New to SHIV...couple questions

[Whippy]

Hi everyone!

Thanks for all the tips and mods I've been reading about for the past few days! I just got SHIV about 3 days ago. I have played all the previous versions of Silent Hunter and really enjoy the series!

HAHAHA I still feel like such a newbie tho. I tend to get so caught up in sailing and waste so much time listening to crashing waves and diesels and watching sunsets that I never have enough time to practice and learn warfare strategy! LOL A merchant ship sim would be right up my alley heehee

I do have a few HOPEFULLY simple questions to ask about the game...please forgive me if any of the answers are obvious

1) How do I know test depth of the subs? I see a red line on the "deep" depth gauge, is this the test depth?

2) Is it possible to run off batteries while surfaced?

3) There is a sub configuration that has the AA guns placed in a "tub" of steel which is all fine and good...BUT...when trying to turn the guns on the enemy, there are SEVERAL blind spots when the 3D steel wall blocks your vision ...is there a way to rectify this problem? Stupid airplanes snuck up on me and blew me out of the water on my first patrol, and I could not even begin to fight back due to fighting blind...also
3b) I ordered gunners to man the AA and toggled various targeting commands (fire at will, fire close range, etc) and my AI gunners would not shoot at the airplanes....what must I do to have my crew do the fighting for me?

4) I am wanting to install the TM and ROW mods and was wondering if you could please tell me how these mods affect computer performance? My machine is not BAD but is not great either (2.8Ghz P4, 1GB ram, Nvidia 7300GT) and the stock game taxes my system at times as it is...I do not think I want to add anymore "slowness" to my game. ...speaking of which, I find the navigation map to be the most taxing part of the whole game on my system, with frequent pauses and stutters, especially when zooming out and during time compression...why is this? Is this due to my RAM being at just 1Gb?

Thanks, and see you all later!

[donut]

#1 Red line + 50%=s Crush,for long interval
#2 Not an option
#3 Gun tub cut down option in later war refits,make sure gun stations are maned in crew screen,select fire at will,designate target.
#4 get another Gb of ram.
#5 Welcome aboard Capt. Whippy

[ReallyDedPoet]

Originally Posted by Whippy

I tend to get so caught up in sailing and waste so much time listening to crashing waves and diesels and watching sunsets that I never have enough time to practice and learn warfare strategy!

Welcome to SUBSIM Whippy

If you like the scenery be sure to check out the ROW ( Reflections on Water ) Mod, by the late, great, Dave " leovampire " Bunnell. It changes the SH4 Scenery\Sounds in a big way


RDP

[Whippy]

Thank you both VERY much!

[Rockin Robbins]

to say in 10 words what the rest of us would spend paragraphs on

Welcome aboard. I doubt that you willl notice a performance hit from TM or ROW, except ROW will give you a pause for a few seconds when you first come up on deck. It seems to me that subsequent trips topside don't have that pause. Try 'em both. You can always uninstall them!

[Whippy]

Hey guys,

Just a quick note here...I have installed ROW plus TM and there is a marked INCREASE in PC performace!! Wow, can't get much better than that!

[Sailor Steve]

Cool!

WELCOME ABOARD!