Ship Simulator 2008 goes gold
Haarlem & Rotterdam, The Netherlands - July 3, 2007 - Leading publisher Lighthouse Interactive and developer VSTEP are proud to announce that their next naval simulator Ship Simulator 2008 has gone gold. The Dutch duo confirmed the eagerly awaited game is ready to set sail on retail shelves on July 13, 2007 in the UK and Scandinavia. This new edition to the popular franchise is packed with upgrades and is Windows® Vista compatible
Lighthouse CEO Erik Schreuder said, " Ship Simulator 2008 is a giant leap forward in the world of naval simulation. There are so many improved elements to the game that make this a realistic and challenging experience - everyone interested in simulator games should really check this out."
VSTEP's Technical Director Pjotr van Schothorst added: "Some of the new features, like full walkthrough options on all ships and realistic ship motions on waves, will attract a whole new audience to the game. Like professional sailors who may never have touched a game before in their life."
Ship Simulator is a revolutionary simulation game that puts players at the helm of some of the most varied and detailed ships to be found at sea. Players will need to perform a multitude of tasks, all set within a stunning 3D environment, taking control of a wide array of ship types - from massive cargo ships and ferries, to speedboats, yachts, water taxis and even the mighty Titanic. The waters you sail are also as varied as the ships, with newly added harbours such as Southampton (including the Solent), Marseille and San Francisco. Ship Simulator 2008 will amaze you with its progress and will rock your simulated world.
Several new key features in Ship Simulator 2008 include:
Dynamic ocean waves, with realistic ship motions
Long distance travels , open ocean voyages between ports
Visible damage system
30 new complex and challenging missions
Extensive day, night, and weather systems
6 new ships, an oil rig, and 3 new environments
Walkthrough functionality and interactive bridge controls on all ships
Controllable container crane
Multiplayer feature to be added this September
VSTEP and Lighthouse also revealed several new features that were added into the game and that were unannounced until today:
Advanced vector graphic sea chart with full-screen display option, transparency setting, and high level-of-detail on text and depth readings
Advanced damage system showing holes in the ships after severe collisions
Free-roam mode where players can choose a ship, an environment, and set all weather, day, and time parameters which replaces the need for a mission editor for 99.9% of users
Realistic bow splash water, with support from an advanced physics simulation model
Extensive mapping options for keys and joystick buttons
Advanced rope system which allows you to connect and disconnect player ships to other ships or mooring boulders at will (anchoring is now also possible)
Addition of icebergs which cause damage when you collide with them
A system for sinking player ships when damaged below the water line (feature will be added this September).
During the summer, VSTEP will continue to work on localized versions for other European territories which are expected to ship in September 2007.
6 new high resolution screenshots accompany this press release.
ftp://ftp.lighthouse-interactive.qhosting.be:12321/
To find out more about Ship Simulator 2008 and to keep up with the latest news on the game visit www.lighthouse-interactive.com.
About VSTEP
VSTEP develops professional simulators for fire-fighters, and nautical training. Since its initiation in 2002, VSTEP has completed 32 training simulators for customers like the Royal Dutch Navy, the Port of Rotterdam, Falck/Nutec, and the Dutch Railways. VSTEP's experience and core technology from these projects has been adapted to deliver a "true to their roots" simulator for the home PC user. In 2006 VSTEP amazed the simulation community with its revolutionary Ship Simulator game.
About Lighthouse Interactive
Lighthouse Interactive is a leading publisher of interactive entertainment with offices in The Netherlands, Canada and England. Founded in 2005 by industry veterans, the company has quickly grown into a worldwide publisher with publishing operations on both the European and North American continents. With a drive for gaming that equals that of their target audience, Lighthouse has proven to have an eye for quality games in all sorts of genres, from adventure to shooters and from simulation to strategy. In 2007/2008, Lighthouse anticipates a further increase in activities, doubling up its number of releases for PC Windows to well over 10 in each market, as well as moving into console gaming. By backing its franchises all the way, Lighthouse has shown it is the right alternative for developers looking to bring their products to a worldwide audience.
Media Contact
Raymond Snippe
Public Relations Manager
Tel: +31 23 540 9449
Email: pr@lighthouse-interactive.com