viTivi video interview with Emil Gheorge (SH4 devteam)

[Sonarman]

Don't recall seeing it mentioned here but there is a recent interview with Devteam member Emil Gheorge over at
http://www.vitivi.tv/show_video.php?...v;0;0;681;10;0

[Tigrone]

He was very specific in saying that the Dynamic Campaign was 4 years long from 1941, ending in 1944. It looks like 1945 will be playable only in Single Missions. I understand the programming reasons, but I am disappointed.

[Hylander_1314]

Don't forget that America didn't enter the war until Dec. 8th 1941, so 4 years would take your into 1945. If the campaign ended in '44, it would only give you 3 years of campaigning. Even though the IJN was all but oblitered by then, there is still the island invasions of '45, like Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. So there is still the pilot rescue missions, and picket duty for those operations. Seeing those huge USN Taskforces would be cool.

[Agrippa]

very dissapointed that the campaign only goes through 44. There were still Japanese convoys trying to get raw materials to the home islands, particularly in early 45. I suppose I can understand not going all the way to the end of the war (i'd rather not spend four or five patrols just rescuing pilots or on picket duty), but not including anything after 44 isn't the way to go. Consulting Clay Blair's Silent Victory (by the way--everybody who is seriously interested in the sub war of WWII should buy his books. Right now), it seems there was still worthwhile hunting for submarines at least through April, although subs kept claiming kills through August. A campaign that ended in March, April, or May 45 would be fine.

Also to keep in mind, eight U.S. subs were lost in action in 1945, including the USS Bullhead, lost on August 6th.

[Syxx_Killer]

Like Hylander said, it was mentioned in the interview that the campaign is 4 years long. The US didn't enter the war until '41, so how can we keep ending up with an end date of '44?

[peterloo]

Don't mind that dynamic campaign ends in 1944... Modders can help us to extend the service to August 1945, when Japanese surrendered

Like SH3, SH4 should be able to be modded freely (except the main engine, where SecuRom protection lies)

Just like sh3, originally, we can only start the service in 1939-1943, but modders break this limit so that with sh3 commander, you can own a type XXI in 1st patrol in 1944! with the aid of mods

Ubisoft takes care of the game engine
Modder takes care of other imgame play

[_Seth_]

Here is a youtube link;

[Schatten]

Originally Posted by peterloo

Don't mind that dynamic campaign ends in 1944... Modders can help us to extend the service to August 1945, when Japanese surrendered

Like SH3, SH4 should be able to be modded freely (except the main engine, where SecuRom protection lies)

Just like sh3, originally, we can only start the service in 1939-1943, but modders break this limit so that with sh3 commander, you can own a type XXI in 1st patrol in 1944! with the aid of mods

Ubisoft takes care of the game engine
Modder takes care of other imgame play

The problem is the start and end dates for the war are hardcoded, so if the "war" in SH IV ends in late '44 then you're SOL no matter what modders try to do. If the war start and end dates were moddable you can be sure that someone would have made a mod to start earlier in '39 so you could be at sea at the outbreak of hostilities, or one that went through August if you wanted to try to get to the Pacific to help the Japanese out but that hasn't happened. So if the end of the campaign is in '44 like the interview states then that is very disappointing to me.

And likely non-moddable as well.

[Jsbl]

I can't believe the SH4 campaign would end before the war ended. What would be point in that?

Propably he just made a mistake by saying 44 instead of 45.

[Safe-Keeper]

I wish they'd be nice enough to add subtitles, as I often have a hard time understanding what people are saying in movies on the Internet even without accents. Not to mention that there are deaf people out there.

Like Hylander said, it was mentioned in the interview that the campaign is 4 years long. The US didn't enter the war until '41, so how can we keep ending up with an end date of '44?

He said nearly four years in this interview.

I can't believe the SH4 campaign would end before the war ended. What would be point in that?

It's been stated several times that it has to do with the fact that after '44, there was practically nothing to hunt. Remember that they're play-testing their game and as such have probably found that playing in '45 wasn't any fun.

It's interesting to note that before these interviews there were all these people who worried that the game would be too easy at the end of the campaign (read: '44 and '45). Then we learn that they've solved the problem by removing the too easy portion - and it turns out that's wrong, too. Make up your minds, people:p.

In my eyes, it's a good decision, far better than having a lackluster of a last game year with next to no enemy activity. And it means they'll save themselves some time so that the remaining parts of the game will be better. If I were in their shoes, I'd do the same thing.

The problem is the start and end dates for the war are hardcoded, so if the "war" in SH IV ends in late '44 then you're SOL no matter what modders try to do.

If it was that way in Silent Hunter III, that does not neccessarily mean it's that way in Silent Hunter 4.
- - - - - - - -

Originally Posted by Interviewer

Silent Hunter III was quite hard to play.

Someone's never touched GWX!
- - - - - - - -

Originally Posted by Emil Gheorge

100% geographic accuracy

If this is what I think it is (no more blocked straits that should've been open straits, for example) it sounds very good. If it means something like scale 1:1, it sounds excellent - though I think that's too much to hope for.
- - - - - - - -
I love that they're still intending to include randomly generated special missions such as commando insertion and pilot rescue. Good job, Ubi'!

[Gorduz]

I just kept drooling over the water. I must say the graphics was superior to anything iv'e senn before.

[dean_acheson]

anyone notice in the crew management screen it looks like it says "U-Boat Aces" in the top left corner?

[Charos]

Interviewer:

"Silent hunter 3 was quite hard to play would you say that silent hunter 4 is for more casual gamers?"

I really cant see SH4 offering more in the brains department than SH3 which IMHO was severly lacking, SH4 looks like SH3 tarted up in a new evening dress.

I found SH3 on full difficulty (having not played any Sub sims before) too easy and lacking in the Sim department.

Sadly even reports of the ARMA demo are reaking of ARCADE.

Where are all the simulations gone?

[Safe-Keeper]

anyone notice in the crew management screen it looks like it says "U-Boat Aces" in the top left corner?

Yup. Though I don't really understand why.

[Onkel Neal]

It's probably leftover verbage from SH3, it will be cleaned up before it is finished.