Pro Pilot 99 Flight Simulator example essay topic

Troy Mosley Compare and Contrast Essay December 12th, 2001 Lift Off with the Best Flight Simulator Flight simulators for the home-based personal computer are great. A person can fly virtually anywhere in the world in almost any type of aircraft. There are several flight simulators on the market today, so a person must be really careful which flight simulator they choose. My experience is that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 is better than Pro Pilot '99 Flight Simulator.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 is the best flight simulator on the market. First of all, the Microsoft 2002 Flight Simulator has the best graphics. The graphic designers paid a lot of attention to detail in designing the 2002 series. Consequently, other aircraft, weather, airports, approach lighting, and cockpit representations are extremely realistic. Another reason that Microsoft 2002 is the best flight simulator on the market is because of the real weather options it offers. With the 2002 series, a player can download real weather-as it is happening-from the internet so that the player can experience flight in real weather conditions in real time.

Additionally, Micorsoft has an option where you can play with other persons on the internet. This option allows a player to communicate with another fly er over the internet. It enables the player to see the other fly er's landing lights and navigational lights, as well as hear their aircraft when it buzzes by. Finally, Microsoft offers many options for accessories.

With Microsoft a player can use a special joystick designed for flight simulation that shimmies as the aircraft taxis down the runaway like a real aircraft does. Other accessories that can be used with Microsoft include the game voice software, 3-d acceleration, and flight videos. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 offers the most cutting age technology available in the market with graphics, interactive play, and accessories. Another popular flight simulator program on the market today is Pro Pilot '99. One of the obvious drawbacks with the Pro Pilot series is that it was created in 1998. The Pro Pilot series has not upgraded since then and cannot compete with the new technology utilized in Microsoft 2002.

While Pro Pilot was cutting edge at the time it came out, the graphics are dull and elementary by today's standards. The Pro Pilot offers no weather options. Not only can a player not download real weather in real time with Pro Pilot like with Microsoft, nor can he change the weather conditions to offer more variety and challenge to the game. Also, unlike Microsoft 2002, Pro Pilot is not interactive and does not have any online capabilities.

A player can only play by himself on his home computer. Finally, Prop Pilot is not compatible with any special flight accessories on the market today. Over the last few years, flight simulation has become big business. Enterprising individuals have come up with virtual airlines designed to simulate the commercial airline industry. Other companies have created software and accessories designed specifically to accompany flight simulation programs and enhance the realism and learning of computer flying. Microsoft has been able to capitalized on these new innovations in the newly released Flight Simulator 2002, whereas other companies like Pro Pilot have proved unable to compete in today's market.

Pro Pilot '99 simply does not have the technology needed to be marketable in light of all the advances in flight simulation, and will likely be obsolete in the next year or so unless the company upgrades the product.