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Shores of Hazeron
Kerbal Space Program
Noctis IV

Okay, I'll throw a couple in. I have been rediscovering my DOS games thru DOS Box and found a couple in depth ones I have not played in ages. NASA Pilot background might help, DOS PC flying games really need a Flight Manual.

Both of these originally came out on Floppy Disc. I so wanted a CD Rom version of Space Simulator, now happy that the floppy full installs easily transfers from my DOS drive backup CDs over to the Laptop Win 7 PC. I really need to get my DOSBox-Virtual PC Guide pieced together.

Right Click the pics for a larger image.

Microsoft Space Simulator
Set to sound affects or the appropriate music of 2001 Space Odyssey. Explore the planets and Fly to the Space Station just like the movie. I have another DOS game that does this, I'll add it once I get it installed. Oh man, keeping the roll inertia while flying in.


Precision Approach
An obscure title, land the Space Shuttle, that's it. Keep in mind the Space Shuttle has NO ENGINES when gliding in, there is no go around; either land or crash. The pilot, copilot and tower dubbed voice calls and even the dated hires graphic style adds to a simulation realism to this Flight Simulation game.

"Columbia, Houston Com Check how do you read?"
"Houston, Columbia read you five by."
"HAC Phase."
"I've got the Roll Channel now."
"I've got the Stick and Pitch."
"10,000 .... 7,000..."
"Let's watch the Gs."
"5000... 3000...."
"Columbia, Houston we show you a tad low."
"3000... Pre-flare next"
"2000... 1000..
"Hey Tower, watch this!"
CRAAAASH!

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/ref ... nts/entry/

In the automatic mode, the orbiter is essentially a missile, and the flight crew monitors the instruments to verify that the vehicle is following the correct trajectory. The onboard computers execute the flight control laws (equations). If the vehicle diverges from the trajectory, the crew can take over at any time by switching to CSS.

The commander and pilot can select automatic or CSS flight control modes. The crew can select separate modes for pitch and roll and yaw (roll and yaw must be in the same mode). The body flap and speed brake have automatic and manual modes.

A new space simulator just released on Steam. It looks just like what the OP was hoping for:

Lunar Flight
http://store.steampowered.com/app/208600/

J T wrote:A new space simulator just released on Steam. It looks just like what the OP was hoping for:

Lunar Flight
http://store.steampowered.com/app/208600/

A Lunar Lander remake? Neat!

I could never get into Lander

Psygnosis Lander - The First PC DVD game
I had this for a while, finally found it buried in the top shelf of the desk. Works in Win7 in Win98 compatibility mode and can be displayed all the way up to 1280x800. Think of Lunar Lander with a 3d Aspect controlled by the Mouse to pitch the ship around. The control is tight, but also wild trying to get stable flight. Fly around, land, shoot at enemies and use a tractor beam to pick objects.

Umax wrote:http://www.game-over.net/review/mar99/lander/

The first thing a player must do in Lander is realize that your craft (ironically known as a lander) doesn't handle or fly like a regular aircraft. It is a bit like a helicopter, except that you stay aloft by a large thrust unit on the bottom of your craft. You move forward, left, right and backwards by changing the angle of your craft, and therefore the primary thrust unit. It sounds a lot more complex then it really is. Basically, anyone who knows sort of how the Harrier Jump Jet flies will understand the basic idea behind flying your Lander.

If you like really difficult flying controls as in PS1 RC Stunt Copter, give this a try. Once mastered this game is a blast! I am lucky to aquire the duel CD and DVD release, the DVD has a very interesting feature.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lander_%28video_game%29

Lander was the first Psygnosis game to be released on the DVD format, making it the first game in the UK to come out on the new medium. The game's soundtrack, consisting of 12 audio tracks, was released in 5.1 surround sound.

A very nice read! Chronology of Lunar Lander.
The First Great Computer Game: http://mrwalker.greshamhs.org/2009/09/t ... ar-lander/

Discovered another couple of games to hunt for!

Open Lander http://openlander.wordpress.com/category/openlander-development/

Hopper: http://hopp3r.wordpress.com/category/development/

The Hopper game looks as intense control as Psygnosis Lander

Hopper pre-alpha

http://spacewalk.spadille.org/

Looks nice.

If you want an arcade type "space sim" inspired on aerial dogfights, i.e. not very realistic...
I think Privateer is one of the best oldies available with interesting combat and letting you explore.

If you want something that tries to be more realistic in terms of spaceship inertia and stuff like that, I suggest Independence Wars.

Depending on what type you are looking for, you can look into the other options suggested already, like Freespace or one of the Elite games.

Then there are the real simulators, which I don't think is what you want. These are the ones that try to be so realistic you need to basically train yourself, astronaut style, before being able to pull off anything decent (like actually landing rather than crashing every single time). A few of those were also suggested in the thread.