Silent Hunter III

[WSUCougar]

If this puppy delivers on its promise...oh my.

*slobber*

*drool*

Silent Hunter III website (http://silent-hunteriii.com/uk/home.php)

[WussGawd]

If this puppy delivers on its promise...oh my.

*slobber*

*drool*

Silent Hunter III website (http://silent-hunteriii.com/uk/home.php)

We'll see. The DOS based original was a great, great game, one of my favorites. The sequel, on the other hand, was a festering pile of dung. It's about the only sequel I can think of that had less features than the original.

I am hopeful that this one will more closely resemble an updated version of the original in terms of gameplay.

[wahoomac]

I only wish they would make an updated version of Silent Hunter I instead of Silent Hunter II. I hate playing U-Boat kapitan instead of an American fighting in the Pacific. Of course, I wish they could combine Silent Hunter with something like Grigsby's Pacific War or Uncommon Valor, where the war was going on around you with real-life events playing out (Battle of Midway, the Marianas "Turkey Shoot", etc.) I would be in heaven...:cool:

[sachmo71]

I only wish they would make an updated version of Silent Hunter I instead of Silent Hunter II. I hate playing U-Boat kapitan instead of an American fighting in the Pacific. Of course, I wish they could combine Silent Hunter with something like Grigsby's Pacific War or Uncommon Valor, where the war was going on around you with real-life events playing out (Battle of Midway, the Marianas "Turkey Shoot", etc.) I would be in heaven...:cool:

An updated Red Storm Rising would be great. I loved that damn game. :)

Cougar, I just don't have faith in games to deliver anymore. If this one does, I PROMISE to buy a new computer, buy this game, and hunt merchies with you.

[WSUCougar]

Cougar, I just don't have faith in games to deliver anymore. If this one does, I PROMISE to buy a new computer, buy this game, and hunt merchies with you.
I hear ya. And I'll buy you the game.

[Calis]

It just gets better! This is great news imo, something I was really hoping to see in the game.

From the main site.

Dear all,
After several weeks of debate, we have decided to put more efforts into the development of dynamic campaigns. The feedback received from the community played an important role in this decision. Of course, this will affect the development planning and we are now expecting to release the game in Q1 2005.

For the SH3 dev team it's a great opportunity to improve the game and even add some new features that were not considered mainly because of time constraints.

We never answered until now your main question: "Will SH3 have a Dynamic Campaign?" The main reason was that it is very hard to define in our opinion what this means. Certainly, everybody (in the submarine simulation community has a list of "must-haves" that can define a dynamic campaign. It would have been possible to match some definitions by September but certainly not the large majority.

To be more explicit, some of you consider that SH1 has a Dynamic Campaign. Others that CAOD has THE ONLY Dynamic Campaign. From this point of view we can tell you now that SH3 campaign will contain all the features included in those reference titles and many others inspired by your suggestions.

And yes, next time someone develops a naval simulation title we hope they will be asked to have a Dynamic Campaign like in SH3.

Thank you,

The Silent Hunter III Dev Team

[WSUCougar]

Sweet!

[ice4277]

An updated Red Storm Rising would be great. I loved that damn game. :)

Will you marry me?

Red Storm Rising is my all-time favorite game, PC or console. If there was a sequel to that, I would blow the biggest wad ever.

[Eaglesfan27]

I'm also a huge fan of Red Storm Rising :) I keep hoping they will make an updated version of that game. However, I'm not sure any game would make me blow "biggest wad ever." ;)

[WSUCougar]

On the horizon...:D

[sachmo71]

On the horizon...:D


The wad, or the game? Because if it's the biggest wad ever, I would hope you could see it coming.


Sorry about the pun.

Not really.

[Calis]

Bah was hoping to hear they'd gone gold!

teases.

[Calis]

Der Noob In Das Boot (http://www.gamespy.com/articles/588/588809p1.html)

Preview of the game, pretty funny stuff.

Can't wait.

[Coffee Warlord]

"New plan:" I said, gathering the men around. The ones who were still alive, at least. "We're gonna surface. They'll never see it coming."

[WSUCougar]

Wargamer.com: Silent Hunter III has gone gold, French publisher Ubisoft announced today. The World War II naval submarine simulation places players at the command of a German U-Boat as it operates against Allied forces in the North Atlantic. Players can do everything from take general control over the sub to man specific stations. The game features an all-new 3D engine with attractive visuals and historically-accurate U-boat models. The game will also feature an "event camera" for tracking the most important moments of a battle, such as when a torpedo strikes the an Allied ship. Both a single player campaign and four-man multiplayer co-op mode will be included in the game.

Silent Hunter III is the latest game in this submarine simulation series which has previously included 1996's Silent Hunter (review) and 2001's Silent Hunter II (review). The past two versions were developed by Ultimation and SSI, two defunct companies which have since been acquired by Ubisoft.

For more information on Silent Hunter III, visit its official web site or browse the screenshots reproduced below. The game will be on store shelves here in North America on March 15th, priced at $39.99.

[Calis]

Woohoo!

Very excited about this, and it'll hit just a couple days before my Spring Break, excellent!

First game in quite a while I'll be pre-ordering(even though I'll probably regret it).

We might have to roust up an FOFC Wolfpack.

[Calis]

It's been confirmed to be protected by Starforce.

Just a heads up.

I've never actually installed a Starforce game, but I'm getting this sucker regardless. I do realize it's a deal breaker for a lot of folks also though.

Neal Stevens from Subsim has his review of the game done and up also for anyone interested.

SUBSIM Review (http://www.subsim.com/ssr/sh3_rc1/sh3_review.htm)

EDIT: Guess I should clarify, it's been confirmed on the European release, there is rumors that the NA Release is using something different, but no clue why that's thought. So far only the Euro's have received their copies, think we'll be getting them here sometime late this week.

[WSUCougar]

Dear god, the review makes the game sound phenomenal. :D

It's been confirmed to be protected by Starforce.

Just a heads up.

I've never actually installed a Starforce game, but I'm getting this sucker regardless. I do realize it's a deal breaker for a lot of folks also though.
Can you elaborate? I am unfamiliar with Starforce.

[scooter]

Can you elaborate? I am unfamiliar with Starforce.

Know thine enemy. . .

http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~fof/forums/showthread.php?t=27795&highlight=Starforce

[WSUCougar]

Know thine enemy. . .
Yikes. :(

[Calis]

Dear god, the review makes the game sound phenomenal. :D


The one thing that dissapoints me a bunch is that there are no wolfpacks in single player, which I just took for granted would be included. Something I would've liked to seen in the 2nd, getting contact reports from other u-boats and meeting up, have them share some of the heat, just liven it up a little bit.

I'll survive though, what is there does sound fantastic. Oddly enough it's doing really well with pre-orders also, which I didn't expect.

I laughed this morning I looked at Chips & Bits, and they're closing down their orders for the next two weeks because they're moving stock. But there's another addendum after that saying that yes, Silent Hunter 3 will still be shipped during this time though. :)

[Calis]

It hath arrived!

Getting ready to install, not sure how much I'll be able to play today but tomorrow is set aside solely for SH3, and next week is looking pretty empty all around. :D

Haven't been this excited about getting a new game for quite a while, hope I'm not dissapointed.

[WSUCougar]

w00t!

I saw that it was "in stores" but haven't sought out and claimed mine yet. I am very excited as well. Please share your experience!

Is it available in non-DVD?

[Calis]

w00t!

I saw that it was "in stores" but haven't sought out and claimed mine yet. I am very excited as well. Please share your experience!

Is it available in non-DVD?

No Non DVD version, and apparently not for quite a while on that. They plan on releasing one late this year I think.

I had originally ordered it from GoGamer but had my first bad experience with them, and eventually I ended up with 3 different orders all at different prices. Crazy, anyway I got that sorted out but found out a local EB already had the game in stock before mine had shipped, so I ran up there this morning and nabbed one.

Came in a regular PC game cover, but is actually in a nice plastic DVD Case. Wish all games here would go that route, damn paper sleeves. Anyway, manual is about 60 pages, nothing too amazing, but it did come with a nice sheet that shows all the keys and what they do. Also came with a map of all the major trade routes, ports, and areas of major allied air coverage. Very cool actually.

I'll share experiences in game shortly, I plan on Gertbeef sailing the North Atlantic very soon.

Hopefully my PC can keep up with it, it's getting a bit long in the tooth.

[Calis]

Grrr...definitely has Starforce, and I definitely now hate Starforce.

Installed fine, but when I go to fire her up I input the CD key and then it does it authentication deal...and sits, and sits, and sits. Nothing.

[Calis]

Going to keep on yammering here.

Finally got it running, very odd though. I eventually just let it sit at the CD verification thingamaroo screen and did some errands, came back and the main menu was waiting for me!

So it runs now, although it's apparently going to take 10+ minutes to start up.

Appears to run pretty smooth even on my minimum CPU(P4 1.4 Ghz).

I've only done the very first tutorial but it was AWESOME. Just playing around with the free camera was a blast for me. Beautiful looking game. The sounds appear very good, and the Sub actually FEELS huge. The interface seems pretty intuitive, and there's a lot there. It was so nice standing on the bridge and looking around, with a whole watch up there looking around with ya. Nice that the Ghost crew is gone!

Coug- Let me know when you pick this up, we'll have to try some multi. (That goes for anyone who's going to get it!) Maybe you can teach me a thing or two on working these suckers! My interest level is in direct opposition of my skill level in these sub games. :)
Do you not have a DVD rom, or just curious?



Ok, I'll give a real overview later, but right now I'm just happy I got the sucker to run and having a blast using the free camera. I've yet to fire a shot and I'm already happy with the purchase.

[Calis]

Pardon my quadruple dola here, but I found this amusing.

Those crazy Germans.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/thainej6/oops2.jpg

[Coffee Warlord]

Heh!

I take it we've found the First Bug.

[Calis]

Yeah, I can't take the credit for that one. I saw it posted over on the SubSim forums, got a kick out of it though.

They're NOT always out there underwater, but apparently you can send your watch out while submerged. Apparently you really do rule your boat with an iron fist.

[WSUCougar]

Coug- Let me know when you pick this up, we'll have to try some multi. (That goes for anyone who's going to get it!) Maybe you can teach me a thing or two on working these suckers! My interest level is in direct opposition of my skill level in these sub games. :)
Do you not have a DVD rom, or just curious?
I'm with ya! But I will need to add a DVD-Rom drive to my computer.

And I bet the reception on those binocs sucks. "Colossal squid off the starboard beam!" :D

[Eaglesfan27]

This games sounds great. The only thing that is stopping me from ordering is StarForce.

[Peregrine]

I hope this game has Tipperary in the soundtrack!

[Calis]

1.1 Patch (http://207.44.164.159/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=29664&sid=0e0ee0c352b012de41c9376c35297caf)

Patch is out, nothing too major in it, but apparently there was a pretty serious issue with nVidia cards and blocking out of the fore and aft when looking through the UZO or binocs. So a workaround for that, and some other minor tweaks.

Tipperary is unfortunatley not in the game, but you can plop in any MP3's you want into the gramophone directory and play them, I downloaded a couple huge packs of WW2 era German stuff with some English thrown in also, haven't had a good chance to check it out though.

Started up my first patrol, quite a site getting to leave the pen and hear the band playing, all the people waving on the docks at you. I then thought I'd see how the navigation AI was and set up some waypoints for my navigator to lead us through, and a few short minutes later we crashed into the docks nearly destroying the boat. Not an impressive first outing.

So I'm going to try that again, had a blast with the last tutorial though which puts you in great position to intercept a convoy and you have to sink at least 8k tons to pass. There's a couple escorts, but nothing too rough. I wanted to get a quick look at everything, so it got a bit heated, depth charges hitting the boat are great and gave me a jump the first time it happened. It seemed like the AI did a pretty decent job sticking to me, without being all knowing. The creaking noises when you start getting deep are great also.

I'm wondering if I'm going to like the crew management all that much afterall. Wish there was a way to select multiple members. Or if there was a way to set a certain watch, and have it auto-rotate through it. Just tedious to switch them all, but I won't complain too much, as I'm glad they're there.

[Calis]

I hate Starforce, or at least I blame it for everything.

Installed the patch, now I try to run the game and it sits for about 10 minutes(which is normal for me), but then pops up saying that the CD Key present doesn't match the one I inputted. So it's a no go.

Then I tried running it from the autoplay screen just for kicks and it crashed my computer, and rebooted it into the BIOS.

Extremely annoying, the sad thing is the game itself has never hung up or crashed on me yet. I just wanna sink some merchants.

[Calis]

Hate to go more than an hour without posting in this thread. ;)

So I have no idea what the rhymore or reason is, but on the 3rd attempt to run the game after the patch it started. Who knows, and I'm not going to question it.

After finishing my first two patrols, and I might add I guess I'd never used a Type II in SH2, as it's infinitely suckier than anything I've any experience using. First patrol went very badly, we couldn't find anything, we reached a patrol zone just East of Southend and spent about 3 days patrolling back and forth with nothing. We occasionally heard something, but it was always too far away and moving away. We finally managed to have a smallish merchant drive almost right over the top of us when I was giving the boys a rest below. So we managed to nail that one easily but it was only about 2k. We never found anything else on patrol, and eventually I just headed back to port. No awards or promotions for that outing.

2nd won went better, we had a very long chase with a Coastal Merchant, and for once I actually did a decent job navigating and we eventually closed the gap after following them visually for almost a full day. A little bit later we came across a C2 Cargo ship, which was a pretty big fugger. We were luckily close to being in their path so I positioned us and just waited, as it was closing in on dusk. I unloaded two fish on him both which hit, but he was holding strong, not moving...but not really sinking. So I waited for the boys to load up our final torpedo and fired that one from about 300m. What followed was probably the most impressive explosion I've seen in a game. Was a beautiful sight, she split right into two, explosions all over the ship..and she went down shortly after. So we finished with about 10k in tonnage sunk that patrol and I picked up a couple of medals which I distrubited among the men who looked promising, and I gave out a promotion to one Seaman who looks like he could make a fine officer at some point.

So, yeah the Starforce thing sucks and annoys the hell out of me, BUT I'm willing to fight it for this game. If you're a fan of sub sims at all, you'll love this. Great immersion and a whole lot of fun.

Sadly though, I'm praying for a crack to come out ASAP for it.

[cartman]

Pardon my quadruple dola here, but I found this amusing.

Those crazy Germans.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/thainej6/oops2.jpg

Must be the Polish conscripts.... :D

[Eaglesfan27]

Hate to go more than an hour without posting in this thread. ;)

So I have no idea what the rhymore or reason is, but on the 3rd attempt to run the game after the patch it started. Who knows, and I'm not going to question it.

After finishing my first two patrols, and I might add I guess I'd never used a Type II in SH2, as it's infinitely suckier than anything I've any experience using. First patrol went very badly, we couldn't find anything, we reached a patrol zone just East of Southend and spent about 3 days patrolling back and forth with nothing. We occasionally heard something, but it was always too far away and moving away. We finally managed to have a smallish merchant drive almost right over the top of us when I was giving the boys a rest below. So we managed to nail that one easily but it was only about 2k. We never found anything else on patrol, and eventually I just headed back to port. No awards or promotions for that outing.

2nd won went better, we had a very long chase with a Coastal Merchant, and for once I actually did a decent job navigating and we eventually closed the gap after following them visually for almost a full day. A little bit later we came across a C2 Cargo ship, which was a pretty big fugger. We were luckily close to being in their path so I positioned us and just waited, as it was closing in on dusk. I unloaded two fish on him both which hit, but he was holding strong, not moving...but not really sinking. So I waited for the boys to load up our final torpedo and fired that one from about 300m. What followed was probably the most impressive explosion I've seen in a game. Was a beautiful sight, she split right into two, explosions all over the ship..and she went down shortly after. So we finished with about 10k in tonnage sunk that patrol and I picked up a couple of medals which I distrubited among the men who looked promising, and I gave out a promotion to one Seaman who looks like he could make a fine officer at some point.

So, yeah the Starforce thing sucks and annoys the hell out of me, BUT I'm willing to fight it for this game. If you're a fan of sub sims at all, you'll love this. Great immersion and a whole lot of fun.

Sadly though, I'm praying for a crack to come out ASAP for it.
I'm a huge fan of subsims, but I can't see anything being good enough to make me deal with Starforce with all of the evil things I've heard about it. Even your problems with this game worry me. I really wish this form of protection would go away.

[tanglewood]

As a complete subsim newbie, this game intruiges me no end. Is it friendly to first time Kreigsmariners?

[Calis]

As a complete subsim newbie, this game intruiges me no end. Is it friendly to first time Kreigsmariners?

Yeah I think so, you can make it as realistic or unrealistic as you want...I'm very much a newbie myself, even have played a couple others. ;) I play with the realism toned down and I think it's pretty easy to manage.

The main thing I think for subsim newbies is realizing that there are long periods of the game that are pretty boring. Getting to patrol zones and such even at 1024x speed can still take a good amount of time, and would drive some people off. It's a lot of buildup. No big deal to me though as I usually just bring a book or do homework while going long distances, but a warning.

The manual does leave something to be desired for newbies though, but if you check out Subsim.com you should find out most the info you need.

[gstelmack]

So, yeah the Starforce thing sucks and annoys the hell out of me
Make sure you report your issues to tech support. If people don't report them, no one will think there are any problems http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Calis]

Make sure you report your issues to tech support. If people don't report them, no one will think there are any problems http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif


Funny you should mention this, I did send it in to Tech Support and they of course told me that I need to remove everything from my startup using MSConfig and then moved the problem into the solved category. They're good, damn good. Glad to see it took them about 30 hours to come up with that gem.

[SlapBone]

Funny you should mention this, I did send it in to Tech Support and they of course told me that I need to remove everything from my startup using MSConfig and then moved the problem into the solved category. They're good, damn good. Glad to see it took them about 30 hours to come up with that gem.

That is some clevermous thinking.

[Calis]

Bit amusing I thought, dealing with Ubisoft tech support was basically useless, spent quite a while and got absolutely nowhere.

So what do I do? Talk to our good buddies at Starforce. Send their support an e-mail and within about 20 minutes they've replied, and shortly after the problem is fixed and I can run the game no problem, and it seems like the 10 minute wait to check the key is gone, as it fired up almost instantly for me.

So Starforce lost a bit of hatred points there, at least they're helpful when you do have a problem.

[Eaglesfan27]

I spent my lunch hour researching Starforce problems/solutions, etc. I discovered that I already have Starforce on my computer. Apparently, Silent Storm used it! I didn't even know that. Anyway, my computer has run fine despite having Silent Storm on it, so I just bit the bullet and bought this game. I've been craving a good sub sim game for several years, and based on the dynasty on here, the excellent comments on here, I decided to purchase it. Also, I've read several good reviews at other places. After I eat dinner, I'll be crossing my fingers and attempting installation. (just not on my laptop where FM and all of my important work is located.)

[Eaglesfan27]

Dola - At least this game had a small warning about Starforce on the box. I don't remember Silent Storm having that warning.

[Desnudo]

No Non DVD version, and apparently not for quite a while on that. They plan on releasing one late this year I think.

I had originally ordered it from GoGamer but had my first bad experience with them, and eventually I ended up with 3 different orders all at different prices. Crazy, anyway I got that sorted out but found out a local EB already had the game in stock before mine had shipped, so I ran up there this morning and nabbed one.

Came in a regular PC game cover, but is actually in a nice plastic DVD Case. Wish all games here would go that route, damn paper sleeves. Anyway, manual is about 60 pages, nothing too amazing, but it did come with a nice sheet that shows all the keys and what they do. Also came with a map of all the major trade routes, ports, and areas of major allied air coverage. Very cool actually.

I'll share experiences in game shortly, I plan on Gertbeef sailing the North Atlantic very soon.

Hopefully my PC can keep up with it, it's getting a bit long in the tooth.

This is probably a silly question given your first sentence, but can I install it with a CD-ROM drive or do I need a DVD drive?

[Calis]

Must have a DVD drive.

[Eaglesfan27]

FWIW, the game installed without any problems and loaded without any problems. I'm still sleep deprived, and will likely wait til tomorrow to try to get a better grip around all of the concepts. However, it certainly looks great (although it pushes my system a bit - the first game I've bought to do that on my desktop.) The system requirements for this game are high.

[gstelmack]

Bit amusing I thought, dealing with Ubisoft tech support was basically useless, spent quite a while and got absolutely nowhere.

So what do I do? Talk to our good buddies at Starforce. Send their support an e-mail and within about 20 minutes they've replied, and shortly after the problem is fixed and I can run the game no problem, and it seems like the 10 minute wait to check the key is gone, as it fired up almost instantly for me.

So Starforce lost a bit of hatred points there, at least they're helpful when you do have a problem.
So, what was the solution?

[Calis]

So, what was the solution?

They ended up giving me another CD key, which works with no problem.


Glad you didn't have any problems EaglesFan27, was a pain in the ass for me, but now that's it situated it's all gravy.

Haven't been able to play it as much as I hoped to this week, been sick, and of course since I was sick someone had the bright idea of letting me borrow Mercenaries from them to play on the X-Box...damn addictive little game.

Sounds like there's a crack out for SH3 now, pretty quick for a Starforce game. This is one time I guarantee you I will not hesitate to install the crack if I run into one more issue. ;)

[Eaglesfan27]

I had a freeze tonight while doing the naval academy.. perhaps because I panicked and started hitting several keys at once, including trying to look out my periscope while still submerged. In any case, I'm really enjoying the tutorial, and look forward to diving into it more tomorrow (I really only planned on playing for an hour tonight and played 2 1/2 hours instead.)

[WSUCougar]

and look forward to diving into it more tomorrow
Ugh!

[Eaglesfan27]

Ugh!
;)

[klayman]

My gf wanted me to tell you guys that apparently you have ruined easter and she hates you all. I'm just glad I'm not getting blamed so I can keep playing. :)

[Eaglesfan27]

This morning, it took me 2 hours to figure out that I had to use escape "to return to base" and end my first naval academy mission. I navigated all over looking for the base. I'm embarassed that I did something that stupid. I did see some lovely landmarks though. I'm looking forward to playing some more later today or tomorrow.

[Surtt]

48 hour madness sale

Silent Hunter 3 now just $27.90

hxxp://www.gogamer.com/cgi-bin/GoGamer.storefront/SESSIONID/Product/View/001SIL3I

[Eaglesfan27]

Don't have the link here at work, but this game received an 8.9 and a very favorable review on Gamespot the other day.

[WSUCougar]

48 hour madness sale

Silent Hunter 3 now just $27.90
Sweet! Just what I've been waiting on...thanks for the heads-up.

[scooter]

Don't have the link here at work, but this game received an 8.9 and a very favorable review on Gamespot the other day.

There you go:

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/sim/silenthunteriii/index.html?q=silent+hunter

[vyshka]

www.subsim.com gave it a 100/100 score.

[WSUCougar]

Any more recent thoughts on the game? Things to look for? My copy should be arriving by the weekend and I am anxious to dive into it.

By the way, it has been patched.

[Eaglesfan27]

Any more recent thoughts on the game? Things to look for? My copy should be arriving by the weekend and I am anxious to dive into it.

By the way, it has been patched.
Double ugh! ;)


I'm really enjoying it still. It is a slow moving game at times, but I read during the slow periods. Also, I highly recommend the tutorials.

[Eaglesfan27]

Dola -

After a training mission, don't spend two hours trying to find your starting base like... uhmm.. a friend did.

Just hit escape once you have completed a training mission and hit yes when it asks you if you want to abandon your mission. You'll then see a screen that will tell you if you completed your objectives and ask you if you want to return to base or return to your mission.

[Calis]

New Patch, 1.2 out!

http://patches.ubi.com/silent_hunter_3/silent_hunter_3_dvd_1.2_us.exe

Buncha fixes to damage and collision models, neatest thing imo in the patch is the addition of a protractor to your tools on the navigation screen.

That was sorely needed.

[Warhammer]

Where do you change the realism settings? Is this in the campaign at your desk or what?

I am still running through the tutorials and was curious. Also, is there a way to have your crew fire the deck gun and flak guns during the tutorial, or is that all you?

[Calis]

Before you start up a mission or patrol you'll get a "Change Realism" option.

So if you want to change them for tutorials you need to either start a career or do a canned mission before firing them up, kinda strange.

[Francis_Cole]

After a training mission, don't spend two hours trying to find your starting base like... uhmm.. a friend did.


I also had, er a friend, who did that for hours going round and round in a cirlce wondering what to do. :D

[Eaglesfan27]

After a training mission, don't spend two hours trying to find your starting base like... uhmm.. a friend did.


I also had, er a friend, who did that for hours going round and round in a cirlce wondering what to do. :D
Glad to know that my friend wasn't alone :D

[Warhammer]

Probably a stupid question, how do you ping?

[Calis]

Probably a stupid question, how do you ping?

Not sure exactly what you're asking here, but as long as you have a sonarman working he'll be doing so.

The deeper the better and you want to barely be moving if at all.

Think maybe you can order the sonarman to do a sweep as well, but I've never noticed that doing any better than just letting him do it. You can take over for him as well and check for yourself.

Haven't got far enough to deal with any of the fancy stuff or radar yet.

[gstelmack]

Not sure exactly what you're asking here, but as long as you have a sonarman working he'll be doing so.

The deeper the better and you want to barely be moving if at all.

Think maybe you can order the sonarman to do a sweep as well, but I've never noticed that doing any better than just letting him do it. You can take over for him as well and check for yourself.

Haven't got far enough to deal with any of the fancy stuff or radar yet.
A ping is active sonar. If my sonarman is doing that on his own, I'm court-martialling him in the 5 minutes or so we have before the destroyers take him out. It sounds like you are describing passive sonar, while Coug wants to know how to do the active stuff, which is useful for ranging without surfacing or engaging other subs that are also being super-quiet.

[Warhammer]

Exactly, I am trying to figure out how to go active. I see where he can sweep and all that good stuff, but I was wondering about acquiring ranging data and the like...

[Calis]

Exactly, I am trying to figure out how to go active. I see where he can sweep and all that good stuff, but I was wondering about acquiring ranging data and the like...

Ahh gotcha then, sorry about that.

No clue on that though, and never really had any desire or need to do it personally. I get found too easy as it is. ;)

[Warhammer]

Yeah, I can do it with the periscope and all, but I would like to eventually do it while submerged then pop up for a shot...

I wonder if I could use a screwdriver on them? :D

[WSUCougar]

:(

Got the game, loaded it, and discovered that my video card is lacking (pixel something-or-other 1.1). *sigh*

Back to CompUSA we go.

[tanglewood]

Did the Kreigsmarine even have active sonar in WWII? I suppose you could clang the hull with a metal pipe or something...

[Warhammer]

How do you load your external torpedo reloads?

[Airhog]

The S-Gear (Sondergerät für Aktive Schallortung [Special device for active sound location]) used aboard U-2317 in With Honour in Battle was a German version of active sonar, utilising an ultra-sonic pulse frequency that was designed to be outside the ranges that could be detected by Asdic gear. (It wasn't, though.) It utilised a round display screen, similar to that used for radar, which displayed the targets as dots of light. The submarine itself was always at the centre of the screen. The operator could watch the screen and determine range and bearing to each target. The strength of the echo could be used as a rough indication of target size, a cruiser, for instance, reflecting back more of the signal than a frigate and so showing a stronger return on the screen. Like all bow-mounted sonar arrays, there was a blind area behind the boat.

The S-Gear system was designed to be used for submerged attack, and was significantly more useful in that role than the pre-war American sonar systems. However, it was deployed too late in the war to have much effect. Coupled with German advances in torpedo design, and the high underwater speed, and extreme stealthiness, of the Typ XXI and XXIII boats that were just coming into service when the war ended, it could have had a significant effect on the Battle of the Atlantic.

Normally, the system would be used on passive mode, using the array of 48 transducers in the balkon gerät under the boat's bow, which could detect targets at extreme range. U-2317 used a variant of the Nibelung apparatus, which could be keyed by the operator, and was capable of obtaining an accurate range and bearing using at most three active pings.

[Francis_Cole]

How do you load your external torpedo reloads?

Surface your boat, then go to your weapons screen and drag the pictures of the external torps into empty reserve spaces inside your boat (I don't think you can drag them directly into an empty tube, you have to put them in a reserve space first then load them up)

Fran

[WSUCougar]

Oh dear god, this game is spectacular.

I played it until 3:00 last night (this morning?), and had to pry myself away from it even then. It's 1939 and sailing out of Kiel I've only sunk two small merchants en route to my patrol zone north of Ireland. I skirted the coast of Norway to bag those two, but then ran into this HELLACIOUS storm. Geez, the seas have been running huge for days and were taking green water over the bow even at slow speeds on the surface, so I've been running at 25 meters down and then coming up only to recharge the batteries. Still - and I can't tell you how cool this is - I love the fact that my Type VII U-Boat has only bagged two little merchants and has subsequently been fighting heavy seas. It's like a storm at sea sim! Now I know what a weather buoy off Cape Hatteras feels like.

Couple things to mention:

1. I learned the hard way that there is a lighthouse in the middle of the channel leaving Kiel, and more importantly it's not on the navigation map! I set my course, put the game on compressed time 64, and went to read parts of the manual again, and next thing I know we are grinding the hull all to hell. D'oh!

2. Crew rotation is tough, but especially with the officers. With only two slots to rest, I'm not sure how you do it effectively. I wish there was better documentation on the crew management stuff, as well as setting watches.

3. Did I mention how cool the heavy seas are? :D I even tried chasing down a merchant in that mess, but after hours of hide-and-seek it turned out to be...drumroll please...a TUGBOAT. Ouch.

4. I don't have quite enough RAM, but am getting by with 512. The only issues I have are with the UZO and binoculars, and then only in the 340 - 0 - 20 forward arc. Is that supposed to be spray off the bow clouding the view, or what?

Anyway, awesome game so far. Just awesome.

[Eaglesfan27]

I've had a bit of problems with 512 MB of Ram as well...

This morning my wife tells me that one of her games isn't playing well and she wants to upgrade the computer. Instead of getting each other expensive anniversary gifts at the beginning of May, we are going to purchase a new computer (and give our old one to her mother who is still struggling with a computer from 1996!) Mainly for this game, I love the timing of her decision ;)

[WSUCougar]

I've had a bit of problems with 512 MB of Ram as well...

This morning my wife tells me that one of her games isn't playing well and she wants to upgrade the computer. Instead of getting each other expensive anniversary gifts at the beginning of May, we are going to purchase a new computer (and give our old one to her mother who is still struggling with a computer from 1996!) Mainly for this game, I love the timing of her decision ;)
Great news...cool for you!

Sank another small merchant in the middle of the Storm from Hell. She blundered right into me northwest of Scapa Flow, and the weary crew let out a shout as she took the torp in the engine room and went down like a shot.

Now the seas have calmed and I am dutifully patrolling my zone...and haven't spotted a damn thing.

[gstelmack]

Okay, this game was fun and all, but going a bit slow, and with other stuff to do (plus 2 restarts and one accidental wipe of the wrong saved game), so I wasn't very far along. That all changed today...

Current career is out of Wilhelmshaven, Winter of 39/40 (forget if I'm at the end of 39 or start of 40). Third Patrol in my VIIB, first two were the typical pick off a few lone merchantmen until out of torpedoes, RTB, maybe 10,000 tons sunk all told.

I cruise through the strait north of Scappa Flow, picking off four lone merchantmen and leaving me with 3 torps. Continue to my patrol zone way off in the North Atlantic when my first convoy comes traipsing along. It's night, I plant myself north of their course, wait for them to reach my location, go to periscope depth, close, and sink a tanker and a small merchant with my first two torps. My third (and last) torp fired from the aft tube sails through the now-zig-zagging convoy, narrowly missing two ships.

But I haven't heard a sonar or seen evidence of any escorts. So I surface and head back in with the deck gun manned (how I lucked out and did not have a storm going I still don't understand...)

I've now sunk roughly a dozen ships, even managing to leave most of the currently-neutral US ships alone. This is the first time I've been in that close with the deck gun, and you just don't realise how good a job they did on the ships until you watch a shell smash into the foredeck and topple a crane arm. I'm a bit disappointed that no merchants tried to ram me, but this is the first time I really felt like a hunter.

Very well done.

[WSUCougar]

Excellent, gstelmack.

We have become an unholy terror with the deck gun in U-53 (Type VIIB). On our last patrol, autumn 1940, we were based out of St. Nazaire for the first time. En route to our patrol zone, we lingered in the hot little triangle west-northwest of Brest and southwest of Cornwall because (a) it's a busy area and (b) the sea was flat as a pancake and we could use the gun with great effect. Hear them coming with the hydrophones, maneuver underwater into a good spot ahead, and then pop up at around 1000 meters to let 'em have it. Didn't use a single torp and sank half a dozen ships. :D

[gstelmack]

I also forgot about the part where I was pumping shells into the stern of the ship, and it caught fire and finally exploded, sending either a boiler or a piece of deck cargo into the air and smashing back down on the deck. Just utterly fantastic...

[WSUCougar]

Holy crap! Twice now (early 1941) I've encountered huge, undefended "neutral" convoys in which the ships are 75% or more British, and thus fair game. These convoys are pin-pointed by radio messages, and I've just waltzed in and had a field day with torps as well as the deck gun. Ducks in a barrel, although attacking the last one I actually took some light damage from armed merchants. I cannot imagine why there are no escorts guarding such juicy targets.

I also had a cool first last night. Day time, southwest of Ireland, I'm at periscope depth and get a hydrophone report of a fast merchant closing from the northeast. Looking through the scope I see a freakin' PASSENGER LINER, steaming west at 21 knots. It's bloody beautiful...I had to wipe drool off the keyboard. But I've only got two fish left, and limited deck gun ammo (30 rounds), and this sucker is blazing past me already. I turn my ass at it and pop off a torpedo at 3000 meters, then run in at flank speed with my scope down to try and close the range. The first shot misses - not sure what happened, but it wasn't even close - and it turns out that the bastard starts zig-zagging and my follow-up shot from around 1500 meters misses as well. Verdammt!

So I surface in broad daylight and the chase is on. I start pouring armor-piercing shots into its waterline, trying to be as consistently accurate as I can, and eventually she drops down to six knots with an ample list to port. But now I'm out of ammo! And have no torps left! So in desperation I start lighting up the liner's upper deck with the 20mm flak gun. A couple small fires and explosions, but it's quickly apparent that I cannot bring the beast down. And it's too dangerous to linger...reluctantly, I turn tail and run, submerging with that glorious 24,000 tons fading into the west. :(

[Warhammer]

My convoy story:

I was in grid AM 53, I had just made the run towards Liverpool and was heading back out and around the Orkneys (or that was the plan). There is a convoy bearing down on me. The weather is stormy but not bad otherwise. I plot my intercept, and get to the "rendevous" point. I go up to periscope depth... Nothing. I run my estimate of their course, and realize I am a few hours early. I wait... Suddenly I start hearing all sorts of contacts. I raise the scope and.... fog. Nothing but fog... Cursing my luck I sit and I wait... Next thing I know contacts are all around me! But, I can't see them for the fog!

The I see a tanker coming out of the fog, its a T3, unfortunately the only shot I get off is within the minimum range of the torps. So I decide to surface and pursue her. I get to the surface and make a quick scan, there is a C2 no more than 100 meters off my stern! I move forward, and try setting up a solution on C2 with the stern tubes, but I almost run into another C2 that came out of the fog!

I change course and nearly run into another C2, this one American. So I change course and slow down to calm myself down and get my bearings. While I am doing this, the American C2 changes course to run me down! I quickly order a crash dive and try changing course, but to no avail, the C2 hits the back of my ship and causes some damage, luckily it is not severe. I quickly resurface and go to flank speed. I set my torps for my normal 90 deg. attack, and make a short semi-circle to try and get ahead of some of the ships.

Make a long story short, I bag one C2, and then I see her, the T3 coming out of the fog. Unfortunately she has changed course and with the fog I cannot get a good read on her bearing. Plus, since she is moving back into the fog, I do not have time to change my AOB, torp, and speed settings to what I want. Determining what bearing from my course the torps are going to fire along, I line that bearing up with where I think the tanker is going to be and fire a spread of three torps. A few seconds later, BOOM...BOOM...BOOM! I see the T3 break in half, I quickly turn to see some splashes all around me, a destroyer is bearing down on me! I crash dive and head to 40 m. An hour and a half, plus 3 destroyers later, I am back on my way to Kiel.

[klayman]

I change course and nearly run into another C2, this one American. So I change course and slow down to calm myself down and get my bearings. While I am doing this, the American C2 changes course to run me down! I quickly order a crash dive and try changing course, but to no avail, the C2 hits the back of my ship and causes some damage, luckily it is not severe. I quickly resurface and go to flank speed. I set my torps for my normal 90 deg. attack, and make a short semi-circle to try and get ahead of some of the ships.


Damn. Isn't that an act of war?

[gstelmack]

Damn. Isn't that an act of war?
Only if the U-Boat survives to report it http://dynamic.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

"U-Boat? You claim we sank a U-Boat? With a cargo vessel? There's not even a scratch on our merchantman!"

[Warhammer]

Damn. Isn't that an act of war?

What's worse, I have the almost exact same situation happen to me last night. The difference was I went down below to plot a course to get out of dodge, and my watch neglects to tell me that we are about to run into a C2! All of a sudden I hear hulls scrapping, I rush to the bridge and see nothing but a big hull in front of me. Luckily I survived, but I spent something like 6 weeks in dock for repairs.

[klayman]

I guess I'll have to be more careful. I never had a neutral ship try to ram me yet, only allied destroyers. In fact, during one very successful convoy attack, I surfaced between two American C2 that had become seperated from the rest of the pact (due to a habit of ships in front of them blowing up and sinking ;) ) so I could pull my reserve eels in, and was close enough to see the British ensignias (sp?) on the planes they were carrying. Together the three of us sailed happily along until we came up on the convoy again and continued my attack. I shudder to think the damage they would have done if they both decided to turn into me.