Silent Hunter 5 announced for Q1/09 ??? | Forums

[sgr_wilson]

I notice that the news page over at Subsim.com now indicates that development SH5 is now "underway" with "all new code" for a potential 01/09 release. I hope it's true!!!

[GatorSub1942]

Where can they really take it if they leave it as subs only though? I really hope there's the option to control some surface ships, otherwise I'm unlikely to get it. Surface ships + SH4 engine = huge fun!

[cwhense]

Any details yet?, they could do ww1 or cold war subsm its been debated before so I won't into that.

I would love a good around naval sim of controlling fleets aka Harpoon, but set in ww2 instead of current time, maybe even with beach landings involed with a dymanic campain where your actions could effect the outcome of the war, plus be playable from all sides.

[colter_236]

im all fine with a new sub game but sh4 isnt finished yet it still has lots of bugs and stuff no offense ment to ubi but i think you should finish this game before you start the next one

[WhiteKnight77]

Originally posted by colter_236:
im all fine with a new sub game but sh4 isnt finished yet it still has lots of bugs and stuff no offense ment to ubi but i think you should finish this game before you start the next one

Ubi has an unoffical policy of not finishing games. This dates back to around the Silent Hunter 2/Destroyer Command era if not before. Some games have a bit more polish than others, but most are never completely finished/patched.

[Celeon999]

Wow, i hope there is something to it

[Moghdad]

There is a lot more they could do with Silent Hunter within the confines of a WWII submarine simulation.

How about Japanese, British, French, Italian submarines? How about a campaign game that focuses on reconnaissance and special ops missions in a more detailed way that SH4 does, for example with land patrols to watch out for or engage, coastal patrol boats to evade (rare in SH4). How about sneaking into Pearl Harbor in a Japanese 2-man mini-sub?

How about really doing something with the electronic warfare aspects of the sim? In SH4 there seems to be no downside to running radar all the time since Japanese units don't seem to detect or react to it. It would be a more tense game if that were not the case. What if the radar model were developed so that there was more of an art to interpreting the returns? Likewise with sonar.

What if they could improve the functionality of the different watch officers, make them more interactive and smarter? Let your sonar operator give verbal reports on multiple contacts, with updates on different one at your request. Likewise the deck watch and radar operators. Instead of having to resort to the map updates or man these stations personally.

What if the damage and repair fuctions were made more detailed and realistic? That would add a tremendous amount right there.

What if navigation could be made more realistic? Factor in currents. Navigate by speed and compass heading with position updates by sextant depending on weather. What if undersea currents could be added? Could the captain in Das Boot really have slipped through the Strait of Gibralter riding the deep water current? It would be fun to try it.

[Moghdad]

A couple more ideas: Add a calendar that includes the phases of the moon, and a weather forecast feature, so that you can plan those sneaky passages through narrow or shallow water to take advantage of moonless nights and rough weather.

Add a feature that allows you to automate your daily routine. For example, program the sub to submerge an hour before dawn, go to silent running, come to periscope depth an hour after dusk, raise the obersavation periscope, look around, then surface and go to cruise speed. This would really make those long ocean passages less tedious.

[shadow_858]

2009 Q1 release with all new code.....I wouldn't touch it with a very long pole.

Considering the fact that only nine months ago Ubisoft were still discussing exactly what they wanted the new game to be, to write all new code and deliver by April of 2009 would be a total disaster in my view.

Think about it. SH4 to a large degree used the game engine from Silent hunter 3, and look at the state of Silent Hunter 4 at release with 11 months development.

I truly hope that we don't see SH5 until 2010 otherwise it will be a total clusterf***

[klcarroll]

......indicates that development SH5 is now "underway" with "all new code" for a potential 01/09 release.

I am EXTREMELY skeptical!!!!

A "First Quarter of 2009"� release date allows for a mere six months of development time!! .....Based on past projects, this is only ½ the time required for such a project!

For that release date to be "good"�, UBI would have had to have a Dev Team working since LAST May!

.....But in any event, if such a project is actually under way, you can rest assured that ALL of the intended game parameters and features are now "Cast in Stone"�!! ....So don't bother posting wishes and suggestions at this point! (....Unless you intend them as just "polite conversation"� while we sit on the porch and "Whittle and Spit"�!)

klcarroll