"New" free subsim "Danger from the deep"!

rconstruct · 07-20-08, 05:18 AM

Hi

We've been silent for some time, but that only means everyone's busy working

The ATI issue, well, some time ago we were trying to fix this, dealing with a OSX package, and run into the ATI problem, particularly GLSL shaders failing to build/compile, and they were/are validated by 3DLabs GLSL validation tool, and Apple's GL validation tool, then one of Apple's engineers told us the problem was a (known) bug in ATI's driver. We don't have many developers, so we can't afford to spend much time with this atm, but ATI's drivers are improving daily (specially since they released the documentation for their architecture), you'll just have to wait, and report the problems in the dangerdeep mailing list (dangerdeep's sf.net project page), it'll be fixed eventually.

As for the status, work is underway for quite some time in lots of things.

New boyancy is done, so when you for instance, torpedo a target, there's a flooding simulation being run on the target, so that you can have the ships listing, sinking bow first, or whatever, they never sink in the same way twice

Torpedo code is being worked on as well, particularly depth keeping/steering, and end-of-run sinking, in fact this is working already, but needs some polishing.

Major work is under way with the terrain, this because the terrain is data based, so you actually have full bathymetry (correct) data, and oceanic currents will follow later (and tides), but the 1st stage is finishing the terrain/bathymetry. This is WIP (Work In Progress).

Captain's cabin is done, Kriegsmarine Soldbuch is done, the player's GUI is done, now when you start a mission you can select the uboat, player name, photo, the list of uboats and flotillas are historically correct, for uboat type/period of war.
Ship's recognition manual was also added, and it's already working, both as subscreen of the captain's cabin, and in popup of the periscope + UZO screen.

The data files were updated to have uboat bridge models (and this will allows us extra goodies later), so, the type II already has a custom bridge (and new GLSL shaders).

U-boat diving with the new boyancy is working and in-game, both dynamic (depth rudders) and static (ballasts) diving. Work is under way on the screen that will allow you to control the ballasts and the trim tanks, so that you can balance boyancy, center of gravity, do emergency diving, etc... The code is in-game and working already, the interface for it is being worked on atm.

There are also new models, Empire Dabchick, Empire Faith (CAM), Empire Lawrence (CAM), Empire Protector, as well as skins for these, and new destroyers, (J, K, L, O classes, with several skins/schemes).

We should have a new release soon, couple of monthes or so, things just take time, and we don't have a 10-15 million usd/euros budget

Just a couple of screenshots for the more curious, and don't worry if things are quiet/silent, that's a good sign. Stay tuned

Letum · 07-20-08, 05:34 AM

Thanks for the Update, I hope the ATI issues work out one way or another.

rconstruct · 07-20-08, 10:24 PM

Hi

Still about the ATI issue, it'll be fixed, we just need some time for that, and meanwhile since AMD/ATI released their GPU architecture documentation, drivers have been improving amazingly, which also makes our lifes easier when it comes to diagnosing/debugging issues.

One note about the ballasts, trim tanks, navigation, etc... there's heavy work going on in the AI core, because well, if you play alone, an AI has to help you control all the devices - the importance of this is everything's being put in place for the career mode, so that you can play in multiplayer/network collaborative mode - and you will definitively need this, example: the person in charge of the navigation will have at his/her disposal, bathymetric charts, the kriegsmarine charts, weather reports, currents/tides charts. The person responsible for dealing with ballasts/trim tanks will also be very busy

We're considering incorporating mumble in dangerdeep, so that in collaborative mode you would be able to have chat, for each "u-boat" channel, etc..

That's pretty much it, i'll post some more updates soon, stay tuned.

rconstruct · 07-22-08, 02:36 AM

Hi

About cellestial navigation, yes, it'll be implemented, but the sky simulation etc... depends on finishing the implementation of the weather system, so it'll take a bit of time, but yes, it will be done

Another thing, regarding the currents, tides, etc... this isn't just surface currents, i mean, the way things are being made, there will be layers (altough limited to 2 or 3 layers though, since it's expensive to compute this), so you'll have thermoclines, and a bathythermograph. There's some controversy about use of bathythermograph aboard u-boats, but it seems they were indeed used (as you can see from the U-505 capture report, the US Navy intelligence officers did an inventary of all the equipment on board, questioned the crew, etc... http://www.uboatarchive.net/U-505.htm
If anyone has any more information regarding this, it would be apretiated

The thermal layers probably won't make it into this release (next couple of monthes), but they'll be implemented (along with the weather system).
I'll post some news regarding the upcoming 0.4 release soon, stay tuned

dcb · 07-22-08, 11:58 PM

This is shaping up as a most interesting project and I admire the dev team's dedication

Just a question. Somewhere in the future, will the sim also feature a '39-45 single-player campaign?

07-20-08, 05:34 AM	#2
Letum Navy Seal Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: York - UK Posts: 6,079 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	Thanks for the Update, I hope the ATI issues work out one way or another. __________________

07-22-08, 02:36 AM	#4
rconstruct Seaman Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 32 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Hi About cellestial navigation, yes, it'll be implemented, but the sky simulation etc... depends on finishing the implementation of the weather system, so it'll take a bit of time, but yes, it will be done Another thing, regarding the currents, tides, etc... this isn't just surface currents, i mean, the way things are being made, there will be layers (altough limited to 2 or 3 layers though, since it's expensive to compute this), so you'll have thermoclines, and a bathythermograph. There's some controversy about use of bathythermograph aboard u-boats, but it seems they were indeed used (as you can see from the U-505 capture report, the US Navy intelligence officers did an inventary of all the equipment on board, questioned the crew, etc... http://www.uboatarchive.net/U-505.htm If anyone has any more information regarding this, it would be apretiated The thermal layers probably won't make it into this release (next couple of monthes), but they'll be implemented (along with the weather system). I'll post some news regarding the upcoming 0.4 release soon, stay tuned Last edited by rconstruct; 07-22-08 at 03:23 AM.

07-20-08, 05:18 AM	#1
rconstruct Seaman Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 32 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Hi We've been silent for some time, but that only means everyone's busy working The ATI issue, well, some time ago we were trying to fix this, dealing with a OSX package, and run into the ATI problem, particularly GLSL shaders failing to build/compile, and they were/are validated by 3DLabs GLSL validation tool, and Apple's GL validation tool, then one of Apple's engineers told us the problem was a (known) bug in ATI's driver. We don't have many developers, so we can't afford to spend much time with this atm, but ATI's drivers are improving daily (specially since they released the documentation for their architecture), you'll just have to wait, and report the problems in the dangerdeep mailing list (dangerdeep's sf.net project page), it'll be fixed eventually. As for the status, work is underway for quite some time in lots of things. New boyancy is done, so when you for instance, torpedo a target, there's a flooding simulation being run on the target, so that you can have the ships listing, sinking bow first, or whatever, they never sink in the same way twice Torpedo code is being worked on as well, particularly depth keeping/steering, and end-of-run sinking, in fact this is working already, but needs some polishing. Major work is under way with the terrain, this because the terrain is data based, so you actually have full bathymetry (correct) data, and oceanic currents will follow later (and tides), but the 1st stage is finishing the terrain/bathymetry. This is WIP (Work In Progress). Captain's cabin is done, Kriegsmarine Soldbuch is done, the player's GUI is done, now when you start a mission you can select the uboat, player name, photo, the list of uboats and flotillas are historically correct, for uboat type/period of war. Ship's recognition manual was also added, and it's already working, both as subscreen of the captain's cabin, and in popup of the periscope + UZO screen. The data files were updated to have uboat bridge models (and this will allows us extra goodies later), so, the type II already has a custom bridge (and new GLSL shaders). U-boat diving with the new boyancy is working and in-game, both dynamic (depth rudders) and static (ballasts) diving. Work is under way on the screen that will allow you to control the ballasts and the trim tanks, so that you can balance boyancy, center of gravity, do emergency diving, etc... The code is in-game and working already, the interface for it is being worked on atm. There are also new models, Empire Dabchick, Empire Faith (CAM), Empire Lawrence (CAM), Empire Protector, as well as skins for these, and new destroyers, (J, K, L, O classes, with several skins/schemes). We should have a new release soon, couple of monthes or so, things just take time, and we don't have a 10-15 million usd/euros budget Just a couple of screenshots for the more curious, and don't worry if things are quiet/silent, that's a good sign. Stay tuned

07-20-08, 10:24 PM	#3
rconstruct Seaman Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 32 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Hi Still about the ATI issue, it'll be fixed, we just need some time for that, and meanwhile since AMD/ATI released their GPU architecture documentation, drivers have been improving amazingly, which also makes our lifes easier when it comes to diagnosing/debugging issues. One note about the ballasts, trim tanks, navigation, etc... there's heavy work going on in the AI core, because well, if you play alone, an AI has to help you control all the devices - the importance of this is everything's being put in place for the career mode, so that you can play in multiplayer/network collaborative mode - and you will definitively need this, example: the person in charge of the navigation will have at his/her disposal, bathymetric charts, the kriegsmarine charts, weather reports, currents/tides charts. The person responsible for dealing with ballasts/trim tanks will also be very busy We're considering incorporating mumble in dangerdeep, so that in collaborative mode you would be able to have chat, for each "u-boat" channel, etc.. That's pretty much it, i'll post some more updates soon, stay tuned.

07-22-08, 11:58 PM	#5
dcb Grey Wolf Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Bucharest, Romania Posts: 845 Downloads: 544 Uploads: 0	This is shaping up as a most interesting project and I admire the dev team's dedication Just a question. Somewhere in the future, will the sim also feature a '39-45 single-player campaign?