Difference between revisions of "Simulation video game"
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| ''[[A-Train]]'' || 1990-12-14 || [[Artdink]] || [[Management simulator]] | | ''[[A-Train]]'' || 1990-12-14 || [[Artdink]] || [[Management simulator]] | ||
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| − | | ''[[F-117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter 2.0]]'' || 1991-??-?? || [[MPS Labs]] || [[ | + | | ''[[F-117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter 2.0]]'' || 1991-??-?? || [[MPS Labs]] || [[Vehicular combat]] |
|- | |- | ||
| ''[[Glittermitten Grove]]'' || 2016-12-26 || [[Twinbeard]] || [[Management simulator]] | | ''[[Glittermitten Grove]]'' || 2016-12-26 || [[Twinbeard]] || [[Management simulator]] | ||
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| ''[[International Bridge Contractors]]'' || 1981-04-?? || [[Philip Case]] || [[Management simulator]] | | ''[[International Bridge Contractors]]'' || 1981-04-?? || [[Philip Case]] || [[Management simulator]] | ||
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| − | | ''[[PHM Pegasus]]'' || 1987-02-?? || [[Lucasfilm Games]] || [[ | + | | ''[[PHM Pegasus]]'' || 1987-02-?? || [[Lucasfilm Games]] || [[Vehicular combat]] |
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| − | | ''[[Red Baron]]'' || 1990-12-19 || [[Dynamix]] || [[ | + | | ''[[Red Baron]]'' || 1990-12-19 || [[Dynamix]] || [[Vehicular combat]] |
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| ''[[SimAnt]]'' || 1991-??-?? || [[Maxis]] || [[Management simulator]] | | ''[[SimAnt]]'' || 1991-??-?? || [[Maxis]] || [[Management simulator]] | ||
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| ''[[Theme Park]]'' || 1994-??-?? || [[Bullfrog]] || [[Management simulator]] | | ''[[Theme Park]]'' || 1994-??-?? || [[Bullfrog]] || [[Management simulator]] | ||
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| − | | ''[[Wing Commander: Prophecy]]'' || 1997-12-11 || [[Origin Systems]] || [[ | + | | ''[[Wing Commander: Prophecy]]'' || 1997-12-11 || [[Origin Systems]] || [[Vehicular combat]] |
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Revision as of 16:47, 12 May 2022
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.
Contents
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
