When I first found Orbiter in March 2006, I was then playing with Eagle Lander 3D (which could only simulate the Apollo lunar missions - and only those portions that happened in lunar orbit), I was elated that I could fully simulate an entire Apollo mission. As my 1st blog entry states, "I was hopelessly hooked".
I have spent most of my life being aware that most of the other people around me aren't as smart - certainly not rocket scientist smart. I had to learn at an early age to recognize that "deer in the headlights" stare in other's eyes when I got too zealous or detailed in my descriptions of the way shit works...and dial it back a little at times. Then I found the Orbiter community...and now I feel I've found home.
Since finding Orbiter, I've tried sharing it with friends and co-workers, and have only found one interested enough to even try it. Orbiter isn't the first topic, but I bring it up when the person has related that he enjoys video games and is extremely computer literate.
Simulations, as a genre, aren't all that popular with most gamers because, IMO, there's a learning curve (or too steep), too much detail...etc. It is though most of them suffer, IMO, from some degree of AADD. Or, they shirk from the realization that they actually have to "plan" something to achieve goals.
The one person who even tried it, while growing up, was the first of my son's friends to get the latest and greatest gaming console as soon as they hit the market. This person also showed early aptitude with computers and is very gifted musically too. By the time he asked me for help with an Orbiter scenario, he had successfully gotten the stock DG into orbit. Reference here or here. He stayed with Orbiter another week or two...he didn't quite get how to set up a orbital rendezvous with another spacecraft, so it lost interest for him. I haven't bother to bring up that topic with him anymore...some people just aren't cut out for it.
As far as what others think of Orbiter...I don't really care. We're all blessed with different talents...THIS ONE IS MINE.
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