now we really have a submarine simulation

[clive bradbury]

Sailing a IIA in the Baltic, training before I start NYGM2, and got to thinking. How come we can dive the boat, maintain depth, but not rise again except to pd or surface?

Well, now you can. I took a look in commands_en.cfg, and there is a 'set_depth' command which does not appear to be used, so I allocated a key to it. Guess what? It let's you blow the tanks and rise. Now we finally have a proper sub simulation, and trust me it's not that easy.

If you want to be chief of the boat, handle your sub via the keyboard - 'D' for dive, 'A' for maintain depth, and now 'L' for set depth (towards the surface). Of course you can allocate any spare key, I chose 'L' as I never use the target lock.

Handling your boat in this way is tricky, and, to me at least, feels very realistic. Some tips:

1. 'A' does not level you off immediately. You continue to rise or dive for at least 10-20m before coming back to the depth at which you pressed the key. This means you are in danger of hitting the bottom or broaching the surface if you are not careful.

2. Using the 'set depth' command you rise much faster than you dive, so anticipate this when you use the 'A' key. Once you are moving upwards you gain vertical speed quickly, and breaking the surface is all too easy to do - pretty much like the real thing. Takes quite a bit of practice - and I've only had a couple of tries so far.

To acheive this you need to edit your data\cfg\commands_en.cfg file. Find the following code:

[Cmd190]
Name=Set_depth
Ctxt=1
Str=4427

and allocate a key - you can always use the keychecker utility for the precise code. If like me, you don't use the target lock, then this is how to allocate 'L' on your keyboard to this command.

Use notepad to change the above code to read:

[Cmd190]
Name=Set_depth
Ctxt=1
Str=4427
Key0=0x4c,,"L"

Then search the file for the following line:

[Cmd127]
Name=Toggle_lock_target
Ctxt=1
Key0=0x4c,,"L"

All you need to do now is semi-colon out the last line so that the 'L' key is not allocated to two commands, so the above code should now look like this:

[Cmd127]
Name=Toggle_lock_target
Ctxt=1
;Key0=0x4c,,"L"

That's it! Save the file. Obviously make a back up before you start just in case.

Now we have a real submarine simulation...

[Ducimus]

How does this work in action?

Do you "set depth" to a specified depth, or does it just make the boat rise until you stop?
Does it use compressed air?

[clive bradbury]

No, you can't appear to actually set a specific depth. In effect it is the reverse of the 'dive' command. Haven't checked compressed air - I'll take a look.

[Pants]

Cool, Thx for the info
Just noticed where you're from...small world mate

[Ducimus]

Makes me wonder if "Dive planes set for Fast/emergency Dive" are hidden in there as well.. The voice is there in the sound directory, but the command doesnt seem to be present.

If set depth uses Compressed air, thats would be pretty cool. It would bring compressed air back into the game somewhat and not something you only use to emergency surface.

[clive bradbury]

Still testing, but set_depth does not seem to use compressed air, unfortunately. Neither does the 'periscope depth' command, of course. No dive plane options in there, either.

[clive bradbury]

Originally Posted by Pants

Cool, Thx for the info
Just noticed where you're from...small world mate

Yes indeed. I live in Draycott.

[Pants]

Originally Posted by clive bradbury

Yes indeed. I live in Draycott.

Cool I'm from Abbey hulton.....
sorry for going off topic

[mike_espo]

Instead of allocating a key for set depth, as you can only use it rise, why not just use the "S" key to surface?

So then, "D" for dive, "S" for rising and "A" for maintain depth.

It seems it would do the same thing.:hmm:

[Drebbel]

How come we can dive the boat, maintain depth, but not rise again except to pd or surface?

Huh ? You mean without using the mouse ? Because when using the mouse I can go back to any depth I want.

[clive bradbury]

Originally Posted by mike_espo

Instead of allocating a key for set depth, as you can only use it rise, why not just use the "S" key to surface?

So then, "D" for dive, "S" for rising and "A" for maintain depth.

It seems it would do the same thing.:hmm:

Actually, you are right, Mike. The main reason I used set_depth was because I am sure I tried 'surface' before but it did not sort out the 'crash dive blues'. However I have just tried it again a couple of times and it does seem to sort it. Don't know what went wrong the first time I tried that approach.

Sorry, boys, ignore the set_depth - some quirk in a mission where 'surface' didn't resolve the crash dive problem misled me. Or maybe I wasn't concentrating after a long day...

[mike_espo]

Good idea though! I would love to be Chief of the Boat. If only we had workable compressed air and trim.....