Automobile Passion - Porsche Obsession

It all began at the tender age of 5 or 6, it was my birthday party and the clown asked me my birthday wish and I confidently exclaimed “Ferrari Testarossa!” and he looked at me with some sort of panicked look, I guess he was afraid to disappoint me so he passed the pressure to my dad by saying “Um, I think you should go ask your dad for that.” I knew I wasn't going to get one from the clown or my dad but it was really just the first thing that came to my mind. I suppose this marks the beginning of my passion for cars. From Matchbox cars to Maisto cars to Hot Wheels cars to any other toy cars I could get my hands on, this would be what I would spend countless hours playing with, from makeshift races, to car chase scenes (complete with crashes!) to just letting them roll across the room and watching them go, there was always something about cars that captivated me, be it how they looked, the way their engines sound when they start, idle, rev and are put under load, the colors they used, the feel of riding in one, the feeling of speed, watching them zoom by while staring out the window, cars always seem to put a smile on my face. Growing up, before going to school (I was about 9 or 10 years old.) or during weekend mornings, I would always find the time to sit in our car (It was a 94’ or ’95 Toyota Corolla GLI I think.) and practice shifting (handbrake engaged), pretending I was racing, familiarizing myself with the pedals. Then my dad decided to give me my first driving lesson when I was 15 in our 1996 Honda Civic VTI. It was a good experience, a mix of excitement and fear then when I got the hang of it, it was pure joy. I had to wait a year to get my Student’s Permit though, the legal age to get one here is 16. I would take every opportunity I could to get behind the wheel and drive, whether it was driving my mom to the grocery or driving for the family on Sundays to visit my grandparents or long drives out of town with the family, it didn't really matter, I just wanted to grab the chances to drive, even though the traffic gets insane at times and despite the few minor accidents I’ve been in, being able to drive it still something I really enjoy. When I turned 18 and got my regular driver’s license, that’s when the real enjoyment came because I no longer needed a licensed driver to accompany me when I drove. There is something peaceful and liberating about driving alone, despite the traffic, despite the crazy public vehicles or the occasional douchebag, being able to enjoy the open road, be it a short spirited drive or a lucky traffic free day, whether it’s cruising or speed hunting, it’s something I look forward to. I’m blessed and thankful to be able to enjoy this privilege and responsibility. I came across this phrase that Ben Chandler said while I was reading an entry from the Speedhunters website and I really like the way it relates cars and freedom which is how I feel about them as well, "Cars to me rhyme with freedom. The ability to go wherever you want – on your own or with a crew of friends – pretty much whenever you like, is awesome."

Going back to my childhood, there was one particular toy that I would always find myself playing with, it was a gray 1987 (Coincidentally my birth year.) Porsche 959, sadly, I can no longer find the toy, something about it always kept me occupied, we didn't have any Internet back then so I couldn't do any Google Searches to find out more about the car (not that Google even existed when I was 5 or 6 years old anyway.), all I knew was that growing up, the Porsche brand would be forever imprinted in my head. Fast forward to my firsthand experience with a 911, I was 9 years old, my family and I were fortunate enough to take a trip to Florida to visit a good friend of my mom whose husband happened to own a Porsche 911, I can’t exactly get the most accurate details but based on the information I was able to gather, I got the opportunity to take a ride in either a gun metal gray 1985 911 Carrera Convertible or a white 911 (993) Carrera Convertible (can’t pinpoint the exact year based on information gathered and racking my brain.). But what I can distinctly remember though is the experience. It was like being in a dream. Hearing that engine roar to life and then watching the top drop. For a 9 year old, that was pretty awesome stuff. Even though the drive was very short (just out of the driveway, a quick U-turn and then back into the driveway.) it was enough for me. It was happiness. Getting out of the car and just observing the lines, the details, the unique shape, just taking it all in. It was quite overwhelming to my 9 year old self. But I do believe it was that moment that solidified my passion for the Porsche 911. To this very day, despite the multitude of awesome cars out there (I appreciate a very vast majority of them regardless of make, model or age.) it is still the Porsche 911 that captivates me and holds my attention. It isn’t just one thing about the 911 that I like; it’s the 911 as a whole and across all model ranges. From the 901 up to the 991, but don’t get me wrong though, I appreciate all that Porsche has created, even the Cayenne and the Macan which at first I didn't really like from a design standpoint, but they kind of grow on you. But the 911 is truly my absolute favorite. I am quite partial to the 993 and the 964, although the 997 and the 991 are beauties in their own rights, the 993 and 964 to me seem to encapsulate the essence and retains the history of the Porsche 911 from a design perspective and especially because these were the last batch of the air-cooled Porsches before the radical external design changes (I don’t count the slant nose/flat nose/flachbau 930 an extreme change because it was brought about by competition to reduce drag and improve aerodynamics.) and engine changes (water-cooling) changes that the 996 brought about (I love the 996 GT2 and 996 GT3 though), after that the 911 was never the same. Although the 997 and 991 brought back some of the design changes of the models prior to the 996, they retained the water-cooling aspect that the 996 brought in 1998 to keep up with the times and the competition in terms of performance I suppose. Although, at this point in my life (I’m 25.) I don’t own a 911 yet (nor have I experienced driving one.) I am working towards buying a 2nd hand one. A brand new 911 is crazily out of my reach at the moment and I really am partial towards the 993 and the 964 so that’s what I’m working hard towards, either 993 or the 964 (Or both!). It’s a big dream, but I know I’m going hustle hard and I am going to reach it one way or another.

I’ve got a great passion for cars and an even greater obsession with the Porsche 911 so much so that before I even thought about doing corporate work, I sent my resume to PGA Cars Inc. (The Local distributors of Porsche, Audi, Bentley and Lamborghini here in the Philippines). To get paid to be around Porsche's all day seemed to be an awesome dream job at the time but sadly, I didn't receive a response regarding my application. I'm also currently finding a way to make time to take a 4-day Basic Car Maintenance technical short course or to learn how to tune cars (I know that it's very different when you read about cars and actually do some hands on work on them.), I just want to be able to tinker with cars, to learn more about them, to do some hands on work on them, just to simply be around them brings me joy. I am far from being an expert nor do I know everything about cars but I am open to gaining as much knowledge and experiences as I can. Others may not understand this fire that burns within and that is alright, I just wanted to share with the world what I consider to be a huge part of who I am through this seemingly thought scattered set of words that I've strung together.

Driver: San Francisco Video Game Review (PS3)

Driver: San Francisco

                So, my awesome super sweet girlfriend just bought me Driver: San Francisco for the PS3. :) I know, I haven't written a review in awhile so please excuse me if I'm a little rusty.

                Ah, the Driver video game series, being an avid car fan and racing game enthusiast, my gaming "career" would not be complete without this series. Making its debut in 1999 on the PlayStation, I was already hooked by the concept of the game which involved epic car chases, realistic damage physics (for its time), free roaming the city environment and a gripping storyline. Although it lacked a few things such as vehicle choices and the ability to get out of your car (which was later corrected in Driver 2, released in the following year). This game represents the 5th installment of this series (Driver, Driver 2, Driv3r, Driver: Parallel Lines and now, Driver: San Francisco). There has been a huge gap between the last game which was released in 2006 on the PlayStation 2. I have actually been waiting for them to make one for the PS3 and now that there is, after finding out the Ubisoft would be behind the game, I was excited to see what they have in store for us this time around on a new platform. And I am happy to say that I wasn't disappointed at all.

                First off, I would like to thank http://gametestlabs.com for posting if not all, at least the majority list of cars that would be available for use in the game. (I usually check what toys can be used before I play a racing game, adds to the pre-play excitement.) And boy did this list excite me! Names like Lamborghini, McLaren, Jaguar, RUF, Aston Martin, Audi, to name a few, will be available for use within the game, these are just a few out of the car list that was provided.

                Now, onto the game, don't worry, I hate spoilers, so there won't be any here. There are three new interesting additions to the game. First is the "Shift" or car-hopping principle of the game which allows a player to kind of "possess" other drivers, it's pretty much John Tanner's soul floating above the entire map, you focus on a car, any car and then BAM, possess the driver in it, I know it's kind of freaky. But that's a new twist that unfortunately replaces the concept of getting out of your car (you'll need to play the game and go through the story to find out why it's no longer possible to do so.) It has its ups and downs, the upside is, you get to "shift" without consequence pretty much possessing whatever the heck you like. The downside, for me is that this kind of takes out the thrill and excitement of having to get out of your car, run around the city in search of a new vehicle because you wrecked what you're currently using. But the reason for this new feature was justifiable enough for me to go along with it. I believe it adds a new element of fun into the game though, somewhat breaks the monotony and makes it kind of stand out. The second addition is the Garage concept, which for car fanatics such as myself is a nice addition because this allows to you to purchase garages, wherein you can buy cars, store cars and upgrade your driver abilities, you also get to access movie car chase scene remakes and other driving challenges from here too. Lastly, the addition of a multiplayer area of play which includes online play as well as split screen play which is a pretty sweet addition. I believe this gives the game a huge boost because online play is interactive and with various modes to choose from, the replay value of this game is quite high and to top it off, incorporated into the multiplayer is the "Shifting" principle which can be used to your advantage in order to succeed. It adds an element of challenge and unpredictable excitement because after all, you are going against other real people as opposed to AI.

                Upon starting the game, you will be treated to graphically pleasing cutscenes that switch in and out of you controlling it and watching it which is pretty exciting, the main idea of the story is immediately introduced so you won't be lost, then after the pleasantries are out of the way, the fun begins. Being a Ubisoft developed game, I can't help but see a little bit of Sam Fisher in John Tanner, but that's just me. Although the in game graphics are not as graphically jaw dropping compared to Need For Speed or Gran Turismo, it provides pretty decent detail and damage physics. And I must say, once you get used to the whole "shifting" idea, you discover endless possibilities and get to watch and control them through an out of body experience, no pun intended. I can't really go into detail about this because I promised no spoilers, so if you want know more about it, go grab yourself a copy of the game!

Ranking:

Story: 9/10- Very enjoyable and refreshing story concept and plot

Gameplay: 8/10- Just like the original driver, fun, fast paced, intense and exciting

Graphics: 9/10- Not exceptionally great, but pleasing enough to be appreciated

Soundtrack: 8/10

Cars: 9/10 - I'm very pleased with the wide range of makes and models available in this game

Gran Turismo 5 Video Game Review (PS3)

Gran Turismo 5: Limited Edition

                Being  a Gran Turismo franchise advocate since the very beginning, I suppose it's safe to use the cliché "good things come to those who wait" because after 5 years in the making, various release date delays and weeks of waiting and resisting the urge to buy the regular version have finally paid off, I finally found a store that had a few stocks left of the Limited Edition version of Gran Turismo 5! (Sadly, I didn't get to reserve or pre-order on time for the release so all the Collector's Edition copies were off the shelves faster than a chicken on fire!) What came with this edition aside from the game of course was the Apex: Ultimate Car Guide book (pretty awesome), a DLC Redeem Code (plus a neat holographic card of the car you get, I got the Nissan GT-R GT500), a Gran Turismo decal set (various sizes and designs) and a poster. Not bad, considering the regular version and the Limited Edition only differed by a few hundred bucks (Philippine Peso).

                 Now, we have one nagging question in mind, was this game really worth the wait? I will do my best to answer this question as this review goes on.

                So upon running the game, I was prompted for a software update, naturally, I'd accept it, thinking it would simply take a couple of minutes, little did I know that the update was 608MB worth! I stared at the progress bar that seemed hopelessly frozen, after 20 minutes, I couldn't stand it, I cancelled the update and ran the game without it. As expected, Polyphony Digital and the rest of the developers will treat you to a quite long and beautiful intro movie (except for the music that didn't seem to go with it), I will not go into detail, but I will say that one may encounter a graphical overdose (trust me, this is one overdose you'd love.). After the movie, you are led into a simple menu screen. I decided to choose the Arcade Mode first to see what beauties they had to offer. I was pleased to see some very sumptuous vehicle choices, from exotics, to muscles, to supercars to daily drivers, to classics, to rally, to F1 and more, way more, real world automobiles.

                Aside from the vast vehicular selection, the game also has some new features:

1. My Home- This is the "main menu" for your career as a racer, in this area you can prepare for races, join various events, access your garage, tune your vehicle, visit the used car lot, practice, acquire licenses, etc. In this screen, you can also customize your GT Profile which is pretty much who you are in the Gran Turismo world, I liked the fact that they made it highly customizable, you can change the theme, color, wallpaper, profile photo of your GT Dashboard screen. This is where it all starts.

2. Level Up Aspect- For anyone who has played a Gran Turismo game, you know that in order to participate in certain events or have access to certain vehicles and events, you need to acquire licenses. Gran Turismo 5 has now decided to use an "experience" system wherein a player can gain experience points to level up, these in turn allow you to participate in events or purchase cars based on your level.

3. A-Spec Events and B-Spec Events- This is a new addition, it's pretty much the main events of the game. By competing in either of these events, you will earn money and experience points. The A-Spec Races are your usual, straightforward, first place wins kind of race, from here, you work your way up until you unlock more events and vehicles as you level up. Now as for B-Spec events, this is a totally new concept, this pretty much a "hands free" event wherein you no longer have to drive the car. Here, you create/select a driver and then enter him in a race. You also earn money and experience points from these events. The drivers have certain types of "personalities" that bring with them various traits and abilities, these aspects will affect how the driver performs during a race. Once you have chosen your driver, you can now begin the race, the players only task here is to "coach" the driver with 4 commands that tell him to either lower his pace, maintain his pace, pick up his pace and overtake. Now this may seem simple enough, but there are things you need to consider, excessive commanding may cause your driver "lose focus" and end committing mistakes that may cost you the race.

3. Create A Race Track- Aside from just all out racing, the game has added a feature that allows players to create their own race track and upload it for the use of the gaming community. You can create the scenery of the track, the length, the sharpness of curves and turns and the weather of the track, this feature certainly adds to the replay value of the game.

4. Online Multiplayer- Now this is the first time this feature was included in the entire Gran Turismo franchise. The concept of multiplayer is quite simple, enter the Open Lobby on the My Home menu screen, find a room, look for a race (either Free Run or Shuffle Race) then hit the gas and enjoy! Another concept added to the online aspect of this game is being able to join the Community Area on the My Home menu, here players can view their online friends, post messages and give gifts (you can give away cars! O_o).

5. Special Events- Aside from the two main events mentioned above, this is another one where players can participate in, by earning experience points and leveling up, one will be granted access to various special events, such as NASCAR, Rally, Drifting Events and Go-Karting which is a pretty good add-in to the game.

6. The Concept of Vehicle Damage- This is one thing I've always thought was lacking from the Gran Turismo franchise, finally, they have added this feature, although it is nowhere near the damage modeling that Grid possesses, I'm very pleased that it has now been included. 

                Of course, with new features come the maintenance of the old ones, personally, I'm glad they maintained the License Test feature, this was one of the defining aspects of the entire franchise. For those who've never played any Gran Turismo game, the name of the feature speaks for itself, you go through a series of driving tests in order to earn a certain license, the degree of difficulty varies, it's quite challenging but still fun overall. Also, I liked that they maintained the Used Car Lot in the Career Mode because here lies the discovery of rare vehicles that are not offered in the Dealerships, always be on the lookout, you never know what you might find. O_o Also, the usual Arcade Mode, VS mode and Practice Mode has also been retained.

                Sadly, this game is not perfect and there are some things that did leave me quite disappointed. First off, the graphics aren't that amazing, for a game that was in development for five years, I was expecting a lot more. In all honesty, if you were to compare this game to Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, graphically, Need For Speed would have a slight edge. But I'm not saying the graphics of this game aren't superb, because they are, all I'm saying is that given the amount of time it took to make, I think they could have done better. Another minor detail that I wish was worked on was the fact that Porsche isn't included in the car list, sure RUF is the closest you can get to it, but Porsche is Porsche, most car enthusiasts would share the same sentiments I suppose. Haha.

                Overall, I think that this game is a must-have for every car enthusiast and racing gamer alike. For die-hard Gran Turismo game players such as myself, this purchase was inevitable, because not getting this game would be as foolish as challenging a Bugatti Veyron using a Kia Pride. Hahaha.

Ranking:

Story: 8/10- Very enjoyable career mode

Gameplay: 8/10- Physics could use a little work, but you'll get used to it

Graphics: 9/10- Pure beauty, simply amazing. @_@

Soundtrack: 8/10

*CARS: Very vast selection, you will not be disappointed! @_@

Overall: 9/10, a very satisfying game with a high replay value, blessed with tantalizing graphics and an insane amount of vehicle choices.