So is this the new "SH3" ??

[fastfed]

I've played a demo of this a while back and thought it had a lot of potential, wondering what you guys are thinking since this has been out a while now.

Thanks

[catenaccio]

For what I've read (I havent played it yet) is not the same as sh3, it has a lot of rpg elements, and it is more arcade than sh3. However, there is a lot of potential for mods and it is improving a lot with every new patch.

[Azazael1]

I have played SH3 since it was released and still playing it with dozens of mods inc GWX etc.
But on an ultra wide monitor its starting to show its age. So I brought UBOAT.
I must say for a pre release game its really good and I am anticipating it to surpass SH3 on its full release.

Things I like:
Quality Graphics
Programmed in Unity (modablity)
Wolf packs and the ability to direct to a limited extent other uboats.
Mod work shop (this alone will allow it to surpass SH3/4/5)
Mods already available (before the games released!!) additional music, port updates, traffic and actual ship names, actual crew member names, etc,etc.

Thing that needs adjusting/some thought:
Is a bit easy to sink stuff due to the initial easy mode set up where torpedoes don’t miss much however:
A brilliant TDC computer is already available (thanks Ruby2000) that transforms the game.
Crew management can be a bit of a pain to keep track of but this has different levels, from crew just do what needs to be done, too I will micromanage them all the time.
Freighters need arming, escorts need to be more intelligent.
I cant believe how good this pre release game is and I am sure it will surpass the silent hunter series in the very near future.

[Aktungbby]

Azazael1!:Kaleun_Salute:

[Onkel Neal]

Hi Azazael1, welcome to Subsim and thanks for the first post.

How far have you gotten in the tutorial?

cheers
Neal

[Azazael1]

Errm there’s a tutorial ?
No I just jumped straight in after watching the 5 videos by “Lite_ly Salted” that helped a lot.

Especially with advanced crew management bits like what’s the food do & why do I need to equip a helmet whilst on deck. Remember the mess of SH3 crew fatigue ? UBOAT seem to be trying to make that much more realistic.

Mostly if you have played any of the Silent Hunter games then every thing is fairly logical. Using the TDC mod really teaches you to identify the ship before firing, because distance is a function of the targets mast height (wrong mast hight = wrong distance to target). The split prism on the periscope allows you to asses target speed, distance and angle on the bow, much better than allowing the captain just telling you the answer in easy mode.

As I said as its in pre release I think the developers have made it relatively easy to play, with the ultimate intension of moving towards a more full on sim.

Many of the MODS in the steam workshop are turning it into all the things we liked about a fully modded SH3 game. I believe it’s a race between the Devs making it into a super SH3 game and the Mod community doing it for them.
So far mods started in Nov 2019 and there are so far 129 of them and the games in pre-release!

I would like to see a more challenging escorts but I have only just started the game (keep restarting to add mods) so maybe its “Happy time” and the Brits are asleep and the Yanks are not even in the war yet.
I am really pleased I purchased it

[Copper_Rooster]

One thing I would like to add, is that the updates are a bit infrequent at the moment. The last one released was the B127 Hotfix 4, which was released on June 18. I am pretty sure the crew making it is not very large, which makes sense of why they aren't putting out much in terms of game changing content.

[Aktungbby]

Copper_Rooster!:Kaleun_Salute:

[JU_88]

The Devs have a road map, i belive right now they are working on overhauling the games map/ grid system and plotting tools amongst other things.
I wouldnt say its more 'arcade' than SH3, its just different, Uboat focuses on crew managment, Sh3 focuses on Combat. Both have varying degrees of arcadeyness and simulation. e.g SH3 give you full TDC out the box, Uboat needs a mod. Uboat gives you manual control over things like food supplies, compass and air compressors, where SH3 does not.

so there is no really simple or crude way to compare them with such different styles of gameplay.

[darkdrone]

nope,this is more micromanagement, etc not a bad thing at all. However combat isn't on the same level as SH3, but dicking around with stuff is so much fun


Until you run into something,I was too busy cooking

[GalaxianFive]

Now that b128 is working this game is going from strength to strength. Sure there are a few bugs, but nothing to make the game unplayable. This is what SH5 should have been and as such I think it will be a worthy sucessor when it's finished. Very few games are this good in early development, I've just spent 3 days playing with time off for eats and sleep only, The wife moaning that she never see's me! If there's a SH6 this is it. Now if only I can find where the screenshots are stored!

[UthervL]

Should be here \Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\165688561\760\remote\494840\s creenshots

the 165688561 number may be different for you but the rest should be the same.

[Aktungbby]

UthervL!:Kaleun_Salute:

[GalaxianFive]

NO WONDER i COULDN'T FIND EM!!!! thanks pal

[UthervL]

No problem,took me awhile too!

[Schizo]

I played UBOAT a couple of years ago. It definitely has potential. When I bought the game it still needed a lot of work but it was fun none the less. I'm waiting for the full release before buying again since I have a new account that I'm using. Who knows when that will be though. :D

[Camaero]

Well I bought it a couple years ago and decided to give it some time before seriously playing. I can say I've been having a lot of fun getting into it now. There are some annoyances still, but the game is beautiful and fun to play right now. :up:


I think it's definitely going to be the new SHIII.

[Bloblast]

Yes, this is absolutely the new Silent Hunter III. Fantastic graphics, walk around the boat. The crew management is very well designed. Hit TAB and you can click on one of the officers or directly important commands as turn on water pump. The TDC mod is a must have. Sneaking through the defence if a large convoy, hit and run like in the old SH3 days.

[33lima]

Is this the new SH3? It's a matter of taste and there's no point disputing such matters, as the saying goes.

But in my experience, the answer is 'Definitely not' (at least in its admittedly (long-standing) Early Access form). SH3 got justifiably rave reviews from first release and while the mods don't add every conceivable feature, they've made it much better. I can't see UBOAT deserving anything comparable.

Granted it is a different take on the subject. But it's just not for me. In particular, its star feature - the ability to manage crews - is not only still afflicted by a bug which disables it if one of the two available methods of setting priorities is used, it's just a tedious chore to get a satisfactory watch pattern set up. Your boat should have all this squared away long before it passes out from training!

I haven't seen much to change any of the views I posted in the UBOAT feedback forum on Steam after my first few hours play, namely:

1. In patrol, I want to assign 4 specific sailors (kitted with grey leathers, so-called NCO fore & aft caps and binos) to a new 24 hour shift with observation their only task, so they mount a permanent, realistic 4-man bridge watch (which I will reduce to 3 if I find one of the officers/petty officers is permanently on bridge watch). But after creating the new shift, the management dialogue is broken, displaying only the crew tab. [McDewgle has since explained it's just one of the two commands that is broken]
2. UZO pedestal should be central not offset to one side (exceptions on other classes of boat notwithstanding).
3. Flag and mast should either be player-removeable, or removed permanently, as these were taken down when on patrol. [mod now available to take down flag]
4. RDF loop is too thick and should either be player-retractable into its slot, or permanently retracted as it was only extended when in use.
5. Biscay Cross RWR antenna should come down when diving.
6. Bridge watch should default to 1 watch officer + 3 ratings [per Bucheim, I know others say 5 in total], the player should not need to arrange this, it is SOP.
7. Bridge watch should be stood on the bridge, not in the flak platform, with the minimum of moving about.
8. Radio room should be permanently manned by default, the player should not need to arrange this. In fact each watch/shift should have sufficient crew auto-assigned to all necessary stations before undocking, with the player only having to intervene by exception and able to revert. The ability to intervene is one thing; now we have unrealistic micromanagement.
9. Slope to rear of tower, below+behind flak platform/wintergarten, is too raked, should be nearer the vertical; ditto rear walls of bridge [looks more like a Type IX tower].
10. For the missions from about mid-1943 and certainly by 1944, boats should not have a deck gun but should have a two-tier flak platform, with two twin 2 cm on upper platform and either one 3.7 cm or one quad 2 cm on lower platform. Most should also have prominent rectangular bulge to LH rear of bridge, housing retractable Hohentweil radar antenna.
11. Caps - no-one except the commander should have any sort of cap with a white top. And the fore-and-aft cap is not an NCOs cap. NCOs/petty officers should have the option of a peaked, blue-topped cap, similar to that worn by (real) officers but with no braid on the peak.
12. Grey leather jacket (and trousers) should be available in a mid-grey colour (the present grey is too dark).
13. There should be hotkeys for important actions including ordering a crash dive, surface, move to periscope depth. toggle silent running (as per Silent Hunter 3). Even two mouse clicks is a poor substitute.
14. Boats should dive and surface with a pronounced bow up/down angle, not as now, near horizontally.
15. Diving time should be reduced, at least for a crash dive; at present it takes too long to get off the surface.

...and that was before finding that the lame (not nearly SH3 level) torpedo strike and ship damage animations brought the sim to a juddering halt, or learning to hate "Schneller, schneller'' and some other voice clips which sound like they're shouting at you down a well, and the God-view, strategy game-like map, which looks nothing like what I'd expect to see on a real U-boat's map table (unlike the SH3 map).

I do like the ability to dress up crew members, Action Man/GI Joe style, and to move about your boat in first person view, but that's about it for me.

Fair play to those who like it already, but no, not for me, let alone would I rate it in the same league as SH3.

[Niume]

Is this the new SH3? It's a matter of taste and there's no point disputing such matters, as the saying goes.

But in my experience, the answer is 'Definitely not' (at least in its admittedly (long-standing) Early Access form). SH3 got justifiably rave reviews from first release and while the mods don't add every conceivable feature, they've made it much better. I can't see UBOAT deserving anything comparable.

Granted it is a different take on the subject. But it's just not for me. In particular, its star feature - the ability to manage crews - is not only still afflicted by a bug which disables it if one of the two available methods of setting priorities is used, it's just a tedious chore to get a satisfactory watch pattern set up. Your boat should have all this squared away long before it passes out from training!

I haven't seen much to change any of the views I posted in the UBOAT feedback forum on Steam after my first few hours play, namely:

1. In patrol, I want to assign 4 specific sailors (kitted with grey leathers, so-called NCO fore & aft caps and binos) to a new 24 hour shift with observation their only task, so they mount a permanent, realistic 4-man bridge watch (which I will reduce to 3 if I find one of the officers/petty officers is permanently on bridge watch). But after creating the new shift, the management dialogue is broken, displaying only the crew tab. [McDewgle has since explained it's just one of the two commands that is broken]
2. UZO pedestal should be central not offset to one side (exceptions on other classes of boat notwithstanding).
3. Flag and mast should either be player-removeable, or removed permanently, as these were taken down when on patrol. [mod now available to take down flag]
4. RDF loop is too thick and should either be player-retractable into its slot, or permanently retracted as it was only extended when in use.
5. Biscay Cross RWR antenna should come down when diving.
6. Bridge watch should default to 1 watch officer + 3 ratings [per Bucheim, I know others say 5 in total], the player should not need to arrange this, it is SOP.
7. Bridge watch should be stood on the bridge, not in the flak platform, with the minimum of moving about.
8. Radio room should be permanently manned by default, the player should not need to arrange this. In fact each watch/shift should have sufficient crew auto-assigned to all necessary stations before undocking, with the player only having to intervene by exception and able to revert. The ability to intervene is one thing; now we have unrealistic micromanagement.
9. Slope to rear of tower, below+behind flak platform/wintergarten, is too raked, should be nearer the vertical; ditto rear walls of bridge [looks more like a Type IX tower].
10. For the missions from about mid-1943 and certainly by 1944, boats should not have a deck gun but should have a two-tier flak platform, with two twin 2 cm on upper platform and either one 3.7 cm or one quad 2 cm on lower platform. Most should also have prominent rectangular bulge to LH rear of bridge, housing retractable Hohentweil radar antenna.
11. Caps - no-one except the commander should have any sort of cap with a white top. And the fore-and-aft cap is not an NCOs cap. NCOs/petty officers should have the option of a peaked, blue-topped cap, similar to that worn by (real) officers but with no braid on the peak.
12. Grey leather jacket (and trousers) should be available in a mid-grey colour (the present grey is too dark).
13. There should be hotkeys for important actions including ordering a crash dive, surface, move to periscope depth. toggle silent running (as per Silent Hunter 3). Even two mouse clicks is a poor substitute.
14. Boats should dive and surface with a pronounced bow up/down angle, not as now, near horizontally.
15. Diving time should be reduced, at least for a crash dive; at present it takes too long to get off the surface.

...and that was before finding that the lame (not nearly SH3 level) torpedo strike and ship damage animations brought the sim to a juddering halt, or learning to hate "Schneller, schneller'' and some other voice clips which sound like they're shouting at you down a well, and the God-view, strategy game-like map, which looks nothing like what I'd expect to see on a real U-boat's map table (unlike the SH3 map).

I do like the ability to dress up crew members, Action Man/GI Joe style, and to move about your boat in first person view, but that's about it for me.

Fair play to those who like it already, but no, not for me, let alone would I rate it in the same league as SH3.

Flag mast is player removable now without any mods. But I fully agree with all your points. I hope that devs will fix it. In upcoming b129 patch they are reworking the map and gods view.

[Otto Fuhrmann]

Visually it is beautiful, and there are some great aspects to the game, but it doesn't have the same draw and "feeling" that SH3 has for me, but UBOAT is getting better with each update, and the mods defintiely help. I have had some great patrols in UBOAT and I do feel that I am warming to it the more I play it without comparing it to SH3.

[clayton]

It’s better. First person play is fantastic!

[John Pancoast]

With all it's glaring flaws even when modded let alone stock, I'm not sure SH3 is much of a benchmark. :03:

[clayton]

With all its glaring flaws even when modded let alone stock, I'm not sure SH3 is much of a benchmark. :03:
SH3 is outdated. With mods, you now can have maintenance schedules, equipment malfunctions simulating equipment wear and tear, and you have characters that don't stand there, blowing the realism; I agree it has its problems, and a big update is on the horizon, but Uboat is the next step.

[les green01]

if u-boat is the next step then it fell on its face it don't hold a candle to sh5 with TWoS it is sims on a u-boat to me it is like going too a denist getting all your teeth pull out without a shot i still have it in my steam games but going take major and i mean major work before i ever install it again

[Kal_Maximus_U669]

if u-boat is the next step then it fell on its face it don't hold a candle to sh5 with TWoS it is sims on a u-boat to me it is like going too a denist getting all your teeth pull out without a shot i still have it in my steam games but going take major and i mean major work before i ever install it again

The update was released at 9:00 p.m. today B129 uboat to say the least it's a disaster ... once again waiting time .... for so little ... submarine warfare has no luck ... I am counting on "Wolfpack" and "Crush Deph" which seems to me to be a good start but let's wait once again ... all this waiting !!! the update is riddled with problems the water has become grass the kinematics bug the non-functional side view ... I'm on the way ... and the best ... besides, I've all stopped it so much that pissed me off !!! ! moreover my version was moderated in b128 and it worked rather not badly .. is well now all is in the bag ... I want to specify that my version was installed without mods or old saved ... I would no longer support this genre of projects! because when I see some Devs playing "Warthunder" and keeping the players who trust them and who we invest in wait ... every week with a new excuse ... we are a small team there is covite ... etc .. .me I say to myself that he does not care ... luckily that all are not like that :ping: :up:and keep the players who trust them and who we invest in wait ... every week with a new excuse ... we are a small team there is the covite ... etc ... I tell myself that he does not care. .. fortunately not all are like that there are enough firecrackers wet:/\\!!
http://image.noelshack.com/fichiers/2021/22/3/1622589916-la-rochelle-1941-1-1.jpg

[GoldenRivet]

The update was released at 9:00 p.m. today B129 uboat to say the least it's a disaster ...

with respect, i must disagree.

it is far from a "disaster" as you put it. there have been 4 beta patches since your comment... yet you dont come here to praise the dev team's promptess on squashing bugs.

Once the player figures out the interface and options... the gameplay is very similar to SHIII W/ GWX which is, what the OP was discussing.

[Sirrvs]

In case any of you want to pick it up at a discount, it's 50% off over at GOG.com. I'm going to try it out myself tonight for the firstime.

[Kal_Maximus_U669]

with respect, i must disagree.

it is far from a "disaster" as you put it. there have been 4 beta patches since your comment... yet you dont come here to praise the dev team's promptess on squashing bugs.

Once the player figures out the interface and options... the gameplay is very similar to SHIII W/ GWX which is, what the OP was discussing.

hello your disagreement is quite honest ... each way midi at his door
fortunately there have been fixes since because it prevented me from playing .. (I supported this project from the beginning) I do not pay for nothing ...
let's talk about the fixes
all the problem of cinematics no door to the ship ... voila holes:ping: .. the navigation of the building really weird:Kaleun_Sick: .. the uzo on the deck its size is riddicule:har: ... the nose of the ship is not at all compliant. ..NPCs don't stop doing anything !!! it even prevents you from moving around in the building ... translations still not finished .. navigation in the building is not immersive .. it is rigid .. no camera movement:yep: ... the diving bars do not work like it is:yep: ... the sound is really anything :har::har:... a sound of freezer for the gyrocompass:/\\!! .. here I stop ... because there are so many things still .. some of the problems cited are not new. .is not correct
"But you don't come here to praise the development team's readiness to fix bugs."
I'm not here to do their job ... a good hearer, good receiver! moreover it does not deserve it given the communication that there was before the update .. some made me laugh a lot .. on steam I remember their sentence very well I quote:
we are happy because we are where we wanted to be ..
once again i would have liked to have positive reviews..but the .. i can't. anyway it is the modders who will do a better job as from ab ... 2024 all will be good but by then there will be better ones .. 'Wolfpack CrushDeph) ... is this one will be forgotten or played by pationner ..

"Once the player understands the interface and options ... the gameplay is very similar to SHIII W / GWX, that's what the OP was talking about."

no this game is far from having the same immersion .. is not built in the same way
good I wish you a pleasant moment with this game kindly K.M_U669:salute:
http://image.noelshack.com/fichiers/2021/24/1/1623624554-north-east-atlantic-1941-1-7.jpg

[KleineUboot]

Best subsim as of today.

[Kal_Maximus_U669]

Best subsim as of today.

Let me laugh:har::haha:..you haven't played others .. or what:Kaleun_Periskop: ???
moreover since a few days .. there is no update .. maybe they went to "Pan Am" or maybe it's too hot .. who knows. well let's wait for the continuation because it is a pity this game has potential but and to spoil by all this waiting which does not end .. (at least me .. I do not expect anything more:D:D) greeting :Kaleun_Salute:

[AP514]

Best subsim as of today.

LOL

[Comrade1414]

The new patch notes are pretty interesting..:Kaleun_Cheers:

Changelog
Torpedo overhaul:
- There are now quite realistic and hopefully more interesting pistol designs in the game: Pi1, Pi1 revised, Pi2, Pi3 and Pi4. Certain torpedo types exist in a few variants depending on the installed pistol.
- Torpedoes can be now switched between the impact (AZ) and magnetic (MZ) pistol setting, each with its own advantages and drawbacks.
- Added FAT and LUT torpedo control programs that make the torpedo follow a certain pattern after a potential miss. Such control mechanisms are being installed on T1 and T3 torpedoes once these programs are researched.
- Impact pistol trigger chance now depends on the impact angle rather than being a flat chance.
- Magnetic pistol flaws include detonation on its own before reaching the target or not exploding when reaching the target.
- Added checkboxes in the torpedo UI that allow the player to specify which of the flooded torpedoes he wants to launch.
- T2 torpedoes are now free, while T1 require additional payment. Historically T2 were 2x cheaper in production and balance-wise are often also worse in overall.

[GoldenRivet]

moreover since a few days .. there is no update .. maybe they went to "Pan Am" or maybe it's too hot .. who knows. well let's wait for the continuation because it is a pity this game has potential but and to spoil by all this waiting which does not end .. (at least me .. I do not expect anything more:D:D) greeting :Kaleun_Salute:

It is clear you have some personal vendetta against this game that has no basis in fact... repeatedly you have come here to crap your negativity all over the forum with zero evidence to support your position. since you obviously cannot figure this out ill map it for you

1. this is a pre-release beta

2. you say "there are no updates" repeatedly with your crybabyisms here... :wah::wah::wah::wah::wah: well here you go

"B129 beta test unstable branch" released 21 days ago

there have been six patches ALL in response to community feedback since then averaging one update release every 3 and a half days

im not sure where you are getting your "facts" but to come here and slander the dev group by saying they are on vacation and dont care about their product is frankly outright slobbering garbage out of your mouth

perhaps your time would be better spent and more constructive if you paid more attention to the forums for games that meet with your approval - assuming there are any :woot:

lots of people seem to enjoy playing this title - i am one of them, it has its setbacks, it has its faults, and no it is not perfect, this has been a WIP for this dev team that frankly has been SPOT ON at promptly and effectively addressing community feedback and keeping players up to date on the "road map" of this game.

I have been playing it since day one of release, i have experienced my disappointments but i have the vision to understand what the devs are trying to do with it and to see the big picture.

while clearly you just want to come in here and troll and have a cry baby pity party because some feature you want doesnt work right, or is missing, or wont be implemented for another month.

boo hoo

i laugh at this sub forum for uboat

every day people are in here lamenting

"but but... no magnetic triggers"

"but but... you cant select more than one torpedo"

"but but... there isnt a historically accurate TDC"

and literally two days later they post a new release WITH all that stuff - pathetic

[Bubblehead1980]

It is clear you have some personal vendetta against this game that has no basis in fact... repeatedly you have come here to crap your negativity all over the forum with zero evidence to support your position. since you obviously cannot figure this out ill map it for you

1. this is a pre-release beta

2. you say "there are no updates" repeatedly with your crybabyisms here... :wah::wah::wah::wah::wah: well here you go

"B129 beta test unstable branch" released 21 days ago

there have been six patches ALL in response to community feedback since then averaging one update release every 3 and a half days

im not sure where you are getting your "facts" but to come here and slander the dev group by saying they are on vacation and dont care about their product is frankly outright slobbering garbage out of your mouth

perhaps your time would be better spent and more constructive if you paid more attention to the forums for games that meet with your approval - assuming there are any :woot:

lots of people seem to enjoy playing this title - i am one of them, it has its setbacks, it has its faults, and no it is not perfect, this has been a WIP for this dev team that frankly has been SPOT ON at promptly and effectively addressing community feedback and keeping players up to date on the "road map" of this game.

I have been playing it since day one of release, i have experienced my disappointments but i have the vision to understand what the devs are trying to do with it and to see the big picture.

while clearly you just want to come in here and troll and have a cry baby pity party because some feature you want doesnt work right, or is missing, or wont be implemented for another month.

boo hoo

i laugh at this sub forum for uboat

every day people are in here lamenting

"but but... no magnetic triggers"

"but but... you cant select more than one torpedo"

"but but... there isnt a historically accurate TDC"

and literally two days later they post a new release WITH all that stuff - pathetic


I agree. Personally, it's not complete enough for me to invest my time yet but I see a ton of potential . A lot of features I wish we could get for US fleetboats in the Pacific, perhaps one day. People need to just relax and let the sim develop, sure they will eventually love it.


I do wish Ubi would get their act together, give us a SH 6. Need to make up for SH 4 and 5 but doubt it will happen.

[Kal_Maximus_U669]

Hello everyone
I want to remind you that I have no "vendetta" against this game or anyone here ..! lol
when to talk about my negativity ... !!! I don't want to get into the controversy but I regret to tell you that the navigation of the uboat is really not that great; we do not really know how to enjoy it .. even after 7 updates, this is one of the major problems! this game is too acarde..me what displeases me it is this slowness in the development ... because even if we are in early it is slow .. when I see another team or modder it is still better..de more with each update are lots of problems and sometimes impossible to play while what to do ...
Now that you say that I am slandering the team .. I didn’t insult anyone here .. communication wasn’t one of the strengths of your campaign during the updates .. now when to say that I am a child spoil that make me laugh; ...! I do not know who the child is here because me when I lead a development mission I do not play warthunder or other on twitch especially when everyone relates a lot of problems on the game but hey to each his method .. once again this game has great potential but in the current state of affairs things are not going well !! it is not enough to be beautiful .. if there is no sensation .. no immersion. I do not come here to troll or organize the "fight"
now if the game suits you so much the better for you ..
take pleasure ... me it is waiting. because waiting is not a problem when the results are there but it is not often the case ...
I repeat it to you I supported this projects since the beginning
oh yes we must stop comparing this game to games of 15 years old .. it must be said that it stands out for its style of gameplay c is all
when i pay for a few things i like it to be useful to me and not half of it .. and to spend my time waiting for it to work.
For the moment submarine warfare has no luck .. in video games .. it must be said that not everyone is passionate about the genre, so they are "niche" games.
despite our disagreement I salute you take pleasure with this game... kind regards KM_U669

[Kongo Otto]

I do wish Ubi would get their act together, give us a SH 6. Need to make up for SH 4 and 5 but doubt it will happen.

Yeah, can't wait for another Ubisoft U-boat/Fleetboat game riddled with micro-transactions as it is usual today.
Want to have a Fumo29 radar?, here it is in our ingame shop for just 5,99USD. Oh, you want the 40mm Bofors for your Gato, here have it in our ingame shop for just 17,75USD.

All Ubisoft does nowadays ist releasing bland open world games like The Division, Assassins Creed or FarCry. Meh.
I also highly doubt that there is really much of a playerbase left for U-Boat games, they were on the top in the late 1990's/early 2000's, but nowadays there are a niche in a niche game. Which also might be a reasosn for Ubisoft not to touch submarine games anymore, what Ubisoft strives for is the easy to play run of the mill stuff which earns them millions over millions and given the state of their most recent releases I also highly doubt that they have the talent left to make a proper Uboat/submarine game.



Speaking of UBoat:
I've tried it but it in its current state it is just not my cup of tea. I see massive potential for the future tho, but I will keep it uninstalled and wait for a full release. I'm pretty much done investing my time into early access games, most of them (Uboat being an exception) are just not worth it.

[Holdit]

I tried U-Boat a couple of times since its release but couldn't get into it. About a week ago I reinstalled it for another try, and it's a totally different experience, and I would never go back to SH3/4/5.

The big drawback is the missing TDC but that issue has been fixed with a mod and makes a world of difference. Nice items are the operable bilge pump, gyro compass and the electric and diesel air compressors.

The crew management thing is, I suppose, a matter of taste, but I find it quite immersive. It's worth taking the time to master the interface and you need to cheat/mod it to get the best out of it. I've renamed all my crew so they have the names of characters in the Das Boot novel, and given them "uniforms" according to their role (their role in the novel - in the game they're just "crew"). The game doesn't differentiate between officers, CPOs, POs and seaman; there are just officers and "everyone else". I find this means that to get the most realistic experience you need to have the game treat as officers some characters who were CPOs in the novel (e.g. Kriechbaum, Johann, Franz) or just POs (Hinrich and Hermann).

I set up The First and Second Officers along with Kriechbaum as Watch-keeping officers (four hours per watch), leaving the skipper in charge of navigation - you can get lost even when the navigation is being handled by the game. The Chief and Second engineers alternate 6-hour watches in the engine room, but you could also promote a "Johann" to free up the Chief. Where this boosts immersion is that when ever you drop out of warp speed to have a look at what's happening in the boat - and the "cutaway" view works superbly here, displaying a busy, living, breathing, working boat - you can see people on duty, going on/off duty, or just relaxing - all in according to the roster.

Some other immersive touches are seeing crewmen run to the forward torpedo room during a crash dive (they stand in a huddle rather than lie in a heap, but still, kudos), and returning to their stations as the boat levels off. Crewmen coming into the galley to help themselves to some grub. When you order red/blue/normal lighting, a crewman has to make his way to the control and change it, so it doesn't happen instantly, likewise turning on the compressors or pumps. If you order the deck gun manned, the crew have to make their way to it first.

The biggest dose of immersion for me came with my first experience of damage control. On patrol in the north sea, we were spotted by an aircraft, and the crash dive was too slow (note to self: there's a mod for this) and the dropped depth charge inflicted some damage. I took the boat to about 90 metres and assessed damage (there's no damage screen, just an un-prioritised list of failures so you need to do a bit of triage yourself, but then real U-Boat commanders didn't have a damage control screen either). There were two leaks, damage to the conning tower and UZO, and a bunch of broken lightbulbs (and yes, those sections of the boat with blown bulbs go dark, but you can press "F" for a flashlight in first-person mode).

As I assigned different officers to take care of different repairs (I gave the lightbulbs and minor stuff to the non-engineers, but I don't know if that actually makes a difference) I could see them heading to those spots, sometimes working with wrenches, sometimes welding torches, even standing on boxes to reach awkward places. Being fairly deep, and with water in the engine and motor rooms, I ordered bailing and by golly my guys went to it carrying buckets to the control room and emptying them into the bilge. It was officers-only and doing it the slow hard way rather than forming a human chain, but it's clear that this is what's being represented. Most of the time I kept the captain character in the control room where he could see the crew moving between different parts of the boat as they went from repair to repair.

Once everything was fixed and we resurfaced, I found out that we didn't have enough spare parts to fix the damage to the bridge (which was quite visible; the casing buckled and those vertical wooden slats smashed on the damaged side), or the UZO. I decided to RTB and sent the crew off for a few days break - and this was the icing on the immersion-cake: the crew actually left the boat. They didn't just vanish; they walked off the boat individually and in small groups, carrying small suitcases or rucksacks, until only the skipper was left behind. At that point it seemed a novelty to have the boat completely to myself so I walked from fore-to-aft just to experience it. I was reminded of the part in the novel "The Cruel Sea" where most of the crew is on leave during a refit and Lockhart draws the short straw and is the only officer left on board apart from a skeleton screw and the dockyard workers.

That sums up the impact U-Boat has had on me, yes there are still some niggles but the experience it provides is far ahead of anything that has gone previously, including SH3 with mods. For me this is way more satisfying, and I can't see myself going back.


NIGGLES:

Instead of engine room telegraph call-outs, there is just a response of "Faster, faster" or "We're slowing down" in response to speed changes. It's annoying.

Having to "buy" stuff. I just cheat myself the cash I need to make this go away.

Too few officers by default. This is fixable with a mod.

No waterproofs for bridge crew. Immersion-cracking, but not a deal-breaker.

No mission editor. My biggest complaint. I would like to use it to set up Perisher-style training scenarios.

[lecek]

That sums up the impact U-Boat has had on me, yes there are still some niggles but the experience it provides is far ahead of anything that has gone previously, including SH3 with mods. For me this is way more satisfying, and I can't see myself going back.


That is how I feel. I have seen lots of posts about how not great this simulator is. And well it isn't complete or anything by any stretch. But I was wondering if I was in the minority thinking this is what SH5 should have been.


Also my Kalun has the same name as in SH3.

[Nicolai_Clausen]

I had installed it a while back and just couldn't get past the mechanics. I just reinstalled it after watching a YouTube video. I am impressed with the progress that has been made with it. I am still working through the processes of running the ship, as not everything is automatic and you have to be aware of what is needed to survive. It reminds me of SH5, but easier to work with. The graphics are exceptional over games of the past, the eye candy is happy. The mechanics of the crew are approaching a realistic feel, better that SH5 had one (modeling techniques and graphics cards have made a great difference).


So far I am enjoy the new experience. (really wish the map was more in line with the historical map layout).
:Kaleun_Cheers:

[Aktungbby]

Nicolai_Clausen!:Kaleun_Salute: U've certainly mastered the art of the 'silent run!':shucks::up:

[Nicolai_Clausen]

Nicolai_Clausen! U've certainly mastered the art of the 'silent run!'
__________________

LOL, It wasn't easy but I did it!!
:Kaleun_Applaud:

[LIONPRIDE]

I just threw down some cash on this due to the Winter-Sale on Steam. Is there any multiplayer in this one ~ ??


.

[MantiBrutalis]

Recently got into UBOAT, and while there are definitely things still missing or wrong, it is so impressive coming from a team of... 3?... people.

Cons:
Nowadays, we don't accept people just popping up in places (like in SH3), and because they don't in UBOAT, some of the hard to do things show up. It is nice that sailors move about, do tasks, switch shifts and so on, but a lot of the harder things to do are noticeable - too few sailors (acceptable simplification, the 3D models would not be happy), no-one is rushing up the tower after surfacing, noone ever really runs, things like that.
The boat physics are a little off. Not enough tilt when going up/down, when surfacing it bobs up awkwardly...
Sinking physics are just... so fast. Ships mostly just disappear in seconds.
The gunnery is unfinished, hopefully. Flak feels awful, deck gun has no ballistics, just point and click.
No hedgehogs and enemy torpedoes yet, afaik.
The enemy AI could do with some work.
No TDC
Some of the UI needs work
Some unhistorical elements here and there
Some of the things I'd want are just unexpectable of a 3 people team. This is a small game.

Pros:
Mods can make it a lot more complex and/or fix some of the cons (TDC, sinking, etc.)
The boat feels alive. People do tasks, load torpedoes, clean floors, cook... The cut-out view is amazing!
Funnel smoke sightings, contrail sightings, glorious...
Modeled leaks, compressors, bilges, pumps...
I like the combined map/3D view, honestly
Some of the missions/side missions are a bit janky, but it's a welcome change from "Go to this square, then come back"
You get to check neutral ships for contraband!


Who cares if the jackets are the wrong shade of grey, or if watchmen stand in the wrong place. Will this game surpass SH3? It already has, in my eyes. UBOAT gets two thumbs up from me.

[Aktungbby]

MantiBrutalis!:Kaleun_Salute: aftert a 6 year silent run!:up:

[tonschk]

For some this point of view can be silly but to my accurate Dynamic shadows are a very important inmersion feature and this Uboat simulator I think meet this sort of detail to a good standard. So far this Uboat is a work in progress so we can expect more improvements


https://www.hostpic.org/images/2201041802320315.png (https://www.hostpic.org/view.php?filename=2201041802320315.png)

https://www.hostpic.org/images/2201042022170309.png (https://www.hostpic.org/view.php?filename=2201042022170309.png)

https://www.hostpic.org/images/2203022228090287.png (https://www.hostpic.org/view.php?filename=2203022228090287.png)

[Jagdfalke]

After a long time i play a submarine game again, i like UBOAT much more than SH3 :yeah:

SH4 was nice too, but i sit here in germany and like the typ VII C more than pazific boats. I guess the AI is good enought, my boat was sunk by some destroyer :o

It is nice too send a diver too a sunken ship, or too take survivers and sell them. Just need some french vine, ladys and barget-bread on the boat :hmmm:

[TheNolan]

Uboat is a good game but it is a video game first and a sub sim second. This is good for some people, I originally liked it a lot more than SH3/5.

SH5 is **** but has an amazing mod called Wolves of Steel which makes it competitive with modded SH3. The modded version of SH5 is more of a sub sim and you can turn off things like the external camera and GPS system (map) that uboat has. I prefer SH5 TWoS these days and am working towards playing it with 100% "realism".

I'm also looking forward to Wolfpack being completed since it seems to be even more of a sub sim than modded SHs.

Do not play unmodded SH5 it is ****.

[John Pancoast]

For some this point of view can be silly but to my accurate Dynamic shadows are a very important inmersion feature and this Uboat simulator I think meet this sort of detail to a good standard. So far this Uboat is a work in progress so we can expect more improvements




Not silly at all but I'd rather have the time spent configuring a competant AI, authentic historical following of the Battle of the Atlantic (tactics, equipment, etc.), etc. vs. fancy graphics.
General statement; not one on U-boat per se.