ruben3d / retroflightsim

Attempt to replicate the visuals of late 80s / early 90s flight simulators

Retro Flight Simulator

Quick and dirty attempt to replicate the visuals of late 80s / early 90s flight simulators, using as a reference MicroProse's F-117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter 2.0 (1991).

Live demo

https://ruben3d.github.io/retroflightsim/dist

Screenshots

How to build

You need node.js installed globally (I have been using 14.16.0).

$ cd retroflightsim
$ npm i
$ npm run build

How to run

Start the local web server:

$ cd retroflightsim
$ npm run serve

Then open localhost:8000 in your web browser (tested on Chrome/Linux).

Instructions

Settings

Generation

The generation of choice will simulate the experience of a game of that era:

• 286/CGA: mid-80s
• 286/EGA: late 80s
• 386/VGA: early 90s
• 486/SVGA: mid-90s before texture mapping

Flight model

The flight model selects the realism of the simulation:

• Debug: Very simple flight model intended for debug purposes only. The plane can be stopped midair.
• Arcade: Vaguely based on realistic parameters but closer to late 80s arcade experiences.

Keyboard layout

Choose your keyboard layout, for users using AZERTY or Dvorak keyboards.

Plane controls

Keyboard

Use the OSD settings to select the keyboard layout.

QWERTY (default):

• W/S: Pitch
• A/D: Roll
• Q/E: Yaw
• Z/X: Throttle

AZERTY:

• Z/S: Pitch
• Q/D: Roll
• A/E: Yaw
• W/X: Throttle

Dvorak:

• ,/O: Pitch
• A/E: Roll
• '/.: Yaw
• Q/J: Throttle

Joystick

The system supports a single device connected only. If the device has less than four axes the keyboard can be used to complement the missing controls. Joystick information displayed in the OSD help.

• Axis 1: Pitch
• Axis 0: Roll
• Axis 3: Yaw
• Axis 2: Throttle

Systems

• G: Landing gear
• F: Flaps
• T: Select target
• I: Toggle night (386/VGA) or IR (486/SVGA) for the tracking camera
• H: Cycle through HUD focus modes (disabled, partial, full)

Views

• N: Toggle day/night
• 1: Cockpit
• 2: Toggle exterior back/front
• 3: Toggle exterior left/right
• 4: Toggle to/from target

On reaching the limits of the detailed scenario the player position wraps around.

retroflightsim's Issues

Afterburner for engines

On hold until #5 is done

How does the magic velocity section in `arcadeFlightModel.ts` work?

Hi @ruben3d,

I'm working on my own arcade flight game in three and hope you could help me understand the way you apply velocity to your plane model.

Currently I'm getting my plane object's world direction via the Object3D.getWorldDirection(). Then I just apply a hard coded speed scalar value to that and add it the position of my plane.

You seem to hardcode a forward direction and then do some quaternion math to rotate your plane. Is there a benefit to that method?

Landing/Crashing

Crashing (ground only) will show the plane crashed and let start from the beginninig again.
Ignore the nature of the surface for now.

Feature Request: Customizing Hotkeys

Hi.

For those who don't use a QWZERTY keyboard layout (but instead, the AZERTY one, for example), do you think it would be possible to add an option to customize (Plane controls) hotkeys?

Thanks in advance.

Lower LOD levels for CGA and EGA

Tactical map in MFD

Launch missiles

Cockpit (320x200)

Aiming at a palette-based version that allows the same art to be reused across all the 320x200 modes by switching the palette

Brakes for landing gear

Postprocessing effects

Add vintage CRT optional effects

Air to Air HUD

Fuel simulation

Weapons bay

DOS-like console settings screen

Replace the current HTML-based settings screen with a DOS-like full screen menu in text mode

Define waypoints

Alternative CGA palette

Let users pick Cyan, Red, White, Black.

Air to Ground HUD

Zoom in/out maps

Autopilot

Front/Back camera in MFD

Compatible with night/IR mode

Fire cannon

Stall warning sound effect

Collisions with scenery

Key sensitivity levels for control surfaces

Let users switch between three different levels, to have finer control with the keyboard.

Control surface reaction time for keyboard control

PC speaker engine sound effect for CGA and EGA