Harpoon Classic '97

This is just the original 1997 game for Win95 which has been ported to Steam. A number of features doe not work because they were made for a Win95 environment and have not been ported to the Win10/11 environment. These features include all forms of ingame help which should be available from the game menus but are 'not available' and the scenario editor which is a 16-bit application which cannor run under Win10/11 without installing external tools to enable 16-bit applications. Seems to just be a moneygrab by Microprose.... I've applied for a refund!

Without a working scenario editor this game is dead in the water. I played this when it first came out in the 90's and the scenario editor is what made this the fun game that it was. I see people posting about doing some kind of work around to get the scenario editor to work but I don't care to waste my time with that and I should not have to, it either works or not. At this point if they can't get the editor to work in game the way it was then I cannot recommend it.

If you are interested in a 30-year old adaptation of a wargame that feels more like a 90's business application rather than a 90's PC game you aren't going to go wrong. Despite that its still a perfectly playable game and to be honest I even like how you can freely resize and organize your various windows in your "Workspace". The in-manual tutorial is a must to learn how to play and its surprisingly very good. Its really not as complicated as you'd expect and is surprisingly very pick up and play, but there's still plenty of nuance to understand that will come with experience. It's a nice balance of complexity I think If you got some Modern (as of 1997) Naval Warfare Autism and are willing to put in a little work to get used to some 90's conventions (and use them to your advantage) You'll have a good time. Runs fine on Linux Mint (only thing that doesnt work is the manual menu, I assume this is due to some path weirdness, and the dropdown menus are a little offset. Tabular Fields also show up as white and you need to click on the individual fields to see the data underneath). Doesnt do so hot on the Deck in standard mode however due to it full screening the last window that pops up. However it might work better in Desktop mode with a bluetooth keyboard (And it is unfortunate we didnt get ultimate)

As someone familiar with naval sims but never played [i]Harpoon[/i] before, I can see its appeal as a simplified approach to simulation/war gaming. It is very different from arcade-style shooters and RTS games. [i]Harpoon[/i] forces you to work with limited resources and long distances. You need to think about where to engage/disengage, how many assets to risk, how much ammunition to expend, etc. There is less emphasis on clicks or output per second. Units cannot be replenished. Every piece counts, and protecting a couple more troop transports or neutralizing one more enemy cruiser can be a significant win. This is usually reflected in each scenario's backstory and objectives. === Graphics === Pros: reportedly needs less than 8 MB of RAM Cons: the visual appeal of an educational software from the 1990s === Realism === Pros: simulated ammo and fuel range (air assets only), EMCON, radar horizon, subsystem damage, thermolayers, sensor and weapon envelopes, nuclear authorization and warheads Cons: the terrain has uniform elevation. Platforms change depth, altitude, or speed instantaneously, but this usually does not affect strategy. Comment: the scenarios are not always balanced. One side can have a substantial advantage, and you might fail a mission more often than you win. Sometimes this is plausible based on history, but it can also feel like higher command has made a huge mistake on the strategic level. === Micromanagement === Pros: grouping units reduces visual clutter and synchronizes your attacks. The AI assistant pauses the game on important events and reminders and can automate some missions. Cons: user settings are not retained across game sessions or saves (unless within one session). Comment: the interception of incoming missiles as well as subsystem repairs are delegated to the AI with no user input possible. To me this is a convenient abstraction, but other people may feel differently. === Scope of simulation === Less platform-centered compared to: [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/541210/Cold_Waters/]Cold Waters[/url], [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1600/Dangerous_Waters/]Dangerous Waters[/url], and [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/2920/Sub_Command/]Sub Command[/url] Fleet-oriented similar to: [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1076160/Command_Modern_Operations/]CMO[/url], [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/2910/Fleet_Command/]Fleet Command[/url], and [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1286220/Sea_Power__Naval_Combat_in_the_Missile_Age/]Sea Power[/url] === Misc === Sound effects are minimal and in my opinion can be turned off altogether. Some Help options in the game menu do not work, but there is a tutorial mission and a manual. === User-generated content === Pros: many pre-made scenarios by the community Cons: the scenario editor does not work straight out of the box but may work in the future or with some tinkering. Some veteran players have voiced concerns that only one version (not the latest compilation) of [i]Harpoon[/i] is included in the product.

Would be way better if the editor had been included.

The classic naval simulator. It's bit dated as far as unit selection and items go, but still reasonably modern equipment. Graphics are simple, unchanged from the 1980s unit symbols on maps. The computer opponent isn't that smart, but does the job. You also can't intimidate it. The scenario editor is broken, so you are unable to peek under the hood of play conditions.

I was ensnared first by paper Harpoon and then by PC Harpoon when it appeared in 1989 or so. This iteration is an excellent agglomeration of all that is great about the computer version of the game. I haven't had a chance yet to look around for the scenario/campaign editor (does it exist?), though rumor in the forum has it that the Editor is present but non-functional. With the enormous number of scenarios included here, I'll be happy for some time. The UI is a little clunky (1990s remember). The sound effects are just about non-existent, and the music (what there is of it) is crummy. The Platform Data Base is both extensive and accurate. AI enemies perform IAW historical national naval doctrine of the time. The stress of arranging your assets to deal with as yet undetected threats is palpable. If you're looking for high grade visuals of ships and aircraft, this game is really not for you. However...if you're looking for challenging exercises in modern (ok...late 20th Century) naval problem solving, I can recommend this game without reservation.

viele viele Stunden habe ich mit diesem Spiel verbracht, nun viele weitere - DANKE MicroProse Software für die Reanimation dieses Klassikers!

I played this game since first release of the classic and I really appreciated since the beginning in early y2k. Unfortunately this version of the game crashes randomly... after hours of game interrupting, this is very annoying and compromises completely gaming experience.

If you're old enough to have played Harpoon in the 90's, exactly what it says on the lable. Still playable and you still get the Rule Britannia when playing as the Royal Navy - God save the King! For younger folk - effectively Sea Power (Naval Combat in the Missile Age) without the graphics. Imagine fighting real naval combat in the Ops Room of a Type 42 DDG...