[Zilch]

RR hit it on the head with the comparison with fishing. Most of the time, it's boring as hell. Some might call the boredom relaxing, though. And, when the action comes, it's that much sweeter having waited for it. While I love SH3 and 4, I can't explain it to my gaming friends who don't get it. They'd rather play Left 4 Dead, CoD, or such games. Mind you, I love these, too, but it depends on mood.

It's an odd thing. My wife sees me doing math on a scratch paper, figuring out intercept courses, and initially wanted to make sure nothing was wrong with the game I bought. I explained that this is a different kind of game that allows you to get closer to history by doing the math yourself, if you want. Sure, you CAN set it to easy or whatnot. But, if I want something with instant action, constant flow of targets, and point-and-shoot combat, I'll play something on Xbox or an FPS of some sort.

I don't see what your problem with the game is. If you don't like it, so be it. Sell it on eBay, or adjust it to your liking. Nobody holds that against you, as everyone has different tastes. Prefer Halo? Go for it. You're wanting Bud Light, and Silent Hunter is serving a fine wine.

As for realism, all of us are aware that it is not like really being in a submarine. It's a simulator and game. I don't think any of the people who play make the mistake of thinking that "This is exactly how it must have been!" You're right, living the lifestyle isn't anything that would make a fun game. Standing watch for hours? A game like that might sell two copies, and both of them to people who didn't read the title or reviews. So, these games, in order to be the entertainment they're intended to be, compress the player interaction with what is thought to be the more interesting parts of life on an old submarine. Those of us who like that kind of thing find a unique simulation of something we can't otherwise experience. If that's not for you, maybe you should look into creating mods.