Rotterdam

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[Stuart2007]

I know this has been discussed previously but I'm damned if I can find it.

Turning the Po Rotterdam around in Rotterdam terminal. Is this actually possible? You can do it with nil damage but if you look carefully you take out the dophin on the starboard quarter (which has no collision model).

I am using the original installation without any of the modifications onto it, but on the last computer I which did have them all installed, I don't remember this problem.

Anyone else have a definitive point on this?

[LucAtC]

Hello Stu,
Nothing definitive, do you mean turning like in this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPgydEe_e3U)?
Regards,
Luc

[krytsch]

Yes, it IS possible - it takes some minutes.

Let go the moorings
Give the PoR a small push forward (~ 1 knot)
Set the rudder to full port
Set port engine to hard backwards and starboard engine to hard forward.
Control the ship rotation with the bow thruster, keep the rotation at approx. 0 degrees or a small positive amount.
The PoR will now move sidewards to starboard.

When you've gained a about ship's width of distance, you can begin to turn to starboard - I use to start with the bow thruster, followed by the rudder and then by reversing the engines (port engine forwards, stb engine backwards).
Control the PoR's forward/backward movement by adjusting the speed of the (usually) forward running engine.
This is the way I do it.

Somewhere on YouTube there is a video of this manoeuvre -not done by me.

[The Ferry Man]

Course ion RL there isd also a ferry moored right in front of the PoR on the other side of the Quay

[Traddles]

Video of this manouvre coming up shortly. However putting same on Youtube is a slow process which I have only recently learned how to do. vin_sun was my tutor for this procedure. Windows live movie maker is ideal as it cuts down vast movies to managable size in terms of MBs and GBs.
The video is recorded on Fraps from the mission "Pride of Rotterdam" leaves homeport by Bottman. It is one of the original missions which come with the game.
This was originally 3.17GB and Windows live movie maker cut it down to 385MB.

Angus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAACb4eMUgw  Not the greatest but gives the idea OK. Those big grey fenders are there for a very good reason.

[krytsch]

Well, it's a different approach. I do not touch any fenders at all - I start by moving the PoR away from the fenders.

But the effect is the same: getting out of the harbour basin in a reasonable time and without any damage.

[Stuart2007]

Thanks chaps. I can't watch youtube right now as I'm using vodafone roaming and its £stupid per mb!

I have seen other youtube videos before that execute a nice swing out of the berth- although they demolish the dolphin in the process (no collision model).

If there is a ship moored opposite as there ususally is in the real port, it seems in the game there wouldn't be enough room to turn at all.

[Traddles]

Hi Stuart,
You can always go ahead a little, until you clear that starb'd dolphin. Then cant the stern out with port helm and a for'd spring to stop further forward motion and finally come astern until you reach the wider part of Beneluxhaven, stop her and swing round 180⁰ and off you go. There's more ways to kill a cat!!! Just like that, as Tommy Cooper would say.
Regards,
Angus.
P.S. Attached is a mini mission with PoR and her sister ship moored across the other side of the dock, just as shown in Lucs Video. Try this, and I assure you it can be done with PoR swinging at the berth as in reality. Hint, mooring ropes can be used other than for plain mooring.

[Stuart2007]

Thanks Angus. I wondered if the scale of the dock layout in relation to the LOA of the boat is wrong; granted that there isn't much room in that place called "realworld" but seems even less on this game. But I defer to your greater skill with it.

One of the problems is flicking between the port bridge wing and the exterior view; you can't realistically do it without the exterior view so it isn't hugely realistic.

Mooring ropes can be used to strangle people who make it look too easy

[assassinator2.0]

ive made it around a couple of times. its hard to explain without showing pictures though.... 

[Traddles]

Here is a picture of what is intended. In reality the rope would be lengthened/shortened as required. Can't be done in the game, so one has to let go and re-attach as needed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7KMwtPjwgU  Not the greatest, but it gives the idea & also proves that it is possible. The view from the port wing is none too clever so don't bother about it.
Angus.

[assassinator2.0]

Here is a picture of what is intended. In reality the rope would be lengthened/shortened as required. Can't be done in the game, so one has to let go and re-attach as needed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7KMwtPjwgU  Not the greatest, but it gives the idea & also proves that it is possible. The view from the port wing is none too clever so don't bother about it.
Angus.

thats how i do mine 

[Stuart2007]

Here is a picture of what is intended. In reality the rope would be lengthened/shortened as required. Can't be done in the game, so one has to let go and re-attach as needed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7KMwtPjwgU  Not the greatest, but it gives the idea & also proves that it is possible. The view from the port wing is none too clever so don't bother about it.
Angus.

If you can't do it by looking from the port wing then what's the point of calling it a simulator? The idea is to make it as close as possible (ahem) to what the Master sees when leaving. He doesn't sit in a bolloon 2,000 ft above the stern watching whether the oversized dolphin is about to gash the starboard quarter.

What it really needs is multiple views (as in MSFS) where you can have your main view with one or more small screens looking at other angles.

Had vstep not pratted about and abandoned the (unfinished) 08 in preference to flogging sse, then perhaps they could have installed such facilities. (But that doesn't make them as much money I suppose)

[krytsch]

Well, I do my manoeuvre by looking from the wings / the bridge.

In real life some staff members are standing in the aft and sending messages to the bridge.
Because they are not there in the game, you can choose to use the different views. But I agree with you: I do prefer the win and bridge views as well.

[Stuart2007]

I've seen monitors on the bridge for viewing the stern (surely in addition to radio links with mooring crews). It's a shame that vstep didn't think about multiple views like MSFS- instead of pressing ahead with ANOTHER unfinished new game.

[Traddles]

These fancy modern ideas are beyond my comprehension. When I was at sea communiction between bridge and Foc's'le or Poop was done by a portable telephone which usually did'nt work. Then the best way of all took over, shouting!! Or, as one old man used to pride himself by saying "Bawls like a bull." That is not a spelling mistake of course. On many ships it was impossible to see what was going on aft anyway. Seeing up for'd was OK of course.
All this stuff on modern ships is great, but what happens when it goes phut? I note somebody recently was getting very worried about airline pilots losing the ability to fly properly as everything was now computerised and they only actually "flew" the plane for a few moments when landing and taking off. Possibly the same applies to shipping?

[Stuart2007]

Angus, I have seen exactly this sort of thing on ferries over the past 15-20 years.

You could see the "old school" Captains who would have passed in the days before computers (or at least sophisticated computer systems) that would bring their vessels alongside with a certain flair and accuracy that gave rise to confidence.

More recently, the next generation of Captains- whilst undoubtedly skilled and competent- seem to fall short of that same air of authority, calmness and skill.

Admitedly, this is based on a small number of specific incidents that I've seen.

For example, Capt. Ross of PO Bilbao- to see his accuracy and flair when coming alongside in Bilbao- compared to one of his juniors (and ultimate replacement) that seemed to be a little more phased by it.

As for airlines, I think that is a little bit of a myth; certainly with low cost airlines as a lot of the computerisation is not installed (cost savings- they only put in the basic legal requirements- no autothrottles for example).