PALGN Review

[Front Runner]

The PALGN review hits the nail right on the head.

[quote]
It's heartbreaking to have to report that Silent Hunter 4, at the time of writing, is not entirely well. A number of bugs have plagued the initial release but, in all fairness, we experienced fewer than average. A v1.1 patch has been released which fixed some problems but caused others and v1.2 is on the way. Still, a game that demands as much of your time and concentration as SH4 really needs to be rock solid before getting an unreserved recommendation. The developers appear to be doing their damnedest to fix things up but before you put down the cash, it wouldn't be a bad idea to wait and see how the game stands after the v1.2 patch is out. It's a real shame to see a game as fundamentally excellent as Silent Hunter 4 marred by something as tedious and preventable as bugs, but there you go - welcome to the joys of PC gaming.

Assuming that the bugs are eventually crushed, Silent Hunter 4 will easily take its place as the best submarine simulation on the market. Not only that, but it's also one of the overall best games around and shouldn't be overlooked by those wary of the often over-complicated nature of sims. SH4 is accessible, loads of fun and will provide countless hours of tense, watery warfare. [Unquote] (emphasis added)

I agree with most of the sentiments expressed in the review.

The one I disagree with is that of waiting for the 1.2 patch. If you are not currently playing SH4 you are missing some great gameplay moments.
It's a game. It has bugs. Some of those bugs are annoying. Get over it!

Playing SH4 with the Real Fleet Boat Mod, the CBS Radio Mod (and the other radio mods available) and the Pearl Harbor Menu Mod results in a very fine subsim experience.

If you still have SH4 on the shelf, give her another chance. My first impression was disappointment, but I gave her another chance and I'm glad I did. Take the time to learn the new interface and the functionality that is not bugged. When 1.2 comes out you'll be glad you took the time to get up to speed on the sim and get down to starting your career as a WW II Submarine Commander who has been lucky enough to be assigned to ComSubPac.

"You've got to Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Postitive...."
click on the link below :|\\

http://home.comcast.net/~mcflabby/index_files/AccenttchuatethePositive.mp3

[R3D]

the bugs are far to bad in some area's to simply get over it, i vote with my wallet and will be returning the piece of junk unless 1.2 miraculously fix's everything.

consumer's who promote this bug ridden rubbish are why publisher's continue to get away with it on a daily basis.

[John Channing]

the bugs are far to bad in some area's to simply get over it, i vote with my wallet and will be returning the piece of junk unless 1.2 miraculously fix's everything.

consumer's who promote this bug ridden rubbish are why publisher's continue to get away with it on a daily basis.

Could you please elaborate on exactly which "bugs" you are experiencing that are far to bad to get over,

Many, including myself, have played this for many many hours without any show-stoppers. Perhaps we can help.

JCC

[R3D]

the one which has me running out of fuel randomly from 60% + during a patrol, randomly Dying to nothing, broken radar..

there's alot of other oddness thats far worse than simply get over it,, its a joke simple, ive recieved countless patrols that cant be "complete" because whatever triggers them to be a success wont activate like recon/engage fleet etc. (im aware of the kill certain tonnage req's.. that dont work either)

patch 1.2 is going to be a huge dissapointment i can feel it.

[fredbass]

patch 1.2 is going to be a huge dissapointment i can feel it.

Funny, I feel completely opposite. Pessimism is not good for your health, by the way. :yep:

[Front Runner]

the one which has me running out of fuel randomly from 60% + during a patrol, randomly Dying to nothing, broken radar..

there's alot of other oddness thats far worse than simply get over it,, its a joke simple, ive recieved countless patrols that cant be "complete" because whatever triggers them to be a success wont activate like recon/engage fleet etc. (im aware of the kill certain tonnage req's.. that dont work either)

patch 1.2 is going to be a huge dissapointment i can feel it.

Try doing a few of the missions instead of a career at this point. Get the hang of the interface. I'm not trying to gloss over the bugs you've described, I've experienced the same. I'm just trying to say that there is value in playing SH4 even in it's buggy condition.

Some of what you mention is due to incomplete documentation and we are left to try to figure out what triggers the "completion" of a mission.

Instead of focusing on the completion of a mission or a career, just, for now, get into it for the gameplay and the familiarization of the features that do work.

For instance, laying low after a torpedo attack and keeping a hydrophone watch on the DD that's still hanging around the torpedoed tanker, pinging away. As you increase distance, in the hydrophones, you can hear the tanker sinking and in the background the forlorn distant pinging of the DD in it's futile attempt to locate you. Gameplay moments like that are difficult to put into words until you've experienced them yourself.

[John Channing]

the one which has me running out of fuel randomly from 60% + during a patrol, randomly Dying to nothing, broken radar..

there's alot of other oddness thats far worse than simply get over it,, its a joke simple, ive recieved countless patrols that cant be "complete" because whatever triggers them to be a success wont activate like recon/engage fleet etc. (im aware of the kill certain tonnage req's.. that dont work either)

patch 1.2 is going to be a huge dissapointment i can feel it.

Well, most of what you mention can be either dealt with, is evidence that you are playing incorrectly, or haven't bothered to persue an answer.

But seeing as you have your mind made up, let's leave it at that, then.

Now back to my 4th uninterupted partrol.

JCC

[TDK1044]

For me, the game at release was 7 out of 10. Patched to 1.1 and modded...8 out of 10. Patched to 1.2 with additional mods, it'll be 9 out of 10. What's not to like?

[AVGWarhawk]

the one which has me running out of fuel randomly from 60% + during a patrol, randomly Dying to nothing, broken radar..

there's alot of other oddness thats far worse than simply get over it,, its a joke simple, ive recieved countless patrols that cant be "complete" because whatever triggers them to be a success wont activate like recon/engage fleet etc. (im aware of the kill certain tonnage req's.. that dont work either)

patch 1.2 is going to be a huge dissapointment i can feel it.

Let see...I never ran out of fuel:hmm: . I run my submarine like...well...a submarine. Ahead 1/3 or slow. Pretty much get just about anywhere and home. Hmmmm....full ahead all the time does seem to burn it up. The race is not won by the swift concerning submarines. Dying crew? At this juncture I have not had one crewman die. My men are all in the pink...40 hours play time in a porpoise class:hmm: . Healthy crew on my sub. Radar...needs some help. All in all it detects planes/ships. Campaigns, nope, no problem here. I do what is ordered and told to come home when my fish are exhausted. Me and my healthy crew have a grand time during refit:smug: .

Now I have 40 hours of play. 3 CTD:

"A" key I hit by mistake
Stadimeter just once after refit. Went back to autosave in port, no issues since.
Heavy weather and convoy CTD. Probably overload on CPU. I found my kids downloaded assorted Sponge Bob games all day. Clean them out and defragged. No issues since. My kids need a patch:roll:

So based on experience and no metion of TDC in your post, TDC needs work, I have the following 1.2 patch:

Fix the A key
Fix the radar
Fix the TDC
Fix my kids:roll:

I do not see much of a diappointment forthcoming in the 1.2 patch. My apologies if this sounds sarcastic but the game is not unplayable in it's current state...at least not my computer.

[Iron Budokan]

I'm very eager to return to the game. I'm just waiting for the next patch.

For the record, however, my nine year old LOVES the game! :yep:

[Front Runner]

I'm very eager to return to the game. I'm just waiting for the next patch.

For the record, however, my nine year old LOVES the game! :yep:

Does your nine year old post on SubSim yet?
You should get him up to speed on the radio room forum. I for one would like to hear some of his opinions.

Out of the mouths of babes ..... wisdom?

[Quillan]

I haven't yet run out of fuel. I got the message "We're out of diesel, sir!" at 4% fuel remaining in the tanks, but I was about 30 miles from Midway at the time and I made it in to refit. I had a series of CTD issues that I think was a botched mod install; removing the mod didn't help, but uninstalling the game/reinstalling and repatching solved it and I have had no problems since. I haven't randomly died.

Now, I do have the TDC issues that I'm working around and those are frustrating, but I still think it's a good game. I am definitely anticipating the 1.2 patch.

[AVGWarhawk]

I haven't yet run out of fuel. I got the message "We're out of diesel, sir!" at 4% fuel remaining in the tanks, but I was about 30 miles from Midway at the time and I made it in to refit. I had a series of CTD issues that I think was a botched mod install; removing the mod didn't help, but uninstalling the game/reinstalling and repatching solved it and I have had no problems since. I haven't randomly died.

Now, I do have the TDC issues that I'm working around and those are frustrating, but I still think it's a good game. I am definitely anticipating the 1.2 patch.
If you think about it Quillan, there is less than a handful of bugs. My opinion on the matter at this point is the developers will iron these out to save some respect for their work.:yep:

[mookiemookie]

consumer's who promote this bug ridden rubbish are why publisher's continue to get away with it on a daily basis.

Yeah! I'm with you! Let's show these developers! We'll just go buy the OTHER WW2 sub sim.....

Er....what's that?

Oh...

:roll: