Distant Guns and Jutland naval simulation videos

[tpr]

I recently discovered two very unique marine sims in the deep space of wargaming internet. "Distant Guns 1.5 Enhanced" covering the Russian-Japanese War and "Jutland Pro" covering WW1. These games (and their weird distribution method) have their issues for sure but I must say I am still impressed. The fidelity and love put into it reminds me somewhat of what I´ve also enjoy when playing Combat Mission. Perhaps there are even some players around this place. Would be awesome to make some multiplayer fleet battles.

I´ve made some videos on my youtube channel for you to enjoy:

 

All videos:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeK7fSyoEE8aorVLlVfNcAQ/videos

Will also probably do some CMSF2 vids in the future.

Edited October 18, 2018 by The Wolves of Steel

[StieliAlpha]

Ahhh, they are about 10 years old. I once owned Jutland (and unfortunately lost it due to a computer change).

Great game, though I never really came into it. The UI was “not very intuitive”.

The looks were quite good. Only when you zoomed in too close, it looked, hm, dull and dead. E.g., no crew milling around. And in explosions, one saw the bricks flying.

However, I loved the sound of large shells passing overhead. This dull, low tone, swirling “Woooooshhhhh”

[tpr]

41 minutes ago, StieliAlpha said:

Ahhh, they are about 10 years old. I once owned Jutland (and unfortunately lost it due to a computer change).

Great game, though I never really came into it. The UI was “not very intuitive”.

The looks were quite good. Only when you zoomed in too close, it looked, hm, dull and dead. E.g., no crew milling around. And in explosions, one saw the bricks flying.

However, I loved the sound of large shells passing overhead. This dull, low tone, swirling “Woooooshhhhh”

When you remember which email you used for purchase you should be able to recover your account.

The UI definitely has issues and requires some work, figuring, and hotkey memorization until you´re able to issue orders with confidence and convenience. The battle UI thankfully works quite well but the dynamic campaign UI is really "expert level" in figuring stuff out and required alot of trial and error.

Yeah I love the hundred detailed ship models they´ve put in. There are some static crew to spot and I could imagine that during combat operations bigger ships may have less crew outside because it could become a real hazard to their life but nevertheless "real" crew with animations like seen in SH5 would be super awesome and raise this to "rated M for ship porn" level. As far as I understand this is/was a very small studio with limited options so I am pretty happy that they atleast got a solid graphics engine which still looks good to me despite its age.

Edited October 18, 2018 by The Wolves of Steel

[StieliAlpha]

1 hour ago, The Wolves of Steel said:

When you remember which email you used for purchase you should be able to recover your account.

The UI definitely has issues and requires some work, figuring, and hotkey memorization until you´re able to issue orders with confidence and convenience. The battle UI thankfully works quite well but the dynamic campaign UI is really "expert level" in figuring stuff out and required alot of trial and error.

Yeah I love the hundred detailed ship models they´ve put in. There are some static crew to spot and I could imagine that during combat operations bigger ships may have less crew outside because it could become a real hazard to their life but nevertheless "real" crew with animations like seen in SH5 would be super awesome and raise this to "rated M for ship porn" level. As far as I understand this is/was a very small studio with limited options so I am pretty happy that they atleast got a solid graphics engine which still looks good to me despite its age.

Hm, the mail address should be clear. So, I might give it a try. Even if it is only for the shelve. I remember indeed some sessions, where I just let it run and enjoyed the scenery. One does not see lines of battle cruisers too often...

[tpr]

14 minutes ago, StieliAlpha said:

Hm, the mail address should be clear. So, I might give it a try. Even if it is only for the shelve. I remember indeed some sessions, where I just let it run and enjoyed the scenery. One does not see lines of battle cruisers too often...

That is true, I am actually not that of a navy buff but caught myself now lining up dozens of BBs and BCs in the quick editor to see them cruising (and blowing each other into pieces), very strange enjoyment haha.

Nevertheless best luck with recovering your account! Let me know if you want to try the MP one day...

[StieliAlpha]

23 hours ago, The Wolves of Steel said:

That is true, I am actually not that of a navy buff but caught myself now lining up dozens of BBs and BCs in the quick editor to see them cruising (and blowing each other into pieces), very strange enjoyment haha.

Nevertheless best luck with recovering your account! Let me know if you want to try the MP one day...

Ok, password retrieved and game downloaded. When I try to install, it starts with V 1.1.6.2 or so and tries to  update, but stops and crashes after a few seconds.

I tried to install in the XP compatibility mode, but that did not help much.

Do you know how to get it running under Win10?

[tpr]

15 hours ago, StieliAlpha said:

Ok, password retrieved and game downloaded. When I try to install, it starts with V 1.1.6.2 or so and tries to  update, but stops and crashes after a few seconds.

I tried to install in the XP compatibility mode, but that did not help much.

Do you know how to get it running under Win10?

Yes I run it in Windows 10 newest update only with admin mode.

On thing that always created issues for me is the splash.exe in the stormpowered install folder and in Jutland/Distant Guns install folder. This is supposed to be a small intro but sometimes stopps Stormpowered and also the games from working. Just backup/delete it from all folders and the update or game start just runs fine, it is possible that after the small automatic update another splash.exe is created, also remove it from all folders, you don´t need it to run the game.

Try if this works for you.

If this is the same issue for you, I will inform the Stormpowered guys that they should remove it or at least add a instruction disclaimer because not every consumer can figure such stuff out. I´ve noticed it in the task manager and after killing it, everything booted up. I was 5 secs away from giving up and deleting everything and never take a look again at these gem games.

Edited October 20, 2018 by The Wolves of Steel

[StieliAlpha]

Thx for the advise. I’ll try that in a next step.

First step was to understand, that I have to install a launch the games from “Stormpowered”.

I got Distant Guns running, but Jutland only comes to a black screen, which disappears after, say, 30 seconds.

[tpr]

3 hours ago, StieliAlpha said:

Thx for the advise. I’ll try that in a next step.

First step was to understand, that I have to install a launch the games from “Stormpowered”.

I got Distant Guns running, but Jutland only comes to a black screen, which disappears after, say, 30 seconds.

haben sie splash.exe geloescht?

Edited October 20, 2018 by The Wolves of Steel

[StieliAlpha]

On 10/20/2018 at 11:05 PM, The Wolves of Steel said:

haben sie splash.exe geloescht?

Did so today, but no luck. Jutland just runs into a black screen and even Stormpowered runs only once and then wants to be reinstalled.

Perhaps, I should have a look at Norton Security again...

[tpr]

35 minutes ago, StieliAlpha said:

Did so today, but no luck. Jutland just runs into a black screen and even Stormpowered runs only once and then wants to be reinstalled.

Perhaps, I should have a look at Norton Security again...

Sadly Distant Guns and Jutland have to be run when stormpowered is running.

Admin mode on all and removal of these files did it for me. When you say it wants to be reinstalled, Is there a dialogue appearing or what exactly is happening?

[Oliver_88]

I've skipped through the thread so not read everything.

I used to play it as I am very much into the naval stuff. And enjoyed it at the time. But there are some game crippling bugs such as British fleets getting sucked closer to the German ports as you switch between the map/battle instances and etc. And I do not think I am too far off the mark in stating that the company are dead (other than continuing to take your money on purchases). I think I seem to remember they were hit bad from some hurricane or something over there in US and seemed as though never recovered.

For anyone looking into the game I would just suggest avoiding like the plague now to be honest. Unfortunately...

Edited October 23, 2018 by Oliver_88

[StieliAlpha]

12 hours ago, Oliver_88 said:

I've skipped through the thread so not read everything.

I used to play it as I am very much into the naval stuff. And enjoyed it at the time. But there are some game crippling bugs such as British fleets getting sucked closer to the German ports as you switch between the map/battle instances and etc. And I do not think I am too far off the mark in stating that the company are dead (other than continuing to take your money on purchases). I think I seem to remember they were hit bad from some hurricane or something over there in US and seemed as though never recovered.

For anyone looking into the game I would just suggest avoiding like the plague now to be honest. Unfortunately...

Yeah, yep, no. I have a pretty mixed feeling here.

I never tried the strategic game, but battles were quite ok. Though the UI is „difficult“, as stated earlier.

I still think it is the best of it’s kind (which is a small number), but certainly not perfect.

I fully agree: I would not recommend to jump at it as a new customer.

But I do feel, it is worth trying to revive it.

[John Kettler]

If you wish to play the period with naval miniatures, may I suggest Fear God and Dread Naught? It won an Origins award for best historical rules. Brother Ed was involved, and you may recognize a famous writer of martial technothrillers, too. There's a tremendous education to be had simply by going through the data book.

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6540/fear-god-and-dread-nought

Regards,

John Kettler

[StieliAlpha]

On 10/25/2018 at 8:40 PM, John Kettler said:

If you wish to play the period with naval miniatures, may I suggest Fear God and Dread Naught? It won an Origins award for best historical rules. Brother Ed was involved, and you may recognize a famous writer of martial technothrillers, too. There's a tremendous education to be had simply by going through the data book.

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6540/fear-god-and-dread-nought

Regards,

John Kettler

I bought it on EBay a looooong time ago.

One of my best Ebay deals. I was competing with a German guy for a copy from California. Finally gave up. And bought the very same copy for less money from the very same guy some months later.

But I have not done more with it than looking at the counters and reading in the rules book, to be honest.

 

[tpr]

Had a tough cruiser battle a week ago and couldn´t prevent the historic outcome. Those Japanese AC´s were a tough nut and they even torpedoed me while I was planning to do so with them. There is a reason why the briefing tells you to disengage ASAP

 

 

In the meantime I really grew accustomed to the intelligent command orders this game allows like linking ship divisions in formation and the decent AI. No comparsion with the flawed commanding and the utter worst AI of "triple-A" Total War naval battles. Really impressed what this studio has achieved, shame that we won´t see more games from them.

I´m planning to do one epic fleet battle either the decisive Tsushima fleet battle from the Japanese Side with somewhat worse odds than historical or a huge one with the battle editor and then will focus on WW1 Jutland.

This two are definitely among the best naval simulations I´ve played beside modded Silent Hunter, Dangerous Waters /SC, and Rule the Waves.

Btw both games Distant Guns and Jutland are offered as free demos with time-limited scenario play.

Edited November 3, 2018 by The Wolves of Steel

[General Jack Ripper]

... and a hearty welcome to the forums for you, sir.

Looking forward to more videos.

[Pandur]

i can not add anything meaningfull here other than to say these games are great. too bad SES went under. i spend a lot of time with the german campaign in jutland(i dont have DG1.5), or several of them. the campaign is where it all comes together, at least it did for me.

yes the slight warping of fleets when you go from the 3d space to the 2d board game can be annoying, but it has to be it seems. you can not end up between hexes, so you get sucked into one of them when you leave battle. sometimes its the "wrong" one. but when you know about it you can deal with it, its only annoying if you dont know what will happen.

 

i have not fired up jutland in years i think, good to see that it is still supposed to work, or that it is working for some at least.

 

 

Edited November 13, 2018 by Pandur

[Bud Backer]

Is anyone still making - and keeping current - WW1-era naval elevate games?

[tpr]

5 hours ago, Bud Backer said:

Is anyone still making - and keeping current - WW1-era naval elevate games?

Rule the Waves

Quote

i can not add anything meaningfull here other than to say these games are great. too bad SES went under. i spend a lot of time with the german campaign in jutland(i dont have DG1.5), or several of them. the campaign is where it all comes together, at least it did for me.

yes the slight warping of fleets when you go from the 3d space to the 2d board game can be annoying, but it has to be it seems. you can not end up between hexes, so you get sucked into one of them when you leave battle. sometimes its the "wrong" one. but when you know about it you can deal with it, its only annoying if you dont know what will happen.

 

i have not fired up jutland in years i think, good to see that it is still supposed to work, or that it is working for some at least.

Their dynamic campaign is very ambitious. However it also looks like a huge time sink. Perhaps I´ll go for the Distant Guns campaigns again as it isn´t that big with so many ships like the Jutland one.

Edited November 13, 2018 by Captain Reyes

[Pandur]

you can sink some time there for sure, but also some ships, and with the dynamic element that you can influence with your actions, it elevates the rather dry "simulator" into something where you can connect emotionally if i can say it like that. the ships you lost are no longer meaningless, they would have been needed in the next battle.

if you enjoy the single scenarios i strongly recommend to you to try the campaign. germans in jutland have not so many ships its fine to handle. i can not say about DG 1.5

[General Jack Ripper]

On ‎11‎/‎13‎/‎2018 at 8:58 AM, Bud Backer said:

Is anyone still making - and keeping current - WW1-era naval elevate games?

As Reyes said, Rule the Waves is excellent, and RTW2 is in development.

[Michael Emrys]

On 11/13/2018 at 5:58 AM, Bud Backer said:

...elevate games?

What's an "elevate game", Bud? That's a term I haven't come across before.

Michael

[Bud Backer]

1 hour ago, Michael Emrys said:

What's an "elevate game", Bud? That's a term I haven't come across before.

Michael

Oh, that. It’s..ah...it’s a game that takes naval gun elevation seriously. Plunging fire vs side armour deflection fire. Yeah. That’s what I meant. Sure. 

[DerKommissar]

I recently picked up these games, but haven't really played them. Armored Brigade has been taking up my wargame time.

Any recommended campaigns/scenarios for beginners?