In simracing, the heads-up display (HUD) is an important thing. Yet, most racers simply put up with the standard in-game UI. If you want an enhanced HUD experience, you should be using Simhub.
Image Credit: Kunos Simulazioni
Last week, we posted a tutorial on how to get Simhub running. In fact, this is something every simracer should know as the program is a game changer. Bringing third-party HUD elements to your favourite games, it provides an enhanced simracing experience.
With customisable HUD elements, immersive displays and the possibility to add external screens, there are plenty of reasons why you should be using Simhub. Here are a few key utilisations for the app.
Embellish a game’s HUD with Simhub
There’s no denying that several games have, shall we say, unflattering HUD designs. From iRacing’s black boxes and orange text to ACC’s layout that does its best to be sleek but ends up filling most of the screen. The great thing about using Simhub is that none of that actually matters.
Depending on the information you want, you can either download or make your own HUD elements. These can then move anywhere they need to go on the screen. One might compare this to the Assetto Corsa app functionality, although with Simhub, players can easily create their own elements.
The level of customisation is seemingly endless. Different colours, text styles and sizes, background images, refresh rates. Followers of GP Laps will have seen a totally recreated Porsche 911 rally car instrument cluster in his most recent Sim Rally Masters stream. In fact, Simhub works perfectly with older simulators to bring their heads-up display game into the modern era.
As standard, Richard Burns Rally features a very basic, low-resolution HUD showing a few pieces of information about the car that you can probably do without. But with Simhub, you can overlay a full instrument cluster onto the car’s interior. In fact, when played through Rally Sim Fans, the game doesn’t feature working in-car dials, which can be frustrating.
Other older titles like rFactor and GTR 2 can also benefit from a greatly improved HUD as their design choices certainly hark back to a different time.
De-clutter your Screen by Using Simhub
My favourite HUD elements in simracing history have to be the pitboards seen in older games like GP Legends and GTR 2. Providing just the most basic of information about the race, these designs place a player in the seat of a car with no knowledge of what’s going on outside of the vehicle.
Simhub allows you to implement this level of reduced information in near-enough any sim. Fancy an undistracted experience on iRacing? A pitboard with limited information will only appear at start/finish, so you won’t spend your time looking at the standings. Want to experience a realistic midnight stint in ACC? A pitboard and the onboard display is all an endurance racer will have.
The reduced HUD layout made possible by Simhub doesn’t have to be a pitboard design. One can just as easily create a simplistic HUD and hide it in a corner away from the main action. The key point is that using Simhub means racers have an unspoiled view of the car, the track and the racing.
Enhanced in-game Immersion
As well as having information only show when you ask for it, or need it, Simhub allows players to recreate displays from real cars. Modding websites like RaceDepartment are full of various in-game car display recreations. So those that prefer to hide the in-game steering wheel can still see what one would in the real car. But it doesn’t have to be on the main screen overlaid on the game.
When it comes to mid-race information on the car and current session, what is it all modern racecars have? A digital dash display, of course. With Simhub, one can use a secondary screen to display all the information you could ever ask for. Not only does this remove everything from your main screen. It also means that, when the lights turn off, you feel even more immersed in the car. After all, that’s the whole point of sim racing.
Do you, or will you use Simhub in the future? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!
