Akella seeks testers for PT-Boats
 

Akella has posted an invitation for members of the public to test PT-Boats to give their opinions on level of complexity etc. Don't get too excited yet... the test is taking place in their Moscow offices So if you can make your way their they may consider you. Check out this badly Babelfished semi-translated Russian press release....


05.05.2008 testing game “submarine chaser” (PT Boats Knights of the Sea)

Akella seeks a group of volunteers for the play- testing of our new tactical simulator about the Second world war naval battles “submarine chaser” (PT Boats Knights of the sea)


We offer :

1. A unique chance to be among the first to see the complete version of this gripping and atmospheric game about “mosquito fleet” of the second world, military vessels with the small displacement, which, first of all, include the launches.
   
2. to feel itself by autopilot, [strelkom] or by captain directly governing launch, revolving steering control, shooting the machine gun or estimating the situation through the binoculars. We with happiness will listen all your thoughts and impressions about the game.
   
3. The possibility to personally meet with the developers of game and to obtain gift collection from the firm “[Akella]”

Focus- testing is conducted in the office of company “[Akella]” with the support of computer commercial stamp SD TM.
Size of the testing:
Place of the conducting: the office of company “[Akella]”, Moscow
Object of the test: the current version of game, which contains all [geympleynye] and graphic special features
Time of the conducting: working days, 12-00, 16-00, 18-00 or into 20-00
Technical base: Computer technology SD TM. [S]2D of 6800 2 Gb of 500 Gb 512 mb. Of geForce 8800 GT
Which is required from you:

• the possibility to arrive into 12-00, 16-00, 18-00 or into 20-00 into the office of the company “[Akella]” m. “[Savelovskaya]” for testing of the game
• agreement to sign obligation about the nondisclosure of the classified information

If you are interested, then send to the address of focustest@akella.com the following information:

• your name and the surname
• your age
• contact telephone and e-mail
• as frequently you play never into the games on PC (each day/once a week/)
• as frequently you buy never license games on RS (/once a week/month)
• briefly describe your play experience, into what games you play, and which pleases you
• separately indicate, you did play into the following projects and briefly your impressions from them: the Silent Hunter series, Il-2 Sturmovik, Battlestations Midway, “steel monsters” (Pacific Storm)

If you please, indicate data honestly:) Play testing will be carried out by several focus- groups, so that we can gather a true picture we want true veterans, casual players, and even entirely novices. To us it is very important to have the opinions of the completely different audience groups.




Obviously with 4+ years in development there is a lot riding on this game and they are taking their time to make sure it is done right, a good sign.

I am not so optimistic. These additional delays could also mean they have no clue about software development, as with their other games.

That story sounds familiar:roll: .

"Our transport is sinked" lol

The interface of PT Boats reminds of Enigma Rising Tide. Hopefully that is not an indication for gameplay and longevity.

Let me just sum up what I have gathered:

-Interface resembles an arcade game.

-The campaign is of the type that we simmers love (string of scripted linear missions)

-Development process has been meandering for 4+ ýears and no end in sight

-So far no one knows if it is going to be a sim, an arcade game or nothing of both, obviously akella never made a decision about that (so they can sell to fans of all genres!!)

-Graphics look gorgeous in DX 10 thank yoouuuhh!!!

-will be released end of 2006!!

Jason from GoGamer.com asked Akella at the E3 why the development so long and whether the deal with the new publisher Atari impact on the game concept?
In response he got: "...there were problems in development and things have changed. So, expect an arcade version of PT Boats when it releases."

Here is the whole quote from Jason in it's original context, I'm sure you'll agree it's not exactly definitive and definitely brings the truth of the information into question...

"1C and Akella where there, which was nice to see (Oleg was not as far as I know) but they hired some real jerky American guys to display their wares. I grabbed a catalog of their titles and tried to talk to the crew about PT Boats, Storm of War BOB (which was not displayed or in the 2007 catalog) and some others, but the guy was a real ass and copped a total attitude with me.

Maybe because I asked some pointed questions about PT Boats and the long development cycle. He basically told me that we will be lucky to see it at all and that is has been dumbed down and it's scope limited. He said there were problems in development and things have changed. So, expect an arcade version of PT Boats when it releases."

I'd imagine if they had made it into an arcade game they would bill it that way, not as a simulation/ strategy game which would be seen as a less profitable genre. That quote is also a year old so I'd tend to put more stock in the more recent previews that are popping up.