Racing Simulator Thread

[.RJ]

I still want a F355 challenge arcade cabinet

[G.Irish]

The stretch isn't something you usually notice but when I think about the tracks in real life and watch videos of the tracks in real life the console game versions of them look are out of proportion. They speed up the car to compensate so it sort of balances out but it's inaccurate just the same.

[Tyler.M]

One question I just thought of: How often does iRacing update track changes/repavements? I'm thinking purely of VIR's OakTree turn and how (from what I heard) it was changed slightly.

[BLINGMW]

Real tracks are highly important to me. Summit, VIR (now needs to be updated!), Road ATL, Barber, they're perfect in iRacing. I mean to the level that the curbing is right, and a drop-off that's there is there, dips and patches in the pavement, flag stands and other reference points, everything. So it's nice to know when I drive a track in there that I haven't been to, I can expect it's also right. I could confidently go to any major track in the US in an MX5 and would know how to do it.
And now they're out there laser scanning the whole Nordschleife. :thumbup:
One funny example of the track accuracy was when I had been running the Spec Racer Ford for a couple seasons, and one time after an update, at Watkins Glen, I noticed I was 1.5 sec faster per lap than I'd ever been. Used to top out at 102 in one spot and now it was 104. Of course, a few others had noticed too. After throwing theories around, the staff finally figured out the track elevation had accidentally been changed to sea level. Whoops! Silly mistake, but I think that's a neat example of what I'm talking about when I'm talking about track detail. The damn air density also has to be right.
At the same time, it's also frustrating when the staff makes poorly documented changes and updates, and a car feels different but we don't know why. And some poor soul running Motec software on top of the sim has to figure it out with graphs and charts.

One question I just thought of: How often does iRacing update track changes/repavements? I'm thinking purely of VIR's OakTree turn and how (from what I heard) it was changed slightly.

Not often. They would never make such a change without going back and rescanning the whole track.

[Tyler.M]

The air density thing blows my mind. Thats ridiculous.

[.RJ]

[BLINGMW]

well all you "going to try it over the winter" guys need to get on it so we can team up for something like this, which mirrors the Continental Tire Challenge:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.cescs.org/">http://www.cescs.org/</a><!-- m -->

:dunno: :thumbup:

[Tyler.M]

can we haz a virtual racing team???

[BLINGMW]

can we haz a virtual racing team???

[Tyler.M]

I've started building my PC and I think I should be fine performance wise. Intel I7 4790k and a gtx 970 card, and some other goodies like 512 ssd and 16 gigs of ram. Again, building a rig that can do everything, besides just gaming. Going for a single, really good monitor as opposed to 3 crappy ones, might upgrade in the future to a multi-monitor setup if I really like it. G27 racing wheel hasn't been ordered yet but it's the best choice by far. I'm highly considering getting a collapsible stand/mount thing but all of them seem pretty pricey for what they are, so I'm still cross shopping that. Picked up a 2tb external HD to back-up my current computer and move all of my files over, then wiping this laptop and either selling it or using it as a mobile workstation, upgrading it to windows 8.1. I'll wait for Windows 10, but 8 should be fine for the next few years.

Considering a small quick-boot drive as part of the build but I don't know yet...

[BLINGMW]

Going for a single, really good monitor as opposed to 3 crappy ones, might upgrade in the future to a multi-monitor setup if I really like it.

Just realize it needs to be at least a 27" and as close to your face as possible (closer than the wheel), and even then you won't be able to have enough peripheral vision to see either side mirror in the car and having another car beside you in a race will be sketchy.

[Tyler.M]

so the other monitors make up your periphery? thats amazing. i've never really played with that set up.

What about VR headsets like the Oculus Rift?

[BLINGMW]

I haven't played much on a 3 monitor setup, but yes, it gets you to a near 180 deg field of view that matches your eyes. Running the correct FOV on a single monitor is like 45 to 60 deg, which is terrible, I think I ran 75. My projector screen only gets me to 100, which means I still cannot see the right side mirror, but is decent, especially in an open cockpit car.
There's a few big threads on using oculous on the iracing forum, but I don't know much about it. I'm sure that *could be* awesome, but in my limited trial of an oculous, I'm not sure how great it would be considering it doesn't do eye tracking and FOV is also quite limited.

[SlimKlim]

I've heard there is a "nausea curve" with VR headsets too, I think 3 wrap around monitors (even if they're slightly lower quality than one big one) is the best setup you can do to give you a good FOV.

I'm interested to see how this project turns out, I'd love to put together a simulator one day.

[BLINGMW]

I found a good pic that demonstrates what running a single 25-27" is like if you run the correct FOV and don't have it less than a foot from your face. You cannot even look through to an exit of a tight corner, let alone have any idea of what's beside you.



Now if you're thinking of single screen, but like a 42" 4K TV or something 18" away from you, that might be cool. Just make sure you check the input and display lag, which is often not so hot on TVs and you'll be many frames behind reality.

[RawrImAMonster]

I've started building my PC and I think I should be fine performance wise. Intel I7 4790k and a gtx 970 card, and some other goodies like 512 ssd and 16 gigs of ram. Again, building a rig that can do everything, besides just gaming. Going for a single, really good monitor as opposed to 3 crappy ones, might upgrade in the future to a multi-monitor setup if I really like it. G27 racing wheel hasn't been ordered yet but it's the best choice by far. I'm highly considering getting a collapsible stand/mount thing but all of them seem pretty pricey for what they are, so I'm still cross shopping that. Picked up a 2tb external HD to back-up my current computer and move all of my files over, then wiping this laptop and either selling it or using it as a mobile workstation, upgrading it to windows 8.1. I'll wait for Windows 10, but 8 should be fine for the next few years.

Considering a small quick-boot drive as part of the build but I don't know yet...

Just FYI, there's a class action lawsuit out about the 970 because it isn't really a 4gb card like they advertised.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/199684-nvidia-slapped-with-class-action-lawsuit-over-gtx-970-memory-issues">http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/1996 ... ory-issues</a><!-- m -->

Also, windows 10 is free for windows 7/8 users.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2873214/windows-10-will-be-a-free-upgrade-for-windows-7-and-8-users.html">http://www.pcworld.com/article/2873214/ ... users.html</a><!-- m -->

[D_Eclipse9916]

I found a good pic that demonstrates what running a single 25-27" is like if you run the correct FOV and don't have it less than a foot from your face. You cannot even look through to an exit of a tight corner, let alone have any idea of what's beside you.



Now if you're thinking of single screen, but like a 42" 4K TV or something 18" away from you, that might be cool. Just make sure you check the input and display lag, which is often not so hot on TVs and you'll be many frames behind reality.

Ugh I stink at computers. I am going to need help when I need to build the computer and get the correct monitors.

[Tyler.M]

I found a good pic that demonstrates what running a single 25-27" is like if you run the correct FOV and don't have it less than a foot from your face. You cannot even look through to an exit of a tight corner, let alone have any idea of what's beside you.

Now if you're thinking of single screen, but like a 42" 4K TV or something 18" away from you, that might be cool. Just make sure you check the input and display lag, which is often not so hot on TVs and you'll be many frames behind reality.

Thats awesome. I'm still trying to figure out how the monitors fit into my budget. Three monitors is the best option but either that or a 4k means I'd have to reduce the quality of my components.... Three monitors might be an eventual thing. I want to try out iRacing and see what its like.

I do have a 60 inch plasma a 32 inch lcd and a 28 inch lcd... haha. that would be weird as shit.

I've started building my PC and I think I should be fine performance wise. Intel I7 4790k and a gtx 970 card, and some other goodies like 512 ssd and 16 gigs of ram. Again, building a rig that can do everything, besides just gaming. Going for a single, really good monitor as opposed to 3 crappy ones, might upgrade in the future to a multi-monitor setup if I really like it. G27 racing wheel hasn't been ordered yet but it's the best choice by far. I'm highly considering getting a collapsible stand/mount thing but all of them seem pretty pricey for what they are, so I'm still cross shopping that. Picked up a 2tb external HD to back-up my current computer and move all of my files over, then wiping this laptop and either selling it or using it as a mobile workstation, upgrading it to windows 8.1. I'll wait for Windows 10, but 8 should be fine for the next few years.

Considering a small quick-boot drive as part of the build but I don't know yet...

Just FYI, there's a class action lawsuit out about the 970 because it isn't really a 4gb card like they advertised.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/199684-nvidia-slapped-with-class-action-lawsuit-over-gtx-970-memory-issues">http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/1996 ... ory-issues</a><!-- m -->

Also, windows 10 is free for windows 7/8 users.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2873214/windows-10-will-be-a-free-upgrade-for-windows-7-and-8-users.html">http://www.pcworld.com/article/2873214/ ... users.html</a><!-- m -->

I heard about that... I'm going to have to do some more research. Haven't bought my card yet, thankfully. I'm still going to stick with NVIDIA for a card but I might try to find a OC'd 960 or something. EVGA makes a great version.

[Tyler.M]

I found a good pic that demonstrates what running a single 25-27" is like if you run the correct FOV and don't have it less than a foot from your face. You cannot even look through to an exit of a tight corner, let alone have any idea of what's beside you.



Now if you're thinking of single screen, but like a 42" 4K TV or something 18" away from you, that might be cool. Just make sure you check the input and display lag, which is often not so hot on TVs and you'll be many frames behind reality.

Ugh I stink at computers. I am going to need help when I need to build the computer and get the correct monitors.

I thought that's what you did for a living? Maybe I'm mistaken... I naturally assume anyone with raceka(s) is either a dentist or a computer hax0r.

[D_Eclipse9916]

I found a good pic that demonstrates what running a single 25-27" is like if you run the correct FOV and don't have it less than a foot from your face. You cannot even look through to an exit of a tight corner, let alone have any idea of what's beside you.



Now if you're thinking of single screen, but like a 42" 4K TV or something 18" away from you, that might be cool. Just make sure you check the input and display lag, which is often not so hot on TVs and you'll be many frames behind reality.

Ugh I stink at computers. I am going to need help when I need to build the computer and get the correct monitors.

I thought that's what you did for a living? Maybe I'm mistaken... I naturally assume anyone with raceka(s) is either a dentist or a computer hax0r.

I do federal financial management. Playing with computers would have netted me way more $$ up front :lol: