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I recently had an opportunity to visit Oidaiba (more info), which is a recently developed, futuristic business district in Tokyo. They have all kinds of neat stuff there, including the largest car showroom in the world (Mega Web). No suprise, but it's a Toyota Showroom that not only allows visitors to take test drives in most of the Toyota product line, it also features a special Gran Turismo ride.



The ride uses the Gran Turismo 4 graphics engine projected on a large movie screen. The audience sits in bucket racing seats, complete with seat belts which were actually really necessary!

I look like I'm missing a few chromosomes in this picture


When the ride started, the platform we were sitting on raised up a few feet and the screen was showing a driveby of Fuji International Speedway, using the GT4 engine, of course. Eventually, the race started and we were looking through a first person perspective of our race car. The seats violently moved about with every turn and gear shift. I am not one to get motion sick, but the movements were very convincing (and quite jarring). Our friend that accompanied us said he felt nauseous for the rest of the afternoon. I've been on a few rides like this before and this was definitely one of the most intense of it's kind. Best of all, the ride was free!

Other photos from Mega Web/Odaiba:

The Mega Web Toyota Showroom



This is as close as I could get to getting inside this racecar



The car of the future. You definitely don't want to hit an SUV in this thing.


Outside of the showroom, with giant ferris wheel in the background



Monorail!


They had this poor monkey performing (and even bowing) for the man


A nice shot of the Rainbow bridge from the Fuji TV building

Originally Posted by CheapyD The car of the future. You definitely don't want to hit an SUV in this thing.

That GT4 ride sounds sweet. Why does this look like that thing Mr. Garrison invented on South park.

Why aren't there ever pictures of Mrs. Cheapy?

Originally Posted by evanft Why aren't there ever pictures of Mrs. Cheapy?

cause he doesnt want dorky gamers hittin on his wife

Originally Posted by evanft Why aren't there ever pictures of Mrs. Cheapy?

There is no Mrs. Cheapy. Well there was but she died and now CheapyD dresses up like her and kills people that vist his hotel. That is why he shaved his eyebrows. God I'm weird.

Anyways those rides are lame. I perfer closed in, full motion ones like Star Tours.
Those ones are just lame because it is like sitting in a movie theater with your seat moving. Lame. Also I thought that monkey was really a kid at first.

Originally Posted by thorbahn3 There is no Mrs. Cheapy. Well there was but she died and now CheapyD dresses up like her and kills people that vist his hotel. That is why he shaved his eyebrows.

No she exsists...

I have a picture from there proposal..




What a magical night....

Do you or Mrs. Cheapy own a car? Is it one of those 2 cylinder cars. I saw lots of those in Nagoya.

That GT4 ride reminds me of this version of the original Ridge Racer called Ridge Racer Full Scale that they had.

It was the original Ridge Racer, but instead of a bucket seat in front of a 22" screen, you sat in what was basically a full-size Mazda Miata/Eunos Roadster, and the game was projected onto an 18 foot screen in front of you.

All the controls (wheel, brakes, throttle, clutch, etc) and the all of the dials (RPM, etc) were all fully functional, so you actually had to really drive that thing. The breaklights were functional, too. Even the A/C worked, by means of some fans.

Pic:


I wonder if there are any RR Full Scale set-ups still in operation somewhere? I really want to play it someday before I die.

Anyway, cool stuff, Cheapy.

Originally Posted by Lice No she exsists... I have a picture from there proposal.. What a magical night....

Were you hiding in the closet?

Originally Posted by maxg Do you or Mrs. Cheapy own a car? Is it one of those 2 cylinder cars. I saw lots of those in Nagoya.

No, but we both own bikes.

There's a picture of mine here (although I just got a threadless stem installed tonight to make the handlebars higher):
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...ad.php?t=75163

Originally Posted by CheapyD Monorail!

Well, sir, there's nothing on earth like a genuine, bona fide, electrified, 6-car Monorail!

Originally Posted by 1modernboy Well, sir, there's nothing on earth like a genuine, bona fide, electrified, 6-car Monorail!

Further proof I'm weird is that I know that is from a Simpsons episode. I even have the song on CD.

Mono- Doh!

Ah, memories! I visited Odaiba w/my wife a few years ago and Mega Web was one of the highlights. I wanted to take a test drive, but not only do you need an International driver's license (or a Japanese one of course), but you need to book an appointment in advance. Didn't have the GT4 exhibit there at the time. We did ride in a driverless/remote controlled car, though. Odaiba is definitely a must see, as that whole area amazing from an engineering point of view.