Well, after looking over a series of news from the NG....I have to jump
in here and put in a long and hopefully longwinded rant about
simulations in general....
First off IMHO, anyone who things that simulations are supposed to be
real life, well, they are in for a disapposintment....
Here is an example and it applies to flight simulations as well as
racing ones....
I have a roommate who loves flight simulations..... He loves everything
about flight and used to do actual flying in he air....
Anyway, when he gets in behind his simulator (I am using a well known
flight simulatior as an Example, FS98....) Do you know what he does????
HE COMPLAINS!!!!!
THat's right, he complains that this isn't right or that isn't right, or
something isn't right about the simulation.....and he want to have it as
real as it gets...
Now Microsoft (God knows why???) put on their last simulation a
statement... AS Real as it gets....and well I hate to say this but if it
is real as it gets, where is all the reality in the simulation.....
What I am saying is this... A simulation is NOT real life... Not should
it be.... It is a re-creation (but not to the exacting detail) of the
1:1 real life world as we know it....
Now take this to racing simulations.....
Simulations of Racing should not be taken to the effect that it should
be exactly as in real life.....but it theoretically could be....
I mean if I had a heck of a lot of money and a lot of programming
knowledge (and got a bunch of other people who could do the same thing
as I together) THen there could be the possiblity of turning out one
simulation that could be almost totally real....
Alas, How many ordinary Joes, or Janes for that matter have a huge
amount of money and enough skill to program a simulator???
(Heck a lot of the common folk can hardly program a coffee pot to come
on and make coffee at 7 in the morning, or know how to se up a Video
recorder, to see a program that they want to....)
So here is the scoop and deal about the difference about simulations and
real life... You can't compare Devinci's Mona Lisa to an average artist
out there who can draw worth a darn...
In short, life is life and simulation is simulation... That is all there
is....
Now there ARE folks out there who do try to recreate the real life
experiences and input them to a simulator... But unfortunately you can
come close, but it's still not real
As for my roomie and the flight simulator????
Well, I told him flat out, that if he had the money, go out and fly a
real plane, and leave the simulators to those who can't do what other
can....
As for myself and racing simulator,
Look, I myself, can't drive a car... If I did I would be arrested, cause
I don't have a driver's license, the reason that I can't get a license
to drive a real car??? well, it's because in real life, I am legally
blind....
That is seriously the truth, my vision is so poor that if I actually got
behind a real car, I would probably crash it before I got it 2 miles
down the road!
But I still would like to experience (and this is the key word!)
EXPERIENCE something that could be called driving, but would not get
anyone hurt, maimed or killed....
That is the reason for simulators... To let others who can not do what
other can...
As for Flying??? I can't even do that in real life, same reason...but
get me behind a simulator, and I can fly, and drive and do whatever, I
feel...
So in short, if you guys really want to go out there and race in real
life, go plunk down the money, get some lessons, and just do it...
As for myself, I'll keep happily just do what I am doing, since my life
is very limiited....
Now you probably say, go out and get a life... I do that too, but
instead of driving, I take a bus, or If I fly I must take an airplane
ride...
but let's just drop the Idea abouttaking realism and jamming it into
something that can be modeled (MODELED! mind you!) and just enjoy
simulations
As for PC Gamer and the Low rating....
That is their opiniom, I'd still like for anyone who thinks that a
simulation is good to show it with the one thing that either makes or
breaks a company, that is the way you vote with your wallet....and
listen with your own racing (or flying) heart rather than some lame
computer magazine that is just trying to get better sales bybiasing
their opinions on what they think the buyer wants...
One last fact, When I hear a review or read (with what vision I have
left), a review that is bad, I question: Are they right, or are they
feeding me a line... This is also True about movies, simulations, or
whatever, it is how I the consumer feels about the product, and I take
may own thoughts and ideas about the product with me, and leave all
others opinions behind...
I think I have rambled on for far too long, and if anyone either wants
to praise me for what I said, or flame me for the same, all I can say is
this... GO right ahead... cause folks like me, well, we just do whatever
it takes to be happy ourselves, and we vote with our wallets!
Just a reminder from Tucson Coyote, who thinks that any racing
simulation is fine as long as it is fun.... I do not care if I win or
lose, it just is fun...
Nuff said!