Racing Game Fans:Is cockpit view your preferred view and why/why not?

[mrcorbo]

With all the major console racing games now featuring a cockpit view, I'm curious to know how many fans of the genre prefer this view.

I do not. I think it is necessary to have this view as an option, but I won't use it for any serious play. I prefer hood view, as this view more closely approximates where my attention is focused when actually driving.

One thing I'd actually like to see is a game that has a view that defaults to hood view, but by moving the right analog stick will pull the focus into the cockpit so that when pushing down you will look at your gauges, when pushing up you will look into your rearview mirror, pushing up and to the right or left will look in your side-view mirrors and straight right or left will look out the driver's and passenger's side windows. Once you release the stick your view will snap back to hood view. I think this hybrid view would provide a better sense of immersion than either view alone.

 

[AlNom]

I prefer hood or even bumper cam. Seeing the environment is more important. If I had a multi-monitor setup, then maybe I could use driver seat.

note: I'm not a particular racing person, but it's just my preference when I have played.

 

[Neb]

I said always however bumper cam is also good. It gives a sense of speed that is beyond cockpit cam.

 

[Mize]

Hood view. In real life your brain filters out most of the cockpit- you never watch yourself shift!
That said, I think cockpit view is great to watch, just not realistic with the real racing experience.

 

[suryad]

Agreed about the hood/bumper cams. My fave view hands down. It never feels like the cockpit view when I am rocketing around in my car in real life.

 

[abcgamer]

Cockpit view always. But in F1 game I would say I prefer TV-cockpit rather than driver cockpit view. I can and like to play both but TV-cockpit view is my preferred option

Once I started playing in cockpit view other views looks really strange and boring

 

[Cheezdoodles]

If i drive competitively i drive without seeing the car (front cam or whatever) to see as much as possible. If not, i drive seeing the car from behind and toggling cams to look at the cool car while im driving.

 

[AntShaw]

I used to hate using Cockpit view. Then I got a 42" and now it's all I use when I can. I find myself much more immersed in most racing games because of it.

 

[RobertR1]

Bumper cam for me. Cockpit views look nice in pics but I don't like giving up the real estate.

As Mize points out, in real life, when performance driving, you don't "see" anything in the cockpit. Your eyes focus on the track/enviornment. Even having the A pillar in your view when making lefts is annoying.

 

[nightshade]

Depends between game to game.
For eg in PGR4 I cannot drive from the cockpit view as the view is too limited in that game..I use the Third Person Camera for that mostly or the hood view sometimes...in GT5P I cannot do corners nicely unless I am in cockpit view.

But when I am driving just for fun..I like to play from the Third person so as to see everything nicely.

 

[digitalwanderer]

I like whatever view shows me the most environment, the one where it looks like I'm duct taped to the front of the car with my nose about 2" off the ground.

I really wish they'd make the same view but about 3' off the ground.

 

[Scott_Arm]

I wish cockpit views were a little higher and forward so you could just see the top of the wheel and have more of a view looking over the hood. Cockpit views tend to try and show off too much of the interior. I just like having a bit of a connection to the inside of the vehicle rather than using the bumper cams.

 

[Acert93]

1. Bumper cam. Best view, good sense of speed, and seems to align well in most games with the feel of how you turn.
2. Cockpit. Feels like you are in a car. If it has a good view angle it is a lot of fun; poor cabin views are horrid. I like FMIIIs a lot.
3. Chase. Some games are very hard with a rear view as it seems 'slow' to respond, others not so much. Just depends, but I really like SEEING the car and chase camera gives a great view of the surroundings (wide angle) and I find best for close racing.
4. Hood. Just not a big fan. Last game I liked hood cam on was Daytona. Go figure.

For FMIII adjustable cabin position and more response to road bumps would be nice. Natal head tracking please! (then cabin boosts to #1!)

 

[Arwin]

Always cockpit view now - however, on rare occasions when the cockpit view doesn't show enough and the track's too tight, and I'm not used enough to the game/car, I'll switch to bumper cam if I want to get a really competitive time; like say an Evo on the London track in GT5P. Can't wait for head-tracking though.

 

[tabs]

Bumper in most games usually, though NFS:Shift has me using the cockpit view as it's done so well.

 

[infinity4]

I like FM3 cockpit, but I think Hood is a better one for me to play - simply because you can see more things!

 

[Davros]

That said, I think cockpit view is great to watch, just not realistic with the real racing experience.

not realistic !!!
Do you sit on the bumper in real life ?

 

[Mize]

not realistic !!!
Do you sit on the bumper in real life ?

Nope, and I never use that view. Hood/windscreen view for me. "cockpit" is essentially an artificial view that can see the left side mirror and right side at the same time. If I sat two feet from my 52" screen it might seem right because I'd have to move my head to go from the shifter to the mirror, but I don't so it feels surreal. No less so that the "over the shoulder" camera. My order of preference:
1. Hood/windscreen
2. Cockpit
3. Shoulder
4. Bumper

 

[djskribbles]

I've used cockpit since GT5P.

 

[deeFive]

i use cockpit unless i need to try and win (in which case i swtich to bummper view), i also enjoy looking at car cool