Ship Simulator

Ship Simulator 2006
Developer(s)	VSTEP
Publisher(s)	Lighthouse Interactive
Distributor(s)	Lighthouse Interactive
Engine	Quest3D
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows
Release date(s)	August 15, 2006
Genre(s)	Vehicle Simulation
Mode(s)	Single-player
Media	CD-ROM or download
System requirements	Windows XP, 2 GHz Intel Pentium IV or AMD Athlon processor 512 MB RAM 4x CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive Approx. 300 MB free hard disk space 64 MB 3D accelerated video card with support for Vertex and Pixel shader 1.1. (nVidia GeForce4+ or ATI)
Input methods	Keyboard, Mouse or Ship Control Unit

Ship Simulator is a vehicle simulation computer game which simulates maneuvering various ships in different environments, although without the effects of wind and current. It was developed by Dutch company VSTEP and released by Lighthouse Interactive.

Ship Simulator 2006

The first version of Ship Simulator was released in 2005 and was titled Ship Simulator 2006. The user can steer various ships, amongst others a Rotterdam water taxi, a container ship and even the Titanic, in various weather conditions and in 3 real life harbors, which are Rotterdam, Hamburg and Phi Phi Islands in Thailand. A game element is added to the simulation by means of 40 "missions" which have to be completed as fast or as accurately as possible.^[1] Users can also design their own missions, and share with others.^[2]

Playable ship types

• RMS Titanic
• Container vessel
• Yacht
• Small Container ship
• Inland Cargo ship
• Harbour Patrol ship
• Tug boat
• Power boat
• Taxi boat

^[3]

The game has a built-in scenario editor to create new missions.

Ship Simulator 2006 Add-On

The Official Ship Simulator 2006 Add-On was released in February 2007. This is an expansion pack with 6 additional ships and extra features such as ship walk-throughs:

• Cruise Liner Ocean Star
• Russian Tug slightly different from the other, which comes with the game.
• Multi-Purpose Cargo Ship
• Classic Yacht
• Fishing Boat
• Speed Yacht

Ship Simulator 2008

Ship Simulator 2008
Developer(s)	VSTEP
Publisher(s)	Lighthouse Interactive
Distributor(s)	Lighthouse Interactive
Engine	Quest3D
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows
Release date(s)	July 13, 2007
Genre(s)	Vehicle Simulation
Mode(s)	Single-player or Multiplayer
Media	CD-ROM or download
System requirements	Windows 2000, XP or Vista, 2.4 GHz Intel Pentium IV or AMD Athlon processor 1GB RAM (Windows XP/2000) or 2GB (Vista) CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive GeForce 5900 or ATI 9600 Pro / X600 (128MB)
Input methods	Keyboard, Mouse or Ship Control Unit

Ship Simulator 2008 released in July 2007 in Germany and the UK contains 7 ports and 8 open sea environments. This version also features waves, weather, day/night time transitions, damage to vessels, and new boats and ships. The six new ships include a supertanker, a Solent ferry, large ocean ferry, a new patrol boat and tugs. There is also a Ship Simulator Professional V2.0^[4] The Titanic has also undergone some minor changes for example the Second Class stairwell and the stern section are visitable, as well and the original ships have been updated. Free add-ons will be reportedly be available, including a hovercraft, jetski, barge, improved physics and possibly another environment.

Ports

• San Francisco
• New York
• The Solent
• Hamburg
• Port of Rotterdam
• Marseille
• Phi Phi Islands

Open Sea Environments

• Atlantic Ocean
• Bergen North Sea
• The Solent English Channel
• Hamburg North Sea
• Rotterdam North Sea
• Marseille Mediterranean Sea
• San Francisco Pacific Ocean
• New York North Atlantic

^[5]

Ships

List of ships in Ship Simulator 2008:^[6]

• ADF Vermaas - Large cargo ship.
• Arie Visser - Lifeboat.
• Fairmount Sherpa - Large and powerful anchor handling tugboat.
• Freedom 90 - A medium-sized passenger hovercraft operated by Solent based hovercraft operator Hovertravel.
• Hydrojet - Jetski
• P6 - A harbour patrol boat operated by the Dutch police force.
• Pioneer - Pilot Boat.
• Powerboat
• Pride of Rotterdam - P&O Cruiseferry.
• Red Eagle - Car ferry run by the Southampton ferry company Red Funnel.
• Red Jet 4 - Fast ferry in catamaran style, also run by Red Funnel.
• RMS Titanic - (Minor changes from the SS2006 version).
• RPA-12 - Rotterdam Port Authority Rescue boat.
• Tugboat - (Minor changes from SS2006).
• Latitude - Very Large Crude Carrier VLCC (Supertanker).
• VSTP7 - A small water taxi.

Downloadable Ships

• Agile Solution - Multi-purpose freighter
• Elbe - A historical tugboat.
• S.S. Furie - The last operating steam powered seagoing tugboat in the Netherlands.
• Jumbo Javelin - A Large Heavy Lift vessel operated by Jumbo Shipping.
• Ocean Star - Cruise liner^[7]

Ship Simulator 2008 New Horizons

An official expansion for Ship Simulator 2008 titled Ship Simulator 2008 New Horizons was released in April, 2008. The addon features 8 new ships, the addition of multiplayer functionality, a new sailing area (Padstow,Cornwall), 20 new missions, in game downloading of new missions, option to connect and disconnect barges to the pushboat in-game, and new walkthrough options.^[4]

Ships Added

• MV Agile Solution
• Bugsier 2
• Herkules Atlas
• Igor K.
• Marbella Delight
• Northern Star
• MS Ocean Star
• Portoferrario Angel

Ship Simulator Extremes

Ship Simulator Extremes is the working title of the next instalment in the Ship Simulator series slated for release in Q1 2010.^[8] It will be released by Paradox Interactive.

Additions to the game include new locations (including Antarctica and Bora Bora) as well as new ships (including official licensed Greenpeace vessels) and new dynamic weather and water systems. Following a campaign by members of their growing fanbase, Vstep agreed to include the ports of Dover and Calais (in one environment).^[9]

Peripherals

A "ship control unit", designed specifically for Ship Simulator and enabling more realistic steering, was released in 2006 by Wilco Publishing.^[10] P.I. Engineering have announced ShipDriver a marine simulation controller based on their RailDriver product for release in early 2009.^[11]

Critical reception

Ship Simulator has been criticised for limitations in the replication of realistic controls and the lack of open architecture preventing users from creating their own vehicles and voyages.^[12] "Slow and mundane gameplay"^[13] and bugs have also been cited.^[14] Reviewers did comment that the game is challenging^[15] and that it has educational value.^[16]

External links

• Official Ship Simulator Website
• Official Ship Simulator Forum

References