FS1 Flight Simulator

1979 video game

1979 video game

FS1 Flight Simulator

TRS-80 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: December 1979[1]

TRS-80
1980
Genre(s)| Amateur flight simulator
Mode(s)| Single-player

FS1 Flight Simulator is a 1979 video game published by Sublogic for the Apple II. A TRS-80 version followed in 1980. FS1 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

[edit]

Apple II screenshot

FS1 Flight Simulator is a flight simulator in which the player pilots a somewhat modernized Sopwith Camel.[2]

## Development

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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.[1]

### Reviews

[edit]

* SoftSide[8]
* 80 Micro[9]
* Moves #56, p25[10]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Inside the Industry" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. September–October 1982. p. 2. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
2. ^ a b Mishcon, J. (September 1980). "Capsule Reviews". The Space Gamer (31). Steve Jackson Games: 28.
3. ^ "sublogic_a2fs1_manual" (PDF). fs1.applearchives.com. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
4. ^ 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.
5. ^ "New for the Apple II & TRS-80... the subLOGIC FS1 Flight Simulator!". BYTE (advertisement). January 1980. p. 94.
6. ^ "Flight Simulator". mobygames. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
7. ^ Proctor, Bob (March–April 1982). "You Too Can Be an Ace!". Computer Gaming World. Vol. 1, no. 3\. pp. 32–33.
8. ^ "SoftSide Magazine Issue 28 (Convoy)". January 1981.
9. ^ "80 Microcomputing Magazine August 1981". August 1981.
10. ^ https://strategyandtacticspress.com/library-files/Moves Issue56.pdf [bare URL PDF]

* v
* t
* e

Microsoft Flight Simulator series

History

Civilian simulators|

* 1.0
* 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

Related simulators|

* FS1 Flight Simulator
* Flight Simulator II
* 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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