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Harpoon (computer game)
Encyclopedia
Harpoon is a series of realistic air and naval computer wargame
s based upon Larry Bond
's miniatures game of the same name. Players can choose between either the Blue or Red side in simulated naval combat situation, which includes local conflicts as well as simulated Cold War confrontations between the Superpowers. Missions range from small missile boat engagements to large oceanic battles, with tens of vessels and hundreds of aircraft. The game includes large databases containing many types of real world ships, submarines, aircraft, and land defenses (i.e. air bases and ports).
and real-time strategy
games. Advanced Gaming Systems, Inc. (AGSI), developers of Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare, currently distributes the simulation through Matrix games with technical support handled on a co-operative basis by AGSI and Matrix games employees.
Harpoon was originally developed by Three-Sixty Pacific
and has had several development paths and publishers. Despite the widespread success of the game, Three-Sixty Pacific experienced financial difficulties and went under in 1994. Currently all computer rights rest with AGSI, who continues to improve the series with new developments and releases. In 2006, AGSI released Harpoon Advanced Naval Warfare (ANW) which allowed players to compete with human opponents for the first time in the game's history.
Harpoon's interface emphasizes technical accuracy over graphical polish, with simple 2D symbols to simulate a warship's radar display. There has been considerable debate in the game's user community about the decision of the developers to utilize 3D graphics in later versions of the program. Since March 2009, two releases are available to AGSI civilian customers. Harpoon Commanders Edition is an updating version based on the game engine of the original series. Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare is the current civilian edition of the product. Military customers are offered Harpoon 3 Pro, which is tailored for customer specifications. There is also a Macintosh version that lies between the Harpoon II and Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare called "Harpoon III v3.6.3"
Development of both commercial versions is ongoing, with the most recent release being V3.9.4 (March 2009). Other features in the upcoming release of v3.10 will include: Parametrized Missions, Encrypted databases and scenarios, and Harpoon Users Database (HUD) 3 database with all original scenarios updated as well.
, sonar bottom and surface bounce, and COMINT/SIGINT.
H3 MilSim is the professional version of Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare. It utilizes surface, sub surface, airborne and ground-based units based on open source data to allow for training, education and lightweight analysis. It is a simulation that (purportedly) accurately represents the capabilities and limitations of modern naval and air forces.
Among H3 MilSims features are:
Wargame (video games)
Wargames are a subgenre of strategy video games that emphasize strategic or tactical warfare on a map, as well as historical accuracy.-History:The genre of wargame video games is derived from earlier forms of wargames...
s based upon Larry Bond
Larry Bond
Larry Bond is an American writer and wargame designer. He is the designer of the Harpoon and Command at Sea gaming systems and several supplements for the games. His numerous novels include Dangerous Ground, Day of Wrath, The Enemy Within, Cauldron, Vortex and Red Phoenix...
's miniatures game of the same name. Players can choose between either the Blue or Red side in simulated naval combat situation, which includes local conflicts as well as simulated Cold War confrontations between the Superpowers. Missions range from small missile boat engagements to large oceanic battles, with tens of vessels and hundreds of aircraft. The game includes large databases containing many types of real world ships, submarines, aircraft, and land defenses (i.e. air bases and ports).
Overview
The simulation has a growing and dedicated fan base with several websites offering a varying styles of scenarios and discussion forums, especially as the latest edition includes a feature to allow players to create their own scenarios. Often described as a "niche within a niche market," development of the simulation has progressed steadily through the years despite the overwhelming numerical and graphical superiority of first-person shooterFirst-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
and real-time strategy
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
games. Advanced Gaming Systems, Inc. (AGSI), developers of Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare, currently distributes the simulation through Matrix games with technical support handled on a co-operative basis by AGSI and Matrix games employees.
Harpoon was originally developed by Three-Sixty Pacific
Three-Sixty Pacific
Three-Sixty Pacific is a video game publisher and developer. Founded in the late 1980s by avid wargamers and military history enthusiasts.- Games :...
and has had several development paths and publishers. Despite the widespread success of the game, Three-Sixty Pacific experienced financial difficulties and went under in 1994. Currently all computer rights rest with AGSI, who continues to improve the series with new developments and releases. In 2006, AGSI released Harpoon Advanced Naval Warfare (ANW) which allowed players to compete with human opponents for the first time in the game's history.
Harpoon's interface emphasizes technical accuracy over graphical polish, with simple 2D symbols to simulate a warship's radar display. There has been considerable debate in the game's user community about the decision of the developers to utilize 3D graphics in later versions of the program. Since March 2009, two releases are available to AGSI civilian customers. Harpoon Commanders Edition is an updating version based on the game engine of the original series. Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare is the current civilian edition of the product. Military customers are offered Harpoon 3 Pro, which is tailored for customer specifications. There is also a Macintosh version that lies between the Harpoon II and Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare called "Harpoon III v3.6.3"
Development of both commercial versions is ongoing, with the most recent release being V3.9.4 (March 2009). Other features in the upcoming release of v3.10 will include: Parametrized Missions, Encrypted databases and scenarios, and Harpoon Users Database (HUD) 3 database with all original scenarios updated as well.
Gameplay
The games play in real time, with time acceleration capability in case the action slows down. The player can control single or multiple platforms (up to the hundreds if the computing power is available). The game is extremely comprehensive, although certain elements of naval warfare are not modeled, such as radar ductingAtmospheric duct
In telecommunication, an atmospheric duct is a horizontal layer in the lower atmosphere in which the vertical refractive index gradients are such that radio signals are guided or ducted, tend to follow the curvature of the Earth, and experience less attenuation in the ducts than they would if...
, sonar bottom and surface bounce, and COMINT/SIGINT.
Professional
Harpoon 3 Pro was renamed in March 2010 to H3 MilSimH3 MilSim is the professional version of Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare. It utilizes surface, sub surface, airborne and ground-based units based on open source data to allow for training, education and lightweight analysis. It is a simulation that (purportedly) accurately represents the capabilities and limitations of modern naval and air forces.
Among H3 MilSims features are:
- Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Interface - This allows for simple geometric shapes to be imported from products such as ESRI's ArcInfo.
- Harpoon Track Interface (HTI) - All unit tracks can be exported to a standard database product and then to products such as STK's Satellite Tool Kit.
- "Hot Washup" or "VCR" feature - Provides the ability for entire games to be recorded, viewed, edited and replayed.
- Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) Interface - An international standard used for simulations to communicate with each other in real time.
- Monte Carlo simulation
- Source code can be licensed - Allows for security or validation purposes.
- Umpire functionality - Provides the ability for a training professional to oversee training activities.
- Users can input classified values - but are responsible for the security of such data.
- Boarding actions (as of v3.10)
- Dedicated site: http://www.h3milsim.com
Titles
External links
- Advanced Gaming Systems (AGSI), the series current developers
- Matrix Games' Harpoon Forum, current publishers of the commercial versions
- Clash of Arms, publisher of Harpoon paper version
- Harpgamer - Developers of Harpoon Classic (Commander's Edition) and support forum.
- Harpoon HeadQuarters - The biggest and second-oldest community Harpoon site.