Virtual Racing School.....
Discussion
Virtual Race School....
Have you ever wanted to have the skills of a professional racing driver but don`t have the money or the bottle to try it out?
Do you do track days but the costs and wear and tear on your car mean you can`t do it as many as you would like?
Are you wanting to get into motorsport, but afraid you might not have the right skills to be competitive.
Do you need to learn a particular circuit and learn the lines to take etc?
Do you enjoy playing racing games on your Xbox/PS3 but long for something that feels more real and that can actually teach you how to drive a real racing car?
Are you the sort of person who like the thrill of competition?
Well imagine being able to pop down to one of our classes to be held at your local Virtual Race School
where you will be greeted by at least 10 Simulators that are connected up to each other so we can teach you the art of Race craft and car control,-
Discipline on the track, racing lines, Throttle application, Braking techniques and at the end of the night a Full blown Race weekend with practice,
qualifying and Race under full real rules and conditions with Stewards etc etc, against your fellow drivers that are there with you on the night?
We will run Drifting nights, Rallycross nights, Single seater Nights, Touring cars, GT cars etc etc etc.
All this will be run on state of the art Simulators not acrade machines..this is real physics
All for not much cost at all, a lot less than a night out!
this project is By Drivers for DRIVERS!!
If this appeals to you then Please put your comments below as I want to hear from fellow trackday drivers and to anyone else with an interest in learning to drive properly without the risk! to see the level of interest in what im trying to acheive here!
Some people will diss this and say its not like the real thing and id say "well nothing is like the real thing....but....This will be as close as it gets!"
Have you ever wanted to have the skills of a professional racing driver but don`t have the money or the bottle to try it out?
Do you do track days but the costs and wear and tear on your car mean you can`t do it as many as you would like?
Are you wanting to get into motorsport, but afraid you might not have the right skills to be competitive.
Do you need to learn a particular circuit and learn the lines to take etc?
Do you enjoy playing racing games on your Xbox/PS3 but long for something that feels more real and that can actually teach you how to drive a real racing car?
Are you the sort of person who like the thrill of competition?
Well imagine being able to pop down to one of our classes to be held at your local Virtual Race School
where you will be greeted by at least 10 Simulators that are connected up to each other so we can teach you the art of Race craft and car control,-
Discipline on the track, racing lines, Throttle application, Braking techniques and at the end of the night a Full blown Race weekend with practice,
qualifying and Race under full real rules and conditions with Stewards etc etc, against your fellow drivers that are there with you on the night?
We will run Drifting nights, Rallycross nights, Single seater Nights, Touring cars, GT cars etc etc etc.
All this will be run on state of the art Simulators not acrade machines..this is real physics
All for not much cost at all, a lot less than a night out!
this project is By Drivers for DRIVERS!!
If this appeals to you then Please put your comments below as I want to hear from fellow trackday drivers and to anyone else with an interest in learning to drive properly without the risk! to see the level of interest in what im trying to acheive here!
Some people will diss this and say its not like the real thing and id say "well nothing is like the real thing....but....This will be as close as it gets!"
It's been done before, and I would have used it if it was nearer (I'm sure there was one which ran GPL among other things near southampton?). However, not sure it's commercially viable to be honest. The vast majority of people who go to arrive and drive karting for example arn't really that in to it are they?
If you do do it I think you would be wise to combine it with a bar area, and maybe latch on to an arrive and drive karting place with some spare space or something. Oh, and do it in Bristol as that'd suit me nicely.
Cheers,
Rob
If you do do it I think you would be wise to combine it with a bar area, and maybe latch on to an arrive and drive karting place with some spare space or something. Oh, and do it in Bristol as that'd suit me nicely.
Cheers,
Rob
If it was this:
http://uk.i-way-world.com
I'd be very keen... been thinking about heading to france to try it at some point...
Read an interview with the guys who set it up - has similar objectives to yours... clearly well financed, unsure if they have/will make a profit though.
http://uk.i-way-world.com
I'd be very keen... been thinking about heading to france to try it at some point...
Read an interview with the guys who set it up - has similar objectives to yours... clearly well financed, unsure if they have/will make a profit though.
Hi Everyone,Thanks for the comments it will not be to that standard im afraid but certainly a much better standard than Gt5 etc etc!!
Also, we are talking £30 for each person for a whole nights coaching and a race at the end!
What we are tying to acheive is a club atmosphere where you turn up and compete against other drivers and before you do you are taught (if you require it) how to improve your skills as a driver and car control etc.
This can be as in-depth as you need it or just a little coaching!
surely motorsport enthusiasts would appreciate it and a chance to compete against friends just a bit like a karting event but without the weight handicap and with much quicker cars!
Also to people who do currently compete and want to learn a particular circuit they have coming up!
Yes trackdays are good in real life and obviously better but....could you afford £100 plus wear and tear every week? Plus can you do a trackday on a week night after work? plus where is the coaching? where is the competition?
I already have a network computer setup with simulators at home and friends come around every week (including a reasonably famous racing driver!) and they love it! Im talking going a couple of steps further! we are not talking arcade physics here we are talking realistic racing or as close as it gets.
The Link you provided is fantastic but puts it out of the reach of general joe public. we can get close to that experience without going as far as that! but that is similar to what we want...
Also, we are talking £30 for each person for a whole nights coaching and a race at the end!
What we are tying to acheive is a club atmosphere where you turn up and compete against other drivers and before you do you are taught (if you require it) how to improve your skills as a driver and car control etc.
This can be as in-depth as you need it or just a little coaching!
surely motorsport enthusiasts would appreciate it and a chance to compete against friends just a bit like a karting event but without the weight handicap and with much quicker cars!
Also to people who do currently compete and want to learn a particular circuit they have coming up!
Yes trackdays are good in real life and obviously better but....could you afford £100 plus wear and tear every week? Plus can you do a trackday on a week night after work? plus where is the coaching? where is the competition?
I already have a network computer setup with simulators at home and friends come around every week (including a reasonably famous racing driver!) and they love it! Im talking going a couple of steps further! we are not talking arcade physics here we are talking realistic racing or as close as it gets.
The Link you provided is fantastic but puts it out of the reach of general joe public. we can get close to that experience without going as far as that! but that is similar to what we want...
What software and hardware are you thinking of for this?
You need to offer a wide range of cars, tracks and events.
petrolhead888 said:
I already have a network computer setup with simulators at home and friends come around every week (including a reasonably famous racing driver!) and they love it! Im talking going a couple of steps further! we are not talking arcade physics here we are talking realistic racing or as close as it gets.
What do you currently have set up?Rob_F said:
It's been done before, and I would have used it if it was nearer (I'm sure there was one which ran GPL among other things near southampton?).
The Race Centre at Chandler's Ford run rFactor and GPL, they have a 10 seat set-up. I've raced there for a few years, was great fun and can be very competitive if marshalled correctly.You need to offer a wide range of cars, tracks and events.
Yes it sure is Rfactor based! As this is the most accurate for physics if the mods are done correctly! and since that is what redbull use for their simulator!
There will be a huge scope for variation and it will be marshalled correctly!
If the format is done professionally then it will feel like a real race meeting.
At last someone who is positive about it!
Im sure it can be made to work!
I have a modded G27 wheel with a real OMP 320 mm suede steering wheel for the correct feel, and an after market sequential shifter, with a proper bucket seat in the correct position and with a wrap around screen, I have two of these with a lesser setup for the 3rd computer all networked up, Yes true I dont have Hydraulics but I dont think you need them for what i want to achieve.
what im wanting is to find out if people would actually go to this and pay less than the cost of a night out!
There will be a huge scope for variation and it will be marshalled correctly!
If the format is done professionally then it will feel like a real race meeting.
At last someone who is positive about it!
Im sure it can be made to work!
I have a modded G27 wheel with a real OMP 320 mm suede steering wheel for the correct feel, and an after market sequential shifter, with a proper bucket seat in the correct position and with a wrap around screen, I have two of these with a lesser setup for the 3rd computer all networked up, Yes true I dont have Hydraulics but I dont think you need them for what i want to achieve.
what im wanting is to find out if people would actually go to this and pay less than the cost of a night out!
I did a race evening at Puretech racing. They told us that they have the best simulators in the country and Redbull racing also use the exact same ones, just like you say about yours.
It was a good evening and it is more than just a computer game, but only just. It's a simulator and tbh pretty difficult to control. Mainly because it's difficult to judge speeds and distances on flat screens, your spacial awareness is no where near what it would be in a real life car.
As for teaching driving techniques, all I can imagine will happen is you will get taught to 'play the game' better, and for that evening you will get better results. As for taking these techniques on the road, I doubt they'll be of any use from experience, though I expect a few 17yr olds will come out of it thinking they are better drivers (and then crash their Saxos on the way home).
http://www.puretechracing.com/
It was a good evening and it is more than just a computer game, but only just. It's a simulator and tbh pretty difficult to control. Mainly because it's difficult to judge speeds and distances on flat screens, your spacial awareness is no where near what it would be in a real life car.
As for teaching driving techniques, all I can imagine will happen is you will get taught to 'play the game' better, and for that evening you will get better results. As for taking these techniques on the road, I doubt they'll be of any use from experience, though I expect a few 17yr olds will come out of it thinking they are better drivers (and then crash their Saxos on the way home).
http://www.puretechracing.com/
JAM35F said:
I did a race evening at Puretech racing. They told us that they have the best simulators in the country and Redbull racing also use the exact same ones, just like you say about yours.
It was a good evening and it is more than just a computer game, but only just. It's a simulator and tbh pretty difficult to control. Mainly because it's difficult to judge speeds and distances on flat screens, your spacial awareness is no where near what it would be in a real life car.
As for teaching driving techniques, all I can imagine will happen is you will get taught to 'play the game' better, and for that evening you will get better results. As for taking these techniques on the road, I doubt they'll be of any use from experience, though I expect a few 17yr olds will come out of it thinking they are better drivers (and then crash their Saxos on the way home).
http://www.puretechracing.com/
I have to totally disagree with that, you can learn a hell of a lot from a simulator. If you go with the mindset of ‘it’s just a game’ then no you won’t, but if you look beyond that then there is a lot you can learn and take away. If you found it difficult to control and thought it was not much better than a game then that highlights my point. Like any activity/sport etc you have to put your mind to it and take time to learn and feel part of it, that’s why I got hooked into it.It was a good evening and it is more than just a computer game, but only just. It's a simulator and tbh pretty difficult to control. Mainly because it's difficult to judge speeds and distances on flat screens, your spacial awareness is no where near what it would be in a real life car.
As for teaching driving techniques, all I can imagine will happen is you will get taught to 'play the game' better, and for that evening you will get better results. As for taking these techniques on the road, I doubt they'll be of any use from experience, though I expect a few 17yr olds will come out of it thinking they are better drivers (and then crash their Saxos on the way home).
http://www.puretechracing.com/
There is so much more to these simulators than you think! Ok they will never match the real thing but they aren’t too far off in terms of car and track physics etc.
Keith ctr said:
Like any activity/sport etc you have to put your mind to it and take time to learn and feel part of it, that’s why I got hooked into it.
Oh and simulators are not sports!! I learnt how to play Daley Thompson's Track and Field and was brilliant at the pole vault but that doesn't make me an athlete. Get real.hmmmm....its funny how F1 drivers practice on a simulator before going to new tracks hence why they are quick out of the box!
And certainly funny how (we shall mention no names!) my Friend was competing in a porsche racing championship and didn`t know Macau the last track of the season and by learning on my simulator went on to WIN the championship!
My simulator is as accurate as you could hope for and it really does help you understand and learn car control i don`t care what anybody says! put it this way....I practiced Caterhams on one of the mods on the sim, as I happened to own a Bike engined kit car about a year ago.. and yes it did handle like that in real life and yes I did get in the real thing and was able to throw it about a lot more as I had already learned the characteristics of a light car with a quick rack and an abundance of power and no driver aids on the simulator.
And no im not some geek sat behind a computer in a dream land ive had some serious cars over the years , some of them competition cars and because of simulators,
I was able to drive the wheels off them knowing what their handling characterisitics where.
Anybody who disagrees hasn`t tried a decent simulator that`s all I can say! and to be honest.....that`s what this project is for....people who don`t understand!!!!
And certainly funny how (we shall mention no names!) my Friend was competing in a porsche racing championship and didn`t know Macau the last track of the season and by learning on my simulator went on to WIN the championship!
My simulator is as accurate as you could hope for and it really does help you understand and learn car control i don`t care what anybody says! put it this way....I practiced Caterhams on one of the mods on the sim, as I happened to own a Bike engined kit car about a year ago.. and yes it did handle like that in real life and yes I did get in the real thing and was able to throw it about a lot more as I had already learned the characteristics of a light car with a quick rack and an abundance of power and no driver aids on the simulator.
And no im not some geek sat behind a computer in a dream land ive had some serious cars over the years , some of them competition cars and because of simulators,
I was able to drive the wheels off them knowing what their handling characterisitics where.
Anybody who disagrees hasn`t tried a decent simulator that`s all I can say! and to be honest.....that`s what this project is for....people who don`t understand!!!!
So you come on this forum and ask for opinions about your new venture and then throw your toys out of the pram when some of the 'market reseach' is negative. You'll go far in business.
I was just expressing an opinion having used a simulator, yeah it was ok but I learn far more on a real track day. Still I look forward to watching your progress and if I ever have a go on your game (joke!!) I'll be sure to let you know what I think.
I was just expressing an opinion having used a simulator, yeah it was ok but I learn far more on a real track day. Still I look forward to watching your progress and if I ever have a go on your game (joke!!) I'll be sure to let you know what I think.
No worries. If your system is as good as you say I'd be as season ticket holder as track day costs really add up and I'm always looking to improve my driving on track.
My comments were just based on my experience of simulators, was just a bit disappointed with the Puretech system, it felt like a games evening but then no one was teaching us anything and we had only an hour in the car in total so maybe that's why.
Anyway, have a virtual beer on me and I look forward to seeing what you come up with.
My comments were just based on my experience of simulators, was just a bit disappointed with the Puretech system, it felt like a games evening but then no one was teaching us anything and we had only an hour in the car in total so maybe that's why.
Anyway, have a virtual beer on me and I look forward to seeing what you come up with.
JAM35F said:
And I have to totally disagree with your reply.
Yes the simulator is good and is more than a game but if anyone seriously thinks they can learn as much on one as they can on a track day day with proper tuition then they are deluded.
But if it helps you drive better then good for you.
I never said it would be the same as a real track day with tuition, of course it won’t, I was referring to people of all skill levels and ability can still learn using sims. Yes the simulator is good and is more than a game but if anyone seriously thinks they can learn as much on one as they can on a track day day with proper tuition then they are deluded.
But if it helps you drive better then good for you.
JAM35F said:
Oh and simulators are not sports!! I learnt how to play Daley Thompson's Track and Field and was brilliant at the pole vault but that doesn't make me an athlete. Get real.
I think you jumped in there first without reading/understanding what I wrote so you missed the point!Anyhow im not trying to argue or anything, you gave your view based on your experience and I gave mine based on mine.
I’ve been racing on a sim for the last 3-4years, it’s been great fun. Like the OP said a lot of people in motorsport still use them, the place I race at have a few regulars who currently race in series such as Formula Renault etc, which is great for me as I’m not lucky enough to own a track car so it’s the only way I can go wheel-to-wheel with a professional on level grounds.
Have looked up The Race Centre at Chandler's Ford that you use. Seems pretty good, not too far from me so plan to give it and go and make a judgement based on that. I hope it is as good as you say, as you say no need to argue, we're both just talking from our experiences so far but will look in to the place you use. Cheers
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