Roads in Video Games

[WichitaRoads]

I was watching some game play of this, and I SWORE I saw a doghouse signal or two...

ICTRds

[realjd]

I was watching some game play of this, and I SWORE I saw a doghouse signal or two...

ICTRds

No doghouse signals. Instead they do it in the Australian style which is like a doghouse but with a second red light segment, so a 3x2 configuration.

The crazy Scottish folks designing the game did a good job with signage. It's all accurate, except for the fact that they misunderstood yellow diamond arrow signs; they use them to indicate turn only lanes.

[Zeffy]

Bump. I just recently started playing NFS: Hot Pursuit which I got for free because I purchased a new HDD for my Xbox 360 since my other one shit the brick a few months ago...

Anyway, this game has great roads. I'm guessing it takes place in California / the west coast, because I've seen quite a few California route shields in the game. What I found interesting, was that EA used Clearview on their road signs. As much as I'm a Clearview hater, it's a refreshing step up from the crap that you usually find on roads in video games. Here's some pics:

Danger: Large Images below. Click at your own risk!













Interestingly enough, it looks like the kerning on the Clearview resembles the OTF version of the Roadgeek 2005 fonts... 

[Kacie Jane]

Oh god... Even though they used legitimate fonts, I fail to see how a single one of those could be considered a refreshing step up.

Except maybe the last one, which looks like it uses Clearview for positive contrast and Highway Gothic for negative contrast. But why on earth is it white?

[roadfro]

And the first photo has some terrible kerning issues in a couple signs. "ld" in Boulder Road, for example.

[PColumbus73]

In Need for Speed Rivals, there are a few signs that belong in the 'Worst of Road Signs' thread

[KG909]

Would Call of Duty Black Ops II count even if it's not the game but an emblem? If so:

Now that I'm remembering I think there's a few I-10 and I-5 shields in the campaign.

[adventurernumber1]

I have NFS Most Wanted U (for the Wii U). It does have some pretty good roads, and an Interstate 92 that serves as a beltway for the Fairhaven area. One gripe I have though is its small striping flawls. On many of the multi-lane roads and Interstate 92, they use yellow striping not only for the striping on the left side of a bound, like usual, but also on the right side, which is supposed to be white striping. But nonetheless, NFS has some nice roads, and some realistic signs.

[KG909]

I have NFS Most Wanted U (for the Wii U). It does have some pretty good roads, and an Interstate 92 that serves as a beltway for the Fairhaven area. One gripe I have though is its small striping flawls. On many of the multi-lane roads and Interstate 92, they use yellow striping not only for the striping on the left side of a bound, like usual, but also on the right side, which is supposed to be white striping. But nonetheless, NFS has some nice roads, and some realistic signs.

That's what I hate in GTA V on the freeways in the city. The line is yellow on the right as well.

[lalarobinson21]

Left 4 Dead 2 starts up in Savannah, GA.  The font actually looks better than Georgia's obsession to use Series D, but the numerals on I-16 looks awful...  Also, I think Macon is the control city, since I-16 doesn't actually go to Atlanta.

Can you update the link on this one? coz I don't see a picture on my end.  And by the way, roads in video games never really do justice to the real ones IMO.   

[Zeffy]

Can you update the link on this one? coz I don't see a picture on my end.  And by the way, roads in video games never really do justice to the real ones IMO.   

I have a pic I took of it from the PC version:



FWIW, I believe that the font used is Interstate - the numerals in the Interstate shield, which may be the wrong weight definitely resemble the FHWA ones, which Interstate is a "for non-roadsign usage" font based off of the FHWA series.

[KEK Inc.]

Most commercial adaptations use interstate.  The only one I'm not sure of is chevron. 

The tv show archer uses interstate, but I do appreciate the effort they go through.


iPhone

[lalarobinson21]

Can you update the link on this one? coz I don't see a picture on my end.  And by the way, roads in video games never really do justice to the real ones IMO.   

I have a pic I took of it from the PC version:



FWIW, I believe that the font used is Interstate - the numerals in the Interstate shield, which may be the wrong weight definitely resemble the FHWA ones, which Interstate is a "for non-roadsign usage" font based off of the FHWA series.

Thanks. Seeing it now.    You're right, font has to be Interstate.

[SignGeek101]

Another shot from Last of Us. Nice sign, seen in a cutscene when the characters are driving to Pittsburgh. Excellent for a game, except for the series F in "242 Miles". 



I remade the sign in the way the game did it.



Cutscene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owfowDtFNQE Skip to around 1:35.

[vtk]

I don't think that's series F.  I think it's probably a variant of Interstate with the width of series F and the weight of (or slightly bolder than) E(M).  And the destination legend is in that font too – note the wider letterforms, especially g and h, and the reduced interletter spacing compared to E(M).

[adventurernumber1]

I've been playing Diddy Kong Racing DS this morning, a very nostalgic and classic game of mine. I have not played it in a while, and I just noticed this, but on the course Star City, in the downtown section, the road looks like this: https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/127322363@N08/15491526926/

Yet some more striping flaws, lol, where both edge stripes are yellow instead of the left edge stripe being yellow, with the right one white. But nonetheless, this is a great racing game, and a nostalgic favorite of mine. I've had it since 2007 (it was actually my first game that came with my first DS). Also, I tend to find the music in the game catchy, and in my opinion, it's far, far, faaaaaar better than most music you'd hear on te radio today, and that makes me laugh out loud.

[KG909]

I just started playing some The Last of Us
First signs:
I-183, Texas Farm Road XXXX, and some others

I-74

I-90

I-93

Another I-93

[Zzonkmiles]

I don't have any pictures, but the instruction manual for The Adventures of Bayou Billy for the original Nintendo references Interstate 10. It's actually one of the levels in the game, maybe Level 4, with oil slicks and helicopters and everything.

Fallout 3 for the PS3 MIGHT have some road references and signs, but I haven't explored enough of the game yet to find out.

Also, seeing that I-55 "WEST" sign made my eyes hurt. The I-16 sign with "Atlanta" as a control city was cute. Heck, I've never been there, but maybe the westernmost stretches of I-16 westbound DO use Atlanta as a control city. But I thought it was only Macon and Savannah for the duration.

I'll give the game designers credit for trying.

[freebrickproductions]

I just started playing some The Last of Us
First signs:
I-183, Texas Farm Road XXXX, and some others

I-74

I-90

I-93

Another I-93

Since when did Texas transplant itself to the northeastern US??

[Bruce]

Since when did Texas transplant itself to the northeastern US??

The opening cutscene of the game takes place in Austin, TX, before the main plot begins.

[KG909]

I just started playing some The Last of Us
First signs:
I-183, Texas Farm Road XXXX, and some others

I-74

I-90

I-93

Another I-93

Since when did Texas transplant itself to the northeastern US??

Starts off in Austin, fast forwards 20 years later to the Northeast

[SignGeek101]

I just started playing some The Last of Us
First signs:
I-183, Texas Farm Road XXXX, and some others

I believe that's supposed to be US 183, since that goes through Austin and I-183 doesn't exist. If that were real, that would be in the erroneous road signs thread   

Also could be farm road 1325 (if it's 4 digits). I believe the beginning of the game takes place near I-35 as in the "backseat car" scene, they show a BGS with a I-35 shield on it.

Google Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/oHke0

[KG909]

I just started playing some The Last of Us
First signs:
I-183, Texas Farm Road XXXX, and some others

I believe that's supposed to be US 183, since that goes through Austin and I-183 doesn't exist. If that were real, that would be in the erroneous road signs thread   

Also could be farm road 1325 (if it's 4 digits). I believe the beginning of the game takes place near I-35 as in the "backseat car" scene, they show a BGS with a I-35 shield on it.

Google Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/oHke0

Yeah I thought it was another type of route lol. And I couldn't see the farm road signs because they were driving fast

[Darkchylde]

Here's another couple entries from the Need For Speed series, specifically Need For Speed World.



They got the direction right that time! Too bad that the road the arrow guides you to is nothing like an Interstate.



Also, say hello to an old friend.

[TheStranger]

Pewdiepie recently played this motorcycle racing game, Road Redemption...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFX29IZ_M0Q&list=UU-lHJZR3Gqxm24_Vd_AJ5Yw

with a couple of rather familiar signs for those who have driven anywhere near San Francisco International Airport: