Flight Simulation on the Xbox 360 or PC

The console came into our homes quite some time ago now and has moved on, technologically speaking, year on year, as so the PC which we use for Flight Simulator. But has it become more apparent now that the capabilities of the console far outweigh the intricacies of the PC?

With the stunning flight combat simulations now being released by the major manufacturers, it seems only time before flight simulator makes the transition across too.

Would this be the end of simming as we know it, or do you think the console is the way ahead?

Many questions need to be asked before we take the unknown plunge into this futuristic world, one thing for sure, personally speaking which ever format flight simulator is used on, the world wide fan base will keep this, the number one game of all time.

In many ways flight simulator FSX which is the culmination of 25 years of hard work, developing the software and making it the leading light in pc gaming is very good, excellent, it's 22nd century stuff if your one of the unlucky ones not to own a super PC!

The problems of playing the game on the PC are too numerous to mention, just take a look around at the major flight sim sites to see the problems people have, with graphics, or sound, or tweaking the scenery, or just tweaking each other. It eventually drives the coolest pilot in town to hang up his goggles.

That aside, if you do have a decent PC then you can enjoy the wonders of this virtual world all in the space of your home environment.

Add-ons play an enormous part in shaping the way we fly in the simulated skies. Not only does software play a big part with numerous companies giving us everything from aircraft to the worlds leading airports, developers bring so much to the community it would be hard to see where they would fit in, if the game went console.

Would there still be a place for these gents to trade their wares?

Hardware is as much a bonus, stunning seats which move in all directions, to headsets which give you a full 360 view of the outside environment. Finally playing the game online in a controlled space where some can be the pilots and others controllers sat in the ivory towers high above the runway.

I think all the technology, all the software and hardware developments can be used to drive forward the flight simulation market place and bring new potential pilots into this great hobby.

Whether the hobby retains its PC status or eventually moves on to the console we will see.

Whatever happens one day the "as real as it gets" game will be changed to "this is the real deal"

Even in the world of simulation on the console, the flight simulator has moved on from its early years.

Back in 2002 Aqua System produced what could have been the first in flight simulation for the masses. It was called Flight Academy, unfortunatley it was only ever released on the Xbox in Japan. So the rest of the world never got the opportunity to see this newcomer to the virtual world.

The game itself never took off (pardon the pun) but figures for just how well it really did are hard to come by so who knows! The format was very similiar to game play on the PC version of flight simulator, however the action all took place in and around Japan, with island bases as the airport landing strips. Here is how the Japan-based developer AquaSystem hoped to expand the genre with Flight Academy for Xbox.

Based loosely around AquaSystem’s PC flight-simulation series Gin-Yoku, Flight Academy puts players behind the wheel (so to speak) of the most powerful commercial aircrafts in the world. Using such planes as the 777 and Boeing 747 players can fly through flight certification of free-flight modes.

From that point on Microsoft must have looked very closely at how this development would enhance their own version. You will have to make your own mind up on that answer.