If you think you might enjoy online gaming (or you’re trying to choose a game for someone else), there are a number of choices available, including first-person shooters, real time strategy games, and auto racing, plus many more.
First-person shooters (FPS) are a type of three dimensional shooter game featuring a first person point of view with which the player sees the action through the eyes of the player character. Games like Call of Duty and the ever popular Counterstrike fall into the first person shooter category.
Screen image from Call of Duty
In a Real Time Strategy (RTS) game the participants position and maneuver units and structures under their control to secure or conquer areas of the map and/or destroy their opponents’ assets. In a typical RTS, it is possible to create additional units and structures during the course of a game. If these types of games sound interesting to you check out World of Warcraft and Starcraft II.
Screen image from StarCraft II
Although I’ve played my share of FPS and RTS games, my online gaming passion is auto racing. There have been online racing games that I have enjoyed around for years, titles like Grand Prix Legends, the Need for Speed series and various NASCAR titles, but in my opinion today’s best online racing simulation comes from iRacing.com.
The developers at iRacing.com have truly captured the essence of auto racing in their simulation; competition is intense and not for the faint of heart. Newcomers to the simulation start off as rookies and earn their way up the racing ladder by demonstrating proper technique and car control, and then as a racer improves they move up to the next license level, which allows them to drive even faster cars.
Racing online literally puts you in the driver’s seat; the only things missing are the g-forces, heat and smells! Online racing is very challenging, as it takes practice and concentration to go fast, just like in the real world of auto racing.
My Daytona Prototype racecar
Because you are in a virtual car you don’t have the same visibility that you have in a real car. There are rearview mirrors but you can’t turn your head to look to the side or behind you. Because of this lack of visibility you learn to be much more aware who is around you to avoid collisions. This heightened awareness translates into the real world of driving. When I’m on the road I’m much more aware of what’s around me, and I find things that used to startle me just don’t anymore. I have more confidence in my ability to avoid trouble, and I credit online racing for giving me that confidence.
So you ask: what do I need to get started? You can race using a game controller, but experience says a modest investment in a steering wheel/pedal setup is the best way to go. Logitech and Thrustmaster both make solid, inexpensive setups, I highly recommend that if you want to race online you start with one of these. As for a computer… iRacing.com takes a fair amount of processing and graphics power to run smoothly so I would recommend something comparable to an Intel Core i5 or Core i7processor.
If you are looking for a new gaming challenge or if you have always wanted to race a car, come join me on the track and experience it first-hand.
