Some would refer to FSX as a game. Some would rather think of it as an experience...After having taken an early morning flight out of Olympia (ORBX) in the Carenado Grand Caravan (SP's applied) to a remote airstrip in the mountains requiring a cruise altitude of 11,000 feet ASL in the early morning pre-Dawn, and then morphing through that Dawn as the flight progressed, I thought of what would one consider a computer 'game' rather than the term: 'experience'.For myself, the term computer 'game' is connected with a strategic objective; namely to 'win' the situation, a one-time event of a car race, a military objective, a game of bowling, monopoly, etc.But, do I take to the simulated air environment with the aim of 'winning' this flight by successfully touching down upon the numbers at the end of it? Not really. I take to the air to satisfy a real-world longing and 'wish list' of TRULY lifting off of my departure runway, and navigating over farmland, rivers, lakes, ocean bays and inlets, forest covered mountains ranges...to finally hear the landing gear chirp upon that distant runway hours away. That to me, translates as to an experience, rather than a 'winning' objective to the exercise.FSX is about all-around personal satisfaction. It is about a sense of accomplishment with many varying levels of involvement. For real-world pilots, it is about honing their skills to make them even more efficient in that real-world cockpit. For the likes of myself, it is a portal to even 'taste' what that could be like, if I took a drive to the local airport, rather than a walk up the stairs to my Den to 'experience' the thrill of shedding being earth-bound.Whether the medium for that 'experience of Life' be FSX, or FS9, or whatever for that matter...is a Flight Simulator a 'game'? Nah....it's a Portal. A Portal with only your imagination and wonderment, as your limiting factor. Fly today in another State or Province. Fly today on a different continent. FSX and FS9 can give you YEARS of flying over a different X/Y coordinate of either simulator. Fly along a river and see where the head-waters end up. Take an ocean-side jaunt and do touch and go's off of bays and inlets. Both flight simulators offer you a truly enormous flight environment. Enjoy the 'experience'......always.

That's a wonderful post, Mitch. I always appreciate your insights, and most of all: your refreshingly positive attitude toward our hobby.John

Well, I think that's why it is lumped into the "simulation" category.Nice visuals. Thanks.Bob

Excellent. Well said.

I call FS9/FSX a simulation because they use real world topography, nav data bases, and flight characteristics/systems that emulate the real aircraft to varying degrees. All in all, it's quite satisfying, and not a feeling of being arcade. I use these "sims" to replicate real life flying experiences, or to go to places, that I have not yet visited, such as the PNW that's included in the ORBX titles.L.Adamson

Very well said.

Agree 100%Bob

Some would refer to FSX as a game. Some would rather think of it as an experience...Enjoy the 'experience'......always.

I believe it was Andy Grove, the founder of Intel, who at one point said:"The micro-processor is no longer going to be mainly aimed at computing,but rather at recreating a life-like experience"Andy Grove was a wise man :(