SSN-21 Seawolf
Encyclopedia
SSN-21 Seawolf is a submarine simulator
game designed by John W. Ratcliff
and published for MS-DOS
systems by Electronic Arts
in 1994.
The player takes command of a US Seawolf-class
submarine
and fights in 33
missions with targets under and above water including fast Russian attack subs,
destroyers and rocket frigates.
The toughest enemies are the Soviet Alfa-class
and Akula-class
nuclear power
ed attack submarine,
which often guard ballistic missile
submarines of
Typhoon
and Delta
class.
Missions against Kilo-class
diesel submarines and other
submarines are also included.
Like in its predecessor, the 688 Attack Sub
, in some missions, the player
is requested to protect a convoy
, whereas other submarines and rocket cruisers
would attempt to sink the convoy. Other missions involve only sub vs. sub scenarios,
some with many enemy subs but also some with allied subs, which sometimes must
be protected from enemy subs.
There were many types of vessels included in the sim, There were a limited number of initial setups for a mission, so the action, while not entirely random, had some variability.
Performance was best on a Pentium 166 MHz MMX, but was very playable on a i486 DX50.
A mouse greatly benefited the interface use, but mostly it was possible to play it with keyboard. There are several screens from the navigation console to the weapons room but by using function keys it was possible to do this quickly enough.
The game play included video elements for mission start and mission end.
Multiple thermal layers are provided on most missions giving hiding places if used correctly.
The implementation of these layers is very well done, making the act of hiding from enemy ships,
together with the use of the sonar waterfall system screen and submarines a real art.
This sonar screen monitoring the passive sonar
has a signature processor that
is really well made and every submarine having its own distinct sonar sound and signature,
it allows the player to determine ship/sub types by both sound and graph. Sea life, such as whales and schools of fish, also had their own sonar signature. A retractable sonar array which is connected through a wire with the ship
is provided and Wire guided torpedoes are used.
Like its predecessor it allows two players, on different PCs, to play each other
via a modem
, or null-modem cable but added the possibility to use an
IPX
local network instead, enhancing the reliability of the synchronisation.
Such games tend to be incredibly intense since players do not always behave
in a predictable manner. To a large extent, these features were already existent
in its predecessor which heralded one of the most useful and important features
a subsim can possess; the ability for friends to pit their acumen against each other.
A number of problems which were present in its predecessor were fixed, e.g.
the sub can be controlled despite explosion sounds being played at the same time.
Development Credits:
Submarine simulator
A submarine simulator, or subsim for short, 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...
game designed by John W. Ratcliff
John W. Ratcliff
John W. Ratcliff is a noted game developer, best known for creating the bestselling games 688 Attack Sub and SSN-21 Seawolf. -Biography:...
and published for MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
systems by Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
in 1994.
The player takes command of a US Seawolf-class
Seawolf class submarine
The Seawolf class is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines in service with the United States Navy. The class was the intended successor to the , ordered at the end of the Cold War in 1989. At one time, an intended fleet of 29 submarines was to be built over a ten-year period, later...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
and fights in 33
missions with targets under and above water including fast Russian attack subs,
destroyers and rocket frigates.
The toughest enemies are the Soviet Alfa-class
Alfa class submarine
The Soviet Union/Russian Navy Project 705 was a class of hunter/killer nuclear powered submarines. The class is also known by the NATO reporting name of Alfa...
and Akula-class
Akula class submarine
Project 971 Щука-Б , is a nuclear-powered attack submarine first deployed by the Soviet Navy in 1986...
nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
ed attack submarine,
which often guard ballistic missile
Ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the...
submarines of
Typhoon
Typhoon class submarine
The Project 941 or Akula, Russian "Акула" class submarine is a type of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine deployed by the Soviet Navy in the 1980s...
and Delta
Delta class submarine
The Delta class is a class of submarines which formed the backbone of the Soviet and Russian strategic submarine fleet since its introduction in 1973...
class.
Missions against Kilo-class
Kilo class submarine
The Kilo class is the NATO reporting name for a naval diesel-electric submarine that is made in Russia. The original version of the vessels were designated Project 877 Paltus in Russia. There is also a more advanced version, designated as Improved Kilo in the west, and Project 636 Varshavyanka in...
diesel submarines and other
submarines are also included.
Like in its predecessor, the 688 Attack Sub
688 Attack Sub
688 Attack Sub is a submarine simulator game designed by John W. Ratcliff & Paul Grace, published in 1989 for MS-DOS systems and 1990 for Amiga computers by Electronic Arts...
, in some missions, the player
is requested to protect a convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
, whereas other submarines and rocket cruisers
would attempt to sink the convoy. Other missions involve only sub vs. sub scenarios,
some with many enemy subs but also some with allied subs, which sometimes must
be protected from enemy subs.
There were many types of vessels included in the sim, There were a limited number of initial setups for a mission, so the action, while not entirely random, had some variability.
Performance was best on a Pentium 166 MHz MMX, but was very playable on a i486 DX50.
A mouse greatly benefited the interface use, but mostly it was possible to play it with keyboard. There are several screens from the navigation console to the weapons room but by using function keys it was possible to do this quickly enough.
The game play included video elements for mission start and mission end.
Multiple thermal layers are provided on most missions giving hiding places if used correctly.
The implementation of these layers is very well done, making the act of hiding from enemy ships,
together with the use of the sonar waterfall system screen and submarines a real art.
This sonar screen monitoring the passive sonar
Sonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
has a signature processor that
is really well made and every submarine having its own distinct sonar sound and signature,
it allows the player to determine ship/sub types by both sound and graph. Sea life, such as whales and schools of fish, also had their own sonar signature. A retractable sonar array which is connected through a wire with the ship
is provided and Wire guided torpedoes are used.
Like its predecessor it allows two players, on different PCs, to play each other
via a modem
Modem
A modem is a device that modulates an analog carrier signal to encode digital information, and also demodulates such a carrier signal to decode the transmitted information. The goal is to produce a signal that can be transmitted easily and decoded to reproduce the original digital data...
, or null-modem cable but added the possibility to use an
IPX
IPX
Internetwork Packet Exchange is the OSI-model Network layer protocol in the IPX/SPX protocol stack.The IPX/SPXM protocol stack is supported by Novell's NetWare network operating system. Because of Netware's popularity through the late 1980s into the mid 1990s, IPX became a popular internetworking...
local network instead, enhancing the reliability of the synchronisation.
Such games tend to be incredibly intense since players do not always behave
in a predictable manner. To a large extent, these features were already existent
in its predecessor which heralded one of the most useful and important features
a subsim can possess; the ability for friends to pit their acumen against each other.
A number of problems which were present in its predecessor were fixed, e.g.
the sub can be controlled despite explosion sounds being played at the same time.
Development Credits:
- Game Design: Paul Grace, John W. RatcliffJohn W. RatcliffJohn W. Ratcliff is a noted game developer, best known for creating the bestselling games 688 Attack Sub and SSN-21 Seawolf. -Biography:...
- Scenario Design: Michael BreaultMichael BreaultMichael Breault is a game designer and editor, and an author of several products for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game from TSR.-Early life and education:...
, Ed Gwynn - Programming: John W. RatcliffJohn W. RatcliffJohn W. Ratcliff is a noted game developer, best known for creating the bestselling games 688 Attack Sub and SSN-21 Seawolf. -Biography:...
- Graphics: Les Pardew, Paul Unterweiser, John W. RatcliffJohn W. RatcliffJohn W. Ratcliff is a noted game developer, best known for creating the bestselling games 688 Attack Sub and SSN-21 Seawolf. -Biography:...
, David WhatleyDavid WhatleyDavid Whatley is the President and CEO of Simutronics Corporation, a multiplayer game company in St. Charles, Missouri. He was the co-founder of the company in 1987, and has been a key developer on all of the company's products, including the GemStone series, DragonRealms, Modus Operandi,... - Sound and Music: Tim Melton, George Alistair Sanger, Rob Wallace
External links
- http://www.ibiblio.org/GameBytes/issue18/greviews/seawolf/seawolf2.html