SH3 or SH5?

ParaB · 02-19-14, 08:39 AM

Old SH fan returning here...

I was among those that were pretty much disappointed with SH5 on release but now would love to play a good UBoat campaign again.

I just browsed through the SH5 mods section and am a bit overwhelmed by the gazillion of mods.

My question is if SH5 is now "worth" playing if you prefer the SH3-style "open roaming" campaigns or if I'd better stick to SH3.

Most important for me is:

1.) a world that feels "alive"
2.) enemy AI
3.) actual UBoat simulation (manual torpedo targetting, etc...)
4.) crew interaction
5.) grafics

Thanks in advance.

BigWalleye · 02-19-14, 09:18 AM

Post this question both here and on the SH3 forum and you'll get entirely different responses. And you will have to decide which POV (if either) to rely on.

BTW, your first critertion,' a world that feels "alive"' is terribly subjective and very much a matter of which of many small details matter to you. My own subjective evaluation of SH3 vs SH5 surprised even me!

SH5 and SH3 each cost $10 on Amazon. At that price, probably the best way to determine which one you personally enjoy most is to try both. Don't disregard SH3 because it is "old and out of date." Don't disregard SH5 because it is "sloppy and bug-ridden." Both have lots of devoted gamers who will be happy to tell you why their favorite is just right. For them!

ParaB · 02-19-14, 01:52 PM

Thanks for your reply, BigWalleye.

I already own all versions of the SH series.

I'll try SH5 with a couple of mods and will see if I like it. If not I'll try my luck with SH3 again.

GT182 · 02-19-14, 02:44 PM

You will like SH5 but you need to have more than a couple of mods to run it without problems. Oh, you must also make sure it gets patched to 1.2...... 1.1 doesn't cut it.

I've played SH5 enough with mods that now it's my sub sim of choice. After a HDD crash back in December I reinstalled SH5 but not SH3. Partially because I'm now running Windows 8.1 and I'm not even sure SH3 will play on it. It probably will, but the graphics and crew are so much better in SH5. They look and act real.

Oleander · 02-19-14, 02:50 PM

They both hold up well on everything you've listed, but don't expect to play a stock version of SH5 without rage quitting. The games is riddled with bugs and is arguably unfinished, the vast number of mods have fixed a lot of the problems but there's still a few that are the result of poor coding choices on behalf of the developers.

SH3 is pretty flawless, especially with GWX installed, it just doesn't have to graphics 5 does. The big advantage, aside from being stable, it has over SH5 is that the AI seems more realistic. What I mean is escorts tend to behave more like they should and are more likely to hunt you down early on which makes it a bit more challenging.

Trevally. · 02-20-14, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigWalleye

because it is "sloppy and bug-ridden."

..

flag4 · 02-20-14, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trevally.

..

...I think this was a typo. I think he meant to type 'because it is getting better all the time with all the great work done by the modding community..'

BigWalleye · 02-20-14, 05:36 PM

No, I meant exactly what I said. Please read the entire post.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigWalleye

SH5 and SH3 each cost $10 on Amazon. At that price, probably the best way to determine which one you personally enjoy most is to try both. Don't disregard SH3 because it is "old and out of date." Don't disregard SH5 because it is "sloppy and bug-ridden." Both have lots of devoted gamers who will be happy to tell you why their favorite is just right. For them!

It has been received truth since the day it was released that SH5 had so many bugs that it could not be played. My point was that OP should not accept this received truth, but should get the game, install it, mod it, and TRY IT. He asked for a comparison of SH3 and SH5 and I suggested that the only meaningful comparison was the one OP made himself.

SH5 has undergone many changes both to fix bugs and to change the game itself. TDW has done heroic work with his patcher in fixing many problems which could never have been fixed by conventional modding. Is SH5 now the game Op wants and will enjoy, or should he go back to good ol' SH3? That is the question OP asked. Only OP can answer that question to his satisfaction. I suggested that he keep an open mind and evaluate both games before deciding which best suits his desires.

flag4 · 02-21-14, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigWalleye

No, I meant exactly what I said. Please read the entire post.

It has been received truth since the day it was released that SH5 had so many bugs that it could not be played. My point was that OP should not accept this received truth, but should get the game, install it, mod it, and TRY IT. He asked for a comparison of SH3 and SH5 and I suggested that the only meaningful comparison was the one OP made himself.

SH5 has undergone many changes both to fix bugs and to change the game itself. TDW has done heroic work with his patcher in fixing many problems which could never have been fixed by conventional modding. Is SH5 now the game Op wants and will enjoy, or should he go back to good ol' SH3? That is the question OP asked. Only OP can answer that question to his satisfaction. I suggested that he keep an open mind and evaluate both games before deciding which best suits his desires.

...I was gently pulling your leg.
I really don't know what all the fuss is about. one is old and very smooth and charming. the other is new and learning to walk on its own. they are both great sims. 3 is just a fine and glorious sim. 5 will be there one day thanks to modding community, vis-à-vis 3.
ive come to regard the question 'which one?' as meaningless, other than its a totally personal choice. its bound to upset someone.

Jimbuna · 02-21-14, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ParaB

Old SH fan returning here...

I was among those that were pretty much disappointed with SH5 on release but now would love to play a good UBoat campaign again.

I just browsed through the SH5 mods section and am a bit overwhelmed by the gazillion of mods.

My question is if SH5 is now "worth" playing if you prefer the SH3-style "open roaming" campaigns or if I'd better stick to SH3.

Most important for me is:

1.) a world that feels "alive"
2.) enemy AI
3.) actual UBoat simulation (manual torpedo targetting, etc...)
4.) crew interaction
5.) grafics

Thanks in advance.

Try em both and decide what you consider to be the most enjoyable...SH3, IV and V are now totally different to what they were upon initial release as a result of extensive modding efforts and IMO all are worth playing.

I, like others have a preference but I do find myself going back to others in the series from time to time.

02-19-14, 08:39 AM	#1
ParaB Chief Join Date: May 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 327 Downloads: 16 Uploads: 0	SH3 or SH5? Old SH fan returning here... I was among those that were pretty much disappointed with SH5 on release but now would love to play a good UBoat campaign again. I just browsed through the SH5 mods section and am a bit overwhelmed by the gazillion of mods. My question is if SH5 is now "worth" playing if you prefer the SH3-style "open roaming" campaigns or if I'd better stick to SH3. Most important for me is: 1.) a world that feels "alive" 2.) enemy AI 3.) actual UBoat simulation (manual torpedo targetting, etc...) 4.) crew interaction 5.) grafics Thanks in advance.

02-19-14, 02:44 PM	#4
GT182 Ocean Warrior Join Date: May 2005 Location: New Castle of Delaware Posts: 3,231 Downloads: 658 Uploads: 0	You will like SH5 but you need to have more than a couple of mods to run it without problems. Oh, you must also make sure it gets patched to 1.2...... 1.1 doesn't cut it. I've played SH5 enough with mods that now it's my sub sim of choice. After a HDD crash back in December I reinstalled SH5 but not SH3. Partially because I'm now running Windows 8.1 and I'm not even sure SH3 will play on it. It probably will, but the graphics and crew are so much better in SH5. They look and act real. __________________ Gary No Borders, No Language, No Culture =s No Country I'm a Deplorable, and proud of it.

02-19-14, 09:18 AM	#2
BigWalleye Sea Lord Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: On the Eye-lond, mon! Posts: 1,987 Downloads: 465 Uploads: 0	Post this question both here and on the SH3 forum and you'll get entirely different responses. And you will have to decide which POV (if either) to rely on. BTW, your first critertion,' a world that feels "alive"' is terribly subjective and very much a matter of which of many small details matter to you. My own subjective evaluation of SH3 vs SH5 surprised even me! SH5 and SH3 each cost $10 on Amazon. At that price, probably the best way to determine which one you personally enjoy most is to try both. Don't disregard SH3 because it is "old and out of date." Don't disregard SH5 because it is "sloppy and bug-ridden." Both have lots of devoted gamers who will be happy to tell you why their favorite is just right. For them!

02-19-14, 01:52 PM	#3
ParaB Chief Join Date: May 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 327 Downloads: 16 Uploads: 0	Thanks for your reply, BigWalleye. I already own all versions of the SH series. I'll try SH5 with a couple of mods and will see if I like it. If not I'll try my luck with SH3 again.

02-19-14, 02:50 PM	#5
Oleander Machinist's Mate Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 126 Downloads: 475 Uploads: 0	They both hold up well on everything you've listed, but don't expect to play a stock version of SH5 without rage quitting. The games is riddled with bugs and is arguably unfinished, the vast number of mods have fixed a lot of the problems but there's still a few that are the result of poor coding choices on behalf of the developers. SH3 is pretty flawless, especially with GWX installed, it just doesn't have to graphics 5 does. The big advantage, aside from being stable, it has over SH5 is that the AI seems more realistic. What I mean is escorts tend to behave more like they should and are more likely to hunt you down early on which makes it a bit more challenging.