637 Class

[637 Class]

Greetings all.

I would like to unofficially announce my group's project we have begun work on. There will be an official announcement when our website is ready, which we hope to be in the next two weeks, but at this point we are focusing on the research aspect of material.

The project is tentatively entitled <<637 Class>> and will be a study simulation of that class, the Sturgeon Class of boat. We are focusing on 1 vessel with an emphasis on realism that is not to the point that it is not playable.

We are a group of 4 Russian programmers, one of which worked in the ASW filed for the Russian Navy for six years, the rest of us only like the Navy. We have generous budget (for an independent project) and a lot of time to work with, so we are very dedicated.

We have thought about publishers, but we want to self publish at this time, so we don't forced to put outrageous copy protection on our project that could degrade the enjoyment for players. We envision a download-able program with an unlock key as our only protection measure. We hope being a niche market with many honest and supportive of other simulations players we will not need anything else, like the American company <<Thirdwire>>

Enough of that boring stuff. Here is what simulation is envisioned to contain:

A time frame in 1975-1977 with the entire world as the location. Player controls 637 Class as part of fleet operations in either of the four campaigns. Campaigns we have envisioned are Cold War cruises in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as they were, tense missions where you are gathering intelligence on opposition fleets while avoiding detection finding SSBNs ect. The other two campaigns will be war time cruises against the Soviet Union one in the Atlantic Ocean, and one in the Pacific Ocean.

We have debated whether campaigns should be <<dynamic>> or <<scripted>> but we think dynamic campaigns run into problems and can be less challenging and include more bugs. However we are exploring a hybrid of the two. Scripted linked scenarios, however if you kill a certain enemy vessel, it will not reappear in future scenarios. We have to explore this more.

There will of course be single scenarios involving all types of missions for quick play, as well as the same scenario and campaign editor we use will be included.

As for the vessels included, we have extensive data of the Soviet side's cruises, tactics and constitution and will make them as correct as possible, and are currently researching NATO and other nations navies in this time frame as well, we want to get it correct.

If this project goes well we already are thinking of an expansion to add the <<USS Narwhal>> and intelligence gathering missions, and a Soviet side squeal that will be stand alone.

We intend to hire American voice actors so you don't have to worry of Russian accented speech files.

I am probably forgetting a lot of info, but I would like to add this:

I know this rarely works, but as we want to make this for dedicated naval simulation community members, we are open to suggestions, although I must emphasis that we have a lot of ideas we are set on, but we want to also emphasis that we want to know what is wanted in a simulation like this.

Also any questions you might have please make them and I will answer.

Thank you for reading.

Peter

[Onkel Neal]

Very nice, Peter, welcome aboard!

[nikimcbee]

Welcome to subsim.
I just barely finished reading "Stalking the Red Bear"

http://www.amazon.com/Stalking-Red-B.../dp/0312380232

Have you guys heard of it? It's exactly what you guys are making a game of it sounds. I've done personal some scenario design for DW, plus a large campaign (7 scenarios) of the opening moves of a chinese naval attack on the US. (on Paper)

You'll find lots of talented/knowledgeable people here at subsim who are willing to help out.

Project sounds interesting...

oh, btw, I have a Russian language degree

[nikimcbee]

@637: Check your PM

Also, have you seen this?
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=158193

[637 Class]

Thank you for the interest and link nikimcbee

I respond to your PM

[Herman]

Originally Posted by 637 Class

We have thought about publishers, but we want to self publish at this time, so we don't forced to put outrageous copy protection on our project that could degrade the enjoyment for players. We envision a download-able program with an unlock key as our only protection measure. We hope being a niche market with many honest and supportive of other simulations players we will not need anything else, like the American company <<Thirdwire>>

It is quite telling about the current state of DRM and the industry that a new developer feels that he immediately needs to state that he is not going to use it.

Thanks for not treating me as a criminal. I wish you all the best in your endeavours and look forward to trying out your simulator.

[Bartolomeus]

Welcome aboard! The project sounds great, looking forward!

[Chad]

Best of luck 637.. It'll be nice to see a fresh game come out for us indie developers

[kgsuarez]

This sounds very promising. I am glad that you and your team have decided to focus on the early to mid Cold War era. There have not been many games that touch the topic and I think it could make for some very interesting gameplay. I am also glad to hear that you will be focusing on just one platform. Less is more, when you do it right. I am sure that the subsim community would rather have a properly working game with only one playable sub, than a game with a several playable platforms and some additional bugs and overlooked details.

I would highly recommend that you and your team work out any difficulties you may have in implementing a dynamic campaign. In my opinion a dynamic campaign is far more superior to one that is scripted. Of course, there is the option of making a hybrid campaign as you say. I presume that this would mean a dynamic campaign, with certain scripted events and missions occurring within the constructs of the dynamic campaign.

You are also mentioning having 4 different campaigns. Why not mix them all together?

Here is how I would go about doing it... Within the one large dynamic campaign, scripted missions can be triggered either by circumstances or time frames. For example, you have been ordered to patrol a certain area and while doing so you make contact with a new Russian SSBN, at this point the scripted mission starts and sends you orders to follow it and attack it if you see fit. Or perhaps, on a certain date and time you will receive orders to intercept a carrier group that is making its way towards US waters.

Then, depending on your conduct during these missions the game will decide whether the Cold War will continue as it is or if it will escalate into an actual full blown war. If during your patrols you are continually overly aggressive then hostilities will inevitable commence after you have made enough attacks on Soviet ships. After patrols, when you come into base there could even be newsreels and updates about the politcal tensions between the US and the USSR. You can even implement a "progress bar" that will show how close you are to starting a war or provoking a peaceful solution to the tensions between the US and the USSR.

Here's a little picture of my progress bar idea. As you can see its pretty simple :

Peace <------------------o--------------------------------------------> War

Certain actions will have a general effect on the relations between the two Super Powers. If you attack a major target, such as a Soviet SSBN or Aircraft Carrier, it will certainly lead to hostilities. If you attack a Russian fishing vessel, it will anger the Soviets and move the situation closer to hostilities, but not into a full blown war. But if you help to neutralize certain situations it will help to move the situation towards a peaceful solution. For example, you are ordered to attack and sink a US sub who's commander has gone "a little funny in the head" and is assumed to be planning an attack on a notable Soviet target, perhaps a sub that is leaving base, or a group of surface vessels involved in military exercises in the North Atlantic.

These are all just ideas, and I would have no idea on how to implement these into a game, or if it's even possible to do.

At any rate, I think it's a great thing that you and your team are in contact with the individuals on our forums. I hope to hear from you again on the progress of you project.

[Seeadler]

Any further news about this project?

[kgsuarez]

I suppose not...

The OP stated that their website would be up in 2 weeks. I can't find it.

We could only hope that they are still working on it. I presume that there will be a considerable period of time before we know for sure whether it is going to happen or not. I can't imagine that getting a project like this started is a simple or quick process. Especially for an independent group with no backing from experienced development companies.

[Chad]

First hand knowledge that indie game development is hard work! Hate to see any project fold, maybe they'll surface within a few days.

[Castout]

Sounds terrific and Sir may I add you have excellent command of English which I thought a rarity among Russians. Best of luck with the project. WOW a study sub sim . . .and with a hybrid dynamic and scripted campaign possibility. You got all my hopes high.