While MS Flight Sim does populate the skies with some of the real planes actually out there, it doesn’t do the same with ships. Thankfully, modder “FlyBoyRez1” released the Suez Traffic Jam mod on Sunday (inspired by a simpler mod). Along with the Ever Given wedged in there, it adds tug boats trying to free it, other ships backed up around up, and even (if you have another mod installed) diggers poised to dig on the bank. I like when simworlds reflect real events that should be visible. American Truck Simulator closed Highway 1 in-game for almost a year after the real road was cut off by a landslide, and held a community challenge to haul rubble from the site. The Ever Given mod requires another mod which might be of interest to all players: Global AI Ship Traffic. That adds over 1300 ship models to the waterways, with routes appropriate to their type. Ferries! Aircraft carriers! Fishing boats! Submarines! Sailboat races! Tugs! Tankers! It even adds whales, which I suppose Pinocchio and Job did use as boats? I hadn’t heard of that until now, and it looks great. The watching of the Ever Given has been a strange thing. Not a lot going on this year, y’know. Some armchair engineers have relished this opportunity to explain how, actually, they should save the ship. To news junkies and moneymen, the consequences of such a vital shipping route being blocked are a thrilling topic to discuss. To others, it’s just comforting to see someone else make a huge mistake for once.
