In-depth look at Ridge Racer Full Scale

[rotunda]

It was rough as in the car was in serious need of a bodyshop, a windscreen, an interior etc.

CRT projectors were long gone. They probably burned out years ago.

That's a shame, I heard from the engineer after my visit that the screen had been cracked by someone and thus removed but the car itself was in fairly alright condition bodywork wise. Seems it went down hill fast after the time i saw it which is a real shame. The CRT's were removed just before my visit as they were trying to cut costs so opted for Epson digital projectors which could use LED bulbs. As far as i am aware the CRT ones were still working when removed.

Point Roms look like this (2 of the 3 identical stacks:

https://www.ukvac.com/forum/data/uploads/2675/rrfsx2.jpg

Woooaahhh!! Those point rom boards are HUGE compared to the normal RR board set. That is crazy stuff, really interesting to see. Are there any other differences? Is the video ROM board the same?

f this thread is a mini-history of the game, then it's maybe worth
mentioning that my brother stumbled upon some bits to the successors to
Sim Drive.
Mitsubishi and Namco kept going and made a range of driving simulators for driving schools, evolving the technology.
So
there is the DS-5000, which is System21 based (and is a 18 PCB rack
that drives 6 CRTs!, three for the windscreen and three for the
mirrors).

Never knew this even existed. Mazda and Namco appear to have had a close relationship in the early 90's and came out with some cutting edge stuff. I had wondered in the past why they chose a MX5/Miata for the RR full scale and its not a very Ridge Racer type in game car (a celica or MR2 would of been more suited) but given their relationship it now explains why.

I wonder if any of that kit still exists today. With that photo above you can see kind of where they got the 3 screen RR cabinet idea from.

Really cool stuff I love seeing this sort of thing thanks for sharing.

jayrotunda2022-11-16 20:12:11

 

[John Bennett]

All other boards are standard for Fullscale and the point ROMs are the same data size as the normal boards, they're just bigger as the EPROMs are smaller capacity so you need more.

Hmm, that's a point, the simulators were Mitsubishi/Namco, whereas they started with Mazda. I guess the MX-5 was popular, RWD (and better than the Mitsubishi FTO) and easy enough to create a different 3D car model for in the game. But after that, Mitsubishi Precision Controls were the team they worked with to make their simulator line for driving schools (in Japan)

Some nice pictures of Sim Drive here:
SimDrive (Game) - Giant Bomb

Those simulators do crop up for sale. They'll be bought and dumped eventually, I'm certain of that (whether they emulate without a control PC, I don't know).

The three screen idea actually already existed - see Driver's Eyes from 1990 on System 21. That's 3 CRTs and a working dashboard.

John Bennett2022-11-16 20:41:32

 

[rotunda]

Ahhh yes i forgot you mentioned they were EPROMs that makes total sense now. I wonder what came first... RR full scale or the arcade cabinets... Seems to me like RR FS may of been their entry into the whole thing but im just guessing.

I think another plus point for using an MX5 was the size and being a soft top easier to get in and out of. it was the best option i think for arcade use.

Some nice pictures of Sim Drive here:
SimDrive (Game) - Giant Bomb

WOW! Thank you for posting this I've only ever seen one image of this simulator. To see in game shots is something i never thought i would see. Those other shots around the sim are fantastic. What a machine!

I seriously feel like making a website about all of this. Namco really made some crazy cool stuff back in the day and their hardware was really decent for the time. Ridge Racer looked nuts in 1993 (consider the best on PC was DOOM which is a great game but graphically it was way behind RR)

I really do believe there needs to be a place on the web where all this is documented and i might just be the one to do it. I find the System 21 / 22 stuff so interesting.

 

[berty]

Parts of the Mitsubishi simulator made by Namco have been popping up on YAJ over recent months. I have seen various bits, including the *massive* CPU stack, operator panel and dashboard. I have been tempted to bid but there has been a lot of competition for the parts.

 

[John Bennett]

Parts of the Mitsubishi simulator made by Namco have been popping up on YAJ over recent months. I have seen various bits, including the *massive* CPU stack, operator panel and dashboard. I have been tempted to bid but there has been a lot of competition for the parts.

I may know who bought that, *cough*

It's in safe hands. It consumes so much power it has busbars to the PCBs.

 

[rotunda]

Parts of the Mitsubishi simulator made by Namco have been popping up on YAJ over recent months. I have seen various bits, including the *massive* CPU stack, operator panel and dashboard. I have been tempted to bid but there has been a lot of competition for the parts.

Sorry if it's rather obvious but what is YAJ? When you say massive how big was the CPU stack? I'd love to see that old hardware are there any photos?

I may know who bought that, *cough*

It's in safe hands. It consumes so much power it has busbars to the PCBs.

I can't think of anyone better to have it.

jayrotunda2022-11-17 00:45:52

 

[berty]

I'm glad to hear it went to someone in the community. Given that this was bigger than a Sytem 22 stack AND the fact that those weigh 18KG in their cage, I hate to think how much postage would have been.

 

[rotunda]

I'm glad to hear it went to someone in the community. Given that this was bigger than a Sytem 22 stack AND the fact that those weigh 18KG in their cage, I hate to think how much postage would have been.

Wow! What!? That's CRAZY!

anyone got any photos of this beast?

Hopefully it wont be too long before the RR FS is up and running in some capacity and we can see that Yellow Solvalou chase that MX5 around the track again.

jayrotunda2022-11-17 11:00:35

 

[John Bennett]

It wasn't me who bought the simulator, but it was just a box with a rack of 18 System21 PCBs in it (which makes Galaxian 3 look compact). I think well over 50kg in weight.
As I mentioned, there's 6 CRTs in the DS5000 (3 screens, 3 mirrors), so lots of video hardware needed.
DS6000 is less exotic, but nicer looking as its super System22

 

[Pinballgeek]

Mazda and Namco appear to have had a close relationship in the early 90's and came out with some cutting edge stuff. I had wondered in the past why they chose a MX5/Miata for the RR full scale

I think it boils down to the fact that they already had experience with an actual simulator with a partial full interior back in 1989 for the launch of the eunos roadster in japan at eunos dealerships that was based off winning run. By the looks of it, this preceded the DS5000 simulator.

Why re-invent the wheel

 

[Fantazia2]

Thats brilliant, it even has an opening door to get into it.

 

[rotunda]

Wow. God i love Namco haha they didn't mess around when doing cool stuff. That is brilliant. 1989 as well! Must of blown peoples mind back then.

They go onabout how ground breaking Ridge Racer was in terms of 3D graphics but i would argue this is even more impressive for the time. It's a shame this earlier stuff flys under the radar for the most part.

Absolutely epic stuff.

 

[John Bennett]

I hadn't realised that thing was at the dealers in 1989

. The Mazda link makes total sense now.

Jay - Winning Run was a big deal at the time and got a lot of acclaim, it's just been a bit forgotten since. Driver's Eyes is just Winning Run with 3 screens, so there would've been a lot of re-use going on with all these sims and games. Their 2D stuff was leading edge too (look at Assault on System2, 1988).

The frame rate was quite iffy on the early System21 games though (despite being the same 'system', the hardware behind the S21 games and simulators improved over the few years). MAME seems to make it look better than it actually was.

 

[aeroflott]

Hey gents. I've pulled together a post on the blog retelling this whole story. Enjoy:

https://bit.ly/3XdA6e9

And there's something of an update on the current situation at the end too.

Thanks for all the input and pics in this thread - they were invaluable in being able to recount the tale.

Cheers,

aeroflott2022-11-20 21:14:04

 

[John Bennett]

I approve, muchly

 

[Isgoed]

Nice -well put together- story, and easy to read

Also very cool to see the tachometer working, great!

Isgoed2022-11-20 22:01:00

 

[Flyback2021]

Brilliant post on the blog, really enjoyed reading and tied all the historical information together !
What a story, thanks to all involved in its continued preservation.

 

[rotunda]

What an absolutely fantastic write up on all of this. I went through a whole bunch of emotions from memories of being there with the machine setting records, to sadness of seeing it being taken down to anger at the state it some how got left in followed by complete relief and satisfaction that the ROM's are dumped and hopefully the machine will be back up and running in some capacity eventually.

God knows what the original 'owner' was thinking, perhaps his/her intentions were good but the project was too overwhelming... Who knows and honestly who really cares now. Like TT said in the blog.

End of the day, and this isn't trying to be big headed or anything like that at all but if i hadn't of found it and made light of the machine still being there after all those years (at the time no one knew as i asked literally everywhere, worldwide even for a location) then other arcade fans from here and elsewhere going to see it, making videos etc then it probably really would of been scrapped. Their Galaxian theatre they also had was scrapped with no chance of help it was just scrapped in a single day so in a way although the outcome isn't ideal it could of been much, much worse.

Big thanks to all those involved, a great outcome considering what could of otherwise been.

Also, fun fact: I have had word that this machine is actually the original one from the Trocadero in London which is featured in the video on this Arcade Blog write up. I tried to find where that one ended up years ago and it lead to a dead end. It would seem that it may have ended up in Blackpool. Not 100% on if this is true as it's word of mouth without evidence but it seems like it may very well be the actual machine from the Trocadero that still partially lives on today.

I'll leave you all with this, the ambiance and everything is very cool. Playing this machine in all it's glory was an absolute pleasure

https://www.twingalaxies.com/showthread.php/156258

jayrotunda2022-11-21 01:59:35

 

[rotunda]

Can't wait to (hopefully) drift this thing around again some day.

 

[_Matt_]

Also, fun fact: I have had word that this machine is actually the original one from the Trocadero in London which is featured in the video on this Arcade Blog write up. I tried to find where that one ended up years ago and it lead to a dead end. It would seem that it may have ended up in Blackpool. Not 100% on if this is true as it's word of mouth without evidence but it seems like it may very well be the actual machine from the Trocadero that still partially lives on today.

I'll leave you all with this, the ambiance and everything is very cool. Playing this machine in all it's glory was an absolute pleasure

https://www.twingalaxies.com/showthread.php/156258

Do you know roughly how long it was in the Trocadero because I'm sure I played the full scale in the arcade by the entrance to the pleasure beach around 1994? Although I can't be certain of the date.