SH4 rating after 1.3

[maerean_m]

Do you want Neal to update the SH4 review and rating after the 1.3 patch has been released?

[ReallyDedPoet]

It has made a difference, so yes.


RDP

[TDK1044]

In all fairness, I think a 'Review' has to be of the game at the time of release. If this wasn't the case, then you could also update the 'Review' based on mods.

Silent Hunter 4 patched to 1.3 and modded is an excellent subsim. I purchased it knowing that additional patches and mods would make it an excellent game.

However, most purchasers of SH4 are not members of Forums such as this, and they purchased the vanilla version of the game in retail stores and will probably never patch or mod the game. Therefore, I believe that the original Review should stand.

[wetwarev7]

Just curious, why would I care if a review gets changed or not?

Now, if you were asking if I rated SH4 higher with the 1.3 patch(which is what I thought from the title), I would say yes.

[Hillsy_]

I agree with TDK1044 comments. Silent Hunter 4 got more than a fair review when it was released. Look at Dark Messiah of Might & Magic. 6.7 from gamespot when it was released. Very,very buggy when it was released! Crashes to desktop, synchronizing of the sound, it was appalling.. I had above the recommended specs and I couldn't get past Chapter 1 due to excessive CTD's. Only with the v1.02 International Patch was most things corrected, which made for a more playable game which I did finish. Was this another UBI-Soft game? Hmmm...

Ubi-soft publish good games, it is a pity they do not give the developers time to finish them...Oh I'm ranting.. Sorry!

Roger, Roger, over and out..

Damn that Star wars!

I'm with TDK on this. If we start allowing reviews to be modified after patches then it encourage publishers to release buggy and unfinished games. Given how annoying the early release of SHIV was for this community then I would definately not like that behaviour to become the norm.

SO the review should stay as it is, if publishers want better reviews they should let the developers finish the game before releasing it!

[ReallyDedPoet]

Originally Posted by TDK1044

In all fairness, I think a 'Review' has to be of the game at the time of release. If this wasn't the case, then you could also update the 'Review' based on mods.

Good point TDK, I guess I was thinking more along the lines of reviewing based upon a completed game. But agree, that is opening a whole can of worms

Uber raises some good issues as well.


RDP

[John Channing]

Out of my own sense of self interest I have to say yes.

There is still a large untapped market of potential players out there and, with the number of myths, urban legends and outright misunderstandings about the game, even in it's current excellent state, I have to believe it would be helpful to update, not revise, the initial review.

More sales = more stuff for me down the road.

Plus there is precedent here with Fast Attack and a number of others that were re-visited post patching.

Not that it's ever a good idea to look for more things for the Boss to do, but what can I tell yah... I want SH 5 through 10!

JCC

[wetwarev7]

Originally Posted by John Channing

Not that it's ever a good idea to look for more things for the Boss to do, but what can I tell yah... I want SH 5 through 10!

JCC

heh...SH10(Or Silent Hunter 3000) Will be a look back and simulation of the old antimatter submarines of WW8. Discover the dangers of navigating the Earth's 20 foot deep oceans(global warming, you know, all the water evaporated) in an antiquated tungsteen hulled plasma driven flying saucer shaped Uboat, tracking your targets using the then cutting edge technology of tachyon stream particle emmision detection, and blowing them up with malfunctioning photon torpedoes! Great for nostalgic Dads everywhere!

[BarjackU977]

But if they read the review, they will most likely also take a look at the forums, don't you think?
And they will also find out about a patch and install it.

I think the review should be edited, but to add a comment for patch 1.3. So, the original review should remain, with a big remark about the status of the game with patch 1.3.

Originally Posted by TDK1044

In all fairness, I think a 'Review' has to be of the game at the time of release. If this wasn't the case, then you could also update the 'Review' based on mods.

Silent Hunter 4 patched to 1.3 and modded is an excellent subsim. I purchased it knowing that additional patches and mods would make it an excellent game.

However, most purchasers of SH4 are not members of Forums such as this, and they purchased the vanilla version of the game in retail stores and will probably never patch or mod the game. Therefore, I believe that the original Review should stand.

[AVGWarhawk]

I believe a fresh review would be nice. I play the game only modded with new textures. No other playability mod is installed. I plan on using Taters new campaign layers when he is completed with it. Therefore and with that said, the game to me is much improved over the original and all the patches with the last being 1.3. IMHO, if SH4 game out of the box in the state it is in with 1.3 patch I would have been very satisfied with the game. The texture mods just add some nice touches. At this time I do not believe I need the somewhat major mods that are available. Playability is quite nice in the unmodded version patched to 1.3. The AI are very unpredictable as it should be. I'm quite happy with the developers version of the AI and the reaction therein.

[Rockin Robbins]

Originally Posted by Uber Gruber

I'm with TDK on this. If we start allowing reviews to be modified ...

Damn! Do I always have to come down on a different side of a discussion than Uber Gruber? I hate to disagree with people I like, but.....

I believe that the purpose of a review is to answer the question, "Do I want to buy this game?" That answer can change, based on patches and mods. Therefore the review that says, "Don't buy this turkey, it's broken!" is doing people a disservice if the game is fixed and a blast to play. "Patch 1.3 fixed almost all the issues that plagued the game on launch. Mods by Subsim modders can make this game an immersive experience without precident in war game simulations. Silent Hunter 4 is fixed and a blast to play! Buy it!" End of review.

Perhaps the review can be changed in a way that preserves the original content, punishing the game manufacturer for jumping the gun on publication, but adding the reviewer's opinion of the game in its present form. We do have some obligation to act in our own best interest.

After all, if you are not willing to change an unfavorable review of a game that is fixed, the review squelches future sales. Why then, would a game company ever want to fix a game again? We've used the stick. There comes a time to switch to the carrot.

After the child responds properly to punishment, reward is appropriate. Are we all here because we hate the child? Hmmmmm?:hmm: (this last paragraph should be read in a German accent for maximum effect)

[Iron Budokan]

I voted no only because I thought he did fair job already and the changes that have been made with 1.3 wouldn't necessarily change his overall review...at least as I understood it.

[The General]

Let's be honest, Neal's original review was a little redundant because the game was already released and in circulation for some time. I also thought it was a little too positive. A review now, would be a complete waste of his/our time.

Obviously I voted 'Non!'

I'm gonna bend my original reasoning in light of the views expressed by AVGWarhawk and Rockin Robbins.

I think the review should be ammended to reflect the status of the game at release and also after patch 1.3. I also think the score could be modified to reflect the improvement..e.g.

Score: 6/10 (initial release), 8/10 (patched).

Alternatively, a completely new review could be written and linked to from the initial review. I still have to maintain that the intiail review should not be changed as we should ideally encourage publishers to do things correctly in the first instance. That said, I would also like to acknowledge the work done by the developers in producing a great 1.3 patch.

Oh and the following quote had nothing to do with my slight change of heart.....honest:hmm:

Damn! Do I always have to come down on a different side of a discussion than Uber Gruber? I hate to disagree with people I like, but.....