rdd@walt.cc.utexas.edu (Robert Dorsett) (02/21/90)
TRACON is an air traffic control simulator, originally designed by Robert Wesson, and implemented on the IBM PC. I am not familiar with the PC version; this review deals with Macintosh version 1.0 (just released). Essentially, the game makes the player a controller in a Terminal Radar Approach CONtrol facility. Five environments are provided by the program: Boston, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles (the documentation claims other areas will be available). The user's task is to service the various requests of arriving, departing, and over-flight aircraft, hopefully without killing anyone. There have been at least two other ATC programs for the Mac. One was "ATC 1.0" (2.0, 3.0, and 4.0), which was a *very* basic video game. The last one I heard of was "Professional Air Traffic Control Simulator," by Don Shepherd. It had a relatively comprehensive set of features, but suffered from two basic problems: aircraft had to be vectored in cardinal directions (e.g., north, south, east, west, instead of compass headings), and the databases were more or less imaginary. It had a couple of features, how- ever, that TRACON could use. TRACON begins with a configuration menu. In it, the user selects the database to play in, weather conditions (from benign to turbulent), and pilot skill (from perfect to lousy). After entering desired characteristics, the computer builds the simulation, and starts the game. Within the game, a radar display dominates most of the screen. It can be configured to display a variety of static information: landscape (accurate), a compass rose, distance circles, and control-area, and whether to display the radar "sweep" hand. Various menu options exist to get more information about the environment, such as showing all checkpoints, airways, and airport names (and approach information). I find the white-background display in PATCS to be more readable than TRACON. I have not had an opportunity to play TRACON on a Mac II yet, but the documen- tation states that only certain advisory boxes appear in color. Five other windows display: a transcript of exchanges between ATC and aircraft; a list of pending flight-strips; a list of "active" flightstrips, the name of the database being played in, and the time elapsed for the simulator's time-frame. Every airplane is represented by an airplane symbol (which rotates to show direction of flight), and an associated control box (which shows aircraft ID number, altitude, and airspeed). To control aircraft, the aircraft's symbol (or data box) must be clicked in; it is then hilited. Various menu options let the user instruct it to perform one of five functions: changes in speed, direction (to individual degrees, e.g., 127), altitudes; and instructions to proceed to or hold directly at a specified waypoint. For arrivals, aircraft must be vectored to within given tolerances, usually +-300', within a couple of miles of an approache's final approach fix, pointed within thirty degrees of the runway centerline. Aircraft performance in the simulation is well done: the airplanes' flight characteristics are considered (a 767, for example, climbs much faster than a Piper Cub). The terrain covered during a turn is a function of speed, fast planes really move faster, etc. A menu function permits the user to find out what climb, cruise, and approach speeds are for a given target, as well as aircraft type, airline, and climb rates. The simulation itself is quite nice: it's fast (doesn't get bogged down with large numbers of airplanes) and smart (for instance, over-flights *never* have separation conflict problems). Elapsed time is normally real-time; however, it's possible to speed through the simulation by using the "step time" feature, which increments elapsed time by the interval it takes for one com- plete radar sweep. Scoring is a function of how many separation conflicts, missed approaches, forgotten hand-offs, etc. occur. There doesn't seem to be a penalty for not landing airplanes on their own schedule. Crashing an airplane terminates the game. TRACON 1.0 is, unfortunately, rather "rough." Many of the Mac-level features do not fully conform to the Macintosh User Interface Guidelines (for instance, the insertion point for the user's name doesn't blink, and lists don't scroll properly). There is at least one fatal bug, which definitely needs to be fixed (an ID=10 after clicking on an airplane after it's been handed off). I have a rather long list of other bugs/implementation problems for those who are interested (just send email), but, in general, can certainly recommend the game. It's pretty much the best ATC program out for the Mac. PATCS has many neat features, but TRACON is far more realistic. TRACON costs $50, and can be ordered from Wesson International, at 512-328-0100. It comes with a well-written, ~50-page manual (well-written), and an audio demo tape. For comparison, PATCS is worth looking into. It costs about half of what TRACON goes for, and can be ordered from: Advanced Simulation Systems Box 756 Huntingtown, MD 20639 I am not associated with either company. Note: this, and other simulator reviews (and the aforementioned bug list), can be found via anonymous ftp (login: anonymous, any password) on rascal.ics.utexas.edu (128.83.144.1), in the directory misc/av/+simulator-reviews. Robert Dorsett Internet: rdd@rascal.ics.utexas.edu UUCP: ...cs.utexas.edu!rascal.ics.utexas.edu!rdd
stadler@Apple.COM (Andy Stadler) (02/21/90)
In article <24834@ut-emx.UUCP> rdd@walt.cc.utexas.edu (Robert Dorsett) writes: > >TRACON begins with a configuration menu. In it, the user selects the database >to play in, weather conditions (from benign to turbulent), and pilot skill >(from perfect to lousy). After entering desired characteristics, the computer >builds the simulation, and starts the game. After you finish one game and start another, about 1/2 of these inputs "stick" (act as defaults for the next game) and about 1/2 are reset to "standard" values. Frustrating. >Within the game, a radar display dominates most of the screen. It can be >configured to display a variety of static information: landscape (accurate), >a compass rose, distance circles, and control-area, and whether to display >the radar "sweep" hand. Various menu options exist to get more information >about the environment, such as showing all checkpoints, airways, and >airport names (and approach information). I find the white-background display >in PATCS to be more readable than TRACON. >I have not had an opportunity to play TRACON on a Mac II yet, but the documen- >tation states that only certain advisory boxes appear in color. I've tried mine on a mac +, mac //, and mac //cx. Bravo points for actually scaling well to the different screens. In addition, the color display is *very* nice and I found it much easier to play. However on my //cx there is a fairly serious bug: For each airplane, the program generates a "data block". The program uses a "dim" green for most airplanes, and a "bright" green for the currently selected airplane. For some reason, on my Mac //cx, the dim green went away, so only the "active" data block is visible. Also, with all that screen real estate, and bigger and bigger windows, I wish they'd stretched the "communications window." Past transmissions scroll off very quickly and it would be nice to have a better history (especially when you're getting replies like "say again, I had my head in a map". >Every airplane is represented by an airplane symbol (which rotates to show >direction of flight), and an associated control box (which shows aircraft >ID number, altitude, and airspeed). To control aircraft, the aircraft's >symbol (or data box) must be clicked in; it is then hilited. The "communications scrolling" is made worse by the fact that every time you click an aircraft, it says "United 1234..." in the comm. window, and if you then click somewhere else, is adds "Disregard." and starts another one! That's part of why actual transmissions scroll away so quickly. Another thing I found VERY frustrating is that USUALLY you click an aircraft to select it, and future instructions go to that aircraft. However, if you click on the aircraft, drag its data block (you can move it to any cardinal location around the aircraft symbol, so nearby blocks don't always overlap. Nice.) and then release the button, it DOESN'T select the airplane. The PREV- IOUS aircraft remains selected. I have still not learned my way around this bug and I find myself constantly sending instructions to the wrong aircraft. >Aircraft performance in the simulation is well done: the airplanes' >flight characteristics are considered (a 767, for example, climbs much >faster than a Piper Cub). The terrain covered during a turn is a function of >speed, fast planes really move faster, etc. A menu function permits the user >to find out what climb, cruise, and approach speeds are for a given target, >as well as aircraft type, airline, and climb rates. Except for the bugs in the database: 767's flying 60 kt approaches? > Scoring is a function of how many separation conflicts, missed approaches, > forgotten hand-offs, etc. occur. There doesn't seem to be a penalty for > not landing airplanes on their own schedule. Crashing an airplane terminates > the game. There's at least one problem with the scoring: When you succesfully hand off an aircraft for an approach, you are immediately given the "landing score". But if bad weather causes a missed approach (not your fault) and you bring it around for a second approach, also successful, you get the points again! I'm not one to argue extra points; However this "feature" makes it possible to beat the "maximum possible" score which are presented as something to try for. >Robert Dorsett >Internet: rdd@rascal.ics.utexas.edu >UUCP: ...cs.utexas.edu!rascal.ics.utexas.edu!rdd Thanks for the nice review. I enjoy the game and am frustrated by the implementation. I tell people "I'm waiting for 1.1." --Andy stadler@apple.com
kerry@rtech.rtech.com (Kerry Kurasaki) (02/23/90)
In article <24834@ut-emx.UUCP> rdd@walt.cc.utexas.edu (Robert Dorsett) writes: > >TRACON 1.0 is, unfortunately, rather "rough." Many of the Mac-level features >do not fully conform to the Macintosh User Interface Guidelines (for >instance, the insertion point for the user's name doesn't blink, and lists >don't scroll properly). There is at least one fatal bug, which definitely >needs to be fixed (an ID=10 after clicking on an airplane after it's been >handed off). I have a rather long list of other bugs/implementation problems >for those who are interested (just send email), but, in general, can certainly >recommend the game. It's pretty much the best ATC program out for the Mac. >PATCS has many neat features, but TRACON is far more realistic. Having used both versions of TRACON, the PC version is much more refined. The basic concepts of the simulation have not changed with the Mac version (which is good), but the interface is clumsy (non-Mac-like). My major complaints are that the program is buggy, the simulation is not as "smooth" as the PC version, and that the sound (voices) isn't up to what I think it should be. After Falcon and Dark Castle, one gets spoiled. It's easy to be critical, but this is one product that was released too soon. By itself it's OK, but Wesson did such a good job with the PC version that it's hard not to compare and expect the quality of the earlier (PC) product. Interestingly enough, I found the PC version easy to use right out of the box. I guess I'm going to have to go back to the manuals on the Mac version. Even though it may not seem like it, I have a natural Mac bias. Kerry Kurasaki
rdd@walt.cc.utexas.edu (Robert Dorsett) (02/23/90)
Andy Stadler noted that TRACON's in color on the Mac. I had a chance to try it on a IICX last night, and he's right. Incoming aircraft are flagged yellow (but don't blink, which is a minus, in my opinion), aircraft themselves come in two shades of green, surface features are purple, compass red, lists grays, etc. I've noticed color problems on the lists, and some "static" on the radar display, but, in general, it's a nice job. The "white-out" problem doesn't occur on the II.