Why Early Access?

“I’m building Watchstander solo while serving as an active-duty Navy officer because I wanted a way to practice bridge watchstanding and Rules of the Road underway — not just take a test generator. We have COVE and other full-scale bridge sims, but none you can pick up and train on anytime, anywhere.

Early Access lets me put this tool into the hands of other watchstanders early so we can shape it together. Feedback from real users, especially those who’ve stood a watch, will help refine the sim and prioritize the features that matter most.

If you don’t have real-world experience, I still want this to be accessible. Please let me know what would help make Watchstander a better training tool for you.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“I expect Watchstander to remain in Early Access for 6–12 months while I expand features and polish based on feedback. Since I’m balancing development alongside active service, progress will be steady but paced. Community input will drive which systems get priority.”

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“The Early Access build is a functional simulator, but the full release will expand scenarios, polish systems, and add progression.

Planned additions include:

-Career Mode with multiple watchstanding scenarios, CO trust tracking, and off-watch decisions.

-Expanded Rules of the Road training, including night ops and low-visibility cases.

-Enhanced RADAR/NAV simulation with more control over inputs and environmental effects.

-Improved AI vessel behavior and scenario scripting.

-A briefing/debriefing system to simulate bridge team dynamics.

-Other ideas under consideration: weather variation, more ship types, and an advanced logbook/SWO journal system.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The current build is fully playable and includes:

-Free Roam Mode for experimenting with ship handling and contact tracking.

-Initial Bridge Watch Mode with CO trust mechanics and Rule of 30 expectations.

-Functional RADAR/NAV Display with range rings, scan sweep behavior, and hooked contacts.

-Rules of the Road Exams with your choice of test sizes and records.

It’s stable and functional, but UI, scenario variety, and polish are still being developed.”

Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?

“Yes. The Early Access price is intentionally lower to support development. Buying now gets you every update — including the full 1.0 release — at no additional cost. The price will increase as major features like Career Mode and expanded scenarios are added.”

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

“I want to hear from fellow watchstanders, SWOs, and navigation nerds about what matters most. Your feedback will shape which training tools and bridge features get built next.

I’ll post regular dev updates on the Steam Community Hub and invite players to share bug reports and feature requests. If there’s interest, I’ll also launch a Discord server for direct discussion.”