1. Will there be a Beta Test and will members from the community have special privileges?
We’re still considering the possibility for a Beta Test. Recruitment will be done especially among the community members.
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2. Will the player be able to adjust parameters as for example: Diving, Speed, Torpedos?
Yes. The controls of the U-boat, represented in rather great detail, are completely under player’s control. This will include beside the depth, speed, direction things like the initial torpedo loadout, the crew composition and the flak configuration.
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3. What is the current status in regards to system specs?
Supported OS: Windows® 98/ME/2000/XP (only)
Processor: Pentium® III 1.4 GHz or AMD Athlon 1.4 GHz
(Pentium 4 2.0 GHz or AMD Athlon 2.0Ghz recommended)
RAM: 256 MB (512 MB recommended)
Video Card: 64 MB (128 MB recommended) DirectX® 9 compatible graphics card (see supported list*)
Sound Card: DirectX 9 compatible PCI card
*Currently Supported Video Cards
NVIDIA® Geforce 3/4/FX series with the exception of MX series cards
ATI® Radeon 8500/9000 family cards or newer
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4. How detailed will be the manual torpedo firing?
On manual mode, firing a torpedo will involve the use of ship manual recognition, visual measurement of the target height, estimation of the angle on bow of the target and timed range recording. Plus the torpedo and salvo settings. I guess that’s pretty detailed.
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5. Will the crew be able to use all weapon stations?
The crew will use the deck gun and the flak armament. The crew will load the torpedoes but only by the player can fire them.
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6. Will you be able to see the crew of other ships?
It is under consideration but it might prove to be a detail supported only for powerful configurations.
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7. Will there be a realistic CO2 behaviour in the case of a fire? Oxygen is vanishing quickly
The CO2 will play an important role in the game.
The CO2 behaviour is part of a more complex damage system that will consider things like the maximum crash depth being decreased depending on the pressure hull damage, speed of flooding depending on the amount of damage per compartment, speed of repair depending on the efficiency of the crew assigned, etc.
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8. Will the command bridge and the other rooms tilt in the case of diving, impact, battle or storm?
Obviously, we have paid attention to all those details that should convince the player that his boat is out on the ocean. Expect to see provisions (ham and sausage strings) hanging from the ceiling and moving like crazy during storms.
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9. Will there be animals as for example: Seagulls, whales, orcas?
We try to implement as much environmental details as possible. This was not a priority until now, so it is hard to estimate at this moment a list of marine life elements that will be included in the final version.
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10. Does the weather change within a mission?
We want to give the player a weather that is as close as possible to the real thing: wind change, clouds variations, sea state altering or improving, rain or snow according to latitude and season, etc.
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11. Will there be storms with thunder and lightning?
This is already in the game. Expect big waves, distant flashes and reverberating thunders. In addition, your crew will get tired faster in bad weather if you keep sailing at surface.
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12. Will there be music on the ship and can I hear the crew talk, cough, laugh, scream?
From hits of the époque to sinister creaks of the hull or whispered talk during silent running mode, the sound will play a great role in re-creating the kind of atmosphere aboard a U-boat in mission.
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13. Will there be enemy submarines?
For the current version, the enemy AI submarines will not make an appearance. We considered that the Allied submarines did not play an important ASW role in the Battle of Atlantic.
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14. Will I be able to enter harbours manually? Will there be harbours and submarine bunkers?
In SH3 you’ll be able to see harbours and the famous U-boat pens. However, considering the realism level reached in the U-boat simulation, manoeuvring in narrow spaces will be quite difficult as in real life. Finally, it will probably be implemented as a difficulty option.
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15. Will I be able to tank up my sub by using milk cows?
This can be done, although at the time being is still under debate if we will make it a non-interactive sequence or not.
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16. Can I see the lights of cities and townships during the night?
If visibility permits and the respective coast is not under strict blackout, there will be lights on shores.
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17. Will I have to use the Enigma?
We have modelled the Enigma machine. There may be certain things the player should use it for, but its use is rather an “Easter egg”, not a main feature.
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18. Will I be able to eavesdrop for enemy vessels?
This is still under consideration. Intercepting some radio transmissions may be one of the elements involved in searching and finding targets in your assigned patrol area.
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19. Will the ocean be physically correct? Movement, currents, thermal layers….?
The ocean model implemented in SH3 is very accurate for a real time application. You can expect thermal layers.
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20. Will Silent Hunter 3 feature a MP3 player.
Yes. In the “Radio Room” there will be a Gramophone implemented as an MP3 player.
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