Rideshare Stimulator has finally gotten a genAI disclosure on Steam after a furore, with Saber's CEO insisting that it's "swim or die" with genAI at large.
I read the article just to confirm this wasn’t a The Onion article. I understand there are games that simulate work like farming and even powerwashing. Even though I don’t play those, I can mildly see the appeal as you’re creating something (farming) or making something better than it was before (powerwashing). However, I see zero appeal for a game that simulates gig work like ridesharing. Can someone explain it to me, or have I reach a pivotal “too old” moment in my life?
there’s a certain poetry to someone making an uncritical game about a technology meant to cheat drivers out of a fair wage using a technology meant to cheat other disciplines out of a fair wage. the venn diagram of people who would make a game about this and make a game with AI is probably just a circle
Euro truck simulator is the closest game I’ve played in that genre. Sometimes I just want to do something with my hands and turn my brain off for a while, and playing a “boring” game is pretty good for that. Think of it like watching re-runs of familiar shows. Sometimes I play House Flipper as well, literally just painting walls and mowing the lawn lol
Love ETS2, but if you’re not playing it in VR, you’re missing about 50% of the game. I spend most of my time rubbernecking at the scenery. It’s so pretty.
I’m hoping to get a VR set at some point, but I’ve heard it’s difficult to get working on Linux so I’ve been putting it off. Maybe once the steam frame exists. I looked at the Valve index but it currently costs $4,000 in my country which is insane lol
Crazy Taxi (and Simpsons: Road Rage") were largely about driving poorly, crashing into things, and performing automobile jumps that would be considered suicidal if done for real. It was a fantasy driving game with the taxi business as the thinnest excuse to be driving. Unless I’ve drastically mistaken what Rideshare Simulator is, I don’t think Crazy Taxi example is applicable.
I’d say Space Taxi and Crazy Taxi had equal amounts of relevance to the taxi industry in the sense that they were an excuse to fly/drive in fantasy settings instead of an actual business simulator.
Fair enough. I admit, as someone who can’t drive IRL, I like things like Slow Roads too, or other driving sims that are generally not fantasy - just ‘cozy’ experiences.
I wouldn’t necessarily mind a ride-sharing or road trip simulator with decent dialogue or something like procedural generation for the passengers. But it’s also something I would never pay money toward.
Fair enough. I admit, as someone who can’t drive IRL, I like things like Slow Roads too, or other driving sims that are generally not fantasy - just ‘cozy’ experiences.
When I was forming my original question, I did consider an audience this might appeal to for those that couldn’t drive (for whatever reason). I appreciate you sharing your POV on this.
I always considered Rideshare driving as the opposite of relaxing because of the physical dangers to drivers as well as the stress the drivers have from trying to make their money against rising fuel costs, insurance costs, and competion from platforms forcing down fare rates. Perhaps the Rideshare game masks all of these elements of the actual rideshare business and simply presents it as a task/goal game with a social aspect which would be far more appealing.
It would absolutely become too much if the costs were involved, or the hyperactive nature of the apps was there. It’d be a great criticism of the industry though.
I read the article just to confirm this wasn’t a The Onion article. I understand there are games that simulate work like farming and even powerwashing. Even though I don’t play those, I can mildly see the appeal as you’re creating something (farming) or making something better than it was before (powerwashing). However, I see zero appeal for a game that simulates gig work like ridesharing. Can someone explain it to me, or have I reach a pivotal “too old” moment in my life?
there’s a certain poetry to someone making an uncritical game about a technology meant to cheat drivers out of a fair wage using a technology meant to cheat other disciplines out of a fair wage. the venn diagram of people who would make a game about this and make a game with AI is probably just a circle
Euro truck simulator is the closest game I’ve played in that genre. Sometimes I just want to do something with my hands and turn my brain off for a while, and playing a “boring” game is pretty good for that. Think of it like watching re-runs of familiar shows. Sometimes I play House Flipper as well, literally just painting walls and mowing the lawn lol
Love ETS2, but if you’re not playing it in VR, you’re missing about 50% of the game. I spend most of my time rubbernecking at the scenery. It’s so pretty.
I’m hoping to get a VR set at some point, but I’ve heard it’s difficult to get working on Linux so I’ve been putting it off. Maybe once the steam frame exists. I looked at the Valve index but it currently costs $4,000 in my country which is insane lol
Crazy Taxi.
Crazy Taxi (and Simpsons: Road Rage") were largely about driving poorly, crashing into things, and performing automobile jumps that would be considered suicidal if done for real. It was a fantasy driving game with the taxi business as the thinnest excuse to be driving. Unless I’ve drastically mistaken what Rideshare Simulator is, I don’t think Crazy Taxi example is applicable.
Fifteen years before Crazy Taxi, we had Space Taxi for the Commodore 64:
I’d say Space Taxi and Crazy Taxi had equal amounts of relevance to the taxi industry in the sense that they were an excuse to fly/drive in fantasy settings instead of an actual business simulator.
Fair enough. I admit, as someone who can’t drive IRL, I like things like Slow Roads too, or other driving sims that are generally not fantasy - just ‘cozy’ experiences.
I wouldn’t necessarily mind a ride-sharing or road trip simulator with decent dialogue or something like procedural generation for the passengers. But it’s also something I would never pay money toward.
When I was forming my original question, I did consider an audience this might appeal to for those that couldn’t drive (for whatever reason). I appreciate you sharing your POV on this.
I always considered Rideshare driving as the opposite of relaxing because of the physical dangers to drivers as well as the stress the drivers have from trying to make their money against rising fuel costs, insurance costs, and competion from platforms forcing down fare rates. Perhaps the Rideshare game masks all of these elements of the actual rideshare business and simply presents it as a task/goal game with a social aspect which would be far more appealing.
It would absolutely become too much if the costs were involved, or the hyperactive nature of the apps was there. It’d be a great criticism of the industry though.
Microsoft flight simulator