I picked up "From the Depths" during the Steam summer sale, and it has been my obsession ever since. For an "alpha" game, it is very playable, and the most important features are all available.
The basic theme is naval combat, and the game is a mix of open sandbox 4x, vehicle builder, and strategic RPG. IMHO, it is what Bohemia's "Carrier Command" should have been.
The player is encouraged to design their own weapons, vehicles, and bases (there are plenty of pre-designed ones for those who don't want to do this), and then join a massive naval campaign. I believe there is an online campaign available, but I have been playing the AI locally (and it is enough to manage by itself).
In the campaign, the player establishes bases at resource locations, and then builds a navy and air force to defeat the other factions. Battles are played out in beautiful 3D, and the player can jump into the seat of any of his vehicles to fight, or let the competent AI do the dirty work.
One of the great things about the game is the sense of immersion. Sea and weapons physics are very believable. A small cannon firing against sloped metal armor, will tend to do little damage and bounce. Damage and hits are tracked by location. If you don't have your ammo magazine in a protected part of the ship for example, one lucky hit and your magazine explodes. With some strange exceptions (this is an alpha after all), the ships act on the heaving waves just as they would if they were real. Pictures don't really do the game justice. While the vehicles look like pure fantasy on a screen-shot, in game they feel real. Naval battles, with two behemoths, duking it out with huge guns, is one of the best naval gaming experiences I've had for a long time.
The game has a bit of learning curve, despite the large amount of hand holding it does for new players.
Anyone else playing this gem? Would love to trade war stories.
One of my less successful designs. Turret is under-gunned, and top heavy. Capsizes easily in rough seas.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi29.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc255%2Flarizona55%2F2015-07-13_00002_zpsgxk2vrrm.jpg&hash=7f49df5f3fc44723a01070de6ea3839f0753d944) (http://s29.photobucket.com/user/larizona55/media/2015-07-13_00002_zpsgxk2vrrm.jpg.html)
A fast PT Boat. Wood construction for cheap builds in the early campaign. Two nasty long range torpedoes, and a ram to finish off the wounded
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi29.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc255%2Flarizona55%2F2015-07-13_00004_zps7znusebf.jpg&hash=602061bfdd0268b0f098dff66c17afb0036a73be) (http://s29.photobucket.com/user/larizona55/media/2015-07-13_00004_zps7znusebf.jpg.html)
Lots of community content for download from Steam. Here is someone's design for the USS Olympia. Fully functional, all guns work
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi29.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc255%2Flarizona55%2F2015-07-13_00015_zpsqxmntfab.jpg&hash=b3e38546cf79083f7b4b1227aa7fc94f2f13a165) (http://s29.photobucket.com/user/larizona55/media/2015-07-13_00015_zpsqxmntfab.jpg.html)
More community content. A very fast and vicious patrol boat.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi29.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc255%2Flarizona55%2F2015-07-13_00016_zpsiu6qfxqv.jpg&hash=4ea13b2599f03ef79dad2ee54870f9b05ecbfff3) (http://s29.photobucket.com/user/larizona55/media/2015-07-13_00016_zpsiu6qfxqv.jpg.html)
I've been very close to buying this on several occasions, but always held back. Some of he videos just made it look too over the top. However, I never knew there was a serious single player campaign component. I thought it was all build and fight, with an emphasis on mp. I may now take a second look.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 16, 2015, 06:36:36 AM
I've been very close to buying this on several occasions, but always held back. Some of he videos just made it look too over the top. However, I never knew there was a serious single player campaign component. I thought it was all build and fight, with an emphasis on mp. I may now take a second look.
I haven't touched MP yet. I am playing completely locally, with the AI running six factions. The game has diplomacy, so you can make peace with your neighbors, but I haven't really used that feature too much yet. But yes, the campaign is where the fun is.
The biggest reason I use the vehicle designer and skirmishes is to solve particular things I have seen the AI doing. For example, I had one of my bases behind two islands. I built a small fortress on the only strait between the isles to keep the enemy at bay. The SOBs came at me with airships and flew over the islands. So I had to do some quick design in the designer to build AA capability for my base.
Short skirmishes are a great way "test" designs. The vehicle designer lets you warp in enemy vehicles of your choice to test out your weapons. But the real game is the campaign.
The "over-the-top" videos, really don't do the game justice. It is much more cerebral and the action is well-suited for a "slower" hand. Early to mid campaign, the player and AI fight with basic vehicles, and guns. Later on, the player can get some better stuff, but the campaign is massive and I haven't gotten there yet.
I understand there is combat beneath the waves and in space too. Have you done any of that?
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 16, 2015, 09:20:27 AM
I understand there is combat beneath the waves and in space too. Have you done any of that?
I haven't used them yet, but space vehicles (satellites) and subs are definitely part of the game.
I had the same preconception as Jarhead. Added to the wishlist now. Thanks for the writeup!
AT, I am currently very close to pulling the trigger. Has it held up well for you? Is it still in active development? Most importantly, how's sub warfare?!
Quote from: Huw the Poo on September 18, 2015, 05:38:47 PM
AT, I am currently very close to pulling the trigger. Has it held up well for you? Is it still in active development? Most importantly, how's sub warfare?!
Between work and 7 Days to Die, I have not been playing much recently. But yes, they have been improving it. Don't know about sub warfare yet. IMHO, a great deal, even at full price.
Are we ever going to have a 7 Days to Die server?
Thanks AT. In the end I was distracted by - and promptly bought - Planet Explorers but From the Depths is at the top of my list now.
Quote from: Swatter on September 20, 2015, 04:10:47 PM
Are we ever going to have a 7 Days to Die server?
LOL...yes, I will put an unofficial Grogheads server up once the next big update hits. They had a highlight video about a week ago, so that usually means it will be updated within a month.
Quote from: Huw the Poo on September 20, 2015, 04:13:08 PM
Thanks AT. In the end I was distracted by - and promptly bought - Planet Explorers but From the Depths is at the top of my list now.
I can see getting distracted by Planet Explorers....good game that...
...and its on sale over at BundleStars for $5.99 (http://www.bundlestars.com/store/from-the-depths/) for the next ~3 days. Tempted to grab it myself, but don't really have time to put into it.
It's a sign! I'm going to have to buy it now, aren't I?
Quote from: Huw the Poo on September 21, 2015, 11:50:11 AM
It's a sign! I'm going to have to buy it now, aren't I?
Yes!!! IMHO, a steal at that price.
Done. I also grabbed two extra keys which I will offer in the members-only forum.
Holy shit! I fired it up for a moment just to "have a quick look" and got rather more than I bargained for. I think I'll wait until the kids are in bed and I can devote a good couple of hours to it!
Quote from: Huw the Poo on September 21, 2015, 01:04:43 PM
Holy shit! I fired it up for a moment just to "have a quick look" and got rather more than I bargained for. I think I'll wait until the kids are in bed and I can devote a good couple of hours to it!
The game is....well....deep...:)
But you should be able to jump into the story missions quickly.
Still, you will probably want to go through the tutorials in the knowledge base section. The game takes a little bit to learn, but the payout is huge.
Yeah, I'm definitely going to go through the tutorials first. Which control method do you use? Is it worth putting in the "two hours" required to learn the mouse method?
Quote from: Huw the Poo on September 21, 2015, 01:54:13 PM
Yeah, I'm definitely going to go through the tutorials first. Which control method do you use? Is it worth putting in the "two hours" required to learn the mouse method?
I seem to recall that I found the mouse method to be intuitive for me. But that may be because I have had experience with applications that used a similar scheme.
Quote from: steve58 on September 21, 2015, 11:04:03 AM
...and its on sale over at BundleStars for $5.99 (http://www.bundlestars.com/store/from-the-depths/) for the next ~3 days. Tempted to grab it myself, but don't really have time to put into it.
Yes thanks for this, did look it over due to this thread, but wasn't sure at the steam price I wanted to add it to a growing list of interesting but unplayed games. That price made it a no brainer
Christ this game is involved isn't it? I'm overwhelmed just going through the basic tutorials. Running a sky fortress is cool - I'm going to have the best sky fortress.
I can't wait to start a proper fleet campaign, but I think I'd better watch some tutorial videos now; I'm still not quite sure how to build engines correctly yet.
Quote from: Huw the Poo on September 21, 2015, 04:46:47 PM
Christ this game is involved isn't it? I'm overwhelmed just going through the basic tutorials. Running a sky fortress is cool - I'm going to have the best sky fortress.
I can't wait to start a proper fleet campaign, but I think I'd better watch some tutorial videos now; I'm still not quite sure how to build engines correctly yet.
If you just want to run the campaign with "stock" vehicles, you can probably jump right in. As you can see, the game comes with tons of pre-built craft of all types and capability.
However, for me, half the fun is "rolling my own". I spend a great deal of time in the vehicle designer. Then I use the X key to port in an enemy craft. There are a few 1 point enemy craft that are good first targets. You can also build your own target craft, just to have something to practice against.
One tactic I like is to board when facing a gaggle of enemy craft. I let mine run on AI, then I use my avatar to board and take over the best enemy ship. A good way to practice this is in the vehicle designer as well. As your "character" gains levels, you will get equipment like a pistol, or SMG that will let you damage enemy ships. Board them, hunt for the AI, then kill it....ship is yours.
Playing the story scenarios will help get some good experience points to advance level. Also to unlock some special function blocks.
Interface wise, is ship design anything like the bigger 3D modelling applications?
Thanks for the tips AT. Boarding and capturing sounds really fun. In games like GalCiv I generally dislike having to design my own ships, but it's clearly half the fun of From the Depths so I'm determined to get stuck in.
Quote from: ArizonaTank on September 21, 2015, 01:58:03 PM
Quote from: Huw the Poo on September 21, 2015, 01:54:13 PM
Yeah, I'm definitely going to go through the tutorials first. Which control method do you use? Is it worth putting in the "two hours" required to learn the mouse method?
I seem to recall that I found the mouse method to be intuitive for me. But that may be because I have had experience with applications that used a similar scheme.
I fiddled around a bit more last night. And actually realized I have been using the "key based" method. BTW, if you haven't got to it already, "N" and "F" are your friends in the build mode.
Quote from: Ubercat on September 21, 2015, 07:06:18 PM
Interface wise, is ship design anything like the bigger 3D modelling applications?
Somewhat. But the game is block based, so the basic mechanic is to pick a block, like 45 degree sloped wood, and using a mirror mode, and fill functions, placing the blocks down. Probably more like minecraft than 3D modeling.