John Sensebe’s Portfolio

A portfolio for John Sensebe, software engineer.

688i Weapons Launch Console Trainer

Platform(s): Desktop (Windows)

Role: Lead Engineer

Engine / Tech: Unity (hybrid 2D/3D), .NET serialization, custom trainer framework

Years: 2016–2017

Overview

The 688i Weapons Launch Console (WLC) trainer was a modernization effort to convert an existing 2D WinForms‑based submarine trainer into a hybrid 2D/3D Unity application. I was initially assigned as lead engineer and ultimately became the sole engineer on the project. The Navy was not ready to fund a full 3D rewrite, so the goal was to update the weapons launch console itself while replicating the original 2D interface for other parts of the submarine needed for training.

One of the core challenges was that the original server and the new Unity client used different versions of .NET, each with slightly different serialization behavior. By carefully analyzing and translating the serialized data, I enabled the legacy server and the new Unity client to communicate seamlessly. This avoided a major rewrite of the server and helped keep the project well within budget.

The result was a fully functional hybrid trainer that preserved the original logic, modernized the interface, and provided a foundation for future submarine trainers.

My Responsibilities

Technical Highlights

1. Serialization Compatibility Layer

The original trainer relied on .NET serialization to communicate between server and client. The new Unity client used a different .NET version, causing subtle incompatibilities in serialized data formats. I engineered a translation layer that:

This allowed the legacy server to remain nearly untouched and enabled old WinForms clients and new Unity clients to run side‑by‑side during development — a major advantage for testing and verification.

2. Data‑Driven UI Reconstruction

To understand the original interface, I wrote a tool that read the WinForms control definitions and drew bounding boxes for each control type. After enhancing the tool to overlay these boxes on the original background images, I realized the entire interface — control positions, images, and logic — was fully data‑driven and could be moved wholesale to the new system, simplifying development immensely.

By implementing a small set of equivalent controls in Unity and feeding them the original data, I reproduced the entire WinForms interface with minimal manual work. This approach produced a complete working 2D port very early in development, allowing the team to focus on the 3D WLC integration. Another engineer tested the port against the written procedures and the old system to ensure the logic was correctly imported and that the new Unity controls behaved identically to the legacy WinForms ones.

3. Hybrid 2D/3D Interface Integration

The Navy provided reference photos from the original 2D trainer, but these omitted parts of the console that trainees did not interact with. For the 3D trainer, the entire console had to be represented, at least visually. I visited the U.S.S. Pasadena with the lead artist — who was gathering information for another project elsewhere in the sub — to capture the missing details.

Once the 3D WLC assets were complete, I created 3D control components that replicated the corresponding 2D controls and their original logic internally, but presented a modern 3D interface integrated into a fully accurate representation of the weapons launch console. For screens not physically present on the console but still required by the operator, I created side‑mounted quads and wrote algorithms to project touchscreen input onto them, preserving full functionality.

4. Visual and Audio Enhancements

With time remaining after the core work was complete, I added several polish features:

These enhancements improved clarity, usability, and overall presentation.

Engineering Challenges

Legacy Server Compatibility

Maintaining communication with the original server required careful handling of .NET serialization differences.

Incomplete Reference Material

The Navy’s original photos omitted parts of the console; visiting the submarine was essential for accuracy.

Hybrid Architecture

The trainer needed to preserve the original 2D logic while presenting a modernized 3D interface.

Touchscreen Projection

Auxiliary screens required custom projection logic to map trainee input correctly.

Collaboration

I worked closely with SMEs and visited the U.S.S. Pasadena to gather reference data. I collaborated with the lead artist to ensure the 3D console matched real‑world equipment and integrated smoothly with the data‑driven UI system. I also coordinated with management to align prototype delivery with formal review milestones.

Outcome

The 688i trainer was deployed successfully and exceeded expectations. The modernization effort preserved the original logic, delivered a significantly improved interface, and avoided a costly server rewrite. The Navy later commissioned a 688 2nd Flight Weapons Launch Console Trainer built on top of my codebase, which junior engineers extended without needing assistance — a testament to the clarity and maintainability of the architecture.

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© 2026 John Sensebe — Gameplay & Simulation Engineer