Do I buy SH4 or not?

[OBarbas]

I started with SH 1 playing it at my desk in the office without sound in the early '90s. SH 4 returns to the Pacific ... I want it! but ... the forums have spooked me. Is it bugged to death? I mean, it is enjoyable to play or a nightmare? Should I buy it ... or should I try SH3? :o

[tater]

Patched to 1.2 it's pretty enjoyable, particularly modded. 1.3 promises to fix the worst remaining bugs.

I'd buy it.

BTW, if you do, install it, and patch to 1.2 BEFORE playing the game. Don't it after any installation. Install. Patch. THEN play. That seems to help reduce some crashes that were apparently related to installation/patching. Many have no crashes, a few of us have the rare CTD. I think that constant crash issues are probably hardware related in some way.

[Packerfan]

Patched to 1.2 it's pretty enjoyable, particularly modded. 1.3 promises to fix the worst remaining bugs.

I'd buy it.


What tater said. Even with the remaining bugs I'm still having a blast. :up:

Welcome to the forums! :D

[orangenee]

It's still enjoyable with 1.2, but some things don't work properly yet, but when 1.3 eventually arrives (may be a while) it should be even better.

[Sailor Steve]

Read the latest review, then decide.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=116441

[Boris]

It depends how picky or tolerant you are. If you can look past certain bugs it can be fun. But there are too many little things which still ruin it for me.

[OBarbas]

Thanks for the input guys! My boat will be submerged soon! :sunny:

cheers
OB

[THE_MASK]

I too was sceptical about buying SH4 . I thought it would be buggy as hell with bloody eyes popping out everywhere and wouldnt look any good on my old computer . Well i tell you after patch 1.2 on my comp it is awesome:p . I will never play SH3 again :nope: .

[AVGWarhawk]

I too was sceptical about buying SH4 . I thought it would be buggy as hell with bloody eyes popping out everywhere and wouldnt look any good on my old computer . Well i tell you after patch 1.2 on my comp it is awesome:p . I will never play SH3 again :nope: .

Same here. All games removed except SH4....I feel it is that good to warrant by full individed attention:up:

[DirtyHarry3033]

I've enjoyed the absolute crap out of it, bugs and all. Also been frustrated all to crap from the bugs. But with 1.2 and the mods, I have NO regrets buying it. If/when 1.3 arrives I'm sure it will be even better.

If you lust after the life of a submariner, go for it and be patient with the probs. SH4 is a "diamond in the rough", hopefully soon it will be polished to a fine gleam ;)

DH

[flyingdane]

a yes you do!.

[Capt. Shark Bait]

get it. that's an order, son:D

[Rose]

Buy it m8.

[SirMoric]

Few annoying "features" left in the game.

But once you find out how to work around these, the game is good. Especially since they promised to fix the "features"

rgds

[ghost_666_rider]

Well, even though I vowed to wait for the 1.3 at least, I went and picked it up yesterday. I built this new rig just to be able to handle this game, and VISUALLY I'm not disappointed. (red fin hi res looks spectacular on my 30") There is lots to be fixed in this sim, and I sure don't think just one more patch will do it all unless its a doozy. My hat is tipped to all the modders around here for at least making this playable and even enjoyable within its limitations!

Bottom line, go pick it up. It's only going to get better! :up:

[MaxT.dk]

red fin hi res looks spectacular on my 30"

Care to post some screenshots? :) You can upload pictures @ http://www.imageshack.us/

[V.C. Sniper]

Silent Hunter 4 isn't a choice!!! ITS YOUR DESTINY!

[dean_acheson]

Buy it.

It's great.

[OBarbas]

Queen's Birthday today in Australia and all the shops are closed. :damn:

I will install the game and run the 1.2 patch before playing as instructed. But I also see mention of mods that improve play. Which mods would you suggest? (haven't search Subsim site for links to mods but I'm sure I'll find them).

Cheers
OB

[NefariousKoel]

Queen's Birthday today in Australia and all the shops are closed. :damn:

I will install the game and run the 1.2 patch before playing as instructed. But I also see mention of mods that improve play. Which mods would you suggest? (haven't search Subsim site for links to mods but I'm sure I'll find them).

Cheers
OB
For an All-In-One mod, I can recommend the Trigger Maru mod as it doesn't drastically change a whole lot. It does have much less enemy targets than stock, though, so you will be hunting more than vanilla. That being said, it fixes numerous issues with v1.2.

I modified it a bit to my tastes, but try out vanilla first then read the ReadMe for the mod to see what it's changed and see if you would prefer it.

[Indiana_Jones]

I might grab SH4 when the price drops. ($100NZD atm, which is the going price of new games here), got SH3 for $25 :D

-Indy

[Steeltrap]

OBarbas, where are you in Aus?

I'm in Sydney - you can have my copy....I'll sell it to you at reduced $$ vs. retail.

[ghost_666_rider]

Care to post some screenshots?


:oops: Pardon my ignorance, hardware is my thing. Uploaded a quickie but don't know how to incorporate it into here. Resolution still low, framerate suffers if I go any higher. (at least till second card gets off backorder) Filters off with 6X AA. (sharper image IMHO)

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/5020/fullboat1800x11256xaaly9.jpg

[bruschi sauro]

I started with SH 1 playing it at my desk in the office without sound in the early '90s. SH 4 returns to the Pacific ... I want it! but ... the forums have spooked me. Is it bugged to death? I mean, it is enjoyable to play or a nightmare? Should I buy it ... or should I try SH3? :o
Try SH3 with GWX 1.03:up:
SH4 is a ocean of bugs forget it.....

[d@rk51d3]

If I could start all over again, I would probably hold off from SHIV. It feels too arcadey for me (looks great, but has poor AI, and way too many capital ships) and although there are mods to correct this, I'm having MUCH more "fun" playing SHIII with GWX.

Not saying that it won't be worth the purchase in the (near) future, I'm sure it will, but unless you're a die hard pacific fan, you may be left feeling a little flat for the moment.

Then again, there are other guys here that absolutely LOVE the game and will try to convince you otherwise. Horses for courses.

I guess you'll just have to buy it anyway and see.......:rotfl:

[OakGroove]

If you already own SH3, and enjoy it for it's realism (~mods), not just graphics -
i`d wait and see to what extend 1.3 and modding ventures are able to improve SH4. By then, price should have dropped by a good amount.

[USS_shipmaster]

Untill patch 1.2 was released it was unplayable...:cry:
After 1.3 patch will be released buying it is a must! :D
Even with 1.2 patch it is in OK/good status.:cool:
If you are good in elementary math you will enjoy manual targeting as I do.
When patch 1.3 will add some features like “assisted method” to determine the target’s speed when playing with the manual targeting option set to “ON”, to simulate the firing party putting together subsequent range checks from the captain and solve some bugs like ship dimensions in the game config files,small conversion error with the stadimeter when using “imperial system” , the submarine radars (SD, SJ) bugs, campaign retirement bug and AI behaviour improvement the SH4 will worth all bucks u spend on it.
* AI impromement was made by beautiful mods of sirs Beery and Decimious:know: .
They made brilliant patches, even too brilliant :-)
Bottomline: After 1.3 will released and with Beery/Decimous & Co works Wolves of the Pacific is the simulator you must to have on your PC.:rock:

[John Channing]

Untill patch 1.2 was released it was unplayable...:cry:
After 1.3 patch will be released buying it is a must! :D
Even with 1.2 patch it is in OK/good status.:cool:
If you are good in elementary math you will enjoy manual targeting as I do.
When patch 1.3 will add some features like “assisted method” to determine the target’s speed when playing with the manual targeting option set to “ON”, to simulate the firing party putting together subsequent range checks from the captain and solve some bugs like ship dimensions in the game config files,small conversion error with the stadimeter when using “imperial system” , the submarine radars (SD, SJ) bugs, campaign retirement bug and AI behaviour improvement the SH4 will worth all bucks u spend on it.
* AI impromement was made by beautiful mods of sirs Beery and Decimious:know: .
They made brilliant patches, even too brilliant :-)
Bottomline: After 1.3 will released and with Beery/Decimous & Co works Wolves of the Pacific is the simulator you must to have on your PC.:rock:

Funny.

I played 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2. I might even have played a couple of versions that most of you have never even seen and enjoyed each one of them.

1.2 is the best, no questions, but to say 1.0 was unplayable is just plain foolish.

Currently the USS Snapper, having completed the looooooongest Lifeguard Mission in the history of the USN (9 pilots rescued), is on it's way to the Bismark Sea where we intend to raise hell for as long as our fuel and torpedos hold out. Then back to Brisbane to enjoy my well earned renown.

JCC

[USS_shipmaster]

Dear Channing,thank you for "foolish" and your agressiveness you meet my opinion.
1.0 version had several condition with CTD and therefore I call it unplayable
And I dare to say that I have a lot of experience in playing SH3 and SH4 with mods that wasnt even published here i mean at subsim...
I show my attitude only to people a) with no manners or minimal knowledge of ethics)or 2) who doesnt respect people I respect.
Bon voyage! IMHO I do not need your opinion at all.

[John Channing]

Easy there my friend.

The reason I characterized your statement as foolish is that there were hundred and hundreds of people playing 1.1 here at Subsim.com. I never said there weren't any problems, but people were playing it... and a lot of us were enjoying it.

If you take the trouble to look at the Bug list that lead to patch 1.1 you will find that a lot of the complaints were about graphic issues, not gameplay ones. The vast majority of the remaining ones were about gameplay issues that did not make the game unplayable... SD Radar picking up surface contacts, Chronometer "doesn't work", etc. In fact the only one that made the game difficult was the "A" key CTD.

So the game was playable. Was it what you expected? Maybe not. Was it what you wanted? Obviously not. Was it playable. Absolutely.

And if you are interested in a piece of friendly advise... it's never a good idea to attack any Moderator of any forum in public.

Especially this Moderator.


JCC

[USS_shipmaster]

2 mr Channing, There is some stuff like discussion ethics. You can call other people opinion strange or something like that but call 'foolish'. Its very foolish from Moderator or not?
I have a sin I was "politically incorrect" to some people here, when they attacked Devs Team instead of UBI as a company. But "Quod licet Jovi non licet bovi".
As a Moderator ... you have to watch not only other people language but your own too.
Old story - who will policize the police?
----------
V. Krokone

[kotBEGEMOT]

As a Moderator ... you have to watch not only other people language but your own too.
Old story who will policize the police?
----------
V. Krokone

Agree!:up:

[John Channing]

His name is Neal Stevens, and he owns this site.

And from the rules for posting on his site...


" Members should not publicly attack a Moderator or intentionally undermine a Moderator's actions by baiting or harrassing him.

It is okay for a member to publicly ask a Moderator why an admonishment was issued or why a post was censored. Do not seek to argue endlessly over it. If a member wishes to challenge a Moderator action that involves the member, this challenge must be raised in private via PM or email, not in public.


So perhaps it is time to move along.

JCC

[SteamWake]

Wow this thread went to hell in a handbasket.

Uhh about the 'lifeguard' mission, Ive only recieved one once. After hours of desperatly searching for my fallen comrades I finally gave up.

[John Channing]

Well, it was certainly one of the more frustrating experiences I have had with the game, but I hung in there, learned a trick or two, and finally completed my objectives.

JCC

[OBarbas]

Steeltrap, saw your post too late. Bought the game a few days ago and am tonight installing, upgrading, modding. Thanks for the offer though! (I'm in Miranda)

TONIGHT THE BOAT "SHINING LIGHT THAT IS OBARBAS" SHALL SLIP INTO THE OCEAN....:stare:

USS, Channing, GENTLEMEN! Peace brothers. I think what has happened is a little too much wine consumed the night before setting out (like the opening scenes of Das Boot!) HAHA. Or like Dr Strangelove when George C Scott and Peter Bull wrestle until Peter Sellers as the US President intervenes, declaring Gentlemen! Gentlemen! You can't fight in here. This is the WAR ROOM!

:o

[HKLE]

I'd go for it ! I had no CTDs so far.

By the way - even if you obviously want to head for the Pacific, I'd give SH3 a chance - it is really challenging - especially with the GWX supermod ! You really missed something !

[Uber Gruber]

John, you were wrong to use the foolish word, and you certainly shouldn't hide behind the "not good to harass moderators" stance. He was simply pointing out that he took offence to your use of foolish, quite correctly so.

The meaning of a word in one language may appear minor but, once translated, can mean something completely offensive in another language. As a moderator, in an international forum, you should be aware of this.

Now, lets get back to the topic in hand.

[OBarbas]

One of the big problems I had with SH I and SH II (I dropped off the planet and missed SH III) was:

I had no problem with plotting torpedoes. What I couldn't solve was plotting interception courses with enemy convoys. I could take sightings (or radar readings) of the enemy and plot his course, but could never calculate my interception course to put me in the best place at the best time to attack. It was a 'hit or miss' situation, particularly when confronting fast-moving Japanese capital ships.

Also a feature I missed from SH I (which I admit is a cheat) was the estimate provided of the distance at which your boat remained undetected. How are you experienced captains handling this issue, may I ask?

THANK YOU FOR ALL ASSISTANCE GENTLEMEN!

[banjo]

Absolutely buy it. I have been playing it with great success since it came out, and on a marginal rig. Just keep opitions low (game looks great anyway) and you'll have fun. There are still bugs, but playing w/auto targeting on there is nnothing that is a game breaker.

P4 2.8, 2 gig ram, radeon 9800 pro.

[Snuffy]

Buy it or not ... it doesn't matter to me.
If you're going to use your purchase as fuel for a flame, it's not needed.

I'm enjoying my copy of SHIV and your queasyness not to buy does not affect me in any way. All I can say is, if you give the sim an honest evaluation, it's not a bad purchase.

[OBarbas]

Snuffy it wasn't I who did any flaming. So put a sock in it. And if what I write doesn't mean anything to you, then go post your off-topic remarks somewhere else.

:o

If you'd have bothered to read the thread, you'd know I've bought the game already. :rotfl:

I repeat 2 questions I had - anyone who can provide assistance, it would be greatly appreciated:

One of the big problems I had with SH I and SH II (I dropped off the planet and missed SH III) was:

I had no problem with plotting torpedoes. What I couldn't solve was plotting interception courses with enemy convoys. I could take sightings (or radar readings) of the enemy and plot his course, but could never calculate my interception course to put me in the best place at the best time to attack. It was a 'hit or miss' situation, particularly when confronting fast-moving Japanese capital ships.

Also a feature I missed from SH I (which I admit is a cheat) was the estimate provided of the distance at which your boat remained undetected. How are you experienced captains handling this issue, may I ask?

THANK YOU FOR ALL ASSISTANCE GENTLEMEN!

[Snuffy]

Apologies.

I was having a bad day at work and decided I needed a break ... came to the forums saw the topic ... well there you have it.

Glad you bought the game in retrospect and are enjoying it.

As far as putting a sock in it ... I'm fixin to do laundry here shortly, as soon as I get a clean one out of the dryer I will. :doh:

Hope someone can help you with your problems. I tend to use the straight on approach and AOB/AOS attack style. (When I can catch a capital ship that is.)

[John Channing]

One of the big problems I had with SH I and SH II (I dropped off the planet and missed SH III) was:

I had no problem with plotting torpedoes. What I couldn't solve was plotting interception courses with enemy convoys. I could take sightings (or radar readings) of the enemy and plot his course, but could never calculate my interception course to put me in the best place at the best time to attack. It was a 'hit or miss' situation, particularly when confronting fast-moving Japanese capital ships.

Also a feature I missed from SH I (which I admit is a cheat) was the estimate provided of the distance at which your boat remained undetected. How are you experienced captains handling this issue, may I ask?

THANK YOU FOR ALL ASSISTANCE GENTLEMEN!

As to your first problem this is very much the way it was in real life . Plotting intercept courses against fast moving Capital Ships was successful in a very small percentage of cases.

Are you playing with Map Updates on or off?

If you are playing with thm on, click on one of the Op-For Icons. You wil see three circles. The largest one is the max visual range you will get spotted at. The second one is the max range they will pick you up on passive sonar. The last and smallest is the range at which you will be detected by active sonar.

If you are playing with Map Contacts off... you will have to guess.


JCC

[OBarbas]

MY MAIN MAN! Thank you Mr Channing!

I'm loving the game. Just like watching baseball. Sit back and relax and then sudden action.

Can't figure out yet the manual TDC. I input the mast height to the TDC ... I see the markings from waterline to top of mast ... each marking they say is .2 degrees ... so then what? I can't figure out what I'm supposed to do with the range dial. And the bleeding manual has the formula for range finding printed so small I can't make it out!

HELP!

Thanks
OB