Just to throw in my own spare change
, DW and its older brothers are still worth playing. Besides doing some extra study (manuals, watching vids, etc.) it's also handy to create some of your own "work-up" missions with the mission editor.
The reality of the Sonalysts games is that there isn't a single "perfect" way to play the game/sim. Rather, a LOT of it comes down to
your style and preference.
So, how do you get GOOD?
Practice then practice some more.
Don't worry about beating a campaign or a mission. Learn instead how to drive the boat and use it's sensors and weps.
Go into the mission editor and create a couple of bare-bones missions. Pick some water on the planet that interests you, maybe even your own "home waters" that is either fairly shallow or fairly deep. Then pick the sub you want and place it in the mission, making sure you check the "playable" box. You may want to include some other surface traffic to play with. Don't worry about scoring points or hitting any goals, just keep it simple.
Start out learning how to drive the boat. You really want to get good at this stuff NOW. How close can you run to the bottom? How does the rudder behave at certain speeds? At a given depth, when does the screw start to cavitate? How deep should you be to "dead stick" the boat up to PD (ring up All Stop then try to coast up to a certain depth)?
In the next phase, use some surface traffic to learn how to track, and eventually attack, a given contact. What changes if you reel out the towed array? Where do you place your boat so the Auto Crew can do their jobs? How do you set up a torpedo attack versus a missile launch? How do you KNOW that you're attacking the right target?
Again, use the mission editor to set up some simple missions then
play the snot out of them. Don't worry about goals or points, aside from really learning the game.
The bottom line is that you really want to develop YOUR OWN instincts before you dive into some canned missions or a campaign. While there is a LOT to learn, you don't have to learn all of it in two hours. Take your time, enjoy the game.
If you're in a hurry to install one of the mods, wait. Save the mods for later on when you have more experience.
Playing the game "Stock" is the best way to learn it. Speaking of, DW has four different platforms you can play. Want to understand how a patrol plane, DDG or chopper can ruin your mission? Play around with them, learn their strengths and weaknesses.
Use what you learned against them when you go back to your sub.