driving- not racing -cars simulation

[osvep]

I find cars simulation totally biased in favour of fool games.In that sense flight simulation by MS has set a proper standard of quality with a concept of proper handling and realism .You can fly most planes with keyboard very easy WHICH IS NOT THE CASE WHITH DRIVING SIMULATORS ie 18wheels or colin mcrae.Does anyone knows about a program-not the profesional
ones-that have proper keyboard controls including graduable accelerator (as MSF Combat 1) to enjoy normal speed (not crazy)driving a good virtual cokpit etc? Thanks a lot.

[Gunny04]

driving with your W A S D Keys might help you rather then arrow keys, as for a good driving simulator thats realistic, I believe there are none, My guess is it'd be too big in size and Need so many resources it'd be impractical.... Then would there be a market, thats why you dont see them.... I always imagined an Expanded Version of the Driver Series in the entire united states and canada, where you drive city to city and do stuff as you please like GTA or Drivers 3..... But nobody has done this, oh I wish they would! Be fun.... Cheers, Gunny

Remember, if their isnt market potential, companies wont make it, all they want is MONEY and some more MONEY!!!

[osvep]

 I was thinking that an eventual solution may be to modify keyboard assignations .That way arrow keys up and down may be replaced by ie  A,Z so you can handle
better acceleration and steering. In the normal layout is very inconfortable to do both types of comands with only a  hand. But I know nothing of that sort of programming...Another even better may be to modify
the default throttle by adding a little program that includes graduable acceleration .As driving simulator must work with driving consoles perhaps it is possible...

[Woodlouse2002]

The problem with a driving simulator is who really wants it? There are only markets for simulators when it isn't so easy for someone to do the activity for real and with driving that just isn't the case as most people before their 20 will be capable of driving a real car in the real world thereby making a simulator unecessasary for most.

[Craig.]

It would be good for situational awareness, people jumping out in front of you and so on. But just a general driving thing, not really popular.

[Gary R.]

I agree with Craig. There might be a market for a realistic driving simulator targeted at 10-15 year olds.  Parents and school driver ed. departments would really go for it and there are a number of good steering and pedal controllers available.  As far as what's available for realism in a driving sim I suggest the various NASCAR sims.  They are modeled according to the rules of that year, IE: pit road speed limits, spoiler angle specifications, gearing set-ups, etc.  In most of them you can get to do crew cheif things as well in the set-up screens etc.  I myself being a NASCAR fan would love to enjoy those sims except that there is no true manual transmission modeling for a PC yet.  Clutch emulation is not realized in any way and if it was, there are no 3 pedal driving controllers available anyway.

[Hai Perso Coyone?]

Strange, I have always also wanted something like that...18 Wheels comes close to that with turn signals and 4 way flashers and all...hence I chose that....it also has headlights....

[Chris_F]

The only thing I've seen which approaches what you want is Microsoft's Midtown Madness.  Don't know if you can still get it.  I wouldn't call this a "sim", more of a game.  I don't think you'll find it totally satisfying but it's old enough that you should be able to turn up a copy real cheap.  It's fun for some laughs, and maybe you could even teach a new driver how to drive with it (although driving within the limits of the law doesn't work out well with other traffic in this game, the other cars don't know what to do and end up veering out of control).

[Hai Perso Coyone?]

The only thing I've seen which approaches what you want is Microsoft's Midtown Madness.  Don't know if you can still get it.  I wouldn't call this a "sim", more of a game.  I don't think you'll find it totally satisfying but it's old enough that you should be able to turn up a copy real cheap.  It's fun for some laughs, and maybe you could even teach a new driver how to drive with it (although driving within the limits of the law doesn't work out well with other traffic in this game, the other cars don't know what to do and end up veering out of control).

I am sorry to say...that game was crap...I had MM2...and it was trash.....Thankfully I sold it to a very eager buyer...got riddance

[4_Series_Scania]

Strange, I have always also wanted something like that...18 Wheels comes close to that with turn signals and 4 way flashers and all...hence I chose that....it also has headlights....

Close? you have no idea how far off the mark it is.  ;)

[legoalex2000]

you know who would buy it though...

criminals...

this would be the perfect program to make an escape route after they steal something. and if the police are on their tail, hey could plan exit routes that don't lead to ead ends.

thats one good reason why this wouldn't be a good idea. the same applies to a car GPS system in a way.

Ramos

[Craig.]

car gps systems are too complex and slow for anything like a speedy getaway down back roads. considering their accuracy down back roads they would likely get you caught:)

[Gunny04]

on the subject of criminals, isnt FS worse towards say terrorism? its just their isnt a market for driving sims, get GTA or Driver3 and a wheel, do you good! Cheers, Gunny

[Woodlouse2002]

you know who would buy it though...

criminals...

this would be the perfect program to make an escape route after they steal something. and if the police are on their tail, hey could plan exit routes that don't lead to ead ends.

thats one good reason why this wouldn't be a good idea. the same applies to a car GPS system in a way.

Ramos

No criminal would use a game to practice and plan getaways.

[Hai Perso Coyone?]

No criminal would use a game to practice and plan getaways.

Besides...the cities in most driving games aren't even real...but they are cool made up ones