The whole world has access to a racing game for how many years and NO ONE tried going backwards from the starting line? Absolute garbage. I know it's a cliche to say the book was better than the film, but seriously, there's dumbing down and then there's just taking the absolute piss.
shareYou're right, and other writers have pointed out the same issue.
With any such game, driving backwards would be one of the first things players try. I still marvel at some of the glitches and easter eggs players have found in mainstream video games.
It could be that the player would have to have accessed that particular "memory" from Halliday's library before the race would "allow" him to win by driving backwards. Problem is, there's nothing to suggest the other "high five" players did the same. Too bad, it would've fit with the "Willy Wonka" theme of the entire egg-hunt, i.e., the winner must be able to truly understand Halliday's mindset and regrets.
Yeah someone might have driven backwards, but then again they might have not reversed the race.
Or they could have had a car with a jet engine and flew over Kong.
Or they could have used the weapon that kills NPC's and such.
etc etc
I was more interested in the fact that so many people were avid 2600 players, even if it was part of Halliday's interests which people studied.
Maybe no one tried going full speed in reverse. I'm sure others have turned around and driven behind the starting line, but with no results.
share"Maybe no one tried going full speed in reverse"
Actually that's a very good point. Driving backwards likely wouldn't work, nor would turning around. Halliday wanted the winner to "put the pedal to the metal" while going backwards.
It's still difficult for me, as a VERY casual gamer, to believe NO one tried that before, but your idea does make it a bit easier to accept.
It's just one of those movie fictions we have to accept, like pistol silencers that go "phyoot" and cars that explode the instant they go off-road.
"Cars that explode the instant they go off-road"
LOL
Or the guy who just got done brawling with a half-dozen thugs, took a few crowbars to the face or whatever...now wincing in pain as the heroine dabs at a wound above his eyebrow.
no one would try that because they will crash into the wall and possibly die, only those that get the clue would attempt it as it make no sense for anyone to risk their 'lives' trying to ram the wall backwards.
shareI actually think the opposite is true
In this movie-world, video game death is “real” in the sense that you lose everything your character has earned up to that point. It’s like old style Super Mario games in that sense.
So, at first glance, you’re right. “Death” carries more consequence in this world than in standard console games today.
BUT
This particular race is demonstrably LETHAL and has been for some time. No one enters the race without accepting the near-certainty of their videogame avatar’s death.
Driving in reverse at a wall is, in that respect, just one more desperate trick to try in lieu of facing a T.Rex or King Kong (again and again)