Looking back on the year 2023

2023 was an eventful year for AirlineSim. Two community events in Munich and Nuremberg were highlights, strengthened the community and provided opportunities for direct feedback and exchange. The completion of the German translation of the new manual and the launch of the unlimited game world "Yeouido" marked important milestones in the development of the game.

A major internal step forward was the complete migration of the IT infrastructure, which is now managed by an external partner. This extensive project involved many services and almost 40 AirlineSim game worlds. Sven, alias pugnacity, long-time administrator, has ended an era with the completion of this project, for which he deserves special thanks.

Challenges and adjustments

2023 was also characterized by challenges. The AirlineSim Technology Demonstrator (ASTD), a key project with the aim of creating the basis for a possible "AirlineSim 2", was unable to carry out the public preview as planned. The reasons for this were manifold, including the expiry of a funding program from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection as well as practical and personal obstacles.

In view of these circumstances, the team decided to concentrate on existing aspects of the game and develop them further. One focus is on revised formulas for aircraft performance, which are to be introduced at the beginning of 2024. In addition, the data pipeline, partly a result of the ASTD, has been completely overhauled to implement aircraft and geo data updates faster and with higher quality.

Outlook for 2024

For 2024, AirlineSim plans to further improve the existing game and attract more players. The first steps include completing a (data) patch and updating the technical basis of the game. The development of new features is also planned.

An outstanding project for 2024 is the planned launch of AirlineSim on Steam. Based on experience with the game Prosperous Universe, this initiative aims to make AirlineSim accessible to a wider audience, which will also bring UX and visual improvements to the game.

Finally, the team plans to integrate many of ASTD's developments into the existing AirlineSim, including the so-called distribution system, which should significantly improve the gaming experience.

Conclusion

With these developments, 2024 promises to be an exciting and eventful year for AirlineSim and its community. The simulogics team is using the holidays for a well-deserved break, asks for your understanding for longer response times in support and wishes all players happy holidays and a happy new year.