Silent Hunter
Encyclopedia
Silent Hunter is a World War II
submarine
combat simulation for MS-DOS
, developed by Aeon Electronic Entertainment and published by Strategic Simulations
in 1996
. The game takes place in the Pacific War
during World War II, the player commanding a submarine of the United States Navy
. Most contemporary US submarines and Japanese warships
are featured along with some generic merchants. Silent Hunter has received high appraisal from subsim
aficionados and is considered to be the best Pacific War subsim of its time.
A single encounter generator is available, but the standard mode of play is the career mode, where the player must take their boat to patrol far behind enemy lines with the mission to search for and destroy any enemy shipping. For best success, the player should concentrate their search on shipping
lanes, which may be deduced from contact reports. The boat is actually commanded by crewing various stations in first person (no crew
is visible, even though their voices are heard), which is usual in the genre.
The game models many characteristics of World War II-era submarine warfare
, such as the faulty Mark 14 torpedo
and anti-submarine warfare
tactics
used by Imperial Japanese Navy
. However, wolfpack tactics are not available, even though US Navy did use them to some extent.
SVGA
mode is used, but the graphics are in 2D, which was old-fashioned by the time of the release. However, the game (rather exceptionally) models spherical Earth
by having visibility be limited by the horizon
.
The game was re-released in 1997
under the title Silent Hunter: Commander's Edition, which had the original release with all official patches applied, some additional patrol zones and a scenario editor.
No multiplayer
modes are available, but because the game-play is based on randomness inside certain patterns, it inspired an off-line Internet campaign Pacific Thunder.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
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...
combat simulation 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...
, developed by Aeon Electronic Entertainment and published by Strategic Simulations
Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Strategic Simulations, Inc. was a video game developer and publisher with over 100 titles to its credit since its founding in 1979. It was especially noted for its numerous wargames, its official computer game adaptations of Dungeons & Dragons, and for the groundbreaking Panzer General...
in 1996
1996 in video gaming
-Notable releases:*January 29 — Duke Nukem 3D, successor to the simple side-scrolling originals, and a genre-redefining title for first person shooters....
. The game takes place in the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
during World War II, the player commanding a submarine of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Most contemporary US submarines and Japanese warships
Naval ship
A naval ship is a ship used for combat purposes, commonly by a navy. Naval ships are differentiated from civilian ships by construction and purpose...
are featured along with some generic merchants. Silent Hunter has received high appraisal from subsim
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...
aficionados and is considered to be the best Pacific War subsim of its time.
A single encounter generator is available, but the standard mode of play is the career mode, where the player must take their boat to patrol far behind enemy lines with the mission to search for and destroy any enemy shipping. For best success, the player should concentrate their search on shipping
Shipping
Shipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...
lanes, which may be deduced from contact reports. The boat is actually commanded by crewing various stations in first person (no crew
Crew
A crew is a body or a class of people who work at a common activity, generally in a structured or hierarchical organization. A location in which a crew works is called a crewyard or a workyard...
is visible, even though their voices are heard), which is usual in the genre.
The game models many characteristics of World War II-era submarine warfare
Submarine warfare
Naval warfare is divided into three operational areas: surface warfare, air warfare and underwater warfare. The latter may be subdivided into submarine warfare and anti-submarine warfare as well as mine warfare and mine countermeasures...
, such as the faulty Mark 14 torpedo
Mark 14 torpedo
The Mark 14 torpedo was the United States Navy's standard submarine-launched anti-ship torpedo of World War II.This weapon was plagued with many problems which crippled its performance early in the war, and was supplemented by the Mark 18 electric torpedo in the last 2 years of the war...
and anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
tactics
Military tactics
Military tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
used by Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
. However, wolfpack tactics are not available, even though US Navy did use them to some extent.
SVGA
Super Video Graphics Array
Super Video Graphics Array or Ultra Video Graphics Array, almost always abbreviated to Super VGA, Ultra VGA or just SVGA or UVGA is a broad term that covers a wide range of computer display standards....
mode is used, but the graphics are in 2D, which was old-fashioned by the time of the release. However, the game (rather exceptionally) models spherical Earth
Spherical Earth
The concept of a spherical Earth dates back to ancient Greek philosophy from around the 6th century BC, but remained a matter of philosophical speculation until the 3rd century BC when Hellenistic astronomy established the spherical shape of the earth as a physical given...
by having visibility be limited by the horizon
Horizon
The horizon is the apparent line that separates earth from sky, the line that divides all visible directions into two categories: those that intersect the Earth's surface, and those that do not. At many locations, the true horizon is obscured by trees, buildings, mountains, etc., and the resulting...
.
The game was re-released in 1997
1997 in video gaming
-Events:*October 4 — Gunpei Yokoi dies after a double car accident.*November – Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association launched.*3rd annual E3...
under the title Silent Hunter: Commander's Edition, which had the original release with all official patches applied, some additional patrol zones and a scenario editor.
No multiplayer
Multiplayer game
A multiplayer video game is one which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time. Unlike most other games, computer and video games are often single-player activities that put the player against preprogrammed challenges and/or AI-controlled opponents, which often...
modes are available, but because the game-play is based on randomness inside certain patterns, it inspired an off-line Internet campaign Pacific Thunder.
See also
- Silent Hunter IISilent Hunter IISilent Hunter II is a WWII U-boat combat simulation from Ubisoft for Windows 95/98/ME. It was originally being developed by Aeon Electronic Entertainment, the developers of Silent Hunter, but they had to leave the project unfinished, and Ultimation Inc. finished it...
, sequel released in 20012001 in video gaming-Events:* Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts the 4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts John Carmack of id Software to the AIAS Hall of Fame...
. - Silent Hunter IIISilent Hunter IIISilent Hunter III is a submarine simulation developed by Ubisoft Romania and published by Ubisoft. It was released for the PC on March 15, 2005. Like Silent Hunter II, it places the player in command of a German U-Boat during World War II and the Battle of the Atlantic...
, sequel released in 20052005 in video gaming-Events:*March 6 — The television show 60 Minutes tackles issues within video game controversy. This segment of 60 Minutes has been criticized by video game players for encouraging video game censorship....
. - Silent Hunter 4Silent Hunter 4: Wolves of the PacificSilent Hunter 4: Wolves of the Pacific is a computer submarine simulation for Windows developed by Ubisoft Romania and published by Ubisoft in 2007. It places the player in command of an American submarine during World War II and takes place in the Pacific theater...
, released in March 2007 - Silent Hunter 5Silent Hunter 5Silent Hunter 5: Battle of the Atlantic is a submarine simulation for Microsoft Windows developed by Ubisoft Romania and published by Ubisoft.-Overview:...
, released in 2010