Flight Simulator (1980 video game)

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Flight Simulator (1980 video game) - Wikipedia

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Flight Simulator
TRS-80 version cover art
Developer(s)	Sublogic
Publisher(s)	Sublogic
Designer(s)	Bruce Artwick Stu Moment
Programmer(s)	Bruce Artwick
Platform(s)	Apple II, TRS-80
Release	Apple II NA: January 1980^[1] TRS-80 1980
Genre(s)	Amateur flight simulator
Mode(s)	Single-player

Flight Simulator is a video game published in 1980 by Sublogic for the Apple II (internally cataloged as A2-FS1 Flight Simulator).^[1] A TRS-80 version (T80-FS1) followed later that year. It is the first in a line of simulations from Sublogic which, beginning in 1982, were also sold by Microsoft as Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Sublogic later released updated versions for both the Apple II and TRS-80 on 5 1⁄4 inch diskettes. The updates include enhanced terrain, help menus, and a bomb sight.

Gameplay

Flight Simulator is a flight simulator in which the player pilots a somewhat modernized Sopwith Camel.^[2]

Development

Computer-graphics specialist Bruce Artwick and pilot and marketing student Stu Moment were roommates at the University of Illinois. Released for the Apple II computer as A2-FS1 Flight Simulator with British Ace - 3D Aerial Battle,^[3] it was their first product after forming Sublogic,^[4] has black and white wireframe graphics, with very limited scenery consisting of 36 tiles (in a 6 by 6 pattern, which roughly equals a few hundred square kilometers), and provides a very basic simulation of one aircraft.

Sublogic advertised that the $25 FS1 "is a visual flight simulator that gives you realistically stable aircraft control", with a graphics engine "capable of drawing 150 lines per second".^[5]

Ports

The simulator was later ported to the TRS-80 Model I under the name T80-FS1,^[6] which has only rudimentary graphics capability. Because of the TRS-80's limited memory and display, the instrument panel was dropped and the resolution of the cockpit window display reduced.

Reception

J. Mishcon reviewed FS1 Flight Simulator in The Space Gamer No. 31. Mishcon commented that "all things considered, this is single most impressive computer game I have seen. It creates a whole new standard. I most strongly urge you to buy it and see for yourself".^[2]

Bob Proctor reviewed the game for Computer Gaming World, and said that "although there are other flight simulators, the Sublogic program remains unique for the built-in dogfight game. While raving about the simulation, reviewers have called the game 'difficult', 'challenging', and 'next to impossible'".^[7]

Flight Simulator sold 30,000 copies by June 1982, tied for third on Computer Gaming World's list of top sellers.^[8]

Reviews

SoftSide^[9]
80 Micro^[10]
Moves #56, p25^[11]

References

^ ^a ^b Lerner, Preston (2023-03-22). "Pilot Program". National Air And Space Museum. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
^ ^a ^b Mishcon, J. (September 1980). "Capsule Reviews". The Space Gamer (31). Steve Jackson Games: 28.
^ "sublogic_a2fs1_manual" (PDF). fs1.applearchives.com. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
^ Hockman, Daniel (April 1987). "Bruce Artwick's Flight Simulator / You've Come A Long Way, Baby! / The History of an Epic Program". Computer Gaming World. No. 36. pp. 32–34. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
^ "New for the Apple II & TRS-80... the subLOGIC FS1 Flight Simulator!". BYTE (advertisement). January 1980. p. 94.
^ "Flight Simulator". mobygames. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
^ Proctor, Bob (March–April 1982). "You Too Can Be an Ace!". Computer Gaming World. Vol. 1, no. 3. pp. 32–33.
^ "Inside the Industry" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. September–October 1982. p. 2. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
^ "SoftSide Magazine Issue 28 (Convoy)". January 1981.
^ "80 Microcomputing Magazine August 1981". August 1981.
^ https://strategyandtacticspress.com/library-files/Moves%20Issue56.pdf ^{[bare URL PDF]}

v t e Microsoft Flight Simulator series
History
Civilian simulators	Flight Simulator (1982) 2.0 Flight Simulator (1986) 3.0 4.0 5.0 Windows 95 98 2000 2002 2004: A Century of Flight Wings of Power X Acceleration Flight Simulator (2020) 2024
Combat simulators	Combat Flight Simulator Combat Flight Simulator 2 Combat Flight Simulator 3
Sublogic simulators	Flight Simulator Flight Simulator II
Related games and spin-offs	Microsoft Space Simulator Microsoft Train Simulator Microsoft Train Simulator 2 (cancelled) Microsoft Flight
Developers	Bruce Artwick Sublogic Aces Game Studio Precision Manuals Development Group Dovetail Games Asobo Studio

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