Gentlemen, start your PlayStations!

hafriz-shah-column

Have you gotten your Super License yet? You know what I’m taking about – in Gran Turismo 6. Apologies. Reality has never been my strongest suit. Three months of driving around New Zealand’s picturesque roads in a V8-powered coupe seemed real enough, true. And then? I had to return the rental car, I got cold turkey and the PlayStation and I got very serious indeed.

You guessed it: Gran Turismo was my first boot. Quick arcade mode. Holden Monaro CV8, around Trial Mountain Circuit. Real or not, it hardly mattered.

In my entertainment room, sawing away at a Logitech wheel, GT replicates the Monaro impeccably. I think. But I can’t be sure. On the road, out in the real world, I harpooned the Holden through the gears, redlined it time and time again and revelled in a beguiling mix of hardheaded noise and absolute mechanical implacability.

Yet, I never got it really sideways to watch the world go by through the side windows. Never turned in hard against the brakes to flick the back out. Never. And it wasn’t even my own car.

Wimp? Me? You try this in on public roads, amid speed limits and cameras, blind corners, blind drivers, brave buses and bonkers cabbies. No can do, not out in the real world. But safe inside GT, bottle in my hand, I’m rarely in a straight line, even when the road is.

So which is the most authentic experience for an end-user steeped in car culture? Real, living and breathing machine or virtual, pre-programmed on PlayStation? Which iteration replicates the other, given that I do not have absolute confirmation that the real car will hold a slide progressively?

In truth, each one is equally enjoyable, equally wieldy, equally consistent – and precisely fulfils the wishes of the eight-year-old living in each of us.

Car culture, then, is so broad and diverse, that we might now have to go to a point where actual driving, all the bum-on-seat, wind-in-hair, bug-in-teeth tradly-dadly stuff we were weaned on is peripheral. You can blame the AES or all manners of traffic-calming aphemera. So what? Times change.

Being a music lover has never implied that you must play an instrument. Why then, should driving be central to a passion for cars? The first time I saw a Ferrari when I was a kid, blippity-blipping in traffic in Bangsar, remains a profound memory. That was enough for me.

I’ve never driven a Ferrari in public roads – never wanted to, in truth. As a child I’ve tried one in Sega’s OutRun and it confirmed all my nastier preconceptions about big uncontrollable power and skittish handling through the simple expedient of shoving a token into an arcade slot.

Don’t think video games as schoolboy skive-accessories. A driving video game is, today, your entry-level car experience. Many racing drivers today started off not in karts, but at gaming consoles. And between race weekends, they’re busy in the team simulators, which are essentially advanced racing games.

Did you fall in love with your first car? Today, it’s easier to adore a fast, snorty, high-tech Japanese supercar than to get your head around the idea that a clapped-out Perodua Kelisa is the first stage to motoring nirvana.

Earlier this year I visited a Formula 1 race at Silverstone. Spent the morning out in the stands, drank in the support races and watched the F1 cars drive out on to the track. Then, with too much sun, too little excitement, I headed back to the Paddock Club to catch the full race shrink-wrapped live through a television.

From the stands, I monitored the shape of the race – relative positions of cars, gaps between competitors, the occasional off-beat racing line. Broad swathes of the big picture. Through the telly I was submerged in beguilingly irrelevant detail: cameras on-car, close-ups, zoom and a frantic commentary duo compelled to remind me that the competition was brilliant.

It wasn’t. The actual wheel-to-wheel racing, be it 100 metres away on the track or across a 55-inch Samsung flatscreen, was drab. Real Silverstone was three cappuccinos and a soggy egg sandwich; TV Silverstone was technology over content, style over substance, a slick demonstration of the state-of-the-possible in live sportscasting. But I loved every minute of it. The racing was, in truth, irrelevant.

So again, which was the most legitimate experience? The answer, of course, is that the answer doesn’t matter. Car culture provides a framework from which to enjoy the automobile. Playing a racing video game or watching motorsport on the screen simply reminds how great cars are – and they should be lauded for that, if nothing else.

The breadth of car culture is, in an era of manic motorcyclists, inconsiderate cabbers and a government in which traffic-choked bottleneck roads are used as the inspiration for cack-handed transport policies, the strongest suit we car fans have.

Before, subsidiary support for a fascination with cars came from precious copies of auto magazines, a collection of car posters and a stash of Hot Wheels. Today all that has changed to daily visits to paultan.org, free subscription to Driven+ Magazine and a virtual dream garage in a PlayStation or Xbox.

The times, they are a-changin’. Don’t get left behind.

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Hafriz Shah

Preferring to drive cars rather than desks, Hafriz Shah ditched his suit and tie to join the ranks of Malaysia’s motoring hacks. A car’s technical brilliance is completely lost on him, appreciating character-making quirks more. When not writing this ego trip of a bio, he’s usually off driving about aimlessly, preferably in a car with the right combination of three foot pedals and six gears.

 

Comments

  • I passed on GT6 because it was too similar to GT5, despite the improvements, i dont think they are drastic improvments, that would make me fork out 200 bucks for another GT game. That said i cant wait for gt7 on ps4, its going to be mind blowing. Also forza looks like a pretty awesome game, too bad xbox is kinda pricey.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 3
    • farizY on Jan 27, 2014 at 9:30 am

      A lot of improvements, pity you passed on the experience. Spend my RM170 bucks on it, worth every penny.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
      • rubbernmetal on Jan 27, 2014 at 9:52 am

        I too, thought GT5 was pretty spot on perfect so I wondered at first how on earth could they improved it.

        After a few hours playing GT6 and spotting the improvements, I think its well worth my money spent. Haven’t had much time to play it but I wonder where the endurance races are or have they completely taken it all out altogether.

        I love the barthurst track by the way :)

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
      • Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t call anyone silly for getting GT6, I tested the demo as well, I loved the new physics engine, it was amazing.
        The thing that held me back was the track selection (reused tracks from the older one), the still present but updated standard cars, and the sound on muscle cars are still lacking that V8 rumble. I just hope that would all be fixed in GT7. I’m willing to wait.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
        • farizY on Jan 27, 2014 at 10:42 am

          I personally have no problems with the reuse track, the standard cars is a bugger, but bear in mind, there are over 400+ premium ones. Ahhh, the sound, yes, the sound left a lot to be desired. I’m hopeful as well. :)
          In the mean team, you could try PC Sim racing like iRacing, or Assetto Corsa, damn realistic the physics, even better than GT series.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • Dr M and Cronies on Jan 27, 2014 at 10:53 am

      Dear Hafriz,

      As a concerned reader, looking at your pics

      I would advise you to please try n shed a few pounds…. for your own good.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 6
    • that y i play pc game and buy game online far cheaper than xbox n ps…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • that’s not PlayStation.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 2
  • sudonano on Jan 26, 2014 at 8:26 pm

    Sorry Hafriz, I LOLed when I saw the picture.

    You seem like you are having a good time on your iPad!

    Totally agree with you, each one precisely fulfils the wishes of the eight-year-old living in each of us.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
  • Awesome article, I do like to read personal stories on the matter on the life of cars.

    I believe car culture has change significantly since the 80s, living cost and enviromental concern has increase so much more dramatically that most of us sees cars as nothing more than either a appliance(Toyota/Nissan) or a acessory(Kia/Peugeout). There is never a concern about actual performance and that I do not mean just raw numbers but chassis dynamics, gear change smoothness and body roll….those factors just don’t matter anymore today as looks and paper stats seems to overtake everything.

    Its difficult even amongst my peers to describe what a manual in an empty B-roads feels like, they much prefer to know on which filter looks better for their instagram shot of the Char Kuey Teow they’ve just ordered….times change but as for me, I just came back from drving a manual on a B-road….nah I’ve been loving cars since I the days where I first walk, from remembring the names, than the stats than drawing them 20 odd years on, its too early to stop.

    Keep those article coming and cheers.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 10
  • bongeks on Jan 26, 2014 at 9:09 pm

    Hafriz, put away GT6, on GT2 with my Honda S2000 at Rome Night track. Pick anything not more than 350hp. I dare you ha3.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  • Lalala on Jan 26, 2014 at 10:39 pm

    Good article!
    Paultan.org should have more writing like this :)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
  • Ash Crimson on Jan 26, 2014 at 10:47 pm

    Oh the joy of having a Playstation 3.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
    • nobody on Jan 27, 2014 at 11:59 am

      Oh yeah….missed the old days. I could play ps1/ps2 for 5 hours a day back then .But now working for 12 hours a day for 6 days night and day shift I can only play once every 2 weeks…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Hafriz, you should put a couple of pictures tu make this post more merry. it just like a long essay. Just my opinion or you can put another picture at the center of post

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 4
  • YeapyEvo on Jan 27, 2014 at 1:19 am

    A manual 1.0 Kelisa with sports spring , absorber and Michelin PP2 from Simpang Pulai to Cameron Highlands is driving Nirvana. Hope someone can replicate the road on PS3

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 3
  • ahmadjohnson97 on Jan 27, 2014 at 11:47 am

    I’ll skip GT6 and wait for GT7, probably for PS4. I’ve read somewhere that Logitech G27 clutch and shifter don’t work so well for GT6. I hope they can solve that issue in next GT games.
    I also hope Malaysian car like Proton and Malaysian track like Sepang going to be included on next GT game or Forza for Xbox.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Joker on Jan 27, 2014 at 11:57 am

    Nice… This reminds me of Initial D arcade tingy i used to frequent!!! Racing game or driving simulation is exactly where you can basically go ALL OUT!!! The handling in GT6 is so real it feels like driving in a real car in real road/mountain pass/ circuit.. Looking forward to 3D Racing Game!!! That would be awesome!!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Gosh. What are you rambling la

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Azril Nazli on Jan 27, 2014 at 3:35 pm

    You need this, full GT6 cockpit man cave

    https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/940817_10152133168237145_431291245_n.jpg

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Archangel on Jan 27, 2014 at 4:15 pm

    Cool picture with that unique helmet. Lol.

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  • langdon on Jan 27, 2014 at 9:11 pm

    Hafriz, it’s writing like this which keep me coming back to paultan.org!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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