Difference between revisions of "Simulation video game"

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'''Simulation''' is a [[video game]] genre which primarily attempts to accurately simulate a process. The earliest simulator software came about in 1950s and 60s as training programs designed for the military and businesses. As universities started getting computers, students and faculty began designing simulators like the lunar module landing program, ''[[Lunar]]'' (1969) and the Oregon Trail survival game, ''[[Oregon (video game)|Oregon]]'' (1971). As home computing became popular in the late 1970s, simulation games became more popular, especially with flight simulators and battle reenactments. The genre has since expanded to the point where even very specific processes, as well as many fictional ones, now have simulation games devoted to them.
 
'''Simulation''' is a [[video game]] genre which primarily attempts to accurately simulate a process. The earliest simulator software came about in 1950s and 60s as training programs designed for the military and businesses. As universities started getting computers, students and faculty began designing simulators like the lunar module landing program, ''[[Lunar]]'' (1969) and the Oregon Trail survival game, ''[[Oregon (video game)|Oregon]]'' (1971). As home computing became popular in the late 1970s, simulation games became more popular, especially with flight simulators and battle reenactments. The genre has since expanded to the point where even very specific processes, as well as many fictional ones, now have simulation games devoted to them.
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Simulation games can be subdivided into [[management simulator]]s, which focus on the simulation of resource management, [[driving (video game genre)|driving]] simulators (as well as [[flight simulator]]s) which focus on simulating piloting a vehicle of some sort. Many [[turn-based strategy]] games are also simulators in that they simulate combat.
  
 
==Definition==
 
==Definition==
It's difficult to describe what is meant by a "simulation" game without arbitrarily excluding entire areas of simulation, but I think this must be done. For example, a chess game "simulates" the real board game and a football game "simulates" the real sport, however, this is usually not what people think of when someone mentions a "simulation" game. Generally, people think of simulating the decisions that take place during piloting a vehicle or managing resources. Of course, just because a game features these things doesn't mean it's a simulation game. For example, ''[[Wing Commander]]'' has you piloting a ship while also managing its resources, but it's ultimately a story-based space dog-fighting game, not a simulation. To me, a game is a simulation if its primary focus is on accurately depicting something for educational rather than entertainment reasons. This doesn't mean simulation games can't be entertaining, but it does mean people who are not interested in the game's field probably won't find them interesting.
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It's difficult to describe what is meant by a "simulation" game without arbitrarily excluding entire areas of simulation, but I think this must be done. For example, a chess game "simulates" the real board game and a football game "simulates" the real sport, a WWII first-person shooter "simulates" urban warfare, etc. However, this is usually not what people think of when someone mentions a "simulation" game. Generally, people think of simulating the decisions that take place during piloting a vehicle or managing resources. Of course, just because a game features these things doesn't mean it's a simulation game. For example, ''[[Wing Commander]]'' has you piloting a ship while also managing its resources, but it's ultimately a story-based space dog-fighting game, not a simulation. To me, a game is a simulation if its primary focus is on accurately depicting something for educational rather than entertainment reasons. This doesn't mean simulation games can't be entertaining, but it does mean people who are interested in the educational aspects of the game's field will probably be much more entertained than those who aren't.
  
 
==Personal==
 
==Personal==
The first simulation game that I personally owned and spent a lot of time on was ''[[SimAnt]]'' followed shortly thereafter by ''[[SimCity (SNES)|SimCity]]'' for the SNES. These games helped define the genre for me and taught me a lot about the complexities of ant colonies and city management. I have sense developed less of an appreciation of the genre because I find that the games usually lose their appeal after only a short while.
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The first simulation game that I personally owned and spent a lot of time on was ''[[SimAnt]]'' followed shortly thereafter by ''[[SimCity (SNES)|SimCity]]'' for the SNES and ''[[A-Train]]''. These games helped define the genre for me and taught me a lot about the complexities of ant colonies and city management. I have since developed less of an appreciation of the genre because I find that the games usually lose their appeal after only a short while.
  
 
==Games==
 
==Games==
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{| class="wikitable sortable"
 
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Title !! Released !! Developer
+
! Title !! Released !! Developer !! Sub-Genre
 +
|-
 +
| ''[[A-Train]]'' || 1990-12-14 || [[Artdink]] || [[Management simulator]]
 
|-
 
|-
| ''[[A-Train]]'' || 1990-12-14 || [[Artdink]]
+
| ''[[F-117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter 2.0]]'' || 1991-??-?? || [[MPS Labs]] || [[Vehicular combat]]
 
|-
 
|-
| ''[[F-117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter 2.0]]'' || 1991-??-?? || [[MPS Labs]]
+
| ''[[Glittermitten Grove]]'' || 2016-12-26 || [[Twinbeard]] || [[Management simulator]]
 
|-
 
|-
| ''[[Glittermitten Grove]]'' || 2016-12-26 || [[Twinbeard]]
+
| ''[[International Bridge Contractors]]'' || 1981-04-?? || [[Philip Case]] || [[Management simulator]]
 
|-
 
|-
| ''[[International Bridge Contractors]]'' || 1981-04-?? || [[Philip Case]]
+
| ''[[PHM Pegasus]]'' || 1987-02-?? || [[Lucasfilm Games]] || [[Vehicular combat]]
 
|-
 
|-
| ''[[PHM Pegasus]]'' || 1987-02-?? || [[Lucasfilm Games]]
+
| ''[[Red Baron]]'' || 1990-12-19 || [[Dynamix]] || [[Vehicular combat]]
 
|-
 
|-
| ''[[Red Baron]]'' || 1990-12-19 || [[Dynamix]]
+
| ''[[SimAnt]]'' || 1991-??-?? || [[Maxis]] || [[Management simulator]]
 
|-
 
|-
| ''[[SimAnt]]'' || 1991-??-?? || [[Maxis]]
+
| ''[[SimCity]]'' || 1989-02-?? || [[Maxis]] || [[Management simulator]]
 
|-
 
|-
| ''[[SimCity]]'' || 1989-02-?? || [[Maxis]]
+
| ''[[SimCity (SNES)|SimCity]] (SNES) || 1991-04-26 || [[Nintendo]] || [[Management simulator]]
 
|-
 
|-
| ''[[SimCity (SNES)|SimCity]] (SNES) || 1991-04-26 || [[Nintendo]]
+
| ''[[SimCity 2000]]'' || 1994-??-?? || [[Maxis]] || [[Management simulator]]
 
|-
 
|-
| ''[[SimCity 2000]]'' || 1994-??-?? || [[Maxis]]
+
| ''[[Theme Park]]'' || 1994-??-?? || [[Bullfrog]] || [[Management simulator]]
 
|-
 
|-
| ''[[Theme Park]]'' || 1994-??-?? || [[Bullfrog]]
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| ''[[Wing Commander: Prophecy]]'' || 1997-12-11 || [[Origin Systems]] || [[Vehicular combat]]
 
|}
 
|}
  

Revision as of 16:47, 12 May 2022

Simulating ant colonies in SimAnt.

Simulation is a video game genre which primarily attempts to accurately simulate a process. The earliest simulator software came about in 1950s and 60s as training programs designed for the military and businesses. As universities started getting computers, students and faculty began designing simulators like the lunar module landing program, Lunar (1969) and the Oregon Trail survival game, Oregon (1971). As home computing became popular in the late 1970s, simulation games became more popular, especially with flight simulators and battle reenactments. The genre has since expanded to the point where even very specific processes, as well as many fictional ones, now have simulation games devoted to them.

Simulation games can be subdivided into management simulators, which focus on the simulation of resource management, driving simulators (as well as flight simulators) which focus on simulating piloting a vehicle of some sort. Many turn-based strategy games are also simulators in that they simulate combat.

Definition

It's difficult to describe what is meant by a "simulation" game without arbitrarily excluding entire areas of simulation, but I think this must be done. For example, a chess game "simulates" the real board game and a football game "simulates" the real sport, a WWII first-person shooter "simulates" urban warfare, etc. However, this is usually not what people think of when someone mentions a "simulation" game. Generally, people think of simulating the decisions that take place during piloting a vehicle or managing resources. Of course, just because a game features these things doesn't mean it's a simulation game. For example, Wing Commander has you piloting a ship while also managing its resources, but it's ultimately a story-based space dog-fighting game, not a simulation. To me, a game is a simulation if its primary focus is on accurately depicting something for educational rather than entertainment reasons. This doesn't mean simulation games can't be entertaining, but it does mean people who are interested in the educational aspects of the game's field will probably be much more entertained than those who aren't.

Personal

The first simulation game that I personally owned and spent a lot of time on was SimAnt followed shortly thereafter by SimCity for the SNES and A-Train. These games helped define the genre for me and taught me a lot about the complexities of ant colonies and city management. I have since developed less of an appreciation of the genre because I find that the games usually lose their appeal after only a short while.

Games

This is a list of simulation games that are important to me. For all games in this genre, see the simulation category.

Title Released Developer Sub-Genre
A-Train 1990-12-14 Artdink Management simulator
F-117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter 2.0 1991-??-?? MPS Labs Vehicular combat
Glittermitten Grove 2016-12-26 Twinbeard Management simulator
International Bridge Contractors 1981-04-?? Philip Case Management simulator
PHM Pegasus 1987-02-?? Lucasfilm Games Vehicular combat
Red Baron 1990-12-19 Dynamix Vehicular combat
SimAnt 1991-??-?? Maxis Management simulator
SimCity 1989-02-?? Maxis Management simulator
SimCity (SNES) 1991-04-26 Nintendo Management simulator
SimCity 2000 1994-??-?? Maxis Management simulator
Theme Park 1994-??-?? Bullfrog Management simulator
Wing Commander: Prophecy 1997-12-11 Origin Systems Vehicular combat

Links

Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-MobyGames.png