Certified Realism Mods/Fixes....

[DemonTraitor]

Hi peeps. I am realism fan in desperate need of help...

(I apologise if this sort of post has already been submitted).

I have returned to Silent Hunter 4 after a long break due to problems with the game etc. I am on version 1.4, and before I set sail on a new career I thought I would spend some time on reading/printing the new and wonderful guides that are now on offer. Thank you to everyone who has contributed!

BUT, reading the guides is giving me a headache due to the constant mention of a mod to fix this, and a mod to fix that etc!

I like to play the game as real as possible, and I would like to see a list (unless there is one that I have not found yet), which gives me all the required mods I need to fix known issues in the game, which make the game proper realistic.

For example: I was reading this TDC guide (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=111998), to find that there is a problem with the boat lengths, which hinders calculations etc, but there is a mod that fixes this! So I spent loads of time trawling through more threads to find out if this is a "realistic" fix, and if I still needed it for the 1.4 patch.

Basically, we need two lists:

List 1) Mods which have been certified as fixes to the game which introduce valid realism (i.e. is the torpedo damage fix (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=125058), an accurate representation of real-life?). The list could also show which mods have actually been fixed in official patches.

List 2) Mods that enhance the game-play, such as the Nomograph mod, and "scope zooming" mods.

IMO, The above lists should be kept separate.

Example (fictional) mod list:

Certified Realism Mods
Boat Length Fix: DOWNLOAD: (fixed in Patch 1.4): Short Description:
Torpedo Damage Fix: DOWNLOAD: (Still an issue): Short Description:
Submarine Ranges Fix: DOWNLOAD: (fixed in Patch 1.2):Short Description:

Game Enhancement Mods
Nomograph: DOWNLOAD: Short Description:
Smaller sea-bed rocks: DOWNLOAD: Short Description:
Smaller Chronograph: DOWNLOAD: Short Description:
Better Leaks: DOWNLOAD: Short Description:
Lovely Textures: DOWNLOAD: Short Description:

Okay, this will obviously take some work, but I am certain there is someone out there who has played the game since day one, and has followed the modding scene too, and knows what is what

If I could, I would compile such a list as I know it would save me loads of time in situations like the one I am in now. I just want to get on and play the game, but instead I have spent most of my time hunting down and installing mods that fix issues that would otherwise spoil my "career"

Is there, or can we compile such a list... please :p

Demon

[AVGWarhawk]

Just one issue before you go any further, download the SH4 uboat add-on 1.5. This is UBI's last installment and costs $10.00. If you do not do this, most of the mods you will want and use will not work. After that load this:

Submarines:
RSRD/Run Silent Run Deep: Traffic mod
TMO/Trigger Maru: realistic submarine mod
or
RFB/Real Fleet Boat: realistic submarine mod(a bit more hardcore then Trigger Maru)
PE/Pacific Environment: water, clouds, rain etc.
or
Environmental 4.4: same as PE but a bit different in textures.

Uboat:
TMO
or
RFB
OM/Operation Monson: ATO/Indian Ocean traffic mod
The environment mods will work with these as well.

These mods are found in the SH4 mod sections. All are sticked at the top. Please read the installation and readme files so you load them correctly with JSGME. These mods will have all your fixes you have seen in the tutorials, etc.

[DemonTraitor]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

Just one issue before you go any further, download the SH4 uboat add-on 1.5. This is UBI's last installment and costs $10.00. If you do not do this, most of the mods you will want and use will not work. After that load this:

Submarines:
RSRD/Run Silent Run Deep: Traffic mod
TMO/Trigger Maru: realistic submarine mod
or
RFB/Real Fleet Boat: realistic submarine mod(a bit more hardcore then Trigger Maru)
PE/Pacific Environment: water, clouds, rain etc.
or
Environmental 4.4: same as PE but a bit different in textures.

Uboat:
TMO
or
RFB
OM/Operation Monson: ATO/Indian Ocean traffic mod
The environment mods will work with these as well.

These mods are found in the SH4 mod sections. All are sticked at the top. Please read the installation and readme files so you load them correctly with JSGME. These mods will have all your fixes you have seen in the tutorials, etc.

Good point... I have just got the Nomograph to work in 1.4, but that was a simple fix, and I guess I could do the same for 1.5... however, will 1.5 kill my career, I have only just started it, and have so far only got half-way towards my patrol point...

Also - our current budget is strictly hindering non-essential purchases, OK it is only $10, but I am still going to have to persuade the wife...

Wish me luck...

EDIT: Apparently $10 equates to £9.99 GBP... GOD I HATE THE UK!!!!!!

So, can I download it, or do I have to add-on postage.... this is not looking good for me

[AVGWarhawk]

You will have less of headache with the mods and making them work if you get the uboat add on 1.5. You can get it at the official UBI store or Direct2Drive. I believe it is available in the UK on disc. Do not quote me on that. Yes, your current career will be done if you load it up. However, in doing so, your new career will have all the added bonus' of the mods that work without issue using JSGME!

As far as your wife, well, I can not help you there.


D2D:

http://www.direct2drive.com/5/5867/p...sions-Download

[Defiance]

Demon,

Pop into a local Game shop if you can

Think mine on release was £12.99

Game online now have SH4 1.5 U-boat addon at £4.99 !!! maybe a few more quid in-store but gotta still be below a tenner

EDITED : Dang it's £4.99 delivered !!!!!!!!!!!! Bargain

[DemonTraitor]

Originally Posted by Defiance

Demon,

Pop into a local Game shop if you can

Think mine on release was £12.99

Game online now have SH4 1.5 U-boat addon at £4.99 !!! maybe a few more quid in-store but gotta still be below a tenner

EDITED : Dang it's £4.99 delivered !!!!!!!!!!!! Bargain

WO!!! Jees, I want it....

Off shooting this morning, but when I get back I will do some major eye-lid fluttering

Thanks for the heads-up guys

[Defiance]

Ahh shooting

Darn farmers/landowners by me aint happy if i shoot on sundays

Anyways...Put ya foot down man












And BEG

[DemonTraitor]

Originally Posted by Defiance

Ahh shooting

Darn farmers/landowners by me aint happy if i shoot on sundays

The wife and I do target shooting - well HFT (Hunter Field Target), with Air Rifles. Our local club has a shoot every 2 weeks.

Very windy today, so a very challenging day. I missed 3 targets completely, which is very unlike me, so I did not win my class, which is the first time this year

Anyways - I have £5 on my Game card (can you use that online?). Gonna try it now...

[DemonTraitor]

WOOHOO.........

Just created an account, entered my GAME Reward Card Number, and voila - the game costs £10. Game are selling it for £4.99, and I had £7.76 on my reward card - BACK OF THE NET!!!!

Thanks Defiance for giving me the heads-up on the GAME bargain

PS. My wife "Carol" shooting HFT at our club a couple of weeks ago...



(Carol is the one with the blonde hair laughing/smiling all the time )

[AVGWarhawk]

Sounds like you are all set to enjoy the mods now!

[Defiance]

Hiya,

Glad you're sorted

OT: Love air rifles, Got a AA S410 FAC .22 and was about to get another on fac but upgraded pc again lol

Back on topic, A mega bargain for you then

[DemonTraitor]

Originally Posted by Defiance

Hiya,

Glad you're sorted

OT: Love air rifles, Got a AA S410 FAC .22 and was about to get another on fac but upgraded pc again lol

Back on topic, A mega bargain for you then

I am mega chuffed

PS. I use an AA S410 .22 too - can't beat it. It gives the poncey electric trigger muppets a run for their money

[Rockin Robbins]

There is a big problem with your concept of dividing mods into realism and enhancements. We can't agree on what realism is. Let me pick just one example.

You quoted the ship length mod as a realism enhancement, ignoring the fact that we already have much more and much more accurate information than the real sub skippers had. There is a mod to make all the masts the correct height so our stadimeter will measure more accurate distances. However, this ignores the fact that the information provided to our sub skippers was necessarily lousy.

Many Japanese warships and merchies did not allow American measurement crews on board to establish accurate ship length or mast height. They never permitted the US Navy to take the Kaga to peacetime waters to check stadimeter accuracy and calibrate our recognition manuals, as "realism fixers" have done in the game. In those rare instances where we did have the correct measurements, the Japanese altered masts or camouflaged them so we would measure them wrong.

Finally, in the game we have any ship we might encounter in our recognition manual. In actuality there were hundreds of differing shipps out there and many of them were not in the manual at all. And the Japanese made scale models of larger ships so we would think they were at greater range. If we sank them, we thought we got the big one. The sub captain might claim 30k tons and the ship might be 8k tons.

So, we should "fix" the bad measurements? NO! We should provide our captains with the same lousy stuff the real skippers had. The RFB crew is working on a special place in that hell for all of us on a later update. You will find out what realism is all about and it isn't pretty.

[DemonTraitor]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

There is a big problem with your concept of dividing mods into realism and enhancements. We can't agree on what realism is. Let me pick just one example.

You quoted the ship length mod as a realism enhancement, ignoring the fact that we already have much more and much more accurate information than the real sub skippers had. There is a mod to make all the masts the correct height so our stadimeter will measure more accurate distances. However, this ignores the fact that the information provided to our sub skippers was necessarily lousy.

Many Japanese warships and merchies did not allow American measurement crews on board to establish accurate ship length or mast height. They never permitted the US Navy to take the Kaga to peacetime waters to check stadimeter accuracy and calibrate our recognition manuals, as "realism fixers" have done in the game. In those rare instances where we did have the correct measurements, the Japanese altered masts or camouflaged them so we would measure them wrong.

Finally, in the game we have any ship we might encounter in our recognition manual. In actuality there were hundreds of differing ships out there and many of them were not in the manual at all. And the Japanese made scale models of larger ships so we would think they were at greater range. If we sank them, we thought we got the big one. The sub captain might claim 30k tons and the ship might be 8k tons.

So, we should "fix" the bad measurements? NO! We should provide our captains with the same lousy stuff the real skippers had. The RFB crew is working on a special place in that hell for all of us on a later update. You will find out what realism is all about and it isn't pretty.

You put an excellent argument across - but... in one instance, if the data the skippers had was not 100% reliable, then this data should be easily, or automatically updated when such data was confirmed/validated (using a Craftsman model 1019 Laboratory Edition Signature Series torque wrench), as the war progressed. As, I am sure you will agree, this is what would have probably happened in real-life (saying probably as I am no history buff).

As you know, from my original post - I am all for realism - but there is realism, and there is sloppiness

[LukeFF]

Originally Posted by DemonTraitor

You put an excellent argument across - but... in one instance, if the data the skippers had was not 100% reliable, then this data should be easily, or automatically updated when such data was confirmed/validated (using a Craftsman model 1019 Laboratory Edition Signature Series torque wrench), as the war progressed. As, I am sure you will agree, this is what would have probably happened in real-life (saying probably as I am no history buff).

RFB uses the latest-known historical values for all "enemy" (i.e., Japanese) shipping from the ONI manuals. In general, this means 1944 data for merchants and 1944-45 data for warships. Perhaps surprisingly (or maybe a testament to Allied intelligence-gathering) these values translate very well to the game.