The Silent Hunter IV (Pacific Campaign) WISH-LIST

[Sub Libertate Quietem]

I want to be able to go into the engine room and see and hear those monster diesels thumping.

Rescuing downed pilots was a common task for submarines. Lets do some of that.

[SubMonkey]

1.) Make it backwards compatible with SH3
2.) Model ALL interior compartments including the German Subs if backwards compatible with SH3.
3.) Ability to switch back between periscope and conning tower.
4.) Added crew member manning Torpedo Computer in Conning tower (Historical)
5.) Increase visual range in game. (too short in SH3...)
6.) Add wolf-packs.
7.) Keep up the great work!
8.) get GOOD beta-testers
9.) Don't leave bugs in the game like you did with Sh3.
10.) Fix Starforge.

[thasaint]

More than 1 country to play as.
Give us the option to command other country's subs, don't even have to do both sides of the war IMO, just the u.s. and a few other allied countries would be nice. as an american, i often enjoy playing as the uk more than the u.s., just because i've played 10357031850183508 games where i'm american, the change of scenery is nice.

More realistic weather.
I think that one's pretty self explanatory.

More emphasis on merchant ships.
Give us more targets to shoot at. IMO i'd rather have a large amount of varying merchant targets than an abundance of warships.

Realistic viewing distance.
self explanatory.

This one may be stretching it, but FULL 3d sub interiors in which i can move around in.
I would like to be able to move from my quarters to the periscope and back without shortcuts. In SH3 you can't just leave the periscope view into the conning tower, need to use the control room shortcut. It would be nice to be able to see the engine room, crew's quarters, and torpedo rooms as well.

i think that's about it for my wishlist hehe, a lil much?

[Zachstar]

Ya im hoping for LIFE in SH4.

I mean you have to deal with complex issues commanding a sub. Currently the guys just do simple animations and some talk. What id be nice to have is crew walking around when the shifts change. and have the ability to talk to the crew and get ideas and whatnot.

Like walking around you can see the crew playing cards or some reading books and stuff.

You hear them talking about girls, the war, their families, etc.

Having full 3d of interiors is a must. Its junk that you were limted to so few rooms.

The sub and mood need to change over time. You should have to deal with stuff breaking down and rationing of food.

When a crewmember dies there needs to be serious moral and life onboard implications.

They have plenty of time to implement MANY MANY features so lets get them all down for them to go over.

Id say the first thing to do is see how the mods fixed errors, fix them. ask the mod creators to be on the beta test team and move on. This will be a great first step.

[glenno]

I would like to see the watch officer go to the bridge automatically when surfacing . LOL

[Sulikate]

Originally Posted by glenno

I can remember somewhere where ubi said in a future silent hunter there would be dynamic weather .
Lots more ships .
Better looking graphics.
Did i mention more ships .
Hundreds more new ports.
Did i mention more ships.
SDK pack for adding more ships.
Did i mention more ships.

totally agreed.

[gunnersman]

Hi all.
Great news.

Originally Posted by Drebbel

Don't make me feel alone
Although SHIII did try it, it did imho not succedd in getting rid of the feeling "I am alone". We need more radio traffic, traffic in ports, welcome messages, escort to/from base, friendly scout planes, music/news stations on radio etcetera.

I whole heartedly agree. To me, this would improve the sub sim a great deal!

I would be happy if they took SH3, improved the AI, and allowed other submarines to attack.

I wouldnt mind playing different nationalities either. To me that would make the sim much more replayable.

[Dar]

This coming from a newbie who just got SH3 last week and is enjoying it immensely.

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News/Current Events Updates

I'd like to see more updates on what's happening in the larger conflict. I've only been playing a short time, but I'd like to see newspaper-like briefs displayed stating that Warsaw has fallen, Denmark and Norway have been invaded, the first air-raid on Berlin took place, etc. etc. These would be especially great during load times.

Although it's not so realistic to get such updates at sea--well, wait a minute--the crews could turn to radio stations when surfaced, right? In any case, it'd be nice to get those updates at sea as well--just to be aware of what's going on in the larger conflict.

These messages should merely be noted--not intrusive enough to interrupt time compression or require player acknowledgement.

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Concentrate on ONE Playable Side

I've read a few requests here for people to be able to play as Japan or American or Dutch or British or Australian or etc, etc. Please just concentrate on playing as the Allies vs Japan, if not just the Americans vs Japan!

I think it's not realistic to expect the developers to develop good AI based on the varying equipment and doctrines of multiple nations within the timeframe of a commercial release of a game like this. Please just concentrate on the AI for the Japanese side--I want quality, not quantity!

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That's my short list for now based on my short playing time so far with SH3. I'm sure I'll have more as I play more!

[Rosencrantz]

This time I hope Devs wouldn't be so much worried about graphics, but other things. We use to think how "good looking game" is the most important feature for a "casual player". I think that's not true. More depth the game has, more "casuals" will end up to be real enthusiastics. And this means more markets in the future. :hmm:


Few of my wishes are:

- No need to use ID book with TDC notepad. Mast height "scale" working like AOB "scale" in SHIII would be useful and great.
- Key commands for rudder: 5, 10,15,20,30, Full right/left rudder. Should work like engine commands.
- REALISTIC crew placements in control room and command tower!
- Possibilities to handle the engines separately and to drive the boat with e-motors on the surface.
- More sounds, thats more important than better graphics!
- PROPERLY GIVEN PATROL ORDERS, IF POSSIBLE! Or at least orders better than given in SHIII.
- Rescue / Intelligence tasks like original SH got.
- FIRST RANK TO BE LEUTNANT SNR, NOT JR. Leutnant Jr didn't get the command!
- Read what Dar and Joe S wrote!

[glenno]

1/ better graphics
2/ in the same style as SH3
3/ realstic
4/ SDK ship and sub pack so the mod community can add there own ships and subs .(apart from 100s of ships & subs included)
5/ The ability to add buildings , ports , landscape objects ourselves.
6/ The world to be way more detailed .
7/ Everyone has broadband so why carnt BDU be online . I dont know how this would work . Im just trying to think ouside the box .
Regards FRITZ DITTMER LEUTNANT Z. S

[Sniper_1]

I've posted earlier about my specific wishlist (more compartments on sub to enter, more realistic crew managemt and improved graphics etc).

I have a sneaky suspicion that SH4 is going to be SH3.5, in that it will be just an updated and re-modeled SH3 engine. I doubt if Ubi would go to the trouble of designing another subsim from scratch when it allready has a very good subsim to play with.

On that note i'd like to add a few more wishes after reading the thread:

1. More realistic orders, given in a correct USN style for the time, and using correct terminology and phrases. Not just go to point A and cruise around for a bit.

2. Added to this realistic intel breifings/intel documents on what to expect in the way of Jap convoys and Naval forces in you op area.

3. Photo Recon missions, beach recon missions and lifegaurd/pilot rescue missions.

4. Better Radio traffic. A modder called irishred developed a full set of accurate radio messages from Bdu to the U-boats at sea and this massively added to the immersion of SH3. A similar set of accurate radio logs should be developed for SH4. And note to DEVS: This is a perfect project to get the modders involved in BEFORE the game is released. A radio log file with a list of real life messages could be complied without the modders knowing anything about the actual development of SH4.

In fact there are several tasks which the mod community could get involved in before the game is actually released, from researching various historical facts etc. to actually designing 3d models and Skinning the resultant models. The modders involved would of course be under NDA's (Non Disclosure Agreements) and some of them might even work for free (a copy of SH4 a week or so before the rest of us would be payment enough i feel for many modders+the feeling of actually being involved in such a project). The talent of the modders on this forum is amazing, one only has to look at the SH2 to Pacific Aces conversion to see that the Devs would be throwing away a golden opportunity if they did not enlist some of the massive talent on this forum.

Sniper_1.

[Sniper_1]

More thoughts/ideas have come to mind:

-An 'officers mess' for between patrols where you can catch up on gossip and news about the progress of the war etc.

-A series of 'qualifiying' courses at the start for just you as a PCO (Prospective Commanding Officer). The sub and crew you use for this is not the one you will command. Have seperate crew training excercises to improve crew skills prior to deploying.

-If you accept a new build boat, you have to return to the states to commission her. That means that you arrive at a shipyard and pick up the boat from there, with a cut-scene comissioning ceremony (maybe you even see her being launched and worked on/fitted out in the yard). You then have the option of going through the training missions again (to train your crew, as they would be historically a mix of about 1/3 experienced crew and 2/3rd new crew).

-If you change your command have a proper 'change of command ceremony' as per USN traditions.

Thats all i can think off for now.

Sniper_1.

[supersloth]

- food limits your time at sea.
- more realistic navigation
-bad weather blocks the stars and makes it more difficult to navigate and you might get blown off course.
-random machine breakdowns.
-wolfpacks
-special/scripted missions. like photographing ports and stuff.
- model of the entire sub interior.
-good moddability.

[iambecomelife]

Several wishes:


-Much better crew management. I'd prefer to be able to create watches that automatically man their stations instead of having to babysit throughout the cruise. Maybe crew who are on the same watch can develop some sort of bond - perhaps they accumulate experience points faster.

-This brings me to the crewmembers themselves. SH3 was a good start; now, I'd like to see more 3d variation amongst the bodies and heads of crew. At the very least, unique 2d portraits/ID cards would help a lot. Give us a little background info - maybe the radioman's a green-as-grass farmboy from the Midwest. Maybe the XO's out for blood because his brother's MIA on Wake Island. It may seem minor, but it's little things like this that make a game a classic. If it's too much trouble, allow us to write our own bio's. Also, some representation of stress or injuries - nothing disgusting, maybe an arm in a sling or bandages. The crew should show more emotion, based on what's happened during the patrol.

Plus, how about a more complex measure of crew traits? A possible value table follows:

-Teamwork: Governs how a sailor affects the rest of his watch. High values will help the entire group learn/gain XP faster.
-Competence: How well a sailor performs individual tasks. Maybe a poor radioman will garble your messages. A bad torpedoman will accidently fire the fish while you're setting up an attack.
-Courage: Self explanatory. It would be interesting to have crewmembers panic under stress, like in B-17 II.
-Endurance: Affects morale, especially on long patrols. Governs how likely a crewmember is to recover from wounds or illness.
-Fame: Accumulated after a spectacular feat or consistent success. Maybe only for your officers, or just the player's character. Can lead to unit citations, special rewards illustrated thru cut scenes, etc.
-Infamy: Accumulated similarly, but based on friendly fire, disobeying orders, and other misconduct.

********

-The submarine should be much more vulnerable than it currently is. One hit from a heavy shell should make it impossible to dive. There need to be breakdowns and random systems failures. Sailing at 19-20 kts for hours on end should not go unpunished; something's eventually going to overheat... At higher levels of realism, aborted patrols should not be unheard of. Plus, the game DEFINITELY needs to model the poor American torpedoes, especially the Mk XIV. There are far too few duds ingame now, even allowing for SH3's more reliable German torpedoes.

-The AI for enemy units should be more complex. Merchants should straggle and (occasionally) assist torpedoed comrades. Destroyers shouldn't pursue submarines en masse - they should leave one or two to screen the remainder of the convoy. Ships should zigzag even if there isn't an immediate threat, especially late in the war. Skilled escorts should stop their engines and lure you into coming to the surface after a prolonged DC'ing. In surface battles, units shouldn't always fight to the death; they ought to break off the attack if badly damaged or outnumbered. Survivors/lifeboats MUST be modeled. As I said before, think of how differently WWII submarine warfare would have been if the escorts didn't have the added responsibility of saving survivors.

-Special missions. American sub commanders hated them, but the odd commando raid or supply run would diversify our gaming experience. I'd also love to pull lifeguard duty as well.

-Real trade lanes. You should encounter lots of tankers heading for the east indies to pick up oil for the Home Islands. In late 1942, you should see lots of troopships heading for Guadalcanal, and so on. Sinking ships in a certain area should have consequences. If there's a dynamic campaign, an enemy's advance or war effort might be slowed by your handiwork. This is by no means ahistorical; IIRC the USS "Jack" caused a severe oil shortage in Japan by wiping out a convoy of tankers late in the war. There should be risks, as well - the escort should become heavier and more alert if you hit a single area hard.

-Some sign that there's a world beyond your sub. A few cut scenes would be interesting; maybe a mix of the game's animation and stock footage from, say, Midway, Iwo Jima, etc. I really want to see the equivalent of that bar in 'Aces of the Deep'. Chat with other captains, see your own crew outside of the sub, and so forth. If the dev's really want to get into the role-playing aspect, maybe your actions ashore can contribute to promotions/rewards. The sad truth is that sucking up may get you a promotion as surely as sinking a Maru.

-A good variety of surface targets, with an emphasis on cargo ships. From 10,000 ton tankers to dugout canoes, and everything in between. If it's just not possible to include lots of different vessels the developers will have to make the game as moddable as possible, so that the community can help rectify this. I would also like non-player submarines and torpedo-carrying units.

-Better damage modeling and a wider variety of cargoes. Iron ore and balsa wood will have very different effects on a vessel's sinking rate. Flooding should vary based on what is being carried, a ship's size, the seastate, and the skill level of the crew. Metal should deform and bend. Furthermore, ships should enter an "abandoned" state where they will drift and not fire on you, even if they have undamaged weapons. Currently, even the most hoplelessly crippled merchant ship stays manned until the bitter end-not realistic at all.

-The campaign must remain dynamic/semi-dynamic. The current system of random merchant contacts/percentages would work well, with a few adjustments-particularly, the ability for groups to scatter or merge with one another.

-If possible, an "Admiral Mode" like the current "SubWolves" project, where you can dispatch boats on individual missions and conduct R & D. The player can conduct single missions that will have a "ripple effect" on the average success of the fleet as a whole. I can understand if there's not enough time to include this mode of play, though.

-Additional nationalities. I'd be willing to pay for an addon with Japanese, Dutch and British subs. The ideal game would also feature a German Atlantic campaign as well.

Scripted storylines bore me, and tend to be quite predictable. I don't want a trite "I-won-the-war-single-handedly" screenplay, with a square-jawed hero and barbie-doll female co-star. I want to take up the role of a commander with 1000's of possibilites ahead of him. Maybe you'll be the next O'Kane or Mush Morton. Maybe you'll sink a handful of ships and live a quiet postwar life. Then again, you could get sunk on your first patrol.

[Karl-Heinz Jaeger]

What I don't get is why are people asking to make it US specific or Japanese specific?? Wouldn't we all be FAR better off if the Dev's made SHIV a COMPREHENSIVE WWII NAVAL SIM, instead of just a US sub game?? Picture SHIII with the option to play as any of the nations who employed submarines and submariners as part of their striking fleet, but with the added dimension of a DC2 as par for the course. This would allow a pretty complete WWII naval experience from convoy escort to carrier ops and everything in between.

I personally feel that anything less than this would be a massive letdown and a huge waste of time and money. As far as in game features go, the boats should be fully interactive with the ability to walk around the sub and chat to your crew, supervise torpedo reloading times and repair crews, replace fuses in the blown fuse box, move dials set switches-basically everything that had to be done irl by a real crew. Despite the obvious work gone into SHIII, there was still an awful lot of details left out to the extent that one was left with a level of involvement that was almost totally limited to issuing commands. The whole experience needs to be re-done from scratch, taking into account the lessons learned from SHIII and implementing the enormous flood of ideas that we here at Subsim.com have put forth. Make it as realistic as possible, as dynamic as possible and as large and immersive as possible with unlimited choice of theatre, nation, platform and vehicle. I think the chances of a SHV being made are V,V low so I would like to see SHIV so complete a naval gaming experience that the next big naval game to hit the shelves after it's release is a cutlass and gunpowder driven one-think Master & Commander!!