YS Flight Simulation System 2000

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YS Flight Simulation System 2000
A squadron of Mitsubishi T-2s
Developer(s)	Soji Yamakawa
Designer(s)	Soji Yamakawa
License	Freeware
Version	20080220
Platform(s)	Windows, Linux
Release date	1999
Genre(s)	Flight Simulator
Mode(s)	Single Player, Multiplayer
System requirements	Windows 95/98/Me/NT4.0/2000/XP/Windows Vista, and Linux operating systems, Intel Pentium 200MHz or faster CPU, 64MB RAM, 6MB Hard disk space, DirectX 3.0 or later
Input methods	Keyboard, Joystick, Mouse

YS Flight Simulation System 2000 is a freeware flight simulation programmed by Soji Yamakawa, a staff member of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University.^[1] The simulation is popularly referred to as "YS Flight" or simply "YS". It is compatible with most systems, including Linux.

The simulation includes a broad selection of types of aircraft, which is greatly expanded by unofficial vehicle add-ons. Planes range from historic models, through to small, modern fighter jets and full size passenger jets. This range is greatly expanded by mods, which are relatively easy to produce since the program was also designed "for... 3D graphics programmers".^[2]

As of the latest version (20080220, released on 23 March 2008), the main package of YS Flight includes 3 different versions, each utilizing a different graphics API for rendering the 3D graphics: non-OpenGL, OpenGL, and DirectX.

1 Game play
2 Criticism
- 2.1 Lack of realism
3 See also
4 References
5 External links
- 5.1 Reviews

[edit] Game play

A BAe Hawk T.1 in the livery of the Red Arrows

YS Flight can be played as either solo play on a single computer, or as online play connecting to a server (a computer running YS Flight in server mode) either through a LAN or the Internet.

There are various different game modes, either based on standard flight simulation, or involving combat. The non-combat sections of the game involve open ended play with no fixed objective. The user may also to choose to fly accompanied by computer controlled wingmen or other players via a network. In this mode, players can mimic aerobatic stunt teams by flying in advanced formations. Another mode requires the player to successfully perform a landing in variable weather conditions.

Combat in the game is usually based around more specific objectives. These include defending airbases and surviving waves of enemy aircraft. Less structured combat modes involve one-on-one dogfights, and fights between several combatants. These modes can also be played with human opponents and allies via a network.

Before each flight the user has the option to change the weapons load of the aircraft. Unlike more realistic combat flight simulators (such as Falcon 4.0), YS Flight uses generic weapon types (e.g. air to air missiles, iron bombs, etc.) and does not differentiate between different models of the same type of weapons, both from a visual and performance perspective.

Certain aircraft also feature gun turrets that are either user or computer controlled.

The scenery which the user flies in may also include SAM sites or anti-aircraft guns that attack the user's aircraft.

The program can also be used in a network environment, whereas one user setup the program to run as a server while other users of the program can then connect to it as a client via a LAN connection or through the Internet. This way user can fly in the presence of other human users instead of AI controlled aircraft.

[edit] Criticism

[edit] Lack of realism

YS Flight is often criticized for limited realism, or unrealistic default plane appearances.^{[citation needed]} The default game models are often blocky, and have intentionally less demanding texture mapping than other flight simulators, ensuring YS Flight runs on slower PCs. However, more aesthetically pleasing aircraft are available to download, as modders create much more detailed planes. Newly created aircraft are much more detailed than the default models, usually containing moving parts and user controlled lighting.

The simulator is unusual amongst others in the flight genre, in that it uses very few textures, choosing instead to focus on the control and realism aspect.

YS Flight effectively occupies the middle-ground between arcade-like titles such as the Ace Combat series and more realistic flight simulators such as Microsoft Flight Simulator and X-Plane.