AAC At The Races

Quick, what does a race car track and the AAC have in common? Like most people, you probably thought, “not much.” But as AAC Assistant Chief Thomas Aker has been quoted as saying, “Racing, like flying is about reflexes and acting quickly.” So we thought ok, “Start your engines!”

We all lined up with AAC hover bikes which are part of the members pack available to AAC members. The first race was riding the bikes in Hover Mode; forward, backward, left and right keys, pretty straight forward controls, yet this didn’t stop people smashing headlong into walls! Michel Rosenstrauch reached the finishing line first.

We were told the next race would use the same bike, “ah, no problemo” we thought, but there was a catch… we had to use Flight Mode. Ok, click the bike, select flight mode… Ahhhh! What the hell just happened to my camera, it’s swaying side to side like the effect you have when you walk off a roundabout! Oh yes, we could hear the giggling coming from the Assistant Chiefs direction.

Once we got the camera to settle a bit and had a few practice laps, it was to the race track again and we were off, literally for some people. Off the track, out of the track, into the wall or upside down! We were fighting with the controls all the way round, battling just to keep it straight, at a decent height and not aim for the concrete slab in front of you. Now I know what Thomas was saying about controls. Some people did tame the beast somewhat and Snapper Desade managed to somehow get his bike home quicker than anyone else.

But if you thought the event was over, then you were mistaken. There was one more trick up AAC’s sleeve. NASCAR®. Yep that’s right, racing round in a NASCAR-style Stock Car! No straight forward driving mind you, these cars had gears and the controls were as sensitive as a newborns belly button!

We lined up in our shiny Stock Cars and tried navigating our way round the track at high speed. From reports we heard, one person went a bit too far and the car ended up flipping out of the course and into the next sim (let’s be grateful there were no passengers). It soon became obvious this was Mr Akers domain as he streaked home ahead of all of us.

The racing track seems a popular addition to the AAC arsenal and should be finding its way into their rezzers very soon.