Quickstart

The shortest path from a clone to a climb. Everything here is covered at length elsewhere in this documentation; this page is what you need to be flying in about a minute.

If you only want to fly

There is nothing to install and nothing to clone. Open the simulator and it runs.

Run it locally

You need a modern browser with ES module support. Node 18 or newer is needed only for the bundled server and the tests, not for the simulator itself.

git clone https://github.com/isocialPractice/pilot-matter.git
cd pilot-matter
npm run serve

Then open http://localhost:8080. Any static file server works just as well; the bundled one is there because it needs no install and no dependencies.

The first minute

The game opens on its start screen with the clock held at zero. Choose START FLIGHT, with Enter or a click, and the controls are yours.

Step	Do	Because
1	Hold `Shift`	The flight opens at 80 knots, which is the stall speed itself. Opening the throttle is the first thing to do.
2	Ease the nose down with `S`	The aircraft opens in a climb. Trading a little of it back for airspeed is what buys the lift.
3	Turn with `A` and `D`	Roll, and the nose follows through a coordinated turn.
4	Watch `ALTITUDE` and the ground	A gentle arrival is a landing. Flying into a hillside wrecks the aircraft.
5	Press `R`	Puts the aircraft back at its starting condition, whenever it has gone wrong.

The keys worth knowing first

Key	Action
`W` `S` `A` `D`	Pitch and roll, and the arrow keys do the same
`Shift` `Ctrl`	Open and close the throttle lever
`C`	Cycle the camera: chase, cockpit, orbit
`P`	Pause, and open the pause menu
`O`	Open the settings panel
`R`	Reset to the starting condition
`F2`	Take a picture and download it

The full control list has the rest, and the cheatsheet has all of it on one page.

Try a mode

Choose GAME MODES from the start screen or the pause menu and pick one. Both are four stages long, and a crash puts the stage back to its beginning rather than ending the run.

Mode	Objective
`RUNWAY LANDING`	Put the aircraft down on the strip
`FLYING THROUGH LOOPS`	Fly the course of loops in order
`DEAD STICK`	Glide to the strip with the engine out
`CARGO RUN`	Land at each strip in turn on the fuel the run is given
`SEARCH AND RESCUE`	Find the marker on the bearing given, and set down beside it

Where to go next

Controls for every key, and the menus behind them.
How the flight model works for the four rules the whole thing rests on.
How the terrain works for the world, the elements, and why it has no edge.
Simulator API to fly the aircraft over your own world, or your own aircraft over this one.