🚀 go-pugleaf

I have rented the flight simulator II for the atari; It is a
magnificently done program, no doubt about it.  It has most
of the features of the IBM Microsoft version (there are
some minor features that are only loaded in if you have
64K, ie, an XL machine).  Of course, the screen update
is slower...about 3 frames per second, compared with the
IBM's 16 frames per second; however, I found the speed
perfectly adequate.  The controls are responsive and the
"dashboard" seems to get updated even faster than the
scenery.

The program comes on two disks, one with the main program and
two "scenery areas", Chicago and the WWI pilot scenario.   The
other disk comes with four additional scenery areas.  All
parameters are user modifiable (weather, reliability, etc).
The documentation is excellent...one large book describing the
program itself and the plane's operation, the other book about
flight physics and acrobatics.  In addition, pilot's maps of
the program's geographical areas are included.

My opinion of the program?  Again, it is a masterpiece of
programming.  The detail is unsurpassed.  Most of the
plane's controls are from the keyboard, however, and
I found they were not easy to learn.  Also, sometimes
the details were a bit too detailed.  For instance, should
I really have to worry about kicking in the magnetos for
each engine?  In fairness, there is an "easy" mode where
many details are automatically taken care of.  However,
you can't get some details without including all of them.

Basically, I feel that the program is SO realistic that it
was too much work to be much fun.  You get the work of
flying without the exhilaration.  However, as a true
simulator, it is among the best for micros, and it is
certainly worth having as a collector's piece (if you
feel like shelling out the money...I didn't think
it was worth it).

				Ben Weber
				AT&T Technologies