1. Will the new game adjust the speed of a damaged target? It has always irritated me that I could pump four fish into a Man of War and the target shows no decrease in speed.
The damaged targets will have different behaviour depending on what the damage is:
- Destroy the command deck – no more evasive manoeuvres
- Damage the engine room and the top speed drops
- Hit the rudders and the ship will keep a straight course
- Destroy the propellers and the ship will be a sitting duck.
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2. Does the AI differentiate between stuff like: scope being raised high/low, running at surface/decks awash? Being up-sun/down-sun (or moon) from opponent? Showing the side or bow/stern to opponent (this also should influence radar and asdic)?
Keeping your periscope too high out of the water will have dire consequences if a destroyer is nearby and the visibility is good. The smaller your silhouette, the harder to spot you are so running at surface/deck awash will have a significant influence. Exposing a smaller silhouette to enemy will significantly lower the lookout, the radar and the asdic chances of finding you.
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3. Will we have a working TDC with enough precise instruments, with big scales and little needles jumps to input precisely all obtained target data?
Yes, the TDC is represented in detail. In fact, we have modelled a specific map to use in conjunction with the TDC so that a solution is easier to understand.
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4. Will the customers have in the manual a well-explained and complete tutorial about how to take target data? Ranges, with a real method (Stadimeter, telemeter, mast head angle), Target Relative Course with the 3 Bearing Method, and Target Speed with the Cosin Theoreme Method?
The manual will include a detailed tutorial about manual collecting target data. You will learn to use the mast head angle method for range estimation, visually evaluate the angle on bow of the target and use a light version of the Cosin Theorem method (no trigonometry calculus involved, just data inputs) for finding targetâs speed.
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5. Will we be protected by thermal layer and silent running, and for another factors as runs near the surface, environmental noise as big waves, storms or ships proximity?
Silent running will be a basic evasive manoeuvre. Thermal layers are still in work.
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6. Will enemy planes have real patrol areas? Will it be possible for them not to see us? Or will every plane magically appear over the horizon automatically vectored right over us like in SHII? Will friendly air patrols be threats also?
The AI enemy planes ability to visually detect the player is affected by the visibility conditions. Of course, if the plane is equipped with a radar, expect some âmagicalâ apparitions over the horizon, automatically vectored right over playerâs boat. After all the surprise air attacks are part of the ASW tactics, right?
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7. Will the crew be modelled on the bridge? Will they be modelled going below? Will it be possible to leave someone stranded on the bridge during an emergency dive because the captain didnât check before closing the hatch?
Although the watch crew will be modelled on the bridge (as well as the gun crews), there will be no one forgotten behind. However, in the game, the more crew you have on the deck, the longer it will take you to dive to safety.
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8. What is the Dev. Team’s view on the issue of Scripted vs. Dynamic campaign?
We believe that extensive use of high time compression in order to cover long distances is very unrealistic. Also, covering this kind of distances at low time compression values itâs not an option for the large majority. We think that assigning a limited, but dynamic, patrol area is more fun and even realistic because it will reduce the need to use time compression. Another point is that, historically speaking, quite precise orders were given before patrols and there was not much room for personal initiatives. However, itâs obvious that there are a lot of players ready to roam the oceans on their own despite BdU orders
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9. Will we see a more realistic engine management; I mean do we have to shutdown the diesels first before we can use the electric engine? When the ship dives?
The crew will automatically handle the details of the engine control during specific manoeuvres â for example shutting down the diesels to switch to electric when diving.
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10. Will the ‘call and response’ of orders between you and crewman in-game (as seen in the E3 video) actually lead to a realistic delay in orders being carried out or is it just for show and orders will be carried out as soon as the relevant button is pressed?
The orders will involve delays, although tuned down for gameplay reasons.
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11. What are the details of the acoustic hydrophones, can we listen for contacts, and actually use the sound information to locate and track distant ships or convoys and identify ships, and of course have the option of using AI crew for the work? Will this aspect of the game be modelled as realistically as possible?
The player will be able to use the hydrophones to actually locate and track distant ships or convoys. The sound detail will allow you to recognize the type of ship you are hearing.
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12. Will you have the SQUID? Which was a bigger version of the Hedgehog.
The Squid system was an important upgrade in the Allies ASW weaponry. This system will make an apparition in conformity with its historical evolution.
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13. Will you have the Mk 24 FIDO Air-launched homing torpedo? It sunk 31 U-boats, with another 15 damaged, so it was a very important weapon for the Allies.
No. We decided to leave out of the game weapons that have the potential to âinstant killâ the player without giving him any options.
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14. Will we have a good mission editor to create scenarios? We could then create historically realistic ones.
The editor will feature tools allowing a lot of flexibility in scenario creation.
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15. Will German voices or will instrument labels be an option in all language distributions?
English and German voices will be available in all versions. There will also be an option to use historically accurate labels, ranks etc. no matter the installed version.
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16. From what I remember, convoys were often spotted because the smoke trail was visible above the horizon. Will this also be possible in the game?
Yes, it is possible in SHIII. Note that the earth curvature will make ships show up from below horizon, so first youâll see the smoke, then masts and smoke stacks and so on.
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17. When ship blows up can it break into several pieces?
In SHIII some of the ships (especially the small ones), when blowing up will break in two pieces. Of course, this will happen only in critical hit situations.
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18. Does a player walk around a ship by himself with key arrows or do I just magically appear in another room?
For the time being, there is a system of preset camera positions inside the U-boat. The player will automatically access any of these positions. However, we are considering a âfree roamingâ alternative.
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19. After severe damage, will water begin collecting on the floor, and will it recede as the crew pump it out?
This will be visible in the damage management interface. In 3D there will be no visible water collecting on the floor. But can see water sprayed from the bursting pipes, sparks from the fuses and lights flickering when taking damage.
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20. Can crew be killed or injured? Will this cause overall morale to drop?
Any casualties will affect the morale of the comrades onboard. Remember that the crew is an important part of the campaign, as it will gain experience and it will specialize. The veteran crews will really make an impact in the campaign.
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21. Can we do practice drills in crash dives, gunnery, damage control, etc. to improve the quality of our crew, with “over-drilling” causing a negative hit to morale?
This will work only for the recruit crews. âOver drillingâ the crew will increase fatigue to the point when its efficiency is null.
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22. Will there be an ability to do some of LI job? I mainly mean manual control of ballast and trim level.
To some degree, yes. But fine controls like trimming the boat will be handled automatically by the AI.
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23. Will there be an ability to control engines (both types) separately (port or starboard)?
This will be available as a simplified commands system based on propulsion presets.
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24. What about navigation? How will maps look like? And what information will they include on?
The map will resemble as much as possible a real map (paper texture, spots and used parts, handwriting, etc.). You will have the basic info according to contact updates from the sensors usable at a given time: if submerged with the periscope down, only hydrophone/sonar updates will be available and with limited information (target position will update at specific periods, class details will not be available, etc.)
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25. How long will the diving process take? Could it (time) be realistic? (And what about orders, like surfacing, etc. …)
The diving process will depend on the U-boat type and the specific version. In any case, the diving times will reflect the real times and will be influenced by factors like number of crew on the deck at the time when the dive order is given, flak configuration, etc.
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