Beta testers wanted: Apollo Lunar Module Sim Game.

[mbennouf]

Lunar Module Sim



I have develloped a new and very realistic lunar lander game and I need willing Palm beta testers. Here some details if anybody is interested:

LM Sim is a lunar lander game but unlike other version on the Palm, this is not an arcade type game. LM Sim uses realistic dynamics of the Apollo lunar module. The lander panel includes the most important instruments such as the altitude tape, X-Pointer and the artificial horizon indicator. Like the real thing, LM Sim is also equiped with an on-board computer (DAP).

Here some of the features of the game:

- Realistic physics modeling ( descent engine, thrusters..)
- Actual LM instruments rendering such as the X-pointer, Altitude tape and Artifiical Horizon
-CapCom voice annoncement during flight (altitude, rate of descent and fuel left)
- Realistic sound effects during flight
- An on-board computer to help you fly the lunar module(auto/semi/manual mode)
- To make the landing even more realistic,some of the lunar module sub-systems may fail at any time. For instance, there maybe a fuel leak, stuck thruster or a loss of alitmeter radar information during the flight.
- three levels (Rookie, LM Pilot and Commander)
- Scoring depend on landing accuracy, velocities, attitude (pitch/roll) and fuel left at touchdown and of course game level seetings


To get included in this beta testing just send me a private message (PM) with the following info:

- Your email adress
- Your HotSync ID

If you are selected, I will send you the app and the user guide (PDF).

The type of info I am interested in are:

- Bugs
- Installation issues
- How difficult it is to play the game
- Pricing (worth?)
- Sugestions to improve the game

Requirements:

- Palm OS device
- High resolution screen (320X320)
- OS 5
This app has been tested on my treo 650 and Tungsten C so far. It runs OK from my SD card as well. I am looking for people with devices OTHER THAN THE TREO 650 so I can fully test the app.





Mo.

ps:This beta testing offer will be limited to the first 10-15 people so that I can provide you the best response time. Sorry in advance for this limitation.
Lunar Module Sim

[headcronie]

Do we actually need previous experience landing these things? I heard the lunar landers were in limited quantity, and the price to drive one was out of this world!

Looks pretty interesting.

[Tom LaPrise]

I tested it yesterday on my Zodiac and it won't get past the splash screen-- the Zodiac pops up an Error 33: Unsupported bitmap type message if I tap the Go button. The menu items are accessible and changeable, though if I change the skill level I end up greeted by the same error message.

I'll try it on my TE later today and see what happens.

Back in 1979-80 in high school, we had a "lunar lander" program (called Lunar) on the school's Honeywell mainframe. It was text-based; you input values for thrust and duration, and it gave back altitude and velocity. Instead of trying for a soft landing, we would try to hit the moon as hard as we could because the program would tell us how big a crater we made. Repeated burns at insanely huge negative thrust values for very short durations would pile-drive the lander straight into the surface without running out of fuel. We made craters larger than the orbit of Mars!

[mbennouf]

Hi.

Sorry again Tom. I am not sure this game will work on a Tap device. It may work on a TE if it has hires screen (320x320). I will need to send a new file if your hotsync ID is different from your Tap device. Let me as soon as possible since iam leaving for a week vacation. Some far the game works on the following devices:
TC
Tx
Lifedrive
Zire 72
Sony (not sure the model)
Treo 650 (it won't work on a T600 because of the screen)

I still need help from you guys who have something else than T650 (i have plenty of beta testers for the 650).

No you do not need experience play this type of game. All you need is your willinness to crash more often! But this is a simulator after all so go ahead and crash with a smile since you can try it again and again.

Thanks for anybody who wants to help a newbie programmer beta test his first app.

Mo

[headcronie]

If you still have any tester spots open, I sent you a PM.

[Tom LaPrise]

It works well on my TE. (The TE has the same HotSync name as my Zodiac, since I don't sync the TE anymore.)

I haven't found any bugs yet or had any app crashes yet. Plenty of LM crashes, though--my landing skills haven't changed much since high school, apparently.

[mbennouf]

Congrats Tom for the TE working for you. Try to read the manual and make sure you slow down your descent velocity below 10 feet/sec. You should be about level when you touch down as well. Your forward velocity/lateral should also be below 10 feet/sec.

Happy landing.

See you guys after my vacation but do not hesitated to contact with this forum/

Mo.