Getting a 'sinking' feeling about SH5

[dkunath]

I first started playing Silent Hunter 1 way back when. Then I waited years for SH2 to come out and when it did I played it for a short time and then off it went. SH3 came out and it was promising, but it was'nt until the moders did there thing. Lastly SH4 and again the modders made it worth while.

SH5, I don't know what it will hold, but I do hope that it offers enough that the modders work their magic on it, and I won't buy it until its been out for awhile and gets decent reviews.

Dwayne

[JScones]

Originally Posted by Méo

The thing is that everytime something new comes, lot of people here seem to be acting like groupies and become hysterical.

You can express some doubts, shout it, but there's a difference between this and saying that it's gonna be an inevitable failure everytime there's a little sample of an unfinished product that comes out.

Meo, it's called hyperbole. It reflects much more on the person writing it than it impacts on the devs reading it.

Originally Posted by Méo

Try to think if you were Dan, would you like to come here after a hard day at work and spend time reading those threads where most of the comments are continuously bashing your work? Would this motivate you to interact more with this community?

It would motivate me to interact more!

All this speculation would make me realise that I hadn't been providing useful information, or what I had been providing was missing the mark.

So, to mitigate much of the whining and complaining--which will not go away--I'd consider some approaches that other currently in-development games are using. I'd at least start with providing real answers to meaningful questions, (like "the game will model the following u-boat types" rather than the current "we'll possibly think about the possibility of possibly considering adding bum fluff"). Hopefully Neal can make some progress on this front.

If there's nothing to hide, why hide it?

So you've got to go back a step: why all the scepticism in the first place? And the answer is because of the lack of informative information provided by Ubisoft. What has been provided raises more questions than it answers. Fix that aspect and much of the problem goes away. You can't change how people react, but you can certainly change what they react to.

So my point: communication is a two way street and you reap what you sew.

Failing that, well, I'm sure Dan has broad shoulders.

[Méo]

Originally Posted by JScones

I'd at least start with providing real answers to meaningful questions

I agree, this is a problem.

Originally Posted by JScones

It would motivate me to interact more!

So you've got to go back a step:

Why should I go back a step, what's true for you is not necessarily true for him or for everyone.

Personally, I would feel like: whatever we do, they're always gonna panic and say it's a failure, so **** **.

Sometimes I would feel like: bah, they're only a bit too passionate...

[IanC]

You see, some people here think we (subsim.com members) are the be-all, end-all of submarine simulations and therefore are owed answers to questions. When the ugly truth is that subsim members make for only a tiny percentage of Silent Hunter copies sold. So who are we, really, to demand answers... it would be a nice personal gesture for sure, but I don't get my panties in a bunch if Ubi keeps hush hush while in development.
Did Lucas provide answers to Star Wars fans before a big release?

[Adriatico]

Originally Posted by Méo

You can express some doubts, shout it, but there's a difference between this and saying that it's gonna be an inevitable failure everytime there's a little sample of an unfinished product that comes out.

Try to think if you were Dan, would you like to come here after a hard day at work and spend time reading those threads where most of the comments are continuously bashing your work? Would this motivate you to interact more with this community?

Little sample ?
You call main combat "periscope screen" presented in video - little sample?
No mate, it is one of main features in simulator... if not the main one.
It determins, more or less, playability of sub-simulator.

Unfinished product ? ...looked quite finished to me.

I guess that Dan is having hard days after work, but this was last minute desparate attempt to influence something...before it goes on stamping and packing.

Hundreds of us are haveing a hard day after work (less attracive than Dan's, I guess...) so don't we have a right to rise our voice - if we want to have fun with simulator that we are supposed to buy and have some fun in the evening... or not to have a fun.

When would be the right time to rise our voices? In March2010... when Dan is less tired?

[Siegfried von Funk]

Originally Posted by Task Force

hmm... Saying HOLY CRAP over a pericsope view is alittle overboard...
Remember, were a small groupe... UBI wants sales, and if they showed a Uber complex periscope view with all kinds of stuff up there, lots of people would say Holy crud... that looks hard, better stay away... Im sure the game is made to go accrost the spectrum... from those of us who are realism people, and for little billy, who wants to see things go boom...

Hey! Boom is GOOD!

[JScones]

Originally Posted by IanC

You see, some people here think we (subsim.com members) are the be-all, end-all of submarine simulations and therefore are owed answers to questions. When the ugly truth is that subsim members make for only a tiny percentage of Silent Hunter copies sold. So who are we, really, to demand answers... it would be a nice personal gesture for sure, but I don't get my panties in a bunch if Ubi keeps hush hush while in development

If we're so inconsequential as you state (btw, I'd like to know your source on this because I think you are just guessing the percentage, which removes all credibility from your argument), then why are the devs more active here than at the "official" Ubi forums? Heck, why do they even bother with us at all if we are "nothing" as you want to imply.

Considering the devs are quite happy to cultivate our ideas, I don't see a problem in asking questions in return.

[TDK1044]

Originally Posted by JScones

If we're so inconsequential as you state (btw, I'd like to know your source on this because I think you are just guessing the percentage, which removes all credibility from your argument), then why are the devs more active here than at the "official" Ubi forums? Heck, why do they even bother with us at all if we are "nothing" as you want to imply.

Considering the devs are quite happy to cultivate our ideas, I don't see a problem in asking questions in return.

I think the Devs choose to come here on their private time for two reasons. Firstly, they respect the fact that Neal set subsim up with his own money, and that the site continues to be successful because of his input and the contributions of the members here.

Contrast that with the offical Ubisoft forum, which was set up and paid for by Ubisoft as a dumping ground for their end users in the hope that having such a site would cut down the call volume to the Ubisoft call center.

The second reason that the Devs come here is because they are genuinely interested in how the subsim community is wanting to mod the game. In addition, they choose to interact with the forum on some of the questions posed.

Whatever my opinion has been of Ubisoft as a publisher over the years, my respect for Dan, Mihai and the others is huge. These guys have gone above and beyond for the Silent Hunter Series.

Dan and Mihai should both be honorary recipients of the Best Of Subsim avatar.

[elanaiba]

I'm not really Dan, I'm just a "virtual actor" paid to behave like a smarter version of him.

[elanaiba]

Likewise, GreyOctober is another virtual actor. His role is a "silly version of Dan".

[Adriatico]

Absolutely true TDK1044

But there is small problem here...

We are not going to buy and play "Dan and Mihai" DVD... but SHV, which has very specific and real issues...as title of this thread said, as well as initial post has described.


So heavy grey clouds remain above SHV simulator ...as starter of this thread emphasized.

I'm going to be very honest here. IF I buy a sim my money goes to the company that is selling it. In the case of SH5 that company is UBI. I have every right in the world to request information regarding SH5, they don't have to answer of course, but the right exists.

Now as much as I respect developers in general, and pity them, I do not give a hoot about how my request for more info might be affecting them. I dont care if my negative impressions risk lowering their morale. My beef is with UBI, not the devs.

Devs do work, devs get paid.
I consider buying a sim, I want info first.
If sim good, UBI gets money.
If sim not ready ? I'll try and influence it.

Simple as that.

UG
PS: Just say NO to fanboys.

[TDK1044]

Originally Posted by Adriatico

Absolutely true TDK1044

But there is small problem here...

We are not going to buy and play "Dan and Mihai" DVD... but SHV, which has very specific and real issues...as title of this thread said, as well as initial post has described.


So heavy grey clouds remain above SHV simulator ...as starter of this thread emphasized.

Silent Hunter V will be Silent Hunter IV patched to 1.5 with some bells and whistles. First person perspective, crew interraction and better graphics. If you're looking for more than that with the stock game then don't buy it.

[Adriatico]

Right UberGruber,
But in my case it is not even issue of buying and money...

I would pay straight 5 x price of DVD - just to enjoy feeling of good WW2 simulator... it simply means a lot to me... it's my passion.


( don't tell my wife... )

[Undefined]

About the periscope view im 100% sure they wont change that. And its not that bad. Hey, we got bunch of modders dont we ?