X-Plane (1993)

X-Plane is a rare case where a game turned out to be a byproduct of an engineering tool. Unlike most flight simulators, where the behavior of the aircraft is predefined in tables, Laminar Research calculates lift on the fly: the program breaks down the wing and tail into numerous elements and computes the forces acting on each of them in every frame. Hence, the main property — X-Plane behaves correctly even with aircraft that no one has tested: draw something absurd in the editor, and it will try to fly exactly as its geometry allows. This has led to the series' reputation as a tool for professional training and design verification, not just entertainment. The model of the world here is also honest: a complete planet, real airfields, wind, and turbulence. The entry threshold is high, the interface has always been a matter of taste, but X-Plane is respected even by those who fly competitors for its physics.

Watch the trailer and gameplay on YouTube

Game card in the MegaInet.art catalog — reference information. Files are not distributed. Actual data: Wikidata (CC0).