Watchstander: COLREGS/Rules of the Road Training Administrator
Practice COLREGS and maritime Rules of the Road through randomized quizzes, flexible test lengths, score tracking, answer review, and a bundled navigation handbook. Built for officer candidates, midshipmen, maritime students, instructors, and licensing preparation.

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Early Access Game

Get instant access and start playing; get involved with this game as it develops.

Note: Games in Early Access are not complete and may or may not change further. If you are not excited to play this game in its current state, then you should wait to see if the game progresses further in development. Learn more

What the developers have to say:

Why Early Access?

“This trainer was built to fill a gap: a lightweight, offline tool to drill COLREGS knowledge using randomized quizzes — without requiring a full simulator or internet access.

Early Access lets me gather feedback from real-world users, including officer candidates, instructors, and students, to improve the quality and clarity of the question bank, scoring logic, and UI. Since this is developed in parallel with the full Watchstander simulator, I want to make sure the COLREGS portion stays accurate, useful, and scalable with real input.

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“I expect COLREGS Trainer to remain in Early Access for 3–6 months while I expand the question bank, improve analytics, and refine the interface. Since it shares core systems with the full Watchstander simulator, updates will track closely with that project but remain independently stable.

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

“We plan to expand the question bank, refine scoring, and add more testing options during Early Access.

Potential features under consideration include:
- Additional question types covering narrow channels, restricted maneuverability, and more edge cases.
- Timed testing modes for exam prep.
- Advanced analytics and exportable results for instructors.
- Optional visual prompts for light configurations.

The roadmap will be shaped by community feedback and training needs.

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The current version is fully functional and includes:

- Randomized multiple-choice quizzes based on official COLREGS
- Rolling average and high score tracking
- Clear pass/fail feedback per test
- Minimalist, fast-loading UI with keyboard and touch support
- Offline support (no internet required)

It is stable and usable for solo training or classroom warmups. Question quantity, filtering options, and instructor-facing features are still being expanded.

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

“Yes. The Early Access version is priced lower and will increase slightly as more features are added. Early buyers will receive all future updates at no additional cost.”

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

“I welcome feedback from SWOs, JOODs, instructors, and students using this tool to prepare for real-world boards or exams. I’ll use the Steam Community hub to post update logs and polls, and I’ll continue adding features based on what users need most from a COLREGS testing tool. Feedback on question clarity, edge cases, and what to practice more often will directly shape the roadmap.”
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About This Game

🧭 Master the Rules of the Road

Watchstander: COLREGS/Rules of the Road Training Administrator is a focused, offline study and testing application for officer candidates, midshipmen, maritime students, instructors, and mariners preparing for navigation and seamanship examinations.

Practice randomized multiple-choice questions based on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) and maritime Rules of the Road. Choose from multiple test lengths, review your answers, track your performance, and strengthen your recognition of the correct action in common navigation situations.

Key Features

• Large bank of COLREGS and Rules of the Road questions
• Randomized questions and answer choices for repeated practice
• Multiple test lengths for quick study sessions and longer examinations
• Answer review with correct and incorrect responses clearly identified
• Locally saved scores, rolling average, high score, and training history
• Bundled Navigation Rules Handbook with page navigation and zoom
• Works offline after installation with no account required
• Focused entirely on Rules of the Road training—no ship-handling simulation
• Runs without a dedicated graphics card

Built For

• U.S. Navy and Coast Guard officer candidates
• NROTC and USNA midshipmen
• Maritime academy and merchant marine students
• Navigation instructors and exam-preparation tutors
• Mariners preparing for licensing examinations or SWO boards
• Anyone seeking structured COLREGS practice

Study Anywhere

Use Watchstander: CORTA in the classroom, at home, or underway. Progress is stored locally, allowing you to continue training without an internet connection.

Training Disclaimer

Watchstander: CORTA is an independent study aid. It is not a substitute for official publications, formal instruction, applicable regulations, or professional operational judgment.

System Requirements

    Minimum:
    • OS: Windows 10
    • Processor: Intel Core i3 or AMD equivalent
    • Memory: 4000 MB RAM
    • Graphics: Integrated (Intel HD 4000 or better)
    • Storage: 500 MB available space
    • Sound Card: Standard onboard sound
    • Additional Notes: Designed to run on low-spec laptops. GPU not required. Ideal for offline COLREGs training.
    Recommended:
    • OS: Windows 10 or 11
    • Processor: Intel Core i5 or newer
    • Memory: 8000 MB RAM
    • Graphics: Dedicated GPU (GTX 1050 or better)
    • Storage: 500 MB available space
    • Sound Card: Standard onboard sound
    • Additional Notes: Runs best with keyboard + mouse. Touch Mode optional.
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