SD and SJ Radar mast question

skirich · 09-25-19, 12:54 AM

Using this as a reference ...
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...to;0821201.jpg

My sub (Balao) looks just like this. Its a late 1944 career.

I just read an article off fleetsubmarine.com that says the SJ was mounted on a retractable mast.

Odd, the only retractable mast I have is for the SD radar.

Am I missing something here? A special command to get the SJ to telescope?

propbeanie · 09-25-19, 06:57 AM

You are not missing a thing... The game of SH4 is based on SH3, which probably had parts of SHII still in it... but the gist of the matter is that there are three raise / lower / rotate spots on the submarine "build" in SH4. Attack periscope takes one, Observation periscope takes another, and the SD takes the other. No way to add another without having access to the source code. Whatever you do, don't look at the motors and engines... I think you should be able to have one screw forward, the other reverse for tighter turning, especially when under electric, but ~no~... not possible either... Still, it is a good game for being 15 years old (counting SH3 in that), in spite of its shortcomings...

skirich · 09-25-19, 12:00 PM

Ah that explains it. Thanks.
Odd the devs missed that.
There is so much detail in this game related to the subs and they missed this one detail.

ETR3(SS) · 09-26-19, 12:51 AM

SH4 was based off of SH3, SH3 used a new engine and had no carry over from SH2.

That said, SH3 was designed with the Uboats in mind and their associated technology. SH4 was built off of SH3 directly. Not an unheard of way of game development except in this case the dev team that made SH3 didn't all move on to make SH4. This was apparent upon release when the game was a **** show of bugs, broken mechanics, and legal technicalities. Digging into the game files you'll find most of the SH3 files present in the SH4 install, although I haven't tested it I'm nearly certain you could run both from the same install somehow.

Now PB is correct in stating there are 3 commands for raising/lowering masts in SH4, because that's what we had from SH3. The last one wasn't a radar mast however, but was the snorkel. The ability to raise/lower a snorkel was implemented in SH3 and worked as intended (changed out the air inside and provided air for the diesels to run). The fleet boats didn't have snorkels and so this was left unused, but still present in the game (albeit a broken mechanic now).

This mechanic was discovered and used to raise/lower the SD radar instead by modder Anvart IIRC. This added some needed historical accuracy to the game. Now as for the SJ radar, I've not known it to be an extensible mast during the war. Later versions on the GUPPY boats may have been, but that was due to the larger conning towers. The SJ radar could however be used while submerged by coming shallow enough that the periscope shears cleared the surface.

skirich · 09-26-19, 01:20 AM

Yeah thats how I use it. 45 feet in calm waters is enough to get it working. 40 feet in rough waves, but that exposes some of the conning tower deck in troughs.

Sh4 v1.5 lets you use the SD on a retractable mast native, so no modding needed for that.

Mios 4Me · 09-26-19, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skirich

Sh4 v1.5 lets you use the SD on a retractable mast native, so no modding needed for that.

That's one of Webster's GFO mods, I'm afraid. I wish it were stock.

09-25-19, 12:54 AM	#1
skirich Chief Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Patroling the south pacific Posts: 321 Downloads: 75 Uploads: 0	SD and SJ Radar mast question Using this as a reference ... https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...to;0821201.jpg My sub (Balao) looks just like this. Its a late 1944 career. I just read an article off fleetsubmarine.com that says the SJ was mounted on a retractable mast. Odd, the only retractable mast I have is for the SD radar. Am I missing something here? A special command to get the SJ to telescope?

09-25-19, 06:57 AM	#2
propbeanie CTD - it's not just a job Join Date: May 2016 Location: One hour from Music City USA! Posts: 9,743 Downloads: 439 Uploads: 2	You are not missing a thing... The game of SH4 is based on SH3, which probably had parts of SHII still in it... but the gist of the matter is that there are three raise / lower / rotate spots on the submarine "build" in SH4. Attack periscope takes one, Observation periscope takes another, and the SD takes the other. No way to add another without having access to the source code. Whatever you do, don't look at the motors and engines... I think you should be able to have one screw forward, the other reverse for tighter turning, especially when under electric, but ~no~... not possible either... Still, it is a good game for being 15 years old (counting SH3 in that), in spite of its shortcomings... __________________ "...and bollocks to the naysayer/s" - Jimbuna

09-26-19, 12:51 AM	#4
ETR3(SS) Ocean Warrior Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Between test depth and periscope depth Posts: 3,021 Downloads: 175 Uploads: 16	SH4 was based off of SH3, SH3 used a new engine and had no carry over from SH2. That said, SH3 was designed with the Uboats in mind and their associated technology. SH4 was built off of SH3 directly. Not an unheard of way of game development except in this case the dev team that made SH3 didn't all move on to make SH4. This was apparent upon release when the game was a **** show of bugs, broken mechanics, and legal technicalities. Digging into the game files you'll find most of the SH3 files present in the SH4 install, although I haven't tested it I'm nearly certain you could run both from the same install somehow. Now PB is correct in stating there are 3 commands for raising/lowering masts in SH4, because that's what we had from SH3. The last one wasn't a radar mast however, but was the snorkel. The ability to raise/lower a snorkel was implemented in SH3 and worked as intended (changed out the air inside and provided air for the diesels to run). The fleet boats didn't have snorkels and so this was left unused, but still present in the game (albeit a broken mechanic now). This mechanic was discovered and used to raise/lower the SD radar instead by modder Anvart IIRC. This added some needed historical accuracy to the game. Now as for the SJ radar, I've not known it to be an extensible mast during the war. Later versions on the GUPPY boats may have been, but that was due to the larger conning towers. The SJ radar could however be used while submerged by coming shallow enough that the periscope shears cleared the surface. __________________ USS Kentucky SSBN 737 (G) Comms Div 2003-2006 Qualified 19 November 03 Yes I was really on a submarine.

09-25-19, 12:00 PM	#3
skirich Chief Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Patroling the south pacific Posts: 321 Downloads: 75 Uploads: 0	Ah that explains it. Thanks. Odd the devs missed that. There is so much detail in this game related to the subs and they missed this one detail.

09-26-19, 01:20 AM	#5
skirich Chief Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Patroling the south pacific Posts: 321 Downloads: 75 Uploads: 0	Yeah thats how I use it. 45 feet in calm waters is enough to get it working. 40 feet in rough waves, but that exposes some of the conning tower deck in troughs. Sh4 v1.5 lets you use the SD on a retractable mast native, so no modding needed for that.