Car FYI

Photo Credit: Real Racing 3/EA Earlier this month, there was an uproar over the virtual racing app Real Racing 3 as the publisher made some controversial changes during a recent update. Many users complained on social media that aspects relating to the vehicle handling has been altered drastically. As someone who plays Real Racing 3, I concur with the comments there were noticeable changes to the driving dynamics in the game namely more aggressive brake assist and more contentious AI of competitors. Last week, a video link was added to Real Racing 3 related to what is called the R3 Version 4.7 McLaren update.  In the message, a producer for Real Racing 3 described the changes to the game as unintentional saying it was meant to be limited to a specific component of the racing experience that leaked into updated game. Although the producer's comment on the vehicle controls has not been consistent with what is currently experienced, he did acknowledge a change in the AI. Within...

Photo Credit: Image from Real Racing 3/Electronic Arts A recent update of Real Racing 3 has spawned some good and bad traits for the popular racing app. Starting with the good news, Real Racing 3 is currently offering players to gain access to new McLaren-branded vehicles. Production-based 570GT and 675LT have been added alongside a radical concept racer. The most stunning ride introduced to the app racing game, the McLaren MP4-X was concocted as an extreme example of a Formula 1 car matched with the limits of real-world technology. Sculpted as an advanced hybrid race car last year as an exercise of McLaren Applied Technologies, the MP4-X's electrical power system consists of generation through typical means such as braking as well as through solar cells. Electrical power is stored in thin batteries orchestrated around the vehicle for weight optimization. Although Formula 1 is already exploiting hybrid race car technology, the McLaren MP4-X's application is beyond th...

Photo Credit: FCA Flickr/ Sony Computer Entertainment Approaching the summer time in the northern hemisphere, it is approaching the period (a frightening short one in Canada) where automotive enthusiasts can delight in the perfect weather for outdoor auto shows and other events. The sunny, warm days serve as the invitation for rolling eye candy to stroll out of garages. While summer provides a much more inviting time of year than winter, there is the inevitable days of rain or excessive heat. Perhaps a video game took help pass the time? For Sony Playstation 3 gamers plugging in Gran Turismo 6, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has prepared a little something extra to bring sunshine to cloudy summer days. First mentioned last week,  SRT Tomahawk Vision Gran Turismo  is now fully unveiled by FCA and Sony Computer Entertainment. A super sleek supercar, the SRT Tomahawk is the latest vehicle motivated by virtual world o...

Through video gaming, car enthusiasts have entered an era where our automotive indulgence is achieved without being in physical connection with the actual vehicle. The realistic appearance of video game automobiles and careful emphasis on mimicking real world performance in the virtual world. Recently, popular racing game franchises provided users the opportunity to pilot new cars such as the 2015 Ford Mustang , Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and the BMW M4 even before they appeared in dealerships. While video games had often coveted presenting real, licensed vehicles in their pixelated experiences, developers' cooperation with the auto companies has transitioned. Instead of real world automobiles from popular auto makes being installed into video games, the gamer world has provided a new environment for providing life to concept cars. Since 2013, the Gran Turismo 6 game for the Sony Playstation 3 has opened the door to the designers of severa...

Back in the 1990s, video game company Sega created a stir in the driving game genre with the introduction of Crazy Taxi. Debuting in 1999 within the decades that were slowly being shuttered due to the growth of home video gaming, Crazy Taxi had players rushing around the virtual city of San Francisco collecting fares. The main object of each mission has been to deliver passengers to their destination in an allotted time. Making the original Crazy Taxi video game experience memorable was the California surfer-themed visuals, extreme game physics and the accompaniment of music from bands like 'The Offspring' as you rolled through the city. Being a big fan of the Crazy Taxi franchise from the start, I was overjoyed when I found the Crazy Taxi Rush Android app within the Google Play marketplace. Even though the control setup of the app is different than the arcade game and the route maps can get repetitive, the Crazy Taxi Rush app has been a favourite...