rec.autos.simulators

>  Put yourself in a Crammond or Kaemer situation. Ok, they can probably
>make big bucks churning out run of the mill products. But how long will
>they want to do that for? They might have all the money in the world,
>but guess what? They can't go for a stroll down to the local games shop
>and buy a decent sim no matter how full their wallets are! Their
>interest in the job diminishes and I could see the likes of these two
>just handing in their resignations and going off to do something else.
>Like going off and starting their own Racing Sim Companies, hopefully,
>for example :)

> Part of this is economics: it's a lot cheaper in software development
> expenses to skip the complex physics and simulation aspects of racing
> and just "cut to the chase" so to speak. Complex sims are going to sell
> a lot fewer copies than the jump-in-and-race games, and with so many
> companies producing similar titles the game dollars are getting spread
> that much more thinly. An easy-to-drive NASCAR game has a huge market
> potential, while one with a long learning curve will just not sell
> enough copies to turn a profit (or at least as much of a profit).

> IMHO, the introduction of 3D cards has sped up this trend a lot, since
> it is so easy now to trade realism and depth for eye candy. A hell of a
> lot more time is now spent getting those trick "camera angles" looking
> good than is spent on how the cars are to race. Some newer games now
> don't even have a decent***pit view, which is where I spend 100% of
> my time when playing GPL! The use of 3D accelerators also makes it much
> easier to port or co-develop for the various *** platforms, so the
> newer games are now developed with that in mind and the things that a
> PC is much better at are no longer in the game at all. Frankly, GP2 had
> much more depth and playability features than the latest 1999 F1 sims.

> BTW, this trend is not limited to sim racing. Flight sims, strategy
> games, and even adventure games are going down the same path -- if your
> 3D graphics look good, who cares about the gameplay?

>   -- Doug Gordon

> Sent via Deja.com http://www.racesimcentral.net/
> Share what you know. Learn what you don't.

> >Dont give up hope yet...  there are a few things coming in the near future
> >which will hopefully change your mind.

> >Although the first 1/2 of 1999 has really been pathetic for sim racers,  I
> >believe the second 1/2 will see a few improvements and into 2000.

> >Sim racing development is NOT dead.  It just seemed to be in hibernation ;)

> >Scott
> >PA-Scott
> >G.T.S. Racing - http://www.racesimcentral.net/
> >High Gear Editor - "The View" - http://www.racesimcentral.net/

> >--
> >Scott B. Husted
> >ICQ# 4395450

> >  Yeah, and.........

> >  Put yourself in a Crammond or Kaemer situation. Ok, they can probably
> >make big bucks churning out run of the mill products. But how long will
> >they want to do that for? They might have all the money in the world,
> >but guess what? They can't go for a stroll down to the local games shop
> >and buy a decent sim no matter how full their wallets are! Their
> >interest in the job diminishes and I could see the likes of these two
> >just handing in their resignations and going off to do something else.
> >Like going off and starting their own Racing Sim Companies, hopefully,
> >for example :)

> That's all very well, but i can't imagine too many backers stupid enough 2 put
> up a few million for a project that will not sell enough to be profitable.

> Well,  aside from Eidos and Ion Storm, obviously.

> Z.

> Please remove NOSPAM from my email address when replying.

>Some of them do know what theyre doing (even though i remember Edges review
>of ICR2 where it said realistic games were ***compared to the likes of
>Ridge Racer on the playstation....doh)

>pez

>ME

>>Edge and PC Gamer both gave GPL scores of 90% (9/10 in edge i think. and
>90%
>>or there abouts in PC Gamer)

>>Some of them do know what theyre doing (even though i remember Edges
review
>>of ICR2 where it said realistic games were ***compared to the likes of
>>Ridge Racer on the playstation....doh)

>>pez

> ME

> >Edge and PC Gamer both gave GPL scores of 90% (9/10 in edge i think. and
> 90%
> >or there abouts in PC Gamer)

> >Some of them do know what theyre doing (even though i remember Edges review
> >of ICR2 where it said realistic games were ***compared to the likes of
> >Ridge Racer on the playstation....doh)

> >pez