Community Question | Light or Dark?

[Paul Jeffrey]

Similar to our recent question about weather, an interesting mix of responses got me thinking about time of day (yes, I'm sad like that) - and if we all enjoy racing at night?

We asked about the rain or shine and now is a question about the time... lol, that's it for rhymes I promise...

On a more serious note, most racing titles now have a pretty solid day/night cycle within their respective software, opening up opportunities for sim racers to drive at pretty much any time of day they so desire, from early morning rising sun to the dead of night - but do the majority of us actually make use of these features?

While I posted recently about my lack of being able to find wet weather servers online, the same can very much be said of organised events using nighttime conditions within the race - for me one of the most joyous experiences in sim racing.

So for today's question I ask you all...

Do you like (sim) racing in night conditions ?

Looking forward to hearing your answers below and in the poll !

 

[daveclifton]

Night time is a challenge and can look great, but I race in daytime pretty much always.

 

[RasmusP]

If lights are done so that you can see everything nicely I love it.
I also like to drive at night through the city.
Standing cars and driving cars are way easier to distinguish, everything important glows!
Apart from people wearing black cloths...

For racing I find it easier to keep focused when you only see what's in front of you. If you know the track well at least. Otherwise it's a big challenge!

 

[Fabian Balle]

For virtual racing its okey. Real not so much, you just see huge and bright light flying by

 

[Nick Hill]

I think it's fun - I like a good day/night transition. I did a full length virtual Petit LeMans with a buddy on iRacing a few weeks back and it was really cool to see the environmental changes (the lighting, the cooling) over the course of the race.

 

[Mike Smith]

I love it.

For me, a daylight transition in a race takes things to the next level. This is particularly well done in ACC. Day to night at Bathurst, or night to day at Suzuka is sim racing bliss for me.

 

[bozakn]

After the recent graphical update to the rFactor2's Nordschleife, I'm enjoying the night racing more than I thought I would. The immersion factor is phenomenal, you really start respecting those guys that are doing 24h races. Imagine going 400km per hour in the dark in a Porsche 962. Mind-blowing.

 

[McGherkin]

Are you silly? I’m still gonna send it.

Love racing at night.

 

[Vonbakker2]

Its fun with a decently lit track. Held a night race in a Rfactor 1 league at Nurburgring GP, unlit track and Rf1 doesnt have the best headlights, basicly visibility was 2-3 car lengths to end of the headlight cone, and nearly pitch black beyond that, lesson learned.

My first night racing experience was GTR2 , which was decent , but the smallest bump it seemed knocked out your headlights, seemed to remember spending most of the night races with 1 or less headlight lit.

 

[RoyalFranzYT]

Racing in a well lit track can be easy and pretty fun, there's a reason why the Tokyo expressways are popular with street racers. As for tracks and stages that aren't as lit up as those others, that just depends on how much you know them, really.

 

[Littlefysh]

Both!

As an offline player if I can do 24 hour saveable races, preferable in a series, I'm all over that!
Hence why I like ACC.

 

[Patrik Marek]

I love driving at night, really great atmosphere but of course harder to be fast

 

[Metla]

In ACC I like to set it up so the race transitions from day to night and back to day, Pretty amazing to drive through the dawn. And if at that point rain starts to set it....mind blown.

 

[Ghoults]

Just like with the rain I don't like the binary poll. The best weather and the best time of day is usually somewhere between the extremes. Not just being at dawn or evening, sunrise or other beautiful looking lighting but also in the transitions from one to another. I also shamelessly admit that accelerated time is amazing. Having just a 30 min race that goes through different times is amazing. Beats any race where you drive in mostly static setting. If I ever do a gt3 race for example it must have accelerated time. It is just more fun and more challenging. It changes so I can not just keep doing the same thing. Be that driving in the dark or light all the way.

So my answer to light or dark is no. It is about starting at midday in perfect light and ending the race in pitch black. Or have a dark night between the start and the end. It is the variety and the transitions. Change the time of year and enjoy the darker or lighter and shorter or longer nights. I'd wish more servers would use accelerated time so we can experience the whole spectrum from light to dark and maybe back to light.

 

[IceColdBeard_24]

I quite enjoy a day night cycle at Le Mans but other than that it's terrible to drive at night....i'm slow I misjudge every corner even though I know every corner of the track for the past 15 years and on top of that you just can't see a damm thing in pitch black even with the lights on

 

[JJ Lehto]

Day time is fine time, but night time is the right time.

 

[Ghiaman1334]

Yes, if the lights on the track work. Sunset/Sunrise is best though: the fabled 'golden hour'

 

[Lokopixo]

Try driving at 345km/h in a Ferrari 512S at night on Le Mans 1966, mechanical monsters roaming fast as well right next to your door, in the middle of the Mulsanne straight, at 2am in the morning with only your old racing yellow lights to light the road coming extremely fast in front of you, waiting for the brake marks to come.

 

[Nitro McClean]

Driving in the dark has a special atmosphere that I like, provided the track lighting is properly programmed, which unfortunately is not always the case.

 

[UMC 22]

Driving in the dark? Sure, why not, though I don't have the same enthusiasm for it that some here do. Racing in the dark? No thanks.