Continuation of H.sie's patches by Stiebler.

Stiebler · 03-14-11, 12:24 PM

Owing to unfortunate personal circumstances, H.sie has said that he is unable to continue his patching mod for SH3.exe (see this link:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=174225 ) for a time of uncertain extent.

I have decided therefore to start a separate thread so that my own ideas and coding, which were being adapted by H.sie for incorporation into his 'V15' patch for SH3.exe, are available to all users.

I have created, with H.sie's permission, a special patch which includes all these items:
1. H.sie's original V15E3 patch, which includes all his fixes up to and including H.sie's fix to place the Watch Officer on the bridge when you surface the U-boat.
2. Our new silent-running mod, which includes a mixture of both our coding.
3. My U-tankers fix and code, another essential fix!
4. My Bdu Congratulations fix and code.
5. My War News fix and code.

Let us be clear about this: the patch, like H.sie's original, is not an executable file of itself. It is a patch for those who already own legitimately Ubisoft's SH3 U-boat simulation, which can still be purchased from numerous outlets, including Amazon. It patches Ubisoft's file SH3.exe in order to fix well known flaws, it does not replace it. We have no intention of breaking Ubisoft's copyright.

Moreover, as with H.sie's original work, you must have a version of SH3.exe which lacks the Starforce protection. Recent boxed commercial editions of SH3 work well, and are very cheap. There have been some complaints to H.sie that versions downloaded from Steam are not suitable. Instructions are provided with the patch kit, which will convert your existing file SH3.exe into SH3.old. However, I would advise very strongly that *first* you make a separate backup in a different folder of your existing SH3.exe file!

At some future date, we hope that H.sie will be able to include items 2-5 above properly into his original patch. However, I have tested this combined package thoroughly with NYGM, and it functions correctly during complete war patrols and is stable (no CTDs). I have every confidence that it will also function correctly with GWX, stock SH3, and other super-mods.

The Silent-Running Fix.
When the U-boat is silent-running, the pumps are turned off and therefore water slowly creeps in through tiny leaks and collects in the bilges. This makes the U-boat heavier, and it begins to sink very slowly, unless the U-boat is moving fast enough for the hydroplanes to counter the sinking motion.

This is now mimicked with our mod which works by slowly lowering the dial on the player-set depth gauge. The result is that the mod will work with all the super-mods, regardless of how their trim/buoyancy is set.

However, there are defects with this approach - for example, blowing tanks in an emergency will not set the depth gauge to surface level, which you must do yourself. In fact, control of the U-boat becomes an interesting challenge now. And I leave players to find out how to manage it themselves! (It is quite easy when you know how.) But one thing is sure: you cannot now creep at slow speed into a convoy while silent-running from a long distance away. And you must manage silent-running and depth when the escorts attack you.

The U-tankers Fix.
Everyone complains that, when you dock at a U-tanker in mid-ocean (in the super-mods), you lose all your current renown/tonnage for medal purposes, you get a full refuelling, full repairs, full torpedo load-out (which you cannot select) and you lose the patrol grid which BdU ordered. And then you start again from the tanker a month after you docked! (unless using SH3Patrol or SH3Commander). And JScones always complained that it added an extra patrol to the count of patrols which the U-boat had really made, so his popular SH3Commander retired you prematurely as commander.

No longer! Now you 'pseudo-dock' at the U-tanker. When you are close enough, you press ESCAPE, then 'Exit Patrol', just as if you were planning to dock.
However... when you are asked 'Continue mission' or 'Dock at U-463' (for example), you click on 'Continue Mission'. *Now* you carry on your patrol with the same torpedo load-out that you had when you reached the U-tanker, you retain the patrol grid details, you receive some repairs to your hull-integrity (but not to equipment) and you receive a fuel upgrade, of up to 30% of the full capacity. (So if you had 50% fuel when you docked, you will now have 80% fuel.)

Unlike conventional docking at a base, pseudo-docking is only possible if there is no 'heavy fog' and windspeed must be 10 m/s or less. Also, you can only pseudo-dock at U-tankers, not at surface tankers (eg Brake, or Charlotte Schliemann), nor at land bases.

SH3 has needed this mod for a long, long time. (But you can still choose to dock in the old way, if you wish.)

War News Fix.
These are the messages found in data\campaigns\campaign\messages_en/de.txt. Whenever you receive a message, your time compression (TC) falls to 1. Very, very irritating, as you try to sail at TC=2048 across the Atlantic while reading a good book.

The only solution in the past to this problem has been to remove the radio operator, so you don't get the messages at all.
But with this new fix, the messages just go past without affecting TC. The messages are not lost, they are stored anyway by the game, so you can always read them at your convenience later. This mod should appeal especially to players of GWX.

BdU Congratulations.
No matter how many ships you report sunk, BdU says only 'Keep up the good work', or similar, without any variety. Now there is some variety, depending on tonnage sunk. However, you *must* first locate file data\menu\en_menu.txt (or de_menu.txt), then go to command '4198=Keep up the good work' and insert an asterisk, to give '4198=*Keep up the good work' (or similar, depending on super-mod and language). Now the mod will work properly.

Similarly, whenever you are out of torpedoes when you make a radio status report, BdU always orders you to return to base without other comment. This is not very useful. If you want the congratulations here too, then place an asterisk for command 4199 also.

Download the file V15_Stiebler_Patch.7z from:
http://www.subsim.com/mods1/nygm/V15_Stiebler_Patch.7z

Enjoy it. Feedback appreciated.
[Edit: Forgot to mention - latest version (1.2) of the Options Selector for H.sie patches is also included with the download.]

Stiebler.

03-14-11, 12:24 PM	#1
Stiebler Fuel Supplier Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,237 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 4	Continuation of H.sie's patches by Stiebler. Owing to unfortunate personal circumstances, H.sie has said that he is unable to continue his patching mod for SH3.exe (see this link: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=174225 ) for a time of uncertain extent. I have decided therefore to start a separate thread so that my own ideas and coding, which were being adapted by H.sie for incorporation into his 'V15' patch for SH3.exe, are available to all users. I have created, with H.sie's permission, a special patch which includes all these items: 1. H.sie's original V15E3 patch, which includes all his fixes up to and including H.sie's fix to place the Watch Officer on the bridge when you surface the U-boat. 2. Our new silent-running mod, which includes a mixture of both our coding. 3. My U-tankers fix and code, another essential fix! 4. My Bdu Congratulations fix and code. 5. My War News fix and code. Let us be clear about this: the patch, like H.sie's original, is not an executable file of itself. It is a patch for those who already own legitimately Ubisoft's SH3 U-boat simulation, which can still be purchased from numerous outlets, including Amazon. It patches Ubisoft's file SH3.exe in order to fix well known flaws, it does not replace it. We have no intention of breaking Ubisoft's copyright. Moreover, as with H.sie's original work, you must have a version of SH3.exe which lacks the Starforce protection. Recent boxed commercial editions of SH3 work well, and are very cheap. There have been some complaints to H.sie that versions downloaded from Steam are not suitable. Instructions are provided with the patch kit, which will convert your existing file SH3.exe into SH3.old. However, I would advise very strongly that first you make a separate backup in a different folder of your existing SH3.exe file! At some future date, we hope that H.sie will be able to include items 2-5 above properly into his original patch. However, I have tested this combined package thoroughly with NYGM, and it functions correctly during complete war patrols and is stable (no CTDs). I have every confidence that it will also function correctly with GWX, stock SH3, and other super-mods. The Silent-Running Fix. When the U-boat is silent-running, the pumps are turned off and therefore water slowly creeps in through tiny leaks and collects in the bilges. This makes the U-boat heavier, and it begins to sink very slowly, unless the U-boat is moving fast enough for the hydroplanes to counter the sinking motion. This is now mimicked with our mod which works by slowly lowering the dial on the player-set depth gauge. The result is that the mod will work with all the super-mods, regardless of how their trim/buoyancy is set. However, there are defects with this approach - for example, blowing tanks in an emergency will not set the depth gauge to surface level, which you must do yourself. In fact, control of the U-boat becomes an interesting challenge now. And I leave players to find out how to manage it themselves! (It is quite easy when you know how.) But one thing is sure: you cannot now creep at slow speed into a convoy while silent-running from a long distance away. And you must manage silent-running and depth when the escorts attack you. The U-tankers Fix. Everyone complains that, when you dock at a U-tanker in mid-ocean (in the super-mods), you lose all your current renown/tonnage for medal purposes, you get a full refuelling, full repairs, full torpedo load-out (which you cannot select) and you lose the patrol grid which BdU ordered. And then you start again from the tanker a month after you docked! (unless using SH3Patrol or SH3Commander). And JScones always complained that it added an extra patrol to the count of patrols which the U-boat had really made, so his popular SH3Commander retired you prematurely as commander. No longer! Now you 'pseudo-dock' at the U-tanker. When you are close enough, you press ESCAPE, then 'Exit Patrol', just as if you were planning to dock. However... when you are asked 'Continue mission' or 'Dock at U-463' (for example), you click on 'Continue Mission'. Now you carry on your patrol with the same torpedo load-out that you had when you reached the U-tanker, you retain the patrol grid details, you receive some repairs to your hull-integrity (but not to equipment) and you receive a fuel upgrade, of up to 30% of the full capacity. (So if you had 50% fuel when you docked, you will now have 80% fuel.) Unlike conventional docking at a base, pseudo-docking is only possible if there is no 'heavy fog' and windspeed must be 10 m/s or less. Also, you can only pseudo-dock at U-tankers, not at surface tankers (eg Brake, or Charlotte Schliemann), nor at land bases. SH3 has needed this mod for a long, long time. (But you can still choose to dock in the old way, if you wish.) War News Fix. These are the messages found in data\campaigns\campaign\messages_en/de.txt. Whenever you receive a message, your time compression (TC) falls to 1. Very, very irritating, as you try to sail at TC=2048 across the Atlantic while reading a good book. The only solution in the past to this problem has been to remove the radio operator, so you don't get the messages at all. But with this new fix, the messages just go past without affecting TC. The messages are not lost, they are stored anyway by the game, so you can always read them at your convenience later. This mod should appeal especially to players of GWX. BdU Congratulations. No matter how many ships you report sunk, BdU says only 'Keep up the good work', or similar, without any variety. Now there is some variety, depending on tonnage sunk. However, you must first locate file data\menu\en_menu.txt (or de_menu.txt), then go to command '4198=Keep up the good work' and insert an asterisk, to give '4198=*Keep up the good work' (or similar, depending on super-mod and language). Now the mod will work properly. Similarly, whenever you are out of torpedoes when you make a radio status report, BdU always orders you to return to base without other comment. This is not very useful. If you want the congratulations here too, then place an asterisk for command 4199 also. Download the file V15_Stiebler_Patch.7z from: http://www.subsim.com/mods1/nygm/V15_Stiebler_Patch.7z Enjoy it. Feedback appreciated. [Edit: Forgot to mention - latest version (1.2) of the Options Selector for H.sie patches is also included with the download.] Stiebler. __________________ NYGM Tonnage War Mod - More than a mod: it's an experience!