Microsoft Space Simulator

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Microsoft Space Simulator
Microsoft Space Simulator Cover

Developer(s) Bruce Artwick Organization Ltd.
Publisher(s) Microsoft Game Studios
Designer(s) Charles Guy
Platform(s) MS-DOS 5.0
Release date 1994
Genre(s) Simulation
Mode(s) Single player
Media 3.5" floppy disk
System requirements 386/25 microprocessor or higher, 15 MB hard disk space, 2 MB system memory, high density disk drive, VGA card and monitor
Input methods keyboard/mouse or joystick

Microsoft Space Simulator is a space flight simulator program for MS-DOS/Microsoft Windows. It is one of the first general-purpose space flight simulators and it incorporated concepts from astrodynamics and celestial mechanics.

Contents

[edit] Features

  • 14 spacecraft models ranging from a compact manned maneuvering unit (Shuttle's MMU) to an interplanetary passenger transport (Galactic Explorer) and a giant interstellar freighter (Zander Freighter),
  • Destinations including space stations (both almost-historical e.g. Space Station Freedom and futuristic e.g. Ring Station 1), bases (e.g. Kennedy Space Center or futuristic Marineris Base on Mars) and celestial bodies (including comets) in both the solar system and outside (e.g. in the Polaris or Vega star system),
  • Spacecraft instrument panel providing altitude and velocity information,
  • Video recording and screenshots
  • Predefined missions which task users with accomplishing certain objectives (like Apollo 17 moon landing or docking a Shuttle to Space Station Freedom),
  • Autopilot and Flight computer autopilot can be used to execute 15 maneuvers of different complexities (ranging from attitude/orientation control to automatic landing). Maneuvers can be also compiled into a complete flight plan that can be automatically executed,
  • Observatory mode that can be used as a planetarium for viewing stars and other celestial bodies
  • Slew control mode

[edit] Physics engine

[edit] Genesis and evolution

Microsoft Space Simulator was released by Microsoft Home in 1994. It was developed by BAO Ltd. (the company run by Bruce Artwick who was also behind development of Microsoft Flight Simulator) with Charles Guy as lead developer. It was one of the last simulation games released for MS DOS.

It provided support for high-resolution graphics (at its time) running in 256 color mode on three resolutions: 320x400, 640x400, 800x600. The graphics featured dithered gouraud shading 3d vessels, with texture mapped planets, moons, and deepsky objects.

[edit] Sound

Microsoft Space Simulator features sound or music through an AdLib OPL2 card.

[edit] Included spacecraft

Spacecraft featured on the simulation are:

[edit] Included space stations

Space stations featured on the simulation are:

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

Languages