What bugs me about Aces of the Deep...

[Andreas86]

Originally Posted by John Pancoast

1. No, can't be fixed though I don't consider it broke.
2. Iirc, that "speed up" was meant to simulate time taken to move between stations.
3. Being surprised by planes, etc. is how it was in real life.

Agree about the atmosphere. It surpasses SH3 in every respect except graphics imo.

As for 2, if that is the case I strongly feel it is a bad game mechanic. Like getting hit in the head with a wrench every time you arrive at the bridge. Maybe the AOD Kaleun hit his head on the hatch on the way up.

I know it was like that historically, with the planes and all. The problem is they were not travelling at the speed of sound when they came upon planes and warships. Many times in campaign mode I left the boat in time compression for a snack or break (the captain has got to sleep sometime right?), and after a few minutes when I got back the boat was sunk, either by plane or warship. I wish there were more crew assistance at least when travelling like this, they could manage dive time, emergency diving and evasion, auto manning of AA guns, etc. In fact, the whole interface goes kinda sluggish when in time compression, making it hard to respond to sudden crisis. At least in my experience on various computers.

Very true about SH3, I could never get into it like AOD even though I tried many times. The 90s were a great time for sim fans.

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by Andreas86

As for 2, if that is the case I strongly feel it is a bad game mechanic. Like getting hit in the head with a wrench every time you arrive at the bridge. Maybe the AOD Kaleun hit his head on the hatch on the way up.

I know it was like that historically, with the planes and all. The problem is they were not travelling at the speed of sound when they came upon planes and warships. Many times in campaign mode I left the boat in time compression for a snack or break (the captain has got to sleep sometime right?), and after a few minutes when I got back the boat was sunk, either by plane or warship. I wish there were more crew assistance at least when travelling like this, they could manage dive time, emergency diving and evasion, auto manning of AA guns, etc. In fact, the whole interface goes kinda sluggish when in time compression, making it hard to respond to sudden crisis. At least in my experience on various computers.

Very true about SH3, I could never get into it like AOD even though I tried many times. The 90s were a great time for sim fans.

The time compression should be dropping to 8x or 1x (depending on what is happening) when there is a sudden crisis.
Mine does anyway. However, check the weather too; if it's foggy the planes can get right on top of you via their radar. If you read actual logs/accounts, being surprised by planes/unable to dive in time was the norm even with radar detection devices.

[Andreas86]

Originally Posted by John Pancoast

If you read actual logs/accounts, being surprised by planes/unable to dive in time was the norm even with radar detection devices.

True, I just wished it happened in a context of better control, and not the time compression clickfest AOD is. Of course most newer sims suffer from this as well. In my opinion submarine life makes a poor real time game when in transit mode, and having to speed it up so drastically feels just wasted. That is why I mention those older games, which I feel got the balance between real time action and strategic transit right.

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by Andreas86

True, I just wished it happened in a context of better control, and not the time compression clickfest AOD is. Of course most newer sims suffer from this as well. In my opinion submarine life makes a poor real time game when in transit mode, and having to speed it up so drastically feels just wasted. That is why I mention those older games, which I feel got the balance between real time action and strategic transit right.

Good point.

[ChristopherTarana]

I've never had any issues with AOD! I use 1024 X Time while patrolling and the only time it changes is during a contact! The wave effects in AOD are Excellent! Attacks by Air Craft are handled Historically too! There is everything from Wildcats to B-17's attacking your sub. I have AOD and CAOD installed.




Christopher Tarana

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by ChristopherTarana

I've never had any issues with AOD! I use 1024 X Time while patrolling and the only time it changes is during a contact! The wave effects in AOD are Excellent! Attacks by Air Craft are handled Historically too! There is everything from Wildcats to B-17's attacking your sub. I have AOD and CAOD installed.




Christopher Tarana

Agree on all counts.

[Andreas86]

Originally Posted by ChristopherTarana

I've never had any issues with AOD! I use 1024 X Time while patrolling and the only time it changes is during a contact! The wave effects in AOD are Excellent! Attacks by Air Craft are handled Historically too! There is everything from Wildcats to B-17's attacking your sub. I have AOD and CAOD installed.

Yes, they did good with the aircraft attacks and their research. But the problem I am trying to get at is that the game more or less forces you to play in time compression in the campaign, unless you are glued for a month to the screen. If you don't encounter anything on a patrol it will be just one big time compression. Some like it this way, ok. For me, it is the constant management of surfacing to charge batteries, diving, giving orders to man AA guns every single time (god forbid the Wachoffiziere should do this). And then get sunk by something because I did not press the normal time button quickly. Which brings me to another point. For all of AODs strong points and great atmosphere, I feel utterly alone on the boat. The popup window guys could just as well be on Skype. I wish Dynamix had drawn in a couple of sailors and officers in the command room, perhaps with a few animation frames. Fast Attack is one of the few sims to do this, even though it is crude.

Come on, the wave effects on the uboat in AOD are more in line with a rubber duck in a bathtub. The boat is glued to a surface that is oscillating way too fast.




Command: AOD was actually the first version I had back in 1998. Had to buy it as soon as I saw the box. Ran it on Windows 95 with voice recognition even. Even the 12 year old me found it to be a buggy mess, lots of crashes, sound issues, etc.

They came very close to make the perfect sub sim though. I don't mean to sound too harsh. Would be great if someone could finally crack open this game and find ways to mod it. It has happened with old Microprose titles that are normally hard to reverse engineer, maybe in the future?

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by Andreas86

Yes, they did good with the aircraft attacks and their research. But the problem I am trying to get at is that the game more or less forces you to play in time compression in the campaign, unless you are glued for a month to the screen. If you don't encounter anything on a patrol it will be just one big time compression. Some like it this way, ok. For me, it is the constant management of surfacing to charge batteries, diving, giving orders to man AA guns every single time (god forbid the Wachoffiziere should do this). And then get sunk by something because I did not press the normal time button quickly. Which brings me to another point. For all of AODs strong points and great atmosphere, I feel utterly alone on the boat. The popup window guys could just as well be on Skype. I wish Dynamix had drawn in a couple of sailors and officers in the command room, perhaps with a few animation frames. Fast Attack is one of the few sims to do this, even though it is crude.

Come on, the wave effects on the uboat in AOD are more in line with a rubber duck in a bathtub. The boat is glued to a surface that is oscillating way too fast.




Command: AOD was actually the first version I had back in 1998. Had to buy it as soon as I saw the box. Ran it on Windows 95 with voice recognition even. Even the 12 year old me found it to be a buggy mess, lots of crashes, sound issues, etc.

They came very close to make the perfect sub sim though. I don't mean to sound too harsh. Would be great if someone could finally crack open this game and find ways to mod it. It has happened with old Microprose titles that are normally hard to reverse engineer, maybe in the future?

As I mentioned earlier, I drop time compression automatically when there is a threat including aircraft. Your game doesn't appear to be doing that ? If not, no idea why not.
Regarding the waves, if you're running in dosbox you can reduce the cycles. But it *is* a 1994 game. Sh3 has the same problem.
Regarding character animations, I'll take the 2d AOD ones over the Frankenstein looking Zombies of SH3 with their silly repetitive motions any day.

[Redwing6891]

Originally Posted by Andreas86

Come on, the wave effects on the uboat in AOD are more in line with a rubber duck in a bathtub. The boat is glued to a surface that is oscillating way too fast.

Could the wave action have something to do with DOS box settings? Like what CPU you pick or how many cycles you allow? I don't remember the 'rubber ducky in a bathtub effect' when playing it in the 90s on a 486.

I am no DOS box expert but there are other old games out there that are severely influenced by this. Strike Commander (F-16 simulator) is unplayable with normal DOS box setting as the AI is way too fast and can outmaneuver any missiles. Only by clocking down in the cycles you get a chance of actually hitting anything.

Could the wave effect be something similar? Obviously less critical as the game is still very much payable but it would be nice to get a fix.