Introducing TASK FORCE ADMIRAL Vol.1: American Carrier Battles

[The_Admiral]

Some new stuff for the braves (at least those who are brave enough to live without social networks nowadays  ). No comment, but open to any question, of course  :-"  ;)

First of all, a first look at our air ops planner. Our dev is busy trying to make sure that the AI does the job (that is, managing the flight deck after your directives, launching & recovering). And it does it surprisingly well already!







A few ship updates too, with USS Northampton, HMNZS Leander & Japanese auxiliaries joining the fleet

























And, finally, some astronomical experiments, making sure that the Sun and the Moon are always where they're expected, at anytime, any day.

* Tweaking the celestial sphere in-engine ☑️
* Loc & time: Kuala Lumpur 26.12.2019 around 7:10 AM UTC ☑️
* Eclipse looks more or less like the real thing, Sun & Moon OK ☑️
* Not awaking Cthulhu on the astral plane just yet with our dark shenanigans ☑️

Of course, it might not be as spectacular as a bunch of SBDs warming up on a flight deck, but when time comes your pixel pilots will be happy to have reliable astronomical objects to rely on! Next step: some convincing stars, and our sky will be all set and geared for in-game glory...😇

(simulations courtesy of NASA & www.timeanddate.com)







Enjoy the weekend, Ladies & Gentlemen ;)

[Sir Slash]

Stop it! You're getting me HOT!  :dreamer:  And I love it.

[rocketman]

Most of the post is just blank space with some pics toward the end  :(

[The_Admiral]

Hum.

Might have to do with twitter I guess.
Let me try again...

Edit: @rocketman looking a tad better right? Damn them Social Networks...

[Gusington]

Sassy.

[rocketman]

Hum.

Might have to do with twitter I guess.
Let me try again...

Edit: @rocketman looking a tad better right? Damn them Social Networks...

Yep, all is good now. I'm one of the brave who live without social networks.

[hellfish6]

Looks great...

How do you expect to be able to schedule planes? Like 0930  launch CAP (4x F4F), 0945 launch torpedo bombers (16x TBD) 1015 launch dive bombers (16x SBD) 1045 launch escorts (12x F4F), 1115 reset deck and hangar for recovery, recovery from 1130-1400, reset for launch, 1500 launch CAP (4x F4F) etc...?

Will the game be stand-alone battles and/or is there a dynamic/free campaign through 1 Jan 1943?

[The_Admiral]

Thank you!

Well, there will be 3 different air ops interfaces (pretty much what 1942: Pacific Air War did)
1) CAP
2) Search
3) Strike

Of course there will be many more parameters and variety to choose from (it's been 25 years...), but these are the three basic air dialogues. Each of them will ask the player to make a choice in regard of when to launch - whether it's based on time (TTL for Strikes & Search, but frequency for CAP relief too too), on the Task Force position (aka launch when a certain area is entered by the Task Force) or on a third-party parameter, in case the designated target is not spotted (when the deck is pre-spotted for a given mission, but the enemy force hasn't been sighted yet for instance). We might also go with a priority value that the player will set for some of these missions (WIP).

Taking into account these parameters, the Air Boss will set these missions on the timeline, allowing the player to have an easy and yet comprehensive understanding of what is to happen on the flight deck for the next few hours. We plan on making it look somewhat like this indeed - except that the torpedo bombers, dive bombers and escorts in your example would be regrouped under the same hat of a strike package.
I expect mission parameters for each mission to be easily reachable by clicking on the labels on the timeline, which will allow you to fine-tune your air tasking order if something bothers you. This is a dynamic display: it might change depending on the circumstances (for instance the need to recover a plane in emergency, or an enemy attack changing your parameters and preventing you from steaming into the wind at the expected time).

Regarding the single-player experience, we will start with stand-alone battles in the most wargamesque fashion (that is, like Carriers at War or JTS Midway do). We will offer new gameplay options later on in Vol.2, if Vol.1 becomes a thing of course :)

Cheers!

[Toonces]

I know answering this question is fraught with danger but...fortune favors the brave.

What kind of timeline are you considering for release?  Alpha or beta?

Your non-judgemental and willing to not hold you to your answers friend, Toonces.   :-"

[Gusington]

^There is only one correct answer to that.

[SirAndrewD]

^There is only one correct answer to that.

Indeed.  "Next Week".

[Gusington]

 8)

[The_Admiral]

Although my impertinence might incur the wrath of the all-mighty Gunsingtonian Ministry of Truth ruling these lands & these waves  it might take a little while longer.
But I hope we'll be up and running with a playable vertical slice (the fancy name for betas nowadays) before the end of this year. Technically, it means a game - but without the plethora of scenarios, the polish & all.

[Gusington]

I am a benevolent, diminutive dictator.

[The_Admiral]

"Playing" around buoyancy in order to fine-tune properly the system before we start implementing it.
Poor Yorktown has been sinking over and over again these last few days, but we're getting there, one leak at a time.
Don't pay attention to the smoke, at a certain point boilers are inoperative obviously, but this will be the next step (together with Damage Control).