Hello again men and woman of simulation racing! Although my home sim-racing league hasn’t been featured here for quite some time, the IFCA (International Forza Club Association) is quite active as of late. All the buzz is about the, “2012 IFCA World Championship” and how to get into the “Sweet 16.” On the whole, 2012 was a rebuilding year for one of the very first Forza … [Read more...]
Drag Racing Forza Style
Hello onlineracedriver drag racing fans! Before the shouting begins let me ward off a few well intended people with the caveat that drag racing is an absolute sport, with a wide ranging set of variables effecting its absolute-ness. In other words, don't hold my feet to the flames if your favorite car is shown to be under performing in this comparison test compared to what … [Read more...]
How virtual, is real…
Recently it was made known that a certain dear member of the Forza community sadly passed away the other day. Said to be a fine painter, and known as an avid racer, "TMZ Ramoza" from Mexico will be missed by many. The specific tragic details of how he left this world (and I don't know them) won't be nearly as important as his stay here was, and the impression he … [Read more...]
ORD visits the Minneapolis Motorcycle Show
Of course it doesn’t always have to be about cars around here! Sometimes we can talk bikes too! Hello everyone, from the sometime ORD contributor and resident of the Upper Midwest in the good ole USA, it is I, GTDon. ORD is steeped in motorcycle experts truth be told, and is the first love of many a car enthusiast such as yours truly as well. No better time than now to share … [Read more...]
Tuning your mind
As sim-racing technology expands, widens, and deepens the experience of what it is like to build, tune, and compete in a simulated car, issues of real world application begin to surface. A cross reference from one world to the other starts to take shape allowing certain questions to be asked, and repeatable tests to take place that can validate or invalidate our assumptions in … [Read more...]
GT5 vs FM3: The Back to the Future DeLorean battle
Curious about some differences between the two leading console simulators, and knowing that both games have the iconic DeLorean DMC12 to compare on the same tracks, I thought I would take a trip back into, the future! But hold on to your “Flux-Capacitors” just a minute, these two cars are not exactly the same it turns out. Turn10 chose the original version cir. 1981, … [Read more...]
Gran Turismo 5 review: 4/5
Well it’s finally here, and after years of planning, and development, and yes, delays, GT5 has arrived. Or has it? Sure, the title is here, but is the promise of another console racing simulation revolution from Polyphony something you can bank on, or will the relatively soon to follow GT6 be the real deal? That all depends on your contextual expectations I suppose, and what … [Read more...]
To “GT” or not to “GT”
To “GT” or not to “GT” is fast becoming the question among many a Forza3 driver now that GT5’s release is a certainty. Obviously you need a PS3 to begin with, and this is said to be the highest hurdle to overcome for those who have invested heavily with the Xbox360 and Xbox Live. For many the cost is just too high, even though the cost of a PS3 has dropped to a slimmer … [Read more...]
How to set up your own online sim race series
What does it take to establish a fun and exciting simulation racing series? A lot of creativity, and, trial and error. Make no mistake, arranging a format for racing is not as easy as it first appears. There are so many factors and combinations of tracks, cars, classes, and rules that it is highly likely that your first few attempts at something new and different will … [Read more...]
OnlineRaceDriver goes ‘Back to the 50’s’
Once again it was, “Back to the 50’s” this past weekend at the MSRA “Back to the 50’s” 37th annual car show in St. Paul Minnesota. With 11,795 cars on display only the State fairgrounds is large enough to handle this record setting outdoor summer event. In fact, this is the largest 3 day rod and custom car show in the world! 125,000 spectators were drawn in this year. The only … [Read more...]
ORD on the road: Dulano’s bike night
If you ever find yourself roaming the summer roads of the Upper Midwest on a Thursday night, be sure to stop at, “Dulono’s Pizza” on West Lake Street in South Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. It has become a weekly motorcycle congregation of no particular brand, making it the most eclectic collection of bikers and bikes you are likely to see. Over 2,000 bikes migrate to this … [Read more...]
Power of association in online racing
Like any organization, the same rules apply when creating a racing club. The general focus is to bring together like-minded competitors under one roof. This usually starts with a particular theme the club founder wants to pursue, --a kind of vision of the temperament, character, and goals of the club. The first simulation racing clubs were formed when Xbox Live hit the tarmac … [Read more...]
The ‘how to’ of hot lapping
The dichotomy of hot lapping is that it has both an addicting natural attraction, and repulsion, for everyone who does it. Evidence of its attraction is, everyone hot laps, or has hot lapped at some time or another. Evidence for its repulsion is that not everyone enjoys hot lapping on a regular basis for very long. This can often be attributed to the psychological state of mind … [Read more...]
Series Report: IFCA Spec Racing 2010 (Season 8)
With the conclusion of the first www.IFCAracing.com Spec racing season for 2010 (Season 8), --one of the most popular and competitive simulation racing events in the Forza universe, it’s time to reflect and compare notes. IFCA Spec racing if you don’t know is a limited tuning 25 lap format with identical cars in an 8 week season. Originally designed to be exactly like the famed … [Read more...]
Hot Rod and bike shows in the Midwest
It’s Spring here in the upper Midwest, but don’t let the calendar fool you. In Minnesota, the state I hail from, the earliest Spring car shows are held indoors due to the inclement weather this time of year. Temps are only in the 50’s (teens Celsius) at best usually, and snow at the worst. It is at this time of the year that we occasionally look forward to visiting two annual … [Read more...]