An idea from an old-timer here

SilentOtto · 05-25-12, 02:21 PM

Hi all!

It's been quite long since I was around, when sh5 came out my pc was not up to the needed specs, and like many of you I was a bit disappointed with sh4, and even more with sh5 so I have quit playing sub sims for a few years.

From time to time I log into subsim to see what you guys are up to. Today I read about this $&%$"(%$% project of silent hunter online, which as most of you I can't loathe more. This is exactly the opposite of what we wish!

So I was thinking, and maybe you have already talked about this idea, but have you thought about starting a project, and I don't mean any personal projects (from what I've seen most of those have slowly died), I mean, something like a kickstarter project.

For those not in the know, kickstarter is a fundraising system to start any kind of projects, from music festival to books, music or software. Basically the thing is that people sign up and compromise to pay an amount to fund the project. When the project collects the needed money (and not before!) then all of the members pay that amount and the project can start.

I have been a supporter of a few small kickstarter projects which worked very well, like comic books. Maybe, we hardcore subsim fans could start a project like that, hire some software developers, graphic and sound people and get something going.

This goes to Neal and the other old salts, you remember, 2002, when you hired that guy to fix SH2 online multiplayer? It sucked as it was released, but we (I paid too!

) hired a guy who fixed it, and made it work as we wanted it to.

Well, one can dream, but I think this might be the only way for us to get what we want. Most software companies are going into this "free" to play games, where they suck from you more money than they ever thought they could, and we are a niche market... but now there are tools that might allow us to do it.

Also, the awesome community here has always released amazing stuff, most of the time suffering to work with no help at all from the developer, and releasing mods that raised the quality of the sims to an incredible level. So we can count that many many parts of the sim could be done here, in-the-house.

So what do you think? Am I dreaming? Are you already thinking of something like this?

PS I post here because I think this new ubisoft idea shows that we will probably never again get the kind of sim we want! If you think this is crazy, pls silently discard this old sub freak suggestion.

Godspeed to all!

(i thought better to ask for the post to be moved here!)

Hinrich Schwab · 05-25-12, 02:32 PM

Kickstarter worked for Al Lowe and Leisure Suit Larry (another franchise ruined by corporate stupidity), I do not see any reason why not. I would donate. A Subsim.com brand simulation would be just the thing to slap Ubisoft in the face. Not only that, it would introduce something that would certainly get their attention; competition.

reaper7 · 05-25-12, 02:47 PM

This will be of interest to you

http://www.u-boot-hahd.com/forums/sh...ad.php?tid=315

SilentOtto · 05-25-12, 03:09 PM

Well it does look promising, reaper. I have joined and will keep an eye there!

Hinrich Schwab · 05-25-12, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reaper7

This will be of interest to you

http://www.u-boot-hahd.com/forums/sh...ad.php?tid=315

Joined the forum.

GreyIron · 05-30-12, 01:08 AM

I also have joined ....and I would be a supporter to any subsim project if it shall develop

.

05-30-12, 05:29 AM

Just be very meticulous and careful guys, and plan everything way, way ahead before you start. Over the years, so many talented people have left their mark on the games as modders, no doubt such a project has a very real chance of getting completed. But remember, when making a game not only developing talent is needed but some kind of management too!
I'd rather wait patiently for a long, long time to get the ultimate game then to face a disappointing end product earlier.

USS Virginia · 08-22-12, 01:18 PM

I just asked the developer "Graviteam" to help us. Graviteam is a very very nice team. We will see their reply

See: http://graviteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=10778.0

SilentOtto · 08-23-12, 10:23 AM

Let's see what they answer

I still think crowd funding would be the way to go here. If we get a critical mass of possible users, and a willing developer, we could start a "promotion campaign" around the web, and get an online funding project going. Imagine having a sim with the capacities of SH5, but developed with a compromise to release an API and using standard and open definitions for every object inside it!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hinrich Schwab

Kickstarter worked for Al Lowe and Leisure Suit Larry (another franchise ruined by corporate stupidity), I do not see any reason why not. I would donate. A Subsim.com brand simulation would be just the thing [...]

A subsim.com branded simulation would be... sim heaven!

AND a note to any MOD reading this: Maybe this thread should be moved to indie games.

USS Virginia · 08-26-12, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by USS Virginia

I just asked the developer "Graviteam" to help us. Graviteam is a very very nice team. We will see their reply

See: http://graviteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=10778.0

Their reply is self-evident:

Quote:

Sorry I dont know about another devs
We hypothetical can take the course. But the question here in the costs, and since we have to postpone their projects, the costs must be considerable.

Do we have the money?

USS Virginia · 08-27-12, 06:05 AM

I asked them how many time and money they need if they accept the project. I asked them if they know a publisher who can accept to paid them to develop a submersible simulation.

We need to find money or a publisher... But the publisher is the evil.

I am afraid we don't have a solution.

Julhelm · 08-27-12, 04:57 PM

Kickstarter or Indiegogo. And there are publishers who publish "niche" games like Paradox (NWAC among others), 2K Games (XCOM turnbased squad strategy) and Focus Home Interactive (Wargame European Escalation). Someone also publishes all those wierd eurosims like Farming Simulator or City Bus Simulator that are immensely popular. I guess that's the sort of publishers to hit with a subsim pitch.

USS Virginia · 08-28-12, 10:58 PM

Graviteam asks me the requirements and features - what we need. What battle theaters, how many ships and submarines, other vehicles and machinery, the surroundings, the interior of boats, etc.

A good english speaker can write a good post to describe SH3 and all the amelioration we want?

Thanks!

05-25-12, 02:21 PM	#1
SilentOtto Engineer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: BF79 Posts: 209 Downloads: 71 Uploads: 0	An idea from an old-timer here Hi all! It's been quite long since I was around, when sh5 came out my pc was not up to the needed specs, and like many of you I was a bit disappointed with sh4, and even more with sh5 so I have quit playing sub sims for a few years. From time to time I log into subsim to see what you guys are up to. Today I read about this $&%$"(%$% project of silent hunter online, which as most of you I can't loathe more. This is exactly the opposite of what we wish! So I was thinking, and maybe you have already talked about this idea, but have you thought about starting a project, and I don't mean any personal projects (from what I've seen most of those have slowly died), I mean, something like a kickstarter project. For those not in the know, kickstarter is a fundraising system to start any kind of projects, from music festival to books, music or software. Basically the thing is that people sign up and compromise to pay an amount to fund the project. When the project collects the needed money (and not before!) then all of the members pay that amount and the project can start. I have been a supporter of a few small kickstarter projects which worked very well, like comic books. Maybe, we hardcore subsim fans could start a project like that, hire some software developers, graphic and sound people and get something going. This goes to Neal and the other old salts, you remember, 2002, when you hired that guy to fix SH2 online multiplayer? It sucked as it was released, but we (I paid too! ) hired a guy who fixed it, and made it work as we wanted it to. Well, one can dream, but I think this might be the only way for us to get what we want. Most software companies are going into this "free" to play games, where they suck from you more money than they ever thought they could, and we are a niche market... but now there are tools that might allow us to do it. Also, the awesome community here has always released amazing stuff, most of the time suffering to work with no help at all from the developer, and releasing mods that raised the quality of the sims to an incredible level. So we can count that many many parts of the sim could be done here, in-the-house. So what do you think? Am I dreaming? Are you already thinking of something like this? PS I post here because I think this new ubisoft idea shows that we will probably never again get the kind of sim we want! If you think this is crazy, pls silently discard this old sub freak suggestion. Godspeed to all! (i thought better to ask for the post to be moved here!) Last edited by SilentOtto; 08-24-12 at 04:06 PM.

05-30-12, 01:08 AM	#6
GreyIron Seaman Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 34 Downloads: 156 Uploads: 0	I also have joined ....and I would be a supporter to any subsim project if it shall develop.

05-25-12, 02:32 PM	#2
Hinrich Schwab Grey Wolf Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 908 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 0	Kickstarter worked for Al Lowe and Leisure Suit Larry (another franchise ruined by corporate stupidity), I do not see any reason why not. I would donate. A Subsim.com brand simulation would be just the thing to slap Ubisoft in the face. Not only that, it would introduce something that would certainly get their attention; competition.

05-25-12, 02:47 PM	#3
reaper7 sim2reality Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: AM 82 Posts: 2,280 Downloads: 258 Uploads: 30	This will be of interest to you http://www.u-boot-hahd.com/forums/sh...ad.php?tid=315

05-25-12, 03:09 PM	#4
SilentOtto Engineer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: BF79 Posts: 209 Downloads: 71 Uploads: 0	Well it does look promising, reaper. I have joined and will keep an eye there!

05-30-12, 05:29 AM	#7
Muki Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Just be very meticulous and careful guys, and plan everything way, way ahead before you start. Over the years, so many talented people have left their mark on the games as modders, no doubt such a project has a very real chance of getting completed. But remember, when making a game not only developing talent is needed but some kind of management too! I'd rather wait patiently for a long, long time to get the ultimate game then to face a disappointing end product earlier.

08-22-12, 01:18 PM	#8
USS Virginia Swabbie Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: BG1993 Posts: 6 Downloads: 42 Uploads: 0	I just asked the developer "Graviteam" to help us. Graviteam is a very very nice team. We will see their reply See: http://graviteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=10778.0

08-27-12, 06:05 AM	#11
USS Virginia Swabbie Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: BG1993 Posts: 6 Downloads: 42 Uploads: 0	I asked them how many time and money they need if they accept the project. I asked them if they know a publisher who can accept to paid them to develop a submersible simulation. We need to find money or a publisher... But the publisher is the evil. I am afraid we don't have a solution.

08-27-12, 04:57 PM	#12
Julhelm Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: The Icy North Posts: 693 Downloads: 189 Uploads: 0	Kickstarter or Indiegogo. And there are publishers who publish "niche" games like Paradox (NWAC among others), 2K Games (XCOM turnbased squad strategy) and Focus Home Interactive (Wargame European Escalation). Someone also publishes all those wierd eurosims like Farming Simulator or City Bus Simulator that are immensely popular. I guess that's the sort of publishers to hit with a subsim pitch.

08-28-12, 10:58 PM	#13
USS Virginia Swabbie Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: BG1993 Posts: 6 Downloads: 42 Uploads: 0	Graviteam asks me the requirements and features - what we need. What battle theaters, how many ships and submarines, other vehicles and machinery, the surroundings, the interior of boats, etc. A good english speaker can write a good post to describe SH3 and all the amelioration we want? Thanks!