Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002

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File:FS2002.png

FS2002 (8.0) improved vastly over previous versions. In addition to improved graphics, FS2002 introduced air traffic control (ATC) and artificial intelligence (AI) aircraft enabling users to fly alongside computer controlled aircraft and communicate with airports. An option for a target framerate was added, enabling a cap on the framerate to reduce stutter while performing texture loading and other maintenance tasks. In addition, aircraft feature a 3D virtual cockpit, creating in effect a view of the cockpit from the viewpoint of a real pilot. The external view also featured an inertia effect, inducing an illusion of movement in a realistic physical environment.

Microsoft removed the scenery of the original World Trade Center from the game to respect the victims of the September 11 attacks shortly before it was released.{{Cite web|title=World Trade Centre to be removed from MS Flight Simulator|url=https://www.theregister.com/2001/09/17/world_trade_centre/|access-date=2020-08-19|website=www.theregister.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=CNN.com - Microsoft to alter 'Flight Simulator' game - September 14, 2001|url=https://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/ptech/09/14/microsoft.flight.sim/|access-date=2020-08-19|website=www.cnn.com}}

In the United States, Flight Simulator 2002 debuted at #12 on NPD Intelect's computer game sales rankings for October 2001, at an average retail price of $70.{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20011202103635/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories/news/0,10870,2828791,00.html | url=http://gamespot.com:80/gamespot/stories/news/0,10870,2828791,00.html | title=Hot Date holds off Harry Potter | author=Walker, Trey | date=November 29, 2001 | archivedate=December 2, 2001 | work=GameSpot | url-status=dead | access-date=April 3, 2020 }} It was absent from the top 20 by November.{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020213013550/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories/news/0,10870,2833845,00.html | url=http://gamespot.com:80/gamespot/stories/news/0,10870,2833845,00.html | title=Hot Date rules November | author=Walker, Trey | date=December 19, 2001 | work=GameSpot | archivedate=February 13, 2002 | url-status=dead | access-date=April 3, 2020 }} By the end of 2001, the game's domestic sales totaled 130,954 units, for revenues of $9 million.{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040619191112/https://cat.nyu.edu/current/news/media/marklesimcity.pdf | url=https://cat.nyu.edu/current/news/media/marklesimcity.pdf | title=Markle Forum on Children and Media | author=Bradshaw, Lucy | authorlink=Lucy Bradshaw (game developer) | date=January 31, 2002 | publisher=New York University | archivedate=June 19, 2004 | url-status=live }} Internationally, the game received a "Silver" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA),{{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221154943/http://www.elspa.com/?i=3942 |url=http://www.elspa.com:80/?i=3942 |title=ELSPA Sales Awards: Silver |work=Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association |archivedate=February 21, 2009 |url-status=dead }} indicating sales of at least 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom.{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918063107/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/112220/ELSPA_Wii_Fit_Mario_Kart_Reach_Diamond_Status_In_UK.php |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/112220/ELSPA_Wii_Fit_Mario_Kart_Reach_Diamond_Status_In_UK.php |title=ELSPA: Wii Fit, Mario Kart Reach Diamond Status In UK | author=Caoili, Eric | date=November 26, 2008 |work=Gamasutra |archivedate=September 18, 2017 |url-status=dead }}

Flight Simulator 2002 won PC Gamer US{{'}}s 2001 "Best Simulation" and the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' "PC Simulation" awards.{{cite press release |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020306070041/http://www.interactive.org/newsandevents.asp |url=http://www.interactive.org:80/newsandevents.asp |title=Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Announces Recipients of Fifth Annual Interactive Achievement Awards |date=March 1, 2002 |publisher=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |archivedate=March 6, 2002 |url-status=dead |location=Las Vegas }}{{cite journal |date=March 2002 | title=The Eighth Annual PC Gamer Awards | volume=9 | number=3 | pages=32, 33, 36, 36, 37, 40, 42 | journal=PC Gamer US | author=Staff }} The former publication's editors wrote that the game "narrowly prevailed" against IL-2 Sturmovik, and commented that its winning despite having no "guns, missiles or explosive pyrotechnic effects of any kind is remarkable testimony of the bleeding-edge quality of Microsoft's benchmark product." Computer Games Magazine, The Electric Playground and Computer Gaming World all nominated Flight Simulator 2002 as the top simulation of 2001, but these awards went instead to IL-2 Sturmovik.{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20031013014200/http://www.elecplay.com/feature.html?article=8152&page=1#mr_toppy | url=http://www.elecplay.com:80/feature.html?article=8152&page=1#mr_toppy | title=Blister Awards 2001 | author=Staff | archivedate=October 13, 2003 | work=The Electric Playground | url-status=dead | access-date=April 3, 2020 }}{{cite magazine | author=((Editors of Computer Gaming World ))| magazine=Computer Gaming World | title=Games of the Year; The Very Best of a (Sometimes) Great Year in Gaming |date=April 2002 | issue=213 | pages=69–73, 76–84 }}{{cite journal | author=Staff | journal=Computer Games Magazine | title=11th Annual Computer Games Awards |date=March 2002 | issue=136 | pages=50–56 }} Computer Gaming World{{'}}s editors called Flight Simulator 2002 "an excellent iteration of the esteemed series," and a game that "took on the daunting task of increasing the detail level of the entire world at least a hundredfold."

• GameSpot - Nov 07, 2001
• Computer Gaming World - Feb, 2002
• Jeuxvideo.com - Nov 26, 2001
• IGROMANIA - Jan, 2002

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.mobygames.com/game/microsoft-flight-simulator-2002 Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002] at MobyGames
• [https://www.mobygames.com/game/microsoft-flight-simulator-2002-professional-edition Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002: Professional Edition] at MobyGames

{{Microsoft Flight Simulator}}

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Category:2001 video games

Category:Impact of the September 11 attacks on the video game industry

Category:Microsoft Flight Simulator

Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games

Category:Video games developed in the United States

Category:Windows games

Category:Windows-only games