The Brilliance (and Mighty Cost) Of "i Am An Air Traffic Controller"

[Bullet 0]

I have just had the tremendous joy of trying out Tokyo Bigwing "I am an Air Traffic Controller" (ATC3) and it is truly incredible. THIS is the ATC progam I have waited for since Amiga days. It is superb, immersive, addictive - and the screenshots and reviews out there do not emphasise enough the brilliance (and more importantly, the accessibility) of this game.

But the price is a shocker! £60 + postage for six (very brief) scenarios - all timed so you can't play once your 15-45 minutes (depending upon scenario) is up. You can start again, but you receive the same set of traffic (so you soon learn which plane will experience the bird-strike - and when) meaning traffic and events become predictable. Six short scenarios, no option for untimed play and no random traffic mode (so a probable 3-5 days of play before the game is completed) at a whopping £60?! That's more than I paid for FSX Deluxe (which has infinite gameplay, an infinite world, heaps of scenarios and infinite downloadable content) - EEK!

But it IS a brilliant and addictive game - and certainly the best game-style ATC I have seen in a long time. It's a shame there isn't a limited-play demo out there for people to try it for themselves. Whilst I don't think the current version has nearly enough content to merit £60 on its own, if there is more to come, or people will be able to offer customised scenarios and the like, then that's different. Therefore, I'm hoping there IS more - along these lines...

a. will there be more scenarios to add (either for free or at a discount price) by Aerosoft?

b. it's rumoured that Technobrain might make more airports (fantastic if so), but will Aerosoft make English equivalents of these too? Again, at a price that will respect that we've already paid a high cost for the game itself.

c. The Japanese version has since been patched (currently 1.03). Will patches also be offered for the English edition by Aerosoft?

d. will it be possible for players to create their own scenarios and make them available (if such things are available already, £60 will be winging its way to Aerosoft immediately regardless of the other answers!)

e. The Nintendo version has the possibility of unlocking a game editor after completing the tutorial and first two scenarios, but I could find no mention of this for the PC version - will this editor be available?

f. any chance of a random mode so that there is an infinite play option? I guess this is down to how the game has been made and it might not be possible, but I ask hopefully anyway.

Thank you in advance. I really, really hope for some positive answers. I know the game is not Aerosoft's product and much of this will be down to what Technobrain offers, but in spending £60 I want to be sure I'm buying some future potential, and not just an expensive 3-5 day blast.

[alexdiazb 5]

I have just had the tremendous joy of trying out Tokyo Bigwing "I am an Air Traffic Controller" (ATC3) and it is truly incredible. THIS is the ATC progam I have waited for since Amiga days. It is superb, immersive, addictive - and the screenshots and reviews out there do not emphasise enough the brilliance (and more importantly, the accessibility) of this game.

But the price is a shocker! £60 + postage for six (very brief) scenarios - all timed so you can't play once your 15-45 minutes (depending upon scenario) is up. You can start again, but you receive the same set of traffic (so you soon learn which plane will experience the bird-strike - and when) meaning traffic and events become predictable. Six short scenarios, no option for untimed play and no random traffic mode (so a probable 3-5 days of play before the game is completed) at a whopping £60?! That's more than I paid for FSX Deluxe (which has infinite gameplay, an infinite world, heaps of scenarios and infinite downloadable content) - EEK!

But it IS a brilliant and addictive game - and certainly the best game-style ATC I have seen in a long time. It's a shame there isn't a limited-play demo out there for people to try it for themselves. Whilst I don't think the current version has nearly enough content to merit £60 on its own, if there is more to come, or people will be able to offer customised scenarios and the like, then that's different. Therefore, I'm hoping there IS more - along these lines...

a. will there be more scenarios to add (either for free or at a discount price) by Aerosoft?

b. it's rumoured that Technobrain might make more airports (fantastic if so), but will Aerosoft make English equivalents of these too? Again, at a price that will respect that we've already paid a high cost for the game itself.

c. The Japanese version has since been patched (currently 1.03). Will patches also be offered for the English edition by Aerosoft?

d. will it be possible for players to create their own scenarios and make them available (if such things are available already, £60 will be winging its way to Aerosoft immediately regardless of the other answers!)

e. The Nintendo version has the possibility of unlocking a game editor after completing the tutorial and first two scenarios, but I could find no mention of this for the PC version - will this editor be available?

f. any chance of a random mode so that there is an infinite play option? I guess this is down to how the game has been made and it might not be possible, but I ask hopefully anyway.

Thank you in advance. I really, really hope for some positive answers. I know the game is not Aerosoft's product and much of this will be down to what Technobrain offers, but in spending £60 I want to be sure I'm buying some future potential, and not just an expensive 3-5 day blast.

Hiya,

Thanks for writting us.

a. will there be more scenarios to add (either for free or at a discount price) by Aerosoft?

A: I can honestly say that at the moment we don't know as is a completely different platform.

b. it's rumoured that Technobrain might make more airports (fantastic if so), but will Aerosoft make English equivalents of these too? Again, at a price that will respect that we've already paid a high cost for the game itself.

A: Technobrain expect to do more airports. As above we don't know if we will develope any airport.

c. The Japanese version has since been patched (currently 1.03). Will patches also be offered for the English edition by Aerosoft?

A: I don't know at the moment if we will offer a patch. I will ask and give you an answer later

d. will it be possible for players to create their own scenarios and make them available (if such things are available already, £60 will be winging its way to Aerosoft immediately regardless of the other answers!)

A: No idea!

e. The Nintendo version has the possibility of unlocking a game editor after completing the tutorial and first two scenarios, but I could find no mention of this for the PC version - will this editor be available?

A: We haven't heard anything about this editor or the possibility to have one.

f. any chance of a random mode so that there is an infinite play option? I guess this is down to how the game has been made and it might not be possible, but I ask hopefully anyway.

A: Not at the moment

Best regards,

Alex

[Bullet 0]

Many thanks for the reply, Alex.

If many people bought the game, maybe there would be more incentive to customise it. As it stands, I imagine not many people are buying it (£60 is a huge risk without being able to try it first) and so I imagine there's no financial sense in Aerosoft doing anything further with it. This is a real shame because the game is simply excellent. I think it's fair to say it definitely has £60 of potential (if more scenarios or airports are developed) but not it's not worth £60 based on current content alone.

So, if Aerosoft ever do annouce plans to integrate new airports made by Technobrain, or there is a way discovered to create new scenarios, I'll definitely be buying. In the meantime, I shall sit tight in the hope this happens. I really hope it does!

____________

PS: the Game Editor on the Nintendo version apparently lets the player alter the scenarios that have been completed successfully. It's unlocked by full completion of the tutorial and scenarios 1 and 2. The fact that this is possible suggests to me that there IS something built into the structure of the game that would have postential for custom scenario creation.