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

1943 ending? UNSAT.

I had expected, at minimum, the addition of the Type IX (IXA), but instead all Types of IIs and IXs, have been removed, as has the Type XXI. UNSAT.

Thanks UBI. You just saved me a lot of money and time.
Pre-order cancelled.

[Onkel Neal]

I'm keeping an open mind. One thing that bears repeating, when a game development team sets out to build a new type of game, they may not include "features" seen in previous versions. In this case, they are specializing on the personal element of being a captain and leading a crew of U-bootmen, and they are providing a new type of subsim, an interaction first person subsim. This game appears to be designed to give more of a Das Boot experience than an SH2/SH3 overarching career.

I know Dan is a serious, simulation-oriented developer. And you guys who joined us on the U-995 tour last Sept could see how Dan, Mike, and Mihai were really intent on learning as much as possible, crawling in every crevice and taking pictures. If we had not pried them loose, they would still be there, I bet.

My sole concern at this point is the state of the game when released. I think most would say I am pretty forgiving of minor glitches and bugs, and I update reviews with info about patches-- I know no game is delivered 100% perfect. I would feel a lot better if there was an actual preview copy to evaluate before the game goes on sale. Ubisoft protected SHIV until the game was released, and it was pretty messed up until months and patches later. That's my worry. I can buy into a different direction for this edition, with the emphasis on the captain/crew expereience, but SHV must be up to the level of quality of SH3.

[Chad]

I also am keeping an open mind. This could be the best game in the series

[Rip]

Originally Posted by Mikhayl

Thanks Neal, very good interview, covering pretty much all the important stuff IMO.
I for one am glad that the devs took the courageous way to limit the scope of the game to do their best to make that narrow scope as rich as possible. It's going to be awkward to end in mid '43 but given Dan & Alex answers I trust it will be well done.

And I never went that far in all my SH3 careers anyway, so it might happen that I won't see Black May in SH5 either

Also glad that they seem to have taken immersion (as in "you're the captain, you're here) seriously, this is the kind of thing that made old sims so great, the feeling of continuity in the story, between missions.

And **** man, there's ****ing wolfpacks, for real

A bit anxious to see the actual thing but it already sounds like a win to me.

I can live with all the things I didn't want to hear if the detail is there. I really hope that someone will mod a good campaign that goes all the way. Maybe even add some more u-boat types.

I'd also be fine with DLC content, particularly is it was a steady strem. I'm all for them having a revenue stream if I get value for it. Most of the many other games I spend money on I don't play much anyway. I'd rather it all go for submarine sims if there were enough of them.

[tonyj]

open mind here too. this sounds vastly different from sh3/sh4.

[Fire]

After this Interview I won't buy the game on release.

I see it coming:

A half year after release there will be the Type IX Download Content, but without missions, they will cost extra.

And a few months later we will get the "Play-till-45" Campaign upgrade for 24,99 $.

We'll, why am I disappointed.....it's Ubisoft, never expected any other behaviour....

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

I'm keeping an open mind. One thing that bears repeating, when a game development team sets out to build a new type of game, they may not include "features" seen in previous versions. In this case, they are specializing on the personal element of being a captain and leading a crew of U-bootmen, and they are providing a new type of subsim, an interaction first person subsim. This game appears to be designed to give more of a Das Boot experience than an SH2/SH3 overarching career.

I know Dan is a serious, simulation-oriented developer. And you guys who joined us on the U-995 tour last Sept could see how Dan, Mike, and Mihai were really intent on learning as much as possible, crawling in every crevice and taking pictures. If we had not pried them loose, they would still be there, I bet.

My sole concern at this point is the state of the game when released. I think most would say I am pretty forgiving of minor glitches and bugs, and I update reviews with info about patches-- I know no game is delivered 100% perfect. I would feel a lot better if there was an actual preview copy to evaluate before the game goes on sale. Ubisoft protected SHIV until the game was released, and it was pretty messed up until months and patches later. That's my worry. I can buy into a different direction for this edition, with the emphasis on the captain/crew expereience, but SHV must be up to the level of quality of SH3.

Agreed....only after playing and evaluating personally will I feel I'm in a position to decide.

Your last sentence is of particular paramount importance IMO.

[Ducimus]

From what i just gathered, SH5 in a nutshell is "Das Boot the video game that ends in 1943". Which is mighty unappealing to me, and my only thought being, "Jesus, what can i do to make SH4 better?!" Working on it again, is also unappealing since a few signficant chunks of what is required to improve it is beyond my ability.

At any rate, im guessing the first serious mod for this game will be a type 9 from UBM and expanded campaign beyond 43 for the type 7 and type 9. That might actually make the game worthwhile, but i'm still unenthused.

[conus00]

I was hoping to give myself nice present for my 36th birthday (on March 11) but I will DEFINITELY not buying this game until, at least, my 37th birthday when modders have released "GWX5" covering 1939-1945, with all available sub types and theatres of operations.

I do not plan on spending $49.99 (or so) on unfinished game. Unless the release price will be in $9.99-$19.99 range (where it belongs as of now, considering that you are buying sort of DIY game) I, for one, will wait.

What kind of: "let's release it now and have modders finish it" sales practice is it, anyway?

[JU_88]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

You been on that draught porridge again

Daught porridge? ME? why?
Mate, Sometimes you are so cryptic / non-specfic - I honestly wish I could understand what your are trying tell me (without using an enigma machine or trying to read you mind or both.)
So, regardless of how much it might embarress me in the end, would you kindly give me the 'decrypted version' on this occasion?
I don't take hints well, (just ask my missus.)

[Sulikate]

It's no surprise I'm getting this one as I did with SHII-III-IV, and probably have a blast playing it. The fact that we will be restricted to type VII doesn't really bother me: I believe the added gameplay depth and design/simulation precision will compensate the loss. The wolfpack funcionality is still somewhat blurry to me... wait and see, I guess.

Anyway, the fresh air brought by the interview is very welcome indeed. Thanks Neal

[danurve]

Originally Posted by sober

Quote Subsim: Modding, everybody asked me about this, the games before have been open to a certain extent to mod, and modding is a big thing, a lot of credibility on modding. How open is this game to modding?

Alex: Modding? Let's say like this: the modders will be extremely happy with Silent Hunter 5. It's quite a bit more open than the previous, and you surely will find some nice surprises.

How long did it take before SH3 modding could start a carrer 1 month before the war started? Barrier broken.

How long was it before wizzard modders gave us the Open Hatch, alternate GUI's, better ships, alternate theaters, ports & bases etc? Barriers broken.

Going by that last statement in the quote, and I'm no detective but it does not seem like the developers would purposly stop those with the talent to create mods to craft the game.

What the frack is the use in explaining that though, realy.
It occurs to me alot of spoiled players will piss and whine regardless. It is like being in a room with kids holding an ice cream cone pissing themselves because it doesn't already have sprinkles.

[Mikhayl]

The game can be perfectly well finished with just one sub and a campaign end in 1943. And it could be unfinished with the whole war and all the subs.

Seriously, I don't know how much UBI made with SH4+addon, but obviously it's nowhere near their blockbuster titles. So even if the devs were ok to delay the game to add more stuff (which ultimately they'd probably love to do), I seriously doubt that UBI would be willing to pay for an extra 6 months of dev time.
So the next logical step is to draw the line somewhere regarding content, and I'm fine with the devs choosing quality over quantity.

[Kapitanleutnant]

It occurs to me alot of spoiled players will piss and whine regardless. It is like being in a room with kids holding an ice cream cone pissing themselves because it doesn't already have sprinkles.

Hmm yes the total absence of a third of the entire war is just like some missing sprinkles. I see what you're saying.

[BulSoldier]

WE cant draw that conclusion.We know that there is only one of the major types of subs.We know that a third of the war is missing and yes the eye candy is great but i havent seen anything about the simulation part of the game.