Flights of Fancy

Posted on 17 Aug 2009 at 11:35

 

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Can computer games ever be realistic? Stewart Mitchell investigates how far some people will go to turn computer simulations into virtual reality.

You're on the final approach to the airstrip after a successful Spitfire sortie over Kent when a German fighter slides in behind you and strafes your plane out of the sky. Without the benefit of a rear-view mirror, you're exposed to blind-side attacks, and with only a keyboard and joystick, you're left fumbling for the key to take evasive action.

This is the sort of problem you encounter when gaming in a 2D world, where your only interaction with the environment is a screen, a keyboard and mouse. There's no realistic grappling with the controls as you attempt a crash landing, there are no vibrations from your seat as you reach peak revs in a racing game and there's nothing to indicate where the sniper who's cutting you to ribbons is hiding.

PC games needn't be such sensory-deprived environments. There are ways to immerse yourself in the virtual environment while making your own environment more in keeping with the game. Peripherals can help you interact with the virtual world and turn your PC into something more akin to a commercial airliner or F1 car.

Flying high

One genre for which realism has become a particular obsession - both in terms of content and dedicated input devices - is the flight simulator. If a flight simulator is inaccurate, it's worthless and may even be dangerous. Pilots use simulators for training, so fidelity is paramount. Some top-end simulators are able to provide certified training even though the student never actually takes off.

"Zero flight-time training is used for all sort of situations, such as when a pilot is used to flying an Airbus and changes to a Boeing," says Mark Rouson, communications director for Thales UK, which manufactures professional flight simulators. "They learn to fly the new plane totally by using a simulator. The first time they really fly that plane, they have 180 people out the back drinking gin and tonic."

The multi-million pound simulators licensed for this level of training may seem a far cry from a joystick and PC, but fanatics point out that the basic accuracy is similar, especially once they have built and installed a set of peripherals that enhance the input experience.

"The graphics on a simulator are not always the most photo-realistic," says Bob Sidwick, who runs home simulation specialist RC Simulations (www.rcsimulations.co.uk). "But the realism in these programs stems more from the accuracy with which they portray the real-world handling of the aircraft, the precision of movement and feedback, and the integrity of the environment."

With this attention to detail at heart, enthusiasts take up the challenge by extending their gaming environment to include lifelike peripherals. These are largely built around Microsoft's flight simulator, which is also used in part for training by the military and professionals. Home fliers often start with a simple joystick but end up with a full cockpit.

Flight-sim enthusiast Ian Sissons has turned his garage into a reproduction of the cockpit of a Boeing 737. His creation (which is explained in more detail in the 'Taking flight' box on 118) is a carbon copy of a commercial airliner cockpit, complete with switches for every function. It's a five-computer labour of love, and controlling it is virtually indiscernible from flying a jet.