Noob questions:
 

Hi there,

I am playing on 100% realism (NO! I won't play any other way! :) ) and I can't seem to find a damn thing in the ocean.

I get sound contacts, but I can't ever get within visual range of anything.

Dumb question 1: When my nearest sound contact is bearing 20, does that mean 20 degrees to starboard in the direction we're traveling? or 20 degrees as in the tool helper compass thing?

Dumb question 2: what range of distances is long range on a sound contact?
Dumb question 3: what is the limit of visual range on a perfect day?

Thanks guys!

If you're a noob, why are you suffering through manual targeting without all the tools available? :)

1. It's from the boat. The tool helpers are all North/South related. That's why you need a bearing tool around your boat. There are some, but they only show up when you're super zoomed in, so limited at best for now.

2. 30km maybe? 20+ at least?

3. 12k, I'm really not sure. Somewhere around there, probably less.

Regarding contact bearing, I would assume that it works the same way as in SH3 - it's a relative bearing, meaning relative to your bow heading.

So if you are headed due north - heading 0 - and the contact is at 20, it's 20 degrees starboard off your bow. But it would be 20 degrees to starboard off your bow no matter where you were heading, because its reported bearing is relative to yours.

If the contact were at 340, it would be 20 degrees port off your bow.

If the contact were at 0, it would be directly ahead of you. If it were at 180, it would be directly astern.

So anything with a (relative) bearing of 1-179 will be to starboard of your boat, and anything bearing somewhere between 181-359 will be to port.

Again, that's assuming SH5 is using relative bearings in the contacts reports like it does in SH3.

Qs 2&3, I got nuthin'.

That's awesome guys, thanks!

The reason I do 100% realism is because I'm a GD submarine commander! I don't need red boxes on my map!!! Did Jurgen Prochnow have red boxes??? NO!

I realize I should've gone down to the hydrophone station and listened in the direction of the contact, then I would've known it was relative to the boat's heading.. duh!

Thanks again.

You're welcome!

Are we counting the one I sent him my heart in? :O: