Uboat's current beta, initial thoughts

[Doctor Haider]

Why does the target speed changes when I go from Torpedo Room back to TDC station? I set it to be 8 knots, go to Torpedo Room to check Gyro angle, go back and now it's 5 knots. Why? Also torpedo speed setting go down to 30 knots from the original set 44 knots.

Also the thing that puzzles me why the dispersion is set to some value different from 0 for one torpedo shots? I have a strong suspicion that this is used for one torpedo wich result in misses. So I need to manually set it to zero in Tropedo Room. I cannot change dispersion in TDC station...

UPD: I sorted it out lol. I was using the early TDC on type IID.

1. It looks like speed setting on torpedo should be set in torpedo room first or on the periscope torpedo settings dialog and then set in same way in TDC. actually it will automatically set to the same speed as in torpedo room when you leave TDC station. So if it was set to 30 in TR it will be set to 30 knots overriding your manual input in TDC

2. The AOB actuator at least in early TDC model overrides target speed setting so when my torpedo speed setting was overrided by the game, gyro ange was recalculated so AOB changed so target speed setting changed too.. I wonder if real stuff worked like this as well...

3. Salvo dispersion doesn't affect one torpedo shots at least in the latest 2024 Beta verison. I tested that by setting target speed to 0 and launch bearing to 0 so torpedo just went straight ignoring the dispersion setting. Good.

[Ruby2000]

Hi,

the target speed is changed by design when you change the torpedo speed on the TDC.

The first thing you have to do is always set the torpedo speed on the TDC.

Cheers Ruby

[FinessSzabi]

In short: I love it!

[RAM]

Originally Posted by Doctor Haider

3. Salvo dispersion doesn't affect one torpedo shots at least in the latest 2024 Beta verison. I tested that by setting target speed to 0 and launch bearing to 0 so torpedo just went straight ignoring the dispersion setting. Good.

Did you shoot a single torpedo?. Salvo settings only work in multiple tube launches, so if you shoot just one torpedo it'll simply run straight regardless of the setting.

In fact if you shoot 3 torpedoes with a salvo setting, one will go left, the other right, and one will run straight through the middle of the salvo cone.

[Aktungbby]

RAM!...the infamous 7-year-itch strikes again; ending your 'silent run' since 2017!

[VolvicCH]

I'm very impressed with the beta so far, the only thing I wish they would improve is the sinking mechanics, so far every ship I've torpedoed has sunk in less than 20 seconds after torpedo impact. As an old SH3 player, I miss the damage-model from that game. Made it more immersive IMO. Also, kindly do something about the ability to sink freighters with the 20mm gun.

[FinessSzabi]

Originally Posted by VolvicCH

I'm very impressed with the beta so far, the only thing I wish they would improve is the sinking mechanics, so far every ship I've torpedoed has sunk in less than 20 seconds after torpedo impact. As an old SH3 player, I miss the damage-model from that game. Made it more immersive IMO. Also, kindly do something about the ability to sink freighters with the 20mm gun.

I agree. There is a mod for it in for earlier beta, but it would be nice having it in base game. Game is awesome btw!

[s0cks]

I bought both SH3 and UBOAT at the same time. I've been watching a lot of videos and trying to familiarize myself with WWII sub warfare in general.


While I only have like 10 hours on each game I have to say I do prefer SH3.



I really really want to like UBOAT, and I keep trying to give it another go. I got the latest unstable beta and it's a lot better. It's got so many cool features that SH3 doesn't have too, like boarding parties, air compressors that you have to manage, all the crew stuff, bilge pumps, etc... But I really just do not get along with the UI. It just feels clunky to me. Also as the above poster says, every ship seems to sink in no time at all - whereas I love all the different ways a ship can sink in SH3.


I'm not going to give up on it tho. Definitely a solid game but perhaps not quite as smooth an experience as I would have liked. As someone else said, perhaps it's just one of those games you need to invest a lot of time in before things start to flow better.

[nihilcat]

Originally Posted by s0cks

But I really just do not get along with the UI. It just feels clunky to me.

Would you be able to give us some hints, which parts of the UI would use most work? It would be very much appreciated

[pedalboat]

It´s very simple.
Just imagine that your game is for a desktop computer, not a cell phone or an xbox platform.

[XLjedi]

Originally Posted by nihilcat

Would you be able to give us some hints, which parts of the UI would use most work? It would be very much appreciated

It come across as bizarre that so much time was spent on modeling the side view of crew and the sub, but so little time is actually spent using that interface.

Primarily, the game is played from the Map and Tab key menu to give orders. You have a strategic view on the map where you are plotting your attack strategy, then you are jumping to attack scope for tactical. It is odd that while on the attack scope if I need to increase speed or apply rudder, I have to then jump back to the map to have access to the dials I need.

There's just not an efficient way to manage tactical nav orders while watching the enemy. It feels clunky. You are forced to jump out to a third person view of the sub or the map view to give a rudder or speed order.

The TDC dials are aggravating with the tenths of a decimal. Degrees should be easily dialed to whole numbers, and speed maybe to the half knot. I like putting in distances to whole 100's. Having a way to bypass those dials and just enter a number at the TDC panel would be a godsend.

Most SH players hate the idea of E-locking the target in the scope to have access to the TDC fire solution inputs. We also don't like that it's the only interface where we can enter values directly. Pulling up the tools on the attack scope (stad, chrono, etc) is useless because they don't send values to the TDC unless there is a target E-locked.

Also, your chrono-speed tool is very odd in that it disobeys the laws of physics and relative motion.

I could go on... but those are the big ones that I see.

[hombre al agua]

Originally Posted by XLjedi

It is odd that while on the attack scope if I need to increase speed or apply rudder, I have to then jump back to the map to have access to the dials I need.

You dont. You only have to press ALT key.

[XLjedi]

Originally Posted by hombre al agua

You dont. You only have to press ALT key.

That's very cool and I appreciate the tip!

However, it shines a pretty direct light on what exactly the new players find clunky about the UI. ...and probably also why the devs and veterans don't see any problem with the UI.

What else am I going to find buried in the UI that is not apparent? I had no idea the alt key would make the dials/menu appear when on the attack scope and I've got 350 hours logged playing at 100%.

[hombre al agua]

Originally Posted by XLjedi

What else am I going to find buried in the UI that is not apparent?.

If you press ALT while at side view some hidden selectors appear

If you press W, A, S, or D while plotting a line you make a straight (0, 90, 180, 270 ) line

If you press M to go to the map and then press M again you return where you were

PageUp and PageDown keys change the UI size

Side view (and most of the views and walking) moves faster whith shift key pressed

If you right click and drag the mouse in orbital view to the right or to the left of the bow you can change bearing

Those are some of the most hidden things i could think. The best thing to do in that sense is to read full the game manual and visit the keyboard hotkey section. There are a lot of mechanics that if you dont read the manual you will only find them by luck. For example, if you click first time in the red box with the wounded sailors numbers, the camera will center in the first wounded, if you click again the camera will go to the second one etc, same with the red box with broken things to repair.

[XLjedi]

Originally Posted by hombre al agua

If you press ALT while at side view some hidden selectors appear

So Alt does different things depending on side view. This sort of stuff is what makes the UI non-intuitive and people will just think it is "clunky".

On the scope for instance, if you select the view that has the waves... all that black space. The Alt menu dials should just be visible by default. I get why they might be hidden if using other scope views. But the Map and orbital views kinda train us that those dials and menu don't need to be toggled with Alt key.