I've never liked cockpit cameras a whole lot for competitive racing in any video game because it hides so much of the viewing area - this isn't "realistic" at all. In real life I can see much more than I can with the relative viewing fields. You have to remember that in reality I don't just see dead-ahead of me but I also have my peripheral vision and everything is much bigger. In the game, you only have a dead-ahead view and its only a small portion of your real-world vision (by virtue of staring at a TV screen, it can only be as big as the screen...never as big as your full vision).
Cannot agree with any of this at all! Yes of course we don't have peripheral vision in driving games but if you have ever driven a single seater with a crash helmet on, strapped in to a seat, you will know that you also don't get a very good field of vision except ahead. the use of mirrors is the only thing that gives you an idea of what else is happening, so it is in fact, very realistic.
the whole idea behind being a skilled driver is to deal with all those restrictions and still get it right...
For sure if you want an easy and enjoyable no stress gaming experience, you use the easiest view - and settings presumably? But this thread is about competitive racing against other folk, with as realistic setting as possible isn't it? I wouldn't have mentioned it if this was a no stress, easy settings racing league for non skilled drivers.
Funnily enough, yes I have driven a real single seater. And I have also driven the real Nurburgring (which was why I missed the Suzuka race). So I think I have a better range of experience than most people.
And yes, with a crash helmet on and with tiny mirrors you can see much, much more than you can in a video game with a 50 inch TV or whatever. Not only that but you can feel more and hear more. You and I and pretty much anyone can jump in a single seater and drive much more easily than someone new to video games jumping on F1 2010 or whatever. (ok sure, the fact that one is real so people are more careful plays into it, but the concepts and sheer amount of difference in feedback make one more natural than the other).
Even with the shake of the car and the intense vibration you get at high speed in single seaters, you can see more because your brain compensates for it. If we put a shaking camerain games and films, we cannot compensate for it, because its artificial shaking. This just one of many reasons why such visual effects do not, in my opinion, make games "more realistic".
I can only see forcing everyone to use the cockpit view leading to more contact between people, perhaps most of us would learn to deal with the reduced visibility but increasing the blind spots is going to make avoiding contact more challenging. I'm not sure this is the kind of challenge I'm really looking for playing any driving game. Its already bad enough driving online against people who don't even use their rear view mirror or just try to punt without care.
Its all opinion, but trust me, I can see more in a crash helmet than a TV screen's size..and not only that but
feel more too.
Anyway, back to the reason I've come on here to post:
I'm still not at all happy with the end of the race tonight. I had a lot of fun scrapping with my teammate Baumi throughout the race as conditions got worse and worse. But on the second to last-lap while I was side-by-side with Baumi into turn 10, something happened which has happened to me at least 5 or 6 times now since the start of the Korean race.
I'm normally pretty forgiving with race incidents as I more than understand little braking errors and lag issues, most of the time people wait too. But when the same person repeatedly takes me out the exact same way and never waits or apologises...even I have limits. Its to the point now where I'm wondering whether I'm going to be punted again when this particular driver appears in my mirrors, its not funny when it happens shortly after thinking this.
I have a hard time believing this is simply a lag issue, especially as the person in question has always seemed to have a fairly stable connection and that I have rarely if ever done the same kind of incident to them. Not just that but also even with lag it would be pretty unusual to assume a person you've just braked behind flies onto the grass or spins out in the braking zone has simply made a mistake - especially multiple times.
Its a shame I've had to say this and its a shame it brought an end to my excellent fight with Baumi. I have a hard time convincing myself to race online again with certain people if this happens one more time. Its just not fun to be driving wondering whether people are going to hit you off and hence trying to brake later just to avoid it.
