I don't "get" simulation

[michaelleung]

I have joined a virtual airline (well, more of a virtual stunt team) in FS2004/FSX, and I have to tell you, doing stunts for other viewers on a computer is AWESOME FUN! I don't know why it's fun to fly a United flight to Honolulu though, but I think that these adrenaline-fueled teams are good fun.

 

[hypothetical fact]

I can understand playing (is that the right word?) a flight sim except when the user turns on auto pilot and walks off! Yes I know a person who has charts and tables set up for how many hours the plane trip will take so they can do something else until it is time to land the plane.

 

[Mariena]

Flying airliners in one straight line, I guess you wouldn't get that. Not many would. However, simulators provide substantial training for aspiring pilots and protocols in the real world. .. as has been mentioned. Second, the combat flight simulators also provide the fun of "killing stuff" while maintaining the realistic aspect.

Just recently released is the "DCS Black Shark" helicopter simulator. An incredibly realistic virtual representation of the Russian Ka-50 helicopter. You can compare it to Falcon 4 on the level of complication and realism. There is a 6 minute video tutorial on "How to start your engine". You might wonder "where the **** is the fun in that?!". The sense of accomplishment really plays here. It is so complicated because it is so realistic, not because the developers decided to make complicated stuff up.

If you always wanted to be a Fighting Falcon/Viper pilot, or a Black Shark pilot, but never passed the qualifications for the airforce, or financial issues, or whatever.. this is your best bet. And the cheapest. Though a set of Track IR 4 and a good HOTAS setup will go a long way, as well

I play Armed Assault (and OFP a few years ago), because I have interests in ground warfare and the military. I once thought of joining the KCT, but eventually decided it'd be a little bit too dangerous for me (and was well on my way through qualifications). Armed Assault is the closest to what was once a "dream". And it isn't only a matter of "killing stuff".

 

[TheIceface]

I always have problems in games where you can customize and simulate characters.
I always just end up making characters just like myself, since there is no other person I'd rather be.

 

[bkd69]

I purhased Falcon 4.0 gold something-something on a trip to America. The manual in the box is 100 pages long, the e-manual is 700 pages long, and I'm not going to play it until I get a HOTAS joystick.

For someone who doesn't get vehicle sims, you're sure jumping in with both feet.

Flight sims are best played with a joystick, but the throttle isn't critical.

As far as the realism appreciation among vehicle sim enthusiasts goes, first, it ratchets up the difficulty factor. In the real world, things are less forgiving. Second, as noted, one of the main appeals is the ability to vicariously experience something you never would, otherwise, so why wouldn't you want that experience to be as realistic as possible? And that fetish for realism has taken some extraordinary turns, between the aforementioned airlines, real world weather, and virtual air traffic controllers.

I'd love to see a little of that realism fetish brought over to racing games, so I could virtually race on realistic interpretations of some of my local highways.

 

[J-Man]

I purhased Falcon 4.0 gold something-something on a trip to America. The manual in the box is 100 pages long, the e-manual is 700 pages long, and I'm not going to play it until I get a HOTAS joystick.

For someone who doesn't get vehicle sims, you're sure jumping in with both feet.

Flight sims are best played with a joystick, but the throttle isn't critical.

As far as the realism appreciation among vehicle sim enthusiasts goes, first, it ratchets up the difficulty factor. In the real world, things are less forgiving. Second, as noted, one of the main appeals is the ability to vicariously experience something you never would, otherwise, so why wouldn't you want that experience to be as realistic as possible? And that fetish for realism has taken some extraordinary turns, between the aforementioned airlines, real world weather, and virtual air traffic controllers.

I'd love to see a little of that realism fetish brought over to racing games, so I could virtually race on realistic interpretations of some of my local highways.

I tried playing Il-2 Sturmovik with only a stick, and it was pretty much impossible. I'm looking to buy a Saitek X52 pro at some point.

 

[bkd69]

Also, as long as we're on the subject, a quick pointer to X-plane:

http://www.x-plane.com/

 

[Praelanthor]

currently playing X3 terran conflict (space sim) i find it incredible however i can understand if its not everyones cup of tea

 

[Rajin Cajun]

Flying airliners in one straight line, I guess you wouldn't get that. Not many would. However, simulators provide substantial training for aspiring pilots and protocols in the real world. .. as has been mentioned. Second, the combat flight simulators also provide the fun of "killing stuff" while maintaining the realistic aspect.

Just recently released is the "DCS Black Shark" helicopter simulator. An incredibly realistic virtual representation of the Russian Ka-50 helicopter. You can compare it to Falcon 4 on the level of complication and realism. There is a 6 minute video tutorial on "How to start your engine". You might wonder "where the **** is the fun in that?!". The sense of accomplishment really plays here. It is so complicated because it is so realistic, not because the developers decided to make complicated stuff up.

If you always wanted to be a Fighting Falcon/Viper pilot, or a Black Shark pilot, but never passed the qualifications for the airforce, or financial issues, or whatever.. this is your best bet. And the cheapest. Though a set of Track IR 4 and a good HOTAS setup will go a long way, as well

I play Armed Assault (and OFP a few years ago), because I have interests in ground warfare and the military. I once thought of joining the KCT, but eventually decided it'd be a little bit too dangerous for me (and was well on my way through qualifications). Armed Assault is the closest to what was once a "dream". And it isn't only a matter of "killing stuff".

Pretty much this. I grew up on flight sims like Mosquito or something like that based on the Mosquito Bombers of WWII. I then seriously cut my teeth during Middle School on Falcon 4.0 the original and it is hard to describe the satisfaction of pulling off an evasion of a SAM battery or downing some MiGs making their run for the DMZ it was just exhilarating. Or playing the old Hind helo sim of the Mi-24 there was a real badass feeling of flying 10 feet off the deck going full bore and strafing the hell out of some Afghans. Oh yes and the Silent Hunter series that game was like pure crack since I am such a WWII History Buff.

 

[J-Man]

The only sims I play are Armed Assault, and that's only because I've modded it to a point where it looks more like some freakish Call of Duty.

 

[Meatstorm]

I think it's the ability to do something that would be a lot harder to experience in real life.

agreed

 

[Daymo]

I've been a "sim" fan since I played Gato on the Apple IIc. Why do I play them? It depends on the game. I like flight sims because I'm something of an airplane buff; flying a YB-70 from Offut to Arkhangelsk appeals to me in a way that sports games appeal to the people who follow that sort of stuff. (I assume.) I'm also a big fan of tank sims, and military sims in general; partly because- like most guys- I enjoy blowing things up, and sending a 120mm APFSDS round through a T-80U at 2km feeds that appetite wonderfully, as does splashing a flight of Mig-23s with a single F-15C or sending a cruiser to the bottom. But military sims usually allow a second kind of fun that others don't: the sandbox. I'm able to play out scenarios. How would a company of Bradleys hold up against a battalion of BMPs? Can a Tu-160 punch through a Patriot belt, or does it need SEAD support? And so forth.
If that sounds weird to you, consider those sport fans again, endlessly arguing over whether the '68 Dodgers could defeat the '77 Yankees or how much of a difference the home field advantage meant in the finals last year.

What's this milatary sim called and where can I find it online to buy?

 

[stompy]

Now that I get, but what baffles me are games like Cooking Mama or Wii Sports (which I'm not sure are actually considered simulation games, but whatever). Why would anyone waste time playing a video game version of something they can easily do in real life? Why is Wii Fit so popular when (from what I've seen) all of the activities it has can be done without the aid of a video game?

Now, actually having played those games, I'd say it's less about 'simulating' something, and more about just having fun. That, and I find it's more of a 'do it with friends' thing.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

The Sims isn't a sim game. Has your mind been blown yet?

I'd disagree. The Sims does indeed attempt to simulate a normal boring person's normal boring life; therefore, the Sims is a sim.

 

[geldonyetich]

Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach simulate.

 

[RufusMcLaser]

What's this milatary sim called and where can I find it online to buy?

Which one? I described at least four different sims in that post- X Plane 8, Steal Beasts Professional PE, Lock On: Modern Air Combat, and Silent Hunter 2. You can find all but Steel Beasts Pro PE for around $20 US. PM me if you had a specific one in mind.

 

[SimuLord]

I have joined a virtual airline (well, more of a virtual stunt team) in FS2004/FSX, and I have to tell you, doing stunts for other viewers on a computer is AWESOME FUN! I don't know why it's fun to fly a United flight to Honolulu though, but I think that these adrenaline-fueled teams are good fun.

Thousands of miles of open ocean with nothing but blue stretching in every direction as far as the eye can see isn't RIVETING to you? I think it would blow some of those folks' minds if you could take it up to 45,000 feet and do a barrel roll.

 

[bkd69]

Now that I get, but what baffles me are games like Cooking Mama or Wii Sports (which I'm not sure are actually considered simulation games, but whatever). Why would anyone waste time playing a video game version of something they can easily do in real life? Why is Wii Fit so popular when (from what I've seen) all of the activities it has can be done without the aid of a video game?

Wii Fit is aiming to crossover to the home fitness market. And if you haven't been paying attention there, you might be surprised to learn that it's them, and not the porn producers, who are making the most out of DVD technology.

As far as Wii Sports goes, yes, these are all activities you can do without a video game, but I think you severely underestimate the value of 'easy.'

Take bowling. First, you have to get there (goodbye beer frame), then shoe rental, and lane rental, and time spent playing. On the Wii, you can be playing in less than five minutes, and the game goes much faster. Plus, it's much more forgiving than real life, which means that more players will have fun at it.

While I appreciate the sentiment of the argument, it always amuses that nobody ever actually tries to apply it to other popular game genres. For example, it'd be pretty easy to start a fight club with your friends, and if racing is quite readily available. Paintball is also widely available for FPS fans, and if paintball's not manly enough for you, well the army is ready to take you.

 

[Woe Is You]

Yeah, why would you want to actually go bowling in a public place with friends when you can spend $250 dollars to pretend that you're bowling?

Well, the difference with this compared to playing a simulation of being an airline pilot or a racer is actually pretty huge.

There's only one type of sim that I'll never get. And that's train simulators. Train tycoon games, sure, but train sims... who the hell buys those?

 

[Symp4thy]

I love playing Railroad Tycoon 2, good lord I love that game. I'm not sure why, and I totally see your point in it being a waste, but for some unknown reason, I love it!

Yes! I'm with you.

As far as flight sims, I have a friend who is training to be a pilot, and he uses to learn and practice.