I've not looked at this at all yet (though I got an email from play.com advertising it a few days ago). I tried the demo of VS and thought it looked ok so bought it. A day later, I posted it down to BridonBear FOC Reminds me of CFS3 though everyone I've given it away to has given it back! :shock: At least BB kept VS
Can't see me parting with any dosh for this I'm afraid even though I've not seen it and it might be great. Put-putting around the skies at 100kts in the Rapide has it's moments.. chugging along at 20kts.. nah!!
I know I havent got as far as being able to run this yet, but to me, the fact that it took next to no time from the dawn of personal computing, for someone to write a credible flight simulator, whereas its taken about 25 years to acheive the arguably simpler, or at least computationally less demanding task of writing a ship sim, speaks volumes!
I guess it could be argued that a ship sim might be computationally simpler but it depends on the degree of realism matey. For sure, a ship looks like a big bit of metal with naff all inside but that isn't quite so! Likewise, how on earth could you simulate currents and for that matter.. tidal movement! :shock: These may have been in VS3 or whatever it was I bought but I didn't hang on to it long enough to find out. As that was about sail.. the difficult bit was catching and hanging on to the wind, not worrying about being stranded outside the harbour until high tide
You're starting to sound like a ship scientist Dave We used to have Aero-Mech-Ship debates as to whose subject was the most complex at university. My favourite quote from a Ship scientist was "but we have two types of fluid flow to deal with!" (meaning water and air). As if.... aerodynamics of the superstructure arent going to come into play much at 20kts
Still, you are right about currents, but then its the same with weather systems for a flightsim. If it were a true simulator it would have to solve incredibly complex CFD codes in real-time, and one day, it just might do that... In the meantime, it relies on a few mechanics/physics type equations, or in the case of M$FS, tables, apparently :k:
My point originally was meant to show that theres a lot more demand for a flight sim. You said yourself, why pootle along at 20kts when you can do 100+ in FS
Dave, might wanna check out VS8. Lot more features now, including towing/tugboat action. Scenery is still basic (about what you see in most commercial sims) but there is a lot more powerboating and other forms of operation including submarines and they have some pretty fun online multiplayer from time to time.
I took the plunge with ship sim. I tried the demo vers, then tried the demo from VS. I have to say that the latter made me feel queesy, there was so much swell.
Having run a GRP cruiser for several years, and having been on a Med. cruise, I know that I am not the most experienced sailor in the world..........but I have been there for real. Ship Sim wins hands down.
There was a note on their forum about there being a North American version in August with NY Harbor, so I think I'll probably end up waiting until then to get it.
Don't make waves, and go with the flow..............
I never thought I would go for a sim like this. I used to think of it in the same vein as golf simulator.................. :shock: :-$ :tuttut:
Having tried the demo, I got a feeling that with user involvement, it could turn into something much more.
It does have the option for users to create ships and scenery...........and that interests me a lot.
Reminds me of CFS3 though everyone I've given it away to has given it back! :shock: At least BB kept VS 
