Hydrophone stops working after time compression

[JimPierce]

Hi,

I've started playing Silent Hunter SHIV (updated to 1.4) recently and I've run into a really annoying problem/bug. I've disabled all the "help" features, like map updates etc., since I wanted a bit more realism, so I'm going to rely mainly on my hydrophone for estimating target course and what not. Thing is, the hydrophone works fine when I start, for instance, the convoy training mission, but as soon as I enable time compression for a bit, almost all of the audible contacts vanish. I know something is off since I can save the game, load it and all the contacts are there again. Is this an issue with the game or am I just missing something?

My OS is Windows 7 64-bit.

Cheers!

Edit:
It happens regardless of depth btw. I have no mods installed - just stock 1.4.

[in_vino_vomitus]

The standard response to anyone playing v1.4, seems to be to get the u-boat missions/v1.5 upgrade. Since the majority of mods are written for that version it's well worth doing.

Can your sonar operator still pick contacts up? I've been unable to hear anything when using the sonar screen manually, but my soundman has been able to report on them. I've heard someone say that the target won't appear on the hydrophones if it's moving at less than half speed.

I've had a look in the downloads section to see if there's any kind of game fix or patch that addresses this, but I can't find one. Anyway, there's a great deal of expertise hanging around these forums, I'm sure someone with the knowledge will be able to shed more light on this than me

Happy hunting!

[JimPierce]

Originally Posted by in_vino_vomitus

The standard response to anyone playing v1.4, seems to be to get the u-boat missions/v1.5 upgrade. Since the majority of mods are written for that version it's well worth doing.

I'll get my hands on the add-on pack and see if it changes anything. Thanks for the tip.

Originally Posted by in_vino_vomitus

Can your sonar operator still pick contacts up? I've been unable to hear anything when using the sonar screen manually, but my soundman has been able to report on them. I've heard someone say that the target won't appear on the hydrophones if it's moving at less than half speed.

My sonar operator can apparently hear them fine, but I have no audible contact at the bearings he's reporting when using the hydrophone manually. They're not just faint - they aren't there at all.

I mean, this has to be a bug, right? Since I can just load my game again and the contacts are all there and very audible. It also doesn't happen every time I use time compression, but when it does happen, the contacts are gone for good. Often, I can still pick up the convoy escorts, but all the merchants are gone. It's very random and it's annoying the *beep* out of me

Originally Posted by in_vino_vomitus

I've had a look in the downloads section to see if there's any kind of game fix or patch that addresses this, but I can't find one.

That was my first instinct aswell, but alas, I didn't find any either.

[JimPierce]

Alright, I've installed the missions add-on and got my installation updated to 1.5 in the process, but the same thing happens. I can't rely at all on my hydrophone, which is just extremely annoying if you want to play with a bit of realism.

What's really frustrating is the randomness of what contacts I can pick up and how a reload just clears it right up. Reloading nearly every time you use time compression gets old, fast.

Is there anyone who have had the same issue and possibly found a solution?

[CapnScurvy]

First off......Welcome to SubSim JimPierce!!

You say you've been using the "convoy training mission" and the sound goes away after a time compression increase. Are you trying to hear sound while the compression is on? If so, it probably doesn't work. Some functions of the game stop working with ANY time compression setting (if you happen to be in the outside camera view when you add time compression, your conning tower team will vanish).

I'm assuming you're talking about this sound problem occurs when you return to normal time. I haven't used the training missions in quite a while, but it's my impression they aren't worth a tinkers damn! I don't know under what files the training missions are modeled, but I've always had a feeling that what occurs during a training mission is different than what will occur during a Campaign played game. It's like they used different files to make the training missions than what's played in the rest of the game. My suggestion is to scrap the training missions (they get you familiar with the control use and that's about it), just start a Campaign at the date you wish, and go from there.

The game has bugs-a-plenty, I'm more inclined to think your sound issue is related to the training mission files than anything else. I doubt that the training missions were intended to use time compression anyway. Their short and sweet and are only going to provide limited functionality, my advice......move on into the game.

It's true if a ship cruses at a speed below half its "Maximum" rated speed, you'll not hear its sound when you take the Hydrophone....even though your sound man can. I've not looked at all stock ships.....I'm hoping the Dev's realized this would occur and they kept the ships scripted routing speed above half its Maximum during all missions......but, this issue comes into play when a modder doesn't realize this short coming, and has a ships Maximum speed lowered causing the unmodified ship's speed during a mission to be below the half Max value. This won't allow for the ship to be heard. This can, and will occur with some mods. Because its related to each individual ship parameter, one ship may be heard, while another that's traveling at the same speed will not.

[HertogJan]

This is just plain weird

I know when using TC you loose sound above 4x but when you go back to normal time the sounds should be back.

I use TC regularly up to 1024x (never higher) when in transit to my patrol grids or going back to base without any problems what so ever...
Sometimes when in 1024x TC the game hiccups and I know a vessel has been generated (I know its a cheat but ey!) I hit Backspace (wait 10 sec so the game can catch up), go to normal time, go to hydrophone station and start a manual sweep. At that time the vessel is still out of AI listening range but not mine (mostly around 12Nm).

As long as the vessel is 'powered' and in motion even at 2Knts I can hear it, the only time I can't hear anything is when the ship is dead in the water but then there's the little green light... and I'm still able to find my target.

And no I don't have any fixes running for it, only use:
- TMO 2.5
- OTC
- OTC aspect ratio
- IJN Rad_Fix for TMO2_Betaupdate
- TMO Smoke Mod
- ISE 2.0
- ISE New clouds+Waves
- ISE Realistic Colors
- TDW DC_Water_Disturbance v2

EDIT: welcome to SUBSIMS

[grislyatoms]

Sound card issue, perhaps? Might make sure your sound drivers are up to date. I use the v1.5 install from an original cd (the "Gold" edition) and have never had such problems. Just a thought.

[CapnScurvy]

Originally Posted by HertogJan

As long as the vessel is 'powered' and in motion even at 2Knts I can hear it, the only time I can't hear anything is when the ship is dead in the water but then there's the little green light... and I'm still able to find my target.

You may want to check that.

I found this "less than half of Maximum speed = no sound" issue when doing my usual tests for visual ship range. I specifically made a couple of missions to check and sure enough, any ship traveling at less than half its rated Maximum speed won't be heard when manually using the Hydrophone station. The sonar man will give a report, but manually, you won't hear the target.

I welcome anyone to see for themselves by making a mission with the Editor using a couple of targets traveling at less than half its rated Maximum speed, the Maximum speed is listed here:




In the above setting, the Hog Island freighter will not be heard when manually using the Hydrophone. Maximum speed is 11.0 knots, the cruising speed is set to 5 knots (sorry, the 5 is so hard to see).

In the below setting, the Biyo will be heard because the Maximum speed for a Biyo is 12 knots, its cruising speed on this leg is 6 knots.





It makes no difference to what specific ship this occurs, the cruising speed compared to its maximum speed value makes the difference. A ships Maximum speed is provided in the "Editor" from the games specific ship .sim file. Below is the Kiturin passenger ship .sim file with a Maximum speed of 18.0 knots.





With a Kiturin, if the cruising speed is 8 knots or less, you'll not hear it with the manual Hydrophone.

There are other variables that come into play to allow for hearing a target if it drops its speed less than half its maximum speed. One is the time it takes to lose a target after its been first detected. A ship can easily drop below its half max speed if it detects the subs existence by starting a zig-zag pattern. If your sub detected the target before it drops its cruising speed below the half to max threshold, you'll still be able to track it with manual hydrophone use. The time it takes to "lose" a detected target is a parameter that overrides the speed difference.

[HertogJan]

Originally Posted by CapnScurvy

You may want to check that.

No need to...

I remember the patrol.

Was starting on my thired patrol from Surabaya after Manilla was taken and was ordered to drop of special ops on the East coast of the Philippines.

During the transit I encountered a small groupe between the Celebas Sea and the Molucca Straight in the bay of Manalo.
I was dodging a few reported Task Forces in the area and was sailing along the coast when the game glitched at TC, I picked up the small groupe very close to shore... It consited of 2 light Cruisers, 3 DD's and a seaplane retrival vessel and they were going 2 to 5 Knots no more.
I know this cause I wanted to know if my stealthy course would be compromised if they were staying on their's so I ploted their's on the map and I can't do that without hearing them.

Turned out they were on such a nice course I couldn't let them go by without taking a shot or two at them and entered all data in the TDC.
I sunk the Tender and a Cruiser but the DD's got me just before I was able to escape to deeper waters... we're talking about 2500yrds or so .