Is SH5 the Future of Silent Hunter?

[scrapser]

I'm wondering if the new interface, sub interior, crew interaction, and all the associated "features" that were introduced with SH5 will be the new standard for sub sims from Ubisoft Romania. It concerns me because despite the fact that some people are reporting they think it's neat, I'm willing to bet it will get old fast. I also have a hunch these new elements are tied to a broader strategy to make a sub sim that could be played more easily on a console (streamline the controls by minimizing how things happen and are initiated). In other words, Ubisoft may be trying to move the franchise to consoles were sales may be higher if they can attract a large enough crowd.

The DRM is a totally separate issue which I have a feeling will go away as it seems to be causing more ill will than anticipated.

[Boats]

Originally Posted by scrapser

I'm wondering if the new interface, sub interior, crew interaction, and all the associated "features" that were introduced with SH5 will be the new standard for sub sims from Ubisoft Romania. It concerns me because despite the fact that some people are reporting they think it's neat, I'm willing to bet it will get old fast. I also have a hunch these new elements are tied to a broader strategy to make a sub sim that could be played more easily on a console (streamline the controls by minimizing how things happen and are initiated). In other words, Ubisoft may be trying to move the franchise to consoles were sales may be higher if they can attract a large enough crowd.

The DRM is a totally separate issue which I have a feeling will go away as it seems to be causing more ill will than anticipated.

You actually think that with SH5 the way it is they're thinking of the future? Man that's optimism in the extreme.
Hard to believe anyone is thinking of Ubi ever doing another subsim. If they do it'll probrably be a empty CD container with a pretty picture on the front. Just like this SH, a pretty picture on an empty box, like their promises.

Yeah, I know of what I speak, I caved and bought it out of my monthly allowance. My optimism is that SH 5 will go from where it is to what it can be, but that's where it ends for me, Ubi can't do subsims, only the modders. It's like this house I had built by a less than honest contractor, he built me a fixer upper.
There should be a program on PBS "This New House" with tips on fixing the mess left by contractors. This is the second time I've had to do it, and I won't have another house built. Maybe the same idea can be started with a forum outside of mods, fixing this new sim.

[SteamWake]

It may be the new standard for eye candy and first person perspective. A good platform to build upon.

They put a tremdous amount of work into graphical details and a skeleton of a RPG system and forgot little things like well a compass.

But it just fails in so many ways. Without the modding community it would be for me unplayable.

No I'm afraid this may be the last of the SH.

[Boats]

I agree, there's the ability to fix it (from what I'm reading), but for someone who wanted a sim without the need of an internet connection it's BAD. And I'm not referring to the DRM, even without DRM you'd need an internet connection just to fix it.

[Ducimus]

As a software platform, i think it is. Assuming the DRM goes away, and it's poperly patched, with a couple years worth of mods thrown in on top, and it's my opinon that nobody will mention Sh3 except when waxing nostalgia, or running a single core CPU.

SH4 will still be around, unless a fleet boat conversion comes in, which i think is entirely possible if the 3d models in SH5's format/style existed for the exterior and interior.

[V.C. Sniper]

if u want it to be, yes

[Ducimus]

You can't model the effects of hydrodyamic resistance in SH3 or Sh4. In SH5 you can.

[Sledgehammer427]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

SH4 will still be around, unless a fleet boat conversion comes in, which i think is entirely possible if the 3d models in SH5's format/style existed for the exterior and interior.

I think that a fleet boat version using the engine of SHV would be better than the current U-boat setup. With A fleet boat, there's more room to move (inside and out,) and the campaign would be a bit more believeable than the dynamic campign we see now. (I'd love to think of a "one U-boat changes the war" story, but we all know it's not possible) The RPG element is good, but it needs to be far more expanded for long pacific patrols. The attack style enforced by the current UI would be better suited to american-style attacks, maybe that's just because I haven't done much research into a german submerged torpedo attack.

That and the dev (in case it's not ubi) team wouldn't have a problem finding suitable interiors to build their models from. A few improvements to the models from SHIV and you have a totally fresh sim, one that I would buy in a heartbeat, I might add.

[Vandecker]

In other words, Ubisoft may be trying to move the franchise to consoles were sales may be higher if they can attract a large enough crowd.

Bite your tongue!!!

[mookiemookie]

There is no Silent Hunter future. After this debacle, it's done. Hope you enjoy what you've got, and we can all figure out how to make this platform into whatever we want, be it fleet boats or Cold War, because my gut feeling is this is it.

[Cavell]

Originally Posted by scrapser

In other words, Ubisoft may be trying to move the franchise to consoles were sales may be higher if they can attract a large enough crowd.

That makes perfect sense, actually, and the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced.

The DRM is a totally separate issue which I have a feeling will go away as it seems to be causing more ill will than anticipated.

But it's not preventing many sales. The DRM's not going anywhere.

[Noren]

I have to give it to them, If one had a good gaming computer you could get fingerlickingly good graphics. Unfortunately its only skin deep, the interior has parts missing and the zombie-crew are appauling to me.

[Reece]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

As a software platform, i think it is. Assuming the DRM goes away, and it's poperly patched, with a couple years worth of mods thrown in on top, and it's my opinon that nobody will mention Sh3 except when waxing nostalgia, or running a single core CPU.

That's a nice dream anyway!

[JamesT73J]

Originally Posted by Brunos

SH5 is a disaster of all SH series. I wish UBI would stop making anything related to Submarines in future. Despite all their "experience" in SH series development, they did not learned a thing - Bugs and more bugs are all they can offer.

The amount of utter rubbish that has been spouted on this board of late has rivalled the worst excesses of the UBI forums from the IL2 heyday.

You'd rather no SH series at all? You'd rather the product line stopped at SH4? You'd rather there be no new historic submarine simulation titles on the market at all?

SH5 is not a disaster. It works better than SH4 did on release. It has greater potential than any predecessors.

[Immacolata]

Originally Posted by JamesT73J

The amount of utter rubbish that has been spouted on this board of late has rivalled the worst excesses of the UBI forums from the IL2 heyday.

You'd rather no SH series at all? You'd rather the product line stopped at SH4? You'd rather there be no new historic submarine simulation titles on the market at all?

SH5 is not a disaster. It works better than SH4 did on release. It has greater potential than any predecessors.

Well, hyperbole and attentionw*ring is never in short supply post-release on fan forums. Or rubbish, as you call it. Alas. "It is a slap in the face, a disaster, someone call in a lawyer, boycott it, I am going to pirate it, this is the end, why I wont play this game." Etc. Ad nauseam.

To be honest, right now I don't even know what to believe about SH5, which has made me quite wary with my money.
So I am going to see what this DRM-thingy ends up with. Ubi will release Settlers 7 in a few days, perhaps sporting an upgrade to their OSP-bull****. One can hope that Ubi shrugs it off and carries their vision through for Silent Hunter V. I am pretty sure that what we have now is not what their intention was.