Work in progress: Dreadnoughts

[Nick Thomadis]

Hello again all,

I would like to mention the progress we have so far with Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnoughts. The game is mostly finalized in its innovative ship design mechanics and more features will make it deeper the coming months. The Ship Designer will allow players to construct and customize their own ships and will influence greatly the outcome of battles. During the campaign you will feel the tension of the Naval Arms race in a continuous struggle to construct the most powerful ships against major nations. The combat model is about 60% ready and needs more technology effects to become even more interesting, and this where we will focus in the next 1-2 months. We shall finalize all possible technologies related with ship designer and polish all the tech mechanics in the interface.

After all that, we will concentrate our efforts in the campaign map were players must have many interesting choices, blended with numerous historical events and what ifs. To answer the question of @JagEngland, the player so far does not have the option to move his fleet freely on the map, but we plan to implement a wide battle map interface where tactically he will have large freedom to maneuver during a tactical battle. 

As we add more and more features to the game, 3D modelling progresses steadily. Here are two more art teasers, showing two Pre-Dreadnought Models that are a work in progress.

[Takumi El risitas]

@Nick Thomadis just saw the tweet :P, looks pretty cool

[LAVA]

I think it looks great!

Sure would like to have a chance to test this game...

[Destraex]

Looking good. Very exciting. I just posted these updates in a wargaming group I post in. Because it seems this one may be closing on the business end of things.

[Hjalfnar_Feuerwolf]

How did I miss this?! I might have to change my profile pic to that of Admiral von Scharnhorst now, dammit! Incredible excited! Jutland and Rule the Waves both are great, but the presentation and UI is horrible and kept from really playing those. Can't wait for this game, I have waited for a good age of steel game for...well...ages. xD

[Fred Sanford]

Would a player be able to fight battles the size of Jutland?  Is there a chain of command at work in the game including admirals commanding squadrons and divisions?

[Nick Thomadis]

On 7/25/2018 at 11:38 PM, Fred Sanford said:

Would a player be able to fight battles the size of Jutland?  Is there a chain of command at work in the game including admirals commanding squadrons and divisions?

Yes, it will be possible, depending on the situation. If enemies concentrate their whole fleets in a sea area, then battles of such magnitude may happen.

[MrByron]

I am so happy to find out about this game.  Just yesterday I was fantasizing about winning the lottery and financing something like Rule The Waves, but with proper 3D graphics.  Seeing that this game is in development might not be quite as nice as the hypothetical lottery win, but it comes close.  I created this forum account just so I could express my gratitude.

I love the pre-dreadnought battleship models you posted above on July 19th (I can't resist guessing: it appears to be Majestic class on top, and something similar to the Shikishima/Hatsuse class below) but the precision of those models makes me wonder if the game is still envisioned as having the flexibility for players to make their own designs that are visually distinct from their historical counterparts.  I hope so!

I'm really glad to see this project underway, and that it is being undertaken by the designer and team that brought such inspiration and polish to Ultimate General.

Thanks!

[z4ys]

15 hours ago, MrByron said:

I am so happy to find out about this game.  Just yesterday I was fantasizing about winning the lottery and financing something like Rule The Waves, but with proper 3D graphics.  Seeing that this game is in development might not be quite as nice as the hypothetical lottery win, but it comes close.  I created this forum account just so I could express my gratitude.

I love the pre-dreadnought battleship models you posted above on July 19th (I can't resist guessing: it appears to be Majestic class on top, and something similar to the Shikishima/Hatsuse class below) but the precision of those models makes me wonder if the game is still envisioned as having the flexibility for players to make their own designs that are visually distinct from their historical counterparts.  I hope so!

I'm really glad to see this project underway, and that it is being undertaken by the designer and team that brought such inspiration and polish to Ultimate General.

Thanks!

Both pictures are a teaser that players will be able to design their own ships with given parts. As you can see it's the same hull same turret but different engines. So both ships might have same firepower same armor but different maneuverability and speed.

[Norfolk nChance]

@Nick Thomadis

 

Really enjoyed Darthmod, Napoleon TW you really made that game work. Naval Action and @admin I’m a proper fanboy.

So, let us know when testers are needed on Dreadnoughts (or spell checkers)

 

Norfolk.

 

 

[James Cornelius]

On 7/27/2018 at 9:27 AM, MrByron said:

 something like Rule The Waves, but with proper 3D graphics. 

Add an easier UI, and that very succinctly describes exactly what I am hoping for also.

 

Although I will say that from the standpoint of basically being numbers and spreadsheet type information, Rule the Waves is a pretty good approximation of being a Navy minister!

[DeRuyter]

Looking forward to this game. I would love to do the 1890s period - Spanish American War with Admiral Dewey at Manila Bay. I have played board games onboard the USS Olympia helping to raise money for her maintenance. Very few pre-dreadnoughts and dreadnaughts left afloat. 

[Sento de Benimaclet]

5 hours ago, DeRuyter said:

I would love to do the 1890s period - Spanish American War with Admiral Dewey at Manila Bay.

But this time with boats equal in artillery power and armor.😉

 

                                                                      REINA CRISTINA CRUISER. SPANISH FLAGSHIP.

 

                                                                                           OLYMPIA CRUISER. AMERICAN FLAGSHIP.

      

By the way, a beautiful ship the Olympia.

Edited July 30, 2018 by Sento de Benimaclet

[James Cornelius]

9 hours ago, DeRuyter said:

Looking forward to this game. I would love to do the 1890s period - Spanish American War with Admiral Dewey at Manila Bay. I have played board games onboard the USS Olympia helping to raise money for her maintenance. Very few pre-dreadnoughts and dreadnaughts left afloat. 

I too would certainly hope it would cover a large bulk of the pre-dreadnought period. 1890-1930 or so would be good.

 

I also would wonder if some form of international relations will play a role, specifically regarding treaties. A naval treaty like Washington or London (or Versailles if you lose a war) would add interesting options for warship design and combat.

[Sento de Benimaclet]

Age of the most  beautiful  ships. 

MIKASA.

SMS SCHARNHORST.

                                                                                        SMS SCHLEWIG-HOLSTEIN.

 

Edited July 31, 2018 by Sento de Benimaclet

[admin]

On 7/31/2018 at 10:19 PM, Sento de Benimaclet said:

Age of the most  beautiful  ships. 

 

                                                                                        SMS SCHLEWIG-HOLSTEIN.

 

[Kloothommel]

2 minutes ago, admin said:

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard]

http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=22675.0

[James Cornelius]

With the title being "Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnought" I would wonder if there will also be inclusion of other ships apart from the evolutionary battleships.

 

From 1880 onwards there was also significant evolution of cruisers, from the first ironclads to protected cruisers to armored cruisers to the modern heavy and light cruisers that we are most familiar with. This also represents fertile ground for such a game - especially if in playing one must juggle financial and political concerns as well.

[Nick Thomadis]

Thank you all for the ongoing feedback and positive comments!

Regarding this:

Quote

With the title being "Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnought" I would wonder if there will also be inclusion of other ships apart from the evolutionary battleships.

We are going to have all ship classes. Torpedo boats, destroyers, light cruisers, armoured  and heavy cruisers, battlecruisers and follow their evolution from 1890 till 1930+.

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

Hmmm... 1930's....ok.

Anyway, and looking to HMS Furious type of design and operational novelty in 1917, with a added flight deck, as a step stone in naval warfare evolution would naval aviation would even be considered !?

[Nick Thomadis]

Aviation is something that could be considered later, to function abstractly.

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

1 minute ago, Nick Thomadis said:

Aviation is something that could be considered later, to function abstractly.

Thank you. 

[DeRuyter]

Protected cruiser within time frame:

 

 

 

[Norfolk nChance]

For those interested in the Dreadnaught Period might find this book of interest.

 

Norfolk.

 

 

Edited August 3, 2018 by Norfolk nChance