06 What do you really mean by "realism" in a flight simulator?
Description
This article is from the Flight Simulators FAQ, by with numerous contributions by Bob Wittick rwittick@msu.edu others.
06 What do you really mean by "realism" in a flight simulator?
Robert Dorsett Writes:
There are two major issues to consider: realism and fidelity.
Realism is how "real" a system feels; fidelity relates to the actual
models used.
Realism is a highly subjective issue: a simulator might model each
blade of grass on the approach end of a runway, but if the user's
flying overhead at 37,000', that won't affect his perception of
*realism* at that point. Similarly, a graphics system might provide
a high- resolution database, but if it only uses an orthographic
projection, it won't win over many pilots!
Simulation is, therefore, the *art* of providing the expected cues
and response characteristics for a specified mission. Most military
simulators are so specialized that they're optimized for certain
missions or flight regimes; airline simulators tend to be much more
flexible (all regime). For each regime, appropriate feedback must be
maintained.
Real-world systems models are usually (but not always) the
cornerstone of high-fidelity simulation; final "realism", even in
airline simulators, is obtained only after an exhaustive survey and
fine-tuning process. The acceptance process for even a
production-run simulator can take up to a year.
A third issue is perception, and the intent of the game as an
entertainment product. For example, pilots realize that airplanes
are essentially very easy to fly and land: non-pilots may expect them
to be horrifyingly complex to fly, given a lot of the mystique
surrounding aviation, a lot of which has been enthusiastically
promoted by pilots themselves. :-)
All retail flight simulators are just games, and, to some degree,
help shape and feed off the perceptions of their users. So if the
users expect an F-16 to be almost impossible to fly, an F-16
simulator that IS almost impossible to fly wouldn't disappoint anyone
except real pilots. Conversely, a simulator that is actually easy to
fly might disappoint game-players as too easy, or "arcade-ish,"
because it IS too realistic.
In discussing "realism," one should really pay attention to three
factors:
1. The flight dynamics and flight instrumentation. (flight
simulator)
2. The visual system.
3. The systems support. (systems simulator)
The basis for such discussions in this forum should be from the
pilot, not entertainment, perspective.
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