Getting to Know Each Other - What do you Collect?

[Jim O'Bryan]

Ok, Sounds like we need a slot car place to open up in the Wood.

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Mark

Driving simulators, ooops I mean Playstation has made the slot car very obsolete. Personally as I mentioned I like Formula One, Rallying, even sports car. When I get in my playstation driving simulator with ten pound weights strapped to my wrists, it is a very, very intense work out that see me crippled for hours.

A typical F1 race is 3 45 minute sessions, with a two hour race. When I have it dialed into simulator, at the highest setting, you can make maybe one mistake and hope to finish in the top three.

I get out covered in sweat, and exhausted. Even the NASCAR game or Indy game not a favorite takes unbelievable focus, energy and effort to do well in. The tracks are so realistic that many drivers use the games to train for the real thing.

When it comes to driving, it is hard to beat. Wish I had had that instead of throwing my money away in SCCA.

FWIW


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[David Lay]

I mostly collect camera lenses and Apple apparel, when I can afford them...

[Mark Crnolatas]

JIm,
Which road race sim would you recommend? I'm not much into oval track, but I'd like a good road race, although I have an Xbox. Havn't used it in a long time, and when I google the games, sims etc, it seems a "human recommendation " might help. There's a lot out there.

Mark Allan Crnolatas

[Jim O'Bryan]

JIm,
Which road race sim would you recommend? I'm not much into oval track, but I'd like a good road race, although I have an Xbox. Havn't used it in a long time, and when I google the games, sims etc, it seems a "human recommendation " might help. There's a lot out there.

Mark Allan Crnolatas

For stupid mindless fun nothing beats the ATV series.

For Road racing, not familiar with XBox, is F1 by psygnosis, all of them are good. F1 by PitBull 1998 is the most driveable. Any of the British Touring Car Series is good, and Colin McCrea Rallying is damn good. I have heard that Project Gotham is nice.

Sorry not an xBox guy.

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[Joe Ott]

Sorry not an xBox guy.

We have the xBox 360. Awesome graphics. At least to me. We have one racing game but I never play with it (the 360). Stuff just happens way too fast for me. I could never get used to a joy stick for game play. Except maybe for Pac Man on the Atari...

For the PC I have Grand Prix Legends which I used to play, er, race often. I have one of those force back, or whatever it's called, steering wheels. The graphics aren't up to todays standards but the games itself is still considered pretty good I guess as far as vehicle dynamics go. Racing a 67 GP car with those skinny little tires is pretty tough. My son always did better than me.

Now I spend a lot of time (too much) playing Call Of Duty: United Offensive. Great game to play on line with other people. My son and I play on AustinServer.com. Great game with a fun bunch of people. Addictive though. This games requires good graphics, zero lag, extremely fast reflexes, and skill. So I always die right away.

Joe

[Mark Crnolatas]

A little off topic, but regarding the games, I sincerely believe the U.S govmt planned the games as a way to "train" future soldiers. Several or many years back, I lost count, was and is a game called Delta Force, for computer. Delta Force 2 came out, and was touted by Novalogic as THE game that was basically contracted by the U.S Military to train their people using Virtual Reality. Also about that same time, the mysterious and COMPLETE set of aircraft game called Jane's AirForce, which I have, old by computer game standards, has the "right stuff" and a manual that's unusually thick, for the aircraft. Details were unbelievable, and included all the planes that now, if someone was an early teen, would be flying those same planes NOW.

Suddenly Jane's dissapeared off the market.
On Discovery Channel's Weaponry, or Futurweapons, they show a remote controlled full size tank that WILL be released for use, soon.

The controller for the tank looked so close to a PS2/Xbox console controller it was surprising.

Then of course is U.S. Army, which anyone can download for free, and has been there for several years.
Novalogic's games must be over 10 or 12 years ago.

Just some food for the imagination.


Back to collections, I want to thank Gary Rice, who turned me on to "something" I collect which is now my most prized item in my collection, at least for MY taste.

Thanks Gary and shhhh, it's a secret.

Mark Allan Crnolatas

[Mark Crnolatas]

Jim,

ARRUGHHH. Now I'm googling like a mad-man researching on race-car games, and it seems tonight I'll get one. I have a couple of the street race ones, but those are old.

The I'll need a new steering wheel/pedal kit, since I gave mine away some time ago....

but hey, how can you beat racing for a few dollars vs a few million?



Mark Allan Crnolatas
"Nothings better than the smell of burnt rubber in the morning".
(Paraphrasing)

[Jim O'Bryan]

but hey, how can you beat racing for a few dollars vs a few million?



Mark Allan Crnolatas
"Nothings better than the smell of burnt rubber in the morning".
(Paraphrasing)

Mark

It is amazing. As I mentioned, it was almost ten years ago that Jacques Villeneuve went to Formula One, and in his second year he won the Championship. He credited the realism of the Playstation game to learn where his braking points were. That was ten years ago, every year the physics packages has gotten better.

The level of focus and stamina needed is incredible.

Gran Turismo for the PS is a must. The interest level is high enough to keep it going for months. You can win an incredible collection of cars including every car I have ever owned with the exception of a 1957 Cadillac Limo, and the NSU. The actual driving physics is incredible. The 2004 Honda Accord, acts just like a 2004 Honda Accord. Same under-steer, power everything. The Fiat 500 drives just like a 1962 Fiat 500. One nice feature is you can swap out other record runs.

The Indy and Nascar games have done a great job with tire physics, they come in, they fall off in performance.

For pure stupid fun another is Sprint Cars. Short races, great fun as you visor collects chouds of dirt and rubber. You have to be working every inch of the car to get it "right."

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[Gary Rice]

Thanks Mark,

for your kind words!

The thrill of the hunt, the joy of the pounce, and the excitement of getting a collectable, can be great fun.

A few years ago, my dear late mom said that she liked to collect people.

Indeed, that's about the best collection I can think of!

We have a great collection of people around us!

Now, where did I put my minitank collection??

That was fun for me and my circle of friends, way back when.

Building dioramas, using hot pins to put fake bullet holes into plastic buildings.. Recreating Normandy, and other European battlefields of WWII...ahh, the imagination at work!

Enjoy your weekend, all!

[Jim O'Bryan]

Joe

Is it a USB steering wheel?

If so it will plug right into a PS2 or 3.

Grand Prix Legends is a great game if for not other reason Watkins Glen in Tyrrell Matra!

I have built a nice little simulator to sit in, makes all the difference in the world. Everything you need for a proper GP. Form fitting reclining seat, adjustable pedals, adjustable steering wheel, ashtray and drink holder.





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