Today, indie sailing simulator eSail Sailing Simulator V3 has officially been released, adding a slew of new features and updates for free.
From a visual standpoint, eSail Sailing Simulator V3 is a huge leap forward, adding better land textures, detailed water, building window lights, and more. All of these aspects are influenced by the move to Unity 6, which enhances overall performance and supports future development plans.
The environment as a whole is a lot more immersive, with wind variability (Live Sailing) now responding to the shape of nearby land, causing wind shifts. Anabatic and katabatic breezes cause patches on the water surface, which the observant sailor can use to maximize speed.
A new sailing area is also available as of eSail V3, known as the New Trade Islands. These islands are slightly tidal, so you have to be aware of the tides when sailing under the two bridges, and each features its own tide tables and charts.
Other quality-of-life improvements include:
- Reference section and notebook
- Boat detailing
- Reciprocal button on the chart plotter
- Depth sounder now reads depth, taking into account wave and tide height
- Hands and wheel center adjustable brightness
- Each chart is now saved with zoom and position
- Added an ‘all lines delete’ button to charts
- Added Settings to modify keyboard steering and throttle
For those who may not have heard of it, eSail Sailing Simulator is a sailing simulator made by indie developer eSail Ltd. The title teaches you to raise the mainsail, tack, gybe, reef the sails, moor, and anchor the boat, with the goal of leaving you with an understanding of how to pilot a real yacht once you master it.
It allows you to explore the open waters surrounding the Shearwater Islands and seek out locations like the wreck of the Princess Zara. Other gameplay challenges include sailing races, treasure hunts, passage planning, and collision avoidance in obstacle courses.
Now is the best time to join the title for new players, as the update’s centralized learning changes have improved access to tutorials and training resources.
eSail Sailing Simulator is currently available on Steam for $37.99. For more information on this and other nautical simulators, like Seafarer: The Ship Sim and Ships at Sea, be sure to check back to Simulation Daily for updates.
