Flight Simulator
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HotSeat Chassis' plane and helicopter flight simulators
When we hit up a press event, we're looking for two things (besides free refreshments): unannounced products and unreleased devices that we can get you some hands-on shots of. Well save for the snazzy MX Air that we picked up from Logitech, last night's Digital Life preview in New York was a total bust -- nothing but Foleos and non-working robots as far as the eye could see -- so instead of schmoozing with our colleagues or getting our egos stroked by publicity-happy vendors, we watched uncoordinated journalists attempt to master the controls of HotSeat Chassis' latest immersive simulators. While the company also makes a full line of driving rigs, the demo machines were both of the flying variety: the $6,000 Combat Sim and $7,000+ Heli Sim. The former contraption features two monitors and traditional "dogfight" controls that work with most any software, while the latter offers just a single control stick to help you live out those Airwolf fantasies. If you're interested in checking out gaming equipment that costs more than a used car (and even some new ones), hit the gallery below... %Gallery-4826%
What if ... Flight Simulator on the 360
As part of their Missing in Action series, GameAlmighty is pitching the idea of having Microsoft's Flight Simulator landing on the 360. And, to their credit, the game would pull in a new demographic and could actually work quite well with Xbox Live. Even though we have yet to get our hands on the latest Flight Simulator iteration, GameAlmighty instantly sold us on the game with their ideas for Live features and gameplay. Their ideas include things like creative achievements, co-op gameplay, bookmarking world locations, special flight joystick, and a beefed up leaderboards system. Seriously, Flight Simulator could work AND be entertaining on the 360. So we ask, would you be interested in Microsoft's Flight Simulator if it were to come to the 360?
Today's worldliest game video: Xbox 360 Controller + Virtual Earth
Video: Using Xbox Controller for Live Search Maps We'll be starting to think about abandoning our mice altogether if things get as simple as this video makes them seem. Using the Xbox 360 Controller and optionally the Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows (good grief that's a mouthful), you can whiz in and out of Virtual Earth just like Hiro Protagonist in 'Snow Crash'.It's like using the controller and turning the whole planet into one giant version of Flight Simulator. We knew that game would come back in a big way sooner or later. Next stop, Virtual Solar System.
Today's flight simmiest video: Vulcan - BlackBuck raid test in Falkland/Malvinas flight sim
Anyone else heard anything about this flight sim? It looks PC-based, but it just got us to thinking that we really need to see some flight simulator goodness on the next-gen consoles. I'd even settle for a low-grade graphics version on the Nintendo Wii. Back in our college days, we spent hours and hours flying around in LucasArts' Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe, and Wing Commander III, and we want to keep doing it. Build us a good, quality, realistic (and fun) flight simulator, and the masses will come. Is that too much to ask for? In the meantime, enjoy the footage, and pray for something good to come down the pipeline. Our wallets are ready and willing.
X-Plane 8.5 Beta now available
Laminar Research has released a new Beta for X-Plane 8.5, developer Austin Meyer's comprehensive flight simulator and personal labor of love. Beta 11 is available for Mac, PC, and Linux, and features dozens of modifications such as new environmental effects and joystick button controls. There are also some tweaks to the instrument panels, which may be the most welcome update given the game's challenging learning curve.Read Joystiq's review of X-Plane 8.21.
Windows Vista delayed until 2007... taking Halo 2 with it?
Microsoft's announced that Windows Vista will be delayed until January of next year for most consumers. Some businesses will get an early crack at the OS this November, however.Other than Vista's touted advantages for gamers (and its enormous technical requirements), we care about a delay because certain games may not release, run, or run "optimally" with anything less than Vista, including Halo 2 for the PC, MS Flight Simulator X, and CryTek's Crysis ("the first DirectX 10-enabled game" for the new OS).Of course, release plans, optimizations, and compatibilities could change from here till the end of 2006, but Microsoft will probably try to support its upcoming OS upgrade with as many titles as it can in the coming year. Vista was supposed to spark a new renaissance in PC gaming after its long and drawn-out development grind. At least corporate testers will get to check out the new version of Minesweeper before Christmas.
MS Flight Simulator X screens are perty
Well, that didn't take long. Bill Gates announced the next version of Flight Simulator last night during his keynote speech at CES and today FSPlanet has some exclusive shots of the game and a FAQ with the developers. Of note: They are "adding a new mission-based element to give fans a more objective driven experience with a sense of progression and skill development." "While Flight Simulator X will not require Windows Vista, it will be optimized for the latest in Windows gaming hardware and fans will get the best experience by running on Windows Vista." "For the first time Flight Simulator will ship on DVD only." "Backwards compatibly with existing 3rd party content is and has always been a priority..." Check out the screens, they look pretty incredible. Maybe that mission-based element will keep some of us from falling asleep at the controls.
CES: MS Flight Simulator X optimized for Vista
During Bill Gates CES keynote last night he used the newest version of Microsoft's seminal Flight Simulator series, simply dubbed Microsoft Flight Simulator X, to show off the graphical capabilities of the next-generation of DirectX and Windows Vista. He said, "You can see the realism of the reflection. And I'm actually going to drive or going to try to drive with my Xbox 360 controller plugged directly into my Windows Vista PC. You can really start to see the smoke from the boat, the independent and kind of live life that you see with the waves, with some of the birds and the trees that you'll start to see." The title promises more realism, more planes, more online connectivity, and more of everything else that flight-sim fans clamor for. It's expected to be on shelves for Holidays 2006.
