This 1970s tank simulator drives through a tiny world
Why Hacker News recommends it
Recommended as a great example of early VR and pre-computer simulation.
What it is
Tom Scott visits the Swiss Military Museum to see the last surviving 1970s tank-driving simulator. It uses a real camera moving over a miniature model landscape rather than any computer graphics.
Recommended by 2 HN commenters across 2 different months, 2024 to 2025.
What Hacker News said
Recommends bux93 · 2024-02 · on “A man who invented VR goggles 50 years too soon (2016)”
Using VR goggles that have no capability of viewing anything VR makes them just regular goggles though? This tank simulator from the 1970s is a great example of early VR: [this video] I wonder if there's anything earlier..
Recommends anfractuosity · 2024-08 · on “Sega Jet Rocket: The '70s arcade game with no computer or screen”
Very cool, reminds me a bit of two Tom Scott videos (these ones do use displays though, but combined with little model worlds) * [this video] - 1970s tank simulator drives through a tiny world * [LINK] - Submarine simulator
Cites jtxt · 2024-10 · on “Building a Game with the Real Engine”
Reminds of an early tank simulator where the driver in the cockpit saw a video feed from a camera on a gantry they were slowly driving around a diarama. [this video] "Real engine" for just one player at a time though.
Cites bitwize · 2025-09 · on “Simulating a Machine from the 80s”
The Swiss Military Museum maintains an exhibit with a 1970s tank simulator that guests can try out. It consists of a tank cockpit in a hydraulically mounted chamber that can pitch and roll with the changing terrain. The operator drives a little camera around a large diorama providing a first-person view of simulated terrain; a "foot" on the camera senses the terrain which is then translated into movements of the chamber. Apparently all of the equipment is original except the computer; as computer parts became harder to replace, eventually they just used a Raspberry Pi. [this video]