Silent Hunter V Dev Team Interview: Deeper, Kapitän, deeper. (1/19/10)

[longam]

SH4 and 3 campaign was open waters with scripted shipping based on what they programed during the time period.

With SH4 you also had missions included in your campaign that gave you somewhere to go and something to do - go to grid XXX and wait XXX time. If you wanted you could just wonder off and chase contacts that were reported to you on the map or sighted by your crew never even going to your patrol area.

With SH5 it sounds like they have taken this to a new level. Not only can you just patrol anywhere in your theater of war, but now there are objectives that can change the outcome or reaction to your actions causing the AI to respond in a different way.

Just the ticket we needed to give this game the next step it needed.

Of course actual U-Boat captians were always allowed to select their own patrol areas or sail wherever they wanted to...

SH5 is taking the next step and the journey ends with Silent Hunter for X-Box.

[rhaas]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Well, it looks like somebody tried to do just that. I played Silent Service on an Atari 520ST, and did a lot of work on it besides. I noted at the time that the Atari was way ahead of that generation of PCs, and I really wish I could see where they would be now. Unfortunately they kind of sucked at marketing, and pretty much put themselves out of business. The desktop editor I still use was originally created for the Atari, and I still think it's worlds better than anything else I've tried.
[snip]
Anyway, I just wanted to say WELCOME ABOARD!

Been here a while, lurking, just like a ... well ... never mind.

Thank you for the pragmatic feedback ... I felt the same, but thought that it would be worth asking the question. Frankly, IMO, the lifetime gamers, are those who appreciate a well rendered game world, are less driven by the number of polygons and other sheer technical factors, but prefer the depth of thought, responsiveness, and stability resulting from a robust software engineering process. Substance over flash.

And anyone who quotes Heinlein is aces in my book.

My fav: "A man held a makework political job, polishing the cannon in front of the county courthouse. It kept him fed and let him put a little money aside, but he wasn't getting ahead in the world. So one day he withdrew his life's savings, bought a brass cannon --and went into business for himself." -- Robert A. Heinlein, The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

Be well.

Richard

[Crimguy]

I just finished reading the interview, all the while thinking "jesus, the guys at the forums are going to hate this."

Of course, I'm sure most of you will buy it anyway. LIke me, you can't let something that goes underwater go unpurchased.

I did want to take a Type XI out to the US coast but I guess that will have to wait a bit.

My predictions (I'm always right, btw):

1) This game will be immersive, and fun.
2) If you make it to 1943 and the game ends, you'll punch your monitor right in the snout and throw it through a window.
3) The limits (1943, Type VII only) in my opinion are designed so that they can add an add-on. I believe them when they say it would be an undertaking to realistically create all the modern weapons the Allies had but that's a bit of an excuse IMHO.
Maybe more than one addon. First one will be a Type XI addon with a Pacific campaign. Second (later) addon will be a Type XXI addon. Called the Later Years, or something cheeky like that.
4) DD detection values and abilities will still be rather robotic (do they even take into account the speed the DD is moving at?), and generally unrealistic.

So . . . post this on the side of your fridge and get back to me in 24-36 months and tell me how I did.

[StarFox]

All I can say is WOW!!!!

When I first got SHIII I was hoping it was like Das Boot, I was disapointed how much was left out, but not for long when I discovered how great the game really was.

I cannot wait for this to come out!! I will be in line! Hope my lone 7800 can handle the game, otherwise I may have to make use of the other Video card slot on my board.

[longam]

Originally Posted by Randomizer

Of course actual U-Boat captians were always allowed to select their own patrol areas or sail wherever they wanted to...

And its great that the Dev team has lets us do this in the game. From the interview it seems now that there will be historical events taking place, man talking about delivering the goods!

[John O]

Thanks Neal and Dan. Good info and I'll be a buyer again. Looking forward to both the game and the mods that will come from a "more friendly and open archetecture". Dan is right IMHO in ending the game before the Allies counter weapons drove the boats out of the war. After 1943 it would be depressing to go up against the type of weapons the Allies were able to deploy. How many would like to never be able to get more than a few klicks out of port before being disabled by sabatage or faulty material that was available in late 1944 or '45? Remember the divers that went into the late war boats and the instruments and equipment that didn't have the copper or bronze parts were disolved. If the game reaches to reality, then I agree with ending it in 1943. Let the modders come to the rescue to those that want to continue.

Thanks again Neal and Dan!!!!!!

[John O]

One more thing. Dan, keep the star shell in the game :-)......

[Vikinger]

I think Crimguy nails it at his 3th statement.

I think its a commercial tactical direction they have taken by ending the game at 1943 and whit only 1 type of sub.

It simply gives them an opening for IMO an allready planned addon.

But from my personal view i enjoyed the late war more from SH3 just becuse it was more difficult to survive and find targets.
It was simply a better challenge.

Early war was sometimes to easy and a bit tedious and after playing through my frist campaign i allways started a new one in 1942 or 43.

But i do still looking forward to SH5. I like the concept of the game from the very first silent service

[jclasper]

After lurking and reading for along time this thread has actually made me want to say something
There are some good arguments from many many people about what is good and bad in the upcoming SH5 but the truth is we just do not know how it will all play out. The interview was fair and Dan and Alex replied well within the limits set by ubisoft as to what they could reveal.
I would say 90% of us wil buy on or around release and find there is something in there for everyone and also things that we dont like
But in all honesty just because we may not like an aspect of the game is that a reason not to buy it. I agree it should not have to be left to the excellent modders who have made sh 3/4 so good to complete a game but has anyone asked themselves just how do the devs fulfill everyones wishes for what they would like to see ingame
we all think ofter the release of each one oh why wasnt this in or why did they do that and in reality if they didnt release until everything was ingame then the truth is we would not have a game to play
At the end of the day it has to make money or there is no reason to make further content either as DLC or addon or Even sh6 so lets support the devs we know they want to give us what we want and lets also try to be reasonable as to what we can have due to limitations
I will be buying on release already on preorder though i have nearly cancelled a few times but im realistic I know I will get it at some stage so why not on release lol and watch it improve with age and also if i wait untill its bargin price as some plan to do then Ubi may consider that not enough units have been sold to justify further silent hunter

[Méo]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

@ Dan and company: I'm amazed at how people have gotten so negative that even when you clear something up they try to kick you some more. As I've said, I was expecting something different, but the more I read the more interesting I find the ideas you're pursuing. I may end up being negative again, but I'll at least wait to see what we have before I start proclaiming the end of the world.

Well said Steve!

I agree 100% with every words on this!

I think people should take a deep breath, and read carefully what you wrote.

I'm trying to be as objective as I can and I'm pretty sure that SHV will be better than SHIII vanilla. (And it will be more open to modding)

----

About the final years of the war & other Uboat types, it must be there but it can wait, IMHO. I'm sure that everyone will want it and an add-on will be created for it.

And I already hear: Oh! it should be in the original release, I don't have to pay for this . To this I reply: Think about how many hours you may play this game (and how many years!) and you will probably find out that it's not really expensive.

BTW, even if they create two add-ons, SHV will still sell MUCH LESS than games like Assassin's Creed and other console games.

[danurve]

jclasper; Nice post and welcome to the forum. Do you by chance live in Romainia?

I like what you posted about the support of the series. I would tend to agree. I will be purchasing the game. But would gladly have waited a few months if that's what it would take for the game to include at least 1 IX class U-boat. Not just to appease the IX fans but to ensure a stronger support base. Word of mouth can be a your best or worst sales.
Like I said, I'm buying the game to support the series and this site. And I'm optimistic. After all I'm getting my VII. And then I thought what if the game was afoot and it was all about the IX boats and, oh I dunno - Freetown or some jazz. I'd be bummed.

[LukeFF]

Originally Posted by onelifecrisis

I for one really like the approach they're taking. I'd rather have one u-boat done right than six of them half baked. I'd rather have 4 years of well constructed, historically accurate campaign than 6 years of same old, same old. Sounds to me like they have prioritised quality over quantity, which makes me happy! Looking forward to March...

Yep, my feelings on this are the same as yours. Nothing at this point says the devs won't add in more submarine interiors in the future.

[jclasper]

Not Rumanian brit thru and thru lol

I would have prefered late war to early if Im in a Uboat no real pref as to a vii ix or xxi

Late war offers the challenge of evading a very capable asw and scoring a kill is so much more satisfying but in all honesty give me a fleet boat in the atlantic after axis shippin and I would be in heaven Who knows they did Uboats for the pacific so there is a slim chance of fleet boats in the atlantic

[Seeschwein]

I hate this mentality, when developers let modders do half the work - unpaid. Anyway, I suppose Dan & Co will spend the rest of their time making the patches from 1.01 to 9.999...