Orbiter free space flight sim game

[Castout]

Anyone played this?

http://orbit.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/gallery.html

Anyone actually master the platforms in the game?

[Task Force]

Ive played it. Good game for free. I got pretty good at it... (I pretty much just pressed all the buttons. lol):rotfl:

[Castout]

I feel overhwhelmed Can't believe I have to press + all the way just so that my vessel booster would light up. Pretty lame

[Castout]

Just flew the Scram jet glider. took off from an airfield....then went all the way to space(can the F-22 raptor do that :O:). Coudn't find the ISS though lol.

I wished I had some bombs to drop somewhere, went into the atmosphere and drop the bombs then into Low orbit again to go back home...just imagine how awesome that would be lol.

[NeonSamurai]

Someone did make a bomb or missile mod can't recall which.

Also there is another thread for orbiter someplace (can't recall if its here or in the flight sim section though) which you may find useful.

[Robsoie]

Orbiter is one of my favorite sim, i often launch it.

If Orbiter manage to catch your interest as much as it catched mine, be sure to look :
Orbiter-Forum (http://orbiter-forum.com/) , great place to discuss , tutorial and help
Orbit Hangar (http://www.orbithangar.com/) , best place for the hundred of addons available

For fun, i have built a racing mission (http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3663) with flight data for your "opponents" (Orbiter feature a record/replay feature that allow you record all the mission object flight data and watch them again)

For a freeware, this simulation is more serious without being impossible to learn by the beginner (most tutorial available are really well done and will allow you to get the grip of the sim in no time) than most of the commercial ones, and is very open to modding that some genius were able to make some incredible program for it, like Orulex (http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=2686) by example, totally scifi addons like a Galactica (http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3246) or some very serious and throughout simulated re-enactement like NASSP (http://www.orbiterwiki.org/wiki/Project_Apollo_for_Orbiter) or AMSO (http://www.acsoft.ch/AMSO/amso.html)

If you are interested by simulator and space, Orbiter is definitively a must have

[Castout]

Thanks neonSamurai ill look into it

Thanks Robsie I'll check them out. The game is pretty cool:03:

[Buddahaid]

Yup, it's really good and very difficult to get a good handle on. You really need to study the physics involved it orbital mechanics. Makes you appreciate what the Apollo crews had to deal with in the world of simple computers.

Buddahaid

[Falkirion]

Prefer Space Shuttle Mission 2007 myself, payware but a very thorough recreation of the shuttle program. Orbiter is a banned word over on their forums. SSM has alot of very cool features, including a fairly accurate representation of the International Space Station.

I know what Orbiter can do so I might check it out

[NeonSamurai]

You should check out 'shuttle fleet' and its associated mods then over at the hanger linked above then if you like flying the space shuttle. Me I prefer deep space missions using modded semi futuristic ships and the Delta Glider as a lander/moon hopper.

[Robsoie]

Along the spatial mechanics, the newtonian physics, and the overal realism what i strongly appreciate with Orbiter is the freedom. Orbiter is in fact basically a fantastic sandbox the size of the solar system.

You have many available missions, with the editor you can even build your own easily, hundred of addons for all tastes, but in the end you are free to do whatever you want, and how you want : believable realism, complete scifi, re-enactement , etc... it is definitively up to you.

The learning curve is more important than most games, because it is indeed a realistic simulator, not originally a game (but once you begin to understand how it works you will enjoy it a lot like any great games), but with many good tutorial for beginners like these :
http://www.orbiter-forum.com/tutorials.php
You will be able to fly with Orbiter, and will have difficulty to go back on the ground ;)

Prefer Space Shuttle Mission 2007 myself, payware but a very thorough recreation of the shuttle program. Orbiter is a banned word over on their forums.
It is sad, i know several Orbiter fans that own SSM2007 too and enjoy them both.

[CapitanPiluso]

Prefer Space Shuttle Mission 2007 myself, payware but a very thorough recreation of the shuttle program

This game is A M A Z I N G ! ! !

How could I ever lived before without it ??????????

Thanks !

[Spike88]

Whats the best Apollo mod for orbiter?

[Rilder]

Make sure you check out the XR-# series of mods, they are basically refits of the Delta glider but they are quite well done, one is a DG with a new model and instrument panels and what not, one is a large cargo version (XR-5) and the last is a high performance one called the XR-2 Ravenstar.

Proud to say I can get into orbit and dock with the ISS without much difficulty and even managed to make it to the moon, dunno if I could anymore, sound issues prevent me from enjoying the game.

[eddie]

IMHO, it would be AMSO. Check out the gallery images here, and you'll see why!

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.acsoft.ch/AMSO/amso.html&ei=B_NbStKdKpKGlAeX0OjiDA&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3DAMSO%2Bfor%2Borbiter%26hl%3Den%26rlz% 3D1T4RNWE_enUS313US313

[Blacklight]

I LOVE Orbiter. I'm ALWAYS noodleing around with it. I'm by no means the best space pilot out there (I rarely land on target and a lot of times miss the objects I'm aiming for completely).

I much prefer the platforms that have automatic launch sequences like the "Shuttle Fleet" addon does. I have a real hard time flying into orbit manually.

My favorite addon packs are the "World of 2001" and the "2010" spacecraft addon allowing you to fly every mission from 2001: A Space Odessey and 2010: The Year We Made Contact.
The Pheonix Mars Mission is a challenging addon, as is the Shuttle Fleet addon.
Also... NASP (The Apollo missions) is an EXCELLENT (and complex) addon that I love to play with.

Make sure to read the README and doc files that come with every mod you download. A lot of mods require other mods or addons to make them work.

Building the ISS with the shuttle is a lot of fun.

http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/9550/columbia3yb2.jpg

[Blacklight]

If you're just getting started with Orbiter, you will want this Ebook to be your guide. It will tell you where to start, what mods to get to get the most out of it, and it has LOTS of links to several of the best mods out there.

It also gives you MANY tutorials that show you in nice simple terms how to understand pretty much everything you need to understand in Orbiter. :yeah:

http://www.aovi93.dsl.pipex.com/pdfs/GoPlayInSpace2dEd_060504.zip

[Blacklight]

Prefer Space Shuttle Mission 2007 myself, payware but a very thorough recreation of the shuttle program. Orbiter is a banned word over on their forums. SSM has alot of very cool features, including a fairly accurate representation of the International Space Station.

I was one of the beta testors for Space Shuttle Mission 2007. It's an excellent program. I will agree with the devs for it that SSM 2007 and Orbiter are not comparable. SSM 2007 is the most acurate simulator for the Space Shuttle that's ever been made.
Orbiter is designed to simulate the physics of space flight but doesn't handle atmospheric flight quite as well as SSM 2007. Then again. Orbiter is a MUCH older program. It's been around a LONG time.

[Robsoie]

Make sure you check out the XR-# series of mods, they are basically refits of the Delta glider but they are quite well done, one is a DG with a new model and instrument panels and what not, one is a large cargo version (XR-5) and the last is a high performance one called the XR-2 Ravenstar.

I love the Ravenstar, even if it is a fictionnal vessel, it is a very impressive piece of work , full of nice ideas and features, so great to fly around with.
To know more about the XR- serie of addons :
http://www.dougsorbiterpage.com/

Be sure to get Wideawake international (http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3666) to get a very nice change of scenery, it became my favorite launching/landing location ;)

[Captain Birdseye]

If I download this sim, what's the best mod to download which will give me realistic missions similar to what's currently going on in space? like docking at the ISS?

It looks good. I would like to play it as a modern US/Russian astronaut though

[NeonSamurai]

http://www.orbithangar.com/searchauth.php?search=david413

Basically shuttle fleet (most recent version), the STS expansion packs, and ISS Fleet

That pretty much gives you the space shuttles and missions.

As for the other rockets used you would have to dig around yourself :)

[Blacklight]

The Pheonix mission is fun to do. You can fly the mission right from the launch pad right to the landing zone on Mars. The documentation included with it is pretty good and will get you there relatively easily.

http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3452

Make sure to get the Delta II mission pack and install that first. There's a link to it on the page.

If you want to go to the Moon 1969 style, check out NASP:
http://nassp.sourceforge.net/wiki/Main_Page

If you want to check out the Mission Control side of things, there's an open source "Mission Control" addon. It's a separate program that works apart from Orbiter. It's networkable so you can have one person be your mission control and another person being the pilot or you can also control most of the mission throught he mission control screens. It's open source so if you want to add other panels and screens to it, that supply other data, you can do so easily. I can't find a copy of it online as the site it was on is down now, but if anyone wants a copy, contact me and I'll email mine.

Here's a page for the Orbiter Forum Community's reccomended addons:
http://www.orbiter-forum.com/addons.php

Once again, check out that ebook, "Go Play In Space" that I posted the link to above. It has links in it for LOTS of great addons. That Ebook should be in ever Orbiter player's collection.

Also, I'd reccomend getting the Jonessoft Mod Enabler (The same one we use for SHIII.) It works the same way in Orbiter as it does for SHIII. It's very useful if you have a ton of addons like I do.

Orbiter is a program that I've played with since at least the year 2000. I love it ! With all the addons that I keep finding for it, it hasn't gotten old yet.

[Spike88]

Is NASP or AMSO better?

[Blacklight]

NASP is better in my opinion but it is more complex than AMSO (read the manuals that come with them. ESPECIALLY NASP. You will have mission checklists in there and everything). I'd suggest trying them both and then deciding which one you like better. You can use the Jonesoft Genercic Mod Enabler to swap them. I use JGME with all my orbiter mods. I just stick all required mods into individual folders and activate them individually depending on what mission I want to do. If you have a ton of mods installed, with everything potentially overwriting certain files, the sim can get unstable.

[Spike88]

Offtopic a tad, but I just signed up for Space shuttle mission 2007's forums, and was basically told right off the bat my account wont be allowed because I use a non-ISP email address. Bad customer service. I also here its a hassle to reinstall your copy. :nope:

[CapitanPiluso]

Offtopic a tad, but I just signed up for Space shuttle mission 2007's forums, and was basically told right off the bat my account wont be allowed because I use a non-ISP email address. Bad customer service. I also here its a hassle to reinstall your copy. :nope:
I downloaded the demo, but I can't even register on their forums cause I haven't bought the game yet, only customers are allowed to post :damn:

[Spike88]

I downloaded the demo, but I can't even register on their forums cause I haven't bought the game yet, only customers are allowed to post :damn:

Good way to scare off potential customers.



I installed orbiter earlier, and tried a delta mission without reading the manual. Its definitely not something you can just jump into, all I managed was to fly through what I think were buildings, couldn't really tell since the camera angle was facing up, and then land in the sea.

[PeriscopeDepth]

SSM2007's customer relations suck balls. There is no way around it. But the sim is great and completely unique, well worth the $50.

PD

[CapitanPiluso]

SSM2007's customer relations suck balls. There is no way around it. But the sim is great and completely unique, well worth the $50.

PD
I misunderstood some commands in demo mission so wasn't able to go on.
As I couldn't post on the forums,I wrote to customer support asking for some help...what do you think they answered ? "We do not support demo users"
The fuc&%&%$ fellow who wrote me back would have spent the same time typing a pair of lines to guide me trough the mission insteaad of giving that weird answer.
Fortunately I solved the error for myself and then all worked fine.
Anyway, I am gonna buy this in a pair of weeks, I think is an amazing game.
Cheers

[Spike88]

Does the base game not have sound?

[Blacklight]

No. The Orbiter base does NOT have sound... BUT there's a sound addon.
You can get it here: http://orbiter.dansteph.com/index.php?disp=d

I really suggest reading the Ebook: Go Play In Space. It will show you everything you need to get Orbiter up and running at it's best. It also has great tutorials and links to a lot of great addons.
Download link: http://www.migman.com/orbiter/orbiter.htm

It will show you how to find and use addons. What addons to use, and as I said... fantastic tutorials. This Ebook is written with the Orbiter newbie in mind so it will really make things easier for you to learn. If you have any questions, post or PM me. Orbiter hasn't left my hard drive for years and I have a lot of links (and a metric ton) of addons for it.

Also, see the Recommended addons list in the Orbiter Forums. This is a list compiled of the most popular addons that people like to start off with.
http://www.orbiter-forum.com/addons.php

[SteamWake]

Wow this sim has been around a long time.

I remember fooling around with it at least 4 or 5 years ago. They still updating it?

[Robsoie]

If you are talking about SSM2007 , i have no idea.

If you are talking about Orbiter, yes the author continues to update it, currently there is a beta of Orbiter 2009 (ex Orbiter 2008) available :
http://orbiter-forum.com/project.php?projectid=1

Most of the addons i use in Orbiter 2006 are working with it, and despite it is "beta" and work in progress, it is as stable for me as the current non-beta Orbiter version.
Though some more complex addons may have problems, but i don't use any addons too complex so i don't know.

Be sure to try the new lvl11/lv14 Earth high res textures that are available for the beta, they are really good.