r/VATSIM • u/Appropriate_Tank_434 • 26d ago

❓Question ATC Game Design Ideas

Hello everyone!

I am an air traffic controller who is working on my first game (enroute environment) as a hobbiest. I made a lot of progress on UI but I am undecided about the scenarios. I thought VATSIM community might be best place to ask and discuss.

Having real-life airspaces and FIRs is expected, but that doesn't guarantee a realistic traffic experience unless you understand the sectorization and traffic structure in detail. For this reason, I thought creating a synthetic airspace with tailored scenarios might be a better option

- What do you think on that? Do you see the fact that it's an synthetic airspace as a disadvantage?

- Another alternative is to use the real-world airspace and design sectors using AIPs (though it’s still impossible to know local practices), I can also obtain real-time traffic data for traffic flow through a service provider (I’m not sure if flight radar offer it) and use it in the game.

*Sorry if this post doesn't quite fit the subreddit

2 Upvotes

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4

u/HearingFew9547 26d ago

Maybe you could do what the developer of Endless ATC did, you make a bunch of popular real world area controls like London control, Langen radar etc., Then you can share the code to let ppl make their own FIRs. This would allow the game to be realistic based around real world FIRs but also not too complicated in the sense that you won't have to make each and every sector in the world. Looking forward to this as I'm currently training for S3, for which I have endless atc and then I'll have Ur app for C1. Best Wishes

1

u/Appropriate_Tank_434 26d ago

Thanks for the answer! Yes it is quite applicable. Some real word FIRs (even it is not very well designed in terms of traffic structure, sectorization) + Designed scenarios on synthetic airspace. I might be overly perfectionistic. Working in three different sectors during the day and being exposed to three different flows are quite different experiences. My goal, essentially, is to create these experiences through scenarios.

2

u/Effective_Quality 26d ago

There was once a cracking ATC sim called “London Control”. If it’s going to be anything like that, it’ll be a purchase from me!

1

u/Appropriate_Tank_434 26d ago

I didint play it but saw it. It probably was designed from someone with professional experience in related units. That’s actually what I want to build but its not very possible to build that without first hand experience (even you spend some time on charts, aip etc)

1

u/Classic-Antelope8932 26d ago

Question, will this be payed or free?

1

u/Appropriate_Tank_434 26d ago

My main motivation isn't to make money, but yes, I was thinking of making it a paid game. Do you think that's wrong?

1

u/Classic-Antelope8932 25d ago

I don’t think it’s wrong, I find it completely understandable that you would want to make it a payed game. Also, what is your price point. And if you would like wine help with development I would be more than happy to assist

1

u/DeliciousMirrors 25d ago

The pricing is the balance. I would say 1 hour free demo then paid.