SUBSIM: Silent Hunter 5 preview

Onkel Neal · 02-21-10, 05:20 PM

Quote:

When Silent Hunter 5 was announced, many players were expecting (and hoping) for a SH3 2.0, a solid, realistic simulation with a few key upgrades, such as a fully detailed U-boat interior, more crew interaction, and wolfpacks. It looks like their wishes have been answered, to a degree.

SUBSIM SH5 Videos:

SH5 Dev Team Interview - first details of the game scope, sub types, and more.
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Chad · 02-21-10, 09:47 PM

Good preview. The screenshots look great! Wish they'd at least let us know if a US Special Edition will be available

onelifecrisis · 02-21-10, 09:48 PM

Thanks Neal. Twas a good read... with a rather negative ending.

Snake Man · 02-21-10, 10:11 PM

Thank you very much for the preview, it was very informative with nice screenshots. I appreciate you taking the time and do the shots and write the preview, not to mention publish it for us everyone to see.

I can't wait for your Review of the game.

Keep up the good SubSim work!

Heretic · 02-21-10, 10:24 PM

Thanks Neal.
I hope I'm not out of line here, but I thought that first screenshot made such a nice wallpaper that I edited out the GUI elements and made it available here:
http://webpages.charter.net/mdpeyton...5-27-16-73.jpg

Sone7 · 02-21-10, 10:30 PM

Thank you Neal, good work!
We owe you

ThePinkSubmarine · 02-21-10, 10:54 PM

Thanks Neal!

Your preview has answered some of my questions. Looks like you have a little too much water in the control room!

I don't know what I think about the new TDC style. I have to be honest and say that only recently have I been brave enough to try it the manual way; and that looks kind of like a bummer!

Compared to SHII and SHIII the graphics look amazing! I was looking at an old preview for SHII the other day - and couldn't believe how bad the graphics look by today's standards.

It's going to be a long 2 weeks...

karamazovnew · 02-21-10, 11:42 PM

Superb preview Neal

.

I have one question: is it possible to set a course manually to a specific heading as it was in sh1-sh4?
So far I've yet to see a way to input course or rudder angle apart from clicking on the minimap to change the heading.

Tarnsman · 02-21-10, 10:55 PM

Great srticle.
Im excited.
Fingers crossed that its good under the hood (tracking, shooting, hiding, parts). Not a fan of the interface panels they look too much like a 1980s vintage Nakamichi stereo system (beutifull but not very Blom & Voss if you know what I mean) but I'll take it that it can be modded. Its still better than the SH4 interface which I just wont go into again.

The full boat and crew interactin will hopefully keep me inside the boat adding to the immersion for me. So I hope it sells well and we get SH6 the Pacific down the line!

ThePinkSubmarine · 02-21-10, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heretic

Thanks Neal.
I hope I'm not out of line here, but I thought that first screenshot made such a nice wallpaper that I edited out the GUI elements and made it available here:
http://webpages.charter.net/mdpeyton...5-27-16-73.jpg

Thanks for the wallpaper Heretic! It Looks great!

Sone7 · 02-21-10, 11:28 PM

Please enlight me: is it possible to make our own entries into captain's log?
That's one of the things I was hoping for

pythos · 02-21-10, 11:34 PM

I recall in reading about the uniforms of the Uboat waffen that there was no "uniform" for on sea operations. In other words there was no one way for the crews of these boats to dress, when at sea.

Concerning the content of this preview. It was good, it also seemed fair.

The last part of the report thought left me a bit uneasy about the fate of the simulator. It sounds the bugs of the preview copy are pretty awful, and may not have gotten dealt with in the retail copy, meaning a patch almost imediately.

Now, have they not answered if these patches are gonna be done in the same fashion as those for World of Warcraft, giving more of a reason for DRM, though I just wish that would fizzle.

The sim looks very promising though, especially if the modders can have their way with it.

We shall see, what we shall see.

ThePinkSubmarine · 02-21-10, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pythos

I recall in reading about the uniforms of the Uboat waffen that there was no "uniform" for on sea operations. In other words there was no one way for the crews of these boats to dress, when at sea.

That's my understanding as well...

Neal -- what can you do as far as upgrades? Can you upgrade sub systems like in the older games in the series?

Any hint of a 'fast dive deck?' I saw a picture of one for the 1st time not too long ago...wish I could remember where - because I have NEVER seen a picture of a U-Boat featuring anything even remotely like that before.

Onkel Neal · 02-21-10, 11:51 PM

Here's the reason as I understand it games get a patch on the first day it goes on sale: the game's development team has a ship date they are trying to make. Rarely if ever is a game on schedule and they can tie a nice bow on it and ship bugfree by the deadline. In most cases, they are behind schedule and putting in long hours to get everything working decently, trying to work out the major showstopper bugs first. When the day comes, they will put together a build and send it to be mastered. This gives them two more weeks before the game hits the stores to work on the game and that work gets to greet the game as patch 1. So, they know there are things that need attention, it's a matter of resources. If the game publisher thinks allocating more resources (people to work on it) for a 2nd and 3rd patch will keep sales coming in, they may elect to do that, support the game with another patch.

That's the way I understand it, there are folks here who know more about that end of the game biz than me.

A sub game: For the game publisher, it's a business decision. For the gamer, it's a consumer decision. For people like me who love all sub games, it's a necessity.

609_Avatar · 02-21-10, 11:57 PM

Neal and thanks. Was a good read! Like others here, I'm looking forward to your review with bated breath.

02-21-10, 09:47 PM	#2
Chad ACE Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,274 Downloads: 60 Uploads: 0	Good preview. The screenshots look great! Wish they'd at least let us know if a US Special Edition will be available __________________

02-21-10, 10:11 PM	#4
Snake Man Sailor man Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 43 Downloads: 91 Uploads: 0	Thank you very much for the preview, it was very informative with nice screenshots. I appreciate you taking the time and do the shots and write the preview, not to mention publish it for us everyone to see. I can't wait for your Review of the game. Keep up the good SubSim work! __________________ Operation Flashpoint. Armed Assault. ArmA 2, ArmA 3. Falcon 4 Theaters. http://tactical.nekromantix.com/ Snake Man, PMC.

02-21-10, 10:24 PM	#5
Heretic Commodore Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Nebraska Posts: 617 Downloads: 240 Uploads: 2	Thanks Neal. I hope I'm not out of line here, but I thought that first screenshot made such a nice wallpaper that I edited out the GUI elements and made it available here: http://webpages.charter.net/mdpeyton...5-27-16-73.jpg __________________ - heretic I enjoy drinking beer. MightyFine Crew Mod 1.2.1 - Updated 22 March MightyFine Less Annoying Footsteps Crew AI Scripting Information

02-21-10, 11:51 PM	#14
Onkel Neal Born to Run Silent Join Date: Jan 1997 Location: Cougar Trap, Texas Posts: 21,284 Downloads: 534 Uploads: 224	Here's the reason as I understand it games get a patch on the first day it goes on sale: the game's development team has a ship date they are trying to make. Rarely if ever is a game on schedule and they can tie a nice bow on it and ship bugfree by the deadline. In most cases, they are behind schedule and putting in long hours to get everything working decently, trying to work out the major showstopper bugs first. When the day comes, they will put together a build and send it to be mastered. This gives them two more weeks before the game hits the stores to work on the game and that work gets to greet the game as patch 1. So, they know there are things that need attention, it's a matter of resources. If the game publisher thinks allocating more resources (people to work on it) for a 2nd and 3rd patch will keep sales coming in, they may elect to do that, support the game with another patch. That's the way I understand it, there are folks here who know more about that end of the game biz than me. A sub game: For the game publisher, it's a business decision. For the gamer, it's a consumer decision. For people like me who love all sub games, it's a necessity. __________________ SUBSIM - 26 Years on the Web

02-21-10, 11:57 PM	#15
609_Avatar Watch Officer Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: 3rd Planet From The Sun Posts: 345 Downloads: 35 Uploads: 0	Neal and thanks. Was a good read! Like others here, I'm looking forward to your review with bated breath. __________________ Avatar

02-21-10, 09:48 PM	#3
onelifecrisis Maverick Modder Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: England Posts: 3,895 Downloads: 65 Uploads: 3	Thanks Neal. Twas a good read... with a rather negative ending.

02-21-10, 10:30 PM	#6
Sone7 Machinist's Mate Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Poland Posts: 121 Downloads: 159 Uploads: 0	Thank you Neal, good work! We owe you

02-21-10, 10:54 PM	#7
ThePinkSubmarine Seaman Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Arizona - No Ocean Here! Posts: 42 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Thanks Neal! Your preview has answered some of my questions. Looks like you have a little too much water in the control room! I don't know what I think about the new TDC style. I have to be honest and say that only recently have I been brave enough to try it the manual way; and that looks kind of like a bummer! Compared to SHII and SHIII the graphics look amazing! I was looking at an old preview for SHII the other day - and couldn't believe how bad the graphics look by today's standards. It's going to be a long 2 weeks...

02-21-10, 11:42 PM	#8
karamazovnew The Old Man Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Bucharest, Romania Posts: 1,403 Downloads: 151 Uploads: 0	Superb preview Neal . I have one question: is it possible to set a course manually to a specific heading as it was in sh1-sh4? So far I've yet to see a way to input course or rudder angle apart from clicking on the minimap to change the heading.

02-21-10, 10:55 PM	#9
Tarnsman Electrician's Mate Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 134 Downloads: 48 Uploads: 0	Great srticle. Im excited. Fingers crossed that its good under the hood (tracking, shooting, hiding, parts). Not a fan of the interface panels they look too much like a 1980s vintage Nakamichi stereo system (beutifull but not very Blom & Voss if you know what I mean) but I'll take it that it can be modded. Its still better than the SH4 interface which I just wont go into again. The full boat and crew interactin will hopefully keep me inside the boat adding to the immersion for me. So I hope it sells well and we get SH6 the Pacific down the line!

02-21-10, 11:28 PM	#11
Sone7 Machinist's Mate Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Poland Posts: 121 Downloads: 159 Uploads: 0	Please enlight me: is it possible to make our own entries into captain's log? That's one of the things I was hoping for

02-21-10, 11:34 PM	#12
pythos Grey Wolf Join Date: May 2005 Location: Somewhere over there Posts: 834 Downloads: 46 Uploads: 0	I recall in reading about the uniforms of the Uboat waffen that there was no "uniform" for on sea operations. In other words there was no one way for the crews of these boats to dress, when at sea. Concerning the content of this preview. It was good, it also seemed fair. The last part of the report thought left me a bit uneasy about the fate of the simulator. It sounds the bugs of the preview copy are pretty awful, and may not have gotten dealt with in the retail copy, meaning a patch almost imediately. Now, have they not answered if these patches are gonna be done in the same fashion as those for World of Warcraft, giving more of a reason for DRM, though I just wish that would fizzle. The sim looks very promising though, especially if the modders can have their way with it. We shall see, what we shall see.