Is SH5 worth the purchase right now for my U-Boat sim, or I am better off just sticking with SH3?

It won't hurt to wait. A patch is scheduled to fix major issues and the mod community has been in full swing. I predict that in several months SH5 will be ready for those that are hesitating because of its unfinished state.

The requirement for persistent internet connection and no offline gameplay is a show stopper for many. Unless Ubi relents on that, I don't see a major shift for those who don't buy SH5. That seems to be a bigger issue than a buggy game release many people have come to expect these days.

may be tempted seeing as a certain web retailer has on sale for £12 (you know the one named after a famous river)

Yes, I completly agree and I'm one of those "many people".

I bought and own Silent Hunter 1 and SH1 Commanders Edition, SH2 (and DC as well), SH3 and SH4+U-boat (resuming all Silent Hunter series) but I wont buy SH5 until Ubisoft drops it's ridiculous DRM "protection system", which BTW was already cracked!

There's a web retailer called Chattahootchie?

I'm one who would rather mod my SHIV than get SHV. This stuff just gets crazier.

Deacon

I love SH3 and SH4 but I agree, I'm going to be watching from the sidelines to see how this pans out. If we lose the DRM I'll get it for sure but otherwise, no sale. I play Silent Hunter when I'm traveling and do not often have internet connection so there's just no point.

That is a big reason for hesitation on my part.

I think Rise of Flight has (or is going to) remove the requirement for an internet connection. Maybe Ubi will follow suite?

Even after they remove the DRM (I'm almost certain that they will), I still don't know if I'll buy SH5. Personally, I think giving Ubi any money at all just rewards them for being jerks. Better to see them go bankrupt (not likely) and sell the SH name to someone who will release a good, DRM-free product.

That's of course your choice, but I generally don't make buying decisions based on whether or not I want to "punish" or "reward" a company, but on whether or not they make a product of a quality I want. A game that requiures constant internet connection is more of an inconvenience than it is worth for me. Take that out, and I'd probably have fun playing it, making it a smart buy at that point.

id stay with SH3GWX and/or SH4

As much as I love SH5 I just cannot get myself to recommend it to anybody because of the stupid DRM. I am having a great time with it, but I simply don't have an argument for those who won't buy it until the need for constant internet connection is abolished.

SH5 has been severely savaged in the user reviews on Amazon.com. So far, 72 users have rated it and it barely gets above one star (out of five stars). That may tell you something - it did me...

Thanks for that update. It seems my initial decision to not buy it has been validated. Oh well, I can always do more Silent Hunter 4 and roam the Pacific.

PM,

have you seen this thread:

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2995636/ATO_Mod_is_Beautiful.html#Post2995636

Just if you`re interested in the Atlantic as well. Absolutely great mod!

Oh wow, thanks for the info kilo. I'll check it out.

I own and enjoy SHV.

Is the constant internet connection requirement a pain? No. My interet is always connected anyways. lol

If you care about security you would never leave your internet connection on constantly. That's what has me concerned about all this hype about "The Cloud". Microsoft can't even make IE secure and they expect me to believe they can make cloud computing secure? Sure, pull the other one.

people who freak out on internet security are funny. I havent run an antivirus program nor a firewall for the last 5 years. I have yet to get a virus or have been hacked. People who get hacked either pissed someone off, or are blatant about it (I do password my wireless network)

Worth buying now? Any decent patches or mods?

I vote yes.

I was going to buy it on day 1 but the horrible feedback led me not to. I bought SH5 finally about 2 months ago, and it was a slideshow until I upgraded from a 512 mb 7950GT to a 1 gb 460 GTXoc.

SH5 looks absolutely stunning, there are interface mods now that help gameplay out alot. There are some other mods that fix things that should have been fixed on release and a full war campaign was just released. Its definitely playable, I don't have a problem with the constant internet connection (I do think the DRM system is B$ though).

IMHO SH5 will be the best of the Silent Hunter line, a year or two from now it will be one of the best military sims available. Its not there yet, but it is worth buying now.

Recommended mods, Tarnsman?

My Installed Mods:

Capthelm's SH5 audio mod
Mighty Fine Crew Mod
German language mod
Conus' Graphic mod
Sober's base wave mechanics mod
Steel Vikings interiors
Uboat historical Specifications
Ui 2.2
R7 Hi Rez Optics
R7 Hi Rez English Panels
Sober's Relaistic Hydrophone operator
Enhanced Funnel Smoke

Any "all-in-one" mods (along the lines of RFB or TM for SH4)?

Closest thing you'll find is Magnum Opus or Aram Victoria Curam. I enjoyed MO very much but personally I had many problems getting her to run correctly so now I run an assortment of mods.

Uh...what's wrong with SH4? Better than SH3; fewer bugs than SH5.

I don't get the dislike towards 4 either... to me, best of both worlds, U-Boats and the US Subs in the same installation, no BS DRM, large world to play in.

There's a lot of people (at Subsim, mainly) who think that American subs were junk and only achieved their success because they think Japanese ASW tactics (not strategy) were nonexistant. That, and a fair number of players are hung up on recreating the 'Das Boot experience.'

I like SH4 the best, and have always preferred US Fleetboats to U-boats (more fun playing for the right side, more use of Radar, more big ships to sink, etc.). When I asked the original question, I was just thinking about U-Boats, and was unaware of any serious U-boat mods for SH4.