SimHQ.com - Motorsports Zone - Sim Racing

"Weasel" driving GTR2 Watching someone else “drive” a racing simulator is a fascinating experience. I took the time to watch Weasel turn some laps with rFactor’s PCC07 cars, watching not only his on-screen driving but also the physical body movements as he piloted his virtual car around the track. By watching Weasel’s hands and arms, I could really see the realistic impact Force Feedback code and controllers have on gameplay. Between the superb graphics, sounds, physics and force feedback presentations, the game is immersive enough that Weasel’s head involuntarily or naturally tucked and moved with the actions on the screen. All this, even though in reality we are merely piloting a desk! Those body motions tell you a lot about the immersiveness of today’s racing sims and their peripherals — heck, it was immersive just for me to watch as a spectator! I also felt that the RealFeel force feedback plug-in seemed to enhance the lively and realistic look to the wheel input and output from this observer’s point of view. When driving, I also like how RealFeel communicates the track surface and grip level of the tires, at least in the mods I’ve tried so far.

Weasel lamented the lack of NaturalPoint's TrackIR on my mobile rig — well, that’s just another sacrifice you have to make when you’re deployed to a war zone! "Weasel" wasn’t adapted to driving without a TrackIR, so he felt a little like he had the blinders on. "Watching someone else “drive” a racing simulator is a fascinating experience." Even so, he seemed to be doing just fine without it.

This was the first time I’d watched Weasel turn laps since early January, when he was a newcomer to the genre. I immediately noted his considerable improvement in skill. He was very quick in the twisty portion of the track. His driving was so much more refined and it was clear to me that, like a golfer working on his game, Weasel had advanced skills in his electronic hobby in the intervening months.

I also noted that Weasel is a quick study of styles and techniques. As we took turns driving, we talked about how to attack certain portions of the course. As soon as Weasel was back in the driver’s seat, I could see him taking the discussion points on board and incorporating them into his technique. He was improving every time he sat at the wheel!

"After arriving at our destination and setting up his computer and wheel, "Chunx" invited me to take a seat and turn some laps. rFactor PCC07 mod at Silverstone? Shouldn’t be a problem! Well, that is until I took the wheel and pressed the gas. At first I just thought that I had gotten really rusty in the few weeks it had been since I’d driven… or maybe it was nerves trying to show what I could do. I was all over the place. I even made the comment that “even in Iraq, I wreck”. Then I realized it wasn’t just me. I was driving with "Chunx’" controller settings on his computer. I never really think about how others drive online, I only know how I like my own wheel and throttle to respond. I guess it’s similar to real drivers, who often can’t adjust to another driver’s chassis setup. Oh, and he didn’t have TrackIR. When I use TrackIR at home I really never think I’m using it very much but I guess I really do because I felt almost naked without it. I don’t realize it but I’m always turning my head even slightly to look to the corners.

When I pulled into the pits for a driver swap, "Chunx" sat down and I immediately noticed a change. He went from making a lot of carefree conversation to go right into his “zone”. He grabbed the wheel and became part of his virtual car, intently watching the screen and guiding his Porsche gracefully through the chicanes and corners. Here I am watching one of the SimHQ Motorsports masters pilot his machine around the tricky Silverstone circuit. For those who race with us and watch the fast guys to get tips by “riding along” in their virtual cockpit view, that’s okay… but watching one driving in real life to see his body movements and how he shifts or feathers the throttle, it’s a whole new game. I took control again and noticed a drastic change in the way I attacked the course. I was making some decent time and staying on the track. I adjusted my braking and turning zones from watching how "Chunx" had hit them. I guess you can teach an old dog… or a 'Weasel'…"

Being away from family for extended periods is not a pleasant thing. Being stationed in a combat zone, at a base frequented by mortar and rocket attacks makes things even more stressful. But it’s an expected and accepted sacrifice for those who serve in the military. It comes with the territory, as they say. So, when the opportunity comes to meet up with someone who shares your eclectic and esoteric hobby in a battle-ravaged, forsaken land, it’s truly a blessing. Even though Weasel and I only spent a grand total of two hours sim-racing together in Iraq, it certainly was a treat to be able to share the hobby with someone who enjoys it just as much, and who shares so many other things in common. These short sim-racing sessions and meals together really made a difference in my morale, and were brief-but-happy diversions from the otherwise serious business of combat operations in a war zone.

"We only met up for one more race session and lunch before "Chunx’" time was up and he rotated home. Yeah, I was only there for 50 days but with every day being like the movie Groundhog Day it would have been pretty boring without the escape of driving sims and enjoying non Crew Chief talk with someone who shares my passion for virtual racing sims. The only other “geek” I knew over there was a kid who’s life revolved around World Of Warcraft… and we all made fun of him.

6,300 miles from my home desk which was already another 2,200 miles from "Chunx’" home desk and here we were, thrown together in the middle of the war torn Iraqi desert discussing our favorite hobby amid indirect fire alarms. Who’da thunk it?!

Thanks "Chunx" for making my time in the sandbox not so sucky. <S>"

Go To Page 6

Click here to go to top of this page.