rec.autos.simulators

Hi gang,

I'm fairly new to driving sims, started with ICR2 a year ago and now have GP2,
F1RS, TOCA, CPR (for sale...; ) and many demos.

A couple of years ago, I was diagnosed with epilepsy caused by a motorcycle
crash/head injury. Yes, I had a helmet on! The concussion seems to have caused
a problem with the optic nerve in my right eye. Medication controls the problem
so I don't think about it much.

I first noticed an epilipsy warning label in the TOCA documentation, and one
day while driving at Silverstone for the first time in severe weather ( lot's
of lightning ), I began to experience vision problems, which will sometimes
precede a siezure.
I stopped playing and the effects wore off quickly. Days later, I was about
half way through a full race in F1RS and began to feel horrible. My vision
started to blur and my head was reeling, I could barely get out of my chair and
lie down on the floor!

My Question to the group is, Does anyone else in the group have epilepsy and
have problems like this? I'm hoping it might be a vision/inner ear problem, the
doctors are checking, but I'm just wondering if anyone experiences these
effects. I do not want to give up driving sims, it's bad enough I had to give
up bikes!

Thanks,
Don

Video games have been known to enduce muscle twitching which is a sign of (i
think, not quite sure) epilepsy.

Nintendo 6 or 8 years ago included a piece if yellow paper warning of the
possible effects, etc.

--
Thank You
Krisstian

Hi,
    I don't have epilepsy, but I'am visually impaired.  I am blind in my
left eye and about 5% vision in my right. Sometimes racing sims bother
me, I get sort of tired and I may get a headache.  I usually take breaks
and walk away from the computer.  I know some purists don't use it, but
that's what the save game feature is for!  I also try not to consintrate
too hard looking at the screen, i.e. I'll listen to my engines pitch
instead of maybe reading the MPH or what gear I am in, in GP2.  I really
like NASCAR 2 because the spotter tells me what's going on! (where wrecks
are, my lap times, it's awesome!, if the spotter even gives more info in
N3 I'll be very happy!).  I find one thing that really drives my eye
crazy is a racing sim that varying frame rate.  The more constant the
frame rate, the better!  I don't know about TOCA, is there a way to turn
off the lightening?  I hope you don't have to give up racing sims, I know
I couldn't and I've never driven anything other than a go kart in my
entire life!  I was really worried about my vision in general during my
Christmas exams.  I was writing an assembly programming exam and I
started to see blue & green spots.  When I would get up or move my head
my vision would go completely for a few seconds! (freaked me out!).  
Luckly I got the docs didn't find anything, and it only happened a couple
of times during the next week.  It wore off after 3-4 hours, the docs
thought it was an "optical migrane", maybe sort of like what happend to
Dale Earnhardt at Darlington last fall, well, he had a "migrane type
event" anyway.  It can be nerve racking when you get any type of vision
change, it sure makes me think about of every aspect of my life that
involves my sight, even racing sims!

Best of luck,
John

I don't get sick, to throw up, playing Quake either; however, once
I start watching someone else play --- argh.  This had me thinking.
The problem is that you don't know where your friend will be going.
You want to go left, he turns right and causes you to get nauseous.

I'm wondering if the solution is the mouse sensitivity.  Try
setting the mouse more/less sensitive, such that the amount
you turn on the screen matches your expected rotation.  This
should keep your brain in sync with the action on the screen.

You could also try to turn slower and more controlled.

These are just my opinions, I'm not saying they will cure or
make sense.  If you want anything expanded upon, I will try
my best.

Jason.

My vision is excellent but I have often experienced the same sort of
thing, in particular with first person games and TombRaider. I thought
is was just me. I loaded up Doom I and Wolfenstein 3D a while back and
was about to throw up after a few minutes of playing. All the rapidly
moving VGA textures! Gave me a headache for the rest of the night.
I wonder if there is a particular speed or resolution that is more
likely to induce this nausea etc. Might be a good idea for programming
companies to research before they are slapped with a law suit!

12 years ago i was diagnosed as having epileptic seizures due to the image
given by a TV screen and sitting to close to it (Must be a refresh rate
thing)

The specialist at the hospital suggested an unusual remedy of which i swear
by today - Polaroid glasses - or more specifically...glasses with polaroid
lenses fitted (you know....the sunglasses type lense)

For the last 16 years - i have suffered no further seizures and i sit DAMN
close to the monitor!!!

Hope that helps a bit,

Tony.

Do you mean Polaroid Lenses or Polarized Lenses? There is a big difference.

Thanks, I would really like to see a solution to this!

Don

difference.

I think he said "polaroid".  If he meant "polarized" he would have said it.

The polaroid lense, as explained, is the sunglass type lense.  The
polarized is not the sunglass type lense.  So he said it was the sunglass
type lense, which means he's talking about the polaroid lense.

It is not polarized-- why in heavens would you think that is what he said
when he makes it clear that he's speaking of polaroid and not polarized.

Are you looking for attention or something?  Wouldn't it be better to send
the guy some email?  This is not a seizure newsgroup-- and I'm getting
dizzy just writing this.

Please, take this elsewhere. :)

Thank You,

Alanb

How about this- dont sit so close to the t.v and you wont have the problem.j/k

Yes it is definately Polaroid and not polarized Don.

Ignore alan.....the original post was clearly defined as a problem relating
to driving sims.

Alan.......shut the *** up - if you don't like it - don't read it - no-one
asked you to read a 1k message.

...jk!  I hope you find a solution.

Cheers!

Marc

--
Marc J. Nelson
Sim Racing News - http://www.simnews.com

<remove '_*_' before replying>

ROTFLMAO!!!! Thanks Marc, I needed that, I was just totally flamed for
beginning this thread. I just hope the poor sob never has to suffer this
fate...

I recall a photo products convention I attented a few years ago where Polaroid
had a guy running around the convention dressed as a giant Talking Polaroid
camera! Wouldn't that look good on a resume!

Don