Captain's Cabin??

[Captain_Jack]

I know they are not including a Radio Room in SHIV, but what about a Captain's Cabin?

I have seen screenhots of the control room and the conning tower. Any screenies of a Captain's Cabin out there?

[flintlock]

Haven't seen any, and I think I recall reading somewhere that it wasn't going to be modelled within SH4 (though I may be mistaken).

[FIREWALL]

GOOD !

[flintlock]

Originally Posted by FIREWALL

GOOD !

If it was modelled, it's not as though anyone would be forcing you to spend any time in there.

[Captain_Jack]

Originally Posted by FIREWALL

GOOD !

No reason to be arrogant.

Just use External View the whole time..then you dont have to have any compartments.

[Schultzy]

That's a shame if it's not in.
When i'm reading my book with TC on x1, I like to get away from my LI leering at me (It gets a bit creepy after a while, you all know the stare!)
Hmm, I understand the arguement, better to have DD's that can do their job, rather than have somewhere nice to sit etc but still...

The only time I saw the Captain's Cabin in SHIII, was when I accidently walked into it.

[trenken]

I think that's correct that there will be no captains quarter. I read recently they said it was that if they worried about something like that, it would either delay the game, which Ubi wont allow, or they would have to spend less time on important functionality. I'd rather have functionality than seperate rooms that technically aren't needed anyway. Their nice to have but gameplay is far more important.

It's just a shame that choice even needs to be made. But I know everything hinges on time and budget so I guess this is where the business keeps games from being as good as they could be.

[Capt. D]

Originally Posted by trenken

I think that's correct that there will be no captains quarter. I read recently they said it was that if they worried about something like that, it would either delay the game, which Ubi wont allow, or they would have to spend less time on important functionality. I'd rather have functionality than seperate rooms that technically aren't needed anyway. Their nice to have but gameplay is far more important.

It's just a shame that choice even needs to be made. But I know everything hinges on time and budget so I guess this is where the business keeps games from being as good as they could be.

and from LukeFF

Personally, I'm glad they didn't model extra rooms that really don't add any functionality to the game. While we all think it'd be "great" to have a fully modeled interior, the cost/benefit ratio does not justify it at all. Having a captain's cabin in SH3 was perfectly justified, given the compartments directly adjacent to it. I'm not totally up on U.S. submarine architecture, but if the captain's cabin was completely separate from gameplay-essential rooms, what is the point in modeling it? The people who play at 1x time compression and "use" the cabin are a select few - little wonder then that Ubi elected to not model it this time around.

There have been many pros and cons on this discussion for some time. I think the functionality to the game issue has been brought up from time to time. As I must agree that only X amount of space is avaliable in a game/sim and that one must look at the functionality of what will be part of the sim - some things that will be part of the game - e.g. camera views or "birds eye view" as I call them - do add to the overall "sight" of the game but what functionality do they bring?

Before I get "drowned" out - let me say that I would be the first to want to see my boat's periscope shears break the surface and then see the bow and gradually the rest of my boat come to the surface with water streaming off the superstructure. It would be very neat to see the torpedo tubes open and see the torpedos fired from my boat and then watch them travel to the target and see the huge holes in that ship after the torpedo struck! However what functionality does that really bring to the game itself - other than knowing we did do damage - which was a guessing game in real time as one only saw what we could from the scope or TBT if on the surface.

However - if I am to understand we will be given "special" missions - how could functionality not be add to the game if the Captain is given an Ultra Message by his radio operator - in the radio room - and then proceeds to his Captains Quarters to unlock his safe and take out the code book for Ultras and actually de-code the message from Comsubpac to learn what his new orders were. Then call for his senior officers and proceed to the Wardroom and look at the charts that represent the area in question and develope a patrol pattern?

Unfortunatly there are many points to this issue. Bottom line is we will have an ultimate game to play. As what happened with the original Silent Hunter - two patrol disc additions - maybe we will also have an opportunity to have those additions with SH IV that will lend to the extras that some of us feel is still important. Maybe not all compartments but a radio room, captains quarters, and wardroom with the functionality I have mentioned.

Happy Hunting

[Payoff]

Great points Capt. D. I for one can do without the "Hollywood Cam" or whatever its called, in exchange for a functional Captains quarters. I hope this gamey trend doesnt continue to erode our simulations.

[squigian]

If they do bring them back, why not add a little functionality to Captain's Quarters? Charts, reference manuals (maybe store 'How to...' things there - calculating AoB, speed, setting up a shot etc.), pictures (would be great to be able to take screenshots you made and stick them over your bunk), a journal (write whatever you want down for each day), chessboard + cards (vs. crewmen or play solo) and a bunk that you can sleep on (could 'warp' your sub along, if you hate waiting - still chance of encounters though). As you can see, the Captain's Quarters has the potential to be the personal hub of your operations

[Captain Krunch]

Originally Posted by Capt. D

However - if I am to understand we will be given "special" missions - how could functionality not be add to the game if the Captain is given an Ultra Message by his radio operator - in the radio room - and then proceeds to his Captains Quarters to unlock his safe and take out the code book for Ultras and actually de-code the message from Comsubpac to learn what his new orders were.

Just a slight correction to this, as I believe it was usually the XO or communications officer who decoded the encrypted message, not the captain. The captain was usually a pretty busy guy, so many of these types of tasks were delegated down to the other officers. Heck, even the writing of the patrol report was usually done primarily by the XO.

[Captain_Jack]

Originally Posted by Captain Krunch

Just a slight correction to this, as I believe it was usually the XO or communications officer who decoded the encrypted message, not the captain. The captain was usually a pretty busy guy, so many of these types of tasks were delegated down to the other officers. Heck, even the writing of the patrol report was usually done primarily by the XO.

From what I've read these were the officers: (Clay Blair's Silent Victory)

1. The Captain
2. Executive Officer (also served as Navigator)
3. Engineer and Diving Officer
4. Communications and Commissary Officer
5. Torpedo and Gunnery Officer

[PAW]

I signed up JUST so i could say this...

What a great idea! I "know" this is a simulation but the idea of a mini game (like decoding messages) is often forgotten in the serious world of simulation. I like this decoding idea. Mayb one day we will have the option of decoding the "for captain's eyes only messages".

[Capt. D]

Originally Posted by Captain Krunch

Just a slight correction to this, as I believe it was usually the XO or communications officer who decoded the encrypted message, not the captain. The captain was usually a pretty busy guy, so many of these types of tasks were delegated down to the other officers. Heck, even the writing of the patrol report was usually done primarily by the XO.

It was my understanding - though I may be wrong - that Ultra messages were given to the Captain to decode as these were a code within a code and only he had the information to decode that type of mesage. More for the security of the Ultra code then anything else. Now that said, there may have been Captains who gave that information to their XOs to use so they did not have to. Bottom line - whether in the Capts Quarters or Wardroom - the ability to get the code to use with an Ultra message and decode it would definately add to the game. As mentioned further in this thread the addition of a "real" conning tower with all the equipment is a major plus!

Happy Hunting