If it had to be a choice between the "External" eye candy of graphics and that of an interactive crew then I would choose the former. However....

Whilst in the midst of a convoy attack, or running from destroyers in SH3 I would usually quickly jump from 1 screen to another; most other times I enjoyed the "Moving" about the boat from compartment to compartment and the illusion of speaking with my crew. It is this lack of immersion in SH4 that still leaves me with a sterile feeling about it.

SH3 seemed to encourage one to keep your own log, where as SH4 has left me feeling "What's the point".

Come to think of it I also miss the randomised pin up mod for the sonar operator, whilst listening to the gramophone and enjoying a (RL) drink whilst I patrolled the Atlantic. ;)

I vote for the interactive crew.

I miss it.

But I won't agree with some of the other posts about trading off or sacrificing something else to have it.

But as to the question, I do miss it.

I'd love to be able to work controls from the conning tower, including torp gyro settings and such. In SH3, it made the virtual boat feel real.

Def. would like it back :up:

Oh, I would... I mean, the graphics are nice an' all, and I would miss the interactive elements... but having the "realistic" fatigue without having to nannyboy the crew? So worth it. :up: :yep:

For me emmersion is greatly enhanced by movement within the sub. I often force myself to use the hatches to access the bridge and guns. Same for the attack scope in the con. I even go to the control room map before I hit the map view to help emersion. It would be great if certain tasks were restricted to specific locations. Maybe as an option? Need more compartments ... Capt Cabin with map for TC.

Yes , for me is an important feature

Adds a lot of atmosphere play in the control room and clikcling the rudder and telegraph controls with the "depth charge shake mod" enabled.

I'd prefer to have a 3d modelled captains cabin...


:arrgh!:

RR, you have made some typically astute observations. It should be possible, however, to include them without damaging performance in that the machine only has to deal with what is asked of it at any given moment i.e. interactive crew/guages don't load the machine any more than the external graphics, as you don't get both at the same time.

Some other things are 'more' important to me.....the normal helm position was, in fact, in the conning tower not the control room, although the sim currently has the helmsman there (and a planesman mysteriously AWOL). The complete lack of SD radar display is a major SNAFU to me. I've posted ad nauseum about that, so won't add any more.

Just as important is the degree to which your crew affects performance. For me it is not enough at present. Not sure how to add to that, however, as it would take some major work with skills/experience/rosters to take effect. I do know, however, that O'Kane certainly spoke of having an 'A' team of plotting/fire control and helm/depth controls crews that would be slotted in when making approaches to targets. Getting that reflected would mean more to me than the way someone responds when I give orders.

Cheers

Brilliant!! The game really needs more crew interface. I was much more amused chasing the crew around in SH3 ... at least it gave you some sense of the journey. I even got to know them. I need more than target and shoot. I want to interact with as much boat management as possible.

I really miss the interactive crew interface from SH3. I find it hard to stay "into" this game for long and spend much more time in SH3 because its much more immersive than sh4. Sh4 is more like SH2 with fancy graphics, but an otherwise cold lifeless experience on board.

I wont be buying the Uboat add on (as much as I would like to ) if its going to be the same bunch of sullen, silent, and non interactive crewmates. Why Ubi didnt continue with the outstanding SH3 interface is beyond me.