Sonalysts: new contract, new sim?

[zamfe]

Since Sonalysts obviously won a new contract with the US Navy, could this be also raise also the hopes for a new sim?

http://www.theday.com/article/201010...0219387/-1/BIZ

[TLAM Strike]

Doubt it, it sounds more like a renewal of the old contract they have had for many years.

[Reaper51]

Agree with TLAM.

But even if Sonalysts do decide to make a new sim, I wouldn't hold my breath. Just look at how half assed DW is. I doubt they'd do any better with a second try.

[Hawk66]

oh, another 'let's hope for a new DW-like sim', which pops up in regular intervals

I fear there will be no one, except the Sonalysts-guys do it for non-profit reasons like (to my knowledge, not sure) eSim does do it partly with their Steel Beasts Pro product.

Unfortunately, there seems to be no statement so far if they could adopt that eSim model: Sell it without any publisher, make a tough price (>100$)...but I do not really know if the government requirements and commercial requirements could be aligned to have a similar business model like eSim.

Perhaps Frying Tiger could enlighten us here .

[Takeda Shingen]

Originally Posted by Reaper51

Agree with TLAM.

But even if Sonalysts do decide to make a new sim, I wouldn't hold my breath. Just look at how half assed DW is. I doubt they'd do any better with a second try.

I think that DW is rather good. If you want half-assed try Silent Hunter 5.

[Molon Labe]

DW 1.04 is pretty good. DW 1.0 was a bad joke.

[Hawk66]

Originally Posted by Molon Labe

DW 1.04 is pretty good. DW 1.0 was a bad joke.

yes, especially with the two major mods. I also think that the tactical AI with those mods is more then acceptable - only the strategic one has its flaws but you can live with that.

Anyway, it can be doubted that there will any new sim, which provides several subs, a frigate and ASW helo/plane in great detail + editing&modding capabilities + >600 pages of documentation for a initial price under 70$!

[kgsuarez]

DW 1.04 is pretty good. DW 1.0 was a bad joke.

I remember reading an article about their new/re-newed contract and I thought the same thing for a few moments before reality set in. I also doubt very highly that they will put out a new sim any time soon, if ever. There is simply no money to be made in such a market.

I have to wonder though, will there ever be new DW replacement?

WWII subsims, such as the Silent Hunter series, are a different genre. So they don't count in this discussion. We're talking about modern subsims here. Let's take a look at some of the most notable titles in the genre and the periods of time between their releases:

1) 688 Attack Sub (1988)

--6 year gap--

2) SSN-21 Seawolf (1994)

--2 year gap--

3) Fast Attack: High Tech Submarine Warfare (1996)

--1 year gap--

4) 688(I) Hunter/Killer (1997)

--4 year gap--

5) Sub Command (2001)

--4 year gap--

6) Dangerous Waters (2005)

--5, almost 6, year gap and counting--

Judging from the list above the average time between releases is just under 4 years. And the longest time between releases is 6 years.

We're almost past the 6 year mark and there's no replacement sim in sight. If history is any indication, things are not looking very good for us.

Is the subsim genre going to fade away completely?

[Diopos]

Originally Posted by zamfe

Since Sonalysts obviously won a new contract with the US Navy, could this be also raise also the hopes for a new sim?
...

In fact quite the opposite. A "new" contract means that all assets are diverted to fullfill it. If they'd fail to get a contract then they might 've considered revisiting the sim market (which I doubt!).
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