Silent Hunter III or IV

Sailor Steve · 08-31-13, 09:57 AM

While I linked to Op Monsun downloads, I didn't give my take on the question of SH3 or SH4.

SH4 hast the benefit of better graphics of course, but it also has interesting operational procedures. One of these is having the crew automatically organized into watch shifts, so they rotate themselves automatically, as they should. In SH3 you have to either move them around yourself or remove the fatigue function altogether. The other advantage SH4 has in that area is the "Battle Stations" function, AKA "General Quarters". This not only puts the entire crew on duty, but also puts the best available man at each station.

On the other hand SH3 has mods that have still never been done for SH4. SH3 has mods available that put working lock gates at canal and secure harbor entrances. That's not much, but I have a hard time going through the Kiel Canal without it. GWX4 was intended to add all that and more, but was never really started, let alone finished. Also there is nothing to compare with SH3 Commander, which lets you control game parameters directly instead of digging into the game files, and adds names, crew and cargo loadouts to the reports of ships you sink. Again, for some people that's nothing, but for me it's everything. And then there's the Merchant Fleet Mod, which adds more than one hundred different merchant types to the game.

Simply put, if SH4 had the mods SH3 has I would have shelved SH3 years ago.

Actually, if SH5 had something like that I wouldn't play anything else. As it is now I'll play anything but.

andycts · 08-31-13, 10:57 AM

Well said steve

on the subject of SH3 commander,i remember some time ago reading on the forums that someone was working on a version for SH4.what happened to this is it still being worked on or has it been shelved?

Rockin Robbins · 08-31-13, 12:10 PM

I find that SH3 is more clunky and the crew management system is too fussy but the atmospherics of SH3 just blow away anything SH4 has to offer. You just get the idea that SH4 is oversanitized or something. SH3 is dark and just feels appropriate to the subject matter.

Sailor Steve · 08-31-13, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andycts

Well said steve

on the subject of SH3 commander,i remember some time ago reading on the forums that someone was working on a version for SH4.what happened to this is it still being worked on or has it been shelved?

That was many years ago. The guy who was making it happen just left one day and never came back.

andycts · 08-31-13, 03:39 PM

"That was many years ago. The guy who was making it happen just left one day and never came back."

Sorry to hear that.i'm no modder but how much work would be involved in making this.This could add an all new dimension to SH4.with permission cant much of the stuff in SH3 commander be ported over to SH4.I realize,not knowing the subject that i am making it sound over simplistic but it would be such a great addon to have.Wish i could mod lol.

good hunting

sckallst · 08-31-13, 04:17 PM

I think Steve has it on the money. SH4 is a far superior platform. As things stand, SH3 is a far superior game.

Without getting into bigger historical/moral issues (and setting aside the Op Monson SH4 mod), SH3 just sort of makes for a better game setting anyway in that in the U-boat you really are fighting for personal survival after a certain point. The US fleet boats in the Pacific are certainly in danger, but you are pretty much cast in the role of Anaconda versus the Japanese rabbit. In SH3 you really do get to a point where (if you're playing "realistically") you sort of don't expect to get back to port when you set out on patrols.

Sailor Steve · 08-31-13, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andycts

Sorry to hear that.i'm no modder but how much work would be involved in making this.

More than you could possibly imagine. SH3 Commander is not a mod, but a complete program, created by a talented programmer. It could be duplicated only by another programmer.

Quote:

with permission cant much of the stuff in SH3 commander be ported over to SH4.

No. First of all it's not a part of SH3, but an independent tool, so it can't be used with SH4 without modification of the code. Second, the program itself is the property of the man who created it, and he said long ago that he was not interested in doing an SH4 version and anyone who was would have to create his own code, as he wasn't interested in sharing it.

Even if you could mod it wouldn't help with this.

andycts · 08-31-13, 05:45 PM

Cheers steve

thought this would be the case.Guess we will have to live without it then,unless there happens to be a programmer lurking out there who wants to give it a go lol

take care & good hunting

08-31-13, 09:57 AM	#1
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	While I linked to Op Monsun downloads, I didn't give my take on the question of SH3 or SH4. SH4 hast the benefit of better graphics of course, but it also has interesting operational procedures. One of these is having the crew automatically organized into watch shifts, so they rotate themselves automatically, as they should. In SH3 you have to either move them around yourself or remove the fatigue function altogether. The other advantage SH4 has in that area is the "Battle Stations" function, AKA "General Quarters". This not only puts the entire crew on duty, but also puts the best available man at each station. On the other hand SH3 has mods that have still never been done for SH4. SH3 has mods available that put working lock gates at canal and secure harbor entrances. That's not much, but I have a hard time going through the Kiel Canal without it. GWX4 was intended to add all that and more, but was never really started, let alone finished. Also there is nothing to compare with SH3 Commander, which lets you control game parameters directly instead of digging into the game files, and adds names, crew and cargo loadouts to the reports of ships you sink. Again, for some people that's nothing, but for me it's everything. And then there's the Merchant Fleet Mod, which adds more than one hundred different merchant types to the game. Simply put, if SH4 had the mods SH3 has I would have shelved SH3 years ago. Actually, if SH5 had something like that I wouldn't play anything else. As it is now I'll play anything but. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

08-31-13, 10:57 AM	#2
andycts Seaman Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: South Yorkshire,UK Posts: 32 Downloads: 232 Uploads: 0	Well said steve on the subject of SH3 commander,i remember some time ago reading on the forums that someone was working on a version for SH4.what happened to this is it still being worked on or has it been shelved? __________________ TMO 2.5 OTC for TMO 2.5 OTC realistic scopes ISE v3 TMO&RFB LST TMO v2 TDW ship plane fire damage Websters real lifeboat fix TMO different smoke

08-31-13, 12:10 PM	#3
Rockin Robbins Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: DeLand, FL Posts: 8,900 Downloads: 135 Uploads: 52	I find that SH3 is more clunky and the crew management system is too fussy but the atmospherics of SH3 just blow away anything SH4 has to offer. You just get the idea that SH4 is oversanitized or something. SH3 is dark and just feels appropriate to the subject matter. __________________ Sub Skipper's Bag of Tricks, Slightly Subnuclear Mk 14 & Cutie, Slightly Subnuclear Deck Gun, EZPlot 2.0, TMOPlot, TMOKeys, SH4CMS

08-31-13, 03:39 PM	#5
andycts Seaman Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: South Yorkshire,UK Posts: 32 Downloads: 232 Uploads: 0	"That was many years ago. The guy who was making it happen just left one day and never came back." Sorry to hear that.i'm no modder but how much work would be involved in making this.This could add an all new dimension to SH4.with permission cant much of the stuff in SH3 commander be ported over to SH4.I realize,not knowing the subject that i am making it sound over simplistic but it would be such a great addon to have.Wish i could mod lol. good hunting __________________ TMO 2.5 OTC for TMO 2.5 OTC realistic scopes ISE v3 TMO&RFB LST TMO v2 TDW ship plane fire damage Websters real lifeboat fix TMO different smoke

08-31-13, 05:45 PM	#8
andycts Seaman Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: South Yorkshire,UK Posts: 32 Downloads: 232 Uploads: 0	Cheers steve thought this would be the case.Guess we will have to live without it then,unless there happens to be a programmer lurking out there who wants to give it a go lol take care & good hunting __________________ TMO 2.5 OTC for TMO 2.5 OTC realistic scopes ISE v3 TMO&RFB LST TMO v2 TDW ship plane fire damage Websters real lifeboat fix TMO different smoke

08-31-13, 04:17 PM	#6
sckallst Bosun Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 64 Downloads: 116 Uploads: 0	I think Steve has it on the money. SH4 is a far superior platform. As things stand, SH3 is a far superior game. Without getting into bigger historical/moral issues (and setting aside the Op Monson SH4 mod), SH3 just sort of makes for a better game setting anyway in that in the U-boat you really are fighting for personal survival after a certain point. The US fleet boats in the Pacific are certainly in danger, but you are pretty much cast in the role of Anaconda versus the Japanese rabbit. In SH3 you really do get to a point where (if you're playing "realistically") you sort of don't expect to get back to port when you set out on patrols.

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