SUBSIM UBOOT dev team interview

[Onkel Neal]

Congratulations Deep Water Studio!

UBOOT has reached its Kickstarter goal, in no time at all!

Also, Subsim has just posted its UBOOT Dev Team Interview, read all about it here and return to this thread for comments and discussion.

It's not the intention to replace Silent Hunter 5 but to offer us something fun and interesting, with areas of U-Boat gameplay other games have not covered. I'm looking forward to getting a chance to play this one.

[Vince82]

Thank you for this preview, onkel.

The choice for distance compresion is innovative/risky. Time compression is what everybody was used to for the past decades, it worked well.

I like that 1st person view is included, manual periscope, plotting and torpedo data probably (TDC). Ship recognition manual??, stadimeter??

Aircraft will be dangerous. This means not cruising on the surface at daytime when enemy is expected and recharging at night. So real live tactics are needed.

scripted missions I don't mind that. As long as they are interesting. I did read something about this on the Uboot Campaign page.

I think only modelling the VIIc is a smart decision but covering the war all the way to 1945 is way too ambitious and unnecessary. Why not until black May 1943? Enough time for 15 or more patrols I would say.

UBOOT, pledged

[Onkel Neal]

Hi Vince,

you betcha.

I am going to use my crystal ball to say, from what I have learned, that there really won't be much need for TC. I am guessing that contact will be made more frequently than SH games, and in between engagements, the game will have a lot of crew and boat chores to entertain the player. And I think that will be ok, UBOOT is not trying to be better than SH5, it's trying to provide gameplay that the SH and other subsims did not focus on. And that could be a lot of fun, we will see.

[raymond6751]

It may be too far along in development, but here's my idea anyway. In real life the captain would not micromanage the crew. He has officers for that. The second in command typically deals with crew issues.

I suggest that, like SH series, there are officers that the player can assume control of. He controls one of say, four men aboard, with an AI to handle the other three until he switches.

These could be the exec, engineer, captain, and the German equivalent of chief of the boat. The captain can influence things with orders and queries to the other three, or he can switch to one of them to more directly control an issue.

Just thoughts that could eventually lead to a multi-player coop version with four players per boat.

[harag]

Congratulations! You've discovered the Subsim UBOOT Easter Egg!

"I Found the Subsim UBOOT Easter Egg !"

In the post, you must say where you found the Easter Egg and what it is, plus enter this code:

"HAVE A U-BOAT COCKTAIL"

---

OK, I found the easter egg - it was on the Sub Sim Interview page (excellent read by the way - http://www.subsim.com/2016/preview_uboot.php) on the question: "Give me some idea of what a Subsim captain should expect from the enemy AI."

Looking forward to the game, and yes I've backed UBOOT for $100 - Glad to see it's met it's first goal!

All the best

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by harag

Congratulations! You've discovered the Subsim UBOOT Easter Egg!

"I Found the Subsim UBOOT Easter Egg !"

In the post, you must say where you found the Easter Egg and what it is, plus enter this code:

"HAVE A U-BOAT COCKTAIL"

---

OK, I found the easter egg - it was on the Sub Sim Interview page (excellent read by the way - http://www.subsim.com/2016/preview_uboot.php) on the question: "Give me some idea of what a Subsim captain should expect from the enemy AI."

Looking forward to the game, and yes I've backed UBOOT for $100 - Glad to see it's met it's first goal!

All the best

All right, you are the kind of skipper who sees that wisp of smoke on the horizon and moves in for the attack--good eyes!

Send me a PM with your shirt size and where you want me to send it, congrats!

Neal

[harag]

Wow, that is excellent news, Thanks Neal - PM on way !!!

[Vince82]

Originally Posted by Hitman

The part I hated most (And actually disabled) from SH3 was the crew management, which the Devs recognized and automated in SH4. So a game mostly centered around this seems risky business, but I'm looking forward to what these guys can do, the presentation so far is no less than impressive.

A lot of sh3 mods are about improving the interior and having more crew. From what I read from the interview 'uboot' crew is automated, but tasks like repairs have to be ordered:

How much automation does the crew get? Can the player allow the crew to run the boat, or does he need to manage the duties and direct the crew?
Yes, some basic tasks are performed automatically by your crew. Each crew member has his work assignment that he will do in the first place when his needs are generally met. During the alarm, everyone will go on alert and go to either their work place or, if all slots are occupied already, any other work place on the ship.
They won’t do this optimally though and a good captain will find many ways to optimize the crew assignment to achieve his goals.
Repairs on the other hand is something that always needs to be ordered directly because this uses your spare parts and sometimes you may prefer to leave something broken to save them for more serious failures.

To me it looks like Deep Water Studio is going to put a living and breathing crew on board of our boats with more interaction than ever before. It's more about what kind of a captain you are and the horrors you and the crew are exposed to. An unexperienced crew might break when things get really bad.

My hopes for this game are that the developers will put some realism elements into this game that are missing in other games. Like aircraft suddenly appearing from the clouds and being way more deadly. That way you'll be forced to recharge the batteries at night or stay out of areas where aircraft are to be expected. And when caught cruising on the surface you have to make the right decision: crashdive when you still got some time or take evasive maneuvers and man the flakgun when the plane is too close.

[doctrine]

I will keep a close eye on this project, for it seems very promising.

A few things in general:

• "With our rather modest team, we can’t really compete with Ubisoft in terms of scope [...]"
  From my experience of buying (early access) games from small(er) studios, this is something most small(er) teams tend to forget or underestimate. Resulting in the promise of an AAA-game only to find out they can't achieve the goal after 4 years.
  Knowing your strength / weakness is a great plus!
  
  
• "We have abandoned the time compression concept. [...] Instead we have filled these parts with a crew-centric content inside the ship."
  Another point which is spot on IMO. An other game I play is simply boring during travel since there's nothing to do. While the devs and some players say "that's hardcore". Your solution sounds like the best plan.
  
  
• "[...] and to some degree also Silent Hunter, but we have wanted to make something completely new and refreshing within the genre. A reset."
  Exactly what I'm looking for!

The best of luck and success with the project

[TDK1044]

Great interview. I really like the approach these guys are taking.

[Frank K]

"I FOUND THE SUBSIM UBOOT EASTER EGG!"
Top of page, picture of Easter Eggs.
"HAVE A U-BOAT COCKTAIL"

Glad to be aboard and patiently waiting for this game, also I hope I did not mess up.

[HerrRitter]

I just posted the following, over at Steam:


This is the first time I've ever heard of this project, and ... to say the least ... I am enthusiastic about it. I want them to release a functional game, when it is released. Accordingly, I am willing to let them take their time to perfect it.

Concerning all the negative comments: How many times have I seen complaints that games are released before they're ready to be played without bugs, and other problems? Deep Water Studio appears to want to release a game that is ready-to-play. As for me, I willing to wait for it.

Herr Ritter
Overlord, SubSum Navy

I really like the design concept of this game. When THEY think it's ready for release, I'll be happy.


Cheers