Just wanted to introduce myself, I've been lurking here for a few weeks and just got wind of SSM right before it's release! So I was spared the nervous anticipation everyone else has apparantly gone through!
I've made it all the way through deorbit preps for STS-1, when I'm done I'll post an AAR with my thoughts in the 'stories' section, but I first I wanted to thank the developers for delivering such a fine, obviously thoroughly researched and well-presented product.
I don't have the background and the intimate knowledge of shuttle equipment and procedures that it seems like many of your have here, so I am coming at this as an average dude off the street, though I am in the military (aboard ships) and a private pilot so I have been able to sort of follow and understand what I've been prompted to do. Playing with all the switchery is great fun and the prompted checklist makes me feel like I know what I'm doing when I really don't! Opening and closing valves for the enviromental controls and playing with cabin pressurization was fun, esp. since the flow diagram is printed on the panel.
I had a bear of a time getting a handle on the RCS, it was all but impossible to get my attitude squared to 0,0,90 the way the DAP was initially configured, I had to search around on the internet for awhile on the real shuttle and strand myself in space, tumbling about a couple times burning up gas before I figured out I needed to take the RCS out of pulse and switch to rate to get some attitude control. A little tutorial for the unintiated on making the RCS, DAP, ADI, and HSI work for YOU would be nice (Orbital maneuvering for Dummies?, or 'How to make an Attitude Adjustment').
The liftoff was great, starting with tuning the radios and slowly increasing the workload to starting up the APU's and finally the swell of music as the SRB's lit off...I was actually a little nervous and my heart was in my throat in a way that a normal computer game would never make me feel! It was, I think, just a little bit like what it must be like to liftoff on a rocket.
Well again I'll post a more detailed AAR after the mission, but thanks again to the design team for giving me the type of space sim I've always wanted!
