Simulator games, the weird world of ultra-realistic sims

This could be you… The enduring appeal of video games is that they let you pretend to be someone you’re not. Roman emperor, Renaissance assassin and space marine are all standard-issue jobs for gamers. Not only that, most games sex up their subject matter, Michael Bay-style, with relentless, meaningless action and unnecessary explosions. Yet, despite all the high-octane thrills offered by much of the medium, a growing number of players are opting for a less fanciful form of escapism. The upcoming European Ship Simulator, for example, places you at the controls of ferries, tugs and fishing boats, as well as vast, ponderous ocean-going behemoths. Euro Truck Simulator 2, meanwhile, features reasonably lifelike trips between neighbouring European industrial centres, its joy derived from the journey rather than constant gaudy fanfares of achievement. All of which raises the question: what kind of player could possibly find this plodding, accurately detailed depiction of real life more entertaining than the incendiary, brightly coloured fantasy offered by most games? “On the day we published Euro Truck Simulator 2, we had a phone call from an HGV driver of 25 years who said he’d booked the day off work so that he could play the game all day as soon as it was released,” says Richard Barclay of simulator specialist Excalibur. “He suggested that the only way it could be more realistic would be if idiots in small family saloons kept cutting in front of you.”READ MORE-http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/nov/07/simulator-games-euro-truck-simulator