Space Shuttle - How Accurate?

[Great Hierophant]

Space Shuttle is often held as one of the most difficult Atari games to grasp. It really is a simulator, so how well does it work as one? Has anyone involved in the space program ever commented on its accuracy?

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I am not sure how accurate the simulation really is. But I know that NASA was consulted in the making of the game to ensure that some details were accurate.

 

I am fairly certain that given the limitations of the 2600, and the fact the game simplifies the processes with one switch that would probably take about 50+ to normally do on a real shuttle, it seems pretty amazing all the same.

 

Obvious things that aren't accurate are the launch, mavuering in orbit, docking sequence (Since it is automated), and the reentry is greatly simplified.

 

However, the principles and things that must be done, such as opening the bay doors while in orbit and making sure they are close during reentry certainly apply to actual shuttle missions. Also the 35 degree angle bit on the nose during reentry I believe is accurate.

 

Again, accurate basic procedures...but hardly demostrative of what must really be done on actual missions.

[Red 5]

I played this game over and over again as a kid.

I thought it was one of the best atari games ever made.

When you finally land that sucker, you want to jump up and down.

I would guess it is a far cry from the real thing, but the events that you do simulate are probably pretty accurate to the real thing.

 

Speed Pitch and Yaw at re-entry are probably accurate.

When you drop tanks and speed matching of the sattellite is probably pretty close.

I would say that it is as close as you can come to a Space Shuttle simulator using an Atari 2600.

 

I just want to get my hands on Shuttle Orbiter to compare...

Anyone have an extra

[Susuwatari]

You might want to look for Buran. Last I heard, it's an attraction piece somewhere in the Land Down Under. You'd need to give it a overhaul but I think it's still spaceworthy as it only made one trip in the space before Soviet went broke and scrapped the reuseable space program.

[mos6507]

It has since been shown to be rather inaccurate because it doesn't blow up the solid rocket boosters on throttle-up or burn up the orbiter on a normal reentry path.

[Luigi301]

The boosters blew up because they didn't notice a fuel leak somewhere.

 

It blew up on reentry because of inadequate heat insulation.

[Big Player]

Here's a small blurb from Popular Science, July 1984. (This is the entire article.)

 

A PS P.S.

 

Popular Science once did a prizewinning story on how the space program has contributed to life on Earth. Now, in a small way, perhaps the Activision video game "Space Shuttle" has returned the favor.

 

"The real shuttle uses its large engines to de-orbit and its smaller ones for minor adjustments," Steve Kitchen, Space Shuttle's designer, told me. "Our game works the same way, but during the two years of game development and testing, someone accidentally landed using just the small engines."

 

Kitchen thought it was an error in his programming, so he asked NASA to simulate the same event on their computers to see what the real results should be. "We were astonished," said Kitchen. "It did it on their computer, too." While Kitchen claims no credit for changes in NASA's plans, he says an emergency procedure on how to land using just the small engines in now part of the real shuttle's instruction manual.

 

I got this from the following web page. http://home.hiwaay.net/~lkseitz/cvg/shuttle.html

[Mindfield]

That's pretty damn cool! The 2600 and Activision played a role in contributing to the emergency landing procedures in the real shuttle's manual.

 

Can't say the 2600 never made any positive, practical contributions to the rest of the world. :-)

[Student Driver]

I played this game over and over again as a kid.

I thought it was one of the best atari games ever made.

When you finally land that sucker, you want to jump up and down.

I would guess it is a far cry from the real thing, but the events that you do simulate are probably pretty accurate to the real thing.

 

I wasn't that impressed with the game when I was a kid. I never actually was able to screw up the mission; I didn't go out of my way to see if I could lose, but it struck me as being way too easy. I don't recall ever not being able to land, either. Weird. Did I have the thing on an easy setting, and never realize it?

 

To this day, I still think of it as a nice-looking interactive graphics demo, rather than being a game or simulation. There was no sense of actual control; it went up and came down seemingly of its own accord, with me just tapping a switch or the joystick on occasion so that the pretty graphics could continue apace. Maybe I was jaded by having Flight Simulator II on my C64, which seemed to have real physics and flight dynamics, as well as freedom and perils inherent to that freedom.

 

(As an aside- I vaguely recall the Space Shuttle being announced for other platforms, possibly the Commodore 64. Did it ever make it onto other systems, or just the 2600?)

[Big Player]

I wasn't that impressed with the game when I was a kid.  I never actually was able to screw up the mission; I didn't go out of my way to see if I could lose, but it struck me as being way too easy.  I don't recall ever not being able to land, either.  Weird.  Did I have the thing on an easy setting, and never realize it?

 

To this day, I still think of it as a nice-looking interactive graphics demo, rather than being a game or simulation.  There was no sense of actual control; it went up and came down seemingly of its own accord, with me just tapping a switch or the joystick on occasion so that the pretty graphics could continue apace.  Maybe I was jaded by having Flight Simulator II on my C64, which seemed to have real physics and flight dynamics, as well as freedom and perils inherent to that freedom.

 

Sounds like you only played game #1. You didn't read the manual as a kid?

 

http://www.atariage.com/manual_page.html?S...e=4&maxPages=32

[alienblue]

..you played the easy setting.

Space shuttle was made for many

home computers and the Atari 5200

as well.

[StanJr]

 

Sounds like you only played game #1.  You didn't read the manual as a kid?  

 

 

Shoot, BP, I'm all grown up and I don't have time to read that manual! Or the intelligence! Sheesh!

[Godzilla]

EG magazine had a very detailed article back in the day about how this entire shuttle operations manual had been translated into a video game without really missing anything important. The aspect already mentioned is true. Nasa also used the game itself as part of its training program for it's astronauts, so that should tell you something right there. Nasa astronauts training on a 2600 :-) I can't tell you how much I loved space shuttle as a kid and still do. Still one of the most impressive 2600 games ever, imho.

[mos6507]

The boosters blew up because they didn't notice a fuel leak somewhere.

 

It blew up on reentry because of inadequate heat insulation.

 

I was being sarcastic, but actually, real simulators know how to simulate failures. So much of NASA has to do with redundancy that it's important to simulate failures to see how well the spacecraft can compensate for random combinations of bad events rather than just bad piloting skills.

[Jeff Lodoen]

I just viewed an episode of Computer Chronicles where Steve Kitchen demonstrates Space Shuttle.

 

On his left was Chris Crawford (demoing Excalibur). On the right Gary Killdal (cohost). Later Bill Budge and Trip Hawkins show up with their wares.

 

Geek celebrities abound!

 

You can find it at

 

http://www.archive.org/movies/details-db.p...ollectionid=121

 

About 75 megs for an mp4 video. Quicktime will play it.

[+Random Terrain]

I just viewed an episode of Computer Chronicles where Steve Kitchen demonstrates Space Shuttle.

 

On his left was Chris Crawford (demoing Excalibur). On the right Gary Killdal (cohost). Later Bill Budge and Trip Hawkins show up with their wares.

 

Geek celebrities abound!

 

You can find it at

 

http://www.archive.org/movies/details-db.p...ollectionid=121

 

About 75 megs for an mp4 video. Quicktime will play it.

Thanks for the link. Is that Steve Kitchen or Ric Ocasek? I also never knew that Chris Crawford sounded so nerdy and effeminate. He seems different in photos.

 

Did you read that one review?

 

Hahaahah watch the scene with the geek showing his shuttle simulator, looks crap even for those days, even the presenters don't look impressed by it.

I watched it and it didn't look that way to me, but that host always could make the most exciting computer game seem like the most boring thing ever created.

[Jeff Lodoen]

I thiught he looked more like Geddy Lee.

 

There's some interesting stuff in that archive. Discussions of broadband from... 1984. Debut of the Mac, ST and Amiga. A retrospective on the late Gary Kildall of CP/M fame.

 

Now I see game solves and speedruns for FPS and platformers. That Raiders solve video should be there!

[Student Driver]

Sounds like you only played game #1.  You didn't read the manual as a kid?  

 

Manual? What's a manual?

 

I recall reading the manual when I was a lad, but don't rememebr much beyond just looking for information on what the various switches did. Gotta dig around to find the overlay for the console, maybe try again.

 

(Always hated it when the easiest game variant is put *first* as a selection. Bleah!)

[Big Player]

 

Sounds like you only played game #1.  You didn't read the manual as a kid?  

 

 

Shoot, BP, I'm all grown up and I don't have time to read that manual! Or the intelligence! Sheesh!

 

I wish I could read the manual. I can't find it anywhere around my place. It's difficult to read the one scanned here at AA, since I would have to set my computer next to my 2600. Someday I'll figure out this game.

[Albert]

I remember being pretty excited about this game when it came out, as I've always been a big space buff. So a "Space Shuttle Simulator" or the 2600 was right up my alley. I read through the entire manual, which was fun as it contained lots of cool information about the space shuttle and how they operate. Of course it's supremely simplified on the 2600, but I still had a blast "playing".

 

Have Space Shuttle simulations ever been released for anything else, not including ports of this title to other game consoles and computers? You could do a pretty cool simulation of this today, although I don't know that it would be very exciting to play.

 

..Al

[Thomas Jentzsch]

It's difficult to read the one scanned here at AA, since I would have to set my computer next to my 2600.

Atari Manual Tome

 

And then print the Space Shuttle part.

[Big Player]

It's difficult to read the one scanned here at AA, since I would have to set my computer next to my 2600.

Atari Manual Tome

 

And then print the Space Shuttle part.

 

Now I just need to buy a printer.

[pinball22]

Have Space Shuttle simulations ever been released for anything else, not including ports of this title to other game consoles and computers?

 

There's Project Space Station, which I played on the C64 (I think there are also Apple II and PC versions)...

you have to pick a crew, design a space station, then do Shuttle missions where you fly up, do EVA to build

a section of the station, and then come back. Important warning: when it says that the passage

of time is much faster in the space parts of the game than the ground parts, it's not kidding.

The first time I played I killed my entire crew because while I was thinking about what to do a month went by and they starved.

Oops.

[StanJr]

I think a modern space shuttle sim for GameCube or XBOX would be the shiznit. With the level of technology and flexibility of modern gaming engines it could really be done right. Would LOVE to see it!

 

BP, you can borrow my manual sometime if you need.

[Fretwobbler]

Well, as impressive as the 2600 game is, I dont think it comes close in the accuracy stakes. Space Shuttle for the PC from ~1990 on the other hand. Now THAT was accurate. Just look at all those buttons, so many they had to give you a poster for the layout ....