Harpoon (series)

Harpoon
The logo used for Larry Bond's Harpoon Commander's Edition.
Developer(s)	AGSI Previous developers: Three-Sixty Pacific, Applied Computing Services, Alliance Interactive
Publisher(s)	Matrix Games Previous publishers: Three-Sixty Pacific, SoftKey Multimedia, Renegade Software, Alliance Interactive, IntraCorp, Eidos Interactive, Interactive Magic
Designer(s)	Larry Bond
Engine	Proprietary
Platform(s)	Original: MS-DOS, Amiga Current: Windows, Macintosh
Release date(s)	1989–2007, see below
Genre(s)	Real-time strategy, Wargame
Mode(s)	Single player, Multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: Everyone
Media/distribution	Original: Floppy disk, Current: CD, Download
System requirements Originally EGA, 8088, 512kb RAM, 1.2mb Floppy Disk. Presently P3+, .5Gb, 120mb

Harpoon is a series of realistic air and naval computer wargames based upon Larry Bond's miniatures game of the same name. Players can choose between either the Blue or Red side in simulated naval combat situation, which includes local conflicts as well as simulated Cold War confrontations between the Superpowers. Missions range from small missile boat engagements to large oceanic battles, with tens of vessels and hundreds of aircraft. The game includes large databases containing many types of real world ships, submarines, aircraft, and land defenses (i.e. air bases and ports).

Overview

The simulation has a growing and dedicated fan base with several websites offering a varying styles of scenarios and discussion forums, especially as the latest edition includes a feature to allow players to create their own scenarios. Often described as a "niche within a niche market," development of the simulation has progressed steadily through the years despite the overwhelming numerical and graphical superiority of first-person shooter and real-time strategy games. Advanced Gaming Systems, Inc. (AGSI), developers of Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare, currently distributes the simulation through Matrix games with technical support handled on a co-operative basis by AGSI and Matrix games employees.

Harpoon was originally developed by Three-Sixty Pacific and has had several development paths and publishers. Despite the widespread success of the game, Three-Sixty Pacific experienced financial difficulties and went under in 1994. Currently all computer rights rest with AGSI, who continues to improve the series with new developments and releases. In 2006, AGSI released Harpoon Advanced Naval Warfare (ANW) which allowed players to compete with human opponents for the first time in the game's history.

Harpoon's interface emphasizes technical accuracy over graphical polish, with simple 2D symbols to simulate a warship's radar display. There has been considerable debate in the game's user community about the decision of the developers to utilize 3D graphics in later versions of the program. Since March 2009, two releases are available to AGSI civilian customers. Harpoon Commanders Edition is an updating version based on the game engine of the original series. Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare is the current civilian edition of the product. Military customers are offered Harpoon 3 Pro, which is tailored for customer specifications. There is also a Macintosh version that lies between the Harpoon II and Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare called "Harpoon III v3.6.3"

Development of both commercial versions is ongoing, with the most recent release being V3.9.4 (March 2009). Other features in the upcoming release of v3.10 will include: Parametrized Missions, Encrypted databases and scenarios, and Harpoon Users Database (HUD) 3 database with all original scenarios updated as well.

Gameplay

The games play in real time, with time acceleration capability in case the action slows down. The player can control single or multiple platforms (up to the hundreds if the computing power is available). The game is extremely comprehensive, although certain elements of naval warfare are not modeled, such as radar ducting, sonar bottom and surface bounce, and COMINT/SIGINT.

Professional

Harpoon 3 Pro was renamed in March 2010 to H3 MilSim

H3 MilSim is the professional version of Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare. It utilizes surface, sub surface, airborne and ground-based units based on open source data to allow for training, education and lightweight analysis. It is a simulation that (purportedly) accurately represents the capabilities and limitations of modern naval and air forces.

Among H3 MilSim's features are:

• Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Interface - This allows for simple geometric shapes to be imported from products such as ESRI's ArcInfo.
• Harpoon Track Interface (HTI) - All unit tracks can be exported to a standard database product and then to products such as STK's Satellite Tool Kit.
• "Hot Washup" or "VCR" feature - Provides the ability for entire games to be recorded, viewed, edited and replayed.
• Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) Interface - An international standard used for simulations to communicate with each other in real time.
• Monte Carlo simulation
• Source code can be licensed - Allows for security or validation purposes.
• Umpire functionality - Provides the ability for a training professional to oversee training activities.
• Users can input classified values - but are responsible for the security of such data.
• Boarding actions (as of v3.10)
• Dedicated site: http://www.h3milsim.com

Titles

Harpoon Original release date(s): NA 1989	Release years by system: 1989—DOS, Macintosh 1990—Amiga
	Notes: Developed by Three-Sixty Pacific and Applied Computing Services Published by Three-Sixty Pacific for the DOS and Macintosh and by PSS for the Amiga It is the first game in the series
Harpoon Challenger Pak Original release date(s): NA 1991	Release years by system: 1991—DOS
	Notes: Developed and published by Three-Sixty Pacific It is a compilation of the original Harpoon which includes additional material such as a scenario editor and a strategie guide
Harpoon Classic Original release date(s): EU 1994 NA June 1, 1995	Release years by system: 1994—Macintosh 1995—Windows
	Notes: Developed by Three-Sixty Pacific, Applied Computing Services and Alliance Interactive Published by SoftKey Multimedia for the Macintosh and by Renegade Software and Alliance Interactive in the United States and the United Kingdom respectively It is continued on with Larry Bond's Harpoon Commander's Edition
Harpoon II Original release date(s): NA 1994	Release years by system: 1994—Windows
	Notes: Developed by Three-Sixty Pacific. Published on the Windows platform by Three-Sixty Pacific and by IntraCorp for the Macintosh
Harpoon II: Admiral's Edition Original release date(s): NA 1996 EU 1996	Release years by system: 1996—Windows
	Notes: Developed by Three-Sixty Pacific and published by Eidos Interactive It is an updated edition of Harpoon II that includes seven extra battle sets
Harpoon Classic 97 Original release date(s): NA November 7, 1996	Release years by system: 1996—Windows
	Notes: Developed by Alliance Interactive and published by Interactive Magic It is a revised edition of Harpoon Classic
Harpoon III Original release date(s): NA 2001	Release years by system: 2001—Macintosh
	Notes: Developed by Advanced Gaming Systems It is continued on with Larry Bond's Harpoon 3: Advanced Naval Warfare
Harpoon 3 Pro Original release date(s): June 1, 2001	Release years by system: 2001—Windows
	Notes: Developed and published by Advanced Gaming Systems
Larry Bond's Harpoon 3: Advanced Naval Warfare Original release date(s): NA June 15, 2006	Release years by system: 2006—Windows
	Notes: Developed by Advanced Gaming Systems and published by Matrix Games It is rated 3.5 stars out of 5 by allgame
Larry Bond's Harpoon Commander's Edition Original release date(s): NA November 21, 2007	Release years by system: 2007—Windows
	Notes: Developed by Advanced Gaming Systems and published by Matrix Games

External links

• Advanced Gaming Systems (AGSI), the series current developers
  • AGSI's Wiki for Manuals, Tutorials, Betatesting
  • Digital Military Artwork from Computer Harpoon
  • Professional military specific version
• Matrix Games' Harpoon Forum, current publishers of the commercial versions
• Clash of Arms, publisher of Harpoon paper version
• The Harpoon series at MobyGames
• Harpgamer - Developers of Harpoon Classic (Commander's Edition) and support forum.
• Harpoon HeadQuarters - The biggest and second-oldest community Harpoon site.