Hi!
For what it's worth, I think a single player interface is absolutely necessary since many of us won't be able to use multiplayer. I'm not sure about which positions a human player would find to be interesting - I suppose that would depend on whether the commander takes a hands-on role (e.g., using the UZO or periscopes personally) or a hands-off role (having the 1WO collect targeting data), but I assume the U-boat commander will be one of them.
If I assume that a single player is the U-boat commander, the commander (or other human officer) should be limited to things a commander would normally do,
e.g., order the deck gun to be manned and direct which target the gun shoots at, but not aim the gun in first-person mode. With this in mind, I would provide the following commander's interfaces:
- Tower watch (binoculars or Mk. I eyeball view)
- Attack periscope
- Search periscope
- UZO
- Hydrophone/sonar station
- Radio operator / radar / radar warning indicator
- Navigator (note the navigator was generally a warrant officer, not a commissioned officer)
- First person Control Room ("Zentrale") view
I suggest that all positions be handled by AI crew unless a human player is present at that station. Whenever the "commander" gives an order, it goes to whichever entity (human or AI) is controlling it. It can be given via a 2D interface (
e.g., icons) to humans or AI, or by voice to AI.
The question of whether you have voice actors echo the command for another human player to hear it, or whether you use voice recognition software for AI players, or both, is a cost trade-off for the developers.
Hope this helps!