Anyone like Microsoft Simulators?

Microsoft makes many simulation games, including Flight Simulator, Train Simulator, and Combat Flight Simulator... Does anyone play these? I have FS (Flight Simulator) 2002 and 2004 and I have ordered Combat Flight Simulator and Train Simualtor off of amazon...

When I was obtaining my pilots license, I used MS Flight Simulator to satisfy the IFR simulator requirement of my flight training. While satellite GPS has almost done away with the old Vortac requirements, it was very accurate, even on the old 486 machines. The same principals applied, and while the charts and maps included with the program clearly stated they were not certified for "real life" use, they were darn near exact duplicates with minor differences of the real thing. I only wished that I could trim the 172 I was flying as easily and accurately as I could trim on a keyboard.

What version of Flight Simulator was it?
My mother used to be a pilot and she used Elite 8.0 and now that she does not fly anymore, she gave me her Elite software and the yoke and rudder pedals...
By the way, Flight Simulator X is expected later this year

I don't remember, it was years ago and it was on the trainer at school, but I rememberhaving to create a flight plan and following it on the simulator. I never did finish my ifr rating...ran out of both time and money....still keep up vfr rating though.

I started with Flit Sim in the mid 80's. Maybe version 2 or 3?

Like Rich, I used it for practice and found it pretty darn accurate. However, the Bell 206 in FlitSim is impossible to fly properly, for me anyway.

So at least you recognize the terrain you're crashing into.

I have Train Simulator. You pretty much have to be a railfan to enjoy it. There's lots of information at http://www.train-sim.com/msts/forum.htm. The download section there has many extra routes, equipment and activities. The game comes with six routes (I think), cars and locomotives. You'll also need the patches from MS. Since you're from Colorful Colorado, you'll probably be interested in these: Silverton Branch of the D&RGW, Alpine Tunnel, Cumbres Pass, Rollins Pass/Moffat Tunnel, and the complete Rio Grande Southern, to name a few . That should keep you busy for a while!

Train Sim sounds like a riot. I had a ton of train tracks and cars as a kid. I'd waste hours setting things up then crashing it all.

Gomez Adams couldn't hold a candle to my wrecks

I cannot wait until my Train Sim and Combat Sim come ...

Joseph, If you only have half the fun I had playing with trains you'll be smiling from ear to ear

lol

Wonder if you can simulate head-on train crashes (a la Gomez Addams) in one of those train simulators.

Microsoft only made one Train Simulator ... I believe that it came out in 2000 or 2001..

I had heard that the program had miles and miles of actual scenery to view as you rode in the train and looked out. I didn't know how true that to be, but I used to live within 75 yards of one of the routes that is listed on the package...I always wondered if I could look at my old house as the train went by...

I've always got the greatest kick out of simulators and exploring virtual worlds, looking for hidden cookies and such. During one of the Amiga Expos back in the 80s, there was a virtual world game which never materialized, but in the story you were driving down a road and beamed into an alien spacecraft. The movie intro was cool. Then the spacecraft beamed you on foot back down. You then walked towards this little town...in the demo there was about 30 buildings, but you were like out of phase or something, so you couldn't be seen or interact, you could only watch as the people of the town went about their business. And it was pretty detailed for vector graphics. Houses had toilets in them and people used them too...I remember laughing at that one...anyway, you just walked around town sticking your nose into other peoples business...

Edited by Rich Hawley 2006-04-07 8:13 AM

Interesting, Rich.. Sounded like a fun game..

Edited by tenjeangosi 2006-04-07 8:15 AM