Why no proper driving simulator?

[Mr Ono]

I don't know about you peeps but I'd love to see a proper car driving simulator on consoles. Somthing akin to Densha de Go or MS Flight Sim but with cars.

No turbos, no powerslides, just good old fashioned safe driving and following Highway Code stuff. You could actually have a "proper" driving test which must be passed before you can go onto the rest of the game. Objectives could be mundane - much in the same way as Tokyo Bus Guide where doing things properly is the goal.

The operation of the manual gears could include use of the GC/XB analogue triggers to replicate a clutch system which has to be used whenever changing gear.



Yes, I'm bored.

[Garibaldi Biscuit]

Hmm, I think the problem with this would be the level of consumer interest in such a title. Driving is very much an 'everyday' skill learned by the vast majority of people, whereas controlling a realistic representation of a train or plane provides intrigue because how many folk are going to find themselves learning to pilot such vehicles in real life?

People want driving games to be slightly fantastical in nature, be that driving the latest performance cars or performing immense powerslides ala Initial D, as it provides driving experiences they cannot replicate safely in real-life.

I can see the appeal of what you're proposing, but for most folk it would just be easier to go out and drive, also cheaper than investing in a game and peripheral. Suggest this to your average gamer and they'd look at you as though your brain was about to melt and run out of your left nostril, sad but true.

[AllYourBase]

I remember back in the days people saying Hard Drivin' was a realistic driving sim

Idiots!

[Ravon]

Real Car Sim?!?!?!?!?

Its easier to get im my car and drive around..... more fun aswell....

[kimenon69]

Dont driving schools put you in a simulator nowdays before exposing you to the road?

What are they like?

[Ikaruga]

I'd really rather not. I'm having troubles passing my own driving test atm, never mind a virtual replication of the bastard test.

I'd rather have games like Gran Turismo replicate driving with a clutch, and realistic use of the wing mirrors and such.

GT isn't a true driving simulator of sorts, it's just a watered down accessible version of driving in real life.

[dave heats]

Having a realistic clutch would be fantastic, and using it properly would have a huge effect on lap times etc. If it was so realistic that you could even stall the car then it could cater for both boy racers, and people just learning how to drive.

Ive often wondered why there isnt a realistic driving game on the market. It could have a fairly widespread appeal.

[PeteJ]

Just like how games are being used to train the US Army (Full Spectrum Warrior), they could develop software for public driving and build an entertaining game from that (such as Full Spectrum Warrior).

Huge potential, and it could do a lot of good for road safety.

[mt50]

thats a great idea ONO, tell you the truth i'm supprised they haven't allready brought a game like that out in japan

OT but how easy would Tokyo Bus Guide be to play if you don't know any japanise?

[Halo]

There is the other point to something like this - you could go insane with realistic damage and wrecking the car until it's beyond use. Breaking the clutch so you're stuck in 3rd gear would be fun, as well as realistic smashes on the windscreen obscuring your vision. Cops could also pick you up for speeding, and use "stinger" devices etc rather than just ramming you off the road.

Would be quite good - you'd get the choice of following the rules to complete missions or alternatively you could just do a free run and wreck the car.

[Salsa Party Animal]

How the game is going to fail you for not observing properly

I think it is a daft idea and it wouldn't work.

[probeater]

F355 was like that the first time I played it in an arcade cab, It has a working clutch and gears as well doesn't it? (been a couple of years since I played it in the arcades)

[mid]

Live For Speed on the PC - free demo to download, only ?12.99 for the game, features analogue clutch support. Give it a go and see what you think, I rather like it. Its an indie thing by a couple of ex-Bullfrog guys.

[iloveannie]

It would be nice to have a racing game that attempted to replicate how a car moves when doing less than 50mph. Even GT is **** in this area. F355 almost conveys the feeling of rolling round a v.tight corner at about 10-15mph. Rally titles are best for this. I really wish my car would slide about its own centre when trying to get round multi-storey car parks

I agree that it would be nice to have a vehicle portrayed accurately but it would then need to be given a playground. I'm sure I'm not the first to attempt to park nicely in Vice City. Am I?

Anyway who cares?! I'm still in gaming limbo since finishing Ico the other night

[kuran]

how easy would Tokyo Bus Guide be to play if you don't know any japanise?

Very easy, once you learn some of the traffic rules in Japan. Almost no knowledge of the Japanese language s required.