rec.autos.simulators

by **Peter Ringeri** » Sat, 15 Jan 1994 19:02:31

I was wondering what the rest of you thought as a good car simulator for just
learning how to drive? I don't have a drivers license, most of my friends
are a little nervous about risking their car in teaching me to drive, and
since I live here in a small town, there's no driver's ed. classes or school
around here. I would like to use a car simulation that would just let me
drive around and get some feel of driving. I was wondering what you thought
as a good simulation. I have Test Drive 3 and use it a little but I was
wondering if there was something better. I'm hoping if I can get a little
practice on the computer, it will calm the nerves of my friends so that they
will let me practice in their car.

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by **P. J. Remn** » Sun, 16 Jan 1994 10:23:29

Hard Drivin' and Race Drivin' are the ultimates.
Go to a local video arcade and search for them. PC games don't have the
feedback that the Drivin' games have.

I played around with those since I was about ten. Great machines.

--
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by **tesch..** » Sun, 16 Jan 1994 00:44:58

> I was wondering what the rest of you thought as a good car simulator for just
> learning how to drive? I don't have a drivers license, most of my friends
> are a little nervous about risking their car in teaching me to drive, and
> since I live here in a small town, there's no driver's ed. classes or school
> around here. I would like to use a car simulation that would just let me
> drive around and get some feel of driving. I was wondering what you thought
> as a good simulation. I have Test Drive 3 and use it a little but I was
> wondering if there was something better. I'm hoping if I can get a little
> practice on the computer, it will calm the nerves of my friends so that they
> will let me practice in their car.

> "Greetings Programs! So Long Clinton Democrats and Republicans!"

> * BWave/QWK v0.96 * My hard disk is full! Maybe I'll try this message

IMO the only game that will give you the feel for driving a car
is Hard Drivin' and Race Drivin', the arcade "games". Just in case you
don't know, they are real simulators that have a full complement of
controls (gear shift, brake, accerlerator, clutch, ignition). The steering
wheel also gives feedback just like a real car. At first it is much
more difficult than most games, but it is the only way to go for
realism.

by **TIM ALEXANDER B** » Mon, 17 Jan 1994 00:08:53

>Subject: Re: Test Drive

> IMO the only game that will give you the feel for driving a car
>is Hard Drivin' and Race Drivin', the arcade "games". Just in case you
>don't know, they are real simulators that have a full complement of
>controls (gear shift, brake, accerlerator, clutch, ignition). The steering
>wheel also gives feedback just like a real car. At first it is much
>more difficult than most games, but it is the only way to go for
>realism.

My $2.00 - Hard Drivin' and Race Drivin' is NOT difficult to drive. They "
exactly" like a car......... well almost.
Onestly, the feel of the car is so great that you don't have to think
joystick steering, just imagine you're driving a car :-)

Tim.

SOFTWARE-94
0DH -- Tim Alexander Bye --- Oestfold Distrikts Hoeyskole
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by **Coli** » Tue, 18 Jan 1994 22:37:12

...
Well, maybee. But I have to disagree personally. The stearing feedback is
far too heavy when compared to a real car, and the gear and pedal controls
are very anonymous and devoid of feel, like the controls of a real car in name
only. To be honest, it does not remind me of driving a car at all. What DO
you drive. Since nothing really gives a sensation of g-forces, then the best
driving games from the point of view of realism are probably the racing games
- SEGA Virtua Racing or Namco Winning Run are the best graphically. These sort
of things don't really give the impression of driving either, but do make it
feel more like something that is remotely similar to a car (too much throttle
and the back steps out and so on).
Colin

by **tesch..** » Thu, 20 Jan 1994 01:44:25

> ...
>> IMO the only game that will give you the feel for driving a car
>>is Hard Drivin' and Race Drivin', the arcade "games". Just in case you
>>don't know, they are real simulators that have a full complement of
>>controls (gear shift, brake, accerlerator, clutch, ignition). The steering
>>wheel also gives feedback just like a real car. At first it is much
>>more difficult than most games, but it is the only way to go for
>>realism.
> Well, maybee. But I have to disagree personally. The stearing feedback is
> far too heavy when compared to a real car, and the gear and pedal controls
> are very anonymous and devoid of feel, like the controls of a real car in name
> only. To be honest, it does not remind me of driving a car at all. What DO
> you drive. Since nothing really gives a sensation of g-forces, then the best
> driving games from the point of view of realism are probably the racing games
> - SEGA Virtua Racing or Namco Winning Run are the best graphically. These sort
> of things don't really give the impression of driving either, but do make it
> feel more like something that is remotely similar to a car (too much throttle
> and the back steps out and so on).
> Colin

I agree that the gas is a little vague but the other pedals aren't
that bad. And you have to remember that it is simulating a Ferrari
sports car with BIG tires (and I beleive no power steering, or very little)
, hence the sterring is that heavy. No game without steering feedbak can
compare to * Drivin'

Tony

by **Sean Reifschneid** » Fri, 20 May 1994 07:10:59

>> Well, maybee. But I have to disagree personally. The stearing feedback is
>> far too heavy when compared to a real car, and the gear and pedal controls

Far too heavy? A friend of mine says that. He's been driving a Taurus
for too long. I have an RX-7 without power steering and the feel of
it is quite like Hard Driving. I HAVE noticed that you tend to notice
the feedback more in hard driving because it's not a real car. You expect
it not to feel that way. But through corners close to the limit of adhesion,
it is quite real in it's feedback.

The feel fine to me. The clutch has close to the same feel as on my other
cars (remember that most of the feedback you get in your real car is from
the motion of the car, not the travel of the pedal). The brake feels
quite similar to my RX-7, as does the throttle. Again, most of the
feedback is through acceleration on your body.

It reminds me of driving a car. I still consider it the best high pref car
simulator I've used. Oh, and I DO drive an RX-7.

Virtua Racing is fairly good. It has great graphics, and you are simulating
an entirely different type of car. But I'll just say that with Hard Driving
you can step the back out (WAY out) in a turn by just lifting off the throttle.
Haven't seen that in virtua racing. Virtua is close to reality, but
Hard driving is MUCH closer to reality (unless your reality is driving an
800HP indycar)... Mine isn't.

Gas a little vague?!? The throttle control on my RX-7 works just the
same! To show how close Hard driving's controls are, take your car
and just sit in it without tne engine running, the parking brake on.
Now operate the pedals. Check against Hard Driving and you'll find it
very similar.

Like I said, it's much closer to reality.

Sean
--
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"The big bad wolf, he learned the rule. You gotta get hot to play real cool."

I got gasoline from 7-11 and my car stopped running. New gas, ran fine.

by **Max Beha** » Fri, 20 May 1994 15:07:51

I drive a Mustang 5.0 and I found the Hard Drivin' clutch to be
way too light.

--
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