A while back I asked the question, “are realistic games too realistic?“, wondering whether the slightly unreal look to games is perhaps because there’s too much effort to make them perfect. Well, a new technology has come along that might mean photorealism is closer than we think, and it brings some exciting possibilities along with it.
Real Time Race have been developing a system that takes thousands of images, GPS and laser readings to recreate a race track in stunning detail. The outcome is a simulated track that looks just like the real thing. The really clever bit, though, is what they can do with that simulated track.
RTR believe they can insert you into any physical race, using live telemetry and their simulation. So you could be sitting down to watch the Formula 1 or Touring Cars, but when the lights go out and the race begins you don’t just watch… you actually participate in the race at home.
Obviously this has some issues to be worked around, not least the fact that you’re not actually there so you can’t properly interact with the other cars (crashing, for instance, wouldn’t affect anyone else) but the potential for this is immense. Even if it were just for a bit of fun, it would be great to be able to race alongside the likes of Jensen Button or Colin Turkington.
For more information check out the BBC’s report, and let us know what you think in the comments! All I can say is, “I want to try this!”
