[REL] Fall of the Rising Sun Ultimate, full release

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

@ KaleunMarco - it'd be nice if they kept more than two copies of those... In my case, those are over-written almost on a daily basis.

We must also thank KaleunMarco for his diligence and tenacity in getting to the bottom of more than one issue, especially lately. btw, do NOT transfer to Tulagi in v1.39 - unless you transfer out right away - if in an S-18 boat (11-01-43), Salmon (11-15-43), Sargo (11-28-43), Porpoise (12-16-43) and S-42 (11-17-43), with those dates being MM-DD-YY as the termination dates at Tulagi for their classes. If you stay to, or beyond those dates, you will be transferred to a non-existent location, and probably CTD. This is fixed in the next release. I unfortunately included an interim version of the Flotillas file, and Flotilla 16 was not in the version of the file in v1.39.

well that's just effin great. i've been playing SH4 for God-knows-how-long just waiting for the opportunity to base out of Tulagi and as soon as that dream is in reach, you put up the STOP sign. well, fine. i am going to de-install the whole mess and slag my PC down to base minerals.

@ MM - "I hates me tuna-melt casserole! The fisheeze should not be cook-edd..." a play on Gollum, of course... lol

that's not even close, PB, not even close.

Sam: What we need is a few good taters.

Gollum: What's taters, precious? What's taters, eh?

Sam: *Po-tay-toes!* Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew... Lovely big golden chips with a nice piece of fried fish.

[Gollum makes a noise of disgust while sticking his tongue out]

Sam: Even you couldn't say no to that.

Gollum: Oh yes we could. Spoilin' nice fish. Give it to us raw and w-r-r-riggling; you keep nasty chips.

[Macgregor the Hammer]

In the game, when do the Japanese wise-up and form convoys? Right now, my campaign date is 7/43 and all I see single merchants, sometimes 2.

[granite00]

I have a question: what changes have been made to the medal award system?
I just completed a first patrol out of Cavite that began in Dec 1941 and sunk 7 ships:
Kongo BB
Takao Heavy CA
DD
3 submarines
1 merchant
I completed my assigned missions. Total renoun earned was 1890.

I received the Navy Commendation Medal. This doesn't seem remotely correct based on other mods I've played such as TMO/RSRDC.

[fishcorp]

I have some questions after trying out this mod.

Is the periscope view much shorter range than the stock one? Seems like it to me??

Is night darker than stock?

Is there any way I can add back the course indicators and sight range for enemy ship in navigation view?

I've only played the beginning of the war, is the radar and sonar on my boat nerfed?

[Aktungbby]

fishcorp!

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by Macgregor the Hammer

In the game, when do the Japanese wise-up and form convoys? Right now, my campaign date is 7/43 and all I see single merchants, sometimes 2.

there are convoys of 5 or 6 ships. some with only one escort. gotta love that!
gotta sit down in the right lanes and it also depends on the date range. things tighten up after Saipan falls and then again after the Philippines are re-invaded.
right now, we are late 1942. we have found convoys:

• off the east coast of luzon.
• coming in/out of Rabaul
• running between Davao and the Palau's
• Celebes Sea

Keep searching, you'll find them.

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by fishcorp

I have some questions after trying out this mod.

Is the periscope view much shorter range than the stock one? Seems like it to me??

actually, FOTRSU periscope has better zoom than stock. you should be able to see further.

Is night darker than stock?

Yes. IMHO. Like the inside of a closet. with the door closed. and a towel stuffed under the bottom.

Is there any way I can add back the course indicators and sight range for enemy ship in navigation view?

yes, but you need to understand which files are the proper ones. maybe PB or one of the others from the development team will respond to that need.

I've only played the beginning of the war, is the radar and sonar on my boat nerfed?

no, not really. IMHO, they perform better than RFB and TMO, and they should.

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by granite00

I have a question: what changes have been made to the medal award system?
I just completed a first patrol out of Cavite that began in Dec 1941 and sunk 7 ships:
Kongo BB
Takao Heavy CA
DD
3 submarines
1 merchant
I completed my assigned missions. Total renoun earned was 1890.

I received the Navy Commendation Medal. This doesn't seem remotely correct based on other mods I've played such as TMO/RSRDC.

very nice bag for your first patrol.

IMHO, FOTRSU is kind of miserly when it comes to renown. the Lion's share of your total is for the Kongo.

[Mad Mardigan]

Ahoy...

My question is comprised of a couple of points...

1. Concerning when in peri view... when you go from seeing ship info, speed... etc., then click on the itty bitty grey box near the bottom, which takes you to torp settings, (Sargo boat, by the way...) there are 2 dials there, 1 I know is to set the depth of the torp... that's the bottom 1.

The top 1, am assuming relates to offset of the torps travel, based on 3 fish I sent off after a Fuso BB, in a task force comprised of 1 Fuso, 1 Kongo, 3 cruisers... I think 1 heavy the other 2 light ones.... escorted by 6-8 DD's... or was, I should say... they now have 5-7 now.

With regards to that dial, I assume, again... that adjusting it down, sends the torp on an offset to the right & adjusting it up, offsets its travel to the left.

This is based on sending 3 fish at the Fuso, in the above mentioned task force.


End results were, 1 missed aft of it & ended up taking out a Fubuki destroyer, by sheer dumb luck... the remaining 2, 1 struck aft, near the waterline, destroying it's rudder (blew it slap clean off... yet it managed to somehow do a turn to starboard, once the props got to going again... when that torp hit, it caused the ship to lose engines for about... mmm... 30 or so seconds. The 2nd torp, impacted about mid point between the 1st torps impact point, & the # 4 gun mount (main gun... sucker had 6 of them, 2 fore, 2 mid & 2 aft.. wow.. ) no appreciable damage to see... once it regained forward movement, 3 of the 4 props, were spinning... the out board 1 by where that 1st torp hit, was dead in the water... it weren't spinning... any way, 1st torp I sent off, I did an adjustment down, near about 1 tick of dead center on the top dial, the 2nd fish I sent off.. I set to dead center... & the 3rd, I adjusted the dial to .5 from dead center up.

That ends this part of the question, am I correct on the assessment of that top dial.?

Point 2.

This pertains to that self same task force above...

after they steamed off away from Me, (after I sent them 3 fish off, I dropped scope & dove for 3-350 deep, all quiet, & headed on course 315, away from the task force...

after seeing the hydro lines disappear from sight, I then went back to My original heading of 015, to go through Sibutu Passage, on My way to My 1st assigned objective for Patrol 3. Imagine My surprise, to learn I had a task force on a rough SW heading just a bit ahead of Me. Double that surprise, to figure out, somehow I had that same task force I attacked, heading back... Oh joy... a 2nd crack at the Fuso... or so I thought...

Imagine My being confounded, to get a look see through the Uzo, at the group.. & see not the Fuso, spewing flames & dragging arse, but instead.. the Kongo was... say whaaa.... you read this right... Kongo, not the Fuso... was bringing up the rear... no props moving at all... & down by the arse end, looking ready to give up & sink... & supposed to be cranking out 17 knots, no less... sayyyy whaaaa....

Ok... what gives...????

M. M.

[propbeanie]

Originally Posted by KaleunMarco

well that's just effin great. i've been playing SH4 for God-knows-how-long just waiting for the opportunity to base out of Tulagi and as soon as that dream is in reach, you put up the STOP sign. well, fine. i am going to de-install the whole mess and slag my PC down to base minerals.

that's not even close, PB, not even close.

Sam: What we need is a few good taters.

Gollum: What's taters, precious? What's taters, eh?

Sam: *Po-tay-toes!* Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew... Lovely big golden chips with a nice piece of fried fish.

[Gollum makes a noise of disgust while sticking his tongue out]

Sam: Even you couldn't say no to that.

Gollum: Oh yes we could. Spoilin' nice fish. Give it to us raw and w-r-r-riggling; you keep nasty chips.

but my Gollum sounded better in my head... by the way, it would be "fish-ess-ess"... lol - we will have Tulagi performing up to snuff in the next version... (there is no "crossed-fingers" smilie, is there??)

Originally Posted by Macgregor the Hammer

In the game, when do the Japanese wise-up and form convoys? Right now, my campaign date is 7/43 and all I see single merchants, sometimes 2.

As KaleunMarco says, it does depend upon location location location. What are the main areas you visit?

Originally Posted by granite00

I have a question: what changes have been made to the medal award system?
I just completed a first patrol out of Cavite that began in Dec 1941 and sunk 7 ships:
Kongo BB
Takao Heavy CA
DD
3 submarines
1 merchant
I completed my assigned missions. Total renoun earned was 1890.

I received the Navy Commendation Medal. This doesn't seem remotely correct based on other mods I've played such as TMO/RSRDC.

It's all political... you apparently did not donate to the correct political candidates this past election - just ask MacArthur about what happened to him and his CMO for WWI (The Great War - aka: The War to End All War)... - but seriously, as KaleunMarco mentions, the renown has been turned down for regular ship sinkings. If they are part of a mission, or you complete other mission objectives, you earn more points. However, 1890 is nothing to sneeze at in FotRSU, and while not in the top category, is in the Excellent range. I would think that would be a Silver Star anyway... I'll look again and see how the tiers work...

Originally Posted by fishcorp

I have some questions after trying out this mod.

Is the periscope view much shorter range than the stock one? Seems like it to me??

Is night darker than stock?

Is there any way I can add back the course indicators and sight range for enemy ship in navigation view?

I've only played the beginning of the war, is the radar and sonar on my boat nerfed?

KaleunMarco answers apply, but for the NavMap view, whether a person wants a "dot", what we have now, or "full disclosure", it all has to do with altering each individual ship, as well as some associated files in the Menu folder, so each time we've added a ship to the game, we have ruined those "targeting" mods. We do hope to get things finalized for those before too long. As to the radar and sonar, the radar is SD only early in the war, and if I am remembering correctly, only went out like 8nm, catching airborne targets only, and not reliably at that. The higher the TC used, the closer an airplane is by the time you come out of TC. If on the surface in enemy territory during daylight hours, I usually do not exceen 256x TC, and if I'm closer to land, I'll be down at 64x only, just to give the computer and game time to react soon enough to give me a chance to think before I react. The sonar should be fine, but they are difficult to test prior to release. With some of the boats, you do have to be completely submerged for them to work properly, like the S-Boats, Narwhal & Porpoise during the early war. For the others, we are trying to adjust them to where if you are doing Ahead Standard, they don't work so well, but slow to Ahead 1/3, and you get better response. However, each boat is different, and the water conditions also affect their "efficiency". If you have issues beyond that, it would bring to mind the question of "did you empty your Save folder after activating FotRSU?"

[torpedobait]

While you all are fussing with the problems, bugs, and "hidden features" as evidenced by the preceding 3 pages of entries, I thought I'd pass along another compliment. The artwork you have inserted into the "NipponMaru" add-on is fantastic! Such realism there. I also noted that you have "dirtied" up the skins, especially on the marus, to be much more realistic. Perhaps someday, when the artists on the team have time (!) they could add some of that dirt to the explosion upheavals. Now most of them look like a large steam burst, or fire, of course. Having the non-fire blasts have some black and or gray included would just make it so much more realistic IMHO. In comparing the game explosion ejections to some of the films of real explosions out there, the SH4 upheavals seem pretty tame and much smaller. NO biggie to me.

Btw, I am currently getting ready to leave on my fourth patrol out of Tulagi in the Gato. I'm happy to report no adverse incidents encountered in receiving or leaving on patrol assignments. I guess I got lucky when I accepted the command of the Gato before taking the transfer. Since then I have turned down two new subs - in my mind it's too early for a Balao.

Another item is that equipment upgrades, including a refit conning tower and more powerful AA guns are not readily forthcoming in September 1943 in Tulagi. I do have the twin 20mm and the 4" deck gun, and was able to buy the Improved SJ, but I was hoping for the conning tower refit. Maybe if I keep going it will come.

Lastly, there is an upgrade that is puzzling. I can add a bow or stern mount deck gun of the same type I currently have that is paired with a second 20 mm AA gun. I tried that once, but went back to a previous visit to the office because (1) I could not access the 2nd AA gun, and (2) there were no crew slots for the 2nd AA gun. Finding it basically useless, I restored to a previous save and went without.

All that is minor and does not affect my enjoyment of v1.39 plus the NipponMaru add-on. And again, my compliments to whomever added the artwork and modified the skins on the merchies. I salute you!

[Macgregor the Hammer]

Originally Posted by KaleunMarco

there are convoys of 5 or 6 ships. some with only one escort. gotta love that!
gotta sit down in the right lanes and it also depends on the date range. things tighten up after Saipan falls and then again after the Philippines are re-invaded.
right now, we are late 1942. we have found convoys:

• off the east coast of luzon.
• coming in/out of Rabaul
• running between Davao and the Palau's
• Celebes Sea

Keep searching, you'll find them.

USS Skate, a Balao out of Pearl , July '43. Around 30 days into first patrol. First area assigned was Convoy College. Caught good traffic out of Takao. Bagged a couple a big tankers and a 5000 ton freighter. Next assignment was 11B. Fair traffic, 3 sinkings including a sub. One task force: 2 BB's, 3 CA's and about 8 DD's. I let that one pass. Wasn't up to 'bearding the lion'. On to 7 with instructions to avoid the Bungo Strait. Unless of course I think that I have an advantage!

A lot of air traffic and moderate ship traffiic. Bagged a couple oilers and a freighter. I'm going to be there for a few more days. My setup for this campaign was 'normal' difficulty. Now that I got a feel for 1.26p, I'm going to kick up the campaign a few notches. Take it up to 'hard' difficulty and load up the Harder Escorts mod.

I like this flavor of FotRSU. Has a good balance with air and sea. Aircraft aren't all that aggressive though. A couple things on my wish list: max optics with scaf and more down time with SJ1. All the books I've been reading mention the radar have a considerable amount of down time do to fragility of the electronics. The were repaired, for the most part, in a few hours. The operators were really talented. I think the detection model could be tweaked a bit more. And, before I forget, FotRSU has the prettiest water of all the megamods!

I think this is the best release yet! MacGregor sends Bravo Zulu to the team

[Mios 4Me]

Originally Posted by Mios 4Me

We were on the surface when the contact appeared from the NE/ENE. [Note: this refers to an aircraft-induced CTD off the Dampier Strait on a mission prior to the Manila insertion below]]

Edited to add: the Manila agent mission CTDed 20km from the drop zone as we sat dead in the water waiting for night. We'd just detected a nearby fishing boat and an incoming plane from the S. I heard the engine while using the cam to check out the fishing boat details, then went back to the control room and set TC to 30.

USS Balao 12/13/43, on another attempt at the agent drop, not long before dawn in the Verde Island Passage between Luzon and Mindoro, had finally shaken off a large escorted convoy which had been moving along our path all night, when a single plane appeared moving S. Curious about this night flyer, we stayed on the surface as it approached 10 km off our bow, then the game CTDed. There was nothing else on the map.

Been running without issues since installing 1.39. This play started beginning Jan '42 with all patrols starting from Midway. Current patrol, Balao, from Midway, entered from East, 5 day patrol area around Truk, Jan 15 '44. patrolled till Jan 18 when encountered warships exiting Truk from SW. Avoided these and moved around from north spotting a stationary Hiyo CV where they had exited. Sank it, continued patrolling till Jan 23, taking five Saves since sinking the Hiyo. Last save was Jan 23, East of Truk, surfaced, no contacts of any kind. Tried to restart last save, loaded thru to "No mission too difficult" and then CTD. None of those last 5 saves will load, all CTDs. Only save working is from starting this 5 day patrol Jan 15.
Play up till this with 1.39 has been faultless. No change to any of the MODs used since using the 1.2 versions and now the 1.39.
Haven't been keeping up with other posts lately so if something like this has been reported please let me know.

[propbeanie]

Originally Posted by torpedobait

While you all are fussing with... they could add some of that dirt to the explosion upheavals. Now most of them look like a large steam burst, or fire, of course... Another item is that equipment upgrades, including a refit conning tower and more powerful AA guns are not readily forthcoming in September 1943 in Tulagi... deck gun of the same type I currently have that is paired with a second 20 mm AA gun. I tried that once, but went back to a previous visit to the office because (1) I could not access the 2nd AA gun, and (2) there were no crew slots for the 2nd AA gun...

I will probably get lost here... but - the explosions are part of a couple of library files, and there are generally quite a few things that go flying through the air. If you are seeing what I call yin & yang puff explosions, we might try to turn those down. They are called from the zones.cfg file, and we do seem to be hitting those too strong lately. Upgrades are scarce in Sept 43, with the 40mm just now being available at Pearl. You'll probably get that shortly. The conning towers are a bird of a different stripe, in that they come only when there are no boat upgrades available. The earliest possible to get the 1st cut is May of 1942, 2nd cut is Jan 43, and the "Elite" is Jan 44. However - again - they are treated by the game, as a new boat, but are only offered when you would qualify for a new boat, but there are no new boats available. Rather convoluted, but it is what it is. The game should give the player a choice "Do you want a new boat, or a new conning tower?", but it doesn't. That option of a 4" deck gun, with a 20mm "deck gun" (not an AA gun, a deck gun), which ever way you choose to mount them, will both shoot at surface targets. That particular 20mm will NOT shoot at airplanes generally, even though it does have AA ammo in the bunker. As with the Narwhal with two deck guns, or with 2x 5" 25 cal or 2x 4" 50 cal deck guns, you can only control one of them. The other you cannot. There is no provision in the game for that, like there is available for the conn-mounted AA guns. It is what it is. As noted in the documentation, when you mount a new deck gun prior to patrol, you will have to Save the game after leaving the terminal area, exit the game, re-enter the game, and then load that Save. Then you can put your gun crews at Battle Stations and they will show at their proper duty stations... another little "gotcha" from the game itself. Ya gotta kick it in the #@%$ to get it to cooperate...

Originally Posted by Macgregor the Hammer

... Aircraft aren't all that aggressive though. A couple things on my wish list: max optics with scaf and more down time with SJ1. All the books I've been reading mention the radar have a considerable amount of down time do to fragility of the electronics. The were repaired, for the most part, in a few hours...

Thanks. We have been BZBZ as of late... as for the airplanes, it depends upon what plane sees you, and whether they have weapons left to use on you, as to whether they attack or not. Rest assured, they have 100% radio comms reliability, and will surely fone home about where you are and which direction you are headed. If CapnScurvy gets finished painting that Mercury that he acquired, he might be coerced into doing an FotRSU-compatible OTC mod, especially since DanielCoffey did all that wonderful sil work. MaxOptics are basically already in the mod, but in an "historical" manner. All the views in-game are properly "zoomed" and "aligned" for accuracy. The scopes and binoculars are all set spot-on to what was on ww2 subs, so even if CapnScurvy did do an OTC mod for FotRSU, you wouldn't see that aspect of the mod change. As for "Bernard" at work on the radar, CapnScurvy did "fine"-tune the set, to where if you are on rough seas, you will lose radar "efficiency" since the "beam" is narrower in FotRSU, but to have an out-and-out failure, the game does not do that in the "stock" base...

Originally Posted by Mios 4Me

USS Balao 12/13/43, on another attempt at the agent drop, not long before dawn in the Verde Island Passage between Luzon and Mindoro, had finally shaken off a large escorted convoy which had been moving along our path all night, when a single plane appeared moving S. Curious about this night flyer, we stayed on the surface as it approached 10 km off our bow, then the game CTDed. There was nothing else on the map.

If you are ever able to ID the plane, that would be greatly appreciated. We are looking at the planes though, since there were a few subtle changes in them for v1.39.

Originally Posted by jldjs

... Last save was Jan 23, East of Truk, surfaced, no contacts of any kind. Tried to restart last save, loaded thru to "No mission too difficult" and then CTD. None of those last 5 saves will load, all CTDs. Only save working is from starting this 5 day patrol Jan 15.
Play up till this with 1.39 has been faultless...

Thanks for the report. Truk has its issues, and we have found a rogue group in the area that will eventually head south for Kavieng, but there are also some issues with a few ships. All of these "fixes" will be in the next release. We have not gone through all of the airplanes yet, and do have to stop and take a break every few hours, else we go cross-eyed, and just plain cross... - Keep your fingers "crossed" (bad pun) for smooth sailing to the next release.