Moon lander

As the computer became more and more powerful, different applications started to develop in order to provide better assistance in different domains of activity. One such example is represented by simulations, which can either let you work with values, or provide visual feedback as well. If you ever wondered if you could land a spacecraft, then Moon lander can shed some light.

In order for the application to properly function, you need to take a bit of time to get it installed. The effort is minimum, with a chance to get a look at the set of features in no time at all. Visuals might not make that much of an impression, with several sliders and buttons all held in a simple, classic window frame.

Don’t expect any visual support, because the only thing you get to work with are the controls that show up on launch. There are several text fields in sight, but they can’t be manually modified, since are used instead of gauges in order to show altitude, vertical speed, or mission time. The only buttons you get to play with are to increase or decrease thrust.

Hitting the begin button starts the simulation, and you only have so much time until you theoretically land on the Moon. This needs to be done before the given fuel runs out, while carefully adjusting thrusters so you don’t crash the craft. Landing too hard fails the mission, while winning results in a prompt, with a score awarded according to skills.

It’s rather disappointing that there’s no visual support, and you have to imagine your way through the situation. However, there are various sound effects that trigger according to your actions, and keep you entertained for the small duration of the landing simulation.

Taking everything into consideration, we can say that Moon lander is not quite what you’d expect, especially because of the lack of any video support. Controls are shallow, and you only get to manage thruster power. Even though it can be difficult to land it right, and there’s neat audio feedback, it’s probably not going to make you want to land more than a couple of times.