One observation that I have had regarding the physics in most simulation driving games is that the vehicles do not behave in a realistic manor. They never have and they don’t appear to be changing for the better very fast either, despite today’s great technology.

I remember when racing games were at the pinnacle of gaming technology. I remember when games like Gran Tourismo on the Playstation was just so realistic and far better than anything else at the time, I loved watching the replays as much as playing the game.

Nowadays of course, the original Gran Tourismo is certainly lacking in the graphics department compared to the latest titles such as GRID or Forza 3 but the one thing that has remained the same or similar is the way the physics render damage. Even damage driven games such as Flat Out or Burnout games are impressive but still not “REAL”-istic. Cars still bounce of other cars, fling in the air like they weigh about 2kgs or rebound off barriers like they are toys.

Ok, bear with me a second on this one. Let me demonstrate a little about what I mean.

The video below is a video of a real NCAP Crash Test for a Suzuki Baleno. Please watch it and read on below it.

See how when the car hits the obstacle? It’s crumple zones are designed to absorb all that kinetic energy but the sheer weight and inertia of the heavy car forces the car to continue forward, drilling the car into the obstacle.

Ok, now lets look at a game’s interpretation of a similar scenario. Someone has kindly made a YouTube video of an NCAP simulation using Grand Theft Auto IV. Watch below and read on below it.

Look at the way the car hits the other obstacles. It is only in this comparison that shows it up as a bit below par compared to the real thing.  Now bear in mind that GTAIV is actually one of the better ones. Take a look at some of the top simulation racing games out today below:

Forza 3 Crash Montage:

Gran Tourismo 5

Both of the above examples are much worse than you would expect from such established and well respected IP’s. Even as I watch them now, they make me cringe they are so bad. It is even at the point where some games are taking out the replay functions in order to avoid showing you these atrocious replays. Maybe they are ashamed?

Looking Forward

Now the closest we have come to realising this inertia idea is in the form of Burnout Paradise:

The crumpling of metal and destruction is there and is definitely the best we have seen from these videos, but after the initial impact, the cars still bounce too much and look too light. That coupled with the fact that it is an Arcade game, makes it very fast paced, not as detailed and not as focused on the crash itself.

Imagine the gorgeous graphics and simulation realism of Gran Tourismo 5 coupled with the crash impacts of Burnout Paradise. How can a “Simulation” game command such realism in driving and in the same breath completely ignore the realism of such damage?

Well, I think I know the answer to this. The problem is the real life manufacturers. I have read before that some manufacturers have expressed disinterest (to say the least) in allowing their cars to be damaged in a game. The idea of their car being involved in an accident for some reason is a big turnoff for them to back the game. Games developers are then forced to decide whether to continue the game without manufacturer backing i.e. Burnout Paradise or render the game with manufacturers with limited damage. I am glad to say this looks to be changing though because the latest sim games do appear to contain realistic damage, but the engine still doesn’t do the collisions justice.

Secondary to this point and equally as important is, how exactly do we make a racing simulation game incorporate real life crashes without a detrimental effect on gameplay and enjoyment? I mean, if you were driving along at 80mph in your favourite super car and you clipped a second car just by a little, most games would forgive you pretty well, perhaps just showing you a little debris as you clipped it. Maybe you would lose a little speed but nothing too upsetting. Now in real life, if you clipped that same car, the good lord himself may not be so forgiving and haul your arse into the central reservation of the motorway for your ignorance and over speeding.

One way around this issue is to perhaps incorporate a rewind function similar to that found in some driving sims now like GRID or Forza 3 where you can crash your car, happily watch it, then rewind the live race and try that overtake again. This would work to an extent, but the last thing you want to do is force the player into rewinding back 5 seconds for every 10 seconds they race. It does kinda break up the enjoyment a bit, and I even try avoid using these ‘cheats’ myself when playing racing games.

I hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts on racing game physics and thank you for reading. My ambition is to design games that overcome some of these issues but at the same time ensure that the player enjoyment and immersion is either unaltered or enhanced.

Cheers,

Rick