Sim racers to introduce driving skills.

OakGill · Feb 10, 2020

First and foremost greetings to all reading this, and shouts out to my fellow Xbox Ambassadors.

Whenever you think of playing Forza Horizon 4, or even Forza Motorsport 7, you probably don't think too much about children learning initial driving skills. However, you would be wrong to quickly dismiss this theory. The gameplay weighs heavy on throttle
control, brake control, and steering components. This is not to say that because you can play a good game of Forza you are an excellent driver; not at all. My point is this, initial driving skills and components are definitely introduced to the player.

For instance, my eight-year-old son absolutely loves fortnite and Halo. Although he plays several other games, I would say these are the ruling titles of most of his gameplay, also add in some far cry. As of recently though, I have asked him to try a new
genre of gaming due to toxicity of other players and the stagnant state of a major title shooter. He was happy and willing to try a new genre, so I let him drive around in Forza Horizon 4.

I have noticed the best way to allow any gamer to enjoy themselves, fully immerse themselves, and actually jump into the gameplay is to simply show them the basics and leave the room. After about 20 minutes I came back in the room, and my son was obeying
all traffic laws in the UK, and passing carefully with discretion, while driving in cockpit view. What followed next over approximately 20 minutes was a barrage of legal questions, and several questions about driving tests. So I gladly expatiated on the topic,
which led to a wonderful conversation with my son about driving responsibilities and laws. This is not to say he knows how to drive a vehicle, but he has been properly introduced to throttle control, steering, traffic laws, and self-control. Remember, in Forza
horizon 4 you can go anywhere you wish. My son wishes to follow the laws and drive properly.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Let's discuss.

be advised, Forza horizon 4 is currently available for play with Xbox game pass subscription!

P.s.

To Microsoft studios, and Turn 10 studios...#MoreTreesInForza

:)

FxdBrokenLight

I think gaming ( almost any genre) can teach kids alot of life lessons and skills.

Deano_M_

yeah i've experienced this before. i actually came onto a GTA V game one time and there was a cop on there yelling at us to stay on the right side of the road. i really loved playing forza but i let my game pass run out .

Fast Chet

Kids are very smart and absorb concepts like a sponge.

FAMC PAM

I've experienced the same thing with my brother he has some learning difficulties and so he finds it hard to understand the different components attached to driving but his been playing forza and trying hard to understand how cars work and how to drive
the next thing I want to do is get him a racing wheel so he can learn to drive on the game before driving irl

Badger Gravling

Enjoy it while it lasts - my son is a fair bit older, and has reached the stage where he mainly enjoys trying to ram me off the road...

But in all seriousness, racing and driving simulators are able to covey a lot of the experience of driving cars. Most professional racing teams actively use simulators to test, and even hire sim-only drivers now (as well as running their own esports teams).
Plus a lot of racing drivers also use sims to learn new tracks and keep their eye in when they're not competing - including F1 drivers Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, for example, or endurance racer David Perel. And the various series that take virtual gamers
and give them a chance or a career in real cars...

(Youtubers like Jimmy Broadbent and SuperGT also make the point pretty well)

And it's certainly a good way to build confidence and skills in anyone unfamiliar with driving - the only games that have started to get my son to obey traffic laws are the truck sim titles on the PC, but both he and my girlfriend (who doesn't drive) have occasionally
started to react to slides and losing grip in Forza when they occasionally venture onto it...

After doing advanced training for both cars and motorcycles, along with track days, race schools etc, a lot of it really comes down to mechanical memory and understanding what to do in a specific situation, and Forza (and other driving/racing sims) can help
with that a lot - steering into a slide, for example, or learning the effect of heel-and-toe braking. Or the difference between cornering in a front wheel drive car compared to rear wheel drive...

I just wish I was younger now that competitive online racing has become so popular and well-supported - if I had the time available when I was a teenager to put into it, I'd be a lot quicker!

Sim racers to introduce driving skills.