Working on a new submarine sim: Sub Commander - advice needed!

[Wojtek94]

What do you think about SOSUS system? It raise realism and difficulty level. Journey across the ocean will not be so easy. But this is another part of hard work... How is your work going?

[TheGeoff]

SOSUS is something I've planned to add for a while, but the main problem is getting the AI to react correctly to the information. One of the major limitations of the AI at the moment is that it can't plan out long journeys well - calculating a path hundreds of miles long is incredibly slow with even the most efficient pathfinding algorithms, because the game world is a damn big place. I'm working on a solution to this problem involving pathfinding nodes and pre-calculated paths but it's not functional yet.

[Nickvr628]

Do you plan on adding VLS tubes to some submarines? The LA Class submarine had these, and I think that the would be cool to have for anti-shipping purposes.

Also, when a destroyer finds me in my submarine, it seems that there is really no way to avoid him besides running away. However the ship still gets off a bunch of depth charge shots on me and my sub is crippled. How should I deal with this?

[Wojtek94]

Unfortunately at this state combat is too simple. Hmm... Thermal layer-hide behind it and you will be invisible for enemy-or just go deeper at 25-30 knots. You can escape even with full speed. Just sail away. You can try Aces of the Deep or first Silent Hunter. This is real hardcore Five or more destroyers;> PING! PING!

[Tango589]

Originally Posted by Wojtek94

Unfortunately at this state combat is too simple. Hmm...!

Combat is too simple? Look at this report for overwhelming odds. I never stood a chance!

[Wojtek94]

TheGeoff-,,Enemy ships do search for the player if you are detected, but I think the main problem is they give up too easily. At the moment they simply travel to the place where they last detected you, take a quick look around, then return to whatever they were doing. I'll try to make them search more intelligently in the future - using search patterns, cruisers launching ASW helicopters, etc". I attacked taks force many times but it was like shooting to the sitting ducks. More arcade game than simulator. Four torpedos and crash dive. That's all. Enemies lost contact

[TheGeoff]

Looks like you found the entire Soviet submarine fleet Tango!

The thermal layer is a bit too effective now, yes. Currently almost nothing can detect you under the thermocline - I'll fix this soon.

Do you plan on adding VLS tubes to some submarines? The LA Class submarine had these, and I think that the would be cool to have for anti-shipping purposes.

Also, when a destroyer finds me in my submarine, it seems that there is really no way to avoid him besides running away. However the ship still gets off a bunch of depth charge shots on me and my sub is crippled. How should I deal with this?

I plan to modify the code for ballistic missile launching to allow for anti-ship missiles at some point, which would allow for VLS tubes like in the 688. Might need a different control panel though, and that takes a while to implement. It will be included next update if I get time to add it.

The best way to evade destroyers at the moment is to dive below the thermal layer, they struggle to detect you there at the moment. If you're in shallow water and that's not an option, escaping is quite difficult - try rapid changes of course and speed. Go to maximum speed when you're detected, then suddenly cut the engine power and drift for a while. Next update should include decoys, which will help mask your position and make evasion easier.

[JerikTelorian]

Originally Posted by Tango589

Combat is too simple? Look at this report for overwhelming odds. I never stood a chance!

Here's hoping Geoff can add some difficulty tweaking with new features to keep scrubs like me from getting trounced.

[jadervason]

This game is freaking hard. I had a crewman drown while repairing the number 2 reactor pump. If I were an actual submariner I'd probably know the casualty procedure but as a layman I have no idea what the hell I am doing. Ultimately I did figure out I had to open a bulkhead leading to a bilge pump but I was too depressed to continue long enough to find out if the huge radiation dose my other crew received would kill them.

Great game though. I like the thought of being able to create your own fantasy submarine. What If: the USA decided to try their own lead-cooled reactors like the Alfa class? I have a certain fantasy of a privateer submarine. Maybe if I gain some experience in this game I will give it a shot.

[jadervason]

After a second try of the game with a second reactor pump failure on day 2 and subsequent crew death I have to say I don't like this game and I don't want to play it anymore. Too depressing

[Tango589]

Originally Posted by jadervason

After a second try of the game with a second reactor pump failure on day 2 and subsequent crew death I have to say I don't like this game and I don't want to play it anymore. Too depressing

Don't feel too bad. Remember, the crew are ultimately expendable and all get brought back from the dead when you repair at and allied dock!

[jadervason]

Ok, sailors might be expendable for the right cause but not because our reactor's pumps were made of play-doh and we want to see how well they will do. I changed the reliability factor to 2200 or so and am much more pleased, but when I got depth charged, the hull damage triggered some bad trypophobia for me and made me all itchy. I don't think I am meant to like this game. I certainly hope the guy who made it keeps at it because despite having some improvements he'll want to make, it is a unique and compelling game, deep and fascinating.

[Tango589]

I've found the key to repairing faulty reactors is to surface the boat, SCRAM the faulty reactor if required, close all vents apart from the reactor room (in the misc. systems panel), purge the ventilation (removing radiation from the reactor room without spreading it round the boat) until the radiation reaches an acceptable level, get a strong engineer suited and booted with a toolbox, gloves, gas mask and radiation suit and set him to work. Hopefully with the reduced radiation levels, he won't absorb too much before the work is done.

[JerikTelorian]

Originally Posted by Tango589

I've found the key to repairing faulty reactors is to surface the boat, SCRAM the faulty reactor if required, close all vents apart from the reactor room (in the misc. systems panel), purge the ventilation (removing radiation from the reactor room without spreading it round the boat) until the radiation reaches an acceptable level, get a strong engineer suited and booted with a toolbox, gloves, gas mask and radiation suit and set him to work. Hopefully with the reduced radiation levels, he won't absorb too much before the work is done.

This is a great procedure, Tango. Another bit I've found that helps is that if a coolant line is broken, cut the flow through that line to reduce pressure and save on spillage. I'm not 100% sure this does anything, but you can't refill the system once it's empty so it's worth a shot.

[jadervason]

Can you unscram a reactor?