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| From: Computer Gaming World Mac Boot The Macintosh Surfaces For A New U-boat Mission By Kevin Turner Operation Drumbeat was the code name for U-boat operations off the East Coast of the United States during World War II. After America entered the war, Admiral Donitz, the chief architect and commander of the German U-boat fleet, sent his U-boats to America to intercept and destroy convoys and disrupt the sea lanes. He almost succeeded. U-boat commanders found a country ill-prepared for submarine warfare. There were no coastal blackouts, and ships traveled up and down the East Coast without escort or convoy. The British tried to relay the lessons they had learned, but found the U.S. Navy disinterested. Meanwhile, the Germans went hunting in seas much friendlier than those they had left behind. DRUMBEAT, the game, is a Macintosh submarine simulation (a Windows version is under development) where you take on the role of a U-boat commander during this East Coast campaign. Photo Realism The first thing that really impressed me about DRUMBEAT was the graphics. The control room is an actual photo of a control room, altered slightly so that all the gauges and controls fit on the screen. Clicking on the hatch takes you to a photo of the captain's stateroom. From the stateroom, you can tour the aft end of the submarine. Each stop on the tour is a photograph, although there is nothing to do in the other compartments. From the control room, you can head forward and tour the business end of the U-boat. This tour isn't functional, but it shows you what the confines of a U-boat were like. Heading to the bridge, you'll find a set of binoculars for surface attacks, and a voice tube used to receive status reports. Checking the horizon is done in 90 degree jumps, instead of the panning that most PC games support. The sea moves, although the effect is hampered by a demarcation line on the horizon where the sea seams to flatten. Day turns into night in a hurry, meaning sun one moment and stars the next. The sounds were more impressive. When you give an order, it's not merely acknowledged and carried out, the entire process is audible. For instance, a depth change order is acknowledged, the instructions are given to the helmsman and the planesman, and the sounds of pumping or blowing tanks can be observed. As I left the sub pens in Lorient, France, a horn sounded and I could hear the engine running and the wind going by. Sub Par Game play wasn't quite up to the standard set by ACES OF THE DEEP, but was entertaining nonetheless. The interface for ship's control was hard for an old PC hand to learn. I spent a lot of time looking for familiar ways to accomplish tasks, only to end up with the same control window that follows the player everywhere. The game is heavy on strategy, and this is reflected in the manual, which is nothing more than a well written treatise on sub operations and strategy. Animation is minimal, and a lot of the standard sim perks, such as tactical aids and sonar input, simply don't exist. But what DRUMBEAT does do, it does very well. The U-boat has a Target Data Computer that is to die for. Once a target is spotted, it's viewed through either the binoculars or the periscope. Input the masthead height, divisions in the reticle, and angle-on-the-bow into the TDC, then press the generate solution button. Presto, one working solution. While the TDC is being operated, the target seems to freeze, which makes life much easier. Aircraft attacks are frequent, and the only possible solution is to dive. The sounds around the dive are so well done that I felt myself flashing back to my submarine days. Yes, it did sound a lot like that, sans the German accents. If you have a Mac and an interest in sub warfare, I recommend this game. If I had one wish, it would be for the developers to put DRUMBEAT and ACES OF THE DEEP in a blender. Then you'd have the ultimate submarine simulation. Appeal: Mac users ready to plunge into the world of submarines. |
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