Victory at Sea v1.1 released

[Boggit]

PRESS RELEASE – 29th October 2014

VIDEO GAME VICTORY AT SEA LAUNCHES IT'S BIGGEST UPDATE YET.

In August Swindon based game developer Evil Twin Artworks teamed up with Mongoose Publishing to bring Naval strategy table top game Victory at Sea to the PC. After hitting number 5 on Steam they have now launched their biggest update yet.

Evil Twin Creative Director James Carroll said of this update "It's been almost three since months launch and we've really been amazed with the great response we've had so far to Victory at Sea. I'd like to thank our community who have been immensely helpful with all their feedback.
Since launch one the most requested features has been to play the campaign as the Axis powers. With this update we're starting to deliver on that with the Pacific campaign for the Imperial Japanese Navy.
We've added in much requested control over starting positions of your fleet in battles (and a much needed boost to submarines who can be positioned anywhere at the start of the battle). We've also added group orders and squadrons to help you control larger fleets easier.
Also in this update is a big change to visibility. With restricted vision range in both the campaign and the battles (particularly at night time) you'll have to be a lot more careful out there. To balance this out we've also added RADAR and spotter planes to help you track down your enemies."
This update also includes features such as Smoke screens and hidden submarines.
The game, whilst taking many pointers from the original table top game, has added many new additions to create a deeper experience for those willing to get their seafaring strategies underway. Evil Twin Creative Director Mark Carroll said "Playing in campaign mode is the most unique aspect of the game.  We have built the "tide of war" game mechanic where the ships, ports and factions are all operating independently allowing players to move around in a sandbox environment. The world is living and breathing, so rather than controlling the whole campaign, players get to control their own destiny while World War 2 rages on around them!"
There are now close to 100 historically accurate ship classes that can be sailed into over 120 ports across the world and although simple to pick up and play, the game is difficult to master with hidden depths and details for those who want to delve deeper. Players start as a Destroyer Captain and make decisions to create their own story as WWII happens around them. Players can rise through the ranks of the Royal Navy and create a fleet of Submarines, or become a US Admiral and command a fleet of Aircraft Carriers.

It has been a great year for the Swindon developer, securing seed funding to develop their nautical adventure from Creative England's Games Lab funding only to watch it hit number 5 on Steam's global top  sellers on launch day.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/298480

RELEASE ENDS

For more information visit
http://www.victoryatseagame.com/
Press pack - http://www.victoryatseagame.com/media/
Steam - http://store.steampowered.com/app/298480
Youtube - http://youtu.be/J1NMaVJprVY
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/victoryatseagame
Twitter - @VAS_naval_war

About Evil Twin Artworks
Evil Twin artworks are a Swindon based games development studio creating original multi platform games including River Cottage Get Foraging for Channel 4 and GooHoo. The Evil Twins are strong advocates for grass roots programming and try to encourage game design and development in their local area, running outreach projects as well as going into schools.

http://www.eviltwinartworks.com
@eviltwinartworks

About Mongoose Publishing
Victory at Sea is a highly successful table top game made by Mongoose Publishing, the company behind the Judge Dredd Miniatures Game, Traveller RPG and Babylon 5: A Call to Arms games.

http://www.mongoosepublishing.com
@MongoosePub

About Creative England Games Lab
Creative England GamesLab South West is a programme of investment and support, designed to aid and sustain the growth of the region's burgeoning games' industry through the development of innovative games and IP. Working with emerging and established companies, Creative England GamesLab South West aims to create the conditions necessary for the most innovative and commercially astute games companies from around the region to flourish. Working with employers, students and individuals, Creative England GamesLab South West also delivers initiatives to create jobs and ensure the retention of established and emerging talent within the region to sustain the growth it aims to deliver during its two-year lifespan. Creative England GamesLab South West is funded by the European Regional Development Fund, supported by the Government's Regional Growth Fund and led by Creative England.
http://gameslab.creativeengland.co.uk/gameslab/south-west/
@ CEGamesLab

[Boggit]

James also gave me some extra information -

With regards the features below we are also building the German campaign surrounding the Atlantic which will be another free update (1.2) Which we hope to launch Late November early December. In the current build some Japanese aircraft will attempt a kamikaze attack if they have no other options. AI fleets should behave more orderly around ports.  The effectiveness of torpedo belts has been increased for lighter armoured ships.


New features:

- The Imperial Japanese Navy is now playable in the campaign. Can you drive the British and American forces from the Pacific?
- Fog of War. Campaign map vision is now restricted based on night/day and whether you have radar or aircraft. Battle map vision is similarly reduced - you'll have to find the enemy before you can sink them.
- Starting positions: Choose where your ships are placed at the start of battle.
- Squadrons: Group your units into column and circle formations, order the lead to move the entire squadron.
- Reinforcements. Picking a fight in an area crowded with enemy fleets is no longer quite so easy.
- Spotter aircraft added to appropriate ships to assist locating the enemy in battles. Spotter aircraft will also increase your fleet's vision in the campaign map.
- The Battle of Cape Matapan and the Battle of the Java Sea are now playable historical battles.
- The US Northampton-class heavy cruiser, the Dutch Sumatra- and De Ruyter-class cruisers, and several destroyer classes have been added.

[Cyrano]

Multiplayer.

That is all.

Best,

Jim
"Cyrano"
:/7)

[Shelldrake]

Multiplayer.

That is all.

Best,

Jim
"Cyrano"
:/7)

Too bad. I just finished Neptune's Inferno and would like to play a good single player naval combat game set in WW2 Pacific theatre.

[FlickJax]

It is single player I think? Cyrano wants multiplayer?

[RyanE]

I thought is was MP and SP...I know its at least SP.

[Cyrano]

Sorry...did not intend to confuse.

It is ONLY SP at the moment.

And a fine game at that -- worth the purchase in my mind!

I just have asked them (since BETA) to never abandon the notion of MP (which they have intended) and, each time they've updated, I have chosen to remind them of this!!

Again, sorry for any confusion.

Best,

Jim
"Cyrano"
:/7)

[Wolfe1759]

It is ONLY SP at the moment.

Now I'm interested.

Main concern is that is an RTS, can you issue orders, scan the map etc. whilst paused and can you slow the speed down to a crawl?

[Boggit]

It is ONLY SP at the moment.

Now I'm interested.

Main concern is that is an RTS, can you issue orders, scan the map etc. whilst paused and can you slow the speed down to a crawl?

It is an RTS, but pausable. You can alter the game speed from fast x6 if I remember, to a crawl x0.25. You can issue orders, scan the map, refit in port etc. I've been working on an article for this but the new update removes a lot of criticisms I had for it. I'll have to play the new update a bit to get a fairer view of it. The initial release wasn't ideal for a grog in a number of respects, but credit to Evil Twin - they've just released a massive update, with another in the works. It seems to me they are determined to deal with the critics by making a solid game by addressing the issues they are aware of.

[Shelldrake]

Thanks for the clarification guys. Added the game to my steam wishlist.