A real-time control system includes a simulation system to implement a predictive, look-ahead function that provides an operator with information that enables a higher level of situational awareness of the expected transitional events of future steps within the control program or sequence logic. The simulation system enables future steps and transitions to be monitored before they actually occur, which enables the operator to recognize and potentially take action, in a current time step, to alleviate the underlying cause of the problem, thus reducing the likelihood of or preventing a sequence stall of the control program.