Quite a lot to unpack. Thank you for taking the time of giving such detailed feedback and suggestions.
The curved lines, like you said yourself, wouldn’t make much sense in the context of the map, and I’m afraid that this would generate confusion (even though it would look nice).
I think the Echolot confirmation works well as it is. Your suggestion is sound, but I feel that sometimes it’s best to stick to the simplest system that most people are familiar with, unless you have a very specific reason not to. I also think that the window is a more elegant way to present the text.
You’re right about the numbers. They do offer certainty. I mentioned this as a reason to explain why they’re so popular in many games. But that’s precisely why I don’t think it’s right for what I want to do. One of the major themes of U-boat warfare is the tension; and this tension comes in great part from never having any certainty about anything. If you think of real life U-boat combat, there was never any way of knowing what were the chances of hitting, or being detected. Captains only knew what worked in their favor, and what worked against them, and their appreciation improved over time, with experience. That’s what I would like the game to convey. I had a similar experience with Silent Service, but I think that the struggle came from the game not communicating well the parameters that went into the resolution of any situation. Games were different back then. It was a do or die philosophy, with very poor quality of life. Atlantic ‘41 will be a modern game, that (hopefully), gently introduces the player to all the concepts needed to succeed, and conveys clearly all the variables. But I want the player to learn the impact of these variables with experience, like a real captain would do. The advantage being that you have the luxury of starting the war over as many times as you want. I realize that it’s a risky and challenging bet, and that it asks more investment from the player, but I believe in the idea, and I hope that there’s enough patient players out there that are willing to get their asses kicked a few times. ;)