Factsheet
 
Developer:
Misc Games AS
 
Release date:
23th May, 2024
 
Platforms:
Steam/Epic Store
 
Website:
shipsatsea.com

Description

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Ships At Sea is a next-generation ship simulator set in the untamed Norwegian Sea, available now in Early Access on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.
 

This release brings full multiplayer to the series, with both cooperative and competitive modes built around a shared world. Build your maritime career in service, cargo transport, or commercial fishing, then team up with friends in a joint company or run separate companies in the same session to collaborate, trade resources, or compete for contracts.

For the first time in the series, Ships At Sea introduces dedicated service and cargo vessels alongside commercial fishing boats, reflecting one of the most requested features from the community. Each vessel class offers distinct roles, tasks, and progression paths, letting players specialize or switch careers as they explore the open world.

In partnership with NVIDIA, Ships At Sea harnesses the WaveWorks water shader to deliver a cinematic-quality ocean surface that reacts dynamically to wind and weather. A fully overhauled, physically based buoyancy system ensures vessels of all sizes respond convincingly to waves and swell, while a dynamic weather system—featuring rain, fog, lightning, and full-blown storms—makes every crossing feel unique and unpredictable.

Players can explore authentically recreated harbors inspired by Lofoten, Norway, complete with bustling quays, infrastructure, and local maritime industry. Visit shops to acquire tools, gear, and supplies, or head to the shipyard to upgrade, maintain, and repair your vessels as your fleet and ambitions grow.

Building on the success of our previous titles, Ships At Sea delivers an atmospheric, highly realistic environment with accurate charts, licensed vessels and equipment, and richly detailed coastal landscapes. Combined with modern rendering technology, this creates a striking visual experience that anchors the simulation in authenticity and immersion.

To support a wide range of PC hardware, Ships At Sea integrates cutting-edge performance and upscaling technologies, including Nvidia DLSS Frame Generation, AMD FSR 3 & 4 Upscaling, and Intel XeSS. These features boost frame rates while preserving image quality, and additional color settings are available to assist players with color vision deficiencies.

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History

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Ships At Sea builds on our experience from the successful commercial fishing simulations Fishing: North Atlantic and Fishing: Barents Sea.

Development on Ships At Sea began in 2021, giving our team several years to build a new, future-ready foundation for the series and its ambitious multiplayer systems.

Following the strong reception of these titles, we listened closely to community feedback and set out to create a brand-new technical foundation that supports seamless online multiplayer for up to 16 players.

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Features

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• Single-player and Multiplayer: Play solo or join up to 4 players in P2P or up to 16 players on dedicated server.

• Developed with Unreal Engine 5

• Company Feature: Join a company with friends to share resources and complete tasks, either collectively on the same boat or individually with your ships. Alternatively, you can create separate companies within the same session to compete for success.

• Diverse Career Paths: Explore a variety of careers in the maritime world:

  • Cargo Transporter: Master the reworked cargo system, efficiently stack and place goods onboard your ship, laying the foundation for container ships.

  • Service Operator: Command a service ship to conduct maintenance and critical repairs to maritime infrastructure and support other vessels. 

  • Commercial Fishing: Start with basic equipment and progress to advanced techniques like jigging, longline, and net fishing to catch diverse species such as halibut, salmon, and spotted catfish.

• Authentic Wheelhouse Experience: Operate fully functional instruments in the wheelhouse, including:

  • Sonar with three distinct modes (history, forward, and 360° views).

  • Radar, Radio, and Autopilot systems for precise navigation and communication.

• Expansive Open-World Map: Discover the Lofoten region of Norway in a realistic 46 x 46 km map with a true-to-life 1:1 scale.

• Boat Class Certificates: Progress through different classes to unlock and pilot advanced vessels.

• Next-Level Ocean Simulation: Experience Nvidia’s WaveWorks and a fully reworked, physically-based buoyancy system for realistic vessel behavior.

• Character Customization: Customize clothing and gear based on your chosen career path.

• Boat Customization: Modify and personalize your vessels for enhanced performance and aesthetics.

• Dynamic Weather: Encounter immersive weather conditions like storms and fog, which you can freely adjust during a session. 

• Licensed Ships, Equipment, and Navigation Systems: Operate authentic, licensed vessels and utilize real-world tools and systems from the maritime and fishing industry, ensuring a truly immersive and realistic simulation experience.

• Marine AI-System