Hasta La Gadget!

I’m honestly not real sure what I think about freemium video games for mobile users. It’s nice that you don’t have to pay for the game, but often you have to pay for every little upgrade and it usually works out to be much more expensive than just paying the five or six bucks up front to own the complete game.

Many of the “free-to-play” games have incredibly overpriced in-game purchases for things that you really need to be able to play effectively.

I hope that’s not what EA is doing with the coming video game for mobile users called Real Racing 3. The game will be free for Android and iOS gamers as of February 28. Previous titles in the franchise sold for $4.99 on the iPhone. You can bet in-game purchases will make up a big part of the business model for this game.

Will have to wait until the game launches to see exactly what EA is offering. I fear that gamers will have to pay a dollar more for each of the cars they want to purchase or unlock, which could add up quickly. Personally, I preferred the old days when you simply bought a video game, and it came with everything.

[via CNET]

In a move it’s calling a world’s first, Sky Sports has announced that parts of Formula 1’s final preseason tests from Circuit de Catalunya will be broadcast on its 3D network. While F1 has tested the use of 3D before, it’s never been broadcast and chief Bernie Ecclestone — who you’ll remember fiddled for years as F1 stuck with widescreen standard definition video presentations before it made the jump in 2011 — has previously said 3D will never be used. Sky Sports referred to the event as a one-off, while commentator Martin Brundle is quoted in the press release calling it a “special moment for F1 fans…a new immersive experience for viewers.

While Ecclestone may not be willing to push the envelope in broadcast tech, having Sky as a broadcast partner could force the issue as it justifies its exclusive access and dedicated broadcast channel. Last season the network upgraded the audio to Dolby 5.1 and added features like the Race Control view in its iPad app. Sky has previously featured sporting events on its 3D channel like Ryder Cup golf, Premier League and of course the 2012 Olympics. It says F1 will be the 14th sport it’s delivered in 3D, although we’ll have to wait until after this maiden test from February 28th to March 3rd — it will also be available in 2D HD on the regular F1 channel — to see if it becomes a regular fixture. Now, about those HD on-board cameras….

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: Sky Sports

Although Formula E racing is still very much in its infancy, all the ingredients are quickly coming into place: Rome has just volunteered itself as the first European city to host the electric-only circuit. It’s just the second city to enlist for the league following Rio de Janeiro’s move in August, but it gives the league a truly international reach as well as a fifth of the 10 urban racetracks it needs for the initial 2014 season. Additional cities are expected in the weeks ahead, and should quickly lead to a solidified race itinerary, the FIA says. Having Rome onside won’t get cars to the starting line any sooner, but it may underscore Formula E’s advantages in noise and pollution over gas-powered leagues — when its cars can race around the Colosseum without creating a ruckus, other cities (and spectators) might just follow suit.

Continue reading Rome to bring Formula E to Europe, joins a growing eco-racing scene

Filed under: Transportation

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Via: Phys.org

Source: Formula E News

We’ve seen attempts at recreating video game racing in real life. For Artica and The Arcade Man, there’s no desire to preserve the illusion — they’ve jury-rigged two Sega Rally cabinets to control the strictly real-world racing experiences of RC cars. Their two-machine setup from the recent Codebits VI event in Portugal yanks the original arcade computing power in favor of an Arduino-powered system that maps the steering wheel and pedals to the tiny vehicles through a wireless Xbee link. The setup does make a nod to traditional video games through the cameras, however: drivers can pick either an arcade-style overhead camera or jump to a cabin-level view. The only true challenge during the build process was to find viable displays for the rigs, as the original CRTs proved too problematic for the retrofit. Some might consider it sacrilege to gut a classic cabinet for the sake of some RC action, but the end result is a racing experience that’s at once very familiar and yet surprisingly fresh. Spectators had better watch their feet, though — the competition might get fierce out there.

Continue reading Arduino project has Sega Rally cabinets steer RC cars: like the game with more bruised ankles (video)

Filed under: Gaming, Transportation

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Source: The Arcade Man

If you have an iPad other than the first-generation device or the new iPad mini and you want a steering-wheel shaped holder that you can put the iPad into for your racing games, then the Kolos might be for you. While they claim it’s the “First iPad Gaming Wheel”, Cideko actually holds that title.

The Kolos wheel is designed primarily for racing games, but also works with flying and other games that depend on you turning the tablet for control. The wheel’s main feature is a 12.3″ diameter steering wheel with an anti-perspirant rubber coating. When placed into the stand, it puts your iPad at a 70-degree angle and the wheel can be tured a full 180-degrees when its base is mounted to a desk or tabletop.

The Kolos can be had in two different versions, one including the steering wheel holder only for $50 (USD). The more expensive version includes that steering wheel holder and the base for $85. Both versions fit the iPad 2 and newer models.

The Kolos is on indiegogo seeking funding right now, though its future is far from certain. The project is seeking $150,000, and so far has raised a tiny portion of that amount. With 28 days to go, Kolos has only raised $750 – though in fairness, the project just launched. The project lists only four backers so far that each pledged $85. That adds up to less than half the pledged amount, so I’m not sure where the remainder of the money came from. The developers of the product expect to deliver in May of 2013. If you’re a hardcore racing game player on your iPad, this project might be worth backing.