Welcome to our Development Update #2. In this edition, we will focus on the airports where you can take on the role of a ground handler in AirportSim. Primarily, we will be discussing the visual enhancements rather than the gameplay mechanics. Let’s take a closer look at the modifications made since the February demo and explore the new features.
Refinements and enhancements to terminal buildings across all airports.
Significant upgrades have been made to the airport buildings to align them more closely with their real-world counterparts, coupled with substantial visual enhancements.
Presenting Key West Airport!
Following the release of the demo version, we nearly completed three airports: Vagar, Keflavik, and Warsaw. As per the AirportSim plan, upon launch, you will be able to engage in gameplay at four airports. It's time to unveil the missing fourth one - Key West Airport! It might have already appeared in some articles and screenshots, but for those who haven't encountered it yet - welcome!
We began, of course, by gathering materials in the form of videos, photos, and building plans. Next, we transitioned to modeling all the buildings and surroundings. After extensive work on accurately reflecting the airport, we shifted our focus to the gameplay. We incorporated aircraft paths, vehicles, and distinctive minor elements of the airport, which help to capture the "essence" of the location.
The airport is now complete, as you can frequently observe during our weekly community streams. We hope that you will appreciate the American airport and dispatch many planes from sunny Florida.
For more information about the airport itself, please refer to the article we prepared for you some time ago LINK.
New Terminal Interior at Vagar & Key West
Our goal, as always with simulators, is to achieve the most realistic effect possible. Therefore, we have redesigned the interior of the Vagar & Key West terminal to make it as comparable as possible to the original. We have also made minor modifications to the gameplay at Vagar, details of which can be found in the next section.
Repair of Luggage Collection and Drop-off Points at Vagar
The luggage collection and drop-off points in our game were previously placed in reverse order compared to reality. We have corrected this mistake, so you will be able to play the correct way at the premiere. It's a small change, but a satisfying one!
New Jetway Model at the Warsaw Chopin Airport
Warsaw Airport is a place that demanded a significant amount of our effort and attention. As you may be aware from our previous updates, we regularly visit this place, so accurately recreating it is a point of pride for us. While you have already seen the jetways at Keflavik in our materials, and can now examine them in the new demo, they differ from those in Warsaw.
We decided that each airport should have jetways that mirror their real-life counterparts. This necessitated a meticulous examination of every detail. During one of our visits, the staff demonstrated the precise functioning of the jetways, and based on the photos and videos we captured, we were able to adapt our existing models to fully replicate the appearance of the ones in Warsaw.
New Support Vehicles: Firetrucks and Ambulances for Every Airport
Airports are, in many ways, like organisms where every component has a vital role to play in the overall function. You will take on the role of apron staff, but it's important to remember that there are also people dedicated to ensuring health and safety. We are committed to accurately replicating real airports in the game, which is why it is essential to include crucial vehicles like ambulances and firetrucks. Although you won't be able to assume the roles of a paramedic or firefighter, their presence will undoubtedly enhance the game's immersion. You will have the opportunity to observe this vehicles closely during gameplay.
Luggage Sorting Area at Warsaw Airport
What we, as non-ground handlers, see at the airport is only part of the picture. There are restricted areas inaccessible to those without proper authorization, one of which is the luggage sorting area.
Thanks to our collaboration with Warsaw Chopin Airport (Yes, we mentioned it today a lot of times, but we are just really thankful for them.), we were granted access to this area, enabling us to accurately replicate it, both visually and functionally.
Airports facilitate the travel of hundreds of thousands of people, and along with them, their luggage, which must be sorted and dispatched on the correct flights. Playing AirportSim allows you to see what this space truly looks like, as it has been recreated based on photos, recordings, and our own visits. Additionally, the sounds you hear during gameplay were recorded by us, adding to the realism and immersion of the experience.
Added General Aviation Aircraft at Key West Airport - Light Aircraft
We are committed to enhancing the immersion of our game in various ways. Although Key West is a smaller airport compared to Warsaw or Keflavik, it has its own unique characteristics. The airport is predominantly used by small aircraft, a detail we have chosen to emphasize in our game.
While navigating the airport apron or during your work, you will notice the light aircraft that we have incorporated, located in a specially designated area behind the fence. We believe this addition enriches the charm of this beautiful airport, and for those of you who are aviation enthusiasts, it will provide an opportunity to closely observe these aircraft and, of course, heighten the sense of realism and authenticity of being at an actual airport.
And... that concludes today's development update. We sincerely hope you appreciate the changes and the effort we are investing in the development of AirportSim for its full game release. For those who missed the initial series of Development Updates, you can find them here: Link. Now, we encourage you to try our new demo and stay tuned for more exciting updates!
Additionally, we invite you to join our Discord channel, where you can engage in discussions about the game, aviation, and provide us with your valuable feedback on the new demo.