''Ship Simulator'' is a

ship simulator A maritime simulator or ship simulator is a system that simulates ships and maritime environments for training, research and other purposes. Today, simulator training given by maritime schools and academies is part of the basic training of mari ...

, a type of

vehicle simulation Vehicle simulation games are a genre of video games which attempt to provide the player with a realistic interpretation of operating various kinds of vehicles. This includes automobiles, aircraft, watercraft, spacecraft, military vehicles, and a ...

computer game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...

which simulates maneuvering various ships in different environments, although without the effects of wind and current. It was developed by

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

company VSTEP and released by the former company

Lighthouse Interactive Lighthouse Interactive Game Publishing B.V. was a video game publisher established in 2005 by industry veterans. With its head office in Haarlem, The Netherlands and a satellite office in Montreal, Canada, the company grew quickly and went on to e ...

, which closed down in 2009.

''Ship Simulator 2006''

The first version of ''Ship Simulator'' was released in

2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...

and was titled ''Ship Simulator 2006''. The user can steer various ships, amongst others a Rotterdam

water taxi A water taxi or a water bus is a watercraft used to provide public or private transport, usually, but not always, in an urban environment. Service may be scheduled with multiple stops, operating in a similar manner to a bus, or o ...

, a

container ship A container ship (also called boxship or spelled containership) is a cargo ship that carries all of its load in truck-size intermodal containers, in a technique called containerization. Container ships are a common means of commercial intermodal ...

and even the ill-fated RMS ''Titanic'', in various weather conditions and in three real-life harbours, which are

Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"N ...

, Hamburg and Phi Phi Islands in Thailand; a fourth harbour, New York City was later released as a free download. A game element is added to the simulation by means of forty "missions" which have to be completed as fast or as accurately as possible. Users can also design their own missions, and share with others. The game has a built-in scenario editor to create new missions. ''The Official Ship Simulator 2006 Add-On'' was released in February 2007. This is an expansion pack with six additional ships and extra features such as ship walk-throughs.

Series

''Ship Simulator 2008'' released in July 2007 in Germany and the UK. It contains seven ports and eight open sea environments. This version also features waves, weather, day/night time transitions, damage to vessels, and new boats and ships. There are six new ships; a supertanker, a Solent ferry, large ocean ferry, a new patrol boat and two new tugs. There is also a ''Ship Simulator Professional V2.0'' The ''Titanic'' has also undergone some minor changes for example the second class stairwell and the stern section are visitable, as well and the original ships have been updated. Free add-ons were reportedly available, including a hovercraft, jetski, barge, improved physics and possibly another environment. An official expansion pack, expansion for ''Ship Simulator 2008'' titled ''Ship Simulator 2008 New Horizons'' was released in April, 2008. The add-on features eight new ships, the addition of multiplayer functionality, a new sailing area (Padstow, Cornwall), twenty new missions, in game downloading of new missions, option to connect and disconnect barges to the pushboat in-game, and new walkthrough options. ''Ship Simulator Extremes'' is the name of the latest installment in the ''Ship Simulator'' series. It was released on August 27, 2010. Additions to the game include new locations around the world from cold Antarctica to warm Bora Bora as well as new ships (including official licensed Greenpeace vessels) and new dynamic and more realistic weather and water systems. Most vessels from ''Ship Simulator 2008'' are also part of the choice of ships. The cruise ship "Ocean Star" from ''Ship Simulator 2006''/''2008'' is also included, except outside colors have changed and the name changed to "Orient Star". Vessels have more usable controls and more realistic ones, unlike ''Ship Simulator 2008'' in which only the whistle, binoculars, thrust, rudder and thrusters (if applicable on the vessel) are usable, although you can listen to the ship's radio but not send out calls. Sinking dynamics and physics have also improved in ''Ship Simulator Extremes''. Also unlike ''Ship Simulator 2008'', you can launch lifeboats/motorboats off a suitable vessel. Following a campaign by members of their growing fanbase, VSTEP agreed to include the ports of Dover and Calais (in one environment).

Peripherals

A "ship control unit", designed specifically for ''Ship Simulator'' and enabling more realistic steering, was released in 2006 by Wilco Publishing. P.I. Engineering have announced "ShipDriver", a marine simulation controller based on their RailDriver train controller for Auran's ''Trainz'' and Microsoft's ''Microsoft Train Simulator, Train Simulator''. ShipDriver released in winter 2010.

Critical reception

''Ship Simulator'' has been criticised for limitations in the replication of realistic controls and the lack of open architecture preventing users from creating their own vehicles and voyages. "Slow and mundane gameplay" and bugs have also been cited. Reviewers did comment that the game is challenging and that it has educational value. In addition, reviewers also praised the attention to detail for the scenery and boats.

References

External links

* {{official website, http://www.shipsim.com 2006 video games Windows games Windows-only games Video games developed in the Netherlands Ship simulation games Video games set in the Netherlands Video games set in Germany Video games set in Thailand Video games set in Portsmouth Video games set in Southampton Lighthouse Interactive games Single-player video games