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

[TB]

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?".

That's what you get for assuming that people actually read the first post.

- - - - -

As I don't play much of anything that isn't on my phone anyway, it's safe to say that if I could afford a fancy pants car, no, I wouldn't play any racing games.

 

[homeforsummer]

One thing I haven't considered and apparently nobody else has is availability of some cars.

I've considered it, but I wouldn't necessarily say it's relevant. While it'd be a bummer being mega-wealthy and still not being able to drive some cars because too few of them actually exist, I'm not sure hopping onto GT6 would be a suitable substitute. I'd rather drive my very-much-not-priceless MX-5 than play a racing game, so if I had an even tastier car collection I'm not sure that would change just because I was missing a few from the dream garage...

 

[Clark]

I'd love a 993 GT1 road car. I never liked the GT1 Evo with the 996 headlights or the GT1-98. It's ironic as it's not even rear-engined but this is the holy grail of 911s for me.

Also no game ever uses the 993 version, I've only ever driven it in PGR2 and Sports Car GT.

 

[TenEightyOne]

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?".

You're right - sorry

I blame an ill-advised ellipsis

 

[Legro]

Less than now, which is already considerably less than before.

I've noticed that the more real life driving experience I've had the less interested I've been about the driving and racing aspect of driving games. Instead I've spent time doing other things those games offer, for example learning different track layouts or looking at different cars (photo mode), and if I had the budget to drive all sorts of cars I probably wouldn't feel like there's much that I could do in racing games but not in real life. Even if I couldn't actually own some cars due to rarity.

 

[Turbo]

I'd still play sim-racer games even if I owned every car in the world. There are some cars that could never be obtained in real life, but only driven in Gran Turismo, like the RM and LM edition cars.

 

[MisterWaffles]

I'd totally love to drive real cars around tracks if I could afford it, but I'd still be worried about crashing said cars. The best aspect of racing games is that you don't have to worry about crashing hard, because you can always start again.

 

[05XR8]

When I lived in NYC, I certainly wasn't driving my '04 EP3 to Lime Rock every weekend. However, since selling my consoles, I'm still getting the itch to drive a car in a game. Even when i glanced at @Clark avatar, I felt like booting up PCars to have a quick drive of the 320TC.

 

[Razor440]

I'd still play sim-racer games even if I owned every car in the world. There are some cars that could never be obtained in real life, but only driven in Gran Turismo, like the RM and LM edition cars.

If you can afford any car, you probably could get someone insane enough to make a Mitsubishi FTO LM Edition.

 

[Carlos]

Would probably play iRacing a lot more than I do now. Would get a track car so probably driving on the real track in the weekends and drive them on the computer on the other days

 

[homeforsummer]

I'd totally love to drive real cars around tracks if I could afford it, but I'd still be worried about crashing said cars. The best aspect of racing games is that you don't have to worry about crashing hard, because you can always start again.

I always find this view a bit odd. If you're even vaguely sensible then crashing at a track day (a decent track day) should be very unlikely indeed. I've had a few "moments" on track before but nothing remotely likely to spit me off at high speed into a barrier or somesuch. Driving a car on track doesn't have to mean driving at race pace and being at the limit of the car's capabilities.

 

[Wolfe]

I always find this view a bit odd. If you're even vaguely sensible then crashing at a track day (a decent track day) should be very unlikely indeed. I've had a few "moments" on track before but nothing remotely likely to spit me off at high speed into a barrier or somesuch. Driving a car on track doesn't have to mean driving at race pace and being at the limit of the car's capabilities.

But why not play a videogame to drive at 10/10ths or "11/10ths", like trying for a drift that you know probably won't work out? It's fun to probe the limits, especially with realistic physics, and it's even instructive with the right sim.

I don't get why you feel that sims aren't good for anything you can't or wouldn't do in real life. After a decade with Enthusia, I still crash or spin now and then while trying for a lurid drift. And accurate physics are the best drifting physics.

 

[TVR27]

If I had the money to buy nice cars I would give up video games. I would collect more cars than Jay Leno and the first car on my list is the TVR Speed 12 and I would take it to Monza first.

 

[homeforsummer]

But why not play a videogame to drive at 10/10ths or "11/10ths", like trying for a drift that you know probably won't work out? It's fun to probe the limits, especially with realistic physics, and it's even instructive with the right sim.

I don't get why you feel that sims aren't good for anything you can't or wouldn't do in real life. After a decade with Enthusia, I still crash or spin now and then while trying for a lurid drift. And accurate physics are the best drifting physics.

Even the best sims can't come close to the feeling of actually driving a real car. The physical sensations of driving a car over its limits in a video game are little different to driving a car well below its limits in a video game - and nowhere near the physical sensations of driving a real car nowhere near its limits.

They're fun in their own way, but with the budget for a garage full of actual cars I'd play racing games even less than I do now. Driving actual cars as part of my job has made me lose interest in sims so I can't imagine being able to buy those actual cars would change that in any way. Maybe if I was gaming socially then I'd fire up the PS3 or whatever, but given the choice of doing that or taking an actual car out somewhere I'd choose the latter.

I'm not sure your question entirely responds to the post you quoted either. I was simply stating an opinion based on something I hear a lot - like having an accident is some kind of inevitability of driving on track. If someone truly believes that then I'd suggest they stay out of real cars altogether, let alone on track.

I should add that I'm not in any way denouncing the benefits learning in videogames can have on actual driving either - even if I ignored how much it's helped me, I'd say GT Academy is pretty good evidence that it can be beneficial.

 

[Azuremen]

Considering I don't play racing games anymore (outside of visiting friends that still play) I don't think having money would change that much. But it would be cool to have an i8, LF-A, and NA1 NSX.

On the other hand, I know guys that build and drive race cars who still play racing games. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Wolfe]

Even the best sims can't come close to the feeling of actually driving a real car. The physical sensations of driving a car over its limits in a video game are little different to driving a car well below its limits in a video game - and nowhere near the physical sensations of driving a real car nowhere near its limits.

I don't concern myself so much about that as many people seem to do. Overall, I see simulators as just another kind of videogame; the enjoyment comes from playing with physics and manipulating the car. Sorta like an RC car, I suppose, and not so different from bounding around in a 2D platformer. I just want accurate physics so the car reacts as expected and I have more variables to play with.

I can immerse myself into the experience, but in a way like any other videogame. I'm not out to totally replicate the feeling of actually driving a real car. It's something different, with its own value.

I'm not sure your question entirely responds to the post you quoted either. I was simply stating an opinion based on something I hear a lot - like having an accident is some kind of inevitability of driving on track. If someone truly believes that then I'd suggest they stay out of real cars altogether, let alone on track.

My fault for not being clear. I was responding to a sentiment you expressed in your first post in this thread. You said you appreciate other racing games for the "crazier things", but I enjoy those crazy things just as much if not more with the accuracy of a simulator.

 

[homeforsummer]

My fault for not being clear. I was responding to a sentiment you expressed in your first post in this thread. You said you appreciate other racing games for the "crazier things", but I enjoy those crazy things just as much if not more with the accuracy of a simulator.

Ah, gotcha. No, for me I now get more fun from videogames that aren't realistic. Realism in videogames now frustrates me because videogames are no longer a substitute for driving, like they were before I could drive, or before I had a job that revolved around driving.

I do want some semblance of decent physics in a game of course - even MarioKart has physics of a sort, in that its vehicles respond in a predictable way to controller inputs and you can manipulate the game's physics to the benefit of speed - but I no longer seek realism when it can never match the joy of driving an actual car.

I don't wish to derail the thread too much with the sim-versus-game subject here though. I prattle on about it enough in the gaming thread in the Infield, so feel free to continue this there if you like!