posted by pdiddy

Would you share your house rules please?

Sure.

First, I have all the realism options enabled, except the external cam, and I never use it to cheat. For me, it's more of a boredom combating device. Much of sub patrols are a waiting game.

1. Dead is Dead.

2. Orders are orders. When I get a mission to patrol area X, I go there and stay for at least a week, and maybe two. If historically, it was a tactical deployment (i.e. the defense of the Philippine Is.), I consider one week enough, if it is in the nature of a strategic deployment (i.e. commerce raiding), I'll consider it to be a 2 week order. Some discretion is needed here, as the game missions may not always make sense in your situation. For example, if I were to get orders that were suicidal (recon of major enemy base), or just plain stupid (go far away, where you won't have enough fuel to do squat), I ignore/modify them.

3. I limit myself to TC of 32x on surface, 64x submerged. The reason I keep to a lower value of 32x on the surface is that the wave mechanics are mostly negated above 32x, so speeds change a lot between 32x and 64x+, when waves are large. Because the weather was "stuck" for so long on this patrol, I was going to 64x for part of the nightly recharge; otherwise I couldn't get anywhere. I hated to do that, but I had 16 consecutive days of wind speed 15, and it was far worse than anything I had in tests of ISP.


4. I don't use the TDC in an S-boat. That is apart from using it to set a fixed gyro-angle. Manual calculation substitutes for mechanical wizardry here. On this patrol it didn't really matter, as I have yet to see a single contact.

5. I am using a mechanical reliability rule scheme, sort of like the Ted Healy system, but somewhat more detailed and elaborate. It is still a work in progress, though. The only issue I rolled up in this, so far, is a potential gun jam, but again, since I haven't fired a single shell, it doesn't really matter on this patrol.

6. The patrol is limited to a reasonable time. I figured I loaded 45 days of food at the start. I had planned to go back to Manila to top off my tanks, and replenish, but as events transpired, the storms prevented my from getting back before the Navy destroyed the fuel stocks. Bad for me!