Which one should I get...

[Badfuzzy]

SH3 or SH4

What are the pros and cons of each? From perusing the forums I get the sense that SH4 is buggy/unstable but has better gameplay and graphics than SH3. SH3 on the other hand is a 'finished' product with lots of community made mods. There is a certain appeal in playing as the americans, but if it comes at a significant loss of playability I think I'll pass...

The last an only subsim that I've played is the original silent hunter yaers ago, and I recall posting here about some technical issue I had.(I forgot my original login)

Sorry if this is the wrong forum to post in, but I hope that I'll get slightly more objective comments by posting in the General forum rather than in one of the Silent Hunter forums.

Thanks for the advice

[Skybird]

SH3: (own experience)
+:
stable
well-modded
no unpleasant surprises anymore
still very good graphics and sound
nice gamepley
low price
fantastic atmosphere
runs perfect on nowadays hardware

-:
Starforce infested (workaround possible, though, but not allowed to be discussed in this forum)


SH4: (as far as I followed it)
+:
slightly better graphics
different theatre (question of taste)

-:
buggy and unstable
atmosphere not improved, some say: inferior
full price
not as well-modded as SH3
high hardware demands
still Starforce? I do not remember


My conclusion was that SH4 compared to SH3 GWX is not worth it for me to spend additional money on it.

[kiwi_2005]

Get Both. That way you can judge for yourself. You could probably pick up SH3 for $10 and SH4 for $50. Anyways they are both great games and worth having on your hdd.

SH4 1.4 patch is out with improvements and bug fixes. And for SH3 the latest GWX is out soon. Christmas is here! :)

[ReallyDedPoet]

SH3: (own experience)
+:
stable
well-modded
no unpleasant surprises anymore
still very good graphics and sound
nice gamepley
low price
fantastic atmosphere
runs perfect on nowadays hardware

-:
Starforce infested (workaround possible, though, but not allowed to be discussed in this forum)


SH4: (as far as I followed it)
+:
slightly better graphics
different theatre (question of taste)

-:
buggy and unstable
atmosphere not improved, some say: inferior
full price
not as well-modded as SH3
high hardware demands
still Starforce? I do not remember


My conclusion was that SH4 compared to SH3 GWX is not worth it for me to spend additional money on it.

Well said with regards too SH3, it is a great one, but I differ on 4.

SH4: (as far as I followed it)
+:
slightly better graphics
graphics, with patch and anticipated Reflections on Water modifications are much better than SH3
different theatre (question of taste)
Once used to it, the Pacific Theatre is also an enjoy able place to hunt :yep:
-:
buggy and unstable
It has been quite stable since 1.3, most probs. are from folks loading non-compatible mods, etc, or have been hardware related.
atmosphere not improved, some say: inferior
This is improving with continued mod development, much in the same way as SH3
full price
With patch 1.4 it is worth it :yep:
not as well-modded as SH3
Have a look at the mods section, there are many great mods already, this area will only get better
high hardware demands
Its a new game, so demands will be higher, an unfortunate reality of PCs
still Starforce? I do not remember
No starforce

For SH4 check out this thread:http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=124823
My advice, if your system can handle both, get em' both, they are well worth
it :up:


RDP

[Skybird]

Before buying both, buy just one, the cheaper one, and see if it fits your taste. In the end, you cannot run two sims at the same time, and cannot steer two subs simultaneously. And it takes much time and committment to play any of these two, but play it thoroughly.

[Chock]

If you've never played either, the sensible choice is SH3, not because it is any better or worse (they essentially involve the same thing), but simply because it is cheaper, and why spend 30 quid to find out if you like something when you can spend 10 quid to do the same?

I have them both, like them both and play them both, but SH3 will run on a lesser machine and has more free mods available for it, whereas SH4 is prettier, has quite a few mods, and has a mission disk coming out for it next year, but requires a better computer with better graphics capabilities to enjoy it with all the detail turned up.

If computing power, money and personal theatre of operations preference are not issues, then get both!

:D Chock

[SUBMAN1]

I have both. SHIV is the better one to have. I hear SH3 is being ported to it too, so you will have both in SHIV soon.

Last I checked, pretty much everything works bug free in SHIV.


One thing about SHIV - the AI is also much better in relation to enemy units. I'm not sure if I was ever really sunk by DC's in SHIII, but they will get you in SHIV.

-S

PS. Skybird is German, so he may be a little biased towards Uboats. :p

[AVGWarhawk]

I have both. SHIV is the better one to have. I hear SH3 is being ported to it too, so you will have both in SHIV soon

Sound advise here!

Last I checked, pretty much everything works bug free in SHIV.

Very playable with or without mod.


The first on is you definite answer. SH3 is basically melding into the SH4 engine. Add on in the works for next year.

[STEED]

The SH4 add on coming next year is another grab at your money sure great graphics but how many bugs will there be? How many patches to patch it? I am against the add on as I view SH4 as a Allied sub game and it should remain that way, as for SH4 yes it's better graphics but realism is poor. SH3 with the super mod GWX 1.03 is a hell of a lot more realism to it, and we are days away from the upcoming GWX 2.0 which is going to take SH3 to the next level.

My advice buy SH3 and if you can SH4 as cheap as possible.

[Hakahura]

My opinion, for what it's worth and I will try and be objective.

It comes down to your PC's specs. Can it run SHIV?
Remember whats on the box is the minimum, to run well you ideally want better.

Also what kind of subsim player are you?
Do you play fully realistic? If so you won't be able to see much of SHIV's better graphics, if you spend your time peering through the scope and looking at the map. If you play at lower levels and like to use features like the external camera then the better graphics will be a huge draw.

To be honest the the original post gave me a little laugh, most people seems to have a pretty strong bias one way or another whatever forum you post in.

SH3 for me. (Though I do own and still occasionally play SHIV)

[waste gate]

I've had nothing but stability problems with SH4. SH3 is stable and fun.

[Reaves]

Silent Hunter 2 :doh:


Nah get number 4 unless you love the Atlantic and U-boats.
-

[bookworm_020]

Apples and oranges!

IF your computer is powerful enough to run both, then it comes down to which theatre you would prefer to be in.

SH3 Has far more mods than SH4, and now with the GWX 2.0 Supermod about to be released, takes the stock version of the game on to another level.

SH4 has better gaphics from day one (and some of the mods that have already bean done have improved on that). There is also add on in the near future that has already been mentioned.

Both are stable with the currant patches, have new mods being writen as we speak and both have a loyal following. It's your choice in which way you want to go.

You could just by both.......:hmm:

[Peto]

I play them both. when I feel like having technology on my side :yep:--I go to the Pacific. When I feel suicidal, I start a career in SH3 and try to survive the war :shifty:.

Both are Great Sub Sims :up:

[CCIP]

As far as vanilla, SH4 is in much better state than SHIII ever was. Theaters are different, I would say on pure comparison SHIV 1.4 > SHIII 1.4. Mind the different theaters however, depends what you're interested in more, too. Both are in good shape now.

Mod-wise, SH3 is ahead and with GWX 2.0 coming up shortly, it'll really be about as good as the game will get. SH4 however is catching up very well and has also been significantly improved.

I slightly prefer SH4, but both are excellent at the moment.

[Badfuzzy]

After reading all your comments I'm leaning towards SH4, is the Uboat add-on going to contain the entire atlantic campaign like AH3?

[CCIP]

After reading all your comments I'm leaning towards SH4, is the Uboat add-on going to contain the entire atlantic campaign like AH3?

No, but I can see mods quickly adding that as well :p

[d@rk51d3]

After reading all your comments I'm leaning towards SH4

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!:huh: :huh:

Just kidding. If your rig will run it, and you're interested in the pacific theatre, then go for it.



...... is the Uboat add-on going to contain the entire atlantic campaign like AH3?

Only the Pacific theatre, with a distinct lack of historical accuracy to boot, if I recall correctly.

[CCIP]

...... is the Uboat add-on going to contain the entire atlantic campaign like AH3?
Only the Pacific theatre, with a distinct lack of historical accuracy to boot, if I recall correctly.
I was under the impression the focus was more on the Indian ocean (AND some Pacific, which isn't unreasonable). The strategic options are not historically accurate, as is the Type XVIII, but the rest I don't believe would be completely unreasonable.

And as usual, I keep saying - let the mods take care of the hardcore realism aspects.

Otherwise both games are a good choice. I suggest you get either one - and if you enjoy it, you will probably want to get the other as well. Both are equally worth attention IMO, just depends on what your preferences and priorities are. If it's Pacific, better graphics and bigger boats, SH4. If it's Atlantic, more variety thanks to mods and fierce convoy battles, SH3.

Great time right now to get either one, also, with patch 1.4 out the door for SH4 (and mods catching up shortly), and GWX 2.0 due in just two weeks for SH3. :)

[STEED]

SH3 with GWX 2.0 is a must have. :yep: :D :yep: :D :yep: :D :yep:

[Konovalov]

Get both. :yep:

SHIII with Grey Wolves mod, soon to be GWII version is fantastic but it isn't the Pacific obviously. Alternate between the two every couple of months is my suggestion. :up:

[Badfuzzy]

Well, it may please some of you to know that I ended up getting SH3 instead of 4. I've installed GWX 1.03 and am having a blast. I'm now on my third patrol and encountered the HMS hood! See the results below:

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/9245/hmshoodwy1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Admittly I did not use manual targetting, but otherwise full realism. Sadly, its 8 destroyer escorts saw me and sent me to the bottom of the channel Das Boot style. I've gotten the flooding under control but the destroyers are still after me....

http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/1496/damagesi4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)