CES 2009: Hands (and butt)-on with the SimCraft APEX
by Justin McElroy 
{ Jan 12th 2009 at 2:02PM }
We put the APEX SC830 through its paces at CES and have to admit the effect is pretty impressive, or at least it is on the racing side, the only one available to try at the show. Utilizing roll, pitch and yaw and three wrap-around monitors, it was probably the most fun one could have playing a racing game.
But fun's not necessarily the primarily goal here. SimCraft boss T. Christopher Ciesielka told us that they're promoting it as a training tool for law enforcement, military and race car drivers, though they had discovered at the show that there was a high-end audience that wouldn't mind having it as part of their home entertainment setup.
What's that? You want one? Oh, well just pony up $45,000 and you'll be off to the races. It may seem a little high, but you should know: That also includes the computer. Tempting, no?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Joe @ Jan 12th 2009 2:12PM
No, not tempting. $45,000? I'd rather save up and get a real nice sports car. That's the ultimate driving "experience".
Rentaro @ Jan 12th 2009 2:16PM
Where the hell do you get a sports car for 45 grand?
ronEbear @ Jan 12th 2009 2:22PM
But where oh where will you actually be able to use said "nice sports car"? Beating beater Civic`s from stoplight to stoplight? And what about top speed? It must certainly be a hell of a bore to accelerate as fast as you can up to the speed limit. Although a nice fast car would be nice, it`s more fun to drive a slow car fast than to drive a fast car slow.
Joe @ Jan 12th 2009 2:25PM
If you have 45,000 to blow on a car simulator cage, I think you could afford to buy a sports car, or at least save up that 45 grand some more and get one.
Kye says: I like turtles @ Jan 12th 2009 2:47PM
That's just over £30 grand. That could net you a Brand New Golf R32. Or an Evo or a Scooby. You could even get pre-owned Porsches, Ferraris and Lamborghinis for that money. Or an RX7 or an Elise...
Ian @ Jan 12th 2009 3:30PM
You can get 2000-2002 Porsche GT2s for ~ $40K. And you can goto any drag strip to go fast in a line, or goto a road track, or SCCA Auto-X near you to go fast in turns. Auto-X and Drag racing are not expensive.
JCD @ Jan 16th 2009 2:44PM
Yeah, well, unless you either live in Germany and frequent the Autobahn or want to go to the track and do laps (yippe?), there isn't much point in having a car that will do more than 80 mph or so.
Oh, and to the next poster, sports cars don't exactly attract the kind of women you want to sleep with (who wants the clap! Anyone?)
mindshed @ Jan 12th 2009 2:37PM
If it could play GT, I'd buy it. I assume it's only for whatever specialized program they have loaded on the computer though eh?
JWC @ Jan 12th 2009 2:54PM
Sports car helps you get laid. This thing does not. And if this thing ends up in your living room, god help you.
Varone @ Jan 12th 2009 3:04PM
It's just a glorified rumble feature. Until it can somehow simulate G-Forces I'm not interested.
lexicon @ Jan 12th 2009 3:46PM
Another cool product, already available en-mass and has Holywood studios support for realistic physical feedback to its chairs is D-Box and their motioncode system.
They were on the floor at CES, plus you can buy BluRay movies off the shelf with specific motioncode tracks for their product. It's awesome. For example try it with the new batman movie, Dark Knight.
It also supports video games, namely PC games like flight simulator, Need For Speed Underground, and more coming up.
It's been forever rumored that it will gain native support for X-Box 360 but that has yet to happen.
Oh, and they cost around $5,000 - $15,000
BlaqueBeird @ Jan 12th 2009 3:55PM
I'm not sure I could justify dipping into my equity for this.
"But honey, it's just like driving!"
"So go for a drive. A long one.... and get milk while you're out."
Shagittarius @ Jan 12th 2009 3:58PM
I wanted to see what it does when you smash into a wall at 200 MPH.
Lekko @ Jan 13th 2009 2:49AM
oh don't you worry. It has airbags.
Kevin Andreassend @ Jan 14th 2009 5:54AM
Interesting setup, but does seem rather pricey. What u readers should checkout is the SimDeck Open Wheeler Race Car / Simulator. It is capable of donuts in the virtual circuit AND A REAL WORLD CIRCUIT due to the petrol engine. In the virtual world circuit it uses large life size ICE Digital Daytime Projection Screens in 1 or 3 channels, 800lb of internal vibrations delivers every bump on the road and engine vibration to the driver. http://www.simdeck.com