Dumbed down?
 

Hi

I haven't bought it yet, partly because I'm waiting to put together a new system, but also partly because I'm put off by this DRM. I think that really sucks. I have bought every SH game when it came out - even if I didn't have the power to run it. This is the first time I've hesitated.

I've read a lot about SH5 and seen plenty of videos on you tube. The graphics quality and the ability to walk up and down the sub are nice features, but not if they at the expense of the functionality we have seen in the previous versions. I was hoping for more flexibility, not less.

I understand from this thread that many gauges are missing from the HUD, including the compass? And no depth under keel? Is it true that there is no depth under keel function at all? And where's the TDC? There was a good one in SHIII, a slightly less functional one in SHIV, and now it appears they have done away with altogether?

I'll wait for my new system before I buy it. Hoperfully by then they'll get rid of that annoying DRM system, and also patches and mods will come out bringing more user controls and instruments to the simulation.

So do you guys have an idea of when you will have finished beta testing the game so it can be published ?

:rotfl2:

There is a mod out that remaps the keyboard, "depth under keel" is Shift+D.

Regards

Had it in my hand
 

I picked the game up at Fred Meyer's,the internet part confused me---I have a constant internet DSL connection.It sounded like a Steam type thing and I hate that,as I play Order of War using the Steam thingy.I was about to purchase it,but I thought everytime I buy a Ubisoft product,it always ends up being a patch-a- thon.I put the game down,and I'm glad I did.Let the devs and modders straighten this mess up,then I'll glady fork over my 50 bones.Just another Ubisoft get it out the door,and let the players figure out how to fix it.Soon there will be no computer software for games,as the consoles are slowly but surely wrapping up the market.It's sad to see,but we knew it was coming.
pocatellodave

can not play game
 

Installing the GAME is great, sound is terrific, specs check AOK. Impossible to play, mouse does not work, keyboard does not work. screen is almost total black out, sound continues perfect, simply impossible to play. :damn::wah:
http://i44.tinypic.com/2d80zl3.png

After buying this game last Friday I almost ended up returning it because of DRM problems. Basically I had problems running it Sat and Sun and couldn't run it at all until very late on Mon. The DRM really needs to be looked at by Ubi :nope:

As for the game itself it is growing on me.

I hear many people decrying it as arcadey, but then complain that they don't know the depth under their hull in the same thread. I think the developers designed the game to make you act like a Captain onboard and face some of the restrictions he has to face.

Examples of this are:
i. Can't lower Obsv Peri but I can lower attack Peri - I think this is a deliberate design decision in that the attack peri view finder stays at constant height regardless of peri height. This means that you can stow the attack peri whilst looking through it as the viewfinder doesn't move. On the other hand the view finder for the Obs Peri goes below floor level when its mast is lowered, hence why I think they removed the ability for the player to lower it when looking through it.

ii. No compass to click bearing. I think this is done for realism too. The compasses on the U-Boat only allow rough readings to be taken. They are not like some modern ships compasses which incorporate sight lines on them to allow a very accurate call out to a particular bearing. SH5 removes this super accuracy which I think is good.

As for targetting etc, I play on max realism and find the controls much easier to use than SH 3's. Once one knows how to use the kit there is no need to guess leads for the torps. Just aim the peri and fire! Having the chart to hand by the peri to plot out the targets is I think a very good move and very handy. My only issue with it is that many of the drawing tools can be quite finiky to use. I'm probably sticking my neck out here, but I actually prefer the new UI to the old one!

Bugs? There are plenty, but most I can work around. Some issues I'd like to see addressed are:

1. Time Compression (TC): Right now it stops for trivial stuff and sometimes continues for much more serious stuff like enemy ships for instance. In fact all of my deaths in SHV so far (there have been 4) are due to time compression getting me into situations that had it not been on I would not have got the sub into (such as ramming an enemy destroyer for instance). I personally don't want TC slowing down at every way point or shallow water if I'm surfaced. I just want it to jump to 1:1 when an enemy ship or plane gets spotted.

2. Spotting needs sorting. It all seems quite random. Sometimes I could be in spitting distance of a British destroyer and it drives on by without firing a shot - other times they spot me miles off and shell my sub to pieces.

3. Return to Course! Yes we need this!!!! Judging by the way the sub plot arrows change to hollow arrows when you go manual I'm guessing there is a way to return to course it is just that the manual (for want of a better word) is not telling us!

4. Shipping AI in harbour - Why is it that most of the shipping I see tends to be driving perpendicular to the river direction? Very unrealistic. Normally ends up with said ships colliding and sometimes exploding when they hit the harbour wall! Whilst this is entertaining having ships continously cross your path makes for unwanted and unrealistic navigation hazards.

5. My Sonar Guy - he needs to start sending me reports. The sonar also needs to start plotting contacts!

6. The radio guy should feed me with radio transmissions of spotted convoys. I don't always look at my map or log book so I end up missing them. In real life the radio operator would be telling the captain. And whilst I'm talking about the radio wouldn't it be better if I used it or the operator to send and receive reports instead of doing it rather unintiuitively through the log book...

7. The well known morale bug desperately needs fixing...

8. Random game performance and mouse sensivity. There is a bug in the code causing this. I don't understand how for similiar scenes the mouse sensitivity can change from hyper sensitive to incrediably insensitive. Heading into the sub or heading aft then returning fwd also seems to increase your walking speed such that it sounds like one is tap dancing!

9. I know this is not really required, but I demand to see the subs heads are modelled!!!!!

10. Not a bug, but believe it or not I purchased and watched Das Boot for the first time 2 days ago. It was a brilliant film and I was suprised at how right they got the sub's insides in the game. The downside, is that the film has spoilt me. It was a bit of an eye opener to see so many crew! The crew numbers really lent to the claustrophobic atmosphere of the film. (Some parts of the film reminded me of the old days when I used to be in the RN serving on Leander class frigates where there isn't really enough room in the messes and everyone is squashed in sitting on the floor and on other peoples bunks) But alas the sim now seems quite devoid of crew. I know it might be a big performance hit but I'd love to see a full complement of crew :)


I really like the game and particularly like the atmosphere created by being able to walk around the sub. I actually prefer it to SH 3 now :) For the moment I'm happy to forgive the DRM and the sim's short comings due to the fun it generates. I just wish I didn't die so often in time compression accidents....

Which version?

The Directors cut - though I have to confess I don't know which one is the best version. Watched it in German with English subtitles. Superb film - it seems to convey real Naval life quite well :)

Director's Cut is technically the best, but the 'Original, Uncut Version' adds another hour-and-a-half of awesome storyline - almost five hours total.

@Sailor Steve,

I really like the first part of your sig Steve: "I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered! My life is my own. I am not a number, I am a person."

Only problem is if ole UBI ever has anything to do with it you can be sure it will be OSP and DRM'ed to death. :arrgh!: :rotfl2:

I don't think that will happen. What seems to be happening is a shift in focus. About 10 years ago, the best games were designed for PC, and then various console developers brought out console versions. Now it's changing. Games are designed with the console platform in mind, and then PC versions are brought as a secondary platform. This means a certain amount of dumbing down and shift in focus away from games that require a keyboard to operate in favour of controller pad peripherals. A classic example of this is Operation Flashpoint 2, which has a controller pad menu system on the screen.

There will always be PC games, and the PCs will always be the plaform of choice for small, dedicated developers like Austin Meyer, and for freeware stuff like Oribiter.

Yes. Like remove it!

When you take away functions that were present in earlier games, like the rudder indicator, the TDC, depth under keel, return to course, opening closing tube doors and so on, it does make you feel like it's been dumbed down. I agree that not having everything to hand on the HUD makes it more realistic, but in that case you should be able to operate equipment by going to it, or at least able to request the information you want at anytime from your crew.

Yes yes, those who haven't seen the full uncut version really haven't seen it as there is soooo much missing. Especially in the director's cut cause Wolfgang cut a bit too much me thinks.

This is not completely true, as i bought the game, really looked forward to play it and i don't hate the DRM ! It's not a dealbreaker for me, just something i can live with. Its the game itself and its current state which pissed me off big time. After some while i couldnt believe all the dumbed down potential, arcadish elements and non workable sensors - just a small extract of the errors and dissapointings but enough for me, to uninstall it. Unfortunately i won't go back to SH3 after seing the great graphics of SH5 - instead im just disgusted and propably will get t34 vs tiger.

Been playing for a total of 24 or so hours within the past three days. The game is very solid (no CTDs for unknown reason, so far).

I just acquired a dual core processor (AMD Atholon X2 6000+, the highest my MB can take) and now I have proper vapor and explosion effects.

As I have stated in other threads, this sim is very promising. I think in a year of being in the jaws of the modders, and with the removal of DRM, this sim will be fantastic within this year.

As far as the smartalleck asking how the beta testing is going.

Please stop with such stuff. This has been the case of EVERY Silent Hunter sim since SH2. The devs no that when the game has been out for a while, it will be only of slight resemblance to the one they put out on market.

Having said that, I don't know why the devs messed with functions like depth under keel, various ranges, the way the engine reacts to power changes as far as sound is concerned.

Hopefully these and others that I have not yet noticed will be remedied and or re instated.