No, no arguments here, please. Just a look at the changes from the start, although nobody in this forum needs a reminder:

 

 

 

Source. The Old Flight Simulator Vault - http://fshistory.simflight.com/fsvault/

 

 

 

And the latest iteration of the Microsoft Flight Simulator series:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I find it very interesting that we were all playing those early versions, and yet nobody, nobody at all, ever complained that it was just an arcade game for kids. And yet for most of its history, FS has not had:

 

- airliners;

- real weather;

- ATC;

- world-wide coverage;

- realistic panels;

- realistic flight models;

- AI aircraft traffic;

- freeway traffic;

- realistic terrain depiction;

- scenery objects;

- realistic clouds;

- and on, and on, and on....

 

For most of those decades, we were all busily pretending that FS was a real sim and that we were "serious" simmers, whatever that is supposed to mean.

 

I am not looking for an argument, but only wonder how we shall feel 10 or 20 years from now looking back at all this? Shall we say, "That wasn't realistic at all, not a real sim like we have now"? :lol:

 

I much prefer to look back with some tenderness, and marvel at the progress in our lifetime. And enjoy what we have as much as possible.

 

Best regards.

Luis

"For it is the doom of men; that they forget." Merlin; Excaliber 1981

"For it is the doom of men; that they forget."

A men to that brother! Been there, done them all since day one. Flight was/is such an improvment it is hard to beleive.

Luis - Thanks for the stroll down memory lane. I too have owned each and every version. And, you're correct in us being in awe at each release and becoming a bit rabid about running them as much as possible. Now look where we are. :lol:

Luis that brings back some memories. I remember getting SubLogic FS on my C64 and then when SubLogic ll came out on a 41/2 inch floppy on my Amiga 1000 wow I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. It did teach me how to navigate though, because if you didn't learn, it was impossible other than by chance, to find another airport. Still have the original manual in my bookcase haha.

 

Yeah had all the other versions too and all the new Pc's to make them run...

 

...sort of :)

 

The things we do eh?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nobody said they were an arcade for kids because they weren't. Flight by today's sim standards looks like an arcade for kids.

Two of my favorite games and a TV show I really liked.

 

I forgot the other two.

Chuck Yeager's Air Combat! Yes! :lol: Memories, oh, such fond memories!

 

Best regards.

Luis

A great stroll down memory lane for sure! Thanks! I will quit griping about occasional stutters in FSX... Wow!

 

Jeff

Chuck Yeager's Air Combat! Yes!

 

"Git back up there, and try it again!"

I loved B-17 Flying Fortress.

I loved the F16 in Jet.

I believe that many of the Sims that brought us to where we are today would be classed as "games" now, in concept as well as execution.

I believe that many of the Sims that brought us to where we are today would be classed as "games" now, in concept as well as execution.

 

That's cause I think they were and some of us were a little younger, problem is I feel pretty much now how I did then.

 

I do remember though going on and on explaining to people that 'my' flight sim was no way a game, it was the closest thing to flying you could get lol.

Which brings us back to the OP. Years from now, the "Sims" that we claim are the real-ist of the real, etc.........

 

Will likely be seen in retrospect as "games" and "limited"