Submarine simulator
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Simulation video games |
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A submarine simulator is usually a computer game in which the player commands a submarine. The usual form of the game is to go on a series of missions, each of which features a number of encounters where the goal is to sink surface ships and to survive counterattacks by destroyers. Submarine simulators are notable for the highly-variable pace of the game; it may take hours of simulated time to get into position to attack a well-defended convoy, and sub simulators typically include an option for players to adjust the ratio of real time to simulated time up and down as desired.
Most submarine simulators use World War II as the setting; its submarine warfare was lengthy and intense, the historical material is extensive, and the limited capabilities of the period's submarines place a high premium on game playing skill. Games usually feature either US submarines in the Pacific Ocean, or German U-boats in the Atlantic Ocean. Another popular category is modern attack submarines, especially those of the Los Angeles class also known as "688s" after the hull identification number of the first vessel of the class.
Game displays generally include an overhead map or "radar" view, showing the submarine and any ships whose position can be detected, the periscope view if the sub is close enough to the surface, a set of gauges showing depth and course, and a boat plan showing torpedo availability, damage to various subsystems and other in-game issues that may arise.
The first submarine simulator available to the civilian public was Thorn EMI's Submarine Commander of 1982.
Titles
Name | Year |
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1914 Shells of Fury | 2007 |
688 Attack Sub | 1988 |
688(I) Hunter/Killer | 1997 |
Aces of the Deep | 1994 |
AquaNox series. Heavily stylized, futuristic series sharing more in common with space combat simulators. | 1996–2003 |
Archimedean Dynasty | 1996 |
Cold Waters | 2017 |
Command: Aces of the Deep | 1995 |
Dangerous Waters | 2005 |
Danger from the Deep Open source | 2003 |
Das Boot: German U-Boat Simulation | 1990-91 |
Deadly Tide | 1996 |
Depthcharge | 1977 |
Deep Fighter: The Tsunami Offensive | 2000 |
Dive to the Titanic | 2010 |
Enigma: Rising Tide | 2003/2005 |
Fast Attack: High Tech Submarine Warfare | 1996 |
GATO | 1984 |
Grey Wolf | |
The Hunt for Red October | 1987–90 |
Iron Wolves | |
OpenSSN (Open source) | 2010 |
Operation Neptune (video game) | 1991 |
Periscope | 1966 |
Radar Mission (Mode B) | 1990 |
Red Storm Rising | 1988 |
Silent Service series | 1985, 1990 |
Silent Hunter | 1996 |
Silent Hunter II | 2001 |
Silent Hunter III | 2005 |
Silent Hunter IV | 2007 |
Silent Hunter V | 2010 |
Silent Steel | 1995 |
SSN-21 Seawolf | 1994 |
Steel Diver | 2011 |
Submarine Commander | 1982 |
Sub Battle Simulator | 1987–88 |
Sub Command | 2001 |
Sub Culture | 1997 |
Sub Hunt | 1982 |
Sub Hunter | 1977 |
Sub Mission | 1986 |
Subwar 2050 | 1994 |
Tom Clancy's SSN | 1996 |
U-BOAT | |
U-Boat Simulator (Android game) | 2013 |
Up Periscope! | 1986 |
Virtual Sailor | 1999 |
Wolfpack' | 1990s |
The adventure game Codename: ICEMAN (1989) by Sierra On-line contained a submarine simulator portion.
The vehicle simulator game Naval Ops: Warship Gunner 2 (2006) by Koei features submarine hulls & puts the player through several submarine piloting missions, though several other missions are also restricted against submarine use.
AUV Simulators
There are also a number of simulators available for underwater robots such as AUVs. These simulators are commonly used by research institutes for testing robot control and coordination algorithms before or during the development of a submarine.