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Flight
Simulator became extremely popular, so no wonder that Artwick was
approached by fledgling Microsoft that asked him to prepare a version
for IBM PC. This package came out as Microsoft Flight Simulator 1, 1.00
respectively (user
manual), in late 1982, and was signed by Bruce Artwick. The program
was distributed on a 5.25” floppy disc and its start-up was very easy,
because a computer booted itself from that disc. If you check the
content of the floppy in some kind of explorer, you will find only one
tiny file “fs.com” which also enables you to run the simulator. In fact,
the main part of the program and sceneries were dispersed all over the
disc in order to protect them from illegal bootleg distribution. This is
also why Microsoft Flight Simulator 1 for IBM PC (as well MS Flight
Simulator 2 for PC and subLOGIC Flight Simulator II for various
platforms) are not as widespread as later MS Flight Simulator 3.0 and
other successors up to these days.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
1 for IBM PC offered four colours, but it worked smoothly only in
computers with CGA graphic cards and “color composite”
monitors
(you can read about a color problem in a
MSFS2 review). By that
time numerous IBM PC clones had been produced and the compatibility
problem emerged. It is suggested that Flight Simulator was often
employed as an IBM PC compatibility test program. For example, computers
with colour RGB monitors generated only a black/white picture. The
stylized instrument panel of the Cessna 182 was fitted with 8 analogue
circular instruments, fuel gauges and several digital instruments
(compass, radio, etc.). Four sceneries were offered – Boston with New
York, Los Angeles, Seattle and Chicago. There were nine views out of the
cockpit, but in comparison with later variants external views were not
available. It was possible to select a season, time, clouds, wind as
well as other flight parameters. There were also 10 preset modes of
which Europe 1917 (officially named World War I Ace) was a war mode that
was a variation of the “British Ace” included in earlier packages for
Apple II and TRS-80. It featured some improvements such as a cross-hair,
mountains surrounded the scenery from two sides, and there were also
more ground objects. In 1983 upgraded version 1.05 was released. It was
almost
identical to the previous one, but it had working “warm reset” via
Ctrl+Alt+Del keys.
Microsoft Flight
Simulator 1.00 for IBM PC (colour screen mode) - view of Chicago Meigs
Microsoft Flight
Simulator 1.00 for IBM PC (colour screen mode) - World War I Ace
Microsoft Flight
Simulator 1.00 for IBM PC (black and white mode)
Microsoft Flight
Simulator 1.00 for IBM PC (black and white mode)
© 2005 - 2021 Josef Havlík
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