Time to stick my head over the parapet I think. Some of your worst moments in a cockpit may have been my handy work (er sorry guys). I'm the token sim eng around these parts.
The info in this thread is interesting and potentially helpful to me in my work.
Sims running faster than real time? Some do but only to speed through boring bits of a sortie, or those with no training value. As far as I know, this is the only time speed-up is used. It was not intended to make life more difficult.
In some ways, simulators are inherrently more more difficult to fly. For example, the motion system (if fitted) cannot provide the full catalog of 'seat of the pants' inputs to the pilot, and you don't have to go back very to find some fairly dire visuals. As correctly identified, sustained high G simulation is not available (nor is it likely to be in the forseable future) due to technical and cost limitations There is also the posibility that parts of the simulation have, for one reason or another, been poorly modelled.
There is another problem with simulation. You guys know what you want the simulator to do. We probably know how to do it. Unfortunately, between you and Us, there are two layers of beurocracy and bean counters. Most of what I would consider to be my best work has been done when I have been able to short circuit this and deal directly with the people who are going to use the sim, and to an extent, those who are going to maintain it.
Oh yes - I too would be happier installing them next to ski slopes etc, however Military airfields tend to be in the back of beyond. That ball, I feel, is in your court
.