better real life driving ?
Discussion
Do you guys have the impression that because you play a lot of racing video games that you drive better in real life?
Let me explain a little.
You know how to cut corners, when to accelerate out of a corner, when to use or not use throttle,... Of course, you'd have to play simulation, or semi-simulation driving games. I wouldn't recommand trying the Burnout drive style on the road...
Let me explain a little.
You know how to cut corners, when to accelerate out of a corner, when to use or not use throttle,... Of course, you'd have to play simulation, or semi-simulation driving games. I wouldn't recommand trying the Burnout drive style on the road...
GPL certainly taught me the most about car control, especially throttle application. The experience I gained really helped me when I started in single seaters.
Mario Kart taught me that driving over banana skins will result in the car spinning out no matter what speed your traveling at. So, I'm very warey of them when I spot them on the road... it's worse than ice!!
Mario Kart taught me that driving over banana skins will result in the car spinning out no matter what speed your traveling at. So, I'm very warey of them when I spot them on the road... it's worse than ice!!
forever_driving said:
GPL certainly taught me the most about car control, especially throttle application. The experience I gained really helped me when I started in single seaters.
Mario Kart taught me that driving over banana skins will result in the car spinning out no matter what speed your traveling at. So, I'm very warey of them when I spot them on the road... it's worse than ice!!
I'm unsure about how much GPL has taught me about car control that is applicable to the karts I race, but I find the concentration I need to do well in GPL is about the same as that for a real race in karts, and playing regularly in GPL has made it easier for me to sustain my concentration without stupid silly mistakes for about an hour now...
The Indianapolis oval we did a few weeks ago where I had FWDs engine noise on my rear bumper for 15 mins was petrifyingI find the two things too different.
I know the theories are the same in both real life and on GT4, but the practice isn't.
Admittedly I don't have a wheel or pedals so I'm forced to use a normal PS2 controller... So I effectively I only have three degrees of throttle control; full-on, half-on and fully off.
The same goes for brakes. Unlike a pedal where you have a fair bit of travel to play with and achieve varying degrees of input, a button on a joypad has alot less, and I can't get to grips with that.
I also find steering using the joypad is too responsive and too light, and I end up all over the place and can't place the car where I want it.
Not only that but games lack the "seat of the pants" aspect which can prove so useful when driving hard in real life... Basically, there is zero feedback from a virtual car, and that's something I need when driving a car in real life.
Perhaps I've learnt a little bit of physics and have gained a better understanding of what my inupts an cause a car to do, but knowing exactly what will happen and when and in what way, and how to moderate your input in order to control it is something you can only really learn in real life IMO.
>> Edited by DanBoy on Monday 28th March 13:16
I know the theories are the same in both real life and on GT4, but the practice isn't.
Admittedly I don't have a wheel or pedals so I'm forced to use a normal PS2 controller... So I effectively I only have three degrees of throttle control; full-on, half-on and fully off.
The same goes for brakes. Unlike a pedal where you have a fair bit of travel to play with and achieve varying degrees of input, a button on a joypad has alot less, and I can't get to grips with that.
I also find steering using the joypad is too responsive and too light, and I end up all over the place and can't place the car where I want it.
Not only that but games lack the "seat of the pants" aspect which can prove so useful when driving hard in real life... Basically, there is zero feedback from a virtual car, and that's something I need when driving a car in real life.
Perhaps I've learnt a little bit of physics and have gained a better understanding of what my inupts an cause a car to do, but knowing exactly what will happen and when and in what way, and how to moderate your input in order to control it is something you can only really learn in real life IMO.
>> Edited by DanBoy on Monday 28th March 13:16
hedders said:
^^^You need to try some driving games with a wheel. You do get pretty good feedback with them nowadays!
GPL was amazing with my dearly departed wheel and pedals. Turn in, catch the slide, apply j u s t the right amount of power and four-wheel drift out of the corner.
(or, turn in, realise you're going 20mph too fast, make a cackhanded attempt to save it, then sit there facing backwards wondering what the hell you did wrong
) 
I still am impressed with it every time i go over a curb or something. Gassing Station | Video Games | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff