Silent Hunter 6

[Feuer Frei!]

So, since some of us are saying Ubisoft should get rid of the SH5 licence, who is out there currently that would take the plunge? Pun intended.
I doubt very much the big companies would do this, niche games are a hard market to cater to, from a business-sense not much money to be made.
If it's a smaller, independent company, niche market games, in particular sims have a small budget to work with...
Would this bode well for the quality of the release? Budget tight ie scimp on things included in game etc etc?
Thoughts anyone?

[jwilliams]

Originally Posted by Feuer Frei!

So, since some of us are saying Ubisoft should get rid of the SH5 licence, who is out there currently that would take the plunge? Pun intended.
I doubt very much the big companies would do this, niche games are a hard market to cater to, from a business-sense not much money to be made.

Former members of ACES studios (FSX & MS train simulator) have set up a new company. Simulations-based development studio named Cascade Game Foundry. Further details relating to their first project are to be announced.

Our previous efforts focused on building traditional simulation titles. However, now we get to redefine what a simulation game can be.

Maybe they could make a good Subsim ????

And im sure there are other small Dev teams out there willing to fill the void left by Ubi.

Atleast i hope so.

[doomlordis]

I hope they dont drop it, i still think 5 is a good game and could be made the best ever with a few patches.
US boats and the theatre itself are a bit dull though, no disrespect to the brave men who served.
I really hope UBI release Type 9 add on with 43-45 included.

[danizzz]

If they will produce SH3 + GWX + modern graphic and some little features i will buy it.....im not interested in SH5 in the pacific.

Maybe could be interesting a sub game with modern subs....

[Feuer Frei!]

Since this thread is a hypothetical, a what-if, a "i dream", what would be the 1 single thing in everyone's eyes that would make SH6 a winner....AT RELEASE?
1 thing...
i say Open Source

[Zedi]

Originally Posted by Feuer Frei!

So, since some of us are saying Ubisoft should get rid of the SH5 licence, who is out there currently that would take the plunge? Pun intended.
I doubt very much the big companies would do this, niche games are a hard market to cater to, from a business-sense not much money to be made.
If it's a smaller, independent company, niche market games, in particular sims have a small budget to work with...
Would this bode well for the quality of the release? Budget tight ie scimp on things included in game etc etc?
Thoughts anyone?

There is many examples of indie companies developing games for a small market, the key is to find a good publisher and keep constant feedback with the fans.

Because I'm a MMO fan I can give as a quick example example Darkfall and the notorius EVE who won the game of the year 2009 prize. EVE is not a popular game, actually is a hardcore one, but with a great and intelligent community. CCP, the developers of EVE, was a very small indie company few years ago and with EVE they become the most successful story in the MMO industry after WoW.

Of course, there is a very hard work and risk involved in such an adventure. But SH has constant fanbase and even on fails they are still playing and love the game. We have no other sub sim around, so the risk in loosing money is pretty small compared with EVE where they had to fight with a colossus like Blizzard &WoW. And if they manage to keep the communication gates open non-stop with the fans, it's a win-win situation.

[Feuer Frei!]

Originally Posted by Magnum

keep constant feedback with the fans.

Key point

And if they manage to keep the communication gates open non-stop with the fans, it's a win-win situation.

Key point
Also one thing we haven't mentioned is reputation.
Business relies upon it, now if a indie company comes along and took over the licence, what is their reputation like? In previous ventures. Current SubSimmers would be watching with a close eye of course, but the trepidation and fear would be there, a new business taking over the reigns.....driving it into the ground even more?
Introducing bizarre new things into SH6 that just will not go down well with the community. Or introduce something completely different than what has been offered currently.
The key point is really: communication.
Communication and actually taking feedback into consideration, when implementing changes or developing games. I still think that the possibility of a new developer= 3 possibilities:
1) Keep the traditions that Ubisoft had implemented in their games, expand a little on that and produce SH6
2) Totally revolutionalise SH6 by changing source code completely, totally redesigning it, with the communitie's ideas and wishes actually implemented, to a large extent
3) Keep traditions that Ubisoft had implemented, do not listen to or communicate with the community, and keep the game engine and mechanics largely what it has been so far. Ie FAIL!
Of course this is all hypothetical, it really all depends on the current/future developer of a game, how they conduct business, with their customers, how they market themselves and their products, how they support their customers, how they communicate and if they are quick in response times....after all, it's business for the Dev.
For us? The End User?
I think it's pretty clear don't you?

[Cap.Palla]

Silent Hunter 6 ???

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by jdkbph

I think if it had been understood that the addition of 3d interiors and interactive crew would cost what it now seems it has, no one would have voted for that.

Hate to say I told you so.

[JScones]

But think of the immersion, mookie, the immersion. It's all about immersion.

And I know you like immersion.

[Bilge_Rat]

Its a bit early to talk about SH6. As a first step, Ubi has to patch the issues in SH5.

However, my vote for SH6 would be definitely for a return to the Pacific.

Fleet Boats rule!

[Zedi]

Originally Posted by Feuer Frei!

Also one thing we haven't mentioned is reputation.
Business relies upon it, now if a indie company comes along and took over the licence, what is their reputation like? In previous ventures. Current SubSimmers would be watching with a close eye of course, but the trepidation and fear would be there, a new business taking over the reigns.....driving it into the ground even more?
Introducing bizarre new things into SH6 that just will not go down well with the community. Or introduce something completely different than what has been offered currently.
The key point is really: communication....

Well, I don't know what to say about the reputation. I don't care much about it, dunno about the rest. But let's consider this.. how much of you knew about the SH moders before they started to work on mods? Nothing. But after they released good mods, they gained more and more popularity and respect from the community. They listen to the community, they work together with the community is a real friendship there.

To get further with this example.. I stoped playin SH3 right before that mega GWX mod was released. So I did not know anything about those guys, but now that I see their site, their work and clips on YT with the mods.. I'm amazed. These guys have my respect even if I never played SH3 with the GWX installed. Also, just look at thegreywolves.com .. it's a joy to browse it, a lot of info, screenies etc. Now compare this with Ubi's uber-mega lame website... say no more.

Also, I care more about the communication and how much these guys would listen to the fan base. I would care more about a strong alpha/beta test where stuff are tested and fixed before release, a good and responsive support.. so bottom line, I don't care about the reputation.. I care more about the end result. And if they care about the customers/fans/business, there will be no bizarre or different things implemented than what the customers expect.

[Iron Budokan]

I would like to see a new company try their hand at this, tbh. Anyway, I'm not all that sanguine Ubi will release a new submarine simulation anytime in the future.

It wouldn't surprise me too much if this was their swan song as regards sub sims.

Yeah, I'd def like to see another company take a crack at this, though.

[scrapser]

Another way for a company to afford developing a niche market simulation is to be a company that has very healthy sales in other genre's so they don't have to worry so much about the budget. You would think Ubisoft is such a company. I have no idea how their financial infrastructure is set up but I bet it is not along these lines. In any case, it's not uncommon for companies to work this way. For example, RANS is a company that produces homebuilt aircraft kits and on the side they also make recumbent bicycles which is a niche market. They can use the same resources for two entirely different markets. I think it would be even easier for a software development house to do something similar as they are not at all different except for the size of the clientele.

[Feuer Frei!]

Originally Posted by scrapser

Another way for a company to afford developing a niche market simulation is to be a company that has very healthy sales in other genre's so they don't have to worry so much about the budget. You would think Ubisoft is such a company. I have no idea how their financial infrastructure is set up but I bet it is not along these lines. In any case, it's not uncommon for companies to work this way. For example, RANS is a company that produces homebuilt aircraft kits and on the side they also make recumbent bicycles which is a niche market. They can use the same resources for two entirely different markets. I think it would be even easier for a software development house to do something similar as they are not at all different except for the size of the clientele.

Totally agree...
i guess the issue with the big guns is that the "side ventures" or the niche games just don't get as much attention if you will than the big games for which there is a demand for. Perfect point in case:
Ubisoft with SH5, Settlers 7 and AC 2, now we all know which ones have got the most attention, ie patches etc, SH5 being a niche game...well, i don't need to go on.
I think sometimes it really is counter-productive, certainly for the end-user (you and me) that when a big(er) company has this type of set-up and caters for sideventures (in this case niche games) well, they just don't get the same level of support, do they?
If a small company picked up the licence for SH6, and that company had purely a Simulation background for instance, and had total focus on the Simulation genre of games, nothing else then i would think that is a big plus.
Of course a good team, the more money the better go hand in hand.