New Member who you might consider lame can't get SH3 running : Need Help

[ubsaltymax]

I hope this is the correct place to post this thread.

Hi all, thank you for this forum and the opportunity to learn from very experienced and dedicated UB Sim enthusiasts.
I have a problem, and I feel very lame and noobish that I have been unsuccessful in installing SH3...
I thought I closely followed the necessary steps provided on this forum to get SH3 to run on Windows 10 and tried several times with no success.
This message keeps popping up: https://i.gyazo.com/12bab328a1e95943562fef0b3ec4ae97.png
Note: I didn't take notes during the install attempts; I will attempt the installation again and make detailed notes. I will say that when trying to find out how to install SH3 for Win 10 or even in compatibility mode for XP or Win 7, I was googling several sources and may have used a file from a different source.

1st problem: I cannot register the game. The link provided during installation no longer works. Is this a problem? If it is a problem, how do I resolve it?

Because I knew Subsim supports all things Sub-related for gaming, and I was frequent on that forum many years ago, after reading their review of SH3, at the bottom was a link to buy the SH3 DVD game from a vendor on Amazon. I am in the USA. I did purchase it on Amazon, it was shipped, I think, from Arizona. I thought I received a USA DVD SH3 game. After several attempts to install Patch 1.4b DVD US, and failing, I took a closer look at the SH3 file contents and noticed notes for EMEA, so I used the Patch 1.4b DVD EMEA and said the patch was successfully upgraded and showed that on the SF3 app.

The Starforce removal tool at first didn't work. I tried 2 versions, and I think finally both said "no file or driver found." (I'm not sure, I can't remember .

I would appreciate a DEF member fluent in English and with good experience solving difficult SH3 on Windows PC intall/setup issues to contact me first via email ( I think you can email via this board), and we could arrange either a TS or Skype session. I currently do not have Discord setup. 
A donation to DEF is appropriate if we can get this solved :)


Background:
I am not a young guy; I first played 688 attack sub back in the DOS days, and SH2 during its heyday, however, life got too busy for gaming except for the occasional FPS shooter.
I am much older now, and wanted to try a bit of immersion in a better sub sim than SH2, and I read that SH3 is the way to go, so here I am.  Note, I was able to get SH2 to run fine on my win 10 pc using compatibility mode.  However, since I tried installing SH3 now SH2 won't work.  SH2 is currently uninstalled.

All help is appreciated, comments welcomed, and since I already said it's my lame failure to not arrive on DEF with a working copy of SH3, keep the arrows and poison darts lol...

[REV_BL!TZKR!EG]

Easy fix.

(1) Do not panic. It is really easier than you think. And lame is only to not communicate. You did.

(2) Obviously (and I have verified this by looking through the log-files) you have not done that. And I was already wondering who runs SFSF, but never actually executes it. Please do that and your issue will be solved in no time.

The message that keeps popping up is a 100% clear indication that you want to play from a "starforced" DVD - and hence need to apply the Starforce-Fix. Fiedler has written instructions for that, so please click on "S3G" in my signature (That is btw the guide that has been on SuSi for half a decade until they censored it) and there go to section 03, follow the link stating "You can make any DVD work on Windows 10 !!!!!"


As per your listed problems

- You do not need to register the game. Leave that aside. Also ignore what SuSi says. They and their bullshit advice were the reasons why I coded so many tools.

- No "Starforce Removal tool" or anything like it required if you only follow Fiedler's instructions and ignore the crap that comes from SuSi - as you see, their stuff does not work.

Hach SH2... that brings back memories. I too played 688 + SH2

 

[ubsaltymax]

Thank you, REV_BL!TZKR!EG for the reply, and the info Worked!  I haven't tried to play but I got the game login and menus etc.
I would greatly appreciate, what I next should install for upgrade/mods.  I do not intend to play full/manual sim hard core until I am familiar with SH3.
I would like to get the best level of graphics, and see ships and torpedos similar to what many SH3 players are showing on youtube.
Also, I would like to play the training missions and freelance a few single missions before I engage in DEF style play.
As per my statement... with gratitude, a donation was made :)   Thanks again, for the help getting "prepared to dive"

Hopefully, this weekend will get a chance to get acquainted with my boat ...

[DEF_ButcherBiird]

These are the mods that I use. If you are wanting mods like the Youtubers this list is essentially the exact one that Wolfpack345 uses. If you followed Fielders instructions you should already have GWX installed. From there you just need to use the JSGME that you installed. Drag and drop the unpacked mod folders into the JSGME. Then enable the mods in the JSGME menu and poof everything should be working.

[ubsaltymax]

Ahoy DEF_ButcherBiird, thanks for the reply, is nice to see the effort and hands-on support from fellow members...

Wow, that is a hefty list you have, then reading the link to that thread others have even more. 

You say:

"If you followed Fielders instructions you should already have GWX installed."

Where do I see that in SHF?  do I have to initiate? 

[DEF_ButcherBiird]

No problem. Let us know if you have any other questions.

[ubsaltymax]

hmmmm I don't see any mods listed in my version of SH3  v1.7.9.83b   https://i.gyazo.com/1f951ec15471c59bc8f1d795c2510c4b.png

yeah, I working through the install process now.. somehow I was under the impression they were auto-installed, my error