rec.autos.simulators

: I'm looking for car SIM(s) that could help me to drive better at high
: speed 100, 120 mph or above, also to gain a feeling for emergency
: handling, braking at high speed, passing in between 2 cars at high speed.

Absolutely NOTHING in the computer world will teach you this.  When you
can feel G forces and the heart beat pounding then you will know that you
are in a REAL car doing 100mph FOR REAL!

Take turn 1 at Indianapolis Raceway Park road course for example.  When I
was in a driving school down there I was told that turn one can be taken
with a slight lift.  Well, it took me a LONG time to get the balls to do
it, but by the end of the first day I was taking it FLAT.

When YOUR life is at stake you don't play around.  Of course, doing two
360's in turn two at the Milwaukee Mile without hitting anything will wake
you up too.

: I'm willing to spend couple hundreds for SIMs and Steering wheels.

Honestly, driving schools are not as expensive as you might think.  I have
the 1996 Skip Barber price list in front of me and the prices are as
follows:

 introduction to racing - $475
 one-day driving school - $495
 car control clinic     - $695
 lapping session        - $695

Well, if you figure that the T2 wheel is $110, GP-II is $50, ICR2 is $40,
NASCAR is $40 and NFS SE is $50, well, right there is a pert near a one
day course.

Until you get into a REAL car and feel the REAL g-forces you will not
learn squat from any computer game.

The cars you are talking about are in Need For Speed. You can choose any
one of 8 *** cars on 6 different tracks (8 on NFSse). Car***pits
mimick the real ones and the graphics and sound is great!

As far as controls...T2! I guess there are better (much more expensive
wheel/pedal controls--$400.00+) but for a good feel of realism at the
price the T2 is tops.

If you're into flying simms as well as driving simms, get  the Joyswitch
($40 at Flight Sim Central) that allows you to ass up to 4
joystick/wheel/yoke devices as well as 2 foot pedal devices. No more
fumbling behind the pc to change cables between games and you can
actually change control devices in the middle of a game!!

David

Another way to get some high speed experience is to contact your local
SCCA (Sports Car Club Of America). They go from parking lot races to big
time pro racing. You may be interested in thier SOLOII amateur events.
Bring your street car and a approved helmet. Cost's $10-$15 (Or used to)
each event. you run alone on a closed course setup with traffic cones.
Typically low speed (max 60-70 in street car). Turns are tight and you
really learn just what a car CAN'T do. Your probably within an hour
drive to at least one event per week if your in the U.S. (weather
permitting).

The SCCA also has a HIGH speed solo series, SOLO I. You run on real road
courses (as fast as she'll go). More expensive, and your car must have
racing safety equipment. You also must get a special License to drive
SOLO I.

Sorry, I haven't got thier number (wife made me quit racin a few years
ago). I think thier nat'l office is in Englewood, Co. I apoligize to
anyone who may have noticed that this post is not really about Sims
(at least it's not about GP2 arriving).

WARNING: If you get ***ed (to winning) you'll need alot more than a
few hundred dollars.

Mike Radler

Drivers,

I'm looking for car SIM(s) that could help me
to drive better at high speed 100, 120 mph
or above, also to gain a feeling for emergency
handling, braking at high speed, passing in
between 2 cars at high speed. In general, to
learn driving at high speed effectively and
safely. Will apreciate all recommendations, especially
SIMs for sport cars with characteristics similar
to Porche, Toyota Supra, Viper or the likes. Also,
which steering wheel is appropriate for these sims as
well. Since I cannot afford a real high performance
driving school right now due to time and location
problem, I'm willing to spend couple hundreds for
SIMs and Steering wheels. I've already have the CH pedals
and the WCS MKII from Thrusmaster, I wonder whether
I can use these for the car sims as well.  All advices
are aprreciated greatly.

Regards,
Flight

Julian ;)
_____________________________________________________________________

                                University of Oxford

Surprising then that F1 drivers have used F1GP to learn the circuits -
not quite learning to drive, but they did learn something from it.

                     _________________________________
         __    _____|                                 |_____    __
________|  |__|    :|           John Wallace          |     |__|  |________

  \    :|  |::|    :|        Team WW Racing TSW       |     |::|  |     /
    >  :|  |::|    :|_________________________________|     |::|  |   <
  /    :|__|::|____/       * Sim Racing News *         \____|::|__|     \
/______:/  \::/ http://sneezy.dcn.ed.ac.uk/simnews/index.htm \::/  \._____\
               http://www.math.ohio-state.edu/~harmon/simnews

I know that some F1 drivers use GP2 to learn tracks, I don't know if they
like the way the cars handle. I think GP2 is pretty accurate, I have driven
a touring car around Silverstone and the sim feels right, turn in and
clipping points are in the right places, traction levels seem to be correct
(if you "boot" it coming out of a slow corner you will spin). The AI is
good too, drivers shut the door, break too late etc. In all I recommend it.