New arcade racing game seen .. "Ridge Racer"

I have seen a new arcade racing game and it appears to be one of the best ever. It is called "Ridge Racer" and I believe it is from Namco but I could be wrong. It has a 6-speed manual (automatic is of course available) and a manually adjustable seat. Unfortunately there is no force-feedback in the steering, brakes, or seat, but the graphics are top-rate with an enormous amount of detail on and off the track at a high frame rate. It seems to have a pretty fair simulation of handling.. even without feedback I could "feel" the car going from under to oversteering and other handling changes. There are four levels of play, with higher and higher speed limits on the cars and more complicated tracks. My only other complaint is that they are simulating cars that are very close to street cars and therefore are not as fast or agile as the formula-type cars that are so popular in other arcade games, however I believe this does make the game much more playable without needing to water down the simulated handling. -- "I have feelings too, I just choose to | Paul Miranda likes cheese -- Ms. Musso on "Parker Lewis" (FOX TV) | -- THIS SPACE FOR RENT --

I was quite impressed with the graphics in RR (understatement) but then wandered to the back of the arcade (to the "has-beens" section) and found a dusty version of Race Driving. Well, after wasting $1 for a very short game of RR it was a blast to play Race Driving for a quarter. Now I know why everyone was raving about it earlier. Sure, the graphics are a bit dated but the force feedback through the wheel was fabulous. Drivers Ed should use a version of this game in their programs (save gas and it would be a very easy way to put students through simulated emergencies). I was amazed that I could throw the car into a corner and get it rotating with a little break, then power it through a drift to finish the corner. Wow. I was also caught out a few times by overcorrecting a slide and being whipped into some crazy fishtailing. I wonder how much it would cost to buy an old copy of this game? Stephen btw, whoever cracked 25 seconds in the autocross is a driving god in my eyes.

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>[stuff deleted] >I wonder how much it would cost to buy an old copy of this game? >Stephen >btw, whoever cracked 25 seconds in the autocross is a driving god in >my eyes.

If you do find out, I would love to know... please e-mail me if you get any info...probably in the neighborhood of about two to three thousand. To the one who cracked 25 seconds, just one question...HOW? I've been playing the autocross for some time and have yet to crack the 27 second barrier. Do you cut corners or drift slide? Please e-mail or post..I would love to know... My top score on the autocross track is 301157, whats yours? P.S To anyone who needs motivation... if you crack the 28 second barrier you can go forever..i.e get mid 27's. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ James Reidy -- London Ontario Canada, University of Western Ontario "twisted by the evil of others, I subsist in a world of darkness... ...enuendo and double meaning being the only flickers of light..." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Try driving the "original" track, and take the "speed track" on youf second lap. That long righthander is tricky at 140mph, but it's a great way to learn trail-throttle oversteer. The local arcade paid $1500 for a new one from Atari two years ago. Alas, it's not there anymore, and the other arcades always have ones with broken clutches. :-( I'm not a driving god. I can't be, I've never driven a car in my life. I use the automatic, my heel-and-toe is awful. -- Picard and Riker in '96: "Make it so" for the next generation! The Cleveland Freenet: You get what you pay for.