Car Makers Use Games As Virtual Test Drive 31
Thanks to the Detroit Free Press for their article discussing car manufacturers garnering publicity, and even increased sales, from their vehicles appearing in racing games. According to brand manager David Milch: "It's a virtual test drive. The games are that sophisticated. People are getting a real feel for how the car will perform." The article goes on to explain: "The average age of a gamer is 29, and... more than half of all households in America play. That makes games a natural way to reach prime auto buyers - and those who are about to make their first purchase." Would you buy a car because you liked how it handled in a game?
Re:"The average age of a gamer is 29" (Score:2)
If they are only interested in one section of the gaming community (ie. car sims(sic) on current generation consoles) then they could well be correct.
Let's face it - the kids playing Tekken aren't exactly the target audience...
Q.
Re:"The average age of a gamer is 29" (Score:1)
Good question... (Score:5, Funny)
No, but I'd buy a space ship.
Re:Good question... (Score:5, Funny)
I play GTA3. I steal a car because I liked how it handled in a game.
Anyone else find thie odd? (Score:4, Interesting)
Not only that, but there is so much to buying a car that you can't get from a game, no matter how sophiscated. Some cars feel a lot faster than others. What about the interior design, the comfort of the car, etc.
I might consider test driving a car I liked in a video game, but then again, do i get to drive it at the redline and crash it into other cars on purpose if I want to (we can only hope). Even so, I'm wary of just how real the handling is. Sure, I can design a bridge with a computer, but it's nothing compared to actually building it (okay, weak analogy, but you get the point)
Re:Anyone else find this odd? (Score:3, Interesting)
Exactly right. I would never buy a car without driving it, no matter how well it performed in a game. I am a performance enthusiast, so I'm probably exactly the type of person they target. But as any person who really drives (and enjoys driving at the limit) will tell you, the most important aspects of a performance car is the feedback the car provides to the driver, and no game can simulate that. A car with b
Re:Anyone else find thie odd? (Score:2)
Viral Marketting (Score:3, Insightful)
Works out as damn cheap advertising for them (i.e. don't ask game developer for licensing payments - thats pretty cheap).
Q.
Adventure Racing, Transformers, etc. (Score:4, Funny)
On the other hand the new Transformers: Alternators verion of Smokescreen as a Subaru WRX does kinda make me want a pseudo-rally car...but only if it changes into a giant alien robot.
Alternate Idea (Score:5, Insightful)
I don't know about anyone else but I am sick of having incompetent drivers in high powered turbo sports cars trying to kill me and my family every time we venture on the road.
Q.
Re:Alternate Idea (Score:2, Funny)
At least they don't mass as much as an SUV.
Re:Alternate Idea (Score:1)
BTDT (Score:4, Informative)
Ford Focus??? (Score:2, Informative)
"Colin McRae Rally 3" contains one of the most realistic reproductions of a Ford Focus, above, in a game. While the first-person view of driving the Focus, below, isnOt identical to the real car, it does give a realistic feel of speed and handling."
If you look at the photo in the article, Umm...that's not a Ford Focus, that's a Ford Puma. I can't even BUY a Puma here (here being the US). Regardless, a lot of people speculate that Subaru brought the WRX/
I actually did buy a car from a videogame... (Score:4, Interesting)
I pretty much spent the next few years driving around the WRXs and, when they were available, STis in the various racing games that had them. Over time I gained a fairly healthy appreciation of that type of car and eventually did purchase a WRX STi when they became available in the last few months.
Interestingly, until I went down to sign the papers for my car I had never been in a WRX nor STi and had I actually never seen an STi in person at that point.
So far the car has lived up to my expectations, although some days I do wish I could take it around the rally courses I've been driving for the last few years... ^_^
As for how close the simulations are? Well, some more than others but around my house GT3 is still a fan favorite as it's close enough to give a good feeling about a particular car but still retains a certain arcade-quality that doesn't punish the user too hard when they make a mistake. We can't wait for GT4 of course.
If... (Score:2)
Of course if I ever have enough money I'll just instantly buy the Ferrari 360 Spyder, and then who needs test driving.
Seriously though, game
Check out x-plane (Score:2)
I would buy it if... (Score:1)
A better idea would be a Grand Theft Auto type game with real vehicle physics and consequences, and have them model a real life city (like the MS Flight Simulator series do). I would definetly pay for something like that
Only downsides I see as it could be used to conduct Terrorist attacks.. but so could anything we take for granted.
Games are not realistic (Score:3, Insightful)
Yes, I want to make my multi-tens of thousands of dollars buying decisions based upon that information....
Re:Games are not realistic (Score:2)
There was an article a while ago (no link sorry - about to catch a plane so limited time to google) about how nissan skyline sales have rocketed in the UK, and that Nissan did research into it and found that a significant fraction bought the car b
Re:Games are not realistic (Score:2)
Do you remember the articles on how much effort was put into GT3 to make the cars as realistic as possible? Not to say there isn't room for improvement though.
If nothing else it raises awarness of cars... (Score:2)
Now how about letting the game designers do some car damage!?!
I'd really like to... (Score:3, Funny)
Nothing new (Score:2)
Crash Damage (Score:2)
Ahem (Score:2)
I'm the Proud New Owner... (Score:1)
"I me
I learned from it (Score:1)
However, I'm light-years ahead of where I was two years ago thanks to my experience with the game. Having only played 'arcade style' racing games before that, I was amazed at how I could tell the differences between the cars. It really did raise my awareness of what was out there.
No
Well...not really, how about better crash physics. (Score:2, Insightful)
I've allways wanted a racing game that allowed me to beat the crap out of my cars then replace busted parts. How about a demolition derby mode?