Before recently, I always assumed iRacing was a con. That it wasn't worth the money, that the laser scanned tracks didn't make a big difference, and I was better off playing rFactor or Race. And then the 1 month free promotion turned up recently, and I figured I should give it a try, see what all the fuss is about. And boy was I in for a surprise.
I was surprised to find that the laser scanned tracks actually make a difference. Having all the bumps modelled accurately to within less than an inch still seems trivial to me. But there's a lot of subtle camber changes, crests, etc. which are often missed when other games model tracks using more traditional methods. They make driving the track a little bit more technical, and consequently, a lot more interesting.
After a while practicing, I worked up the guts to go online. All I've driven all day is the MX-5 on Laguna Seca. I've done two qualifying sessions and three races so far, and I'm beginning to see what it is that makes iRacing great. The game's reputation for having a high standard of racing is well deserved. People are courteous, and drive cleanly. When they make a mistake, they're quick to apologise. And understanding when I (often) make a mistake.
But there's one thing I found it did better than everything else; immersion. Before today, I have never been scared by a racing game. But sitting on the grid, waiting for the lights to turn green, I start to get tense every time. I become frightened to the point of shaking, and this lasts the entire race.
I figured it's due to the pressure from iRacing's standards of racing being so high. I worry that I'm gonna mess up somewhere, and be the latest idiot to turn up. Which I'd say is a good way to reflect the pressure a racing driver is put under.
At this point, it's probably worth mentioning that I'm suffering from anxiety right now, and I'm pretty sure the stress that iRacing puts me under has induced a panic attack. Which is just crazy. How can a video game be that immersive?
I don't know how much I'll carry on playing it after today if it has this kind of effect on me. In fact, I can't believe my time on a game is actually limited by how good it is! But I'll be trying to over the duration of my trial, that's for sure. It's not something I want to miss out on.
However I still find it difficult to bring myself to subscribe. I recall a post here by someone who wanted to do the V8 Supercars series in it on a 3 month subscription, which added up to about $160 with the car and tracks. That's a lot of money for a game, worth it or not.
I tried driving the Skip Barber car aswell, which I couldn't get the hang of. Thankfully it came free with the trial. But it has served as a warning; I can't be sure I'll enjoy a car before I buy it on iRacing. And I'm not fond of gambling like that.
Maybe one day I'll come back and subscribe, when I've got more money. Because I've deffinately enjoyed what I've seen so far. But until then, at least I now know what the big deal is about iRacing, what's so great about it, and what brings people to pay that kind of money for it.
I was surprised to find that the laser scanned tracks actually make a difference. Having all the bumps modelled accurately to within less than an inch still seems trivial to me. But there's a lot of subtle camber changes, crests, etc. which are often missed when other games model tracks using more traditional methods. They make driving the track a little bit more technical, and consequently, a lot more interesting.
After a while practicing, I worked up the guts to go online. All I've driven all day is the MX-5 on Laguna Seca. I've done two qualifying sessions and three races so far, and I'm beginning to see what it is that makes iRacing great. The game's reputation for having a high standard of racing is well deserved. People are courteous, and drive cleanly. When they make a mistake, they're quick to apologise. And understanding when I (often) make a mistake.
But there's one thing I found it did better than everything else; immersion. Before today, I have never been scared by a racing game. But sitting on the grid, waiting for the lights to turn green, I start to get tense every time. I become frightened to the point of shaking, and this lasts the entire race.
I figured it's due to the pressure from iRacing's standards of racing being so high. I worry that I'm gonna mess up somewhere, and be the latest idiot to turn up. Which I'd say is a good way to reflect the pressure a racing driver is put under.
At this point, it's probably worth mentioning that I'm suffering from anxiety right now, and I'm pretty sure the stress that iRacing puts me under has induced a panic attack. Which is just crazy. How can a video game be that immersive?
I don't know how much I'll carry on playing it after today if it has this kind of effect on me. In fact, I can't believe my time on a game is actually limited by how good it is! But I'll be trying to over the duration of my trial, that's for sure. It's not something I want to miss out on.
However I still find it difficult to bring myself to subscribe. I recall a post here by someone who wanted to do the V8 Supercars series in it on a 3 month subscription, which added up to about $160 with the car and tracks. That's a lot of money for a game, worth it or not.
I tried driving the Skip Barber car aswell, which I couldn't get the hang of. Thankfully it came free with the trial. But it has served as a warning; I can't be sure I'll enjoy a car before I buy it on iRacing. And I'm not fond of gambling like that.
Maybe one day I'll come back and subscribe, when I've got more money. Because I've deffinately enjoyed what I've seen so far. But until then, at least I now know what the big deal is about iRacing, what's so great about it, and what brings people to pay that kind of money for it.
