SH5: The good, the bad, and the ugly - Page 2

Weather-guesser · 03-11-10, 04:00 PM

WOW Ducimus. That was outstanding. I honestly thought you were going to rip the game to shreds...well balanced and honest review IMO

Platapus · 03-11-10, 04:05 PM

Great review. Pretty straight forward and unemotional. I do have two questions I would like answered

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Things like the Travel mode button (this is a godsend!)

What is this mode and what does it do?

Quote:

- The soundman not reporting "Depth charges in the water" doesn't appear to be working, (edited for clarity)

This makes my brain stem hurt. Could you edit this for a bit more clarity for the slow kids in the back of the room?

Thanks for taking the time to write a pretty good balanced review of SHV. I have bought it but have not installed it yet.

coronas · 03-11-10, 04:09 PM

Excellent reading.
Excellent OST.

drtechno · 03-11-10, 04:09 PM

How is that a good review in any sense of the word?
Graphics are expected to be better given the time separation from SH4.
Crew interaction is going to get VERY old when you are clicking through the same stupid 4 dialogue options your 10th time through the campaign. I dont see how people think this is a cool feature. Maybe the first 2 times through the game. Do you really care what happened to his brother if you have read the same dialogue 24 times before? Its just going to be a gamey/artificial, go here, click talk to this guy, rapidly click through all the tedious conversation, just to get your morale bonus and then go back to actually playing the game. 0 morale bug. Nuff said. Destroyers that artificially 'lock' onto your position and maintain that relative location no matter if you stop, go slow, turn or go fast... even if there is an island in their way. If I stop, they should try to close for the kill. Nuff said. What about sinking 5 (or was it 7) Brit carriers in one patrol? What the hell is that? How many do they have?

The only thing that I agree (again, improved graphics are to be expected) is that the campaign seems more engaging. Seems pretty sad that this is the only positive this game has going for it.

The remainder is rife with bugs and crazy design decisions that just make my jaw drop.

Bilge_Rat · 03-11-10, 04:23 PM

Platapus, travel mode is a new feature that allows you to keep a hi-TC without being dropped out whenever you receive a new radio message/contact report. Great when you want to cross the Atlantic.

One of the great things about SH5 is the many improvements under the hood that are not immediately apparent, for example improvements to the mission editor and the campaign engine, some of them are discused here:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=163364

janh · 03-11-10, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bilge_Rat

One of the great things about SH5 is the many improvements under the hood that are not immediately apparent, for example improvements to the mission editor and the campaign engine, ...

It would be too good if the developers could describe a few of them, because they probably real selling points to the SH community. How can you know the true potential of SHV if the new features remain hidden? Maybe someone should make a sticky thread and list all new features and changes with respect to SHIII (IV)? And maybe the devs could add to that, too?

sergei · 03-11-10, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Platapus

(Travel Mode) What is this mode and what does it do?

Also very useful when entering or leaving home port. Does not drop you out of TC whenever you spot a friendly unit, which was mucho annoying in 3 and 4.

As for the depth charge warning: in SH3 when a destroyer close to you dropped charges you would get an audio warning "Wasserbomb", letting you know charges were being dropped close enough to you to potentially damage your sub. Very useful.
This audio warning never made it into SH4, and seems not to be in SH5. Pity, twas a cool and useful feature.

Iron Budokan · 03-11-10, 05:19 PM

A very good and honest review that should be read by both camps. I've ripped this game (and Ubi), but you pointed out, quite rightly, that there are good things about it as well. Thanks for reminding me of that.

Platapus · 03-11-10, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bilge_Rat

Platapus, travel mode is a new feature that allows you to keep a hi-TC without being dropped out whenever you receive a new radio message/contact report. Great when you want to cross the Atlantic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sergei

Also very useful when entering or leaving home port. Does not drop you out of TC whenever you spot a friendly unit, which was mucho annoying in 3 and 4.

That is a great feature!

tracker · 03-11-10, 05:50 PM

A very good review ,the good points are keeping me playing it ,i think the game needs to find a balance beetween moving around the sub and a direct link for the captain even if this a shouted request and answer type .
to all at subsim and moders

Ducimus · 03-11-10, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Interesting reading...I must admit to not knowing what to expect when I opened the thread

Keeping ya guessing ain't i? What's this, Duci can put aside his own preferences and look at things objectively?! The hell you say!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carotio

You should have mentioned more bad elements.

Your right. I did not expand on the lack of functionality nowhere NEAR enough. From lack of TDC functions on spread, to being able to toggle off "fire at will" the lack of function access is FUGLY. I didn't harp on it nowhere near as much as it deserves.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weather-guesser

WOW Ducimus. That was outstanding. I honestly thought you were going to rip the game to shreds...well balanced and honest review IMO

I thought i would be too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by drtechno

How is that a good review in any sense of the word?

I never pretended to be a journalist, and i put review in quotations. My view comes from having dealt with this series for awhile, so im used to seeing a certain level of buggetry. Only the real crippeling issues, or things that can't be fixed by mod really grab my attention.

sharkbit · 03-11-10, 06:06 PM

Nice review!

Doesn't make me want to run out right now and buy it but it sounds like there is still hope for the diamond in the rough to be polished up.

Buddahaid · 03-11-10, 06:15 PM

I thought you weren't going to buy it Ducimus? Can't keep your hands out of the cookie jar anymore than I can.

Ducimus · 03-11-10, 06:18 PM

Technically speaking i didn't buy it. My Girlfriend did. I am however, guilty of pointing it out on the shelf at best buy.

Sailor Steve · 03-11-10, 06:23 PM

Ah, the horrible truth slowly leaks out.

03-11-10, 04:00 PM	#16
Weather-guesser Lieutenant Join Date: May 2007 Location: Albany, New York USA Posts: 260 Downloads: 72 Uploads: 0	WOW Ducimus. That was outstanding. I honestly thought you were going to rip the game to shreds...well balanced and honest review IMO __________________ NAVY! It's not just a job. It's a Buck Seventy-Five an hour!

03-11-10, 04:09 PM	#18
coronas Ace of the Deep Join Date: May 2005 Location: Asturias, España Posts: 1,168 Downloads: 39 Uploads: 0	Excellent reading. Excellent OST. __________________

03-11-10, 04:23 PM	#20
Bilge_Rat Silent Hunter Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: standing watch... Posts: 3,856 Downloads: 344 Uploads: 0	Platapus, travel mode is a new feature that allows you to keep a hi-TC without being dropped out whenever you receive a new radio message/contact report. Great when you want to cross the Atlantic. One of the great things about SH5 is the many improvements under the hood that are not immediately apparent, for example improvements to the mission editor and the campaign engine, some of them are discused here: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=163364 __________________

03-11-10, 05:19 PM	#23
Iron Budokan Sea Lord Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 1,778 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	A very good and honest review that should be read by both camps. I've ripped this game (and Ubi), but you pointed out, quite rightly, that there are good things about it as well. Thanks for reminding me of that. __________________ "You will take on England wherever you find her ships, and you will break her power at sea." --Iron Coffins, Herbert A. Werner http://kennethmarkhoover.com

03-11-10, 06:06 PM	#27
sharkbit The Old Man Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 1,529 Downloads: 334 Uploads: 0	Nice review! Doesn't make me want to run out right now and buy it but it sounds like there is still hope for the diamond in the rough to be polished up. __________________ “Prejudice is blind. There will always be someone who says you aren’t welcome at the table. Stop apologizing for who you are and using all your energy trying to change their minds. Yes, you will lose friends, maybe even family. But you will gain your self-respect. You will know your worth. Once you have that, nothing can stop you.”

03-11-10, 04:09 PM	#19
drtechno Sailor man Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 48 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	How is that a good review in any sense of the word? Graphics are expected to be better given the time separation from SH4. Crew interaction is going to get VERY old when you are clicking through the same stupid 4 dialogue options your 10th time through the campaign. I dont see how people think this is a cool feature. Maybe the first 2 times through the game. Do you really care what happened to his brother if you have read the same dialogue 24 times before? Its just going to be a gamey/artificial, go here, click talk to this guy, rapidly click through all the tedious conversation, just to get your morale bonus and then go back to actually playing the game. 0 morale bug. Nuff said. Destroyers that artificially 'lock' onto your position and maintain that relative location no matter if you stop, go slow, turn or go fast... even if there is an island in their way. If I stop, they should try to close for the kill. Nuff said. What about sinking 5 (or was it 7) Brit carriers in one patrol? What the hell is that? How many do they have? The only thing that I agree (again, improved graphics are to be expected) is that the campaign seems more engaging. Seems pretty sad that this is the only positive this game has going for it. The remainder is rife with bugs and crazy design decisions that just make my jaw drop.

03-11-10, 05:50 PM	#25
tracker A-ganger Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: co,durham. uk Posts: 74 Downloads: 213 Uploads: 0	A very good review ,the good points are keeping me playing it ,i think the game needs to find a balance beetween moving around the sub and a direct link for the captain even if this a shouted request and answer type . to all at subsim and moders

03-11-10, 06:15 PM	#28
Buddahaid Shark above Space Chicken Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,332 Downloads: 162 Uploads: 0	I thought you weren't going to buy it Ducimus? Can't keep your hands out of the cookie jar anymore than I can.

03-11-10, 06:18 PM	#29
Ducimus Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12,987 Downloads: 67 Uploads: 2	Technically speaking i didn't buy it. My Girlfriend did. I am however, guilty of pointing it out on the shelf at best buy.

03-11-10, 06:23 PM	#30
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Ah, the horrible truth slowly leaks out. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo