Depth Hunter 2

[Toonces]

Oh yeah, you got me.


 
"Francisco "Pipin" Ferreras and Biart Company to work on multiplatform game based on reality TV show "Hunting the Abyss". The first realistic game, also known as Depth Hunter 2, will be available on iPhone/iPad, PC and game consoles next year.

This is a first multiplatform game about the underwater world and underwater extreme sports like spearfishing and free diving. In the game players can feel as real underwater hunters, free divers and explorers of the Mystic ABYSS under Water Ocean, of intrigue wrecks and sink missing cities. Spearfishing is a challenging sport, as you can't use scuba while hunting. The game still has some tasks to be completed with scuba: underwater photo shooting, crabs hunting, treasure hunting, etc.

A player comes into the game's world as a beginner diver with standard equipment. By completing tasks, the player earns money that he can spend to improve his equipment, to buy additional services, etc. Also each player has a set of skills which he can improve to be strong in the virtual world: e.g., his experience level, stamina, health level, accuracy, agility, etc.

Francisco "Pipin" Ferreras is a prominent figure in the diving world and an independent producer, cinematographer, writer and director. His book, "The Dive", sold over a million copies. Pipin teaches the art and science of Free Diving and Spearfishing through his Deep Quest Institute and manufactures and sells free diving and spearfishing equipment through his company, Persistent. He also owns Camm Productions, which is co-producing his reality TV show, "Hunting the Abyss"."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VatquzYv3Sw&feature=player_embedded

[LongBlade]

Yeah, this is up your alley so far it looks like they put you on the cover!

[RooksBailey]

I am really surprised that we haven't seen more nautical games.  I think inner space could prove to be just as fascinating a game environment as outer space. 

[son_of_montfort]

My wife loved the Endless Oceans games for the Wii. I could never put the time into them, but if I did, I would have been obsessed with collecting pics of all the animals. I'm usually not obsessive like that in all games, but certain times I feel the need to collect all things.

[Toonces]

I'm curious to see where they go with this.

I'm more intrigued by the freediving/spearfishing aspect than the scuba aspect.  What would be neat, IMO, is a game where your little simulated guy has to take a breath of air and then goes underwater and has to accomplish things on that breath.  Repeated diving can improve your lung capacity, and maybe you can "train" to hold your breath longer as well.  Maybe you have a part where you can hyperventilate and/or pack on the surface, but with an increased risk of blackout on your dive.

Freediving is actually a fairly gnarly sport.  When you get trained enough it becomes possible to hold your breath until you pass out and never even know that you're about to pass out.  And, if you hyperventilate and/or pack it is possible to dive deep and then get shallow-water blackout on the way up.  If you throw spearfishing into the mix it gets even worse.  These guys will dive down 80 or 100 feet or more, then spear a tuna or some other fish big enough that if they get tangled in the rope it can hold them underwater and drown them.

The surfer from "Chasing Mavericks", Jay Moriarity, died freediving.  He was just doing freedive training for big waves in the Maldives and blacked out and drowned.  It's pretty crazy to survive a big-wave wipeout (see below) like that, and then die just from diving on a calm day and holding your breath too long.

Anyway, I'm really interested to see how this game turns out. 

Jay at Mavericks: 
Ah well, I can't find a photo that I can insert, so here's a quick clip:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKb72wcvF1w&feature=youtu.be

[LongBlade]

I've heard about free diving. Not sure that's the sport for me. Especially if they don't use training wheels, like having a scuba diver hanging in the wings in case you lose it.

I think I'll stick to getting my thrills by seeing little pixels do crazy stuff on my monitor, thank you very much.

[Toonces]

When I was out here in Hawaii the first time I was heavy into training for bigger waves and did a lot of underwater breath-hold training.  It was easier when I lived on the Kaneohe base and could walk down to the ocean there, where the water is always crystal clear.  At one point I was able to hold my breath for 3.5 minutes pretty comfortably.  Then Jay died and I was like, "whoa, I didn't know you could drown doing this!"

[LongBlade]

When I was out here in Hawaii the first time I was heavy into training for bigger waves and did a lot of underwater breath-hold training.  It was easier when I lived on the Kaneohe base and could walk down to the ocean there, where the water is always crystal clear.  At one point I was able to hold my breath for 3.5 minutes pretty comfortably.  Then Jay died and I was like, "whoa, I didn't know you could drown doing this!"

You are so much more studly than me.

Swimming with my kids in my parents' pool I could hold my breath for less than a minute.

[Toonces]

This is so hardcore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBmYNoKMOuA

I really wish we could imbed videos!

[LongBlade]

This is so hardcore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBmYNoKMOuA

I really wish we could imbed videos!

Amazing. Thanks for sharing.