Not all games evolve the same way. Cruden has developed numerous race car and powerboat simulators that focus on accuracy and realism. These simulators have been designed primarily to allow Formula One drivers to improve their skills, to fine tune the vehicle dynamics on the latest Jaguar and to train Dutch navy high-speed boat instructors.
Now the company has built experiences for the attractions market. The simulators use professional vehicle models, motion bases and force feedback, motion-cueing and image generation. The race tracks and water courses are modeled from real life. The driver’s input results in a real life response—not what a game trigger says should happen. This taps perfectly into the trend of virtual reality.
Designing realism
Cruden simulators are electromechanical systems. The company uses various motion bases for its simulators, although the standard is an industrial 6-DOF system, with either 400- or 640-mm actuator stroke.
“The hexapod platform is a renowned and excellent solution for motion systems because the parallel kinematic structure and closed-loop system makes it very stiff,” said Frank Kalff, commercial director. “It provides excellent high dynamic behavior and there is no accumulation of positions errors, as with cascaded structures. It provides us with a small package with a simple mechanical design, using six identical actuators and there are no moving cables or cable chains.”
The user can control the Cruden Racer Pro simulator control software (the professional version of the software, which encompasses an entire suite of functionalities, is called Panthera). The easy-to-use program allows different tracks, cars and race modes to be selected and for a host of settings to be changed, ranging from weather to driver skill level.
“The challenge for a company like ours, adapting our products for the attractions world, is to devote engineering resource in the right areas,” said Kalff. “In some ways, the technology is fundamentally over-engineered for an audience that is not made up of test drivers who expect to feel every single small bump on the track. On the other side, in attractions, the aesthetics, end-to-end experience, theming and game play are important and there are issues around safety legislation and throughput; that is, designing the simulator and the layout of the simulator center so that people can get in and out quickly.”
The company has taken on-board feedback about the game play of its Powerboat 5CTR simulator and is making it more arcade-style, with challenges to do jumps and collect coins. Initially, designers did not include a nose with the powerboat simulator but have recently added one. The experience during the ride did not require it, but people expect to see a full boat shape as they approach the ride, explained Kalff.
“It is our customers who take the lead on improving the experience of the technology we deliver to them,” said Kalff. “The simulator is just the base, and if anything, already over engineered for attractions—it’s what you do with it that improves its success and creates more thrills.”
Tell Us What You Think!