"Nightclub" and other static immersion

[JScones]

I thought I'd post this here lest it be lost among the 4,658,354 requests for wolfpacks (seriously guys, don't you think the devs have the hint on this by now?).

Anyway, one of my fondest memories of Aces Of The Deep was the Nightclub feature; a simple feature that really did no more than "connect" the Kaleun to the virtual world around them. Seems I was not alone, as it was a frequent request for inclusion into SH3 Commander.

From an ROI perspective, I think the 100 or so lines of code needed to integrate the feature into SH5 would be a very small investment for such a great return.

Likewise, I think a little more fanfare when the player is awarded a medal/promotion would cost little (even if just a screen with a pic of Doenitz giving "virtual you" the award). I remember Panzer Commander had a basic static screen with "congratulatory" text , but again, as demonstrated by my fond recollection so many years later, it was an endearing feature of the sim. Heck, remember any Microprose flight sim from the 1980's? You were *always* awarded medals or promotions; they didn't just "appear" in your medal box ala SH3.

While I'm on a role, another, perhaps more optimistic, request that a number of SH3 Commander users had was a "Meeting with Doenitz/BdU". At this meeting the player would have their last patrol reviewed by Onkel Karl (perhaps upon his summons) as well as being updated on the progress of the war from their boss's perspective. This could include info on the latest updates on other Commanders, pending equipment upgrades and introductions, intel on Allied ASW tactics and on areas of operations.

This "area" could become a knowledge base prepping the player for events to come. And from a dev perspective, it could simply draw upon the data that is already stored within the game (ie equipment upgrade dates). Onkel Karl's "performance appraisal" could be based on a number of very simple moddable business rules in conjunction with some patrol stats (ie number of enemy and friendly hits, misses, kills etc).

And the feature could be tied into the Nightclub...for example, Doenitz gives you the "dry" account of Prien's Scapa Flow achievement, and when you visit the Nightclub afterwards you get Prien's, or even a third party's, more colourful exaggerated account.

These are a few very simple features that, if previous feedback is any indication, would be greatly appreciated.

[Easy_Eight65]

all really good suggestions for static immersion -- perhaps even some voice-over acting for the player promotions, awards ala the very first Silent Hunter...loved the fanfare aspect of that game.

...Voice-acted Reprimands as well maybe. (Bdu: "Be more agressive!") / dismissed or relieved from command, etc.

[henriksultan]

requests for wolfpacks
Thats a very good idea, first time I heard of it :03:

All the small things to make the world alive when playing is a great immersion giver and would be nice to have.

[Hunter]

+1 War is the boys' game :woot:.

[coronas]

@JScones:
You has said it, Sir! Immersion is all. I remember old SH and AotD features like newspapers with news about your sub and war, nighclub, messages with congratulations from BdU, etc.
These little things make the sense.
:salute:

[Sailor Steve]

Completely agree! Not only did Aces have newspapers announcing your successes - and your loss - but its companion game Red Baron included film clips of some higher-up hanging medals on you. SH1 had that wonderful "Attention to orders!" announcement every time you got an award (which was way too often, but that's a different complaint).

After seeing what they can do inside the sub now, I have to ask how hard it would be to have an animated nightclub with all the news and gossip recorded for you to hear.

[Jimbuna]

An animated night club would be an excellent addition.....similarly the newspaper announcements.

[Hunter]

An animated night club would be an excellent addition.....similarly the newspaper announcements. Hm, good idea. I have a collection of Deutsche Wochenschau shows, which I can whach between patrols for immersion and timeline context.:up:

[SteamWake]

An animated night club would be an excellent addition....

Yea you should be able to get drunk, and get in a brawl, spray seltzer water on the entertainment and shoot up the place !


Oh and 'fireboat' drills too ! :rotfl:

[Jimbuna]

Yea you should be able to get drunk, and get in a brawl, spray seltzer water on the entertainment and shoot up the place !


Oh and 'fireboat' drills too ! :rotfl:

Just keep out of the john....it's full of puke :DL


http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/sickpup.gif

[AVGWarhawk]

Yea you should be able to get drunk, and get in a brawl, spray seltzer water on the entertainment and shoot up the place !


Oh and 'fireboat' drills too ! :rotfl:

You do not need the SH series do to that. :O:

[Brag]

The museum can go, it took a lot of memory and did nothing more for the game that the recognition manual did.

[GoldenRivet]

Im in complete agreement over the night club / officers club / sub pens issue here.

we should be able to navigate around all of the following in first person

sub pen
officer's club
port quarters
night club
house of ill repute? :yeah:

of course these should all be modeled differently depending on which port your in.

for example the officers club or night club in Brest is different from the one in Lorient

the port quarters in Wilhelmshaven would look different than the one in Kiel

you should be able to complete the following tasks in each location

sub pen - inspect the boat visually to some extent. oversee the men loading provisions and armament prior to a patrol, and watch dock workers repairing or making modifications to the boat. AND at the start of a patrol when you are ready to leave port, the crew will line up on the deck for inspection awaiting dismissal to harbor stations.

Officer's Club - Officers only, drinking beer, liquor and wine, speaking to fellow commanders about the latest rumors, and what they have seen on recent patrols.

Port quarters - not much you can do here... this is the personal space for the commander while on dry land. keep a journal? read the latest news papers? listen to the gramophone and select which records will be available to you on the next cruise?

night club - interact with the sailors and petty officers of the crew here, hear their complaints, compliments, back story etc

house of ill repute - well... do the math. :haha:

[Hunter]

Extending this idea I would vote for more autentic shore cities with some places to visit or even to drive by car?! (Just finished to play Mafia)

[Stealth Hunter]

Personally I approve of this idea. I mean, Scones has a valid point. The last time we had a game with this type of immersion (but not level) was in the '90s (putting aside the modifications made for ones like Red Baron 3D, Silent Hunter III, you get the point).

And I'm also fairly certain it wouldn't be that difficult to do. If third-party modders who aren't getting paid and are working with generally mediocre software can pull something that great up in a matter of a few months, then surely to god such a large, powerful, and sophisticated company like Ubisoft could do it. Yeah, they'd need voice actors and more animations and a bunch of other complicated stuff, but like I said, it's not like they haven't got the resources to do it. Far from it, actually. They're probably one of the best-equipped game developing companies in the market.

But I doubt they will. As I said and have others have said the last time somebody official did something like a cinematic-interactive system for a game for rewards or just for immersion was well over 10 years ago. Modders have done a great job, but there are some things that are just beyond their capabilities- that take too much time and are too difficult for even the best ones to do.

I never really have understood why more people don't make their games more realistic and immersive with features like this. Maybe it's because of a lack of resources, maybe because they don't want to spend more money on what the players want... who can say but them.

Still, I'll probably be picking this up. Hopefully, it's not as big of a disappointment as SH4 was upon launch. If they have to delay it, then so be it. I won't be happy about it, and I know plenty of other people won't be either, but so long as the results are great in the end, that won't influx my opinion a bit afterwards.

Perhaps one day we'll see a game so immersive that you can do just about anything imaginable, like be a uboat captain but also dock and walk around on land, chat with guards, drive/ride in a car with some pals to the bar before getting completely s***faced. There have been people before who have tried it, but have not been able to deliver. Perhaps part of the problem is that people always want more. Unfortunately, that probably won't happen for a long, LONG time.

[coronas]

The museum can go, it took a lot of memory and did nothing more for the game that the recognition manual did.

I agree. A simple 3D viewer like CFS3 is enought.

[Stealth Hunter]

I agree. A simple 3D viewer like CFS3 is enought.

I second this. Perhaps include a mod utility where you can change specific values for models and such, or a damage model/graphics editor. Use your imagination lol. Hopefully, SH5 will be much more modder-friendly than previous ones.

[Captain America]

:up: An excellent suggestion....gets my vote.

[GreyOctober]

Nightclub, early design

http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/nevada/las-vegas/images/s/lax-nightclub.jpg

OKTOBERFEST!

[Grothesj2]

Anything to improve immersion is a good thing!

[LordNeuro"Serbia"]

I do not know if someone is playing Sea dogs or same of these games but I think it would be cool if u coul before the departure on the mission move aroun port, monitor and control the supply of food, repair, boarding crew.Maybe evan welcom as captain in Das Boot. Also when returning to port there can be similar proces of leaving the boot, crew, reception from Deniz, and after u can freelee go to hq or a nightclub. This and many more could be inserted in the game.

[Grothesj2]

As part of the immersion factor for a career it would be interesting as a toggle option to perhaps being taken out of frontline service and assigned to HQ to command a flotilla or something similiar.

[Schroeder]

Guys keep it to realisable levels please. Imagine how much work it is to create a landscape where you can walk around and that looks real. Let alone a fully animated nightclub. Sure these things would be cool but you know how games are developed nowadays don't you? Cut content due to deadlines! So I don't think that anything suggested here will make it into the game, at least not on release date. I think the team should first try to develop a SubSim that runs properly and focuses on the main aspects, being out at sea. If that is achieved they can take care of nightclubs etc.

Just my 2C

[ryoga_77]

What about a cutscene showing the Fuhrer awarding us the Knight's cross with Oak Leaves Swords & diamonds,provided we make it that far?


**Runs for Cover**

[FIREWALL]

I'm guessing about, 8 cd's in the jewel case to satisfy all but, Jaeson's ideas. :haha:

[Stealth Hunter]

Guys keep it to realisable levels please. Imagine how much work it is to create a landscape where you can walk around and that looks real. Let alone a fully animated nightclub. Sure these things would be cool but you know how games are developed nowadays don't you? Cut content due to deadlines! So I don't think that anything suggested here will make it into the game, at least not on release date. I think the team should first try to develop a SubSim that runs properly and focuses on the main aspects, being out at sea. If that is achieved they can take care of nightclubs etc.

Just my 2C

I agree to some extent, but the main problem with this comes from the last part. They can take care of nightclubs and such later on, that much is true; but they won't- not in a patch, not in an expansion pack They never have and they never will lol. It's always left up to the modders to fix what the devs didn't put in... or put in but seriously ****ed up. I wish Ubisoft gave it's fan community more attention, especially for a series with such grand and braggable nostalgia.

[Brag]

****ed up. I wish Ubisoft gave it's fan community more attention, especially for a series with such grand and braggable nostalgia


I like the braggable bit. :D

[Myxale]

I'm with Scones on this one!

I never miss to use the SH3C-Nightclub when i simm!
It would do so much with so little!:up:

The idea of Uncle Karl debriefing or handing out Trinkets is cool too...but i personally would freak if my virtual me has to stand before the Fuerer!
Uneasiness galore!

[JScones]

I should stress that my thinking was not of anything too elaberate, at least by the devs. SH3Cmdr, for example, provides a simple nightclub interface of less than 100 lines of code, but it allows modders to add extra images, sound and event text. A similar concept within SH5, perhaps with the ability to add user-created videos as well, would IMHO be more than sufficient for release.

The modders can then add the extra gloss that a lot have subsequently mentioned here. Although, I think, having a first-person perspective of the Kaleun walking from the nightclub to his barracks, with obligatory wall-pee on the way, is prolly not likely to be supported. ;)

[Nexus7]

Likewise, I think a little more fanfare when the player is awarded a medal/promotion would cost little


I miss that feature a lot. As it is now, it's really too "cold" and colorless. This would bring up the morale a little to start another mission.....

[LordNeuro"Serbia"]

I was not pressing for night club, but i would love wery mouch if u could walk in port and watch how u boat is geting redy for shiping out on mission. Seing crew gething supplies on bord , torpedos and so on. And if u could have a welcoming crew on deck befor u go. i think it would be wery nice. Just like in das boat. We had a movie addon for sh3 and i would love too see theat in sh5.

[Frederf]

Whatever the port experience is, I hope it is consistent with the 3D 1st person view established by the submarine commanding part of the game even if it's just 1-3 rooms in an office like the SH4 "captain's office."

[Hanomag]

Hey if you can order a pizza in game while playing World of Warcraft.. or was it EQ2..?

Maybe we could get beer deliveries from the JScones tavern! OMG the possibilities.. SH5 keggers.. smokers.. :up:

Seriously tho..I too enjoyed the AoD days of the night club but they should be talking about my 300k ton patrols not Herr Prien's..

I believe that the script was only a few repetitous lines. Just a little more please..

I also wouldnt mind even the cheesiest hollywood Nazi accent ....congratulations herr kaluen! :arrgh!:

[JU_88]

I thought I'd post this here lest it be lost among the 4,658,354 requests for wolfpacks (seriously guys, don't you think the devs have the hint on this by now?).

Possibly, but considering it was neglected in the last two games - better safe than sorry.
Remember how we got the dynamic campaign? :DL

[JScones]

Remember how we got the dynamic campaign? :DL
I can imagine that will seem like a Sunday afternoon picnic in comparison to what will happen here if the first SH5 features list doesn't include the word "Wolfpacks", LOL.

[Rockin Robbins]

I want to be able to work on my manly knitting (socks, I think) in my bunk during my off hours.:D

[JU_88]

I want to be able to work on my manly knitting (socks, I think) in my bunk during my off hours.:D

Nah, bollocks to the knitting, you need to get one of these to pass the time :DL
(Just make sure you bring plenty of loose change)

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll118/v11cu96/SH3daytona.jpg

[Jimbuna]

Nah, bollocks to the knitting, you need to get one of these to pass the time :DL
(Just make sure you bring plenty of loose change)



I wondered who'd nicked that out of The Lair canteen :rotfl:

[Sailor Steve]

Capt: Sound! Report nearest contact!

Sound: Ferrari 250 California moving up on my right rear!

Capt: ??

[Red Heat]

I full agree with you guys...it was outstanding to be possible to visit and interact with such enviroment as a night club, for exemple...style "das boot"...with French girls and beer! :D

[Hartmann]

Why not a tour in the u-boats pens like in a 3D shooter ? see how are loaded the torpedoes in the boat, the workers, the ambient..:hmmm: a room where you can see the blueprints of the boat and possible upgrades with your engineer ...
For example this is the medal of honor scuttling the u-529 mission

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgQzOohyXQc

[DeadlyWolf]

/signed

I really hope the developers will take this -not so secondary- aspect in great regard.
Maybe someone could recall it in the upcoming meeting:D

[thruster]

i believe this is such an integral part of the genre. its a personal command game, not just a sub hunt. i suggested in the wish post my thoughts, but i'll say this again;
medals should not be in a box!!! have your screen ceremonies, sure, but display them in the game. my suggestion is have the uniform shirt and jacket on a hanger in the captains cabin, see it from the bunk view [all ready for next in port]. when you are awarded a medal or rank change its reflected/illustrated on the uniform jacket; you can see what youve earned as you ride thru the 3rd our of depth charging.
also, from the bunk view there should be your cap on the table. caps are extremely personal in style, so select one from a menu and it appears as you rest in your bunk.

cheers.
p.s. i want a flag on my boat too.

[Hunter]

Most of us use Gramaphone songs for better immersoin. Would be nice if the 'Night Club' could be used for this too, where a nice girl would 'sing' those songs on the stage. Jatendraree...

[Payoff]

Most of us use Gramaphone songs for better immersoin. Would be nice if the 'Night Club' could be used for this too, where a nice girl would 'sing' those songs on the stage. Jatendraree...

Nice idea, and we need nurses, lots of nurses.:yep:




Payoff

[Platapus]

house of ill repute? :yeah:

...
house of ill repute - well... do the math. :haha:


Silent Hunter meets Leisure Suit Larry?
:har: