Wouldn’t it be nice if…

[Reverie]

…the software simulated damage incurred during the course of a journey ?

My VIIB finished its patrol about the Hebrides, so I "GENed" orders to
pursue and found myself directed to the east of Iceland. The end of September
in ’39, this is going to be a holiday. I cruised Torshaven on the way up,
and mind you it’s shallow but a great place to lay up for repairs. Although you’ld
think there would be a weather station at the place, it’s just scenery.
And the weather was lovely on the last leg, until…and say if you’ve experienced this,
a light driving rain came from the southeast, but out of a BLUE SKY. No clouds.
The sun at mid afternoon, unlimited visibility. Sea State Two.
For five minutes.

Then, what looked like a wall cloud developed on the horizon for 360°. I began
looking for gargoyles, ‘cause it felt like the boogie man was coming.

But Reverie, what has this to do with damage simulation ?

Hold on, I’m getting to that. Uhhh, then blink, the sky changed to cloudy stormy muck.
Sea State Four. I stayed with it on the bridge as long as I could, which was long enough
to take everyone down, one at a time, to get their sou’westers on, and leave them on watch. Tough job, but somebody’s got to do it; and since I’m the Commander, it won’t
be me.

Are we talking about simulating damage yet ?

Quiet. But thinking it was tough in first person view, what with riding a rollercoaster of water, watching it transpire in External View was brutal! On the downward slopes, the screws were just fanning air; then wham the stern planes would slap while the bow would start its upward curve. But the bow wouldn’t rise on the waves as cleave them, so each one crashed into the conning tower. Then the ride would begin again.
If in reality, there would have to be some welding necessary at the earliest convenience.
And crew injury or loss would be a concern, too.
Investing in the hardware to run this thing at full chat paid off, and proves it every time I look at an SH3 screen. I haven’t the foggiest idea how the water is made to look real, and only a vague idea of the mathematics to simulate action/reaction,…

Here it comes.

…but I still think that expending most of the development effort on making merchants go boom is missing more than half the research, and hence the story. What were the boats going through in the meantime ? Between targets ? What about submarine school ? Routine Maintenance ?
I read occasionally of comments on an SHV. Rumour or no, I haven’t a word. But if there is, let’s start generating a career for it now. Before "Marketing" gets the idea.
So many engrossing elements that could have been factored into the design but weren’t, have the capacity to transcend the gaming genre and enter into "living entertainment".

Okay.

Okay.
Reverie