- 939
- Zürich
HI there. I’m Slapped, and after more than a decade I’m getting back into sim racing.
While googling sim racing I came across GTPlanet, and from all of the sites related to sim racing this seems to be the most active and in line from what I want to get from the hobby. Anyway a bit about me.
It all started for me way back in the ‘80s with Revs - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revs_(video_game) on a C64. It was groundbreaking for it’s time and as far as I know it was the very first racing game on a home computer that could legitimately be referred to as a sim due to its realistic physics.
After that I went through a number of driving games such as Virtua Racing on the Sega Megadrive/Genesis - this was notable as it was the first game to actually come with it’s own graphic card built into the cartridge. Then there was the PS1 with, ahem, Ridge Racer (I know, but it was fun), Formula1 where I bought my first and, until very recently, only wheel and pedal set, and Colin McRae Rally.
Then came Gran Turismo with the Dual Shock controller, and I was hooked. I went through GT2, GT3, Concept Tokyo-Geneva, GT4 Prologue, and finally GT4.
Why only as far as GT4? Well life tends to happen and it takes you on some interesting journeys. In 2006 I ended up emigrating from the UK to Switzerland. With learning a new language and finding work and starting a new job time became a precious commodity, meaning video games were very low on the priority list.
Fast forward 11 years, and last spring I was at a loose end. I was browsing through Steam - a little used app on my Mac, which only had the Portals and the Half-Lives in the library, and I happened across GRID Autosport, which to my amazement had a little Apple symbol next to it, so I bought it, and it all began again. This was then followed by Formula 1 2017, where I bought my second wheel (a G29, and yes it does work on a Mac with the right games) and Dirt Rally.
But there was a problem - you can’t get Gran Turismo on a Mac. So last weekend I ended up buying a PS4 Pro with the VR headset (and camera), and due to my naivety, disk copies of GT Sport and Dirt Rally (I wanted the VR) - I really should have bought online knowing what I know now about the various different versions, but hey ho.
I’ve since added Project Cars 2 and Assetto Corsa to my PS4 Library, and re-bought F1 2017, and now I feel I’m fully equipped to get racing again.
The downside is that nearing 50 years old I no longer have the reactions of my 25 year old self, so I’m a bit rubbish at the moment, but I always believe in the saying that if you can’t do something well then learn to enjoy doing badly
. With that in mind hopefully I’ll get the opportunity to have some online time with a few of you guys, and as one must always set realistic goals for themselves, I promise you I’ll work hard towards being the best backmarker you guys have ever raced with
Well that’s me, and it’s nice to meet you all.
While googling sim racing I came across GTPlanet, and from all of the sites related to sim racing this seems to be the most active and in line from what I want to get from the hobby. Anyway a bit about me.
It all started for me way back in the ‘80s with Revs - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revs_(video_game) on a C64. It was groundbreaking for it’s time and as far as I know it was the very first racing game on a home computer that could legitimately be referred to as a sim due to its realistic physics.
After that I went through a number of driving games such as Virtua Racing on the Sega Megadrive/Genesis - this was notable as it was the first game to actually come with it’s own graphic card built into the cartridge. Then there was the PS1 with, ahem, Ridge Racer (I know, but it was fun), Formula1 where I bought my first and, until very recently, only wheel and pedal set, and Colin McRae Rally.
Then came Gran Turismo with the Dual Shock controller, and I was hooked. I went through GT2, GT3, Concept Tokyo-Geneva, GT4 Prologue, and finally GT4.
Why only as far as GT4? Well life tends to happen and it takes you on some interesting journeys. In 2006 I ended up emigrating from the UK to Switzerland. With learning a new language and finding work and starting a new job time became a precious commodity, meaning video games were very low on the priority list.
Fast forward 11 years, and last spring I was at a loose end. I was browsing through Steam - a little used app on my Mac, which only had the Portals and the Half-Lives in the library, and I happened across GRID Autosport, which to my amazement had a little Apple symbol next to it, so I bought it, and it all began again. This was then followed by Formula 1 2017, where I bought my second wheel (a G29, and yes it does work on a Mac with the right games) and Dirt Rally.
But there was a problem - you can’t get Gran Turismo on a Mac. So last weekend I ended up buying a PS4 Pro with the VR headset (and camera), and due to my naivety, disk copies of GT Sport and Dirt Rally (I wanted the VR) - I really should have bought online knowing what I know now about the various different versions, but hey ho.
I’ve since added Project Cars 2 and Assetto Corsa to my PS4 Library, and re-bought F1 2017, and now I feel I’m fully equipped to get racing again.
The downside is that nearing 50 years old I no longer have the reactions of my 25 year old self, so I’m a bit rubbish at the moment, but I always believe in the saying that if you can’t do something well then learn to enjoy doing badly
. With that in mind hopefully I’ll get the opportunity to have some online time with a few of you guys, and as one must always set realistic goals for themselves, I promise you I’ll work hard towards being the best backmarker you guys have ever raced with Well that’s me, and it’s nice to meet you all.
Enjoy your nifty fifties - it's prime time. 
