[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by Mostinius

I don't think a god mode would be strictly necessary, although I do agree with the points about providing a way to ease new players into sub sims - or into one particular sub sim.

My suggestion would be, firstly, comprehensive tutorials and context help built into the game. Second, a series of training missions (SH4 already has training missions, but they tend not to offer help while in progress, which would be useful).

Finally, I'd suggest that rather than make the player's boat indestructible, the best way to provide an easy in for the game would be to make the campaign tweakable. Rather than just choosing easy-medium-hard, like most games do, I'd allow the player comprehensive control over every aspect of the campaign generation engine (whatever it is), as well as the existing realism options. Using sliders or switches or whatever at the beginning of the campaign, the player could specify:

• The average number of ships that're likely to appear in any one encounter, and the available margin around the average that can be used for variation. So choosing 'one' and no margin would mean you only ever meet one ship at a time. There'd be a 'disable' option for this slider that would put the game into realistic mode.

• The density of convoys and groups in the play area (the higher the number the more frequently you'll encounter ships).

• The ratio of warships to merchants: from 100% merchant traffic down to a realistic distribution (you could, I suppose, include an option for 100% warships as well, but personally I can't see the point).

• The frequency and intensity of air attacks, down to a possible 'air attacks disabled' setting.

• The enemy's sensor effectiveness and tactical skill (down to zero for a happy hunting experience unmolested by things going bang all over you).

• A modifier for enemy weapon destructiveness. Even if they hit you, you could shrug it off. Again, the maximum setting would be realistic damage - or, I suppose, if you were a real glutton for punishment, you could allow for even higher settings (but again, I don't know why you'd want to).

• The frequency of different mission types, weighed between general patrols, photography, and such like; and the areas the missions are likely to put you.

You get the idea, I'm sure. It's true that most people will probably want high realism and the challenge that comes with it. The fact is that some players do play for fun more than education, and some inevitably find they have more fun playing a less realistic game - at least at first. Might be hard for some of the more dedicated simmers to understand, but there it is. As long as the full-realism options are there for those who want them, though, further options can only expand the game's appeal.

I think those are all great ideas. I've played games with settings like that as options, so it can be done. It would allow people to customize their experiences and it would allow people like me to play it as hardcore as they liked.