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Real Pilots Racing Against Virtual Airplanes Will Bring Simulators to a New Level
Posted by Jesus Diaz at 10:40 AM on October 7, 2008
Sky Challenge wants to create a new massive sport, one that would allow you to race against real stunt airplanes, flying through virtual doughnuts and gates up in the real sky. To do that, they are using a mix of technologies that that allow real planes to be precisely tracked, as well as letting real world pilots see the course and the computer planes around them. Here's how it works:
Sky Challenge wants to create a new massive sport, one that would allow you to race against real stunt airplanes, flying through virtual doughnuts and gates up in the real sky. To do that, they are using a mix of technologies that that allow real planes to be precisely tracked, as well as letting real world pilots see the course and the computer planes around them. Here's how it works:
• The real world scenario is introduced in the computer and a race course is programmed.
• The real planes use a Global Positioning System combined with an Inertial Navigation System, which is needed to compensate for the lack of accuracy in the GPS. This is critical while doing acrobatic maneuvers because the GPS can't get a clear signal at that time.
• The tracking information is then relayed to the servers, where it gets integrated in the virtual gaming grid.
• Simultaneously, the virtual planes position is sent to the real airplanes, where the pilots can see where the other planes and obstacles are located.
In the future, the company wants to make these races a major televised event, where everyone can participate from home using their computers. [Air Sports Live via BBC News]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
ArrogantAce
Posted 12:05 PM 7/10/08
@Avizzv92: forfeit
ArrogantAce
zimzombie
Posted 11:47 AM 7/10/08
@Avizzv92:
Game Over, Dude.
zimzombie
Avizzv92
Posted 11:43 AM 7/10/08
What would happen if the real world pilot crashes?
Avizzv92
Ariel_Wollinger
Posted 12:53 PM 7/10/08
@Avizzv92: If you die in the matrix you die in real life?
Ariel_Wollinger
unkpku is think that new comments are like iPhone 3G pre 2.1, ye
Posted 12:38 PM 7/10/08
For a second i thought that you could control a real plane, and then i realized how retarded that would be.
unkpku is think that new comments are like iPhone 3G pre 2.1, yeah it sucks
weak_pig
Posted 12:34 PM 7/10/08
i can't wait to take control of the plane and crash it!
weak_pig
roflwaffles
Posted 12:55 PM 7/10/08
@Avizzv92:
you win by default.
roflwaffles
ViperBorg
Posted 1:43 PM 7/10/08
@unkpku is think that new comments are like iPhone 3G pre 2....: Making fun of the US Air Force?
ViperBorg
ViperBorg
Posted 1:42 PM 7/10/08
@Ariel_Wollinger: The body cannot live without the mind.
Sorry, couldn't resist.
ViperBorg
frigg
Posted 1:40 PM 7/10/08
So does this mean you could attack a stunt plane with a Death Star?
frigg
GizMadone
Posted 3:02 PM 7/10/08
I wonder how they will even the playing field in terms of wind. They may be able to simulate a given wind speed and direction in the computer simulation, but I doubt they'll be able to accurately simulate the winds aloft, shear, thermals, and turbulence.
GizMadone
Wolfess
Posted 3:28 PM 7/10/08
@ViperBorg: I think he means the idea of letting just anyone virtually control a real plane.. yeah that would be dangerous.
Wolfess
Bassem B.
Posted 9:11 PM 7/10/08
I can imagine the virtual pilots messing with the physical pilot's mind and freaking them out by crashing their own virtual planes into the ground, or worse, by flying into the physical pilots' planes.
Sure it's just an image, but it's still freaky and disorienting, especially if several participants do it.
Then again, virtual pilots will probably have to pay a hefty fee to be part of this, so I suppose only serious people will be flying.
Bassem B.
Curves
Posted 12:19 AM 8/10/08
Virtual Doughnuts=Virtual Vomit.
Curves
TerryinSt.Paul
Posted 1:17 AM 8/10/08
I can see a 10 year old gamer kicking the shit out of a real pilot. This is the reason I don't play internet connected games anymore. EVERYTIME I play Goldentee golf at a bar connected to the interweb with someone else in some other state, they shoot -36. That is for 18 holes! That's an eagle every hole! F'n 10 year olds.
TerryinSt.Paul
EricAlder
Posted 1:08 AM 8/10/08
That's virtually cool.
EricAlder
hagrun
Posted 1:26 AM 8/10/08
Why is the game so choppy? All this tech and they want us to play at 15 fps?
hagrun
GTgeek
Posted 8:08 AM 8/10/08
This is pretty neat! I know I read about a similar thing (ok, pretty much exactly the same) with race cars. The simulator game looks like a new version of Pilot Wings for the SNES.
GTgeek
HaleScaevola
Posted 1:11 PM 7/10/08
Seems kind of pointless to me. Part of the fun of air races, like the Red Bull series, is the facination with the speed at which the planes are flying and the degree of control the pilot racers exibit over thier machines. These guys are truly incredible. In this case, the "virtual" pilot will have an immediate advantage in the sense that he/she can take risks that the real pilot/racer would never attampt: "Ohhhh, I think I can make it if I just pich it in a little harder! NOPE! Crashed and burned. Oh, well. Reset." Not to mention that those graphics look about as good as any PSP flight simulator mini-game. Someones going to have to bump it up a few notches if its going to actually gain an audiance IMO.
HaleScaevola