Preface
This guide is intended for Year 2023 new player support, providing a preface to UBE features, one-click installation and support community expectations for technical support and future developments to UBE. It does not replace information published by UBE's developer.

One-Stop Installation Concept
This One Stop guide provides a convenient player-tested list of UBE prerequisites plus essential gameplay enhancements without the need to install manually every single dependency.

From this baseline expansion experience, you should customize your personal mod list accordingly to system specifications and level of interest in technical submarine simulation.

Existing users of UBE may skip directly to relevant sections of interest or access the One Stop UBE Essentials Collection for direct installation.

Disclaimer
The list of "Essential" or major gameplay-enhancing mods selected for this Collection is strictly that of the author's during play-testing in December 2022, with emphasis on maximum gameplay features & minimal download size.

The source of truth regarding UBE's features and further development should always be Link's Steam Workshop pages.

https://steamproxy-script.pipiskins.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2114304535

About Me
The author is a returning player from 2021 who is experienced in WW2 and modern subsims since the 1990s. You may get in touch with the author via Steam Chat or Discord (UBOAT Server[discord.gg]).

UBOAT - Game Design & Community Mod Feature Expectations
UBOAT differs from classic submarine simulators by being more accessible to players and focusing more on the day to day management aspects of the ship, armaments and crew.

As such, while UBOAT satisfies the simulation experience of commanding a WW2 era submarine in the Atlantic and Mediterranean theatres of operations, various community mods seek to re-introduce the complex technical aspect of period undersea warfare.

To gain a maximum appreciation of community mods, we recommend players complete the in-game tutorials and run several successful patrols. By which time you would have familiarized with not just basic UBOAT navigation and combat but also the logistics and technical development aspects of the game.

This game is also enjoyable by mainstream gamers as demonstrated by Let's Game It Out, a very fun YouTuber with the most entertaining indie game reviews.

Thanks to detailed in-game feature explanations and functional automation, you do not need lengthy manuals nor historical background to appreciate UBOAT as a video game.


Experiencing the stock game mechanics also allows you to keep a mental benchmark of what is possible and what is not included in the current iteration of the game, as well as expected performance levels.

Performance Impact from Community Enhancements
Comprehensive community modifications such as the UBE super mod may drastically increase loading times, tax your CPU, or even introduce more complex gameplay mechanisms with or without documentation - the fun of it is discovering how much you can understand based on prior knowledge of WW2 submarine warfare, but you generally should not blindly install everything without reading and risk mysterious crashes.

Test progressively, always with a new game and do not risk crashing the game by randomly installing everything at once.

You must also ensure mods do not conflict with each other by carefully reading the mod descriptions provided by the authors - there are multiple Realism Mods that are not compatible with each other as they modify the same set of features!

One-Stop Installation Concept
This One Stop guide provides a convenient player-tested list of UBE prerequisites plus essential gameplay enhancements without the need to install manually every single dependency.

From this baseline expansion experience, you should customize your personal mod list accordingly to system specifications and level of interest in technical submarine simulation.

Before installing UBE or any major mods, it is necessary to clear temporary files and cache from the application data.

1) Open Windows Explorer.
2) Navigate to C:\Users\[Your Name Here]\AppData\LocalLow\Deep Water Studios\UBOAT\
3) Delete all items inside Cache, Data Sheets and Temp. These will be automatically regenerated once you run the game with new mod data later.


4) UBE requires other mod packages to run, and these prerequisites further require their own dependencies. To avoid installation errors I have created a One-Stop Install List you can subscribe to with one click. UBE, its dependencies, and recommended essentials will be downloaded automatically by the Steam Client.

UBE Essentials One-Stop Install List [Dec 2022]
https://steamproxy-script.pipiskins.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2903882543
Each of the items will need to be manually enabled before game start, so if you do not wish certain enhancements (e.g. you do not need complex manual TDC features), then leave it disabled.

Achtung!
German Aircraft Bundle is included in the above collection, as it may be a required dependency.
You do want your Luftwaffles, don't you?
Screenshot credit: Link

There is an optimal load order to hopefully avoid any data issues in the game. Mod Creator Link advises to put the U-Boat Expanded mod as the last item in load order.

You will also need to Enable the mod package individually for the first time. Each time the game is launched, it will also prompt Custom Actions is outdated, but it is fine to ignore this error.

My preferred load order (tested working) is thus:
On Top: Custom Actions & Asset Packs
Middle: Enhanced Feature mods such as Sinking Physics Overhaul, TDC mod, etc
Bottom: U-Boat Expanded


Once load order set and mods enabled, proceed to launch the game with UBE & dependencies activated. The first load will take additional 5 minutes (approx) due to data and textures pre-caching.

Initial Loading Time with UBE Installed
After setting Load Order and bypassing the outdated prompt, expect a first time load period of around 5 minutes as Unity engine preloads new mod data. This time was estimated on a gaming laptop with 2.6ghz i7 processor and M2 SSD. Load times from desktop to main menu should be half of that subsequently.

If this is a fresh installation, setup your video and gameplay settings to your preferences. Otherwise, proceed to start a new career with New Game. You will notice there are many more starting options available in UBE, different ports, U-Boats and even different classes.


Feature Experience: 1939 U-32 Campaign
For first time UBE experience my preference is to start off with one of the new historical boats U-32 from Wilhemshaven in September 1939, a few days before official declarations of war. First missions include standard patrols in the and minelaying off the British Coast as per the boat's historical assignment.

Since it is an early war campaign start you can be assured there are fair hunting opportunities to develop your crew skills. Minelaying assignments are also very short but allow you to experience and observe British naval activity including battleship task forces in action.

Unlike the stock game which feels underpopulated, UBE will present you with large naval encounters where it is (realistically) not possible to perform a clean sweep, in many cases its better to save your torpedoes for enemy merchant shipping rather than risk engaging huge battle groups in shallow waters.




You're definitely not taking on the entire HMS Nelson battle group on your first minelaying mission, but remaining undetected to later report her location and that of all the accompanying movements of task groups and passing supply convoys resulted in significant mission score and a memorable story to tell.

In this way you are challenged to think strategically, wait for a poorly defended or unescorted convoy (or one already engaged by a friendly U-boat) in open waters rather than engaging the first target you see and expose yourself to surface and air retaliation.



This strategic approach is also enhanced by the delivery of daily war news broadcasts by radio after midnight, and you will also be delivered an optional stack of newspapers whenever in port. The daily newspaper is an optional feature unlocked using the HQ research interface.


It's a very satisfying experience to command a virtual U-32 and be mentioned in dispatches, sometimes even encountering the actual boat in the game environment for a cooperative attack!

This lively experience is the cumulative effort of the UBOAT community and you may also observe many new ship variants added to the game, with new distinct ship and aircraft models being added in 2023.

Some of the excitement may be "unintended" such as Liberty ships spawning in 1939 convoys but nevertheless presents a positive impact on gameplay as they stand in for armed transports and merchant cruisers which fire back at you during convoy attacks.


Its very much possible to have a fully immersive U-boat experience and share many sea stories on Discord with the community. We hope to see you on the high seas, Kapitan!

From enhanced convoy behavior and ship identification manuals (included in this Essential Collection) to quality reproductions of historical U-Boat insignia, numerous mods can enhance your UBE experience.

For feature updates and companion mod recommendations, please check regularly with the UBE official workshop page and Link's recommended mods list often.

https://steamproxy-script.pipiskins.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2114304535
https://steamproxy-script.pipiskins.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2528222644

We will be curating additional player tested and newly released mods as time goes on. Likewise, UBE feature development has reached a high point and we expect many new enhancements to be added in the near future.

Do you have your own UBE compatible mod list to share? Please feel free to comment below.

UBOAT Developers and Community continue to keep the game updated and supported through 2023.

Credits
Playway & Deep Water Studios for the excellent UBOAT game.
Link, ii, salamander & FreekOly (aka Urfisch) as Mod Developers whose content is featured in this UBE Essential Collection.
Sped / Steve Stevenson for "War Correspondent" screenshots photomanipulated as proposed load screens or content features for UBE.
McDewgle (via UBOAT Discord) for troubleshooting tips.

For General Enquiries
The best place to reach out to us for live player assistance is via the UBOAT Official Discord server:
https://discord.gg/BwrXdxQ

Opt-in to Modding and UBE roles to reveal the mod support channels.

For Basic Troubleshooting
1) Firstly, ensure base game runs properly before installing any mods; if the base game itself cannot run, check system specs, perform OS and drivers update.

If it runs poorly, reduce graphics settings until stable 50-60fps is obtained. On limited hardware or gaming laptops is recommended to limit framerate to 60fps to avoid 100% GPU usage and overheating; since UBOAT is a cinematic experience and players will not benefit from hundreds of fps.

Close any background memory intensive applications such as web browsers and graphics design software. Running out of memory can cause saved games to crash to desktop shortly after loading.

2) Ensure to follow any directions correctly for mod installation and configuration (load order).

3) Avoid installing randomly very large mods, always test progressively and read the mod description for compatibility.

4) Take note UBOAT's present version requires mod data to be loaded from a new career. Do not install major mods into existing saves unless the mod specifically mentions new game not required.

5) Anomalies can occur with large mods especially where game and system has been up for a very long time. Perform a full system restart, re-validate the game files on Steam, and try again if your existing save suddenly does not load (e.g. after UBOAT or UBE components updated, your ship cannot load, missing enemy contacts, cannot return to home port, etc)

6) Prepare troubleshooting data for next-level support.

For Scenario-Specific Troubleshooting & Mod Technical Support
In the event next-level technical support is requested, please have the following data ready (available from UBOAT App Data Folder)

1) Output Log txt file (drag and drop to Discord)
2) Mod List txt file (drag and drop to Discord)
3) Zip and upload your Save File to shared cloud storage
(UBE save files can exceed 17MB, share the link to your Google Drive file)

App Data Folder is located at:
C:\Users\[Your Name Here]\AppData\LocalLow\Deep Water Studios\UBOAT\

Sample Help Request:


Regarding Gaming Features, Expectations and Suggestions
We noted UBOAT is a Role-Playing Game and a Submarine Simulator combined into a format accessible to both casual players and experienced virtual Kapitans. As such there are always compromises regarding gameplay "fun" and simulation complexity.

As such we do not expect boat interiors, weapon systems performance and every minute detail to be strictly 100% historical, although UBE rebalances gameplay to resemble historical data in various aspects (e.g. early war torpedo impact detonator reliability following strict historical data can be frustrating from the gameplay aspect).

Community created mods also cannot address technical limitations with the base game engine (e.g. there is no shared presets for officer tasks between different careers) or may add certain degrees of creative interpretation of a historical fact as a functionality compromise or based on designer intent.

In the event you would like to submit a suggestion or report an issue (non mod related) with the base game, press F11 while on patrol to send feedback directly to the Developers.