In general, video games have been a great support for technology, since the codes that have been used in the development of their video games, as well as the improvements in graphic cards and engines, which have led to the evolution of computer technologies; all this has been possible thanks to the work of people with a Professional Master’s Degree in Video Game Production because with the knowledge acquired, they have contributed to some technological advances that make life easier.  

For this reason, it is worth highlighting that in this area, systems have been developed that have supported some sectors, in this case: game simulators.  

Origin of video game simulators

A simulator is a system that tries to recreate situations of everyday life. They allow the user to feel physical sensations such as acceleration, speed or perception of the environment, however, these experiences are not real; their function is only to give experienced sensations.  

It is recorded that the first simulators would emerge in the 1960s with flight simulators, with the aim of preparing aviation pilots. Later, by the 1980s, simulators would be released to the public as entertainment, which would be released in a series of video games including BMX Simulator, Grand Prix Simulator and Pro Boxing Simulator. These simulators would take inspiration from real-life situations such as sports.

Despite this, Fortune Builder from 1984, as well as SimLife and SimEarth, which were intended for educational purposes, would be considered the official forerunners of game simulators.  

Most prominent simulators

As it is mentioned above, flight simulators were created for the purpose of simulating the piloting of an aircraft in the most accurate and realistic way, in addition to simulating disasters or flight failures, military pilot training, and aircraft development, in order to prepare future pilots in a more optimised form. They come in a variety of variations, from simulated cockpits to video games, controlled by modern computerised systems.

These simulations have been developed in order to prevent accidents, especially for pilots who have no previous training, so that they can feel what it is like to fly a real aircraft without the need to fly a real aircraft.

On the other hand, world militaries such as the USA have implemented war simulators in order to train their soldiers, as well as in which theories of combat are tested and refined without the need to conduct actual hostilities. Socio-political factors have been added to such simulations; although controversial, these have aided in the development of tactical strategies and solutions, however, critics argue that the conclusions drawn as a result of these models are inherently inaccurate because of the nature of the methods employed.

Finally, these simulators are not exclusive to sectors such as the military, as they are now also offered for the general public, such as exercise simulators; these types of simulators have been launched by large companies such as Nintendo’s Wii U Fit, or more of an entertainment type such as Flight Simulator or Plage Inc, which allows you to create strategies, in which hypothetical case a pathogen develops that threatens the extirpation of humanity.  

Game simulators and games in general, have had great relevance for society, as they have made it possible to facilitate learning processes, which not only make education easier for certain sectors, but also make it possible not to put the trainee’s life at risk, as well as the lives of other human beings, such as passengers or the aforementioned war simulations, and they also offer entertainment. In addition, thanks to the developers of video games and such software, it has made a lot of processes easier