DW is showing its age. It's rearing its ugly graphics. - Page 3

Nexus7 · 07-02-09, 05:54 AM

About the success of the SH series: don't underestimate the faschion (err... fashination) that WW2 itself brings to the people (still today)

DW doesn't have this trigger to customers.

Nexus7 · 07-02-09, 06:10 AM

About the Graphics engine. I am one of those that don't care a darn about graphics in a sub simulator. For me graphics come far behind in the list of fun factors.

Molon Labe is very right in saying that hot graphics would trigger exactly the wrong people, rough / spartan graphics instead will attract the right people, as they are an hint for care for the game mechanics (the juice, and not the superficial, visible things).

My best moments with SC or DW:
- multiplayer battles where you start to think you are able to guess your opponent's next move ! (this can really happen)
- outsmart your human opponent
- successful tactical decisions (better than your enemy)
- the thrill and the stress of the PING PING when you have to prepare for evasion and at the same prepare a counter attack
- organize the efforts of a multicrew platform for the objective and have everyone doing his part with competence and enthusiasm

just to name a few...

But to have the best experience, you have to pass the obstacle consisting in learning the (difficult) game mechanics. Me myself, with SC, at the begin I was about to give it up. Just after several attempts i started learning the basics anfd enjoing the game... at the beginning it was rather frustrating (am i so dumb or does the game sux? )

As for graphical catcher, I think there's nothing best than a picture of the Broad Band sonar with some contacts fading, or some fire control station (i.e. of the Akula), that shows the complexity and the level of detail (again, not graphical detail)

goldorak · 07-02-09, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nexus7

About the success of the SH series: don't underestimate the faschion that WW2 itself brings to the people (still today)

DW doesn't have this trigger to customers.

It doesn't make sense, years ago cold war sims sold very well.
Sierra Fast Attack for instance has 2d stations (in svga resolution !!!!) that are more "real" than what we get in DW.
Even Silent Hunter I had 2d stations that are more "real" than DW's.
Really there is no hiding, DW was first and foremost a technology demonstrator for the US Navy.
It was never developed as a game, and therefore never received the attention to detail it deserved to be marketed as a game for the general video game player.
Dont' think I hate DW, in fact I like it a lot, even moreso with RA or Alfa Tau but you must realise that what we have is basically an unfished game.

goldorak · 07-02-09, 06:21 AM

Nexus you're forgetting the "whole experience".
I mean if fidelity was all that mattered we would have flight sims that concentrated on instruments and procedures instead of letting you gaze out the canopy and admire the 3d-world.
A simulator is not and end in itself, its just a brick in giving the player the "simulated experience" of being there.
And that means that even if you stare at 2d stations all day long, you want those 2d stations to be rendered nicely, you want the sounds you hear on broadband to be realistic. You want to hear realistic emergency "dive dive" voices, alarms etc....
You want to be able to 3d-navigate a virtual submarine etc, etc, etc....
When you look throught the periscope you want to see a nice rendered ocean, nice clouds, rain, etc... and nice ships not the 2d blocks we have right now.
There are so many things that could improve the game experience in DW that
just boggles the mind.
Some people don't want to accept the fact that DW was done as a low cost project. It was never to be a game, and if you look at the time Sub Command came out, well that game is much more polished than DW will ever be.

Nexus7 · 07-02-09, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldorak

Nexus you're forgetting the "whole experience".
I mean if fidelity was all that mattered we would have flight sims that concentrated on instruments and procedures instead of letting you gaze out the canopy and admire the 3d-world.
A simulator is not and end in itself, its just a brick in giving the player the "simulated experience" of being there.
And that means that even if you stare at 2d stations all day long, you want those 2d stations to be rendered nicely, you want the sounds you hear on broadband to be realistic. You want to hear realistic emergency "dive dive" voices, alarms etc....
You want to be able to 3d-navigate a virtual submarine etc, etc, etc....
When you look throught the periscope you want to see a nice rendered ocean, nice clouds, rain, etc... and nice ships not the 2d blocks we have right now.
There are so many things that could improve the game experience in DW that
just boggles the mind.
Some people don't want to accept the fact that DW was done as a low cost project. It was never to be a game, and if you look at the time Sub Command came out, well that game is much more polished than DW will ever be.

You hardly can compare a flight simulator and a sub simulator: the people aboard a sub will hardly see a 2D sun for months lol. Even the commander will pass very little of his time at the periscope station... for sure he won't be able to see his boat from different angles like you actually can in DW... won't be able to see explosions below the surface either... He will need his ears (sensors) to know what happens. That means, DW already offers more than due on graphics.

What are realistic songs on BB ?
What is a realistic "dive dive" signal ?
What do you mean with realistic alarms ?

I second you when you say DW is unfinished. Even SC had to be patched several times to come to a good level (V1.08 ?)
For this, there is a reason to be angry with Sonalyst, at least for those who spent 60 $ like me.

07-02-09, 05:54 AM	#31
Nexus7 Commander Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Switzerland Posts: 469 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	About the success of the SH series: don't underestimate the faschion (err... fashination) that WW2 itself brings to the people (still today) DW doesn't have this trigger to customers. __________________ If you are going through hell... keep going (Winston Churchill) Last edited by Nexus7; 07-02-09 at 06:21 AM. Reason: syntax error

07-02-09, 06:10 AM	#32
Nexus7 Commander Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Switzerland Posts: 469 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	About the Graphics engine. I am one of those that don't care a darn about graphics in a sub simulator. For me graphics come far behind in the list of fun factors. Molon Labe is very right in saying that hot graphics would trigger exactly the wrong people, rough / spartan graphics instead will attract the right people, as they are an hint for care for the game mechanics (the juice, and not the superficial, visible things). My best moments with SC or DW: - multiplayer battles where you start to think you are able to guess your opponent's next move ! (this can really happen) - outsmart your human opponent - successful tactical decisions (better than your enemy) - the thrill and the stress of the PING PING when you have to prepare for evasion and at the same prepare a counter attack - organize the efforts of a multicrew platform for the objective and have everyone doing his part with competence and enthusiasm just to name a few... But to have the best experience, you have to pass the obstacle consisting in learning the (difficult) game mechanics. Me myself, with SC, at the begin I was about to give it up. Just after several attempts i started learning the basics anfd enjoing the game... at the beginning it was rather frustrating (am i so dumb or does the game sux? ) As for graphical catcher, I think there's nothing best than a picture of the Broad Band sonar with some contacts fading, or some fire control station (i.e. of the Akula), that shows the complexity and the level of detail (again, not graphical detail) __________________ If you are going through hell... keep going (Winston Churchill)

07-02-09, 06:21 AM	#34
goldorak Admiral Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,320 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Nexus you're forgetting the "whole experience". I mean if fidelity was all that mattered we would have flight sims that concentrated on instruments and procedures instead of letting you gaze out the canopy and admire the 3d-world. A simulator is not and end in itself, its just a brick in giving the player the "simulated experience" of being there. And that means that even if you stare at 2d stations all day long, you want those 2d stations to be rendered nicely, you want the sounds you hear on broadband to be realistic. You want to hear realistic emergency "dive dive" voices, alarms etc.... You want to be able to 3d-navigate a virtual submarine etc, etc, etc.... When you look throught the periscope you want to see a nice rendered ocean, nice clouds, rain, etc... and nice ships not the 2d blocks we have right now. There are so many things that could improve the game experience in DW that just boggles the mind. Some people don't want to accept the fact that DW was done as a low cost project. It was never to be a game, and if you look at the time Sub Command came out, well that game is much more polished than DW will ever be.