UFO for MS-DOS: Flying Saucer Flight Simulator

[@catfish552]

Clint's amazing but only vaguely useful superpower: Perfectly guessing the page count of old PC game manuals.

[@Moonbeam143]

He's my favorite X-Man.

[@onomatopoeia7505]

Look up into the sky! Is it a bird? A plane? No! It's... oh. It's "Manual page count"-man.

[@goeland4585]

@@onomatopoeia7505 oh you mean Old PC Game Manual Page Count? Love that guy.

[@mik4k6]

If he can do that with jelly beans, he'll win prizes. 😂

[@jk9554]

@@onomatopoeia7505 No, it's "Lazy manual page count man"

[@ELOFTW]

Fun fact! Helicopter rotor speeds actually remain relatively constant - video games get this wrong often and imply that the engine powering up or powering down makes the helicopter ascend or descend. Instead, they actually ascend and descend by pitching each rotor blade to a steeper or flatter angle of attack to generate more or less lift. Cool stuff!

[@markpfeffer7487]

I never knew! Makes a lot of sense though! The actuators controlling the rotation of the rotor blades have to be crazy robust to take that resistance. Thanks for the fun fact!

[@frostystorm87]

@@markpfeffer7487 Changing the tilt of a helicoptor rotors is called adjusting the collective. It's done with a foot pedal generally. It translates up and down motion to the Swash Plate assembly, which is a non rotating plate that connects to the helicopter controls, a set of ball bearings, and a plate on top that rotates with the rotor. Pushing it up and down pushes up a linkage on each rotor, changing it's angle of attack. The flight stick changes the tilt of the swash plate, changing which way the helicoptor moves by adjusting the angle of the rotor blades on only one side. If you want to move a helicopter forward you tilt the swash plate forward, when a blade passes over the higher part of the swash plate it generates more lift, so tilt forward, the rear of the swash plate is higher, the rotor generates more lift in the rear. It's a shockingly simple mechanism. In older helicopters the pilots stick and pedals were direct linkages to the swash plate, no hydraulics at all.

[@michealpersicko9531]

Based off the poster this looks like it might be using some of the coding from Thunder Chopper since i tried playing this it very much felt like controlling a helicopter with the way the pitch and yaw felt. Halfway between a airplane and a helicopter basically.

[@zongzoogly4549]

That seems to me to have terrifying implications if you have a power failure during a descent.

[@ajorsomething4935]

Yeah, really it's adjusting the "collective" controls, basically the pitch of all rotor blades.

[@retropuffer2986]

This was game of the year on Zeta Reticuli

[@ThommyofThenn]

Nice

[@alastairward2774]

Where it was just called Flight Simulator.

[@Mick_92]

As someone with some basic understanding of graphic design, I have to say, everything that comes with this is a delight from a graphical point of view.

[@DzSwipe]

Oh man that box art, beautiful.

[@Vospi]

Came to write the same thing.

[@yukikofujiwara2144]

"Hey, what the heck? Why's there a UFO here?" is such an apt response to seeing a UFO. I mean, it's a perfectly valid question.

[@Jimfoxyboy]

I'd gotten this when it first came out, I might even still have it somewhere in storage. I still remember what the controls do. And, that the values for speed and altitude didn't use 'Earth standards', (the manual explains how they compare Km/miles, but if I remember, they only different by a small bit.) On a side note: Anti-laminar in the game, I believe was based on a real concept. Aircraft engineers were testing out ways to smooth the airflow over wings, or the laminar airflow, by punching tiny holes in a wing and using vacuum pumps to draw in. Although, in the game if I remember right, it used 'transducers' on the hull sections. In any case, trying to find the manual online has proven quite a challenge, so be sure not to loose that guide and book.

[@michaelsmyth5658]

Did you ever play a game where you could fly a pirymid cut in half and turned on its side one mouse buton made it take of another buton shot the gun forward and backward on the mouse tilted it any direction and the left and right keys turned it i think the point of the game was to blow up all the nukes to save the planet but i cant remember the game to save my life Do you know the game ime talking about. Plz

[@Jimfoxyboy]

@@michaelsmyth5658 Sorry, no idea what game that be.

[@nilz23]

@@michaelsmyth5658 Are you thinking of Zarch (Virus in the US)?

[@ObiWanBillKenobi]

Could you please, please, pretty please scan your manual and the other documents that came in the box and upload them to the Internet Archive? I can’t find them online anywhere! 😭

[@Jimfoxyboy]

@@ObiWanBillKenobi I mostly just remember having the book itself. If I do find it, and manage to somehow get a proper scan of it, I'm not really sure where I'd send the scan to.

[@AtanvarnoALDA]

Whoa. Can you scan and upload the manual? While the game can be easily downloaded (it's even available online at the Web Archive), the manual is extremely hard to find.

[@NightpireVideos]

I love these relaxed blerbs, they remind me of your early videos from 2011. Thanks for still providing us with cool videos during these weird times, man.

[@uubrmanx]

Why does the sound of an old computer's hard drive fit perfectly for the engine of a UFO?

[@mindfuloftech]

Because computers are alien technology #ancientastronauts

[@jannejohansson3383]

That sound isn't coming from hd. It's pc:s own speaker what used before than sound cards exist

[@mindfuloftech]

@@jannejohansson3383 Sounds unlikely, you are using a lot of scientific jargon to make it sound clever but because aliens makes a lot more sense to me.

[@emmedigi89]

Whenever I watch a video about old PC games like this, I regret those times when games actually came in big colorful boxes, with manuals and disks inside. I mean, when you bought one you really had the feeling of having something. I remember when I used to stare at the shelves full of those boxes at my local store. That was so fascinating.

[@puppetpal2290]

Some top secret air force dude has to play this game before they let him have a go at the good stuff

[@jannejohansson3383]

"If you crash in this game, it's game over.. You are fired"

[@NineteenInFrench]

So that's why Roswell happened, they didn't have this back then

[@SoleaGalilei]

This is so cool. There were some amazingly ambitious games in this era.

[@HungryGuyStories]

I bought this when I was a kid! I'd love for them to make a modern version of this! Of course, a modern UFO simulator would have to be both a flight simulator and an orbital mechanics space simulator and simulate not only all of earth, but the moon and all the planets, too.

[@ObiWanBillKenobi]

Could you please, please, pretty please scan your manual and the other documents that came in the box and upload them to the Internet Archive? I can’t find them online anywhere! 😭

[@jaromirkrol3950]

1998's "Flying Saucer", from PostLinear Entertainment, was something of a spiritual successor to this - and it was a much more immersive UFO simulator, as well as a considerably more involving experience.

[@troytakesphotos]

The HQ of subLogic is currently an auto body shop. IDK why that’s relevant. But it is.

[@unbearifiedbear1885]

UFO Chopshop confirmed

[@TheLtData]

Aaah... Just what i needed on this rainy afternoon! Thank you!

[@TheLtData]

Well, i am in The Netherlands and the weather changes by day or even shorter ; )

[@nslouka90]

Just what I needed on a perfect fall evening

[@CaveyMoth]

Are you in east Florida?

[@Leahi84]

Thank you for making this. I was so hoping you would when you posted this on your twitter.

[@TimberWolf4444]

I would love a full high res scan of that map!

[@maxs713]

The level of detail they've put into this is INSANE

[@marcpiccirillo]

If I remember, there was a kind of hidden place (a vulcano) you were able to go inside and we get in a giant kitchen to visit. I can't tell where it was exactly, that's 25 years ago I've haven't played this game. Great re-discovered one and a lot of memories. Thanks!

[@VideosfromNH]

I used Flight Simulator from subLogic since the TRS-80 days. I don't remember UFO simulator, but it does bring me back to the days of the '80's-'90's

[@MrStephen182]

With all the flight sim videos going up on youtube at the minute thanks to he upcoming Microsoft flight sim 2020 coming out soon, LGR has pulled it out of the bag in true LGR style and out done them all with this video. Awesome good sir.

[@jasoncravens1124]

Back on a 386 Tandy, my uncle loved those games. His favorite was "F-19 Stealth Fighter". You had cardboard guides to put on the keyboard for the key mapping. Really neat for the early 90's. I wasn't quite old enough to play it properly, I liked building tracks on the game "Stunts".

[@BeyondTheScanlines]

Got to give it to subLOGIC for making some serious use of their engine - probably stands out alone above most of their non-Flight Simulator series games (Stealth Mission is C64 only, and well... knowing how Flight Simulator II runs there, it ain't going to be a fun experience). Kind of a neat one as a result, even if it might be a tad out there in comparison to flying various planes et al!

[@Lach90]

Glad to see LGR reviewing games again.

[@stevec00ps]

My work's main data centre is in Winston-Salem, NC. I got to visit our office in Raleigh earlier this year and loved it (I live in RaYleigh, Essex, UK) - especially loved the Raleigh Beer Garden :)

[@__redacted__]

Nothing's more satisfying than having a reason to utter the words Gluon Drive. Repeatedly.

[@wembleyford]

Oh Wow - subLogic were the authors of the original MS Flight Simulator (before MS brought it) - and I had a copy for the C64 - I love it - especially the feelies - it came with flight charts and landing field diagrams and a proper thick manual. Never knew this existed though - fascinating

[@mootpoint7053]

That is such "Miami Vice" 80's awesomeness! My first flight sim was TFX and it's still a great game today.

[@KILRtv]

Great find! Now I have something else to look for. The sound of the drive reminds me of the 'ol "Star Bird" toy from Milton Bradley.

[@testbenchdude]

Dude I played the heck out of Jet way back in the day on my dad's old 8086 clone with a built-in amber monochrome monitor! My favorite thing to do was to take off from the carrier, do a loop, and then land right back on the carrier. That and Starflight consumed the majority of PC gaming in my formative years.

[@ojkolsrud1]

Wow, the motions were really smooth! 8:36, I was anticipating 10 FPS for some reason.

[@LGRBlerbs]

100MHz CPU on a game from 1989 will do that :)

[@CaveyMoth]

@@LGRBlerbs Just like the UFO, your PC must be breaking the laws of physics!

[@ojkolsrud1]

@@LGRBlerbs Hehe, good point;) I play games like Elite 2 on my A500, and it's like reading cartoons=P

[@plivajucipauk7742]

@@ojkolsrud1 Interestingly those early 3d games are about only games that run better on Atari thanks to slightly faster CPU. Buddy of mine had Atari, that was his only win over my amiga, ah good old school system wars.

[@f1reb4ll77]

There's a similar newer game, Flying Saucer by Software 2000 (from 1998).

[@Aevilbeast]

I read somewhere that it was only released in Europe, which might make finding a retail copy a bit harder.

[@mattfleig2621]

A video on flight Sims would be super awesome and relevant since Microsoft has a new one just around the corner! :)

[@Bukkarooo]

Being from the Tampa area, I kinda want to grab this game now and see how it looks (since I noticed it on the list of Florida cities under Orlando). Not used to seeing where I live represented in games. Probably the best I ever got was an imaginary race track set in St Petersburg (where I actually am) represented in one of the Forza games.

[@brucedavis1803]

Gooooooooooo Tampa!

[@rhydermike]

No wonder those things are always described as having such eccentric movements. Before anyone starts having a go at Clint, remember that Will Smith had Jeff Goldblum helping him. There should be a mode where you can connect an Apple Powerbook to the serial port to infect the mothership. Thanks for putting it on screen - I’d always wondered about it.

[@superfoxbat]

The idea was genuine kudos to sublogic

[@damnthisusername]

This is awesome! Kinda reminds me of Tau Ceti on my Amstrad all those years ago.

[@singeslayer8367]

I love the implication that the vehicle you are piloting is even unknown to you as the pilot

[@erinrowley4291]

oh man, i had that game. What a flashback! Thanks!

[@marcp.]

I am always amazed to see what you could do back then with less than one mb .

[@awelcruiz]

"There's Florida." Take the shot!

[@Not-Great-at-Gaming]

If it was a true UFO flight sim, wouldn't you just fly over the Midwest and abduct people in the middle of the night?

[@robinbrowne5419]

Yup. Lol,

[@IRMacGuyver]

Don't forget the butt probing. You gotta butt probe them after abducting them.

[@procommentr]

"the Midwest" _Did you mean:_ *Ohio*

[@Okurka.]

°F? I always knew it was an alien unit.

[@theannoyedmrfloyd3998]

subLogic's Flight Simulator was even ported to 8-bit computers, such as the Apple ][e and Atari licensed it for an XE Game System cartridge.

[@bf0189]

I thought I saw a UFO flying over Florida today! Seriously though really neat game.

[@NuntiusLegis]

Perhaps Clint was "playing" this at the time, and it is not a game, but a secret UFO RC software disguised as a game ...

[@GreyWolfLeaderTW]

I had a copy of Microsoft Flight Simulator 3.0 as a child, I got it from my dad who got it, a Macintosh 128k, and a bunch of other software and games (particularly Lode Runner and Airborne!) from a company that was selling off its old stock of computer hardware and software.

[@nafion112]

I feel like a concept like this in FS2020 would be epic! :)

[@ObiWanBillKenobi]

Vaguely reminds me of "Flight of the Navigator." 🛸

[@curtiswebster8095]

You will be hearing from our lawyers. - Kang & Kodos

[@GreyLazy-ny2xg]

Hi from YNAO🙌 I am happy that find youre channel, you are Best😎

[@Raw774]

Useful to know aliens measure distance in Gorads

[@davidromeroblaya7920]

Clint: Lands his UFO in Miami. Me: Time to send a Skyranger full of troops.

[@roninja6929]

Looks like a genuinely interesting Sim, well worth playing it seems. Imagine a remake with the current MS Flight Simulator engine!

[@MechaFenris]

If anyone could make a flying saucer simulator, it'd be SubLogic. :) I played a ton of Flight Simulator on my Atari.. didn't understand most of it because I was in Jr. High.. but had a blast playing and flying around. :)

[@Iruparazzo]

now this is the flight sim news I've been waiting for all week

[@jk9554]

"Gluon Drive" sounds like a bit of an afterthought... :p

[@wojiaobill]

This makes me think of Flight of the Navigator

[@ObiWanBillKenobi]

I really, really want to learn how to play this game! Someone transcribed a screenshot from this video of the reference card controls, but everyone on Earth is still sorely lacking for all the other documentation and instructions for this game. Please scan it all and upload to the Internet Archive! 😭

[@montyr2083]

I'm trying to boost engagement with this comment because I have been looking for the documentation for this game for maybe eight years? I thought that this was the jackpot but no, just a quick flick-through. Game documentation preservation is sorely undervalued.

[@ObiWanBillKenobi]

@@montyr2083 There was a boxed copy of this game that sold on eBay about a year ago for about $100. Unfortunately, the seller shipped it off to the winner before I could ask the seller to scan and upload the documentation.

[@RoseSailor]

Saw my home town in Iowa on the list as well; It is fun how charming something like that still is for me :p

[@styloroc2000]

Anyone remember Corncob 3D -- the shareware simulator/alternate history where you pilot a WWII F4U Corsair against aliens who have invaded the earth? Played the hell out that.

[@LGRBlerbs]

Mentioned it later in this video! Here's my review of it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5i7hphmopegqbs

[@styloroc2000]

@@LGRBlerbs Haha, sorry, it was a premature comment, about a minute into the video; I was watching in line at the Dunkin' Donuts drive through. I totally forgot you did that video. The game was one of the games that's permanently etched in my head because it was the first shareware disk that I had bought through a catalog (along with Zone 66) when I got my Gravis Ultrasound. The funny thing is that I lived in a small town in Texas and it was cheaper to buy the disks via mail order than it was to call long distance to a BBS and download them via 2400 baud (all I could afford at the time as a 13 year old)...and these weren't even registered versions of the game.

[@stillnotscaredofspiders]

@1:51 "And thinking about some retro flight sim coverage on LGR." Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I think I played a little bit of Flight Simulator 2002 or 2004, I can't remember, and I wasn't very good at it, but they've always seemed fascinating to me, and something I'd quite like to have another go at.

[@tylerrehkopf]

4:30 Thunder Chopper is a badass name for a game. Something you would see flashing in an arcade

[@Hardin4188]

At 3:43 you can see on the map that Charleston, SC and Charleston, WV are transposed! I'm impressed with the alien technology!

[@PituDituOfficial]

So this game lets you feel like Jeff Goldblum from Independence Day xD I can see him explaining Antilaminar and Gourads to Will Smith xD

[@snip3rm00n]

I would love a remake of this game!

[@CameronHuff]

I think I had this game. It really seems familiar to me.

[@SerpentHeart32]

Is the Roswell, NM on that USA map packed wih the game? :)

[@mattm7220]

Pausing it when he shows the map of the US, it is not on there unfortunately. What a missed opportunity by the game's creators.

[@NuntiusLegis]

The Roswell incidert is fiction, they wanted a serious approach at UFO simulation. ;-)

[@wolf1438]

"The controls are backwards in the manual..." you missed Independence day reference :-P

[@pho3nix-]

LMAO!

[@eduardopupucon]

i watched the movie and i don't get it

[@G3DTrance]

My entire MS Flight Simulator (old versions) experience is in this video.

[@madfinntech]

Imagine being a kid in the late 1980s and getting this as Christmas present when wishing Nintendo and Super Mario. The bright side is if you got into it you'd top of the engineering world probably right now.

[@joeltarnabene5026]

haha, yea, I often got games like these when I was a kid. Got F15-Strike eagle from my dad when I was like 7. I wasn't even into aircrafts and my English knowledge was very limited but you played what you had back then. It's safe to say that there was a lot of trail and error involved. I'm not a top engineer now btw, but I consider myself of above avarage intelligence.

[@MrStephen182]

I would of much rather of gotten this over the big N and Mario as a child.

[@Dukefazon]

I though this is a tie-in episode with the release of Destroy All Humand Remaster :)

[@Quickened1]

That is a real jewel! Love the box! Glad I didn't have that game when I was a kid, may have never gone outside to play...

[@SoilentGr33n]

Holy smokes my dad had this game and I played a lot of it. He bought used it in a damn book store. Gluon thrusters and flying into a volcano and everything.

[@NuntiusLegis]

Most interesting game I've seen on LGR; I think it would have deserved a more thorough approach on the main channel.

[@LGRBlerbs]

It still might get that treatment!

[@JoeyRivers]

subLOGIC what a brilliant name.

[@kellysalyer1972]

OMFG! I had this game! Dude this is awesome!

[@05Rudey]

Defo something I would have bought back in the day on my Amstrad 1512.

[@ozmond]

I needed this today

[@ItsHyomoto]

I'm not a flight sim guy, but even I was pretty freaking impressed by MS' flight sim. It's kind of funny you are like, "I'm over Miami!" Ah, yes. It's so obvious :D Here's to hoping for a Gluon Drive in the new version :D

[@draketungsten74]

Turn off those pesky physics, just like a real UFO!

[@agentvx8320]

Surprised to see no mention of X-Com: UFO Defense (a.k.a. UFO: Enemy Unknown in Europe) since I believe this game is the reason a name change was needed.

[@krzbrew]

That Kraft stick. That was really cheap. Was surprised to see it in this video. I purchased one around '97, I think. I remember modding it to add two more analog buttons and another analog axis and played Mechwarrior 2 with it. In fact the trigger has a board with two contact buttons inside, and the two buttons on the top share one single functional button (but two contact buttons). You can cut the tracks on the button pcb-s, add some wires and have a 4-button and 4-axis analog joystick which was of the different price niche. Good old days. But was a pain in the a*se to control, the resistors were not good, especially the throttle, I remember also re-soldering the wires inside due to faulty contacts. The modification was absolutely atrocious, did not know how to use tools at the time... Recycled it recently.

[@LGRBlerbs]

It was my first stick! Here's an LGR video about it if you're curious: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oHuaZXmnh8SFotU

[@krzbrew]

@@LGRBlerbs Thanks! It was also my first one! I missed that video of yours. Thank you for all the interesting stuff you are filming! Also, due to your channel, in particular, the old computer stuff that I still have, got promoted from 'junk I don't know how to get rid of' to 'interesting items I need to fix and put somewhere'... Don't know whether to thank you or to blame you, ha-ha :)

[@andlabs]

subLOGIC physical media is so aesthetic; I've been intrigued since I saw the Football package in one of your unboxing videos =P Have you heard of "Flight Simulator with Torpedo Attack" for MSX? It's an odd spinoff of FS2 that came on cartridge and was presumably meant specifically for Japan?; I've got two copies of it (one loose and one with box and manual but sold in the Netherlands).

[@skydwellingmusic]

I like the idea of being an alien but still landing at irl airports.

[@aw4483]

I would buy the absolute crap out of a modern version of this I would pay more for an edition that's in an alien language you had to translate

[@TheSlowpC]

Winston Salem resident checking in!

[@CantankerousDave]

Sublogic, based out of my hometown. (And that of the HAL9000.)

[@FIDreams]

Like how UFO went for Unidentified Flying Object to just strait Alien space craft. Alot like Frankenstein's Monster just went to just Frankenstein, and Gay went from .... um you know. lol

[@CaveyMoth]

Screw the new Flight Simulator! I want a new UFO game. 8:21 It's like in Independence Day when he gets the UFO controls backwards! "Oops."

[@Quickened1]

Reportedly what happened in Roswell, circa 1957 ...

[@CaveyMoth]

@@Quickened1 LGR was probably the alien that crashed. And he brought with him alien woodgrain technology.

[@texaswilliam]

#UFO2020

[@3800scgp]

They recently remade/updated the original "Destroy All Humans", if that's close enough.

[@oraculox]

Hey Clint, you had me thinking of flight of the navigator, which came out around the year even. so I looked for a mod addon of the ship, didnt find anything, but at the same time....hey!!!! you like MIDI and synths and all that same as me. And so, so started looking for .mids or sheet files of the soundtrack by silvestry and didnt find anything either, dammmm.....but any way that OGScore in vinyl would be amazing

[@ob1quixote]

Man. I paid full price when I was still a teenager. Never figured it out and never made it longer than a minute in the air. Still bitter 30 years later. 😁

[@Roadstar1602]

What a cool concept! I'd love to see a modern version of this.

[@hawk_7000]

What is immediately obvious from watching this is that there is a clear need for UFO simulators. Just imagine flying one of those things without proper training...

[@twocvbloke]

So many generations of flight sim, but no new generations of this? So much injustice there, this needs a re-make for modern times... :D

[@seanjordanrpg]

I took a screengrab of the controls from 2:42: ANTI-GRAVITY F1 - Decrease F2 - Velocity Freeze F3 - Increase F4 - Full GRAVITON ALT+F1 - Off ALT+F2 - Decrease ALT+F3 - Increase ALT+F4 - Full MOTION NEUTRALIZER F5 - Off F6 - Decrease F7 - Increase F8 - Full ANTI-LAMINAR SHIFT+F1 - Off SHIFT+F2 - Decrease SHIFT+F3 - Increase SHIFT+F4 - Full GLUON DRIVE SHIFT+F5 - Off SHIFT+F6 - Decrease SHIFT+F7 - Increase SHIFT+F8 - Full ROTATION NumPad 8 - Pitch down NumPad 4 - Roll left NumPad6 - Roll right NumPad2 - Pitch up NumPad5 - Neutralize all rotation NumPad0 - Yaw Left NumPad - or Enter - Yaw Right THRUSTERS SHIFT+NumPad7 - Up SHIFT+NumPad1 - Down SHIFT+NumPad8 - Forward SHIFT+NumPad2 - Backward SHIFT+NumPad4 - Left SHIFT+NumPad6 - Right SHIFT+NumPad5 - All Thrusters Off MISC E - Navigator Time Functions X - Energy Drainer T - Translucer On/Off I - Illuminator L - Landing Pod K - Joystick calibrate O - Sound On/Off P - Pause N - Near City Navigator G - Shield

[@SCfanIam100]

It has the look and feel of a real UFO flight panel.

[@TheDing1701]

Did Bob Lazar help with the manual?

[@jari2018]

I now can see this in latest Flight simulator and with the same sounds (since its a alien ufo) -the grapics could be better or same as in the new game.