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iRacing is the real driving simulator
I've never been to northern California's legendary Laguna Seca road course. In meatspace, at any rate. But thanks to dozens of realistic racing game recreations, I know the track's serpentine layout and its infamous corkscrew corner like the back of my hand. I've barreled through it hundreds if not thousands of times since 1999's Gran Turismo 2, so it darn well ought to be familiar by now, right? And it was, right up until I loaded onto iRacing's version of it.
World of Speed aims to satisfy racing itch
If putting the pedal to the metal is second nature to you, you might be interested in World of Speed, a new racing MMO announced for the PC. Developed by Slightly Mad Studios, this free-to-play game includes a vast array of cars from city runners to historic racing models and a variety of venues from true-to-life tracks to conglomerate concoctions carved from roadways across cities like London and San Francisco. Besides team and club competitions, World of Speed also sports unique missions and objectives in every race, live events, players challenges, and the Airfield social hub. As an MMO, the game will receive new content regularly in the form of new tracks, cars, and gameplay modes. Interested drivers can sign up for beta on the official site. [Source: Slightly Mad Studios press release]
New racing MMO looks to Kickstart its engines
A new racing MMO has taken to Kickstarter this week. Inspired by Motor City Online and anime film Akira meets Street Rod, Hot Rod Hustle is part racing sim and part RPG set in a blended 2-D/3-D persistent world that will be accessible across multiple platforms. In HRH, players will build and race their vehicles on combined single-player and multiplayer experiences. Features include the ability to race for cash or BitCoins (iOS/Android/PC/Mac), retro mini-games, and leaderboards with worldwide rankings. Gangs (clans) and an open market are two of the project's stretch goals. For a better look under the hood, watch the introduction below. If this game sounds like a sweet ride to you, check out the official Kickstarter to help get the the project off the blocks and onto the road.
Fanatec's Clubsport pedals V2 bring improved brake and clutch feel to the virtual speedway (video)
Around these parts, we're generally suckers for all things related to racing simulators. As such, we're excited to learn that Fanatec has unveiled its next generation of the Clubsport pedals that we reviewed over a year ago. Dubbed as the Clubsport pedals V2, the company refers to the peripheral as an "evolutionary" update to original, offering a trio of improvements. The clutch has been retooled to have a "regressive feel" that's said to be similar to a real automobile, while the brake is now of the hydraulic variety, featuring user replaceable synthetic oil -- naturally, it still has an adjustable spring and load cell pressure sensor for the utmost customizability. The final touch is merely some visual spice in the way of black anodization. Notably, there won't be any tuning kit available initially, and V1 owners might be disappointed to know that the company has opted not to offer an upgrade kit, citing costs and potentially complicated installation. Fanatec is aiming to have the Clubsport pedals V2 out by June, bundled alongside its Clubsport wheel, with pricing set at $250 for the US (€250 in the UK). Pre-orders won't begin until May, so in the meantime, shift over to the source link below and the video past the break for all the details.
Forza 2 hitting the track in May
In a brief and somewhat enthusiastic e-mail, Microsoft has today announced that Forza Motorsport 2 is expected to come roaring out of the development pits in May, straight into the open arms of driving enthusiasts. It could get messy, but getting down to the nitty-gritty and tweaking speeding hunks of metal until they reach peak performance is what the game is all about. The official site has also been updated with a full track listing, which includes such exotically named locales as Nürburgring Nordschleife, Sunset Peninsula Infield and, err, Test Track. If you still crave satisfaction and insist on doing everything you can for za motorsport (OOF!), consider purchasing two more Xbox 360s and indulging in ludicrous, triple screen immersion (as seen above).
