Why do you use Orbiter?

[GoForPDI]

Simply because I can honestly say I have a vague idea of how to operate a Shuttle in orbit!

 

[Nazban]

Because I want to fly in space.

:ditto:
lol all the other answers are linked to this one!:lol:

 

[chobolatom]

Ou, I love space and Orbiter is chance how to get a little bit closer to my dream, touch the skies! It's another game. Here you have a lots of things to do. There aren't invisible walls like in other games. Ohh, I love Orbiter.

 

[tomthenose]

when i was small i took it as pretty much given that i would have the option to at least live on the moon by now. thanks to dr martin i now have some small consolation for the downright shoddy future we're living in!

one thing maybe absent from the comments above is the awesome modding community for orbiter (go on, give yourselves a pat on the back). the mods really make the game for me, i hope to contribute something myself real soon...

 

[Pyromaniac605]

Mostly for entertainment in my case, it's undeniably a lot of fun to fly multiple missions to build a station in Earth Orbit. (Supposing you don't suck at controlling a RMS. :shifty

 

[20 Litre]

As child i wanted to be a cosmonaut and i like the earthview from orbit... Elite gives me 1985 eight universes, in VGA Planets i can conquer a galaxy and with Orbiter i can realistic fly around.

 

[PennyBlack]

Elite gives me 1985 eight universes, in VGA Planets i can conquer a galaxy and with Orbiter i can realistic fly around.

I loved the Elite series, years of fun came from that series. From wire frame to poly filling, it was extreme for it's time.

Orbiter gives me freedom to explore our star system from the comfort of my front room. Without sitting in a real centrifuge and wasteing my dinner, though I do tend to look away from the screen when I roll to hard.
It's also theraputic for me and allows my mind to wonder, in a practicle dream state while I skirt around the system. Other sims and games require constant attention, but Orbiter is a relaxed sim I grew to love and as we humans enjoy altering our enviroment, I find the possibilities for engineering Orbiters enviroment as good as flying it. Sometimes more so. It's a pity it takes more time to bring into virual reality, that which we dream in the sim. The thought of landing on a rock in a suitable place and then building a base there to add to the enviroment is something I cannot get past. And something else that adds to the delight of this impressive sim.

It's actually amazing. there's so much we want to do, so little time to do it and we have to go to sleep in between darn it.!

Owe, and Elite "Frontier", I actually made it to ELITE status.

 

[Topper]

There are many resons why I'm useing Orbiter, but one of them is because i like it to create some add ons in c++ and learn this computer language!
I think there is no better way to simulate an embedded software, because it's just like in real. I think some add ons could be used for real aircrafts and spaceplanes with some modifications (if they are stable enogh) ;-)

 

[n72.75]

Not because it is easy, but because it is hard.

Also, the probe commands it.

 

[Pyromaniac605]

Not because it is easy, but because it is hard.

I wonder where you got that quote from... :hmm:

 

[Cras]

I myself rather fly in space and try new and fun things instead of trying to shoot other people in a FPS over XBox Live.

 

[APDAF]

Because I can and want to.

 

[elephantium]

It's fun, and it appeals to my inner nerd.

 

[diegzumillo]

At first I had the curiosity of how rockets, orbits, general space travel works. I've done some calculations in classical mechanics course but wanted to see how it really works in "practice" (or as close as possible). However, now that I'm pretty comfortable traveling back and forth, I'm drawn to Orbiter because of the exploration aspect of it. Which brings me to my current frustration: I've explored 80% of the solar system already and need something else to see/do

 

[Therius]

I've used Orbiter on & off for years. Recently I've enjoyed the XR2 & XR5. I had gotten bored with Orbiter in the past, but mods bring me back. The past couple of nights, I've been station building. I had never done that before so it's something new for me. Planning the build is as much fun as actually building it. I guess after that, I'll poke around with base building e.g UCGO. I enjoy the mods that give me a reason to fly to the moon or mars. Orbiter appeals to my inner nerd as well.

 

[Agent0ne]

When Fantasy meets Reality.

Why do I use Orbiter?

Well, because it is the greatest space dynamics simulator program.
I use the 2006 P1 version, with series of add ons, most I have adjusted myself for realism purposes (the set up is displayed on my Profile here).

I have always been totally fascinated by space, piloting, and navigation.

When the Commodore VIC-20 appeared, I wrote a simulator program for that (in Basic). But I quickly realized I was much too in advanced. I had to wait until computers would have huge memories!

Years later, I finally found what I needed: Microsoft Flight Simulator (1998), Jane's F-15 simulator, and then Orbiter in 2006.

Since then, I must say I live in space, literally.
I have time (retired), and I'm alone (single), so I can do that.

I have 2 computers;
- One PC is set up with/for the simulators (MicrosoftFS1998, JaneF-15, Orbiter2006P1, with the Microsoft SideWinder retro-action joystick) with each their set up I have organized. Most of the time it is running Orbiter (full time). Except when I am on the Earth flying aircrafts in one or the other simulators (after the 3 mandatory T.Off/Lndings).

- The other PC is just normal with internet link. So, I can get data and verify/learn about things while in space.

I am fervent of realism though. I never use "time acceleration" nor "on-spot positionning" (except for already-made space-stations, once I did reach position). That would be cheating, and "real-life" does not allow that. When I run into problems, I work to solve them. So, it took me a long time for writing the DeltaGlider Standard De-orbiting Procedure!
Like, I did overshoot an orbit... ONCE! It was hell, my brain became a "computer" right there analysing everything in mili-seconds! By unbelievable chance, the satellite (its moon) was there a little bit to the left and at reachable distance (for the deceleration phase I was already in). I made it orbiting that satellite, in sweats. But I did learn my lesson pretty well (I had been busy a minute too long on the other PC and missed a retro-burn sequence). And then I did write a procedure for that (for when Overshooting an orbit). However, it never happened again! As far as piloting/navigation, Procedures are mandatory.


What am I doing living in space?
Exploration and data gathering and mapping, performing and writing procedures for new sectors, setting up resources facilities or settlements on relevant planets, setting up space-stations and Comm relay satellites in strategic regions, transporting supplies or raw materials, maintenance in orbit, transporting passengers between vessels in orbit or/and from ground to orbit...
And sometimes I just gaze at the space around me, taking time for thinking and meditating.

Orbiter is awesome, for me it did bring fantasy into reality.

---------- Post added at 09:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:43 AM ----------

P.S.: to Addon Dev who did not already, I suggest read this post:

> Post (Add ons) <

 

[ElectricCube]

I love the sense of accomplishment, no matter how small.

 

[ghostrunner01]

I use Orbiter because it satisfies my curiosity in space flight and aeronautics in general. It is also very educational and very addicting.

 

[RisingFury]

I use Orbiter because of the API

 

[Saturn V]

I grew up in the Mercury, Gemini & Apollo era, so I enjoy flying the historic missions...plus, when I'm done, it irons my shirts for work in the morning (custom MFD).