Published on 2 August 2024

[s0cks]

My opinion is that it's not as good as Silent Hunter if you're looking for something to simulate the hunt. The lack of tools (like an RAOBF) and lack of charts, as well as how the interface works (like having to move officers to a station before you can use it) makes manual hunting a bit tedious in this game imo. Plus there's way too few ship types, and they all sink roughly the same way in about 20 seconds or less.


However, if you turn on map contacts and play the game more like an RTS than a serious sub sim I think that's when it shines, and it's a lot of fun when played that way. Definitely worth the current price discount.

[Captain Wreckless]

Originally Posted by XLjedi

Not only can you assign crew to the task, but you can level them up with skills to do it better/faster as they gain experience.

Good to know.

CW

[RAM]

Originally Posted by s0cks

My opinion is that it's not as good as Silent Hunter if you're looking for something to simulate the hunt.

It's tremendously unfair to compare release Uboat with the very few release-compatible mods available right now, with a game series which best version of (SH3) dates back to 20 years and has a tremendous assortment of excellent mods that bring it's quality up to an amazing level during the whole time it's been out.

You can't expect a dev team of a handful of guys to compete with a game developed by a gaming studio backed by one of the publishing giants of the game industry (scumbags as they are, Ubisoft is a powerhouse), and then upkept by a legion of excellent passionate modders during the course of two decades.

Just compare the base versions. Which of both, is, in your opinion, the much better u-boat subsim?. Uboat, or SH3, or SH5?... With no mods, just the base product.

For me the answer is clear. Wait some time for modders to do their thing. Just to put an instance: Give a team like the one that developed GWX for Silent Hunter the same time they took to develop their megamod, to work in an Uboat Megamod. What do you think that would look like?. The result would make Uboat laugh (loudly) about any Silent Hunter iteration. Because the base game modders have to work with is so much better to begin with. As simple as that.

So I would plead everyone to stop comparing any of the ultra-modded SH games with a just-released Uboat because that's just not fair. Compare their base versions, or just give time for the modders to do what they did with Silent Hunter. The base to work with in Uboat is so much better than it ever was with SH that it ain't even funny.

look long-term, chaps. And again remember, this wasn't developed with Ubisoft backing as a publisher (THANK GOD!, but also means a lot less resources available), but by a tiny indie developer. The fact we have something this good from a team that small should be enough to be jumping in happiness. Of course the game isn't perfect, of course there are a lot of things to improve. Of course the UI can feel better or worse, but the OVERALL product, come on, guys, is really really good as a starting point, and coming from the limited resources the developers had to work with.

[hombre al agua]

Originally Posted by s0cks

My opinion is that it's not as good as Silent Hunter if you're looking for something to simulate the hunt. The lack of tools (like an RAOBF) and lack of charts, as well as how the interface works (like having to move officers to a station before you can use it) makes manual hunting a bit tedious in this game imo. Plus there's way too few ship types, and they all sink roughly the same way in about 20 seconds or less.


However, if you turn on map contacts and play the game more like an RTS than a serious sub sim I think that's when it shines, and it's a lot of fun when played that way. Definitely worth the current price discount.

You dont have the RAOBF (probably someone will do a mod) but you have more instruments simulated better than any SH game (the torpedo computer, echosounder...)

In uboat you can do everything you do in SH (and a lot more things) and the hunt is more realistic, you have help of other uboats, orders from bdu to track specific ships or convoys, you can be radio signaled to track enemy etc...

The sunking times are being changed by the developers (but there is already a mod that do it) and we will have more ships soon when the mods are updated (there is a mod with +70 ships and two more with +40 airplanes) and sure with more dlcs.

Uboat is second to none right now in the simulation aspect plus it has other casual options to play it and they are fun too.

[RAM]

Originally Posted by hombre al agua

You dont have the RAOBF (probably someone will do a mod).

I don't see how or why anyone will make such a mod. RAOFB was only present in very early uboats. Periscopes manufactured during WW2 didn't have it, so it would be anachronistic (and unrealistic) to have them on board a wartime U-boat.

[Threadfin]

To each their own, but things like charts and tools are only a matter of time. If you look at the bones in this one, for me, it surpasses what Silent Hunter is. The finer things are coming, if not already available as mods. With proper seasoning it will be far beyond what SH has achieved, but that's only my opinion, man


Playing a dead is dead career and we have reached August of 1941 (71% difficulty, started on VIIB U-48). Now command U-410 out of La Rochelle. It is the most fun I've had in a sub sim campaign, and that is some stiff competition. Despite what I'm writing, I love Silent Hunter like the rest of you. UBOAT though has become my top submarine sim.

[hombre al agua]

Originally Posted by RAM

I don't see how or why anyone will make such a mod. RAOFB was only present in very early uboats. Periscopes manufactured during WW2 didn't have it, so it would be anachronistic (and unrealistic) to have them on board a wartime U-boat.

Because people likes to do mods doesnt matter if they are unrealistic, and perhaps someone coming from SH3 thinks it is a good idea to replicate it

[Threadfin]

It's surprising how little chatter there is about this game here at subsim of all places. I hope it picks up.

[hombre al agua]

Originally Posted by Threadfin

It's surprising how little chatter there is about this game here at subsim of all places. I hope it picks up.

You have on steam the game and the workshop so the forum on steam gather uboat players. Most of silent hunter players who gather here dont know about the uboat reality at 2024, they think it is still the game it was in 2019 a casual game sim lite. It can be if you want but also can be a hardcore simulation if you chose the right options and mods.But they dont know or dont want to know.

The steam forums though has been wild last days, a lot of new and returning people after the release posting a lot. The numbers of concurrent players has gone to 7k almost x7 the numbers we had before the realese at peak times.

[s0cks]

Originally Posted by RAM

It's tremendously unfair to compare release Uboat with the very few release-compatible mods available right now, with a game series which best version of (SH3) dates back to 20 years and has a tremendous assortment of excellent mods that bring it's quality up to an amazing level during the whole time it's been out.

It's perfectly fair to compare. What wouldn't be fair is to say that UBOAT will never be as good. Because like you, I imagine it's going to get modded over time to the point where it is clearly superior.


I even heard that the dev is working on sinking physics next, so that'll be another great addition.


But right now, I find modded SH3 a much smoother experience when hunting down targets without map contacts on and doing manual torp solutions. And considering I have the option to play it, then comparing is fine imo.

Originally Posted by hombre al agua

You dont have the RAOBF (probably someone will do a mod) but you have more instruments simulated better than any SH game (the torpedo computer, echosounder...)

In uboat you can do everything you do in SH (and a lot more things) and the hunt is more realistic, you have help of other uboats, orders from bdu to track specific ships or convoys, you can be radio signaled to track enemy etc...

The sunking times are being changed by the developers (but there is already a mod that do it) and we will have more ships soon when the mods are updated (there is a mod with +70 ships and two more with +40 airplanes) and sure with more dlcs.

Uboat is second to none right now in the simulation aspect plus it has other casual options to play it and they are fun too.

It's just my opinion, not a verifiably factual statement. And don't get me wrong, I'm having a lot of fun with UBOAT right now. I just personally find the flow of GWX SH3 easier in terms of play-ability when hunting in full manual mode. I've got all my charts, and tools. I can jump into any station without delay. Huge range of ships to sink. Decent sinking physics. Easier control of scopes, binoculars, and hydrophone. I can set my speed by knot. I can have continuous target reports from my watchman or hydrophone operator. I don't have to press ALT all the damn time. Less bugs too.



It's not always about what's most realistic. Rather it's the balance between realism and play-ability. But without a doubt UBOAT has more missions, varieties, and features.

[XLjedi]

Originally Posted by Threadfin

It's surprising how little chatter there is about this game here at subsim of all places. I hope it picks up.

Problem is, no one here needs to ask any questions. That's just how good we are. LOL

[RAM]

Originally Posted by s0cks

It's perfectly fair to compare. What wouldn't be fair is to say that UBOAT will never be as good.

I have to insist that no, it's not fair. This is like comparing two products, one just bought off-the-self, the other customized with a gazillion aftermarket add-ons and custom made modifications. You should compare them off-the-self, not one like that and the other with the gazillion aftermarket mods fit in.

But, ok, let's agree to disagree. At least we can agree on the second part of that quote, that it really wouldn't be far to say that Uboat will never be as good .

[RAM]

Originally Posted by XLjedi

Problem is, no one here needs to ask any questions. That's just how good we are. LOL

That's probably quite one of the biggest reasons, all jokes aside .

[s0cks]

Originally Posted by RAM

I have to insist that no, it's not fair. This is like comparing two products, one just bought off-the-self, the other customized with a gazillion aftermarket add-ons and custom made modifications. You should compare them off-the-self, not one like that and the other with the gazillion aftermarket mods fit in.

But, ok, let's agree to disagree. At least we can agree on the second part of that quote, that it really wouldn't be far to say that Uboat will never be as good .

But why would I compare to vanilla SH3 if I'm not going to play vanilla SH3? It would be weird to say "I'm not going to play modded SH3 because vanilla SH3 is worse than UBOAT".


But I do get where you're coming from. I'm comparing a game that has not realised it's full potential to one that has. That's something that's definitely worth pointing out, but I'm not sure it makes it unfair.


Happy to agree to disagree. I think we're all having fun in either game regardless. I'm also excited to see where UBOAT will go!

[Threadfin]

Originally Posted by XLjedi

Problem is, no one here needs to ask any questions. That's just how good we are. LOL

Good point. I did indeed fail to appreciate that we all know everything already and have run out of things to talk about.


Nice weather, eh?