HANDS ON

Let it be known up front that I'm no pilot. I've no real-world flight experience beyond securing my tray table and adjusting my seat to the correct upright position. But Flight Simulator X is something different. It's about bringing the magic of aviation to anyone and everyone who craves it, from the greenest wannabe with less air hours than a penguin, to seasoned veterans who've seen every cloud from here to Timbuktu.

Boot it up, and you're presented with a wealth of options. Strangely, choosing your aircraft is the easy bit: do you want the grace of a glider, or the power of the jet? The simplicity of the ultralight, or the button-filled panel of the 747? The hardest part is choosing where you want to take off from. Literally the entire world is just a few mouse clicks away, with just about every airport in existence included. Sure, you've got your standard behemoths like Heathrow and LAX, and your locals such as Sydney and Melbourne, but you're presented with runways and airfields from locations far and wide. Imagine my surprise when I scrolled through the list to find my old stomping grounds of Ballarat on offer, and again when I noticed familiar neighbouring districts that I didn't even REALISE had an airfield.

Quivering at the thought of taking off? Never fear. Flight Simulator X comes with an extremely well presented tutorial package, taking you through every aspect of being a digital pilot, accompanied by a cheery-calm instructor who won't claw at the dash if your wings are a little shaky. It's pleasantly accessible, and a great way to allow gamers of all aeronautical persuasions to enter the game's world.

That's assuming you've got the digital stones to support it. Make no mistake: this game will tear shreds off your PC. Occupying 14GB of HDD space and benefiting from a DirectX 10 / Windows Vista setup, it's clear that this game is designed to stand the test of time. Scaleable graphics will adjust things as best they can (through altering the number of 3D buildings, adjusting the resolution of the ground textures, etc), but to really appreciate the game you're going to need tomorrow's gear. And don't forget a decent USB joystick: no flight simmer should think about leaving the ground without it.

But that's enough out of me. Time to turn things over to Shawn Firminger, ACES Studio Manager. He's part of the team that brought Microsoft Flight Simulator X to life, and as you'll see from his responses, he certainly knows more about its virtual nuts and bolts than any sane person should.

Oh, and before I fly off into the sunset, be sure to check out our review of Microsoft Flight Simulator X in issue #132 of PC PowerPlay, on sale October 18, and look out for FSX in stores October 26.