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[Admin]

Thank you both for the welcome!

Yes it was Shuttle - The Space Flight Simulator I was referring to. I no longer have the discs (they stopped working years ago) so I haven't tried the program in years.

You can get it for free online since it is not produced anymore.

...<SNIP>...

Not really.

It's still copyrighted and as such, "getting it for free online" is piracy. Even buying for downloading it, is piracy. The only legal way to get it is to buy an old copy from specialized traders.

The fact that it's not produced anymore is completely irrelevant. You are right only when it's declared as "public domain" by its developers, or publisher, or whomever holds the rights to the title, or wait for (I think) 30 years until it goes into public domain by default.

/Admin

[Moonwalker]

Thank you both for the welcome!

Yes it was Shuttle - The Space Flight Simulator I was referring to. I no longer have the discs (they stopped working years ago) so I haven't tried the program in years.

You can get it for free online since it is not produced anymore.

...<SNIP>...

Not really.

It's still copyrighted and as such, "getting it for free online" is piracy. Even buying for downloading it, is piracy. The only legal way to get it is to buy an old copy from specialized traders.

The fact that it's not produced anymore is completely irrelevant. You are right only when it's declared as "public domain" by its developers, or publisher, or whomever holds the rights to the title, or wait for (I think) 30 years until it goes into public domain by default.

/Admin

Didn't know that, since it's available on some legal sites, even including the complete manual (as pdf)

I had contact with one of the producers a few years ago. He was very surprised that people not only remember the sim but also still play it There was a little smalltalk and mentioning that it's available here and there but he said nothing regarding piracy. However, there was a try to use their extracted instrument panel graphics to create an addon for [that other] space flight simulator. It was not possible due to copyright.

But anyway, I Luckily have both, still the original blue Amiga disks (bought in 1992) and the PC CD ROM version (bought in 1997 if I remember correctly). I'm even going to buy the Amiga version one another time, on ebay, since my poster is lost and the manuals look very used. I currently bid on a extremely unused (good looking) box on ebay. And it looks like I'm the only one who wants it...

But I run the Amiga version (my old one from 1992) on my PC anyway. I transfered the disk contents via an adf transfer kit and run it with an emulator. It doesn't only safe the disks but also runs a little bit faster, since the floppy of the Amigas are quite slow (and I have only one floppy, not an external one, so I have to change the disks for loading the game which is quite annoying meanwhile)

[Admin]

...Didn't know that, since it's available on some legal sites, even including the complete manual (as pdf)

I had contact with one of the producers a few years ago. He was very surprised that people not only remember the sim but also still play it There was a little smalltalk and mentioning that it's available here and there but he said nothing regarding piracy. However, there was a try to use their extracted instrument panel graphics to create an addon for [that other] space flight simulator. It was not possible due to copyright...

Yes, we too know of some developers who try to use our graphics as well (scenery and panels, but not only) - we watermark our designs, so we tracked and documented that. For the time being we are keeping quiet, bu that may change in the future

The old "Shuttle" rights belong to Virgin. The only legal versions are available on floppies or CD, in their original boxes. The "downloadable version" is pirated. If it's sold on a site as a download, I'd question the legality of that site, or of their actions.

I own a 5 1/4,  5-floppy version with box, manuals AND poster in mint condition (although I doubt that the floppies still work). It's NOT for sale

I hope that our boxed SSMS:TCE will become a collector's item too, once SSMS2, SSMS3 etc. are released <G> I have one box of each language - LOL!

/Admin

[Moonwalker]

Yes, we too know of some developers who try to use our graphics as well (scenery and panels, but not only) - we watermark our designs, so we tracked and documented that. For the time being we are keeping quiet, bu that may change in the future

I actually don't like the idea to use existing stuff from a simulation and try to use it for a different product even if it would be legal

The old "Shuttle" rights belong to Virgin. The only legal versions are available on floppies or CD, in their original boxes. The "downloadable version" is pirated. If it's sold on a site as a download, I'd question the legality of that site, or of their actions.

But I wonder who has the rights now, since Virgin does not exist anymore for years.

But I've never seen Shuttle sold as a download. It's always free. There even is a Shuttle website where you can download all verions (Amiga, Atari and PC). And that's the case for many years and this is why I thought it would be legal. Maybe in terms of laws it's not legal. But it seems that the people who have worked on it and those who own the rights actually turn a blind eye to it, since it is not produced and sold anymore for many years. And I'm sure they know that it's offered for free, and where it is offered.

I own a 5 1/4,  5-floppy version with box, manuals AND poster in mint condition (although I doubt that the floppies still work). It's NOT for sale

Don't worry I'm looking for the 3.5" version. And it looks like I get the good one from ebay. Once I have it, it also won't be for sale, EVER. I will put the poster into a big picture frame. The manuals will be scanned and printed in DIN A5. The original manuals won't be touched again.

I'm also going to buy a "new" very well-preserved Amiga 600. I will put a transparent acrylic glass box on it when I don't use it

One can get some well-preserved Amiga hardware on ebay. I think I will make my own small "museum" including a well-preserved working Amiga 500, 600 and 1200. I still love those machines and the software of those days (I still have a lot of it and I think I will transfer all of them to my PC to do backups). If one consideres the size of the Amiags, they actually were quite modern machines.

I hope that our boxed SSMS:TCE will become a collector's item too, once SSMS2, SSMS3 etc. are released <G> I have one box of each language - LOL!

I think I definately will buy a boxed version of SSM2 in future. But only the english one

[Admin]

Virgin is well and alive: did you hear about Virgin Galactic? LOL. Virgin Games belonged to them and when they closed it, they retained all the rights.

Send in a picture of that new Amiga running the Shuttle. That is indeed a collector's item belonging in a museum. If the museums having the real shuttles on display have any imagination, they should go for such a display. And add SSMS1 too

The original Virgin Games "Shuttle" developers (Vektor Graphics from Germany) seem not to care about it anymore and Virgin is busy with REAL flights into Space. But you never know when they might wake up.

/Admin

[Moonwalker]

Virgin is well and alive: did you hear about Virgin Galactic? LOL. Virgin Games belonged to them and when they closed it, they retained all the rights.

LOL

Send in a picture of that new Amiga running the Shuttle. That is indeed a collector's item belonging in a museum. If the museums having the real shuttles on display have any imagination, they should go for such a display. And add SSMS1 too

I will make a video too and load it up on youtube.

I wonder what must it be like to fly SSMS in 20 years from now...

[Admin]

...SNIP...

I wonder what must it be like to fly SSMS in 20 years from now...

You mean on a Holodeck? 

/Admin

[ZuluPapaKilo]

...SNIP...

I wonder what must it be like to fly SSMS in 20 years from now...

You mean on a Holodeck? 

/Admin

Oh! Does that mean you have one in the works? 

[Admin]

...SNIP...

I wonder what must it be like to fly SSMS in 20 years from now...

You mean on a Holodeck? 

/Admin

Oh! Does that mean you have one in the works? 

If there will be an affordable Personal Holodeck by then, you can bet your life we'll integrate with it.

/Admin

[Moonwalker]

...SNIP...

I wonder what must it be like to fly SSMS in 20 years from now...

You mean on a Holodeck? 

/Admin

Oh! Does that mean you have one in the works? 

If there will be an affordable Personal Holodeck by then, you can bet your life we'll integrate with it.

And I will be the first one, or maybe the second one, who orders it!

[Admin]

You're right. We'll be the first because we need one for R&D

/Admin

[kevinkowens]

Hello Everyone,
I am in to flight sims especially Falcon 4.0 (Battlefield ops), Ef2000, and I like detail. Doing those sims for me was like settling because my heart was always in Space. I love Star Trek Online, but NASA as been apart of my life since I was 7 and watching the Apollo Launches on black and white TV. I was apart of the very first NASA Children’s Club and they would send the models out of the CM's and LM's before a launch. I never really knew how to get to the program so being an Astronaut always remained a dream for me.
I have always wanted a quality Space Sim of both the Shuttle and Apollo Missions. I bought this Sim literally at NASA this July while taking my son to Camp KSC there. He was in his world and I was hoping to find something for me. OMG did I ,lol. The "Liftoff sim" was a good intro but didn’t quit scratch the itch. I guess because there was no landing. What you have done for me was make a dream come true by giving this to the public. Hours go by without even realizing. My family can be pleasant interruptions but if I’m landing they go the other way now ,lol.
Please allow me to say from my heart, THANK YOU SO MUCH for this sim. May continued success follow you and the NASA community. Especially in a time where the narrow sightedness from our policy makers see destruction as more important than exploration. To all of my fellow Commanders/Pilots I'm happy to join this community.
(Whisper mode) Now,........... I heard a rumor about simultaneous launches? (end whisper mode) lol

[Admin]

Hi Kevin,

Thank you for the warm words and supporting the development of the sim. We have developed the sim out of love for Space Exploration, and the STS program, and we're continuing to do so, hoping that this will educate and inspire others to support Space Exploration.

Keep an eye out for the next version which is in Alpha stage now - dig the sneak peeks and announcements of things to come. We hope you like what you see.

You will also find that the community of this forum is like-minded, helpful and friendly, and also quite argumentative, but always mature and polite.

We run a tight ship because we want it to stay afloat long-term.

Enjoy the saliling mate!

/Admin

[ZuluPapaKilo]

Heya Kevin

I am pretty new here as well, your post just reminded me that I have not said Thank You to Admin and crew myself. It is very rare these days that I buy a game or sim and it actually delivers on everything I hoped it would be. This title did exactly that and then some. That may not seem like much, but in today's market I consider it admirable and praiseworthy.

I unfortunately wasn't around for Apollo (I was actually born between 16 & 17) but I was 9 when STS-1 launched. I was from an Air Force family and already loved planes, so the launch mixed with the extra fanfare of it being the first, left quite an impression on me at that age. Like you I have wanted a first-class real space flight sim for a long time, with SSM I finally found what I was looking for. SSMS2 looks stunning as well so it just keeps getting better.

Anyways.. welcome Kevin and a big THANK YOU to the crew. I truly love this sim.

ZPK





(even though STS-98 is really ing me off currently! LOL)

[RWS1965]

Hi -

I just joined this forum and am thrilled to be here.  I've been an astronomy and space enthusiast since I was a kid.  In addition to following the Space Shuttle program (I'm a little too young to remember the Apollo missions), I get a huge thrill from looking at the moon, Saturn, Jupiter, etc. with my telescope (yes, my wife calls me her "space geek").  I recently bought myself a NASA t-shirt at a Blue Angels airshow that has the NASA logo on it and says I NEED MY SPACE in big blue letters.

I received the Space Shuttle Mission Simulator as a gift last Christmas and am thoroughly addicted.  Although, at first I was overwhelmed by all of the switches, panels, buttons, etc. to the point that I didn't touch the simulator for several months but that changed back in the spring when I started playing it again and kept at it until I started figuring things out.  I have been going through the missions on the beginner/easy level chronologically and am up to STS-99 right now.  I plan on slowing down bit on the missions here so I don't go through them all.  I will be disappointed when that happens.  Anyway, sorry for the long and boring introduction.  Just wanted to say that I am glad to be here!

Rick