Computer Driving Simulations

posted by chip on Wednesday, the tenth of December 2008, at a quarter till seven in the evening
I don't think I've mentioned Racer here before. It's a driving simulation made by a mad Netherlander by the name of Ruud van Gaal. It's free (as in beer), comes for Mac, Linux, and Windows, and many downloadable cars and tracks are available for it. Racer is very much not a game — it's similar to GT4 or Forza, but lacks niceties like steering compensation, automatic clutching, and proper car AI. You cannot effectively play Racer unless you have at least an analog joystick, and it's really designed for use with force-feedback wheel controllers.

But because it's so configurable, you can leave the realm of the real and do nutty things like 900HP quad-bikes or cars that handle like slot-cars. A recent car that I downloaded was a 1987 Honda CRX Si (not the same body as mine — they switched to the new body in 1988). As it stands, it's not a bad car... but just for funsies, I decided to fork the space-time continuum.

Up until recently, Honda has not participated in rally racing. So I thought... what if Honda had been working on a Group B rally car based on the CRX, something to compete with the Renault 5 Turbo, but couldn't field it due to the fallout of Group B in 1986? What would such a car be like? Well, right now, it's a 185HP 2L 4WD monster that I like to call the "Honda CRX DRIFT LIKE A MADCUNT EDITION." I like it. :)

On very much the other end of automotive simulation, Alex has... borrowed... a copy of Tokyo Bus Guide, one of the most hardcore games in existence. I can see you laughing, but it is an unusually engaging and challenging game. You have to follow traffic laws, stop at bus stops, announce stops, and not crash into anything. If you hit a pedestrian or car, it's game over. But once you get the hang of it, it's really gratifying to get everything right. The game takes such razor-sharp concentration that hours will fly by as you crawl around town picking up and dropping off passengers. It's highly recommended.

Last night I was in the bathroom dropping the Huxtables off at the pool, and I realized that the turd sitting in the toilet was a sort of record of everything that I've eaten. And then I thought:

"I wonder if that's why they call it a log."

reply

All content printed on 100% recycled internet memes.