I Am Turning Myself Into a Video Game Plane

Summary by Krater

The video explores the appeal of flight combat games through the lens of the Ace Combat franchise and Project Wingman, examining how their control mechanics and abstractions create an immersive pilot experience. It concludes with an appreciation for how these games convey the physical and emotional weight of aerial warfare through the fusion of human and machine.

From the video

Answers: Why are flight combat games like Ace Combat so compelling, and how do they capture the experience of piloting a jet?

• Ace Combat series
• flight combat video games
• HOTAS flight control systems
• VR gaming in flight simulators
• Project Wingman

What it concludes

• Controlling a game is an exercise in abstraction where button presses replace physical actions.
• Ace Combat and Project Wingman achieve their powerful sense of control by making movement mechanics central to the experience.
• The Holst Trinity games in the Ace Combat series offer no high-G maneuvers or modern flight assists, emphasizing pure speed and inertia.
• Project Wingman provides native VR support that blurs the line between human and machine.
• Standard video game controllers are designed as jacks-of-all-trades, whereas HOTAS systems offer a dedicated full-body control experience for flight games.