PT Boat- New Naval Combat video & older russian Demo link (can make english)

new surface warfare video
http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=236&Itemid=365
 
This game still looks great. And it has been confirmed u can pilot german E-Boats.
The video shows lots of English convoy craft including tri-barrel cruisers and some german cruisers.
I even had some wishfull thinking in thinking I saw fire controlled gunnery off the tri-barrels.
 
Also this:::
""There is an older playable demo. It is Russian.

Here is a link:

[link=http://ru.akella.com/Game.aspx?id=121&mode=demos]http://ru.akella.com/Ga...px?id=121&mode=demos[/link]

Click on this for the file: Морской охотник Демо (1,2 Гб)

To get the program to install you will need to rename the file after you save it as most US systems do not support cyrillic characters. I renamed mine to demo.exe and then executed it to install the software.

To make the in-game options in the GUI display in English to know what graphic and realism options settings are you must change a file.

Find Start.ini in your X:\Program Files\Akella Games\Ìîðñêîé Îõîòíèê folder. Erase what is in there and replace it with the following:

<root>
<locale>EN</locale>
<menu_mission_holder>menu</menu_mission_holder>
<play_intro val="1"/>
</root>

The game will still be in Russain but at least you can see what the settings are.

Also, your crew will not fire their guns in the first (tutorial) mission on their own but they do in all other missions.

Please remember this is an older demo released a number of months before Battlefront got involved.

I hope that helps."""
 
Oh and a youtube link to some footage....
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec4XwB1Jg94
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=torpedo+boats&search_type=&aq=f
 
 
I'm grabbing the demo... its only 1.2gb ;)
I know battlefont will maybe improve realism and the game will be more polished, but I want an indication of how the game plays NOW NOW NOW hehe haha.... ok that was silly ceptin!
 
I wonder if it will be like this silent hunter mod:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7GS38ddjKQ&feature=related
 
pics below were taken of the russian demo in dx9c mode.. the menu IS the game men and the shots below are not of still boats but moving ones.... i cannot yet get it to work in w7 64.... otherwise i'd show u in game screenies. Gonna try XP virtual mode.
 

 
 
 
 

 

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ok my bad... changing the menu to english also affected the directory path to the missions causing a crash
leaving it as russian was fine.... so i might just post a screenie of the english settings for those interested.
Also the demo tutorial is easy enough to work out as the keys are in text.
 
If anyone needs a full key list let me know and i will expand it.
 



 

 

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Low res shots of the demo, which runs really nicely. Really smoothly.  the first shot i had the menu in some sort of contol the convoy/fleet mode




 
 
Low res shots of the demo, which runs really nicely. Really smoothly.

 

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Key commands for anyone interested in playing the demo.

Common Controls
` - Camera Next Actor
F1 - Help
Numpad Minus - 1x Time
Numpad Plus - 2x Time
K - Toggle Message Panel

Tactical Mode Controls
J - Switch Auto AI mode
K - Switch tactical mode
UP - Camera Forward
DOWN - Camera Back
LEFT - Camera Left
RIGHT - Camera Right
SHIFT - Camera Fast Move
CTRL - Camera Slow Move
Button 2 - Add waypoint
BACKSPACE - Remove Last Waypoint
DELETE - Delete All Waypoints
A - Select All Units
1 - "User" Formation
2 - Line Formation
3 - V Line Formation
4 - Quad Formation

Simulator Mode Controls
SPACE - Launch Toprpedo
B - Drop Charge
O - Objectives
M - Toggle Maximize Map
T - Lay Smoke
N - Signal Flare
W - Up Engine Power
S - Down Engine Power
A/D - Turn Port/Starboard
Button 1 - Fire Weapon
Button 2 - Toggle Binoculars
Button 3 - Select Primary Target
Scroll Wheel - Scroll Primary Target
R - Reload
L - Searchlight
NEXT - 1x Radar Zoom
PREV - 4x Radar Zoom
1 - Next Light Gun
2 - Next Flak Gun
3 - Camera Current Actor
4 - Camera Cabin
5 - Camera Next Torpedo
0 - Free Look
DELETE - Net Suicide
C - Toggle Crew
Z - Zig Zag
Y - Retreat
G - Engine Repair
F - Put Out Fire
H - Hull repair
TAB - Net Stat
TAB - Commands
V - Catapult Plane

Misc
F11 - Run Debugger

Submarine Controls (Disabled)
P - Dive
[ - Depth Control Down
] - Depth Control Up

 

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apart from PT 109 is there any other good PT boat movies out there?
 
just discovered I can shoot individual crew off the deck, therefore disabling guns or crew. This will give those close encounters some meaning. Especially if the game has spy and marine landings.
 
Also has a working compass. I fact all instruments seem to work aswell. That sextant looking torpedoe aimer is fully functional too.
 
 

 

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destraex


apart from PT 109 is there any other good PT boat movies out there?

No idea whether it's any good, but Amazon offers Devil Boat.

Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex... It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.     - Albert Einstein

This just doesn't look all that exciting to me! I mean I have Silent Hunter III and IV and whilst both appear more exciting than this, I seldom played them...so I couldn't imagine wanting to load this one.

I mean, what is there to do?Drive a fast wee boat and loose off some torpedos?

I AM The Law
JudgeDredd

Click the pic to go to the Kharkov game page

JudgeDredd


This just doesn't look all that exciting to me! I mean I have Silent Hunter III and IV and whilst both appear more exciting than this, I seldom played them...so I couldn't imagine wanting to load this one.

I mean, what is there to do?Drive a fast wee boat and loose off some torpedos?

Everything I know about PT Boats comes from McHale's Navy.  I do not think you give enough credit to comedy involved racing around in these "wee boats."

You could say the same thing about SH, except replace fast boat with really slow one.

Unlike SH, however, this game doesn't offer a dynamic campaign. If it did, I'd be hooked. As I understand it, there are about 30 scenarios allowing gamers to drive various boats, which sounds pretty reasonable.

That said, I think I'll wait to see how it turns out before picking this one up.

just discovered I can shoot individual crew off the deck, therefore disabling guns or crew. This will give those close encounters some meaning. Especially if the game has spy and marine landings.

 
On first reading this, then not looking closely enough at the screenshot, I thought you offing your own crew... then you mentioned spy missions and had this weird idea of a mission requiring you having to blast away your own men who were actually enemy infiltrators (and yes also thinking of the silliness of such a mission in a historical game)... but now it all makes sense.... though, it could be cool if you could hit your own men as it would require more careful shooting on the player's part; have you tried any self mutilation of your crew?
 

But with the Silent Hunter series, there was the evasion that made it quite tense...most of the game bored the pants off me, but the evasion was very tense. Sometimes I'd attack the most ridiculous things in order to see if I could escape, such was the excitement of the missions.

I can't see where the tension would be in this game, though I would imagine it holds some excitement for others. Not my cup of tea...most definitely giving this one a miss.

I AM The Law
JudgeDredd

Click the pic to go to the Kharkov game page

I too was skeptical about the fun that would be had in a tinny with a couple of guns and torps. I was however intrigued enough by this niche and the excitement of fast boats with large explosive bits tacked onto them to check it out.

I have always liked the idea and the mean muscle car look of PT boats.

When I played the demo, it all seemed very simple and elegant to play. It kept surprising me with how rich the features were and how fun it actually was to speed around the big boats.

Essentially if you ever wanted to command a battleship, this is the smaller,  faster sexier version of that. The missions should be short and exciting, I am also looking forward to seeing the shoreline that a lot of the missions are "purported" to take place in. Cat and mouse in and out of inlets should be a blast.

There is so much potential here, but I guess you really have to like the concept of fast attack boats used for scouting, recon, spy insertion, raiding shipping, harrassment, escort duty, massed attacks, ground support and insertion.
Certainly today patrol boats have a major role - the torpedoes - in border protection, interception etc... in PT boats Knights of the sea, I'd like to see a lot of merchant interceptions and cargo searches.
I know their are missions where shore bases seem to be raided by torpedoe boats, and they are perfect for jumping in and out of temp harbours or bases and creating havoc with mines and depth charges

A major problem with PT boats however seems to be their obvious frailty and their exposure to aircraft. They are however small targets with a lot of AA guns. And the short missions they go on should not leave them too far from cover. You can pretty much outrun anything in them (aircraft notwithstanding) including larger vessels with the same speed rating. This is due to high top speed combined with maneover speed.

And yes I did like Michael's Navy.
I remember an American President had his PT boat the 109 chopped in half by a japanese destroyer?

I understand its not for everybody and really have to play the demo more before a verdict.

What does surprise me is the lack of interest in PT boats - mosquito navy in general.
I know that in ww2 the largest warship destroyed was by the Italians in the HMS Sheffield - a cruiser. And the the German Torp Boats (I think S-boats) only destoryed about 200 merchants during the war. But still I think its interesting, dangerous - no skulking in the depths like a scaredy cat ;) and downright fun spinning around with overpowered power to weight ratios.
 
P.S. Like mechwarrior I reckon a ww2 recon platoon simulator would be downright smashing too. Imagine driving a sdkz 232 or a m3 HT down the road to scout enemy positions and report back. Imagine all those reverse gears you would have to use while probing in and out of enemy positions. I think this could be a lot more engaging than a simple assault. Armed Recon in a armoured car could be great fun!
I mean you know your going to hit the front line, enemy recon units or forward elements at some point... while trying to find the main or ur objective enemy units. MAybe even scouting and reporting locations and tactics of new units (methinks king tigers first appearance in the field) 

 

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destraex

P.S. Like mechwarrior I reckon a ww2 recon platoon simulator would be downright smashing too. Imagine driving a sdkz 232 or a m3 HT down the road to scout enemy positions and report back. Imagine all those reverse gears you would have to use while probing in and out of enemy positions. I think this could be a lot more engaging than a simple assault. Armed Recon in a armoured car could be great fun!
I mean you know your going to hit the front line, enemy recon units or forward elements at some point... while trying to find the main or ur objective enemy units. MAybe even scouting and reporting locations and tactics of new units (methinks king tigers first appearance in the field) 

You mean you aren't already doing this in games like CM?  Sounds like you're playing wrong, then.

The problem with PT boats is they were used more for coastal defense and not part of larger fleet actions that gain most of the attention.  Their purpose and missions were different than other naval actions.  This game may or may not do justice to those missions, but it was six years ago that I interviewed the developer and previewed that game; had it come out within a year of that point, it would have been technologically relevant.  Now, it seems, not so much, and my interest has faded to nothing.

Keester Klown


You mean you aren't already doing this in games like CM?  Sounds like you're playing wrong, then.
I'm talking about a simulator (like mechwarrior is the clue) where u actually become the recon commander first person, same style as PT boats that allows control of squad mates. I imagined more of taking a scout car for a spin in  a very detailed environment that brings us a lot of scrubland, dirt roads and enclosed spaces. I guess its more what you could do with ARMA2 with a good mod and a looot of scripting for ww2 and unit designations. Its all in the detail.

The problem with PT boats is they were used more for coastal defense and not part of larger fleet actions that gain most of the attention.  Their purpose and missions were different than other naval actions.  This game may or may not do justice to those missions,
I too hope its pulled off Xwing or klingon academy style. With a lot of character.
I have to admit that i cannot see it pulling off the close in coastal stuff well or allowing droppoff/pickup of sabatuers well. But we will see when the wargamer reviews it
 
but it was six years ago that I interviewed the developer and previewed that game; had it come out within a year of that point, it would have been technologically relevant.  Now, it seems, not so much, and my interest has faded to nothing.
I see what you mean, but this game still seems cutting edge at least graphics wise. Its DX10 actually whcih not many games can say.
Demo has been out for a year and game is out in Russia. Battlefront as I understand it are just touching up the english version. Where is the downside there? Its not another histwar by any means

The other thing I really like about the game is that British and German boats are playable, look at the ensign on those shots above.... I originally thought Russian PT boats, how boring. Just because of my ignorance offcourse ;)
We will see if the Russian is the only campaign though - maybe I can help on the river Volga near stalingrad....

 

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Does anybody remember Gunboat?  Accolade game, around 20 years ago?  You captained a riverboat in Vietnam, piloting the boat up rivers and jumping from station to station to do all the firing yourself.

I had an absolute blast navigating the maze-like river system, speeding around curves or creeping up on enemy camps.  You had multiple weapons stations and could choose between a .50 or a mortar on the fantail.  Raining mortar shells on a barely-visible shoreline camp was my favorite thing.

The last fight was a real hum-dinger where you emerge into a wide area that is basically ringed by ASM launchers and you have to shoot down the missiles with your MGs.  Somehow I won it my first time, which was one of my best twitch-game achievements ever.  Most of the game wasn't really twitchy, but that part sure was.

No don't remember it. Sounds like a lot of fun though. Did those things have any armour on them?

gotta get some better shots of the landfalls and underwater terrain in this game.

BTW - has anyone noticed that if  a game takes too long people whine, when its quick and buggy they alse have a go. What can you do?

 

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http://www.pt-boat.com/books/books.html

Some very good reading amongst this lot, including german torpedo boats destroying three allied tank landing carrying vessels in the buildup to normandy.

"emboldened by the E-Boats successful torpedoing of three American tank landing ships off Slapton Sands, England,   in April 1944, fed reinforcements into the invasion area in the hope of disrupting the Allied build up."

Its always kinda invigorating playing the underdog, so I hope there is a german campaign.
Although I'd love a brit one too, a Russian one will be ok.

 

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One of the best WWII movies, let alone best PT boat movie, is "They Were Expendable" with Robert Montgomery and John Wayne, directed by John Ford. Both Montgomery (who had been a real PT boat commander in the war) and Ford demanded realism, and they got it. A really superb movie.

There's yet another trailer for the game, this time covering the threat from above. BF is certainly promoting this one heavily, which is kind of worrying. It's like those movie trailers with helicopters in them.

You kind of get the impression from the video that a mission in your patrol boat will yield dozens anti-air kills, given how apparently easy they can be shot down. If BF's intention was to portray the title as an action game rather than a sim, they've achieved their goal.

hmmmm, thats not good at all.

 

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