
With control of the research vessel, players choose from a variety of dives, each with their own scientific objectives – from charting the seafloor to retrieving sediment cores, from gathering oceanographic data to observing the behavior of deep-sea squid. The premise of subROV is that players have command of a research vessel and its deep-ocean ROV, affectionately named Suberto. Seeing a niche in the market, and wanting to build a prototype that would allow him to practice advanced sound design, González decided to use ROV exploration as an overall theme for the game.
#Ocean rov software
To his surprise, when he looked for software to recreate the experience of piloting an ROV, there were few options other than expensive commercial simulators. González designed a dive that integrated the top two concepts in Maas’ NSF project that she wanted players to walk away with (except using “deep ocean angry red squid,” as she referred to them, because gamers want to have fun). The investigation focuses on the impacts of low oxygen zones in the deep ocean and how the changes in oxygen impact the swimming and respiration rates of animals in that ecosystem. National Science Foundation (NSF) research project led by BIOS comparative physiological and zooplankton ecologist Amy Maas. One of the simulated dives was developed and funded by a U.S.

“I was immediately captivated by the display of advanced robotics technology and the overall sense of other-worldliness,” González said. Countless hours of footage recorded at depth yielded glimpses of bioluminescent fishes, fragile cold-water corals, hydrothermal vents, and vast seamounts.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and SOI as part of their deep-sea mapping and research programs. His interest in the deep ocean started when he came across livestreams of ROV expeditions conducted by the U.S. The game is the brainchild of José González, a freelance composer and sound designer with over two decades of experience in the video game industry.

Developed with input from researchers at BIOS and the Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI) in Palo Alto, California (U.S.), subROV allows players to assume the controls of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and pilot it on a variety of scientific missions.
#Ocean rov series
Drawing inspiration from his love of ocean exploration, as well as real-world scientific investigations and ROV expeditions, González produced a series of simulated dives for players to pilot their ROV through.īeginning this fall, ocean exploration enthusiasts will have a new window into the deep sea and its inhabitants through the virtual world of subROV: Underwater Discoveries, a PC-based simulation video game. Created by sound designer José González, subROV: Underwater Discoveries puts players behind the controls of a deep-ocean remotely operated vehicle (ROV). A new simulation video game developed in collaboration with BIOS researchers is set to debut on the gaming platform Steam in late November 2022.
