[Fidd]

First off, this is a superb sim, kudos to the devs.

Suggestion: Players have the ability to set a preferred role, and for this to be visible in the lobby. This would help players decide to invite a particular individual if their boat needs a radio officer or whatever. Their preferred real-life language might also help. The joining game interface seems a little clunky in respect of swiftly getting players organised into crews. Their Teamspeak/discord channel might also be useful as a clickable button? (if that can be done?)

I did play WPK a lot in the early days, and greatly enjoyed it. However I did find it terribly repetitive, and so in time, my play has fallen away. I was very fortunate in the late 1980's to talk a lot with Jonathan "Blue Baron" at Kesmai, who brought out one of the very first PVP "sims" at that time: "Air warrior". He was an interesting chap, who held that in order for such a game - or sim - to thrive, one had to promote the social side of the game, and design in features to enable players to socialise in game, and also to make the game PVP rather than PvAI.

This to my mind are the twin areas that need work, in order to keep players interested. To that end, I think:

The hunt for a convoy should be longer, and more involved, perhaps involving decryption of Enigma signals, and interplay between BDU and the commander. During this period, tasks should be available, but also some down time for crew members off-watch to socialise. The current game is too repeatedly intense, with convoys found swiftly, and the battle following a fairly predictable path thereafter.

Above all, we need to have playable escorts, so that the PVP aspect can be developed. It's one thing to be briefly depth-charged by an AI DD, and quite another to be repeatedly hunted and DC'd by a player-operated one, who may prosecute attacks for (say) and hour or so, forcing the Uboat to have to reacquire and reposition for a further attack. With more prolonged DC attacks, there's lots of scope for repairs/difficulties depth-keeping, and not just prosecuting torpedo attacks. This would hugely increase the variation in one game to the next, which imho is essential to the long-term success of a sim.

I'm yet to play Destroyer: U boat hunter, but from what I've seen, if these two games could be married, so to speak, then the result would quite superb.

I don't mean to undermine the great work this tiny team has done, but I thought an honest personal appraisal from someone who did previously spend a fair bit of time in WPK is worthwhile...?