Latest news with #simulator
The Drive
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
This Ferrari F355 Simulator for Sale Is Peak Retro Sim Racing
The latest car news, reviews, and features. These days, a racing driver who wants to hone their craft off the track can cobble together PC parts and build a low-spec system that can run a variety of simulators well enough. The video game industry pretty much passed the threshold for photorealism a decade ago; any further advancements, like raytracing, are just icing on the cake now for uber-nerds, like the one writing this story. But 25 years ago, if, say, Rubens Barrichello wanted a relatively accurate, engaging, and convincing digital facsimile of driving a Ferrari sports car, he couldn't just find it anywhere. He had to enlist the help of Ferrari's friends at once-juggernaut Sega, and get himself a Ferrari F355 Challenge arcade cabinet—like one that's listed for sale right now at Bring a Trailer. Right off the bat, I'll say that if I had a garage, I'd be fighting the top bidders for this machine. Either way, I love that we've reached a point where these are getting the respect and attention they deserve on sites like Bring a Trailer, alongside actual F355s. For those who don't know the story, F355 Challenge only happened because legendary game designer Yu Suzuki, responsible for 1986's Out Run , wanted a realistic simulation of driving his personal F355. He and his AM2 development studio made it happen, and the game released to arcades in 1999, before home conversions on the Dreamcast and PlayStation 2 in 2000 and 2002, respectively. Bring a Trailer F355 Challenge was pretty advanced for its time, a title laser-focused on replicating the dynamics of Ferrari's sports car alone, on many of the courses that the customer racing series of the same name used to visit. The original run of deluxe cabinets was fitted with clutch pedals and six-speed shifters, as well as paddles, which were novel back then. It all sounds quaint by today's standards, but you didn't see a true, three-pedal manual transmission in the arcade outside of early 3D sims like Hard Drivin' , and that game was generations out of date by the time F355 arrived. The deluxe cabs also had triple-screen setups, foreshadowing the chosen rigs of many future sim racing enthusiasts. Sega stuffed four of its NAOMI arcade boards to power these things: One for each display, and another as a master, to sync them all together. I had an opportunity to get behind the wheel of a deluxe machine a few years ago, and although the decades were not kind to its inputs or force-feedback steering system, I still had a blast. By the way, you may notice a screed on the seatbacks. It's a message, written by Yu Suzuki, and it's so earnest and of the era that I adore it: 'In 1985, there was Hang On , followed by Out Run in 1986. Over the years, I've made many driving games, and it has always been my aim to produce a driving game in which pro drivers would be able to beat game enthusiasts. After ten years, I have finally been able to achieve this goal. With the assistance of Ferrari and many pro drivers, I have created a machine that is more like an actual racing simulator than a game, and I hope that this game will evoke the same level of feeling and passion as that of an actual Ferrari. I now present this game for the enjoyment of all motor sports fans around the world.' I doubt anyone would call F355 Challenge truly faithful to driving the real artifact today, but it is fun, and it does still reward precision and finesse in the way modern racing sims do. Suzuki once said that Barrichello was interested in buying such a machine, though I can't find any word that he ultimately did. Somebody should ask him next time they see him. Unfortunately, the cabinet for sale today on BaT is a dual, two-player unit, which lacks the six-speed shifter and clutch pedal. That wouldn't stop me, though, and it shouldn't stop you. The unit is located in Connecticut and is being auctioned with no reserve, though the bidding has already reached $4,500 as of this writing, with two days left to go. With three 29-inch CRT monitors, the deluxe unit must've weighed as much as a small planet. It could even print out telemetry of your driving! Sega via Sega Retro Got tips? Send 'em to tips@
Top Gear
23-07-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Le Mans Ultimate review: does this endurance racing sim have staying power?
Gaming Good chance of it, considering it's packed with the most exciting racing machinery operating anywhere in the world Skip 5 photos in the image carousel and continue reading It feels like every racing sim these days debuts in unfinished, so-called 'early access' form. It's not something many other types of purchase can get away with; you wouldn't take a date to a restaurant, pay for full meals and be happy with just starters. Though yes, we confess, it does sound like we've just described tapas. Le Mans Ultimate arrived in February of last year in Steam Early Access, and while it was absolutely unfinished at the time, it at the very least landed with plenty of content. The entire 2023 Le Mans field and all the circuits from that year's World Endurance Championship were included and since then the sim has been kept bang up to date with DLC packs introducing new cars and circuits to represent the 2024 and 25 seasons. Advertisement - Page continues below As of now, the base game is considered completed and this 1.0 update arrives in some style. For a start, it brings with it the outrageous Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR LMH, the race-spec version of Aston's hypercar, complete with its screaming V12. If you aren't aware, real-world sportscar racing is currently enjoying a golden era of manufacturer support, meaning Le Mans Ultimate features arguably the most exciting contemporary racing machinery operating anywhere in the world. Avert your eyes, Formula One. These cars, along with a field of the ever popular GT3 machines, have helped position Le Mans Ultimate as the only credible threat to iRacing ' s simracing stranglehold. Le Mans Ultimate was built on the rock-solid foundation of rFactor 2's physics engine, but it's been refined and elevated to offer the most convincing, communicative handling model in sim racing. Every time you spin off the circuit, it's embarrassingly obvious that it was 100 per cent your own fault. You might like It's a good job the game is so fundamentally satisfying to drive, because it's still lacking a career or championship mode to provide connective tissue between single player races. If the idea of venturing onto an online multiplayer server fills you with dread, you're stuck with just individual race weekends against AI drivers. A proper, in-depth career mode is apparently in development, but won't be arriving until next year. More tapas, anyone? The game has already been embraced by online racers, though, and this 1.0 version will finally support multiplayer driver swaps for longer online endurance races. These epic, multi-hour scheduled events popularised by iRacing are designed be tackled as a team and are the most involving and challenging experiences in simracing, to the point where even Max Verstappen can't resist competing in them even if it clashes with a F1 race weekend. Advertisement - Page continues below Back in February last year, we reckoned Le Mans Ultimate was worth a punt even in its Early Access form. This full release reassures us that we made the right call a year and a half ago. It's still structurally a slim offering for solo players, but the handling model is second to none, the selection of cars and circuits is excellent and the online competition is justifiably pulling people away from tending to their precious iRacing driver rating. Le Mans Ultimate is one of the few racing sims that might make you feel like a 24 hour race isn't long enough... Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
Top Gear
24-06-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
"Motorsport with consequences": Project Motor Racing arrives 25 Nov
Gaming Anyone got an Alfa Romeo SZ we can laser scan? Skip 1 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Project Motor Racing , the impressive racing sim made by industry veterans behind the GTR and Project CARS games, has announced an official 25 November 2025 release date. More than that, it's promising full mod support across all platforms, which means we could be in for an ever-expanding car and track list. Published by Giants, the custodian of the fantastically fastidious Farming Simulator series, Project Motor Racing is using that same modding infrastructure used by Farming Sim . 'Racing modders will be able to tweak, tune, and transform their experience however they like,' said Boris Stefan, CSO & publishing head at Giants. Advertisement - Page continues below We were impressed when we recently went hands-on with Project Motor Racing . The prototypes and GT cars felt lively, convincingly skittish, just the right amount of scary, and there's some recognisable DNA in there from the under-appreciated Project CARS 2 , still one of our favourite automotive sandboxes despite being released in 2017. But what we didn't sample at the time was the career mode, which has now been mentioned in (slightly) more detail than in Straight4 Studios' previous comms. For starters, this new trailer shows career gameplay in action. You might like Game design director Austin Ogonoski said: 'We wanted to capture the harsh reality of pro motorsport: Budgets. Repairs. Sponsors. Failed overtakes that don't just wreck your car but your whole season… Your career in Project Motor Racing is motorsport with consequences.' Interesting. It's rare for racing games to make you really live with your mistakes, in the F1 25 flashback era. There's certainly something compelling about the idea of writing off your car in one badly judged braking zone. Advertisement - Page continues below The announcement also means we have between now and November to learn how to mod vehicle content for PMR. Finally, our dream of adding an Alfa SZ to every virtual garage takes a meaningful step forwards… Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
Zawya
18-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Turkish Airlines expands simulator orders with HAVELSAN
Dubai: In line with its ongoing efforts to further strengthen its pilot training infrastructure, Turkish Airlines has placed an additional order for one Boeing 737 MAX Full Flight Simulator (FFS) from HAVELSAN to be delivered in January 2026. This new order, placed as part of the long-standing cooperation with HAVELSAN, demonstrates the national flag carrier's commitment to expanding its simulator fleet and enhancing its technological capabilities. This additional order stands as a concrete testament to Turkish Airlines' confidence in HAVELSAN and in domestically developed advanced technologies. Commenting on the new order, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Prof Ahmet Bolat, stated: ' This additional order reinforces our strategic collaboration with HAVELSAN, reflecting our ongoing commitment to providing world-class pilot training. By expanding our simulators with advanced and reliable technology, we ensure our pilots continue to deliver the exceptional safety and service standards that Turkish Airlines is renowned for.' HAVELSAN CEO Dr Mehmet Akif Nacar added: 'We are pleased to strengthen our partnership once again with Turkish Airlines through a new agreement for a third B737 MAX Full Flight Simulator. This continued trust from one of the world's leading airlines is a strong affirmation of our capabilities and commitment to excellence.' Under the agreement signed with HAVELSAN in 2018, Turkish Airlines originally planned to procure a total of eleven training devices consisting of three A320neo/ceo, two B737 MAX Full Flight Simulators (FFS) and six Flight Training Devices (FTD). As of today, Turkish Airlines successfully operates two B737 MAX, two A320neo/ceo simulators and one B737NG, which is the first procured simulator, produced by HAVELSAN, all certified to EASA Level D standards. In addition, the delivery of the last A320neo/ceo simulator as part of the previous agreement is scheduled in November 2025. The new order of B737 MAX FFS will be the seventh Full Flight Simulator in airline's fleet. Turkish Airlines remains committed to providing its pilots with top-level training opportunities through an advanced simulation infrastructure fully compliant with international civil aviation standards. Turkish Airlines, Inc. Media Relations About Turkish Airlines: Established in 1933 with a fleet of five aircraft, Star Alliance member Turkish Airlines has a fleet of 485 (passenger and cargo) aircraft flying to 353 worldwide destinations as 300 international and 53 domestics in 131 countries. More information about Turkish Airlines can be found on its official website or its social media accounts on Facebook, X, YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram. About Star Alliance: Established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance, the Star Alliance network was founded on a customer value proposition of global reach, worldwide recognition, and seamless service. Since its inception, it has offered the largest and most comprehensive airline network, with a strong emphasis on enhancing the customer experience throughout the entire Alliance journey. The member airlines are: Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal, THAI, Turkish Airlines, and United. Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers 17,837 daily flights to over 1,160 airports in 192 countries. Further connecting flights are offered by Star Alliance Connecting Partner Juneyao Airlines. Star Alliance Press Office: Tel: +65 8729 6691 Email: mediarelations@ Visit our website or connect with us on social media: About HAVELSAN HAVELSAN offers new generation of technologies from end to end with 42 years of experience in the field of defense, simulation, ICT, homeland security and cyber security.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Quicker and more social: indoor golf simulators offer way into game for women and young players
Visit one of the near-200 golf simulator venues around Australia and the differences between this new kind of sporting venue and a traditional club are numerous. There's the technology, tracking swing biomechanics and ball rotation hundreds of times a second. There are beers, soft drinks and food, available metres away. There are groups chatting while rotating quickly through a round. Then there is the lack of collared shirts. 'Our coaches wear leggings and runners, we don't mind if people have bare feet,' says Big Swing Golf Kew co-franchisee Tracey Ellett. 'It helps to break down barriers and be less perceived as a 'prestigious' sport, it invites the common person. You know, anyone can do it.' Golf is undergoing a monumental change. Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have developed a simulator-based league known as TGL, which debuted in March in partnership with the PGA Tour. The concept gave unprecedented attention to the increasingly sophisticated technology, but its popularity has been building for at least a decade. There are now more simulator venues known to Golf Australia – like Big Swing Golf, or X-Golf – than putt-putt courses, and the tally will soon surpass the traditional staple of golf practice, the driving range. Whereas the governing body of the game in Australia might have once considered this new segment a threat or an inferior form of the game, it now sees an opportunity. Damien de Bohun, general manager of clubs, facilities and places to play at Golf Australia, says simulators are a key plank of their growth strategy. 'Technology has become our friend in a very meaningful way, because we're seeing people engage and connect with golf, through simulators, through technology-enabled driving ranges,' he says. Related: Jim Dent, Augusta caddie turned pioneering Black golfer, dies aged 85 A round on a simulator takes around an hour, approximately one quarter of what it would outdoors. Cameras track ball speed and rotation to replicate the distance, loft, fade and draw in every stroke. There are online competitions between different venues, with playoffs and prizes for the winners. Dozens of courses from around the world have been recreated virtually. And players watch, share and discuss every shot, never leaving earshot of their playing group. 'Particularly younger people, and certainly people who are time-poor, are finding that it's a fantastic way to become introduced to the game,' De Bohun says. 'We are also seeing people connect with the game then start to come into the more traditional formats in the game as well.' The Bellarine Peninsula, southwest of Melbourne, is home to one of Victoria's oldest clubs in Barwon Heads, as well as five other outdoor courses. So when Peter Nolan and his fellow investors set up a franchise of X-Golf – another leading simulator chain – in nearby Geelong in 2018, they anticipated this traditional local golfing community would provide the bulk of their clientele. 'We realised really quickly that the customer was a bit more of the tradie knocking off at three o'clock and then coming down with friends, and having the quick nine holes, and less so the golfer who's already playing on a Wednesday,' he said. 'That was part of the evolution for X-Golf as a brand, but even here in Geelong, we realised, 'hey, our customer is actually not the golf member, it's the golf-interested person who has a set of clubs in the garage and wants to play more but doesn't have the capacity for it time-wise or dollars-wise',' he says. Whereas the average age of a golf club member in Australia is around 55, two-thirds of X-Golf Geelong's customers are aged 25-40. In Kew, in Melbourne's well-to-do eastern suburbs, Ellett sees a more traditional golfing demographic of players wanting somewhere convenient to work on their game. But one segment has become her focus for growth. 'We're seeing more women beginners come here to start their journey and want to play outdoors,' she says. 'They're seeing this as a logical pathway to gain confidence before going out on a course, which can be very intimidating when you're new to golf.' She has developed several initiatives to grow the share of female players, including women's golf day promotions, sessions with mothers doing school pick-ups, and even speed dating. 51% of golfers who never set foot on a golf course are women, according to Golf Australia, compared to 30% for those who only play on-course golf. The off-course group – which is increasingly driven by simulator users – also skews younger. The governing body is developing a new national strategy for increasing the number of women players and plans its release later this year or early in 2026. 'A lot more women and younger people are coming into the game because of things like simulators, no question about it,' De Bohun says. 'And in parallel to that, we're working with our existing traditional clubs to make sure that they're prepared, ready, willing and able to really embrace this new wave of different golfer that's coming into the game.' Ellett's daughter Clo Brenac picked up a club after Big Swing Golf Kew opened in 2016, after initially feeling uncomfortable at traditional courses and driving ranges. 'I didn't enjoy it, I felt very awkward, so the simulator gave me a certain amount of privacy to build on my skill set,' she says. The 35-year-old is now an instructor and accomplished outdoor golfer, but says she prefers the indoor form of the game. 'I've never been massive on the need to go and play 18 holes,' she says. 'You're also not looking for a ball in the shrubbery. You lose a lot less things.'
