Gidday Gidday all,

 

I much prefer playing with real life humans than against computers. Am considering getting back into Harpoon after I played it decades ago as a kid, but need to know if it can meet the following requirements. Sorry about the long list...Would be most grateful if someone could kindly answer the following questions thank you.

 

Yours Faithfully

Seaplane Paul

 

Multiplayer

1. Does HCE allow for multiplayer?

2. If so how does multiplayer work?

3. Does multiplayer work well?

4. Is it practicable to find multiplayer opponents?

 

Modern Pacific Warfare

5. Are the Chinese PLAN Type 052D, Type 055, and Type 075 playable in the database?

6. 5. Are the RNZN ANZAC class frigates with their Frigate Service Upgrade to carry Seaceptor missiles playable in the database?

7. Are P-8A Poseidons with harpoon missiles playable in the database?

 

Scenario Building

8. Can one produce a scenario with the above forces (points 5,6,7) so that the ships begin in a random location but have a pre-programmed destination?

9. Can LHDs be given invasion orders?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 minutes ago, SeaplanePaul said:

<snip>

Multiplayer

1. Does HCE allow for multiplayer? No

2. If so how does multiplayer work? N/A.  How would you like it to work?

3. Does multiplayer work well? N/A

4. Is it practicable to find multiplayer opponents? Lots of watchers, lots of talkers, not many people tossing their keys on the table and digging in.

 

Modern Pacific Warfare

5. Are the Chinese PLAN Type 052D, Type 055, and Type 075 playable in the database? Yes: 052D, 055.  No: 075

6. 5. Are the RNZN ANZAC class frigates with their Frigate Service Upgrade to carry Seaceptor missiles playable in the database? From one of Brad's posts today I'd say they are not in the DB.  You can add them though if you have a serviceable copy of MS Access.

7. Are P-8A Poseidons with harpoon missiles playable in the database? Yes

 

Scenario Building

8. Can one produce a scenario with the above forces (points 5,6,7) so that the ships begin in a random location but have a pre-programmed destination? If the forces were in the DB, yes you could.

9. Can LHDs be given invasion orders? No, the best they can do is 'launch' weapons that mimic an invasion.

 

Regards, Tony

Gidday Gidday Tony,

Thank you for your prompt reply. It was kind of you to write such a detailed answer thank you.

In answer to your question:

2. If so how does multiplayer work? N/A.  How would you like it to work?

Wouldn't it be great if we could online against another human player? I'd love there to be an option where you could sign into a server and play with another human in real time online

Is that a dream to far off?

26 minutes ago, SeaplanePaul said:

2. If so how does multiplayer work? N/A.  How would you like it to work?

Wouldn't it be great if we could online against another human player? I'd love there to be an option where you could sign into a server and play with another human in real time online

Is that a dream to far off?

Yes, I agree that would be great.  Our, granted limited, experience thanks to Harpoon 3's multiplayer has been that it is exceedingly difficult to play through any but the tiniest scenarios in a real-time fashion.  Play by e-mail is much more successful but with Harpoon, even that would require a long revival of the game in terms of introducing the game to players and getting them showing up to play.  By play to e-mail a potential concept is give orders for a set block of time, send them in, and get the results back.  That is in large part how the paper game works including the smart concept of variable slices of time per turn depending upon the action.

 

Anyway, time has proven that it is a dream too far off, best to look to other games or playing the paper rules (see the Simplot 2 play aid here on HarpGamer from kmart494).  There are few things I'd rather implement than multiplayer, the closest even glimmer of hope would be umpire-assisted play where an umpire enters orders for all sides and the players watch it all play out.  Even implementing that would require a committed group of cheerleaders to keep me at the keyboard!

Hi Tony,

 

Thanks for your reply. Yes PBEM or umpire assisted play sounds great.

Have the boxed game of Harpoon. Would be happy to voluntary to be part of any project to get multi-player modern naval wargaming going

Yours Faithfully

Seaplane Paul

Thank you Seaplane Paul, much appreciated.  I quite doubt we'll be the first game to revive multiplayer (see https://www.wargamer.com/articles/command-modern-operations-multiplayer/ ) in this style game but you never know :).

Very interesting link Tony...

"The professional world got the first glimpse of it (multiplayer) last week" . . . "The multiplayer functionality for Command is initially being developed for (and thus, funded by) professional clients first before rolling out to the consumer release" 

(dated 200211)

Pity that CMO has such a hopeless UI compared with Harpoon...