Developer Spotlight - The Carrier Helm and Navigation

Dear Players,

In developer spotlight posts, we discuss the detail and ideas behind Carrier Command 2.

In this post, we discuss the helm on the carrier bridge, how it functions, and how you navigate the world in Carrier Command 2.

The helm is a control station at the centre front of the bridge. This position is surrounded by windows, giving the player a very wide and open field of view.

The Lower Console



The lower console has 3 multifunction displays which can be set up to the players preference, engine controls and dials, fuel information, rudder, throttle, control mode and gear controls, signalling and illumination lights.

The Upper Console



The upper console has a propulsion status screen, a mechanical compass, a compass and bearing information screen, ocean floor sonar, and the master alarm button panel.

To pilot the carrier, you simply start the engine, then use forward-backward, left-right controls to drive. It is simple to get started, but there is a lot to master and becoming an excellent helmsman is no simple task!



You will want to set up your multifunction displays. They display a map, centred on the carrier position. They can be set to various layers and zoom levels, each providing a specific view. There are various weather views indicating navigation conditions, ocean depth view which gives insight into the magnitude of the huge ocean waves, and ocean current view, showing the movement and pull that will be applied and pull the carrier off course. The weather and ocean are dynamically and richly simulated, and continually changing. We will cover these systems in more detail in due course.

The carrier ocean floor sonar works in a similar way to real sonar, scanning the ocean floor in a sweeping pattern, and mapping the returned data to a visual graph showing the proximity of the ocean floor in all directions. This system is entirely mechanical, using the physics simulation to test and simulate the sonar system.



This screen is most useful near an island in shallow water, where very fast decisions need to be made to avoid grounding the carrier on a sand bank, and where you are relying on this information because it is difficult to see what lies below the waves.

We hope you enjoy this insight into these details of the mechanics of Carrier Command 2, and the details and mechanics as we build on the rules of the original game.

We look forward to your thoughts and feedback in the comments! And please let us know what you want to hear about next!

Much love
The Carrier Command Developers