Console By Genre Debate #2: Which is the Best Console for Playing Simulation Games From the 5th Generation?

[arch_8ngel | 1,597]

2 minutes ago, SilverspoonGaming said:

So much for ever covering that topic in this series...

 SORRY!

[SilverspoonGaming | 330]

Just now, arch_8ngel said:

 SORRY!

No prob.  It hadnt even made my list yet, but oh well.

[arch_8ngel | 1,597]

5 minutes ago, SilverspoonGaming said:

 

Gran Turismo is absolutely a racing game, and not a sim, even though it marketed itself as the Real Racing Simulator, but its a racing game.

Flight sims, I would say Flight Simulator is the only one that qualifies as a sim, but being on PC, its excluded from this conversation.

Im not trying to sound like a dick whatsoever, but Im just trying to get my thoughts across.

The Gran Turismo are "driving simulations" as opposed to the general category of racing games that lean more into "arcade racers" (i.e. Need for Speed series, or the types of games that grew out of Rad Racer like Test Drive).

It is every bit as compelling of a driving simulator as Microsoft Flight Simulator is a as a flight simulator. 

 

Forza series wouldn't have been out by then, and the "good" NASCAR and F1 driving simulators were PC-only back then (and probably still are).

But they're definitely "sims".

 

Even the Mechwarrior series earns that genre distinction. (not sure if Mechwarrior 2 made it to PS1, though)

Edited December 15, 2020 by arch_8ngel

[SilverspoonGaming | 330]

4 minutes ago, arch_8ngel said:

The Gran Turismo are "driving simulations" as opposed to the general category of racing games that lean more into "arcade racers" (i.e. Need for Speed series, or the types of games that grew out of Rad Racer like Test Drive).

It is every bit as compelling of a driving simulator as Microsoft Flight Simulator is a as a flight simulator. 

 

Forza series wouldn't have been out by then, and the "good" NASCAR and F1 driving simulators were PC-only back then (and probably still are).

But they're definitely "sims".

 

Even the Mechwarrior series earns that genre distinction. (not sure if Mechwarrior 2 made it to PS1, though)

I just dont see GT being a sim game.  Theres no car damage, which makes it far from realistic.  I think a simulation with cars would be Hard Drivin where youre not actually racing anything.  You just get a timer.

[arch_8ngel | 1,597]

25 minutes ago, SilverspoonGaming said:

I just dont see GT being a sim game.  Theres no car damage, which makes it far from realistic.  I think a simulation with cars would be Hard Drivin where youre not actually racing anything.  You just get a timer.

The vast majority of "simulations" in the world do not account for "damage", except for having some kind of overriding "crash flag" when you exceed certain g-limits from hard contact.

Damage tracking is absolutely not a requirement for a driving simulation (or any vehicle-based simulation)

Stuff like their power-train modeling and ground/tire contact modeling is way more important.

 

EDIT:  for its era, Gran Turismo 2 is a better and more accurate driving simulation than MS Flight Simulator is a flight simulation.

Edited December 15, 2020 by arch_8ngel

[Tanooki | 4,929]

8 hours ago, SilverspoonGaming said:

I disagree with your views on racing games and sports games being sims 100%.

Is Madden a sim or a sports game?

Gran Turismo is absolutely a racing game, and not a sim, even though it marketed itself as the Real Racing Simulator, but its a racing game.

Flight sims, I would say Flight Simulator is the only one that qualifies as a sim, but being on PC, its excluded from this conversation.

Im not trying to sound like a dick whatsoever, but Im just trying to get my thoughts across.

No you're not a dick, I'm blunt too, so if I regularly dish it I can take it.  Technically the word sim, at least outside of an actual simulator experience I think has been bastardized for decades by gaming so in a soft way, quite a lot of things can fall into the realm.  Old Comanche Maximum Overkill for the PC from Novalogic took liberties but was considered a combat sim for the actual real life helicopter, and I had it for a couple years on PC and got quite good, but through my parents I had a unique experience in town one time.  Someone was working on simulation technology for home, a home cockpit base that moved and pivoted largely (not a total circle setup) where you could use a couple pedals and sticks to fly the same game, same chopper, but have the experience.  It added some depth but in the end aside from being swung around and feeling it, the game handled much the same.  That seat could be updated to allow for the use of other things such as driving sims.  So I'm going off many odd angles when I made the statement.

So yeah, the more technical of the stuff from the F1 games on N64 or GT 1 and 2 on PS1, they really hit that envelope of arcade vs potential home simulated reality.  They punish you all the same with the momentum a real one would have, but you're restricted to a wheel and pedals if you bought them, or your standard controller, but you can't really get all liberally arcade style nuts or you fail and quite easily.  Racing really falls into a realm of goofy kid crap, to kart racers, arcade racers, semi-sim, and as good as cheap basic home sim can get with racing games.

Madden, kind of sloppy, but using my example, it is about as 'sim' as football will get as you're simulating both the various players but also the team coach too picking the plays, then as the QB to execute the throw, and the various other member to catch and maybe run it in or at least for a down.  I would not expect that to happen until we hit a point where some full immersion tech can truly cut it and we're not there yet.

 

And @arch_8ngel pretty much how I would think about it more or less, and yes Mech Warrior II is on PS1 as I used to own it, and it's a fairly good conversion of the DOS game, just a bit more clunky lacking a keyboard (as with basically any PC port it got.)  @SilverspoonGamingI do kind of agree with you on the no damage in GT, it does suck, yet you do get other games such as NASCAR series N64 and PS1 has and they do car, tire, mechanical damage that adds up fairly right.  But one that really tends to nail it are the rally games such as V-Rally on the N64 as it accounts for every bit of pounding those on/offroad courses do between checkpoints and also only allow for X repair time so it accumulates and accurately screws up the ability of the car to perform as it adds up.

[JeremiahJT | 75]

I had to vote for the Jaguar. I have only played one simulation game from that generation and it was Theme Park on the Jaguar. It may have been done better elsewhere, but I have no first hand experience with any other port.

So when someone sees the Jaguar with a vote and thinks that person has problems... well at least they know the reason.

[JeremiahJT | 75]

Double post.

Edited December 18, 2020 by JeremiahJT

[croagunk | 798]

I vote N64, for Harvest Moon 64 alone.