Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter News

Dear Destroyer fans,

The time has finally come to release version 1.0, together with its long-awaited Career Mode. Our convoy has reached its destination after a long voyage, and we can at last celebrate the moment when our precious war material finds its way into the hands of the recipients. It has been a perilous journey and we have lost a few ships on the way, but we have also sent many U-boats to the bottom. All in all, our voyage across the Atlantic has been one hell of a battle!

We sincerely hope that the Career Mode will provide what a lot of you have requested from the very beginning of the project, i.e. a background to strengthen the context of the battle and immerse yourself even deeper in the role of a destroyer captain. Being a tiny company as we are, we are proud to be able to deliver this content, and although we would have preferred it to be much greater in scope and of larger than life quality, then again, we feel that our humble take on the subject has allowed us to present the wartime adventure of a destroyer captain from a realistic and historically accurate perspective.

Therefore, if you have enjoyed Destroyer thus far, the Career Mode should provide you with many hours of enjoyment and a steadily growing difficulty level - from little encounters at the beginning, to epic battles towards the end. Version 1.0 also adds the last two remaining battle variants to the mix in order to keep things fresh and engaging (‘broken formation’ and ‘endurance’).

We would like to thank you one more time for your continuous support which has allowed us to refine Destroyer into what it is today. We trust that its complete version will be on par with your expectations and that it will entice many new captains to give it a try.

Artur Salwarowski
Destroyer Lead Designer
Iron Wolf Studio
🔗 https://linktr.ee/ironwolfstudio
🗨️ https://discord.gg/qcDF2ZZ


Changelog:

• Career mode
  
• ‘Broken formation’ battle variant
  
• ‘Endurance’ battle variant
  
• localization updated
  
• ‘loading’ on the loading screen now draws text from the localization spreadsheet
  
• graphics settings automatically change to ‘low’ when Steam Deck is detected
  
• new text and audio message when a lone merchant is torpedoed in the ‘rescue’ variant
  
• corrected the captain’s walk animation in the harbor scene
  
• corrected sound level balancing after the pre-gameplay cutscenes (fixes audio problems with sound effects playing too silently)
  
• fixed issues with displaying crew members after the pre-gameplay cutscenes
  
• courses 000 and 360 can now be entered, and it is possible to activate the entry through the numpad ‘enter’ key
  
• after dropping depth charges, the DRT ruler movement has been corrected
  
• the tutorial does not close after the specified time ends
  
• UI elements corrections to accommodate the German language version
  
• changing stations no longer causes an ammo change in the gun director
  
• corrected change of ammunition in the gun director
  
• allow dynamic resolution and DLSS turned on in the gun director camera
  
• air support cutscene variant for ‘attack’ corrected
  
• blocked shooting during gun rotation after ammo change
  
• Daedalic banner updated to new version
  

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1272010/Destroyer_The_UBoat_Hunter/

Dear Destroyer fans,

It is with great pleasure that we can finally announce the release of version 1.0 which will take place on December 6th this year. We are very happy to be able to bring this long-awaited piece of news at last, and we hope that you will embark on your journey through the Battle of the Atlantic this holiday season. Version 1.0 will finally add the long-awaited Career mode, together with the remaining battle variants to improve gameplay variety. Now, however, we have one more update for you before version 1.0 hits the store: the ‘leave no man behind’ update which we have been preparing for some time.

The biggest addition in this update is the new ‘rescue’ battle variant, along with its ‘picking up survivors’ mechanic. It introduces a whole new gameplay aspect, allowing you to partially recover lost points by rescuing merchant marine sailors from torpedoed ships. This can be done both by your destroyer as well as the other escorts and we hope that you will enjoy this new feature which goes back full circle to our very first trailer.

We have also looked at many aspects of our game in an attempt to improve wherever it has been lacking. We have made a lot of fixes, corrections and new additions, and we hope that you will agree that most of these will serve to improve the overall experience (as always, the full list of changes is presented below)

On top of that, we have introduced a ton of other small improvements, such as new DRT functionalities. Now you can finally make time-distance-speed measurements in order to calculate optimal U-boat interception points, and the DRT officer also marks the location of each of your depth charge attacks, providing a point of reference for search plans in case you lose sonar contact with the enemy.

If that weren’t enough, we have rebuilt the whole U-boat spawn system, introducing an adaptive mechanic which adjusts the intensity of the battle to how well you perform. There have also been further improvements to U-boat AI, another round of optimization, and much more. As always, you can find the full list of improvements at the bottom of this article.

At the same time, we are on the last stretch of testing and balancing the career mode (previously called the ‘campaign’) and we sincerely hope that it will cater to your taste as far as immersion and atmosphere is concerned. A lot of work has gone into it, and we hope that embarking on this journey will allow you to fully immerse in the role of a destroyer captain in the Battle of the Atlantic.

Additionally, you can now also watch our Developer Showcase and get a glimpse behind the scenes of our research!

As always, we would also like to thank you for your continued support, and wish you many successfully defended convoys!

Artur Salwarowski
Destroyer Lead Designer
Iron Wolf Studio
🔗 https://linktr.ee/ironwolfstudio
🗨️ https://discord.gg/qcDF2ZZ


Changelog:

• new ‘Rescue’ mission variant added
  
• picking up survivors added
  
• destroyer presence alone can now scare U-boat off when in close proximity (even without attacking)
  
• escort depth charge attack efficiency rebalanced
  
• achievements and leaderboards added
  
• DRT improvements - time/distance/speed calculations, U-boat course and speed, depth charge dropping points, improved eraser
  
• cutscene skipping done with holding the ‘S’ button
  
• subtitles in intro video and tutorial videos
  
• fixed the black rectangle in the sky, as well as various graphics glitches
  
• ambush cutscenes gets special music stingers when the torpedo hits
  
• corrections in iceberg game saves
  
• optimization - destroyer model, ship LODs, cutscenes, particle effects, DRT station
  
• TRR disappearing plexi glitch fixed
  
• new dynamic spawn system for better pacing
  
• mission rebalancing
  
• depth charge camera damage text display with the option to hide it
  
• gun director target selection in the gun director station, no need to go to ‘contacts’ to switch targets
  
• 5 inch gun splash effect now displays exactly where the projectile hits the water
  
• improved tutorial - new UI, improved sonar and TRR, picking up survivors, various fixes across the board
  
• context-dependent cursor for dragging (hand) and drawing (pencil)
  
• mouse cursor no longer displays outside of gameplay (cutscenes, videos, etc.).
  
• toggle UI enabled (by pressing F2 or in options)
  
• radar station camera zoom and scroll
  
• sky flickering fixed while changing stations
  
• new loading screen
  
• the crossed out eye icon now displays and updates more correctly in the sonar room
  
• chinese version performance hiccups due to text messages fixed
  
• more compact russian font
  
• polish font fixes
  
• tactical station clarity improved, letters and X’s no longer overlap. New ‘clear until last position’ button added
  
• UI adjusted to all resolutions, corrected interaction areas for all buttons
  
• popups explaining difficulty settings added in main menu
  
• ambush cutscene now displays text saying that the sunk merchant will not be deducted from the score
  
• Air support now attacks with machine guns, improved U-boat reaction to air support, air support now stays on target and continues search even if target is submerged
  
• escort sinking attributions on the contact board fixed
  
• gun director fixes - retargeting a surfaced U-boat, gun rotation when player leaves the gun director, fixed a bug that sometimes allowed to target a submerged U-boat
  
• TRR window is now clickable, clicking it takes you to the TRR station
  
• text message window scrolling no longer engages camera zoom
  
• station switching bugs fixed (buttons or free camera view no longer get blocked)
  
• all languages now have color-coded messages in the text message window
  
• the sun rises and sets in the east and west, correspondingly
  
• air support sound no longer freezes when exiting to main menu
  
• autosave added
  
• retry battle added
  
• the sonar indicator moves more correctly with the detected U-boat
  
• escorts no longer spam messages when holding the same contact, and such escorts no longer fight for such contact between them
  
• collision avoidance fixes - U-boats vs icebergs, merchants and escorts vs destroyer and one another
  
• screen edge no longer blocks further camera movement in free camera view if mouse cursor reaches it
  
• game is now paused when minimized. The game minimizes into the taskbar, the window does not linger in desktop (ALT+TAB)
  
• key textures (e.g. bearings) are not blurred even on low graphics settings
  
• save and load game fixes
  
• escorts flags corrected
  
• question marks added in pause menu, explaining TRR, OSC, and DRT in manual mode (english only, other languages coming soon)
  

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1272010/Destroyer_The_UBoat_Hunter/

Dive into the heart of naval warfare at WePlay Expo 2023 in Shanghai! Brace yourselves for an unforgettable gaming experience.

Embark on a thrilling journey with us at the Indie Games Poland booth, where you'll have an exclusive opportunity to immerse yourself in the full version of Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter. Take command of a Fletcher-class destroyer, strategically engaging in the Battle of the Atlantic against relentless German U-boats.

📅 Save the date: November 18-19, 2023, for an adventure that will leave you on the edge of your captain's chair. This is your chance to get hands-on with the game, explore every detail, and be among the first to experience the excitement.

📌 Hall H4, Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center
🔗 www.weplaymore.com

Don't let the waves pass you by - join us and become a true Captain of the seas! See you at WePlay Expo!

All best,
Destroyer Team
🔗 https://linktr.ee/ironwolfstudio
🗨️ https://discord.gg/qcDF2ZZ


https://store.steampowered.com/app/1272010/Destroyer_The_UBoat_Hunter/

Dear fans of Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter,

We are excited to announce that the development of Destroyer is nearing the finish line.

However, while we are eager to deliver what we have been working on, the exact release date is still to be set in stone. We are at the moment determining the best possible timeframe to guarantee a smooth launch, and so far everything looks like a Winter period (late 2023 to early 2024) is the most plausible scenario.

It has been a long and thrilling journey and we are grateful for your, as well as our publisher’s ongoing support. The latter allowed us to accomplish many additional goals and features that would otherwise not have been possible due to strict deadlines and the general time pressure of developing a computer game.

That being said, we intend to announce the final release date of Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter as soon as possible.

Until then, we won't lie down though - we will publish another update focusing on several key areas based on your feedback, including:

• UI improvements
  
• a new battle variant,
  
• rescuing survivors,
  
• gun director fixes,
  
• re-optimizing explosion and particle effects
  
• as well as various fixes and improvements
  

All of the above and more will be included in the update coming before the official game release.

Thank you very much for your patience and for being an integral part of our game's journey. Together, we will navigate the treacherous waters and forge an unforgettable naval warfare experience in Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter.

Stay tuned for more updates and embark with us on this epic journey!

All best,
Destroyer Team
🔗 https://linktr.ee/ironwolfstudio
🗨️ https://discord.gg/qcDF2ZZ


https://store.steampowered.com/app/1272010/Destroyer_The_UBoat_Hunter/

Dear Destroyer fans,

The time has come to reveal our next battle variant: ‘Icefield’. In this type of battle, our convoy is attacked by U-boats while making its way through sea ice. This is a tough challenge on many levels, as not only do you have to repel the enemy, but you have to do it while surviving the extreme conditions that nature has thrown at you. First of all, icebergs constitute a deadly threat to all ships in the convoy, so you will have to be extra careful with your maneuvering. To make matters worse, you will have a tough time maintaining your radar contacts, as the radar will be giving you tons of false echoes, while also allowing the enemy to hide behind the icebergs (or below them). And if that weren’t enough, the convoy formation will, sooner or later, become compromised due to the necessary maneuvers it will need to take to navigate through this treacherous obstacle. With bigger icebergs in its intended track, the whole convoy will have to change course, even further increasing the chaos caused by the situation. Therefore, we are introducing several new mechanics here which we hope will make ‘Icefield’ an exciting and welcome addition to our growing pool of battle variants.

In the meantime, as always, we keep working on the technical side of things with the intention of rooting out all the bugs and technical issues before 1.0. One crucial mechanic that plays a large role in ‘Icefield’ is collision avoidance - a long-requested feature that we hope will allow you to hunt more effectively with other escorts. While still work in progress, we hope that you will notice that both merchants and escorts will now attempt to make evasive maneuvers when threatened with a collision, and we are confident that together with CBDR, it will eventually allow you to hunt together with other warships without the fear of ramming into them.

Other than the above, there is a ton of other small fixes we have been working on (full list below), and yes, you are right to think that there is still a lot for us to amend before 1.0. That list is still quite extensive, including not only all of the things you have reported, but also some quality of life improvements that we wanted to implement a long time ago, but have never had enough time to do so. All this while at the same time working on the campaign system.

Summing it up, we hope that you will enjoy the new things we have prepared for you. Slowly but surely, we are pushing towards the level of quality that we aimed for, and while the finish line is still far ahead, we are not laying down our arms. This convoy must, and will, reach its destination.

And, as always on behalf of the Destroyer team, I wish you many successful battles!

Artur Salwarowski
Destroyer Lead Designer
Iron Wolf Studio
🔗 https://linktr.ee/ironwolfstudio
🗨️ https://discord.gg/qcDF2ZZ

• ‘Icefield’ battle variant
  
• warning messages from ice lookouts
  
• collision avoidance (WIP)
  
• depth charge camera can now be toggled on/off
  
• escorts beyond tactical view are now available to command
  
• U-boats will now fear your attacks more
  
• ‘crew shaken’ status added for U-boats, increasing their time on the defensive
  
• new cutscene variants for ‘attack’
  
• escorts’ sonar should no longer deviate from sectors set by the player
  
• torpedo warning fixes + new warning siren when threatened by a torpedo
  
• small performance and stability fixes
  

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1272010/Destroyer_The_UBoat_Hunter/