If you had the money to buy any car.....

[Ryan81]

Would you still continue to play the likes of Forza, AC, GT, PCars etc? I took the Laferrari out for a spin round Monza on AC today and thought if I could afford a Laferrari in real life, would I still play my beloved racing games? Alarmingly, I thought probably not....

It's almost like racing games are small pleasures I enjoy after work and if I could afford these supercars in real life, the little things that always put a smile on my face might be gone forever.
The goosebumps I get for example when I hear that thunderous V12 screaming and churning (sounding phenomenal thanks to Kunos) and the rising decibels when accelerating and the low gutteral rumble when downshifting.....

What's everyone else's opinion on this one?

 

[Northstar]

There's two reasons why I would probably still play racing games.

1) Just because you have the car doesn't mean you can just show up at a track and take laps whenever you want. Plus I enjoy tracks all over the world which would be a giant hassle and cost an ungodly amount of money.

2) No amount of money will save you if you miss a braking point and ram the wall at 100+ mph.

 

[Wolfe]

I like to do things in racing games that range from risky to outright suicidal, like jumping a rally car on narrow tree-lined trails or slicing through traffic at 200mph. Most of my favorite cars are also decades-old classics and it's not worth wrapping them around a tree doing some of the dumb fun stuff you can do in a videogame.

Plus, no amount of money will allow you to drive supersonic anti-gravity crafts on twisted ribbon-like tracks that float in the sky (in our lifetimes), or to throw guided explosive turtle shells at your friends from the wheel of a go-kart that can perform insane drifts without losing speed or control.

But real life is certainly better at offering a thrill or satisfaction from the little things, like a perfectly-executed shift or a relaxing cruise on a crisp autumn day.

 

[SVX]

I probably wouldn't play simulators, but I'd play casual games. No point in experiencing something you can experience already in real life at free will.

 

[homeforsummer]

I probably wouldn't play simulators, but I'd play casual games. No point in experiencing something you can experience already in real life at free will.

I think this is at least part of the reason I've lost interest in driving sims somewhat since doing the job I do. I get my driving fix from actually driving. What I can't do (at least to any great degree) are the crazier things - so games like Dirt Rally fill the gap, as do more arcadey titles. I want fun now from driving games, rather than simulation-style accuracy.

 

[MidnightRun85]

I'd play a lot less, and spend more time doing actual track days. But I wouldn't rule out games...

 

[Razor440]

Yes. I'd play video games even if I had a race track in my backyard. Defineltly invite my friends to an arcade room with Sega Super GT, DAYTONA USA, etc.

 

[SPhilli911]

If I had enough money to buy any car I want then I would assume I also have the money to do all the things I would rather do than play videogames, so no, I probably would not continue to play any racing games.

 

[Dennisch]

If I had that money I'd have a room dedicated to my racing rig.

 

[MoLiEG]

Would you still continue to play the likes of Forza, AC, GT, PCars etc? I took the Laferrari out for a spin round Monza on AC today and thought if I could afford a Laferrari in real life, would I still play my beloved racing games? Alarmingly, I thought probably not....

It's almost like racing games are small pleasures I enjoy after work and if I could afford these supercars in real life, the little things that always put a smile on my face might be gone forever.
The goosebumps I get for example when I hear that thunderous V12 screaming and churning (sounding phenomenal thanks to Kunos) and the rising decibels when accelerating and the low gutteral rumble when downshifting.....

What's everyone else's opinion on this one?

I would. Think about it, with videogames you can race on tons of racetracks you wouldn't be able to visit in a single lifetime in real life, unless you had an incredible amount of money on your bank account.

While I'd love to buy my dream supercar, I fear it would be undrivable here in Mexico City with all the insecurity and the bad roads we have. So, I'd rather have something I can drive every single day, looks great, and play games at home peacefully... unless of course, I win the lotto

Something like this would be nice for a daily ride:

 

[Heldenzeit]

A few months ago I went to a track day at Streets of Willow. I had driven the track in counter clockwise configuration before, but never clockwise. Thankfully, one of my friends had GT6 and a PS3 in his RV, so I practiced the track while actually being there in person the morning of. I found the extra time on the sim helped me learn the course quicker and I was able to push in the early sessions.

 

[Danoff]

Would you still continue to play the likes of Forza, AC, GT, PCars etc? I took the Laferrari out for a spin round Monza on AC today and thought if I could afford a Laferrari in real life, would I still play my beloved racing games? Alarmingly, I thought probably not....

It's almost like racing games are small pleasures I enjoy after work and if I could afford these supercars in real life, the little things that always put a smile on my face might be gone forever.
The goosebumps I get for example when I hear that thunderous V12 screaming and churning (sounding phenomenal thanks to Kunos) and the rising decibels when accelerating and the low gutteral rumble when downshifting.....

What's everyone else's opinion on this one?

 

[MidnightRun85]

A few months ago I went to a track day at Streets of Willow. I had driven the track in counter clockwise configuration before, but never clockwise. Thankfully, one of my friends had GT6 and a PS3 in his RV, so I practiced the track while actually being there in person the morning of. I found the extra time on the sim helped me learn the course quicker and I was able to push in the early sessions.

I did the same thing with Brands Hatch. I had a track day on the Indy circuit in a Porsche 996 Turbo, and practiced on GT6 in a RUF CTR2 for a bit of pre-event familiarisation. Worked a treat!

 

[Razor440]

One time I went go-karting on a school field trip.

Playing a bit of Gran Turismo before the big day actually helped me pass quite a few people on the track.

 

[sems4arsenal]

Interesting question actually, depends on how much I value my life, since you're not in a competitive environment you won't be pushing as hard as you would on a sim. But you'll still get much more enjoyment in real life.

I've been sim racing for years but the week I had in GTacademy is more memorable than all of them combined.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

I think this is at least part of the reason I've lost interest in driving sims somewhat since doing the job I do. I get my driving fix from actually driving. What I can't do (at least to any great degree) are the crazier things - so games like Dirt Rally fill the gap, as do more arcadey titles. I want fun now from driving games, rather than simulation-style accuracy.

I find myself feeling the same way about the games these days: fun is more important to me. I have a lot less time to play (though, not because of an endless stream of new metal ), and while I still appreciate the sims I own, I find they hold my interest less. There's so much crossover between them now that they all blend together into one self-serious, atmosphere-less blob. Assetto Corsa's great from behind a good wheel, but outside of the physics and feedback, it could almost put me to sleep.

I've been playing FH3 for the past few weeks and when I'm playing online, I find myself spending more time in the Playground Games (Infected, King, and Flag Rush). It's a bit like the car soccer on Top Gear; all sorts of silly, but actually fun. My sister was over on the weekend and it showed another advantage those modes have: they're actually enjoyable for spectators. She was having a blast watching me launch an old FJ40 over hills to dodge psychotic little Issettas or marauding GT-R's.

As for the OP's question: I think I'd still play all of them. I just love cars, so any excuse to do something with them, even digitally, is welcome. Though, if I were able to buy any car I wanted (with the list-topper being the McLaren F1 LM, at least today), I probably would avoid driving it in any of the games, knowing there'd be little point when the real thing was available for a blat.

 

[epic_apri_39]

Well considering I can't afford iRacing right now I know that would be an instant investment.

 

[Danoff]

Though, if I were able to buy any car I wanted (with the list-topper being the McLaren F1 LM, at least today), I probably would avoid driving it in any of the games, knowing there'd be little point when the real thing was available for a blat.

I love driving cars I've owned in racing games.

 

[Snorevette]

What if I get tired of hotlapping Silverstone and I want to switch tracks to Suzuka? The loading times IRL are just ridiculous.

 

[Northstar]

The loading times IRL are just ridiculous.

There's all kinds of micro-transactions as well.

 

[05XR8]

Probably not. When I get my Mk1 Mini, I'll pull the plug on gaming.

 

[Tornado]

What if I get tired of hotlapping Silverstone and I want to switch tracks to Suzuka? The loading times IRL are just ridiculous.

And have you seen Forza Horizon? That looks way better than the real life I look at outside my window.

 

[homeforsummer]

What if I get tired of hotlapping Silverstone and I want to switch tracks to Suzuka? The loading times IRL are just ridiculous.

I dunno, I sometimes think it's possible to fly to Japan in the time it takes for my PS3 to update.

 

[VXR]

I'm pretty sure I'd stop playing games and just drive the actual cars if I could afford to.

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

Yup, I would still play them. Mainly because with racing games, I know I can push a car and not worry about breaking it or paying for things like gas, new tires, and etc. Also, unlike in a racing game like Forza Horizon 3; I wouldn't be able to drive fast on public roads due to laws and traffic. I imagine getting a track day on a race course could be a pain aswell.

 

[Lilium]

Absolutely. Perhaps less, but I do like breathing, and I can't do that if there's an axle through me, or a roof smashed my head.
But to my favor, it would be hard to smash a micra through a tree, or other small boxes

 

[Cowboy]

The daily

The backup daily

The weekender

 

[TenEightyOne]

Right now it would be the one on my desktop wallpaper; EDIT: And I'd still play racing games

 

[Northstar]

One thing I haven't considered and apparently nobody else has is availability of some cars. Sure anybody with 🤬 you money can go out and buy a 488 GTB, but in the case of something like an Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ2 where only 12 were made in 1965 it may be pretty much impossible to get a hold of one as they're either museum pieces or scrap metal.

Comparatively both Forza and GT feature this car.

 

[Danoff]

I feel like we've gotten on a little train here where people assume that the remainder of the thread title is "which car would you buy?" rather than "would you still play car games?".