Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
AN EXTREME CASE
The takeoff sequence in the game
Megafortress
was possibly the longest for any
consumer-level flight simulator ever made. The game simulated a hypothetical stealth-
modified B-52 bomber. To get the plane off the ground (fortunately, it was already lined
up on the runway), you had to:
1.
Switch on battery power.
2.
Switch on interior lights.
3.
Switch on power to all eight engines.
4.
Fire starter cartridges for all eight engines.
5.
Switch off battery power after the engines were running.
6.
Switch on navigation lights.
7.
Switch on landing lights.
8.
Pressurize the plane to noncombat levels.
9.
Tune radio to correct frequency (this also served as the game's copy protection).
10.
Lower flaps.
11.
Release brakes.
12.
Throttle up all eight engines (fortunately, this could be done simultaneously).
13.
Pull back on stick (plane takes off).
14.
Raise landing gear.
15.
Raise flaps.
This sequence involved moving back and forth from the pilot's seat to the copilot's seat a
couple of times, too. Soon after you got into the air, you had to switch all the lights back
off to avoid being detected by enemy aircraft. If you forgot to pressurize the plane, the
crew complained about being cold. When you went into combat, you were supposed to
lower the air pressure to avoid a violent decompression if the plane was hit.
Megafortress
was a techno-geek's dream. It was not, however, a big financial success as
flight simulators go.
COORDINATED FLIGHT
Another common simplification that almost all flight simulators make is to produce
automatically coordinated flight. Ordinarily, the pilot of an airplane must coordinate
the movements of the ailerons and rudder when he turns to prevent the plane from
skidding sideways in the air, in the same way that a car skids sideways on wet pave-
ment if it takes a turn too fast. Because the plane has no tires gripping pavement to
