F1 Simulator racing. Hardware question...

[simracer]

Hi all,
Newby here so be gentle .

Im planning to open a Simulator Racing Centre in the near future, somewhere on the South Coast.

In terms of the software Im ready to go but I have some decisions to make with the hardware, namely the racing pods and screens.

Im convinced that the best way to go, for the best experience, is a GRP F1 body tub and a curved GRP screen for optimum immersion.
My question is how to go about having these manufactured. Is it possible to have a buck made from scratch or can one be routed using a CNC machine using a model? There are quiet a few companies selling F1 tubs but they charge ridiculous amounts for what is basically a bath tub .

On to the screen. Im going to go with ceiling mounted projectors, probably two per car. The screen has to be curved, preferably compound curved as you would get using a cross section of a sphere.
This would measure 2.5 metres in diameter and 1.6 metres in height. I have heard of companies that do these overseas but again quiet expensive. They tend to make square sections of sphere that when taken from the mould, can be bolted together to make a whole or part sphere.
Anybody out there who can shead some light on the best way forward here?
While Im here i might as well mention the rest of the set up....
The cars will use modified and upgraded motion sensing steering wheel and height adjustable pedals.
The Centre will probably run with 10 cars, all linked together and utising R racing software. There will be arrive and drive sessions, championships, block bookings, corporate, parties etc etc
Whether or not you have any ideas or answers it would be great to here from you.

Andy

[paulmoonraker]

I went to Pure Tech Racing near Gatwick the other day. Great. They have 10 cars and it cost millions to set up. The simulation software must be incredibly complex (I used to write software so have an appreciation for this).

I assume you have some serious cash for this...

PTR is only 35 quid a session also.

[VR6 Turbo]

best bet is boat builders on the south coast. I know a few good ones.

if you handy with the wood and screws you could probably make a mold, and just get them to do the grp work.

VR

Edit there's also already a chap doing this in Eastleigh?

[RenesisEvo]

I've been lucky enough to have had a go in a genuine, near-priceless F1 simulator (i.e. one actually used by F1 drivers, it was ace for what it's worth). For me the three things that made it over sitting in front of the PS3 with a G27 were the steering feedback, the brake pedal feel (actual hydraulic) and the motion platform, which really is the big step between sitting in a chair, and feeling like you are driving a car. But these are probably not easy (i.e. expensive) to arrange, particularly the motion platform.

I understand there is a company that makes mock F1 cars used for static displays, perhaps they could provide a generic tub that isn't structural? Although you may have already been down that route. For the curved screen there were 3D projectors mounted on the motion platform itself, but I wasn't really sure how it was set up I'm afraid (and if I was, I doubt I'd be at liberty to give detail).

Good luck with your venture.

[And172940]

This is no help to the OP, but I've got a homemade 'simulator' at home. I used an old kart chassis (Tonykart EVS), stripped it down and fixed a force feedback wheel and pedals to it. We've got it in front of a 42" tv, it's brilliant with GT5 on PS3.

[StormLoaded]

simracer said:

Hi all,
Newby here so be gentle .

Im planning to open a Simulator Racing Centre in the near future, somewhere on the South Coast.

In terms of the software Im ready to go but I have some decisions to make with the hardware, namely the racing pods and screens.

Im convinced that the best way to go, for the best experience, is a GRP F1 body tub and a curved GRP screen for optimum immersion.
My question is how to go about having these manufactured. Is it possible to have a buck made from scratch or can one be routed using a CNC machine using a model? There are quiet a few companies selling F1 tubs but they charge ridiculous amounts for what is basically a bath tub .

On to the screen. Im going to go with ceiling mounted projectors, probably two per car. The screen has to be curved, preferably compound curved as you would get using a cross section of a sphere.
This would measure 2.5 metres in diameter and 1.6 metres in height. I have heard of companies that do these overseas but again quiet expensive. They tend to make square sections of sphere that when taken from the mould, can be bolted together to make a whole or part sphere.
Anybody out there who can shead some light on the best way forward here?
While Im here i might as well mention the rest of the set up....
The cars will use modified and upgraded motion sensing steering wheel and height adjustable pedals.
The Centre will probably run with 10 cars, all linked together and utising R racing software. There will be arrive and drive sessions, championships, block bookings, corporate, parties etc etc
Whether or not you have any ideas or answers it would be great to here from you.

Andy

dont mean to be funny, but ceiliing mounted projectors means you'll be having static siumulators?

the pier at weston has a couple of these at £120k each with full hydraulic's - they charge about a tenner a go and there's never a queue




I once had a go in a F1 car static simulator at a corporate event.. was fun sitting in the car but the static nature of the drive meant it wasnt actually something that made me want queue up for another go.. even tho it was free.. and its certainly not something i would go out of my way to find and play on.

i think unless you have a bank of the hydraulic simulators and can organise group race events (which would be fun) you may struggle :-/

good luck to you though.. i'd like a bank of those simulators myself but at £1m (say for 10) how long would it take to get your £ back/turn it into profit?

maybe put a bar in there would help, as drinking & simulator driving isnt illegal


> edit to add the link to the simulator : http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2009/12/20/120k-cruden-...

Edited by StormLoaded on Wednesday 7th December 16:43

[simracer]

Hi guys.

Yeh I have a bit of money and in my opinion the Pure Tech guys have a great package BUT its over engineered and really doesnt need to be. Full motion is brilliant but can make people ill, a lower rent way of doing the same thing is to use soundless base systems that vibrate when you drive into the kitty litter etc...something like a piece of kit called a BUTT KICKER. Tied in with the steering wheel it would give you a sensation of driving but not so much that a full race becomes tiring.
The Eastleigh set up is spot on as it is probably a lot more accessible than PTR and Adrian knows his onions too.
He charges about £25 for an hour in a car which i think is very competitive with Karting and Track days and makes it accessible to kids also.

[Mr Gear]

Maybe speak to a vacuum molded plastic specialist. It will be relatively cheap to get the manufacturing done - the expense will be getting the first one designed, but they can probably recommend someone who can do it.

[simracer]

Thanks Mr Gear..much appreciated.
By the way when I say kids I dont mean 5 year olds...Im 50!

[thinfourth2]

Mmm someone asked exactly the same question in the last couple of weeks


Anyway you can buy an formula ford rolling chassis for 6grand and thats a proper racing car with wheels and everything


well apart from an engine

[paulmoonraker]

simracer said:

Yeh I have a bit of money and in my opinion the Pure Tech guys have a great package BUT its over engineered and really doesnt need to be. Full motion is brilliant but can make people ill...

Only people that have been dragged along as part of a corporate do (one person disabled the motion yesterday). The majority wont and this is a massive part of the overall experience.

simracer said:

He charges about £25 for an hour in a car which i think is very competitive with Karting and Track days and makes it accessible to kids also.

PTR is about 35 quid and that's for several races. They are likely to expand also which may impact your business plans...

Do I risk calling Troll?

[matt3001]

Are you going to be running iRacing?

[steedy27]

simracer said:

Hi all,

On to the screen. Im going to go with ceiling mounted projectors, probably two per car. The screen has to be curved, preferably compound curved as you would get using a cross section of a sphere.
This would measure 2.5 metres in diameter and 1.6 metres in height. I have heard of companies that do these overseas but again quiet expensive. They tend to make square sections of sphere that when taken from the mould, can be bolted together to make a whole or part sphere.
Anybody out there who can shead some light on the best way forward here?

Andy

http://www.christiedigital.co.uk/emea/pages/default.aspx

http://www.barco.com/en/

Both do projector systems that can be used for curved backrounds

[mattdaniels]

There are quite a few options for off the shelf solutions it would probably work out cheaper to do that rather than get something custom made.

[Altrezia]

I have a rig with a ButtKicker at home - it's no comparison to a motion rig _at all_. I'd try one before deciding it's for you / your business.

-al.

edit: Saying that, I'd go for this sort of setup as a halfway house: http://simxperience.com/

Edited by Altrezia on Wednesday 7th December 22:55

[Bullett]

Frankly without motion I don't think it's worth bothering with. Anyone with any interest can have a big telly and a g27.
What you pay for is the experience and I'd expect motion to be part of that. When I can hire a kart and really race for minimal outlay a simulation has got to offer something special.

[simracer]

Hi again,

Thanks for the feedback guys, very much appreciated.Its really important that I get the experience right without over engineering the setup.

I have also been looking at connecting the F1 pod to a box frame chassis and attaching four actuators as in the following video. Pretty much this set up but with a wrap around screen and double/triple projectors.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=57VBL8S3vS...

[Zeemax_Mini]

I went to a place called The Race Centre in Southampton last weekend with 6 mates - absolutely brilliant!! I couldn't believe how into it I got - completely forgot I was on a computer game (and I'm not really into games), and it didn't have any motion. I certainly wouldn't agree that motion is essential, but I guess it would be an advantage - the rig setup with huge screen was enough for me, and the fact the room was very dark helped you forget where you were too.

Dom

[simracer]

Hi Dom,

Thanks for the feedback.

Ive heard only very good things from The Race Centre so I guess Adrians set up must be working. Was there anything you would improve on for a better experience? Would you go again?

Cheers
Andy

[Zeemax_Mini]

Will definitely be going again - theyre opening a new centre in Reading which isn't far from me, so will be using that once its open. They weren't simulators - just a really good standard setup, but I certainly didn't find them lacking. If you haven't been I'd suggest you go and have a go - I came away wanting to setup my own centre! In terms of things id improve, we all said it would have been fun if we'd had headsets to talk to each other and wind each other up as we were racing. Aside from the game, there wasnt really an area for spectators to watch and maybe do something else (freeplay arcade or scalextric etc) which I think would be good for large parties or corporate work! It was certainly a great experience and I'll go again - I imagine a good location near corporate work is key, as well as special offers and off peak prices for regulars!

Dom