It was 1600 pst already and I spent what, 10H maybe, playing this game, nothing too absurd nor surprising if it wasn’t that I played it with a huge helmet covering my face.
I had a plan for the week end. I always have a plan. And I’m damn good at respecting and executing my plan.
My plan was to ski. I bought custom boots that are so comfortable. I bought new skis, all mountain, double-tip, newest collection with amazing performance. I bought new warm gloves. I bought a pair of bespoke goggles. I even bought new batons. It is snowing like crazy. Cloud-like powders. I have even bought my tickets for Squaw. And this weekend, it is so easy to get a lodge at the bottom of the pistes.
I did not ski. I’m not going to ski. I just spent the entire morning playing GT7. It is a love letter to cars. Like every GT. Which is why, despite not being as realistic as Assetto, Grid or iRacing, and not as fun as Forza Horizon, it always has a special place in my heart. Because of how much it cares about cars. It is like an interactive catalogue, sort of showroom, with deep lore of every single car.
But I haven’t played GT7 that much. I barely touched it.
Until PSVR2 came with that update.
It is everything I always dreamt of. I don’t think I can race again. First, because I don’t live in Europe anymore and Rally just doesn’t exist here in the US. And second, I’m too environmentally conscious nowadays due to my 3 sisters and wife who are all (very) eco-friendly. And also because I’m too old. I don’t have the same reflexes. My back hurts all day long. I’m now scared of dying too.
I gave away my Fanatec to my friends about a year ago. I don’t have any racing rig at home anymore. I don’t follow every F1 race anymore. I don’t watch WRC anymore. And I don’t even Kart anymore.
I thought it was over.
And GT7 on PSVR2 happened yesterday. I still cannot believe they made that game. I still can’t believe they managed to actually ship that game.
I can drive anything. I just drove a MX5. I painted in the same colours as the one I had in 2018. I tuned it exactly the same way I tuned my real one. And I drove it. I looked over my shoulder, I see my competitor. Soon, it will be in my rear mirror. And then, it will disappear. I turn my head to say good bye. One last troll.
I look above me. The sky is beautiful. I’m back to my country. Not so far from where I grew up. Le circuit de la Sarthe is beautiful. I never had the chance to race there. Now I have. The place where legends are born. Ford V Ferrari. What a movie. I’ll get a Ferrari and beat Ford. I’m changing History. Because I can.
I don’t recall the last time I played car sims with a controller. It is almost insulting when I think about it. But I don’t have anything better anymore. If I order a rig, it would probably take me a week just to research and config it the way I want it to be. So be it. Let’s bear controllers for now.
And it is good. I’m still clumsy and I ain’t as precise as with wheels and pedals. I also still can’t manage to shift properly. But it doesn’t bother me so much. I feel being in the car. I feel like driving. For real.
One thing bad drivers don’t get is you drive with your eyes. The problem I always had is how to actually look ahead in car sims. Even with 4 screens, it is still not the same. Because you don’t have that depth. Flat. In VR, it just works.
Ofc, there is no physics. My Charles Eames doesn’t suddenly push or pull me. Cars talk to drivers’ ass. And here, it doesn’t. But the haptic is good enough. Another form of communication. Through hands. The resistance on the triggers actually mimics some of the pedals well. It is hard to describe. It just feels right. And through the ears. The spatial audio works well and the audio is precise enough to give me great cues. I’m impressed.
I’m in a Super 5. One of my all time favourite cars. A small French hatchback that destroyed everyone in Groupe B (ok, not everyone, but it was the funniest to watch). My father’s car. I think of my father. I took a screen shot and sent it to him. He liked it. Father and son moment more than 4,200 miles apart.
Someone taps on my shoulder. Scared me a bit. I forgot I was transported in another world.
Back to reality.
It’s my wife. Apparently, she’s been calling me for a while. I didn’t hear. I was focused on driving. Nurburgring requires both focus and patience.
We are going to the movies. My sister wants to watch Ant-Man. We are going to Novato.
I went up to my garage. For a moment, I thought I’d see my MX5 there. Or my GTI. Or at least my M3. But they are all in the past. I made a note to myself. I’ll tour Germany tonight in a German car. Because I can.
