Something about motorsport games that's harder than the real life version

[Born Racer]

When playing motorsport games it occurs to me that although the driving is generally much easier than the reality it's modelled on, one aspect is missing that renders it in a certain way more tricky. That's the lack of sensation through your arse. It becomes a purely visual experience and to lack that feedback you get from the physical sensations of a car or bike is rather significant.

Of course, you get controllers that vibrate to try to give a feel of riding over a kerb for instance, but that's gimmicky rather than providing a realistic effect. And this whole lack of physical feedback is one major reason why no matter how good professional simulators get, they will never be a substitute for the real thing.

[Austinspace75]

You're absolutely right, there is a tremendous amount missing. But, I don't think it makes it harder. Its too different to compare really.

You have to remember that even though they are becoming visually VERY realistic, they are still just a video game designed to be playable on a small screen using only your fingers. The game makers know this and compensate by making the cars quite simple to drive really. Ok, the use of analogue controls and steering wheels gets you alot closer to realistic driver input but its still miles off as you say. Even the so called 'simulations' are really just games and have to be playable and fun.

I wouldn't dismiss the future prospects though. I'm not going to predict when, but at some point reasonably soon, you'll be able to play a 'total immersion' FULL simulation that exerts force, shock and vibration on your body. The fact that you won't be able to get injured will always take alot of the realism away, but at some point soon, you'll be able to play something that looks and physically feels VERY realistic.... including the all important 'seat of your pants' feedback!

Despite my views on the true realism of video racing games to date, I have played them endlessly since I was 10 years old. I'm now 32. A few years back, I finally got out on the track for real and I am now a regular competitor in Saloon car racing and I've got to say that the hours of concentration and careful lap time building experience that I got on the games has definitely transferred into my real race driving. Quite of alot of my first few trackdays and races were in a very good handling Alfa 33 race car and the driving style that games like Toca Touring Car teach you, were immediately applicable to driving that Alfa. My father has been racing for years, yet my gung-ho 'brake very late and chuck it in' approach felt absolutely instinctive as soon as I got out in it, and meant that I was alot quicker and happier in that car than he ever was.
The other thing it does brilliantly is teach you all the circuits. I have yet to head out onto a real race circuit without knowing it pretty well already. As an amateur who can't afford to go testing every week this probably gives me more instant speed than any bolt-on modification I could ever afford.

[jonboy1066]

Have you ever heard of the Buttkicker?

It's the solution to that problem, it's a fairly small thingamy that clamps to the underside of your chair/race seat and uses very low frequency deep bass to pass vibrations through your seat so that you do get that feeling of ridig the curbs etc through your arse.

I believe it's reletively cheap too......google it.


I think an aspect that's missing is what you do when you need a pee. I used to race Aussie V8's on ToCA with a clan called BFG and we used to have Bathurst 1000 events every season, to make it more doable the race was split over 2 weeks 80 laps on the first week and 81 the next. That was still about 2 hours 45mins of solid racing each week and I got caught short during one of those races, luckily I was approching a planned pit window for my strategy and had a pint of lager next to me, I quickly downed the lager going down Conrod pulled into the pits, then refilled the pint glass while I was taking on fuel and tyres.

A real race driver would have just gushed his overalls but I don't think my wife would've appreciated that on one of our dining chairs so the relief of using my pint glass as a urinal made up for the fact that it went into the recycling after the race.



I can think of an alternative but catherterisation is not very comfortable. So nowadays I make sure I've gone before the race and no caffine or alcohol during the race.

[Born Racer]

I watched an old TV documentary from about 15 years ago on YouTube recently in which people complained about their children playing "mindless" video games. In reality though, games must assist players' co-ordination skills.

[Born Racer]

Never heard of the Buttkicker.

But that's dedication to your race and the preservation of your marriage right there

[jonboy1066]

LOL Here it is:

http://www.thebuttkicker.com/

[Gil Abobeleira]

Try iVibe instead, it's even better than buttkicker

[pitviper]

Sounds naughty...

[nickyf1]

LOL

[Gil Abobeleira]

LOLOL

[Tim Falce]

To get the real affect you really need a seat that is connected to the steering wheel (if you use one) that actually moves as you go round corners or hit kerbs etc. I suppose with this you are going towards a full on simulator situation which would be cost prohibitive for the average punter.

[AU N EGL]

Originally Posted by falcemob

To get the real affect you really need a seat that is connected to the steering wheel (if you use one) that actually moves as you go round corners or hit kerbs etc. I suppose with this you are going towards a full on simulator situation which would be cost prohibitive for the average punter.

And if you crash and destroy your car, Your program & computer cashes too and you must by another copy of the game and computer.

( wink )

[Aysedasi]

I might skip that one........

[GBRM]

I've played racing/driving games for years and thoroughly enjoy them and I've also now started racing a saloon car and I agree, it's the sensations and I think resistance, things like steering, pedals, etc aren't as light in real-life as they are on a controller, keyboard or steering wheel pedal things you can get.

What are the steering and pedal sensations like in those all in one things you can buy? Are they still as light as the ones you put on your lap and the floor?

[Rockmunky]

Well i'm guessing a good force feedback wheel like the G25 is pretty good with resistance etc?

I wouldn't know, having never raced a real car or used a G25...

[AU N EGL]

Originally Posted by Rockmunky

I wouldn't know, having never raced a real car or used a G25...

Hitting a wall at 80+ mph in real life, with $22,000 in race car damages which comes out of your own pocket not a sponsor is far different then hitting a wall with a virtual race car in a computer game.

Try this. If you hit a wall and destroy your virtual race car, you can not play the game for one week. ie dont hit walls, flip your car, keep it upright be smooth and fast, have fun.

[bf1]

Have any of you seen this simulator?
http://www.motorsportmad.com/view/28...or---brilliant

[gungadan]

Originally Posted by bf1

Have any of you seen this simulator?
http://www.motorsportmad.com/view/28...or---brilliant

Now that looks fun/expensive!

[Spudgun]

Now I would love a go in that! Although I think I would ask them to bolt it down to the floor first. It looked a bit scary during the crash!

[TheKing]

One of my mates at Uni did a thesis on a driving simulator. I was invited to spend a day doing various exercises on the simulator (Costs something like 250 grand!) Was great fun! The first mapping was a bit over the top and made you feel a bit sick but then he put his version on and it felt much more like driving a real car. The only thing it couldnt replicate well were prolonged periods of force (going round a long corner for example).

Who competes both online and in the real world? How does it compare for you?

For me the experiences are completely different however online racing is extremely fun and has its own advantages.

[AU N EGL]

Originally Posted by TheKing

O

Who competes both online and in the real world? How does it compare for you?

For me the experiences are completely different however online racing is extremely fun and has its own advantages.

It is completly different that I had to STOP doing virtual racing games. It messed up my real racing.

[nickyf1]

In a sim, you dont have the feel of the car, plus all you have is a flat screen, its harder to look into a corner, which adds to the feel of the car, you have to use an analougue stick or shoulder buttons to look to the side to look into a corner.

[Aysedasi]

In GPL, a utility called GPL Glance used to help a little with that..... (Nothing like reality of course though).

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Austinspace75

The game makers know this and compensate by making the cars quite simple to drive really. Ok, the use of analogue controls and steering wheels gets you alot closer to realistic driver input but its still miles off as you say. Even the so called 'simulations' are really just games and have to be playable and fun.
.

Not wishing to be rude (and not taking away your essential point about the difference between sims and real life which I'm sure is undoubtedly true), may I ask if you ever drove GPL? If ever cars were not easy to drive, certainly for the novice, it's GPL. It took me 3-4 months of practice to get to a position where I could have a reasonable race against the AI drivers.

Compare the experience say with rFactor where you (well I, anyway) have been able to jump straight into virtually any car and drive it - reasonably close to the AI pace immediately.....

[wannab-aracer]

http://www.motorsportsimulators.com/..._overview.html

This one looks a bit tasty as well !

Oh how we have come a long way since the days of pleading for just 1 more 50p from daddy for 1 last go on Outrun at the seaside