Miata Mailing List: December 1995, Message #165
![[previous topic]](../images/prev_topic.gif)
![[index]](../images/index.gif)
![[next topic]](../images/next_topic.gif)
From: dherr@extro.ucc.su.OZ.AU (Dennis J. HeRR) Subject: MX-citement Date: Mon, 4 Dec 1995 06:46:21 -0500
HereŐs an article about that famous MX-5 - aka Miata - virtual race game I found in the recent Inside Motoring magazine. ItŐs been written by Michael Black (I guess I donŐt need his permission to reprint here since the sole purpose my doing this is for you guys on the list who are interested in this one and have no information apart from that old description found on miata.net web page.) Enjoy! :) ----- You want to race an MX-5 but youŐre scared of the panelbeating bills? Try Timezone in Pitt Street, Sydney. TimezoneŐs A$1 million Mazda MX-5 Ridge Racer game was developed in Perth. It uses a stock MX-5 convertible (red, of course - they chopped the soft top Ed.) and the latest video virtuality. The MX-5 is mounted on hydraulic stilts and has full suspension articulation. It steers, brakes, squats, pitches and wriggles like the real thing thanks to advanced electronic/hydraulic integration. Slip behind the wheel, gaze through the windscreen at the 5x2m video wall and feel the red haze descend. Toss A$6 into the hungry slot and feel your brain turn to mush. (Ok, mine didnŐt and at A$6 I couldnŐt afford enough ride to turn my brain to gey soup - Ed.) The realistic graphics paint a race picture thatŐs so compelling, by lap two you arenŐt sitting in a bucking, stationary Mazda, youŐre flying into corners at 300km/h and brushing off competitors with a jab of the wheel. The car turns in fast and twitchy, flicks to oversteer and bounces off concrete walls so faithfully it could be the real thing, aside from the missing trip to the medical tent. The MazdaŐs suspenssion is soft and cosseting, even while crunching the retaining wall at Warp Factor VII. Steering is taut and light, brake, clutch and acceleration are true to life, adding fuel to the fire of confusion raging inside your head. Leisure And Allied Industries, which owns Timezone and builds all its own arcade cabinets, uses software imported from Japan. It spent a year to developing the Ridge Racer, with six months endlessly road testing the software/hardware interface (and no, there are no test driver seats available ). Winning ainŐt easy, and at A$6 a pop it ainŐt cheap either. You might save thousands on panelbeating, but finding a sponsor? Well, good luck. Bet you canŐt drive it just once, though. ----- So, there you have it, complete article. I personally road test this simulator and yes, most of what the writer said are in fact true - surprising, huh! :) One thing I found a bit doggy is there always are bunch of people surrounding the simulator waiting for the next victim to laugh at. ItŐs actually a bit humiliating when people laughing at you when you make some stupid mistakes. :) And another thing is they have this big fan thing blows a wind to you so you can get your hair mess without driving the real thing. I think when they develop the network linked version of this one, itŐll be the real beauty.