Abandon ship or set sail? (PC)
08 March 2010 | By Richard Walker
The Ship Simulator series is a bit like David Hasselhoff – big in Germany. And like the Hoff, developer VSTEP is looking to broaden the franchise's core audience by making the latest – ambitiously suffixed - Extremes the most accessible yet. Not by making a revealing reality TV show, but by expanding the series beyond Ship Sim 2006, 2008 and its expansions. Extremes actually sounds like it could be a lot of fun, despite our best efforts to remain cynical towards a game of ship-sailing.
Not least because you can helm the officially-licensed Greenpeace Esperanza to chase illegal whale hunters (no, you can't harpoon whales yourself before you ask) and steer the Titanic through iceberg infested seas, potentially altering the course of history in the process.
If the mood takes you, there are storylines like these to pursue in Extremes, all of which are based upon real events. So, while captaining the Titanic is just the tip of the iceberg (so to speak), you'll take various vessels to emergency hotspots, extinguishing oil rig fires, evacuating an island under threat from a natural disaster or perhaps locating and photographing a top secret facility, escaping unseen.
All of the sailing data and the events in the game are taken from actual sailor's accounts, so while the story campaigns may seem a little overly dramatic, they apparently did happen. Action in a normally stuffy simulator? Colour us intrigued.
Featuring Coastguard cutters, hovercraft, mammoth tankers, cruise liners, tugboats, cargo vessels and even nippy powerboats, you could never accuse Ship Sim Extremes of not striving to be definitive, especially with the inclusion of a ship editor where you can tinker with the game's many seagoing vessels. “What fun is there in ships?” Ship Sim Extreme's producer poses the question during the game's presentation at this year's Paradox Interactive showcase in Stockholm. Not much, you might say. “So, you think a captain's life is easy?” comes the reply. Erm, almost definitely not.
Ship Simulator Extremes aims to put you straight into the skipper's hat of a ship's captain, enabling you to not only take charge of a vessel, but by granting you the freedom to leave the helm to walk around and explore the ship to check out every dial, rivet and bulkhead. You can even man the water cannons, launch lifeboats and interact with the crew and your surroundings.
Visuals have been considerably enhanced since Ship Sim 08, utilising PixelShader 3.0 and advanced bump mapping to really bring each vessel to startling life. Then there's the new dynamic ocean system, which creates the most watery looking water yet seen in a Ship Sim title.
Famous harbours in exotic locations such as Dover, Calais, Sydney, New York, Bora Bora and Antarctica add authenticity and interest to the sailing experience, but it's the extremes of the title that really add the spice to this particular Ship Sim.
Realistic weather systems and accompanying effects have a significant impact on the level of challenge as you sail your craft through treacherous waters in an effort to reach your objective.
Take into account the addition of multiplayer and co-op missions alongside planned community events, and Ship Simulator Extremes is shaping up to be undoubtedly the best yet. Not bad for a game we previously had little to no interest in.
Ship Simulator Extremes seemingly offers the best of both worlds, providing hardcore sim players with all the requisite detail and depth the series is known for, while including enough interest and activity for players less moved by the sight of a steaming bulkhead and an erect mast.
Not least because you can helm the officially-licensed Greenpeace Esperanza to chase illegal whale hunters (no, you can't harpoon whales yourself before you ask) and steer the Titanic through iceberg infested seas, potentially altering the course of history in the process.
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| Greenpeace go! Save the whales! Watch out for that iceberg! | You can helm the Titanic with the benefit of hindsight and change the course of history. |
If the mood takes you, there are storylines like these to pursue in Extremes, all of which are based upon real events. So, while captaining the Titanic is just the tip of the iceberg (so to speak), you'll take various vessels to emergency hotspots, extinguishing oil rig fires, evacuating an island under threat from a natural disaster or perhaps locating and photographing a top secret facility, escaping unseen.
All of the sailing data and the events in the game are taken from actual sailor's accounts, so while the story campaigns may seem a little overly dramatic, they apparently did happen. Action in a normally stuffy simulator? Colour us intrigued.
Featuring Coastguard cutters, hovercraft, mammoth tankers, cruise liners, tugboats, cargo vessels and even nippy powerboats, you could never accuse Ship Sim Extremes of not striving to be definitive, especially with the inclusion of a ship editor where you can tinker with the game's many seagoing vessels. “What fun is there in ships?” Ship Sim Extreme's producer poses the question during the game's presentation at this year's Paradox Interactive showcase in Stockholm. Not much, you might say. “So, you think a captain's life is easy?” comes the reply. Erm, almost definitely not.
Ship Simulator Extremes aims to put you straight into the skipper's hat of a ship's captain, enabling you to not only take charge of a vessel, but by granting you the freedom to leave the helm to walk around and explore the ship to check out every dial, rivet and bulkhead. You can even man the water cannons, launch lifeboats and interact with the crew and your surroundings.
Visuals have been considerably enhanced since Ship Sim 08, utilising PixelShader 3.0 and advanced bump mapping to really bring each vessel to startling life. Then there's the new dynamic ocean system, which creates the most watery looking water yet seen in a Ship Sim title.
Famous harbours in exotic locations such as Dover, Calais, Sydney, New York, Bora Bora and Antarctica add authenticity and interest to the sailing experience, but it's the extremes of the title that really add the spice to this particular Ship Sim.
Realistic weather systems and accompanying effects have a significant impact on the level of challenge as you sail your craft through treacherous waters in an effort to reach your objective.
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| Ship Simulator Extremes at its least extreme. Relaxing in the serene waters of Sydney Harbour. | “I'll race you to the horizon!” |
Take into account the addition of multiplayer and co-op missions alongside planned community events, and Ship Simulator Extremes is shaping up to be undoubtedly the best yet. Not bad for a game we previously had little to no interest in.
Ship Simulator Extremes seemingly offers the best of both worlds, providing hardcore sim players with all the requisite detail and depth the series is known for, while including enough interest and activity for players less moved by the sight of a steaming bulkhead and an erect mast.
