learning to drive
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Discussion

djcube

Original Poster:

529 posts

95 months

Sunday 10th May
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My boys have finally decided to learn to drive. Before they take lessons they want to have a practice at driving using a `video game`. They have a PS5, steering wheel, pedals and gear stick. Presently they play racing games in cars with auto gearboxes and huge performance.
What they are looking for is, I think, a driving simulator. Something that needs consideration to the highway code; speed limits, pedestrians, traffic lights and so on. Something that will also give them experience of changing gears, when and how along with using the clutch.
Over to you guys, any suggestions?

Hoofy

79,605 posts

307 months

Sunday 10th May
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Manual change, in-car (not chase mode ffs), all driver aids off. Now keep reducing the power of whichever quad turbo V12 be-winged monster they're normally racing with to the point where they're not wheelspinning in every gear or smashing into the armco. Bonus test: every time they bounce off the redline, they pay you £1. Spoiler: you're going to be rich.

Matty_

2,295 posts

282 months

Sunday 10th May
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BeamNG is probably the closest you can get. Includes traffic, town driving etc.

Plenty of mods to help the experience as well.

benny.c

3,705 posts

232 months

Monday 11th May
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Nothing on PS5 is going to be that close to real driving. If they don’t want go old school and drive around an industrial estate on a Sunday morning, go to an MSV circuit and do their Young Drive course. They’ll learn more in 30mins than countless hours on the PS5. A few hours with a driving instructor will be cheaper and just as informative though.

For reference my son started driving a few months ago and plays GT7 with a wheel etc. He said paying GT was no use whatsoever.

WH16

8,104 posts

243 months

Monday 11th May
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Matty_ said:
BeamNG is probably the closest you can get. Includes traffic, town driving etc.
Plus realistic crash physics which might reinforce the message that crashing is generally bad and often unsurvivable, unlike most racing games, GranTurismo, Forza etc.

durbster

11,866 posts

247 months

Monday 11th May
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WH16 said:
Matty_ said:
BeamNG is probably the closest you can get. Includes traffic, town driving etc.
Plus realistic crash physics which might reinforce the message that crashing is generally bad and often unsurvivable, unlike most racing games, GranTurismo, Forza etc.
Yeah that's a good shout (if you can get it on PS5?).

If they have three pedals and an H-shifter they can learn a lot about the basic mechanics of driving, and it's a good way of practicing things like parking, emergency stops and three point turns.

24lemons

2,955 posts

210 months

Monday 11th May
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What are you hoping the simulator will provide that driving a real car wont?

I m not aware of any driving software on PS5 or PC that will give a realistic representation of the highway code etc.

I guarantee it ll be far cheaper to jump in with a proper instructor than setting up anything more than a basic gaming rig.

Unless you are prepared to pay silly money, the controls just aren t going to feel anything like a real car. Driving on a flat screen doesn t give you any sense of distance or scale.

You just can t replicate the sensory experience of feeling how a car moves through a home sim.

Edited by 24lemons on Monday 11th May 08:33

Shaoxter

4,553 posts

149 months

Monday 11th May
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24lemons said:
Driving on a flat screen doesn t give you any sense of distance or scale.
That's where the PSVR2 comes in wink

SpudLink

7,754 posts

217 months

Monday 11th May
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Pedestrians. Cyclists. Traffic. Oncoming cars in your lane as they avoid their own hazards.

This is the stuff of real world driving that demands your attention more than the mechanics of operating the vehicle. It would be possible to replicate this in a SIM, but I don’t know of one that does it.

djcube

Original Poster:

529 posts

95 months

Wednesday
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Thanks for the replies. Looks like we are not going to get what we want for a PS5.
We've taken Hoofy's advice and turned the wick right down in their favourite racing game, haven't mentioned the money bit, yet!
I'm surprised at the realism of the need for clutch control, I think it will help when they get behind the wheel of a real car.
They've decided that learning in a manual car would be best, probably thinking that will enable them to borrow one of my cars....

Inlineonline

692 posts

2 months

Wednesday
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You need a full £15k motion equipped rig with haptics on the pedals to simulate kangarooing down the road as they learn clutch control really.

Might be cheaper to pay for a few bumper and wheel resprays on a real hatchback?

But yes, Beam NG is the closest you will find.