Little Review - SH4 "imworsements"???

AS · 03-22-07, 07:36 AM

Hi all,

SH4 has just been released in Germany and the computer stores even have a huge SH4 display selling both the normal and the special edition including a sticker, ship ID, map and manual.

After a comparatively short loading time SH4 starts without any problems on my 3 year old rig.

What you get to see brings you down to earth immediately. The sub´s inside DOES look better than in SH3, and yet there´s no real "Wow" effect since the colours are all a bit faint and you feel very stationary: you cannot interact with the crew, you cannot change your position or take the crew´s positions, and the guy at the map table doesn´t move at all, I don´t know what he´s there for.

In short: it´s like being glued to the bottom of a wax museum.

The bridge: all has been said before. A useless watch officer who is somewhat transparent. Many blind spots due to the US sub design (tower and masts just blocks your view). Lack of FSAA makes deck-banister blocky and jagged.

Free cam: Either you have to search for your sub in an awkward way and get the camera right, OR you hit ".", the problem is, while you are getting a view of your sub you are way too far away, when you zoom in, you´ll notice that you cannot get close enough to your sub to see any details - so again, your view is rather limited for no good reason at all.

Another drawback: due to the dark paint job I feel my sub looks like a whale in the night even at bright daylight.

Steering and command interface: Most obviously your view is limited by unnecessarily huge interfaces. The text message field kills all immersion, first thing I did was hide it behind the huge command bar. The design is somewhat stiff and blocky. No real gauge for fuel, CO2 etc. If you click the bottons, your mouse cursor hides the actual "gauge". Getting to stations means double-clicking the icons unless you use the keyboard anyway.

In short: my first impression is, SH4 feels sterile and somewhat indirect in terms of view, interaction and commanding. In German we have a fun word for making things worse instead of improving them: "verschlimmbessern". In English it would be "Imworsement" (pun on "Improvement")

I don´t know about gameplay, but I know there will be alot to do for those great modders out there.

My two cents,

Cheers, AS

CrocodileDundee · 03-22-07, 08:09 AM

I think the engine is the same, despite the advert to the contrary. Explosions are the same in every detail. Gee, even the sounds are identical.

I kinda like the auto-enlarging main gauges. I think you should have all gauges in the game like that (CO2, Fuel, Battery). I personally like to play it with the external cam on, so the more gauges you have readily available, the better.

Overal I'm not as dissapointed as you, but I fail to see the 'huge improvement' (or even "imworsement" - I actually like this one). I think SH4 is just an expansion pack.

ijozic · 03-22-07, 08:18 AM

I would agree that the interface is kind of more complex than it should be and that the battery, fuel, etc. gauges are missing. But I like what they did with the map and the map tools. Great design.

CrocodileDundee · 03-22-07, 08:23 AM

Guys, has anyone seen yet the 'new bow/stern wave effect' in the 1.1 patch? I can't I'm stuck in the office at work!

codmander · 03-22-07, 08:32 AM

lol:hmm:

The General · 03-22-07, 08:32 AM

@CrocodileDundee

I'm guessing you live in Dundee, do you have a copy of SH4 already? I'm interested to see the new bow wave effect too.

P_Funk · 03-22-07, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrocodileDundee

Guys, has anyone seen yet the 'new bow/stern wave effect' in the 1.1 patch? I can't I'm stuck in the office at work!

Well thats one Scranton paper company employee with his eye on the ball.

CrocodileDundee · 03-22-07, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The General

@CrocodileDundee

I'm guessing you live in Dundee, do you have a copy of SH4 already? I'm interested to see the new bow wave effect too.

Dundee it is.

My girl works at Game. I'll say no more.

(I usually agree with her that it is a lame job, but she's in her final year at Uni, so it is better than shoveling chips @ Burger King I guess).

CrocodileDundee · 03-22-07, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P_Funk

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrocodileDundee

Guys, has anyone seen yet the 'new bow/stern wave effect' in the 1.1 patch? I can't I'm stuck in the office at work!

Well thats one Scranton paper company employee with his eye on the ball.

I actually do research. We're allowed to be lazy on special ocasions, as long as we spend Easter in the lab

What the heck I don't have the doe for anything else...

(gonna get my Gato and sail around Hawaii - for FREE

)

The General · 03-22-07, 09:03 AM

@CrocDundee

Hey man that's cool. I hope to see you online when I get my copy. I'll P.M. you when that great day comes.

03-22-07, 07:36 AM	#1
AS 中国水兵 Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Germany Posts: 275 Downloads: 135 Uploads: 0	Little Review - SH4 "imworsements"??? Hi all, SH4 has just been released in Germany and the computer stores even have a huge SH4 display selling both the normal and the special edition including a sticker, ship ID, map and manual. After a comparatively short loading time SH4 starts without any problems on my 3 year old rig. What you get to see brings you down to earth immediately. The sub´s inside DOES look better than in SH3, and yet there´s no real "Wow" effect since the colours are all a bit faint and you feel very stationary: you cannot interact with the crew, you cannot change your position or take the crew´s positions, and the guy at the map table doesn´t move at all, I don´t know what he´s there for. In short: it´s like being glued to the bottom of a wax museum. The bridge: all has been said before. A useless watch officer who is somewhat transparent. Many blind spots due to the US sub design (tower and masts just blocks your view). Lack of FSAA makes deck-banister blocky and jagged. Free cam: Either you have to search for your sub in an awkward way and get the camera right, OR you hit ".", the problem is, while you are getting a view of your sub you are way too far away, when you zoom in, you´ll notice that you cannot get close enough to your sub to see any details - so again, your view is rather limited for no good reason at all. Another drawback: due to the dark paint job I feel my sub looks like a whale in the night even at bright daylight. Steering and command interface: Most obviously your view is limited by unnecessarily huge interfaces. The text message field kills all immersion, first thing I did was hide it behind the huge command bar. The design is somewhat stiff and blocky. No real gauge for fuel, CO2 etc. If you click the bottons, your mouse cursor hides the actual "gauge". Getting to stations means double-clicking the icons unless you use the keyboard anyway. In short: my first impression is, SH4 feels sterile and somewhat indirect in terms of view, interaction and commanding. In German we have a fun word for making things worse instead of improving them: "verschlimmbessern". In English it would be "Imworsement" (pun on "Improvement") I don´t know about gameplay, but I know there will be alot to do for those great modders out there. My two cents, Cheers, AS __________________ Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong. (Oscar Wilde)

03-22-07, 08:18 AM	#3
ijozic Bosun Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 61 Downloads: 47 Uploads: 0	I would agree that the interface is kind of more complex than it should be and that the battery, fuel, etc. gauges are missing. But I like what they did with the map and the map tools. Great design. __________________ I'm a bit slow at first, but by the time the crew starts screaming "Captain, we're all gonna die!", I'm in complete control.

03-22-07, 08:32 AM	#6
The General The Old Man Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Mountain Ash, Wales, U.K. Posts: 1,548 Downloads: 179 Uploads: 3	@CrocodileDundee I'm guessing you live in Dundee, do you have a copy of SH4 already? I'm interested to see the new bow wave effect too. __________________ *THE GENERAL*

03-22-07, 09:03 AM	#10
The General The Old Man Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Mountain Ash, Wales, U.K. Posts: 1,548 Downloads: 179 Uploads: 3	@CrocDundee Hey man that's cool. I hope to see you online when I get my copy. I'll P.M. you when that great day comes. __________________ *THE GENERAL*

03-22-07, 08:09 AM	#2
CrocodileDundee Mate Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Scotland, UK Posts: 55 Downloads: 11 Uploads: 0	I think the engine is the same, despite the advert to the contrary. Explosions are the same in every detail. Gee, even the sounds are identical. I kinda like the auto-enlarging main gauges. I think you should have all gauges in the game like that (CO2, Fuel, Battery). I personally like to play it with the external cam on, so the more gauges you have readily available, the better. Overal I'm not as dissapointed as you, but I fail to see the 'huge improvement' (or even "imworsement" - I actually like this one). I think SH4 is just an expansion pack.

03-22-07, 08:23 AM	#4
CrocodileDundee Mate Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Scotland, UK Posts: 55 Downloads: 11 Uploads: 0	Guys, has anyone seen yet the 'new bow/stern wave effect' in the 1.1 patch? I can't I'm stuck in the office at work!

03-22-07, 08:32 AM	#5
codmander Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: cape cod mass. Posts: 678 Downloads: 59 Uploads: 0	lol:hmm: