"It is such an advantage to be able to FEEL what the car is doing. To me this is so realistic, with all the adjustments you can make. Like the pitch from the rear to the front, the roll from side to side, and you can adjust the yaw. It is so realistic that it really helped me earlier this season when I went to Miami, one of the race tracks I had never raced at. I went straight into the race with zero practice and was right on the pace.
To me I have never been in anything like it. SimCraft motion is the real deal."
"The SimCraft unit really helps me when working with our young development clients. The simulated motion provides me with an opportunity to teach our clients certain characteristics of the tracks and visual points of each track with amazing realism and precision. Coaching our clients in the SimCraft unit allows me to see certain abilities and styles that I would not be able to see without actually being in the race car with these guys. I can truly witness the "feel" a driver has and level of talent that certain drivers have when they jump in the SimCraft unit. Without the motion and the realism, that would not be possible."
"I just started using the SimCraft simulator and the motion technology is amazing with how much it adds to the reality of racing simulation. I use the APEX as a tool now to learn new tracks and just to practice techniques. The APEX is as close as you can get to the real thing. I was actually doing Chicago the other day and the bumps in the high line in Turn 3 are really realistic!"
"The SimCraft motion technology really lets you feel every bump in the track and helps me get visually acquainted with racetracks with the HD 42" monitor. You can feel it when you hit the apron or run off into the banking at 200 mph. The SimCraft motion simulation is incredible because it banks with the corners and yaws out when you get loose or sideways at all. It is amazing to feel that without actually being in the car."
"The APEX has been a great tool for me this year when going to tracks that I have not seen before. SimCraft's motion was extremely helpful for getting to feel and learn tracks like Darlington where you fire the car off into the corners and let it ride up the track or at Road America where you learn the braking points and how you can get into and off the corners the best and Charlotte where you actually feel and learn to drive with the bump in turn 3."
"One of the things I noticed the most with the having the motion on the SimCraft unit is that I am able to feel the hills and elevation changes when I am learning tracks. The motion really lets me get a feel for how the car will actually react on track. You don't get that with a static unit."
"The motion simulation is more physically and mentally challenging when getting prepared for actual racing. Feeling side by side racing in simulation is much more intense and it prepares you more for what you are going to feel in a race car. It definitely makes you work harder and it gets your attention when it steps out on you and keeps your attention throughout simulated races"
Kevin Swindell
Driver in Midgets, Sprint Cars and Stock Cars
77 wins in Sprints, Mini-Sprints, Karts, Quarter Midgets and Road Race Karts
Phil Giebler
Karting Team Owner and IndyCar Driver Phil Giebler has spent significant time in the APEX @ Performance Physixx and feels by giving simulation a workout dynamic that this allows the driver to be taxed in a more specific way than just by having a static simulation experience.
"You really have a skill element involved, so these days with testing budgets almost non existent, the professional motion of the APEX allows us to actually feel what we are doing with the car"
Phil Giebler
Karting Team Owner and IndyCar Driver
Todd Bettenhousen
"I have been fascinated by the science of motion simulation since I first learned of its application to sim-racing. I looked at the various options, did research, and came to two fundamental conclusions:
1. The entire cockpit, including controls and displays, must move in unison as a prerequisite to convincing simulation of motion.
2. A system which balances the load of cockpit, controls, display, and, most importantly, occupant, about the motion axes would provide the most timely and therefore convincing simulation, since the mechanicals that impart the motions have less work to do, especially when rapid reversal is required.
If we put aside the debate of what "feels" realistic (this is a topic which has no "correct" answer--it's subjective because we we must operate within the confines of a room, atop a stationary apparatus, and therefore cannot replicate the magnitude and duration of real-world forces experienced by racing drivers), only a couple of systems, DIY or commercial, satisfy the above criteria.
SimCraft is unique in meeting both criteria as a commercial developer of both motion sim hardware and software. I chose to partner with SimCraft, and I operate a demo unit of the APEX sc830, their top-of-the-line commercial turnkey system, here in Indianapolis, four blocks from turn one of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It's free and readily-available for all real-world and sim-racers to experience. I have no business relationship with SimCraft, no commissions, etc... I'm simply the caretaker of their hardware, provide it a good home, and allow demos. In return, I use it when it's not busy and share my thoughts regularly with the SimCraft crew about feel, design, etc.
The SimCraft motion control software ("CraftCon") is entirely tunable, even while driving via hotkeys. One can simulate motion ranging from exact following of the terrain of the track (position of the vehicle relative to the world at large--banking, inclines, etc.) to rather extreme simulation of the forces imparted by the motion of the car--nosedive under braking, feeling each and every bump, curb, rumble strip, and even opposite-roll lateral G simulation during cornering). So the debate of what "feels" realistic is left to the user's taste. SimCraft has plenty of data based on extensive feedback from real-world racers which they are very helpful with, but in the end what sim-racer can resist the urge to tweak on things?
I have many hours in the simulator, and never have I perceived a lack of complete synchronicity between my control inputs, what I see, what I feel in the FFB (using iRacing only thus far, BTW) and the motions of the cockpit section of the APEX sc830. Quite the contrary, in fact--the SimCraft unit is quite remarkable in its precision timing. Even if one would debate the "realism" of the motion, there's simply no doubt that it is delivered absolutely on-cue.
There's nothing in this for me... SimCraft and I did our Indy deal to expose as many interested persons as possible to state-of-the-art motion simulation, and to help legitimize sim-racing and motion simulation as a valuable real-world driver training and setup tool."
Todd Bettenhausen
iRacing Driver, son of Gary Bettenhausen and grandson of two-time national champion Tony Bettenhausen
Indianapolis, IN
Sarah Fisher
"The APEX is unquestionably the best real-life simulator I've ever experienced. As far as the feedback the driver receives from the device, it's very similar to being in an actual race car. To be honest, the first time I used the APEX, I was speechless. The feel of SimCraft's Motion Technology is very similar to being in an actual racecar. The rotations feel organic and not at all machine-like as I had previously come to expect in traditional motion based simulators. "
"Working in the last ten years with racing simulators, I have always searched for the most accurate technology to close the gap between virtual and real racing. I tried myself when racing and I'm sure that a racing driver can get a huge benefit from training with simulators, and the benefit is always correlated with the equipment you have. After running in the APEX for a few hours, I can certainly say that this is professional stuff! SimCraft Motion Technology gave me the most realistic feeling over any simulator I have ever driven before and has placed the virtual experience as close as you can get to the real one. This is my opinion as a former professional driver and as a current simulation professional."
"Racing simulators have been used by many race drivers over the years to learn tracks or techniques. What is not so well known is that Engineers use them to develop ideas, designs and setup solutions. They are also used to give engineers a better feel for the tracks their drivers race on."
"I have recently spent some time in Europe racing on some of their classic road courses. These tracks are particularly technical with challenging topology. By putting myself in the SimCraft APEX simulator it allowed me to better understand the comments and feedback from drivers. It improved the communication between us as I had experienced some of the same issues they were reporting."
"I raced last month at Magny Cours, a challenging and very technical track in France. Gearing is critical there. The engineers and drivers discussed various solutions. Normally we would just run these thoughts through the usual data analysis tools but with immersed simulation driving with the SimCraft APEX simulator we could develop the ideas racing. The end result was that we never had to change gear ratios all weekend."
"We also believe that immersed simulation is a good teaching aid for young engineers. Most are very proficient in data analysis but have limited on track experience to relate to. By running setup or design solutions through the APEX simulator with the students getting immediate feedback it dramatically improved their data analysis and problem solving. I consider the SimCraft simulator an integral part of the training and developmental processes."
Tom Brown
Professional Race Engineer
Technical Director/Engineer - Sarah Fisher Racing
Ken Butler III
"The SimCraft APEX is my racing simulator of choice because of its incredibly realistic motion technology.
The adjustability of the system in realtime allows me to dial in my desired feel with ease and precision.
I utilize my APEX as a training tool and now have unlimited seat time in a state of the art simulation device that provides a realistic sense of traction for all of my simracing."
"Vehicle Control Training, llc is dedicated to saving lives otherwise lost to motor vehicle accidents. We do this through the development of many specialized technologies, including rigorous synthetic car control training. We are the prime contractor and driving force behind the Department of Defense's "SAVE Program", an applied research and development project dedicated to reducing the number of soldier lives lost to motor vehicle accidents (the number one cause of accidental death within the military)."
"After looking at all the available motion technologies available to us, we chose SimCraft's APEX motion chassis for our synthetic training program for many reasons: lightweight and portable, center of mass architecture, high-fidelity, low force actuation, and Simcraft's unrivaled technical and developmental support."
"Our work also required chassis modification, which SimCraft has effectively supported. What we've been able to deliver with SimCraft hardware is simply outstanding and we look forward to a long relationship."
"The APEX from SimCraft is a truly professional racing simulator and the motion of the system is very realistic.
It makes me feel like I am in a real car and driving on a real road (or off-road).
Becoming a good rally driver, like any form of racing, is about experience and the APEX can help drivers get the seat time it will take to make them a better driver."
USACE - Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory
"CRREL is performing research regarding high speed vehicle control on loose surfaces (gravel, snow, mud) and driver accident avoidance training on high center-of-gravity (c.g.) vehicles. The driver skills necessary require the sensation of certain vehicle movements and applying correct steering, brake and throttle inputs at appropriate times to implement desired vehicle responses for the sensed motions. For example, when executing a tight fast turn in a high c.g. vehicle the driver needs to feel what the vehicle motion is as he approaches an unstable condition to be able to counteract the unstable condition before it is too late to do so."
"To accomplish this sensation, we are utilizing SimCraft motion technology, (specifically the APEX), in our research to investigate the value of simulated vehicle motion for driver training and skills sustainment. We think that a motion based simulator is a natural extension for a generation of young soldiers raised in a video game era that would not only be comfortable with the technology but could also be drawn to it thus potentially making training easier to absorb."
"There are both economic and scholastic advantages to a motion simulator in vehicle control training. The trainee will be able to feel the motions associated with marginal vehicle stability and can train on countering those situations without the expense and danger associated with performing those maneuvers in a real vehicle. The trainee can repeatedly perform the correct maneuvers to build and maintain muscle memory so that the correct maneuvers become automatic to perform. We think the simulator can also be used to sustain skills learned in real vehicle training."
"As much as I am impressed with the immediate response of SimCraft's APEX and the sync between my inputs, the imagery, and the motion, what impressed me the most is how easy it is to adjust the feel. This is critical to making it as real as possible. When I got in and started around Watkins Glen, the feel was not quite right to me. But after some quick adjustments, I was easily flat out through the esses and braking hard for the inner loop. I suspect folks who aren't race drivers might prefer something completely different, but because of this adjustability, this SimCraft unit can accommodate them too."
"In my first run on the APEX simulator, it was immediately obvious that this wasn't just your ordinary arcade-style simulator. The APEX is clearly a professionally-designed machine intended to accurately mimic good seat time for pro drivers and high-level sim fans alike. The physics are outstanding, with excellent, immediate feedback through the wheel, the brake pedal and the seat. Certainly this would be an ideal way for a driver like myself to learn new tracks, get cheap seat time, and to ultimately try and perfect new setups on the car. I highly recommend you take it for a drive."
Former Human Performance Manager for McLaren compares the SimCraft APEX to multi-million dollar McLaren Formula 1 Simulator.
"The McLaren full motion Formula 1 Simulator is a sight to behold, even more incredible is driving it, as I have. It comprises a full Formula 1 cockpit and moves in every direction as a single unit, enabling it to perform just like an on track F1 Car. The placing of the screens within the driver's cockpit enables the same view of what is seen in the real car. I also got a chance of riding a 2 seater F1 a few years ago so I can make the comparison to reality very well."
"After a drive in the SimCraft APEX, it immediately brought me back to my McLaren sim experiences in that as soon as you get going you feel as if you are testing the real car, there is definitely some G load experience with cornering and you can also feel force under braking and acceleration, similar to what is experienced in the McLaren Formula 1 Simulator. The placing of the screens within the unit enable the driver to have their vision engaged in the experience, an important idea, as external screens are usually for spectator benefit and do not depict a drivers true parameter of vision as experienced in the car. Simcraft and the McLaren F1 Simulator accomplish this perfectly."
"Making a simulator that elicits a full racing experience from learning and imprinting tracks into the mind to physiological preparation not exclusively for Formula 1 or Indycar is remarkable. SimCraft has produced an affordable alternative to the McLaren system and I have chosen to support their endeavors to foster SimCraft's continuing technical evolution of their revolutionary product."
"Firstly lets examine the physical factors on a driver's body and physiological system when driving the car. Emotional stress, body temperature, G Forces, Vibration, and overall physical effort all effect a driver's performance. You can add to this the better core stability a driver has in their actual seat position the better he or she will perform."
"The SimCraft Simulator is very unique as it has the ability to translate a direct physical training effect of what is experienced by a driver in the racecar. Using the APEX to have drivers tested on a given track before a training protocol and then after the training protocol. The reason for this is to develop the parameters mentioned above. Training includes a resistance-driving machine, giving a driver more resistance than they would face on a steering wheel in the car. My techniques use the overreaching training principle developed from Eastern Bloc Countries for other athletes, in that the driver is placed in an overworked state for a short period before actual physiological overtraining is reached. We have also been able to do this with the design of a leg press specifically for drivers, to translate and train the effects of braking in different cars."
The way the APEX has been designed gives not only efficient cost productive seat time, but also enables a driver to train in the specific position that they perform physical work. This is termed training specificity and this is where correct, functionally designed racing simulators become a perfect training tool. The problem with many other sims is the designers do not understand the specifics of being in a racecar or the physiological parameters of driving. Having spent many years in professional motorsport and used Simulators designed by all of the top teams using the same physical design basis that Simcraft has, it is my professional opinion that they have the most effective, well-designed training tool for professional race drivers on the market to date.
"I have been involved in various forms of Motorsport for well over 30 years and racing simulation since Pitstop hit the Commodore 64. I've also been fortunate enough to find myself behind the wheel of many cars over that time. Having driven everything from go-karts to late models to Legends cars and many different sports cars, I have a pretty good idea of what the racing experience feels like in real life and how it should translate to the simulation environment. I've also driven pretty much every "high end" simulator and feel I'm at least partially qualified to say what feels right and what should have been left on the drawing board."
"After my first 30 minutes in the seat of the APEX if I said that I was merely stunned, that would be an understatement. When it comes to motion based motorsport simulation it may be more important to get the subtleties right than allowing someone to feel that they have just gotten it all wrong and hit the wall, drivers left, of turn 12 at Road Atlanta. I'm not saying the big hits aren't important and the APEX is more than up to this task, what I am saying is that feeling the cars weight transition in the mere milliseconds it takes to shift from gear to gear or the seamless weight transfer from right to left negotiating the chicane on the backstretch of Barber Motorsports Park is something that I have never before felt in a simulator. The latency of other motion simulation systems is simply not there in the APEX and this translates to the most realistic simulation I have ever experienced."
"The first time I noticed the cars nose barely dive and then pop back up and set me in the seat after completing a shift in our F430 Challenge car, I actually stopped the car on track and giggled like a 5 year old. It's just that good!"
Austin Dyne won his first Skip Barber race and not only puts his success down to the training program constructed by Performance Physixx, but the many hours he spent on the APEX.
Austin Dyne
Skip Barber Series Driver
John Wes Townley
"The SimCraft machine is an excellent way to feel out new tracks and test different set-ups. The machine uses actual physics to simulate the feel of a race car, and can simulate the smallest of features in tracks. It is a great way to help rookie drivers in a brand new series like myself. I think even veterans would benefit from the simulation it provides. I would recommend the machine to any driver."
"Racing simulators have been used by many race drivers over the years to learn tracks or techniques. What is not so well known is that Engineers use them to develop ideas, designs and setup solutions. They are also used to give engineers a better feel for the tracks their drivers race on."
"Vehicle Control Training, llc is dedicated to saving lives otherwise lost to motor vehicle accidents. We do this through the development of many specialized technologies, including rigorous synthetic car control training. We are the prime contractor and driving force behind the Department of Defense's "SAVE Program", an applied research and development project dedicated to reducing the number of soldier lives lost to motor vehicle accidents (the number one cause of accidental death within the military)."
"CRREL is performing research regarding high speed vehicle control on loose surfaces (gravel, snow, mud) and driver accident avoidance training on high center-of-gravity (c.g.) vehicles. The driver skills necessary require the sensation of certain vehicle movements and applying correct steering, brake and throttle inputs at appropriate times to implement desired vehicle responses for the sensed motions. For example, when executing a tight fast turn in a high c.g. vehicle the driver needs to feel what the vehicle motion is as he approaches an unstable condition to be able to counteract the unstable condition before it is too late to do so."
"I have been involved in various forms of Motorsport for well over 30 years and racing simulation since Pitstop hit the Commodore 64. I've also been fortunate enough to find myself behind the wheel of many cars over that time. Having driven everything from go-karts to late models to Legends cars and many different sports cars, I have a pretty good idea of what the racing experience feels like in real life and how it should translate to the simulation environment. I've also driven pretty much every "high end" simulator and feel I'm at least partially qualified to say what feels right and what should have been left on the drawing board."
