SH4 removes some functionality from SH3

[Tikigod]

Although they have added what looks like alot more immersive content...they removed these two features:

1. "Due to the accelerated development cycle of this title, the damage control screen and radio stations are simplified from previous versions. The damage control center does not have a sub cutaway with little compartments, fires, and flooding animations. However, the player is given the ability to group several damage teams with experts and more efficiently prioritize the tasks."

2. "There is no dedicated station depicting a radio room, simply a clipboard with the radio traffic. "
"The lack of a radio room station is a casualty of an aggressive schedule, and can in no way be construed as a showstopper. However, for a title that rightfully prides itself on bleeding edge graphics and ambiance, realistic animated crews and 3D environments, this is a small step back. If anything, I was hoping SH4 would include all the stations present in SH3, and possibly expand into new compartments. The radio room and captain’s quarters in SH3 had no real gameplay function but don’t discount the value they have on creating the mood while playing the game."

http://www.subsim.com/sh4/demo_sh4.php

[hyperion2206]

Originally Posted by Tikigod

Although they have added what looks like alot more immersive content...they removed these two features:

1. "Due to the accelerated development cycle of this title, the damage control screen and radio stations are simplified from previous versions. The damage control center does not have a sub cutaway with little compartments, fires, and flooding animations. However, the player is given the ability to group several damage teams with experts and more efficiently prioritize the tasks."

2. "There is no dedicated station depicting a radio room, simply a clipboard with the radio traffic. "
"The lack of a radio room station is a casualty of an aggressive schedule, and can in no way be construed as a showstopper. However, for a title that rightfully prides itself on bleeding edge graphics and ambiance, realistic animated crews and 3D environments, this is a small step back. If anything, I was hoping SH4 would include all the stations present in SH3, and possibly expand into new compartments. The radio room and captain’s quarters in SH3 had no real gameplay function but don’t discount the value they have on creating the mood while playing the game."

http://www.subsim.com/sh4/demo_sh4.php

True, but I don't really mind because IMHO damage control and the radio room are 'just' eye candy. It would have been nice to have the radio room but gameplay won't suffer I guess.

[DanCanovas]

so how will damage control work exactly. i think this is a major feature of any sub sim, the excitement of repairing and limping away!

[Fat Bhoy Tim]

Originally Posted by DanCanovas

so how will damage control work exactly. i think this is a major feature of any sub sim, the excitement of repairing and limping away!

Same as before, just minus the animations which didn't really add anything. As long as the information telling you when flooding, for example, has been brought under control - suits me.

[Boris]

I can understand leaving the radio room out due to time constraints... but the damage repair screen?
How hard could it be to come up with some 2d graphics for it? Hell I could do it in a day. Not sure how much programming would have to go into it, but I can't imagine that it would be that hard. Than again I might be wrong.

[Safe-Keeper]

Look at the tiny submarine image. It wouldn't exactly be easy to implement too many details. And as was said (as I understood it), damage won't be represented in the image anyway, so what's the use.

[Hartmann]

I think is the most important screen of your boat, were you can see how damaged is with a glimpse. what compartment is in red, yellow or blue (flooding).

Damage screen of Sh1

[donut]

Originally Posted by Hartmann

I think is the most important screen of your boat, were you can see how damaged is with a glimpse. what compartment is in red, yellow or blue (flooding).

Damage screen of Sh1

How much time does this take? Remember some repairs could be done only surfaced.

[peterloo]

Anyway, this is the blame to the agreesive timetable...

But modders will make it all right... With them, it is not a tough problem... Even in SH2, we have mod to transform every stuff from Atlantic to Pacific...

[Tikigod]

I agree...since everyone doesn't care about the "eye candy" they should remove all the graphics of sh3/sh4 and just give us complete real working 2-D compartment models....they could probably design SH5 using macromedia flash which would save ubisoft alot of money and time on developing the current limited gaming engine. I'm sure no one would mind if they remove all of the 3-D environment. Its all just "eye candy" anyway and there is no real need for it. It seems many of the older games that simply use 2-D environments have more interesting gameplay than their 3-D counterparts.

I'm looking forward to SH5 I hope its 2-D all the way We could certainly do away with the control room next (I have 2-D interfaces and gauges that provide more functionality, than standing around looking at the helm in 3-D) I mean what were the developers thinking when they designed these 3-D compartments?! 3-D compartments just get in the way of things.

I'm pretty upset they removed the 2-D damage control screen. They didn't even replace it with a 3-D model. Instead they are replacing it with TEXT. I'm starting to see a pattern here. Maybe plans for SH6 will be to turn the Silent Hunter series into a MUD server and have the entire game in plain text that way they can remove the graphics all together!

Originally Posted by Hartmann

I think is the most important screen of your boat, were you can see how damaged is with a glimpse. what compartment is in red, yellow or blue (flooding).
Damage screen of Sh1

[Fat Bhoy Tim]

Originally Posted by Tikigod

I agree...since everyone doesn't care about the "eye candy" they should remove all the graphics of sh3/sh4 and just give us complete real working 2-D compartment models....they could probably design SH5 using macromedia flash which would save ubisoft alot of money and time on developing the current limited gaming engine. I'm sure no one would mind if they remove all of the 3-D environment. Its all just "eye candy" anyway and there is no real need for it. It seems many of the older games that simply use 2-D environments have more interesting gameplay than their 3-D counterparts.

I'm looking forward to SH5 I hope its 2-D all the way We could certainly do away with the control room next (I have 2-D interfaces and gauges that provide more functionality, than standing around looking at the helm in 3-D) I mean what were the developers thinking when they designed these 3-D compartments?! 3-D compartments just get in the way of things.

I'm pretty upset they removed the 2-D damage control screen. They didn't even replace it with a 3-D model. Instead they are replacing it with TEXT. I'm starting to see a pattern here. Maybe plans for SH6 will be to turn the Silent Hunter series into a MUD server and have the entire game in plain text that way they can remove the graphics all together!

That's a very long winded spelling of 'facetious'.

[hyperion2206]

Originally Posted by Tikigod

I agree...since everyone doesn't care about the "eye candy" they should remove all the graphics of sh3/sh4 and just give us complete real working 2-D compartment models....they could probably design SH5 using macromedia flash which would save ubisoft alot of money and time on developing the current limited gaming engine. I'm sure no one would mind if they remove all of the 3-D environment. Its all just "eye candy" anyway and there is no real need for it. It seems many of the older games that simply use 2-D environments have more interesting gameplay than their 3-D counterparts.

I'm looking forward to SH5 I hope its 2-D all the way We could certainly do away with the control room next (I have 2-D interfaces and gauges that provide more functionality, than standing around looking at the helm in 3-D) I mean what were the developers thinking when they designed these 3-D compartments?! 3-D compartments just get in the way of things.

I'm pretty upset they removed the 2-D damage control screen. They didn't even replace it with a 3-D model. Instead they are replacing it with TEXT. I'm starting to see a pattern here. Maybe plans for SH6 will be to turn the Silent Hunter series into a MUD server and have the entire game in plain text that way they can remove the graphics all together!

Don't understand why you're so upset, after all the radio room in SH3 was only a shack where 2 guys where turning wheels. Nothing one could really do. Ok, it's nice to go there and see how "hard" your guys are working but it does not improve the gameplay.:p
Oh, and if you want 'immersion' you can got to the command room or the conning tower as well.:p

[Shaffer4]

seems to me that the only reason for the inclusion of the Radio Room in SH3 was the fact that it was also the Radar station and that radio traffic was presented... on a clipboard as well, so the radio equipment shown was merely eye candy. Judging by neil's wonderful preview there is a radar station in the game... so... I can hardly see where any functionality is lost there, other than some eye candy.

The change in the Damage control station is minor to me, as the crew Automation has lessened its need somewhat, and the new crew shift setup has taken up most of the screen where the damage information was displayed. It seems a fair compromise to me.

[flintlock]

It would have been nice to have the radio room but gameplay won't suffer I guess.

I was quite surprised to read this snippet from Neal's article. I would have expected the next iteration of the series to add to the sections modeled within the subs, not subtract from the already arguably limited list as it stands. I'll concede that while the radio room isn't as critical as the control room, having it modeled serves an important function for many--it adds to the immersion of the experience. And that shouldn't be underestimated.

Whilst on patrol, all you have is the sub you're sailing in. At various times on patrol, I would appreciate and enjoy the freedom of exploring various compartments of my sub (contol room, engine room, torpedo room, etc). To have this ability adds immeasurably to the level of immersion you experience in a sim such as this. As good as SH4 is looking, I was dissapointed to read the develpment cycle for SH4 is being rushed. I would've preferred the devs had an unaccelerated development timeline, rather than be constrained by a limiting "accelerated development cyle" snapping at their heels.

While I can certainly appreciate that modeling extra compartments is time and resource consuming (read dollar), in the end I can't help but believe Ubi would deliver a superior product, period. Personally, I would've been willing to pay extra and wait longer for SH4's release. That being said, it is what it is. I can't deny the project looks exciting, and while I eagerly await the release--I can't help but wonder how much better it could have been.

[Iron Budokan]

Will it take ten seconds to repair the damage like in stock SH3?