Easy Flight Simulator Games
Advertisement For me, there are only two kinds of simulator games which actually get me interested – city management games and free flight simulators. However, anyone who’s looked at getting a simulation game will have quickly discovered that they are not cheap. In fact, SimCity currently goes for $60, or $80 if you consider the Deluxe Edition. Good flight simulation software isn’t much different. So which flight simulators are both free and good enough to use? While free flight simulators are rare to find, especially good ones, here are your best options.
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FlightGear As a kid, I've always loved to play with flight simulators. I still do today, except the ones we get to enjoy today are way more advanced than what I got to play with about. Is the absolute number one free flight simulation software.
Usually whenever people compare both free and paid simulators, they include one of Microsoft’s flight simulators, X-Plane, and FlightGear. FlightGear is fantastic because it’s not just free but also open source, meaning anyone can submit their own code to make the software even better. Others can even fork the code and continue development on their own terms. The very open nature of the simulator also allows people to create and test their own plane models.
Best Free Flight Simulator
The simulation engine places a strong amount of emphasis on a plane’s design and how well it flies because of that. Add-ons can also be easily created. Although FlightGear isn’t quite as good as Microsoft’s offerings or X-Plane, it still packs an impressive punch with worldwide scenery textures, a large amount of included planes (with the ability to add more), and realistic graphics. As such, you’ll also need a decent computer to run the software if you want good performance and acceptable graphics. The free flight simulator recently got new 3D cloud and water effects included, and improvements will continue to roll in with each release. Long story short, this is by far the best-looking, most accurate flight simulator you can get for free. It’s even cross platform, allowing you to enjoy it on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
Google Earth If you’re looking for something that is less taxing on your system, you may also want to take a look at the included flight simulator found in Google Earth. While it isn’t nearly as accurate or extensible as FlightGear, it offers a fun way to fly around the earth.
The cockpit controls include the basics such as speed and altitude, and they are presented in a way which reminds you of a fighter jet. Plus, the amount of scenery included in Google Earth isn’t an issue because Google has satellite images of the entire planet anyway.
At least with Google Earth, when you want to fly over your house, you’ll actually be able to see and identify it, rather than seeing a more traditional flight simulator’s random house generator. As Google Earth is also available on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux, you should be able to get the software and use it. When you launch the program, go to Tools – Flight Simulator. If you want to do more cool things with Google Earth, check out In this article, I'm going to share five really cool features I found in Google Earth.
These features are perfect if you're looking to build a new house or trying to find a place to. Vega Strike Finally, if you’re looking for a free flight simulator that’s more geared towards fun, fast-paced gaming rather than simulation, take a look. This game is completely open source and available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux (click here to check out more ), and uses 3D OpenGL for its graphics. Another thing that sets Vega Strike apart from the other two is that it is based in space, where you start out life in a cargo ship and then work your way up.
You can also do things like trade and bounty hunt, so this game really focuses less on the simulation and more on gameplay. Conclusion Overall, these are three good choices which should satisfy different tastes when it comes to such simulators. Of course, these solutions won’t be the best simulators out there as I still believe Microsoft’s offerings and X-Plane are the top choices. However, if you like being frugal – and there’s nothing wrong with that – then these are good too. Otherwise, the only other suggestion I can offer is to try X-Plane’s demo mode as it includes one and Microsoft’s offerings do not. However, be ready to deal with X-Plane’s methods of tampering with your gameplay in order to get you to buy the game.
Do you enjoy playing flight simulators? What could be improved in FlightGear?
As I’m sure there are others out there, what other free flight simulators can you recommend that I didn’t include? Let us know in the comments! Image Credits:.
Easy Flight Simulation Games
So do you feel the need? The need for rapid forward movement at an altitude of 35,000 feet? Then you came to the right place. Flight simulation games have been around since electrical engineer Bruce Artwick introduced the prehistoric Microsoft Flight Simulator — before it was even called that — on the 8-bit Apple II back in the late-’70s, kicking off decades worth of commercial software. As PC processing power advanced, flight simulators became increasingly realistic, letting users experience what it’s like to be a pilot from the comfort of their homes.
While flight simulators can cost an inordinate amount of money, there are numerous viable options that won’t cost you a dime. Here are the seven best free flight simulators, from traditional flying sims to those that throw a bit of combat into the fray.
Old-fashioned flight sims. We tend to overlook. The interactive, virtual globe allows you explore the vast corners of the universe, from the Orion Nebula to the Vortex Galaxy, as well as comb all regions of our own planet in stunning topographic detail. Also buried within the software?
A built-in flight simulator that lets users take control of either a Cirrus SR22 propeller plane or an F-16 Viper. Perusing the globe (or solar system) in GEFS is a little more immersive than scrolling around with your mouse and keyboard.
It’s not the most realistic or feature-rich simulator — there is no autopilot, sound, crash simulation, or much in the way of aircraft variety — but the software does give you a spectacular bird’s-eye view of the landscape with 3D buildings provided by Google’s satellite imagery. Onboard controls allow you to adjust your speed and altitude, but that is essentially it. Like many flight sims, GEFS lets you lift off from various airports around the globe, start directly in the air, or begin your flight from where you ended your previous session. — a separate flight simulator that utilizes the former Google Earth plug-in — adds additional airports, aircraft, and an element of online interaction with chat functions and a player-laden world. And yes, a third of all players choose Maverick, Iceman, or Goose for their username. GEFS is not the most pragmatic approach to virtual flying, but it’s easily accessible to casual users and doesn’t require any external software should you decide to use Google Chrome instead of the desktop app.
Google also offers a basic if you’re having trouble with the controls. Sometimes it feels as though YSFlight has not evolved much from its humble beginnings, but that is not such a bad thing. The software is incredibly light on system resources — that is no surprise given the simulator’s basic design and less-than-impressive visuals — yet it still offers a robust set of built-in features. And for just a few megabytes, who can really complain?
The sim provides more than 70 aircraft to choose from, spanning everything from the Blue Angels F-18 Hornet to an Apache helicopter, along with a wide array of maps that encompass a host of well-known regions from around the globe. Additional features, such as wind variables and a day-night component, can also be tweaked with relative ease. It’s a very customizable piece of software, allowing you to do anything from flying in Delta formation with artificial intelligence wingmates to engaging in aerial dogfights with your friends. While you do so, the Atari-esque HUB delivers details on in-flight speeds, elevation, direction, and other essential information.
Gameplay footage can also be recorded and replayed directly within the program — a nice touch, to be sure — and YSFlight also includes joystick support as well as standard controls for your mouse and keyboard. The most incredible aspect of the game, however, is its homespun history. Soji Yamakawa, aka Captain YS, created the simulator on his own as a university project in 1999. He continued to develop the project as a hobby over the ensuing years, though, the software hasn’t received a substantial update in quite some time.
There are far more beautiful flight sims out there, but YSFlight keeps it simple and still welcoming. FlightGear is the undisputed champ when it comes to advanced settings and pure, unrestricted customization. The open-source software’s roots date back to 1997, but the developers and the rabid community of users have been expanding and tweaking the freemium title’s extensive map and feature-set ever since. Update 3.1 arrived in September, bringing the program up to current computing standards.
However, quality and customization come at a price: The software is the most resource-intensive option on our list. Once installed — a process that can be a hassle if you’re unused to the barebones nature of open-source software documentation — users can navigate the beautiful, 3D-rendered environments in a Cessna 172 or choose from a deep variety of virtual aircraft that includes a Boeing 777, an A6M20 Zero, and even a Zeppelin NT07 airship. The software makes use of a limited amount of built-in scenery, but you can download various regions of the globe and more than 20,000 airports directly through FlightGear‘s website, via, or by purchasing an optional. The daunting installation process and interface are also easier to deal with if you’re willing to spend some time using the, which walks you through the setup process and helps you with taking off, landing, and other basic flight procedures. FlightGear is consistently praised for its ongoing dedication on the part of the development community and its realism, earning high marks for everything from the overall flight controls to minute details such as lighting. And while it may be big, bulky, and full of high-flying muscle, the abundance of user-curated documentation and stellar support functions are enough to keep any newcomer afloat. Disclaimer: The full version of X-Plane 10 is a paid product.
The demo version includes all aircraft and features, but pilots are limited to the greater Seattle area and flights cannot last longer than 15 minutes. Users can also download demos of X-Plane 8 and X-Plane 9 for free via links on the official website.
Free Beginner Flight Simulator
The forthcoming X-Plane 11 is set for release this holiday season. Laminar Research’s X-Plane 10 is not for the faint of heart. Though building and ground detail can be sparse at times, the game more than makes up for it with sheer scale. The default installation allows you to hop into one of more than 30 aircraft and explore the globe to your heart’s content, from London to Los Angeles and beyond. X-Plane takes itself seriously, so much so that the developers claim that it’s “ not a game, but an engineering tool that can be used to predict the flying qualities of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft with incredible accuracy.” This accuracy is achieved — in theory, at least — through a unique aerodynamic model known as “blade element theory.” This theory simulates flight by modeling forces on each component of the aircraft simultaneously, rather than using the predefined lookup tables that have become the standard for simulating aviation. The Blade element theory is often used to pre-compute aerodynamic forces for simulations that have not been run.
This affords X-Plane users more freedom when designing potential aircraft to add to the game, though it can be more finicky (and less accurate) when piloting existing aircraft. X-Plane is incredibly detailed, with little touches such as detailed weather modeling and the potential for system failures. Nearly every component of a plane can fail randomly, which, while frustrating, helps create a more realistic simulation experience and goes to show just how much work was put into the program. Users can also pilot anything from a B-2 Bomber to a space shuttle, and there are hundreds of additional aircraft available via both freemium and premium add-ons. X-Plane can be a bear at first, sure, but you will be doing barrel rolls in no time with a little practice. Window.dtmultistitchdata = 'postid':463096,'page':1,'url':'https: / /www.digitaltrends.com /gaming /best-free-flight-simulators /','pages':'page':1,'url':'https: / /www.digitaltrends.com /gaming /best-free-flight-simulators /','html':' So do you feel the need?
The need for rapid forward movement at an altitude of 35,000 feet? Then you came to the right place.
Flight simulation games have been around since electrical engineer Bruce Artwick introduced the prehistoric Microsoft Flight Simulator u00a0— before it was even called that — on the 8-bit Apple II back in the late-’70s, kicking off decades worth of commercial software. N As PC processing power advanced, flight simulators became increasingly realistic, letting users experience what it’s like to be a pilot from the comfort of their homes. While flight simulators can cost an inordinate amount of money, there are numerous viable options that won’t cost you a dime. Here are the seven best free flight simulators, from traditional flying sims to those that throw a bit of combat into the fray. N Old-fashioned flight sims n.
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