A few new ideas

Fidd · 11-04-23, 10:20 PM

75. Difficulty setting - Escorts

Imagine there was a lobby setting which controlled how far away from the convoy escorts might spontaneously move, as well as the bearing change away from convoy heading when they did so.

Now imagine that this was an invisible setting only known to the mission designer or lobby creator.

This would allow for games where the escort AI was less predictable, and the game more varied in outcome, BUT would allow newer players to use less arduous settings if they so wished...

If an escort apparently moving parallel to the convoy suddenly makes a 60 degree turn towards the flank of the convoy at 18-36 kts, for a kilometer or so, then relying on detection distances where the u-boat captain "knows" he is utterly safe from detection becomes more tricky....

So on "easy mode" escorts might patrol with only a small change of heading from the convoy course, and a short distance at low speed; and on "hard" they might turn 60 degrees or more, and move a km or more, and do it quickly meaning that players would have to spot the threat, and act, much more than is currently the case. Because the setting is invisible to players, one can no longer rely on being 2000m (or whatever it is) as being "absolutely safe" from detection, because you don't know, as a captain, with what difficulty setting you are contending.

This effect could be enhanced by having harder settings initially making gentle, slow speed changes of heading, for shorter distances, and only later doing the quicker changes of heading, for longer distances, at and at greater speed in knots. Thus keeping the apparantly random effect concealed for longer...

Fidd · 11-05-23, 11:32 PM

76. "long games"

Suppose it was possible to generate realistically sized convoys, and each had a name eg "PQ17". Now suppose one player starts a lobby and plays the game. When he's finished playing, the composition, time of day, position etc are saved and uploaded to the cloud. The next player to start a lobby is given the option of making a completely new lobby, OR continuing the PQ17 convoy, which would then involve downloading the PQ17 end-game status of the previous lobby attacking PQ17. If he elects to attack PQ17, then he and his mates, with as many u-boats as they have, can attack the convoy, generating a new status in turn to be uploaded to the cloud....

Time might pass between attacks, so that the convoy makes progress between attacks. The convoy then either makes port, or is partially or completely sunk. All the players who participated are then notified of their victory/draw or loss, subject to the numbers of u-boats and merchantmen sunk etc.

This would allow for a more narrative story of the battle for a convoy to develop over RL days and weeks, by essentially linking the results from one lobby to the next, to the next until a series of attacks on a convoy is complete. When a boat is out of torpedoes it can rearm at a milch-cow, or return to port. Dependant on which the skipper elects to do determines whether a 2nd attack may be launched by him on the same convoy, or if he needs to commence an attack on a nearer convoy. It could also be made interesting, because attacks early in a convoys transit, would put the u-boat under greater threat of being attacked by aircraft, BUT, in choosing to prosecute an early attack on a convoy, a greater number of larger ships would exist within said convoy. So there's an interesting risk/reward paradigm going on there too.

This would also, counterintuitively, allow for shorter play sessions, so that a crew could play for say 2 hours instead of 3, but play together more frequently, attacking the convoy at more regularly at shorter intervals, torpedoes permitting. It could be broken down further, so that a u-boat might play for an hours play, each RL night, firing circa 7 torpedoes, and then the following RL night play the second tranche of torpedoes, with them only having moved to attack the following (game) night. Such a system would help gaming periods to be of shorter, or longer RL time periods, rather than the 3 hour plus period of Frost/Duyfken/9th Flot games, although it would not preclude them, as players desire. I have noticed that some friends, who I think would greatly enjoy the game, are rather put-off it by the incredible time-sink it involves, with playing 4 x 3 hour games a week. It basically limits the game to popular play by retirees and kids!

Fidd · 11-08-23, 12:24 PM

(I may have been misleading with "a few" new ideas!)
77. "Technical notes". This would be on the "C" command as a tab. It would be automatically synchronised with a folder on the users pc, via which he could view jpeg images or rich-text (only?) whilst in game, by browsing to the "Technical Notes tab".

This might well be put to different uses by different players, and a sub-tab would exist for every game-role. So a player playing as Dive Officer might store tables shewing the plane-angles for fastest dive to depth at any given speed. A radio-operator might have a table of Q codes, other radio syntax, and morse code for letters and numbers. A Chief-Engineer might have engine settings for particular speeds and so forth. Basically a very flexible system whereby helpful material can be stored and accessed by your own game front-end. If you swap roles for a game or two, or within the same game, simply browsing to the correct sub-tab of your new role, would bring up any technical-notes appropriate to that role you have in the relevant folder...

The notes would only be viewable by the user, and only from their own pc. If someone produced an excellent set of notes or useful image, then those can be exchanged, but would have to be on that user's pc, in the appropriate folder, when viewed. For each role, I suggest that a cap be placed on the size in kb that can exist in any given folder, so as to avoid issues with the game when a folder is accessed.

Fidd · 11-08-23, 05:31 PM

78. Sound-effect of morse-key being operated "clack clack....clack" audible in the control-room when the radio-operator is keying his morse-key, but NOT when he's receiving incoming morse. This would allow other players in the control-room to determine if the morse "dits and dahs" they can hear are an incoming or outgoing signal. If the former, then with voice attenuation on, a spare player can move a little to hear the radio operator's voice, (or in case the Skipper doesn't hear it himself on the new voice-tubes....)

Fidd · 11-08-23, 05:55 PM

79. Cargo-specific effects of torpedoes.

These might cause: a persistent static, low level flames (relative to the initial explosion) through which, or against which the convoy passes, causing slight illumination of shipping. flames very gradually fall astern of the convoy lasting for half an hour or so? This being a possible effect of a hit that flames a tanker. Possibly attended by large amounts of black smoke (fuel oil) or higher but briefer flames (petrol)

and...

Very occasional massive explosion effect from hitting a ship with a) a large tonnage, and b) randomly carrying munitions. Probably an effect one only sees circa every 5-10 games, so that it remains note-worthy and dramatic. Remains of blown apart ship sinks immediately after arcs of superstructure and other falling debris land all around. Rare but extraordinary to see.

Fidd · 11-11-23, 02:12 PM

80. Using the battery breakers (trips) as a variable for reversible depth-charge damage.

The breakers on our boat are for protecting the e-motor from too much current . In reality (I just learned) they were also, or entirely, breakers to protect the battery. It occurs to me this latter feature could be used with light DC damage, to plunge half the boat, or all of the boat, into darkness from a relatively close DC hit. This would rob the boat of propulsion partially or completely, and into darkness until the e-motor rheostat is wound back, the breakers reset. Moreover, it would conceal the amount of damage done until lighting is restored. If crush-depth were semi-random, but also decreased with DC attacks, perhaps with damage-control via isolation valves to stop leaks, then a deal of problems and required tasks to complicate the aftermath of a DC attack......

Having the breakers, one, or both, operate as a temporary loss of function under DC attack, and all that implies for changing the e-motor settings to resume propulsion without the breaker going off again, might be a good start to a more finessed "damage control"....?

Fidd · 11-11-23, 11:47 PM

81. In game voice, possible detection of voices via hydrophones (sum of all amplitudes of players simultaenously speaking), if voice amplitudes rais to "normal" conversational levels. Forces players to speak more softly when in proximity to escorts, and to avoid many speaking at the same time.

Similarly, add the "clack" of the contactor to the detectable sounds on escort hydrophones. Compels several behaviours to avoid detection: use of creep-mode, no changes of battery configuration when near escorts. The sound of the contactor is fairly loud, so I'd put it a roughly the detection risk of employing the bilge-pump underwater.

11-04-23, 10:20 PM	#1
Fidd Captain Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Blighty! Posts: 542 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	75. Difficulty setting - Escorts Imagine there was a lobby setting which controlled how far away from the convoy escorts might spontaneously move, as well as the bearing change away from convoy heading when they did so. Now imagine that this was an invisible setting only known to the mission designer or lobby creator. This would allow for games where the escort AI was less predictable, and the game more varied in outcome, BUT would allow newer players to use less arduous settings if they so wished... If an escort apparently moving parallel to the convoy suddenly makes a 60 degree turn towards the flank of the convoy at 18-36 kts, for a kilometer or so, then relying on detection distances where the u-boat captain "knows" he is utterly safe from detection becomes more tricky.... So on "easy mode" escorts might patrol with only a small change of heading from the convoy course, and a short distance at low speed; and on "hard" they might turn 60 degrees or more, and move a km or more, and do it quickly meaning that players would have to spot the threat, and act, much more than is currently the case. Because the setting is invisible to players, one can no longer rely on being 2000m (or whatever it is) as being "absolutely safe" from detection, because you don't know, as a captain, with what difficulty setting you are contending. This effect could be enhanced by having harder settings initially making gentle, slow speed changes of heading, for shorter distances, and only later doing the quicker changes of heading, for longer distances, at and at greater speed in knots. Thus keeping the apparantly random effect concealed for longer... Last edited by Fidd; 11-06-23 at 09:04 AM.

11-05-23, 11:32 PM	#2
Fidd Captain Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Blighty! Posts: 542 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	76. "long games" Suppose it was possible to generate realistically sized convoys, and each had a name eg "PQ17". Now suppose one player starts a lobby and plays the game. When he's finished playing, the composition, time of day, position etc are saved and uploaded to the cloud. The next player to start a lobby is given the option of making a completely new lobby, OR continuing the PQ17 convoy, which would then involve downloading the PQ17 end-game status of the previous lobby attacking PQ17. If he elects to attack PQ17, then he and his mates, with as many u-boats as they have, can attack the convoy, generating a new status in turn to be uploaded to the cloud.... Time might pass between attacks, so that the convoy makes progress between attacks. The convoy then either makes port, or is partially or completely sunk. All the players who participated are then notified of their victory/draw or loss, subject to the numbers of u-boats and merchantmen sunk etc. This would allow for a more narrative story of the battle for a convoy to develop over RL days and weeks, by essentially linking the results from one lobby to the next, to the next until a series of attacks on a convoy is complete. When a boat is out of torpedoes it can rearm at a milch-cow, or return to port. Dependant on which the skipper elects to do determines whether a 2nd attack may be launched by him on the same convoy, or if he needs to commence an attack on a nearer convoy. It could also be made interesting, because attacks early in a convoys transit, would put the u-boat under greater threat of being attacked by aircraft, BUT, in choosing to prosecute an early attack on a convoy, a greater number of larger ships would exist within said convoy. So there's an interesting risk/reward paradigm going on there too. This would also, counterintuitively, allow for shorter play sessions, so that a crew could play for say 2 hours instead of 3, but play together more frequently, attacking the convoy at more regularly at shorter intervals, torpedoes permitting. It could be broken down further, so that a u-boat might play for an hours play, each RL night, firing circa 7 torpedoes, and then the following RL night play the second tranche of torpedoes, with them only having moved to attack the following (game) night. Such a system would help gaming periods to be of shorter, or longer RL time periods, rather than the 3 hour plus period of Frost/Duyfken/9th Flot games, although it would not preclude them, as players desire. I have noticed that some friends, who I think would greatly enjoy the game, are rather put-off it by the incredible time-sink it involves, with playing 4 x 3 hour games a week. It basically limits the game to popular play by retirees and kids! Last edited by Fidd; 11-06-23 at 06:14 AM.

11-08-23, 05:31 PM	#4
Fidd Captain Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Blighty! Posts: 542 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	78. Sound-effect of morse-key being operated "clack clack....clack" audible in the control-room when the radio-operator is keying his morse-key, but *NOT* when he's receiving *incoming* morse. This would allow *other players in the control-room to determine if the morse "dits and dahs" they can hear are an incoming or outgoing signal.* If the former, then with voice attenuation on, a spare player can move a little to hear the radio operator's voice, (or in case the Skipper doesn't hear it himself on the new voice-tubes....) Last edited by Fidd; 11-08-23 at 05:39 PM.

11-08-23, 12:24 PM	#3
Fidd Captain Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Blighty! Posts: 542 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	(I may have been misleading with "a few" new ideas!) 77. "Technical notes". This would be on the "C" command as a tab. It would be automatically synchronised with a folder on the users pc, via which he could view jpeg images or rich-text (only?) whilst in game, by browsing to the "Technical Notes tab". This might well be put to different uses by different players, and a sub-tab would exist for every game-role. So a player playing as Dive Officer might store tables shewing the plane-angles for fastest dive to depth at any given speed. A radio-operator might have a table of Q codes, other radio syntax, and morse code for letters and numbers. A Chief-Engineer might have engine settings for particular speeds and so forth. Basically a very flexible system whereby helpful material can be stored and accessed by your own game front-end. If you swap roles for a game or two, or within the same game, simply browsing to the correct sub-tab of your new role, would bring up any technical-notes appropriate to that role you have in the relevant folder... The notes would only be viewable by the user, and only from their own pc. If someone produced an excellent set of notes or useful image, then those can be exchanged, but would have to be on that user's pc, in the appropriate folder, when viewed. For each role, I suggest that a cap be placed on the size in kb that can exist in any given folder, so as to avoid issues with the game when a folder is accessed.

11-08-23, 05:55 PM	#5
Fidd Captain Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Blighty! Posts: 542 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	79. Cargo-specific effects of torpedoes. These might cause: a persistent static, low level flames (relative to the initial explosion) through which, or against which the convoy passes, causing slight illumination of shipping. flames very gradually fall astern of the convoy lasting for half an hour or so? This being a possible effect of a hit that flames a tanker. Possibly attended by large amounts of black smoke (fuel oil) or higher but briefer flames (petrol) and... Very occasional massive explosion effect from hitting a ship with a) a large tonnage, and b) randomly carrying munitions. Probably an effect one only sees circa every 5-10 games, so that it remains note-worthy and dramatic. Remains of blown apart ship sinks immediately after arcs of superstructure and other falling debris land all around. Rare but extraordinary to see.

11-11-23, 02:12 PM	#6
Fidd Captain Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Blighty! Posts: 542 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	80. Using the battery breakers (trips) as a variable for reversible depth-charge damage. The breakers on our boat are for protecting the e-motor from too much current . In reality (I just learned) they were also, or entirely, breakers to protect the battery. It occurs to me this latter feature could be used with light DC damage, to plunge half the boat, or all of the boat, into darkness from a relatively close DC hit. This would rob the boat of propulsion partially or completely, and into darkness until the e-motor rheostat is wound back, the breakers reset. Moreover, it would conceal the amount of damage done until lighting is restored. If crush-depth were semi-random, but also decreased with DC attacks, perhaps with damage-control via isolation valves to stop leaks, then a deal of problems and required tasks to complicate the aftermath of a DC attack...... Having the breakers, one, or both, operate as a temporary loss of function under DC attack, and all that implies for changing the e-motor settings to resume propulsion without the breaker going off again, might be a good start to a more finessed "damage control"....?

11-11-23, 11:47 PM	#7
Fidd Captain Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Blighty! Posts: 542 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	81. In game voice, possible detection of voices via hydrophones (sum of all amplitudes of players simultaenously speaking), if voice amplitudes rais to "normal" conversational levels. Forces players to speak more softly when in proximity to escorts, and to avoid many speaking at the same time. Similarly, add the "clack" of the contactor to the detectable sounds on escort hydrophones. Compels several behaviours to avoid detection: use of creep-mode, no changes of battery configuration when near escorts. The sound of the contactor is fairly loud, so I'd put it a roughly the detection risk of employing the bilge-pump underwater.