I would think that driving in real life would make you more familiar with the feel of driving if you use a racing simulator with the wheels and pedals. Some games i know of like rFactor which is a very realistic racing simulator would be good if you are training to be a grand prix driver or something because the realism aspect is pretty much perfect. So simply put if you are driving in real life yeah it can give you the edge but the opposite way around could cause disaster if you adapt the techniques used in the game to real life.

-HellFire

sure it does you can simulate your brain

Last week I read that racing games do make you a better driver. But Im sure it not better than practising the real thing!

Another good point is how much it teaches you about cars! You can learn so much on different models, makes, styling, engine sizes, etc.

i think that it does help but to a certain extent whereas in need for speed you can turn a corner at 120 mph, no way in real life is somebody going to make a turn at 120 mph.

La saga Colin McRae Rally de Codemasters siempre será recordada por mostrar el camino a seguir a la hora de diseñar un juego de rallies. Hasta esa fecha, los demás se habían reducido a mostrarnos carreras más o menos arcade en entornos offroad, compitiendo contra otros rivales. Codemasters no inventó nada nuevo: la originalidad del primer Colin McRae consistía simple y llanamente a imitar la dinámica del World Rally Championship, es decir, la carreras contra el crono, y a ofrecer al jugador una experiencia realista: léase daños en el coche, y un control exigente. Fue un éxito, al igual que su secuela, y solo a partir de su tercera entrega, que resultó una decepción para muchos al limitarnos a “ser Colin McRae”, obtuvo una dura competencia por parte del WRC de Sony y otras apuestas de variadas compañías.

Esta quinta entrega parece que adopta finalmente la nomenclatura “por años”, como hacen los juegos deportivos, y viene a solucionar algunos de los puntos débiles de las anteriores, y a incluir algunas novedades, siendo la más destacable de ellas el modo online. En las mejoras destaca el gran número de circuitos, la ampliación de los modos de juego con el nuevo “Carrera” y, especialmente, un apartado gráfico que da un salto cualitativo respecto al de la cuarta entrega y que posee una sensación de velocidad mucho mayor.


Todo un clásico

Pero antes de profundizar en las excelencias técnicas de esta quinta entrega es necesario hablar del nuevo planteamiento que ofrece Codemasters esta vez. Demostrado obtuso aunque bienintencionado el “sé Colin McRae, únicamente Colin” de la tercera entrega, y corregido este defecto en la cuarta, esta quinta toma ejemplo del otro juego de velocidad de la compañía, Toca Race Driver, y nos ofrece la posibilidad de empezar desde cero en este deporte e ir progresando de competición en competición, algo que es muy de agradecer una vez hayamos exprimido el modo campeonato, en el que competiremos en los diferentes rallies del WRC imaginario de Codemasters al volante de un coche oficial.

En dicho modo tendremos que ir creciendo en fama y éxitos como piloto, compitiendo en 23 eventos diferentes. Aunque no tan “abierto” como en otros juegos como Rallisport Challenge 2 o el ya mencionado Toca 2, en ocasiones podremos optar por varios caminos, y tendremos una verdadera sensación de progreso ya que iremos desbloqueando nuevos coches, mejoras para estos y campeonatos. Aparte, tendremos el clásico modo campeonato, al que esta vez se le añade un nuevo rally: el de Alemania, de hecho para complacer al fiel público alemán del juego. El escenario teutón se une a los de Grecia, Australia, España, Japón, Reino Unido, Finlandia, Suecia y los Estados Unidos, cada uno con ocho etapas. En el total del juego hay unos 300 tramos, que pueden jugarse en diferentes condiciones climatológicas y a diferentes horas del día, lo que de hecho modifica bastante tanto la conducción como el aspecto visual de estos.

En cuanto a los coches, existe una notable variedad, divididos en clases:

Clase 4WD

Subaru Impreza WRX, Ford Focus Rally Car, Citroen Xsara Rally Car, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII, Peugeot 206 Rally Car, Volkswagen Golf R32, Audi A3 Quattro.

Clase 2WD

MG ZR, Citroen Saxo Kit Car, Volkswagen Polo Super 1600, Toyota Celica GT-S, Ford Fiesta Rallye Concept.

Clase Group B

Audi Sport Quattro S1, MG 6R4, Peugeot 205 T16 Evo2, Ford RS200.

Clase RWD

Lancia Stratos, Lancia 037, Ford Sierra RS Cosworth, Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV.

Clase Super 2WD

Alfa Romeo 147 GTA, Renault Sport Clio V6, Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Clase 4x4 Offroad

Land Rover Freelander M-sport, Mitsubishi Shogun Montero Evolution II, Nissan Pickup - Dakar 2004.

Clase Especial

Volkswagen Beetle RSi,, Ford Escort Mk1, MGC Sebring Special, 1967 Morris Mini Cooper S.

Clase Clásicos

Ford Escort RS Cosworth, Lancia Delta Integrale Evo, Toyota Celica GT-Four (ST185), Subaru Impreza 22B STi.


Poniendo el Stratos a punto

El sistema de partes de coche y de configuración del mismo sigue la línea de la anterior entrega, con un sistema muy sencillo y no demasiado técnico, basado en “grados” más que en datos técnicos del vehículo como en el caso de Gran Turismo 4. Se mantienen también los minijuegos de “testeo” del vehículo introducidos en la cuarta entrega, que teníamos que superar (léase cambiar de marcha en el momento adecuado, hacer un tramo en un tiempo límite) para conseguir algunas partes extra para nuestro coche.

Huge post there, but what the hell is it supposed to mean? Not everyone speaks Spanish. At least try putting it in English, even if it isn't perfect.

Sure it helps with your racing game skills. I mean it can't hurt them and it gives you a feel for realistic games. I could also see playing racing game to often negatively affecting your real life driving. I don't know maybe thats taking it too far but it could.

This post has been edited by Running With Scissors: Aug 29 2008, 10:15 PM

I just recently started driving and because i play a lot of racing games i do sometimes drive a little faster. So it effected me. I also think if you play racing games a lot and are good at controlling the car in the game it also makes you good at driving in real. I had really good control when i would play racing games and when i started driving i always felt as if i'm playing a game and my control of the real car was really good but as well as that sometimes i just want to put my foot down and speed. So it does have an effect (to me anyway).

But once i started driving i oviously couldn't drive fast in real life but that didn't make any difference to me when i would play a racing game. In the racing game i would still drive like i used to before i started driving which was to drive really fast etc.
So that bit didn't effect me at all.

This post has been edited by Flamez: Aug 29 2008, 09:12 PM

I just downloaded the demo for GRID on my PC tonight, and one of the biggest things when it comes to simulations I've discovered is the importance of having a wheel accessory or something other than just a keyboard or gamepad. My friend had old N64 steering wheels we'd use for playing Nascar 2000 back in the day, but sadly they do not work on my computer ( I tried a N64 to USB adapter which works great with the N64 controller, but not the steering wheel )

I've been looking at the Logitech G25, but the darned thing is $300. It's cool though, because it comes with foot pedals with a clutch, and a gearbox to practice shifting. I'd like to get it just to learn the basics of driving a manual transmission before going out and wearing out the clutch on an actual car for real life practice

As far as GRID goes, here's a mini review of the demo:

Graphics have come a hell of a long way. One of the best features I like with this game is the fact that damage affects your car. I have Need For Speed: Carbon for the Wii, and you can run into a wall doing 200 mph, and your car won't be affected at all... Here with GRID, if you do something like that, you can total your car. It makes driving more realistic in knowing that you should avoid banging up your ride. The game itself is hard. I have the N64 controller hooked up, which is better than using the keyboard, but having a full force feedback steering wheel would definitely help things.

I'll probably buy the game, but I'm going to try other demos first if I can find them. The demo alone has 3 races, and no time limits or anything so it's worth a download.

The way I see it is because you are playing, does not mean it is will affect real world in the way you would think. I think that people could learn from racing games, but you will not apply in real life. If someone were to try to perfect driving in a racing game, you would get bored VERY easily... You cannot really put them side by side. You will merge from a yield ramp onto the highway while speeding up, but you need to apply caution to the traffic, not like you will merge right in line and start drafting the car in front of you. You cannot apply the racing game situation with real life because everyone else is not doing the same.

There is a level of fun aspect to playing racing games. Sure it is fun as you get older to realize you start doing much better handling the road. But it is learning by control to movement. You learn to get better at holding A down and controlling the car. Arcades make it almost as easier too! Man I am even sitting in a car, and there is a gear shift too! Hence it gives the feeling of being in a fast car. You could be playing Cruisin USA and it could have that feel like the open road, but the cars will try to swerve.

I am not trying to dull it down any, and some of it is obvious. I just think that the two should not be confused, and luckily, drivers and players usually get them right... If not, some gamers should not be behind the wheel of an actual car.