1UP SH4 game review by Jeff Lackey

[Onkel Neal]

Good review, Jeff, especially the opening Will you have a print review (Games for Windows) as well? I want to get a copy of the mag when it comes out.

Hardcore simulation fanatics are their own worst enemy: They bemoan the lack of simulations available, and then -- when a publisher invests the money to develop one -- declare the game unworthy of the two cents of polycarbonate on the disc due to its lack of realism. "How could the developers call this a 'simulation' when the altimeter dial is clearly 0.2 centimeters larger than the real thing? It's unplayable!" The publisher sighs, fires the development team, and makes sure its next game is another first-person shooter. Those irate fans should bite their tongues, though: Wolves of the Pacific (fourth in the Silent Hunter submarine sim franchise) will make all but the most jaded undersea warfare enthusiasts happy.

1UP SH4 Game review link


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[akdavis]

Nice short review, but I think the opening is totally out of place. The most frequent complaint about the game being unplayable here (haven for the "die-hard" types described) is that the game is unplayable due to reoccuring CTDs, not tiny historical mistakes.

[Iron Budokan]

Originally Posted by akdavis

Nice short review, but I think the opening is totally out of place. The most frequent complaint about the game being unplayable here (haven for the "die-hard" types described) is that the game is unplayable due to reoccuring CTDs, not tiny historical mistakes.

Absolutely correct. There are real playability problems with this game other than the cutesy (and pretentious) poke in the eye this reviewer gave sub simmers.

[NefariousKoel]

I've had 3 CTDs in all the hours I've played SH4 thus far and only using the Stadimeter. And only after encountering my first target after leaving base in a campaign. Saving after leaving base and reloading has eliminated the problem for me.


Hopefully it is fixed, but I've had no other game breakers and no constant CTDs.:hmm:

[mookiemookie]

I thought it was a pretty funny and accurate opening.

[Ducimus]

Personnaly i think he has a point. There are a number of people just like he describes. I remember when SH1 was launched and some people were so irrate, i remember vividly one reply to such a thread way back then... went somethign along the lines of "you wouldn't be happy unless you could smell the diesal fumes coming out of your monitor". Not often i remember flame post like that from years ago, but it was so spot on it left an impression. Not saying everyone is ilke that, but we do have our fair share. At least we did in SH3. Sh4 is too new, the rivet counters (whoever they'll be this time) havent come out of their shells yet.

[AVGWarhawk]

I thought it was humorous myself. Let me see, playability:hmm:. ...played at least 30 hours. One CTD by pressing 'A' key. Second CTD using stadimeter..after leaving on second patrol, autosave was done in port, reloaded no issues since. That is it. 30 hours, 2 CTD. Seems playable to me and with much joy.

BTW, I do not think the paint color in the control room is historically correct....simulator yeah right......:rotfl:

[Sldghammer]

I thought his comments hit the nail squarely on the head.

I had a number of CTD's, however they were all my own fault. I had older CAT drivers installed. When I upgraded to 7.1 the CTD's disappeared.

Since then, I have had 1. I had to press the A key just to see, so again my own damn fault.

You only have to visit the IL2 or Battlefront forums (or WWIIOL) to see the whining about the smallest stuff. WWIIOL was particularily vicious.

The fact is that forums should be looked at by developers with a jaded eye. If they coded for every complaint they would end up with Windows ME. :p

[rik007]

Yeah! A CTD is as blowing your tanks in an u-boat. Hope that will help you

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Iron Budokan

Absolutely correct. There are real playability problems with this game other than the cutesy (and pretentious) poke in the eye this reviewer gave sub simmers.

But I believe it is true. From interaction with game developers and publishers over the last 8 years or so, they tell me the same things Jeff describes. It's not a poke in the eye, it is how many unreasonable and demanding players have made developers frustrated and lose interest in simulations. One very high up in a ubiqutous game company spoke with me at E3 a few years back. He said, (I quote from memory)."Neal, no matter what we do, many of the sim guys are so full of it, there is no pleasing them. Sure, we could spend resources and build a sub game with 3D crews, dynamic campaigns, and open maps, but they would still find something to complain about. No matter what you give them, they think the hundreds of hours they play the game over a year or two is not worth their $50. No one in the the industry wants anything to do with it anymore."

Which is why other than IL-2 and MS Flight Sim, the Silent Hunter series is the last of a breed.

I 100% agree, if a game is unplayable due to CTD or essential game functions being broken, it's a problem to complain about, it is a dealbreaker. But I have not had the problems you describe. After reinstalling SH4 and applying the 1.1 patch, I have not had a single CTD in 45 hours of playing. As you know, we always get some guys who post "xx game is crap, it won't run" and then someone helpful here suggests a sound card setting or driver update and guess what? The "crap" game suddenly is golden. Or, the guy fixed his problem but never comes back to correct his rant, which really makes the game look at fault. I started Subsim and these forums years ago to help players enjoy subsims, and if there are people here who need help, we should help them. That is the main reason there is a forum here.

But historically, Jeff is right, rivetcounters ruined the niche genre by scaring off casual gamers and game companies.

That's my opinion, anyway You can disagree if you wish, I'll still sail with you.

Neal

[Immacolata]

Rivetcounters- lol. Never heard that one before. But boy oh boy. I wish everyone who ever moaned had read that tiny little passage about game companies not wanting to play in the simulation genre anymore.

I think the internet actually killed the sim genre, since a maltorrent of rivetcounters could now pester the devs about their lack of historically rivetting.

Next time you catch me whine over a sim, shoot me please.


I JUST hope it doesn't deter the current devs too much. I do hope they see some positive and happy players here on the forums too. Such as myself. Right now Ive berthed USS Wossname to play some Europa Universalis III patch 1.2.1 I spent 25 hours patrolling SHIV, so my 50$ have not been spent badly, to say otherwise would be very ungrateful. And once patch 1.2 docks I am sure Ill take the fleet boat out for another patrol. Or possibly 5

Oh, lest we forget. I have played Wow last year and this year too. Now you've seen NOTHING untill you've seen the amount of whining and rivetcounting taking place on the wow forums. Golly.

I think the problem is that the sim genre has all the WORST rivetcounters AND the money is small. Im sure the devs and the publishers could stomach much more whining before giving up the ghost, if they could listen to the jingle of coins generated after 8-10 mio sold copies :P

[jtm55]

Hi All,

IMHO I think that Review/Interview should be stickied so all of the "rivetcounters" can see that the Developers do visit the Forums, to see what Folks think about Their work.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by jtm55

Hi All,

the Developers do visit the Forums, to see what Folks think about Their work.

Sure they do. Imagine you are an artist, programmer, or designer of a high fidelity simulation, and you pop into the fan forum, and everyone is ranting wildly about some detail (right or wrongly, perhaps). You would wonder why so few mention how cool and realistic the torpedo impacts you spent days and night on are ignored. Or why no one praises the sound, feel, and gameplay accuracy of the hydrophone station. Or any of a lot of things. I would say who needs this?

[Skweetis]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Which is why other than IL-2 and MS Flight Sim, the Silent Hunter series is the last of a breed.

But historically, Jeff is right, rivetcounters ruined the niche genre by scaring off casual gamers and game companies.

Neal

Hammer, nail, head.

[Immacolata]

Ok, here we go.

But Im almost embarassed to admit that even now, after 2 years of SH3 and now SH4 I still experience an immense pleasure when my torpedo hits and plumes of water spray up from my target. Its visceral that feeling

And I spend ages on the freecam just observing in what fancy way my target decides to give up the ghost and dip below the surface. My fave must be when they keel over and sink sideways or even bottoms up.

Oh, and did I mention how lovely those ship models are? Works of art.