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.