No i have never played this game so i dont know how good it really is so this is what i see from the outside stand point what are all the poeple that play this game thinking with what i have just read (Ramon's post) i think every one is just mad all that money for nuffing i just cant get my head around it i mean is it really that much better then rfactor? i really really cant see how they are getting away with it just goes to show in this day an age there are still componys willing to rob poeple blind sorry if this post upsets anyone but thats how i see it just my 2 pence
Probably one of those, suck it and see moments. iRacing is only 'value' for money if you consider it is 'value for money'. Your budget, circumstances and desires will change, so one day you will think it is a rip off and then another day you will think it was the best experience ever.
I hated the idea when it was first announced (too many years being able to buy content, when I wanted, to upgrade my MSFS). However - people will spend when they think the outlay is worth the benefits. For me, the racing experience (tactile feedback) is far superior to rFactor (doesn't even compare). The risks involved in racing are higher (incident points, losing your licence etc.) so I get much more of a rewarding feeling when I finish a race, where I had close battles throughout, and look at my incident reports and see '0'. I don't get that sense of achievement with anything else. And when you consider the good points made by others (that I have 'paid' for that car or that track) to know that my on track behaviour and how I approach the race will dictate whether I can continue to race in the series... Then no - rFactor, Simbin etc. doesn't currently have anything that (for me) compares.
The point about it being a hobby is probaby the important one. Because some people spend ridiculous amounts of money (to other people) when indulging in their hobbies: moddle aircraft, radio-controlled cars, track days, fishing, photography, travelling etc. The list is endless. I have a friend who's labour of love is his fish pond. To this day I don't understand why he has spent thousands of pounds on fish, re-laying the pond (keeps leaking) replacing the dead fish (they always die) and all the pumps, food, chemicals. To me - shear madness!!!
Ask him what he thinks about my G25, iRacing subscription, TrackIR
... Just different strokes for different folks!
NB - just some of the purchases I made when I was immersed in virtual flight:
http://www.flight1.com/products.asp?product=ld767fsx
http://www.justflight.com/product.asp?pid=7
http://www.precisionmanuals.com/pages/product/738.html
I also purchased airports, weather programmes and all sorts of add-ons. I don't want to think of the costs because it would have gone in to the £100's.
Now - when you consider that MSFS comes with stock aircraft, airports and weather system, and that all of those purchases were just to have fancier versions (no need for them at all), you kind of get why I now don't really have a big problem with the iRacing business model. Hell - if they introduce local weather...
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