How many will buy SH5 if DRM is dropped?

[scrag]

I know the game has flaws but the primary reason I won't waste a dime on it is DRM

Drop that and I would buy it tomorrow....

[JScones]

Originally Posted by John Channing

SHV, at this point in time, is far far superior to where SH3 and SH4 were at the same stages of their development. But this crowd can't, or won't accept that...

Because it's wrong, at least for SH3.

By mid-July 2005 we had: SH3Cmdr; new ships and elaborate ship skins (including the Merchant Variety Pack, Additional Merchants Pack and numerous other new units from traliblazers like sergbuto); Harbour Traffic; Hollywood Effects; Airpower Mod; at least two detailed sound packs; and FrontFlotille and RUB 1.42 combomods (both comprised a lot more than just interface changes )! And FOUR official patches. And editing tools from TimeTraveller that worked (nothing given to us from the devs back then). I could go on, but if you prefer, read backwards from here to refresh your memory (which in itself is poignant; there's been roughly 928 threads started in the SH5 Mods Workshop compared to at least 1,800 started in the SH3 Mods Workshop for the same period...more if you count those started before 12 July but had posts made after 12 July...and with a LOT less members too).

To support your claim, can you pls point me to release threads for SH5Cmdr, added merchants, and a RUb-like equivalent (to begin with), as I can't seem to find them? Also point me to the magazine write up about said mods...you may recall RUb 1.2 was featured in the US "Computer Games" magazine in early Jun 2005...

Silent but Deadly

A five-star simulation like Silent Hunter III doesn't really need any modifications, but sub simmers are a notoriously picky bunch. So it wasn't unexpected that modder Beery would round up the best work of the game's online community in the Real U-Boat Mod. Version 1.21 is loaded with enhancements and fixes that have been pumped out by the game's rabid fanbase over the past few months, including Beery's own fatigue and flotilla mods, Jace11's detailed bearings mod, and Timetraveller's moon graphic. This is not a mod for the faint of heart, as it removes tips regarding nearby ships, reduces the number of lone stragglers on the Atlantic, and even makes it harder to obtain certain medals. Of course, this grueling difficulty isn't out of place when you consider that the average U-Boat crewman had less than a 50/50 chance of making it back to port alive.

Of course, this is not to take anything away from the great SH5 mods that have been released, but it does clearly demonstrate that post-SH3 development was hardly "far, far" inferior to SH5 after the same 4 months, don't you think?

Ironic how easily people forget things, isn't it, Channing?

EDIT: Oh, and there was no JSGME until late April, meaning no easy tweak-test-remove either. They were tough times...

[John Channing]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

You can't fool me with your evil lying ways! This is only #398!

Ok... you got me. I was rounding up.

JCC

[McBeck]

Originally Posted by John Channing

Ok... you got me. I was rounding up.

JCC

To be honest, I dont think theres been a DRM thread of this type before. Sure, its about DRM, but covers a different , more simple, perspective:
Is DRM the only problem for you?

I think the result is VERY interresting!

Almost 3/4 of the people who have not bought SH5, have not done so because of DRM - not because of all the other issues there is with the game..

[THE_MASK]

So out of 6800,000,000 people , 42 people refuse to buy it no matter what .

[goldorak]

Originally Posted by sober

So out of 6800,000,000 people , 42 people refuse to buy it no matter what .

, its those 42 people out of 6800,000,000 customers that convinced Ubisoft to stop supporting SH 5.

[thyro]

Originally Posted by goldorak

, its those 42 people out of 6800,000,000 customers that convinced Ubisoft to stop supporting SH 5.

Correction! 43 now!

Even if DRM was removed

I will not waste my money on aborted games!

But if it gets finalized (if it ever gets!) then it will be a different story.

[Stiebler]

JScones said (speaking of SH3):

By mid-July 2005 we had: SH3Cmdr; new ships and elaborate ship skins (including the Merchant Variety Pack, Additional Merchants Pack and numerous other new units from traliblazers like sergbuto); Harbour Traffic; Hollywood Effects; Airpower Mod; at least two detailed sound packs; and FrontFlotille and RUB 1.42 combomods (both comprised a lot more than just interface changes )! And FOUR official patches. And editing tools from TimeTraveller that worked (nothing given to us from the devs back then).

Good point (as usual by JS).
SH3 seems to have generated an enthusiasm that has somehow been lacking with SH4 and SH5, which both lagged behind SH3 for rate of development of mods. I recollect that, in the early months of SH4, complaints about lack of mods for it were always met with statements to the effect that 'it has not been in development for as long as SH3; wait until it has'. It never did catch up, having lower sales and (presumably) therefore a smaller pool of potential modders.

Mods should really be developed to accommodate different playing tastes. To take an obvious example, the original devs will have set a certain standard of playing difficulty. Some will prefer the game easier, so mods should be developed for them. Some will prefer the game harder, so they will need different mods. Again, some will prefer more eye-candy, others will prefer more realism. Mods will be developed for both groups. Other talented modders have created extra ships for SH3 and SH4.

Mods should *not* be created to correct defects in the original code or to paper over cracks in the original game design. I have the impression, reading the threads on this forum, that this is nevertheless the objective of most of the mods being created for SH5. This is a difficult objective anyway, but must also discourage casual modders. There is no point in changing the colo(u)r of a U-boat propellers (to take a trivial example) if no one wants to use the supplied GUI. The GUI has to be sorted out first.

I believe that modding for SH5 is never likely to be popular, until there is more enthusiasm for the un-modded product. (In practical terms, that means further patches needed, and DRM to be removed.)

[I haven't voted in the poll.]

Stiebler.

[GoDeep]

I voted "No".

For me, DRM is the biggest problem I have with the game. DRM only hurts the legitimate players, it does nothing to hurt pirates. If the servers at UBI are down, the legitimate players can't play, where as the pirates have no problem. That is just wrong. I wish companies would cease to hurt their paying customers.
I also do not like software that "phones home". It is none of UBI's business if I play Silent Hunter at 2:13 AM. The "phoning home" behaviour is one of the main reasons why I ditched Microsoft products. I run Silent Hunter III and 4 on Linux. (For more information of Microsoft products phoning home, see here:
http://news.softpedia.com/news/30-Wi...t-129592.shtml
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03...a_phones_home/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11..._eula_worries/)
I don't like companies treating me like a criminal!

/rant

Errr...sorry for the little off-topic rant. DRM just annoys me...

However, from what I have read about SH5 and the reviews that I have seen, SH5 has moved away from a pure simulation and is moving into arcade games and role playing. Personally, I don't want to chat with my crew about their family. It may be nice for some, but for me, I can imagine that aspect of the game. I like the realistic recreation of submarine warfare in terms of physics, technology, sensors, tactics, weapons, weather and environment. I want a realistic AI. I am fascinated by the thrill of the hunt, figuring out the attack plan and have it go all awry when the escorts interfere, the cat and mouse game of attacking and withdrawing.
When I have all that and still have nice enough graphics, I am happy. SH5 looks stunning, there's no question about it. In that aspect it is obvious how dated the SHIII engine has become. But in the aspect of realism and the items I mentioned before, SH5 doesn't seem to come close to SHIII with GWX3. That, and now the announcement that there may not be another patch for SH5, doesn't inspire me to buy the game at the moment. Maybe when the time comes and I can lift it from the bargain bin, and the DRM is removed.

If I have been mislead by reviews and user opinion, then please correct me.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by goldorak

, its those 42 people out of 6800,000,000 customers that convinced Ubisoft to stop supporting SH 5.

That's not the number of customers. That's the number of people on the whole planet!

[Reece]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

That's not the number of customers. That's the number of people on the whole planet!

Mars or Venus Steve?

[janh]

Originally Posted by Reece

Mars or Venus Steve?

42 must be Mars, I believe. Gotta check whether George B Jr is still there...

[GoDeep]

Originally Posted by janh

42 must be Mars, I believe. Gotta check whether George B Jr is still there...

If it is 42, the planet is probably Magrathea

[Gorshkov]

I bought SH5 right now but not because of DRM issue but due to low price I was able to get it - just 20 bucks!

[Yak]

Yep, so the other 6.7999 billion people on the planet have all bought SH5?

It is actually the most successful video game of all time:

Pictures of North Korean flocking to Electronics Boutique to get their copy:


And Ethiopian Children trekking for days to their nearest Best Buy just to play subsim and prove the 42 luddites wrong!



So why aren't YOU playing SH5?