Have you ever met someone for the first time in the physical world and over the course of a conversation, suddenly realised you've actually known them for years by a different name?
Or maybe you've been working alongside someone for a long time, speaking to them every day, then one day, just by chance the subject comes up and you realise you have a common interest that until now, neither of you were aware of?
It could be a friend you've known for years, someone you see every week at the local pub for the weekly music event, pool club, or just to chat over a drink, and it just so happens that one of you mentions the right word or phrase and, in that moment, a light bulb flashes on and you realise they're like you, they're one of the breed, they're a sim racer!
It's a fantastic moment, the conversation picks up pace immediately, you've suddenly got more to say to each other than ever before, the enthusiasm comes out and you're talking away about all thing's sim related until you realise you've been nattering away for so long you've hardly touched your drink, the bands stopped playing and the barman wants to shut the doors!
One night after about three years I think I arrived late and Pete asked me what I'd been doing that evening, I explained I'd been at home on the computer having a race and Pete's face lit up, after he'd queried me on what kind of racing I was doing, he enthusiastically told me that he'd been into the same thing for years, in fact he had a full triple screen rig at home and I'd have to come round for a go some time. Seeing as all I had back then was a single screen and a wheel bolted to a desk, he didn't have to ask me twice!
After that we were talking sims, hardware, software and race clubs every time we saw each other! In fact just before I moved back to Norfolk we even lived in the same house for a short while, and had both our sim rigs set up in the same room. We built a little D.I.Y. rig for me, took part in race's together at RaceDepartment, and I watched Petes rig grow as he upgraded hardware.
Since I've moved back to Norfolk I've built a proper rig, we've kept in touch, ran servers together using remote software, experimented with tactile motor feedback systems for our pedals and seats, Pete even prompted me to start my own YouTube channel on which I mention him regularly! And every time I've been back in Cambridge for work or a music event we've met up, usually ending up with him sending me home with a new piece of hardware to try out!
I've also experienced discovering someone I'd worked alongside for a long while was a sim racer, and since moving back to my home county have found out that a friend I grew up with was heavily into racing games on his Xbox. Since I've been back, we go round each other's houses for Pizza and lap times! He's now moved onto more advanced simulators and is saving for a PC to build a proper rig around.
Every time this has happened it's been great, its strengthened already good friendships, we've always ended up learning a thing or two from each other and have plans for the future (like all meeting up and going to real race events). It's definitely one of the best things about being a simracer!
Let us know in the comments or on Twitter @RaceDepartment!
Picture credit: @daveds3
Or maybe you've been working alongside someone for a long time, speaking to them every day, then one day, just by chance the subject comes up and you realise you have a common interest that until now, neither of you were aware of?
It could be a friend you've known for years, someone you see every week at the local pub for the weekly music event, pool club, or just to chat over a drink, and it just so happens that one of you mentions the right word or phrase and, in that moment, a light bulb flashes on and you realise they're like you, they're one of the breed, they're a sim racer!
It's a fantastic moment, the conversation picks up pace immediately, you've suddenly got more to say to each other than ever before, the enthusiasm comes out and you're talking away about all thing's sim related until you realise you've been nattering away for so long you've hardly touched your drink, the bands stopped playing and the barman wants to shut the doors!
Hard to spot in real life
We are a hard quite hard to spot in everyday life, there's no one thing that really ties us down, as most of us aren't walking round in a fire suit and driving gloves all day, there's no instant clue like a guitarist walking around with a guitar strapped to their back, the most obvious way to spot one of us might only be a sim racing brand logo on our clothes or something like that, but when you realise it's great! It can strengthen friendships and lead to lifelong collaborations!Three examples
Known each other for years through the local Cambridge music scene, I'd be out playing at jam sessions in the pubs around out area and Pete would be there in the audience, we used to chat at the bar afterwards about music.One night after about three years I think I arrived late and Pete asked me what I'd been doing that evening, I explained I'd been at home on the computer having a race and Pete's face lit up, after he'd queried me on what kind of racing I was doing, he enthusiastically told me that he'd been into the same thing for years, in fact he had a full triple screen rig at home and I'd have to come round for a go some time. Seeing as all I had back then was a single screen and a wheel bolted to a desk, he didn't have to ask me twice!
After that we were talking sims, hardware, software and race clubs every time we saw each other! In fact just before I moved back to Norfolk we even lived in the same house for a short while, and had both our sim rigs set up in the same room. We built a little D.I.Y. rig for me, took part in race's together at RaceDepartment, and I watched Petes rig grow as he upgraded hardware.
Since I've moved back to Norfolk I've built a proper rig, we've kept in touch, ran servers together using remote software, experimented with tactile motor feedback systems for our pedals and seats, Pete even prompted me to start my own YouTube channel on which I mention him regularly! And every time I've been back in Cambridge for work or a music event we've met up, usually ending up with him sending me home with a new piece of hardware to try out!
I've also experienced discovering someone I'd worked alongside for a long while was a sim racer, and since moving back to my home county have found out that a friend I grew up with was heavily into racing games on his Xbox. Since I've been back, we go round each other's houses for Pizza and lap times! He's now moved onto more advanced simulators and is saving for a PC to build a proper rig around.
Every time this has happened it's been great, its strengthened already good friendships, we've always ended up learning a thing or two from each other and have plans for the future (like all meeting up and going to real race events). It's definitely one of the best things about being a simracer!
How about yourself?
Have you had an experience like this, maybe you finally got to meet someone in person whom you've been racing with over the internet for years, or maybe like me you've found it's always been there, but you just never knew!Let us know in the comments or on Twitter @RaceDepartment!
Picture credit: @daveds3
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