[REL] FOTRS Ultimate Project

[Fifi]

That’s good news!

Any hint on the ability to keep target locking with periscope low on sea level?
(Other than to be fully raised)

[merc4ulfate]

Originally Posted by Fifi

That’s good news!

Any hint on the ability to keep target locking with periscope low on sea level?
(Other than to be fully raised)

I see that as more of a Captain's management issue. If you can not see it properly in real life you would get the data you need. It was always a risk to raise it, get your data, then lower it in hopes you weren't seen. It is hard for the AI to see it in any case from my experience in FOTRSU.

I have to bee within 300 yards going flank before they fire on my scope.

[CapnScurvy]

Originally Posted by Fifi

That’s good news!

Any hint on the ability to keep target locking with periscope low on sea level?
(Other than to be fully raised)

The sea state makes the difference in locking a target...….from any sub. If the wind has picked up (causing the sea to become rough) not only will the sea sometimes wash over the scope, but you'll lose the target lock. There are four different "sea states" within the game...all based on the wind. Calm has zero wind speed; 5mph picks it up a notch; 10mph the third step; 15mph you're in a heavy storm.

To keep the boat scopes high enough to not be awash, raise the boat off of it's "suggested" Periscope Depth. Yes, I said "suggested" PD! When the sea's are calm, PD will usually provide good coverage of the working scopes; Radar Depth will be fairly good for the radar sensors.....HOWEVER, don't expect to NOT adjust your depth as the environment changes. Whether it's the viewable scopes, or the Radar Antennas using the set Radar Depth depth...…..you have to be aware of the sea state, and fine tune the subs depth to make it work as expected. No single "push button" depth will cover the changing environment...….change it on your own as a real sub crew had to!

Originally Posted by merc4ulfate

It is hard for the AI to see it in any case from my experience in FOTRSU.

I have to bee within 300 yards going flank before they fire on my scope.

The next release should change that!

[merc4ulfate]

Originally Posted by CapnScurvy

Been going over the next release version for Ultimate V0.80_RC3, and I believe I've corrected this issue of not having upgrades offered when they become available. One of the early issues with the game has been that when an upgrade was offered (like changing a Stern 3.50 Deck Gun for a Bow 4.50) the gun wouldn't be on the boat when the mission started. To correct this I made the guns work within a particular "date of availability", in the hope the gun would be positioned where you expect it to be. Unfortunately, when guys say they aren't getting the chance to even choose a different deck gun, we still have a problem.

With the next release, I think this has been eliminated. A bit ago someone asked when should you expect to get an upgrade? The following list contains some of the weapons and equipment upgrades and when to expect seeing them offered:


Porpoise ; Tambor ; Gar ; Gato ; Salmon ; Sargo Submarines

Air Search Radar
(SD Radar) 1941-12-01 to 1943-03-11
(Improved SD Radar) 1943-03-12 to 1944-12-31
(SV Elite Radar) 1945-01-01 to 1945-12-31


A player will be able to choose if he wishes to keep his current equipment or step up to the next upgrade.

In my tests I have been successful in getting the 5".25cal Twin Cannons onto a Porpoise after the March 3, 1945 availability date. I've been able to start a mission with a "Middle of 1942" start date (June 10th, 1942) having the 20mm Single AA as the AA gun; a 3.50 cal DG on an S-Class:

It's my belief the proper weapon will be on the sub depending when you start the Career, AND, you'll be offered the correct upgrade in-port when it becomes available.

ODD

I have been getting the Improved SD in 1942 with a Gato

[propbeanie]

There have been changes made to several of the files that should result in a change of the AI being able to detect your periscope. Only testing will tell us if it's close. It looks at first blush to be better, but if it's too much now remains to be seen. An enemy DD / CL / CA seeing your periscope should result in a torpedo response, if you're within range... We're testing the latest edits now. I'll try to throw in several low scope targeting attempts with my other testings.

[CapnScurvy]

Originally Posted by merc4ulfate

ODD

I have been getting the Improved SD in 1942 with a Gato

So, what's the complaint???? In my opinion, you're lucky to get a Gato in 1942 at all. A fresh new recruit shouldn't even be given a high end Gato in 1942.....that's my opinion.

[Fifi]

Originally Posted by CapnScurvy

The sea state makes the difference in locking a target...….from any sub. If the wind has picked up (causing the sea to become rough) not only will the sea sometimes wash over the scope, but you'll lose the target lock. There are four different "sea states" within the game...all based on the wind. Calm has zero wind speed; 5mph picks it up a notch; 10mph the third step; 15mph you're in a heavy storm.

To keep the boat scopes high enough to not be awash, raise the boat off of it's "suggested" Periscope Depth. Yes, I said "suggested" PD! When the sea's are calm, PD will usually provide good coverage of the working scopes; Radar Depth will be fairly good for the radar sensors.....HOWEVER, don't expect to NOT adjust your depth as the environment changes. Whether it's the viewable scopes, or the Radar Antennas using the set Radar Depth depth...…..you have to be aware of the sea state, and fine tune the subs depth to make it work as expected. No single "push button" depth will cover the changing environment...….change it on your own as a real sub crew had to!



The next release should change that!

I understand your purpoise here and agree.

What i was trying to say, is in TMO or Ralles, with flat calm sea i can lock target with periscope not fully raised (low on sea level so not to be detected). Without changing my sub periscope depth.
In FOTRSU i can’t. It has to be fully raised.
I find it kind of strange.

It's March 1944, I have a Balao, starting my career Jan 1 1944 from Midway. Have completed a few missions and upon return to base the "welcome" shows the awards I am to receive. this line is from my last Save od CareerTrack.upc;
PlayerCurrentMedals=NULL,Dist Service Medal,Bronze Star
But, then I proceed to this screen;


There is no award to issue.
Running .80 with this patch 301_v0.80RC2_pbPatch004.

[J0313]

Originally Posted by Fifi

I understand your purpoise here and agree.

What i was trying to say, is in TMO or Ralles, with flat calm sea i can lock target with periscope not fully raised (low on sea level so not to be detected). Without changing my sub periscope depth.
In FOTRSU i can’t. It has to be fully raised.
I find it kind of strange.

He's not the only one. It happens to me also. Calm sea and cant maintain a lock until I am almost at full extension of the scope.

[propbeanie]

Originally Posted by Fifi

That’s good news!

Any hint on the ability to keep target locking with periscope low on sea level?
(Other than to be fully raised)

I ran a test in the version you guys are using with 5 knot winds out of the northwest, with a bit of chop to the water, and the scope was capable of locking near the top, but not at the peak of its rise. Once I had a lock, then I could lower the scope, the only problem being that when a wave broke over the lense head, the "Lock" was lost and I had to go back up to regain the lock. However, you can still use the PK button with the scope low, and shoot at your target without a lock, though the accuracy may be off a pinch, like for me, aiming at the front mast of a ship doing 12 knots at 1600 yards, I did hit just ahead of the props, so almost a miss... A little side note to that though, is I'm not really known for "good targeting"... - I do have pictures of proof, if needed...

[CapnScurvy]

Originally Posted by jldjs

It's March 1944, I have a Balao, starting my career Jan 1 1944 from Midway. Have completed a few missions and upon return to base the "welcome" shows the awards I am to receive. this line is from my last Save od CareerTrack.upc;
PlayerCurrentMedals=NULL,Dist Service Medal,Bronze Star
But, then I proceed to this screen;


There is no award to issue.
Running .80 with this patch 301_v0.80RC2_pbPatch004.

The key statement is "PlayerCurrentMedals".....that's you!! Not the crew.

[CapnScurvy]

Originally Posted by J0313

He's not the only one. It happens to me also. Calm sea and cant maintain a lock until I am almost at full extension of the scope.

Raise the subs depth!!!!!

[torpedobait]

Originally Posted by CapnScurvy

=========

So, you're saying you're in a Tench, April 1945, and you still have a 50cal Browning? Did you start the present game out in a Tench or was it awarded during a career? In other words, you're progressing through a career started before the April 1945 point you're at now?

The reason I ask, the game makes a distinction between carrying over from one patrol to another the equipment; which is different than starting a career game at a specific time. In April, 1945 the Tench gun setup SHOULD BE two mounted (Fore and Aft) 40mm Twin Bofors, and twin 5inch .25cal Canons (Fore and Aft, the Twin Cannons should come in March 2, 1945).

Using the Career "Beginning 1945" start date, while in-port, you should find this on the Crew Management page......Fore and Aft AA guns:



Over on the Weapons/Equipment page you should find the Tench has both 40mm Bofors listed, and the single Bow Mount 5 inch .25cal DG (this single Bow mount Cannon should run between Aug. 1, 1944 to March 1, 1945):



Accepting the mission, when the game starts you should find the correct guns loaded on deck:



AND, once you populate the Crew Slots on the Crew Management page, you should find the guns fully manned:



Like I said, this is what happens if you start a Career using the Tench at the "Beginning 1945" start date.

If you're carrying over a previously started Career and NOT getting upgraded, there's possibly something we can do to fix this, or maybe we can't. As the old TV used to read, "The trouble is not in your set due to network difficulties which are out of our control".

Goes to show another reason why the best thing for the game is to NOT play a saved Career from one time period to another. The game just can't keep track of itself! Get a large "saved" game going from one time period to the next, your asking for trouble.

Cap'n, I started a new career from a pristine reload of SH4 v1.5, adding FOTRSU v.80 RC2 as usual. As part of the reload I totally deleted the SH4 folder from "My Documents" before starting the current career. I do also add the "unmark" and "300 Foot visibilty" mods as I have done since the first release of FOTRSU; they have no effect on the game itself or on FOTRSU except for their designed funcions, of that I am sure.

My new career started on 12/8/1941 in the S-23 from Cavite/Manila. After the first patrol the base was changed to Surabaya, Java, and subsequently to Perth-Fremantle.

On 09/02/1942 I was upgraded to the USS Sturgeon (Salmon Class) while at Perth-Fremantle.

On 02/21/1943 I was upgraded to the USS Saury (Sargo Class) after being reasigned to Brisbane.

On 07/11/1943 I was upgraded to the USS Balao (Balao Class) out of Brisbane.

On 02/19/1944 I was upgraded to the USS Tench (Tench Class) and reassigned to Pearl Harbor.

Currently departing on my sixth patrol out of PH in the Tench.

PLEASE NOTE: Every upgrade to a new boat has only offered one (or two if the boat is set up for it) .50 Cal AA guns (that do not elevate), and a 3.5" deck gun. No other options for guns has ever been made available - no 20mm, single or double, no 40mm single or double, and no 4.5" or 5.5" deck gun! This the first time career-wise I've ever see the lack of progression in guns, and the first time I've ever been upgraded to a Tench class boat.

I'll try to upload the current boat configuration from the Office.

[CapnScurvy]

Originally Posted by torpedobait

PLEASE NOTE: Every upgrade to a new boat has only offered one (or two if the boat is set up for it) .50 Cal AA guns (that do not elevate), and a 3.5" deck gun. No other options for guns has ever been made available - no 20mm, single or double, no 40mm single or double, and no 4.5" or 5.5" deck gun! This the first time career-wise I've ever see the lack of progression in guns, and the first time I've ever been upgraded to a Tench class boat.

I'll try to upload the current boat configuration from the Office.

I mentioned that an attempt to stop the inability to receive a correct DG, in the position that the player wanted, was implemented. Surely you've played enough to know the game has always had an issue with allowing you to choose a Bow DG, but not giving it to you when the mission starts. I've attempted to correct this by not allowing a player to choose, but have the game decide for you. However, this apparently doesn't allow a "progression" of upgraded subs to carry over the equipment upgrades. As my example shown, you WILL get the correct equipment IF you start a Career at a different Start date, rather than trying to "progress" through the years starting from day one.

As I've already mentioned in this post, I've tried something else and it seems to do what I expect. It's going to be in the next release. So, look for a fix coming soon.

===========

Something though you pointed out bothers me. You stated this:

On 02/21/1943 I was upgraded to the USS Saury (Sargo Class) after being reasigned to Brisbane.

On 07/11/1943 I was upgraded to the USS Balao (Balao Class) out of Brisbane.

You didn't get a Gato between jumping from a Sargo to a Balao?? That shouldn't be! No fault on your part, but that just shouldn't be.

[merc4ulfate]

Originally Posted by CapnScurvy

Raise the subs depth!!!!!

I keep my scope as low as possible. Can't lock? I just raise it, can't lock then I raise the boat just like you are saying. Works for me. If I still can't get a lock I just get closer or use my attack map showing my line of fire and guesstimate.