How broken is broken? seriously.

[Redlance88]

I am in no way trying to start any sort of a flame war or in any way trying to troll for one side or the other, but really want to hear peoples thoughts. I have read lots and lots about sh5 being practically unplayable out of the box but to me it seems like the real problem is that the instruction manual is more or less useless. the only three things that I think are truly broken in the game are the 1)moral system 2) magnetic trigger for torps and 3) the statiometer with the moral system being the worst offender in that it creates a situation where crew don't obey orders at all. the rest of the issues I have seen , are problems with save games not saving the state of events when you left the game , and that often creates situations that can get bad really fast. Now the question becomes what else is so broken that the game is "unplayable" I for one have been playing the heck out of the game and having a grand old time, now yes, I have a few mods installed that deal with some of the issues, but most are either eye candy type of things, or realism enhancements. the reason I ask is to see what bothers folks most and to discuss what sort of work around's are out there to deal with them. My Idea is to make it more fun for some of the folks who are having a hard time.

[kylania]

The main problems for me were what you mentioned, and key commands like rudder, compass, depth to keel and other previous (and working!) keys not being bound.

These are all ridiculously easy to fix things that should have been hotfixed DAY ONE, but ubisoft have waited 2 months to even begin to fix them.

That said, the game is ENTIRELY playable with mods at this point and will just get better once the patch fixes the bugs and allows more expansion to the game.

[John Channing]

My only real issues are the stadimeter (not an easy fix as SH4 proved) and the fact that damage to AI is not carried over in savegames.

Other than that, I'm good.

The morale mod is great.

JCC

[speedbird]

Regarding your comment about the manual, yes is sad... then again how many games come with a proper manual nowadays...?

I liked the ones you can read on your way to work but I am afraid they are long gone

[mookiemookie]

The lack of merchant ship variety is really the only reason I'm not playing the game at the moment. All of the other major issues have been solved with mods.

let me see if i can cover the generalities:

the unplayability of the game is in reference to those with intermittent or limited internet access or connectivity, that is what makes the game unplayable for many.

there is a group who hate the DRM with a passion and because of this they dont want to hear or let good things be said about the game.

there is also a group who ignore the bad things about the game and feel the need to over hype and overlook the legitimate flaws of the game.


the game overall is pretty good but out of the box (i will be kind here) it leaves a lot to be desired.

the mods do wonders to improve the game and the biggest gripe to date is the patch thats so slow to be released.


unfortunately im pretty sure this thread will follow the path of all the many others like it that came before it and it will not produce constructive conversation but instead will be like blood in the water attracting all the drama sharks to come to fight it out in the never ending battle of the "i like sh5" vs "i dont like sh5" crowds.

for good constructive discussions about the game i think you will find that the sh5 mods section is where most of the actual game is discussed without all the opinions and feelings surrounding the sh5 debate pro or con.

[Nisgeis]

I don't think I've seen anything mentioned about the stadimeter in a long time. What's the problem with it? I remember something about a locking problem?

[robbo180265]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

The lack of merchant ship variety is really the only reason I'm not playing the game at the moment. All of the other major issues have been solved with mods.

I have to agree - more than anything else this is my major gripe and the main reason that I'm no longer playing.

[Bilge_Rat]

Originally Posted by Nisgeis

Hmmm, despite all the righteous believers out there posting the truth so that the ignorant do not accidentally buy the game, I don't think I've seen anything mentioned about the stadimeter in a long time. What's the problem with it? I remember something about a locking problem?

It does not work, apparently it is reading the wrong data and therefore gives the wrong range reading.

I understand DarkWraith's UI mod solves that issue, but I have not checked.

I personally use Arclight's periscope mod and determine range with a simple trig formula, quite easy when you get the hang of it.

[Wilcke]

Aside from its known issues; I installed SH5 on release date and played it for about 4 weeks without any mods just box stock, its worked rather well and glitch free. I was rather amazed.

[pythos]

Merchant ship variety.

I don't understand this gripe.

I have seen convoys with all manner of vessels.

I have seen, c3 freighters, Hogs Islands, Chimarian (sp) tankers, medium tankers, Ranger class tankers, troop transports, and Liberty class. The only ones missing are the small freighters and coastal ships, but these usually were not in convoys.

Just what kinds of vessels do you think were in the convoys during the war?

That being a reason to not enjoy the game seems rather silly.

The problems I have are map contacts with no time stamps, which makes figuring a proper intercept course really fun. The aircraft just flying by is also nerve wracking. The destroyers that for no reason start trailing but not closing to attack or call in others, just being there due to a really bad glitch, make things annoying. The Stadimeter of all Sh versions has been clumsy to the extreme, and I only tried to use it once. The skipper or commander set the line, and the XO or 1st WO read off the reading and put it in the TDC, something that has not been accurately implemented in the game.

The damage models are not the best, and the boat's buoyancy is lousy.

The lack of the correct pitch change at power setting changes is also a bad bug, that no one seems to care about.

None of the above are game killers, they just should not be in a polished and published game.

[Redlance88]

in regards to rudder, I came from the sh3 /sh4 crowd and at first I really really missed a quick click rudder . but as I played a bit , first with the hard to starboard hard to port, quick keys , and eventually with the set my course to where I am looking quick key, I don't miss rudder quick click gui at all. I always navigate into the sub pens, and have never so much as scrached the paint. and to me it feels much more authentic that way. so for me I don't see that as broken as much as poorly documented change. give it a try ya may come to like it as I have. ( but as always I am in no way trying to tell people what they should feel about the changes) in that same vein I am fortunate to have high enough resolution that I can use the compass on the bridge to see what my heading is and again I see that as much more authentic so long story short I would be perfectly happy if there wasn't much of a gui at all if I could click on or menu order the needed commands to navigate and fight. my two bits for now ( slow work day)

[kylania]

Originally Posted by pythos

Merchant ship variety.

I don't understand this gripe.

I have seen convoys with all manner of vessels.

I have seen, c3 freighters, Hogs Islands, Chimarian (sp) tankers, medium tankers, Ranger class tankers, troop transports, and Liberty class. The only ones missing are the small freighters and coastal ships, but these usually were not in convoys.

That's ALL you see is the problem. The same ships, over and over. Same paint schemes, same armaments, same everything. It's always a few Liberty/Large Steamers, a big tanker or little tanker, maybe a troop transport.

There's HUNDREDS of different ships we could have in game if only we could properly import them, which we can't till this stupid patch comes out. So yeah, there's 7 ships and it's cool that you're happy only ever seeing 7 types of ships (though really it's more like 4 types usually) but that's a bit sparse for more people.

[Frumpkis]

Originally Posted by pythos

(snip)
The aircraft just flying by is also nerve wracking. The destroyers that for no reason start trailing but not closing to attack or call in others, just being there due to a really bad glitch, make things annoying.

As someone who is still on the fence about buying this game (and happily playing a modded SH4), the status of the AI is one of the main things holding me back. In another thread here, someone said "AI is more stupid than a snail." Is it really that bad, or are people just seeing random odd behavior from the AI?

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by pythos

Merchant ship variety.

I don't understand this gripe.

I don't see why not, when every ship in every convoy is either a a) Hog Island b) "Large Steamer" (Liberty ship) c) Cimarron tanker or d) Ranger tanker.

If you're lucky, you'll see a troop transport or two. But usually its the same four, over and over and over. And since you're out for tonnage, your only real choices are the Cimarrons or the Liberties. So that's really only two ships that you're consistently sinking.

Uboat.net lists 39 classes of merchant ships hit by u-boats. I'm only regularly attacking 2. Something is wrong here.