New force feedback wheel to be released with GT4

E3 2003: Logitech's Debuts the Driving Force Pro
Sony and Logitech connect for a GT4-specialize steering wheel.

May 14, 2003 - Logitech officially announced its next-generation force feedback steering wheel today at E3. The Logitech Driving Force Pro, specifically designed to work with Polyphony Digital's Gran Turismo 4, wil debut at E3, and will be available at the game's launch.

"Our goal is to deliver the best driving experience yet for any console, with realism from beginning to end and a premium fit and finish," said Fred Swan, director of marketing for Logitech's Audio and Interactive Entertainment Business Unit. "And once again, we're happy to be working closely with Sony Computer Entertainment and Polyphony Digital to create a full-featured force feedback wheel, designed from the ground up over a period of nearly two years, in order to enhance the driving experience in Gran Turismo 4.

"We believe that this tempting combination of high tech circuitry and eye popping graphics will have gamers reaching for a seatbelt."

Logitech's wheel is designed to mimic the dynamic turning radius of performance streetcars and so the company has developed it to seamlessly turn a full 900 degrees (2.5 turns, lock-to-lock). The Logitech Driving Force previously was only able to turn 300 degrees or less. The Logitech Driving Force Pro wheel is compatible with previous games, thanks to its automatic legacy mode (which reverts to 200 degrees of rotation).

Additionally, the force feedback is stronger and more true-to-life. The solid, 10-inch wheel is covered with leather-textured black rubber. The aluminum center hub of the wheel features the GT logo. The right-side shift knob follows a design inspired by Italian performance cars, and for Formula-style racing fans, the wheel offers paddle shifters on the backside of the wheel. The wheel hub offers eight buttons, an on-board D-pad, Start, Select, and a dual clamping system to attach it to solid objects for stability.



Credit to www.ign.com

Still can't beat that Subaru GT4 cockpit.

Here is a pic of the new GT Force pro wheel from logitech.

damn, and i was planning on getting the MOMO Logitech wheel. The new wheel will definitely go for a high retail price.

I was having a bit of a think about this wheel this morning.

This will really add to the realism of the game, having a realistic number of turns lock to lock - I can just imagine coming down the hill at Monaco winding all of the lock on to make the left hander, and then unwinding it as you apply the power.

You'll have to completely relearn your Gran Turismo driving, as rather than just the little jink with the wheel to make corners, you'll now have put on the same lock as you would in a real car - and it would make catching slides, especially power slides coming out of tight corners, much more difficult - much like real life!

That said - the wheel is going to be pretty expensive, and I don't relish the prospect of shelling out my hard-earned for a wheel that I'm going to use for basically one game. At least with the GT-Force I got PC compatibility for my dollar, and I would doubt this would be PC compatible.

So - although I am excited about the wheel, I'm a bit divided over the dollar and cents aspect - well, that and justifying a second wheel to my partner....

The new wheel is simply amazing, 900 degress of rotation, so drifting in this will be great idea, and is seems to be (having owned a GT Force with GT3), or will be the best when it comes out.

Argh, if only I had a place to use a wheel! My crappy MadCatz rests on my lap whenever I try to use it.

I have a welder, access to steel, but no place to put a custom made cockpit .

Hearing this news.... I am so excited. I can't wait to get my hands on the wheel and start learning to drift again with a more relistic steering wheel...900 degrees of rotation. Its about time they decided to do this. They should have incorporated an asynchronous shifter rather than a sequentual shifter where it was exclusively ment for GT4. Like Gt4 should recognize the wheel and allow for asynchronous shifting....when I'm in 6 gear I want to drop it to 2nd gear with out tapping down four times... Maybe that would cost more....but it would be more realistic.

Quote:

Originally posted by vat_man
and I would doubt this would be PC compatible.

why would you say that? it would only make perfect sense to have it be PC compatible. Why lose out on all thos sales? Don't PC users want the most realism too? You can bet your ass that this wheel will be working for the PC, or at the very least, they will release a version for PC (more likely the first).

Quote:

Originally posted by BreakerOhio
They should have incorporated an asynchronous shifter rather than a sequentual shifter where it was exclusively ment for GT4. Like Gt4 should recognize the wheel and allow for asynchronous shifting....when I'm in 6 gear I want to drop it to 2nd gear with out tapping down four times... Maybe that would cost more....but it would be more realistic.

I think pro drivers actually go through every gear no? Maybe they will skip one or 2 but I think if you are in 6th a pro would heel and toe all the way down, like 6-4-3-2. Luckily GT always simulates a perfect heel and toe down shift. Or is it simulating a sequential gear box? I have never driven one, can anyone shed some more light on how they work and feel to drive? Like can you just instantly go from 3ed to 2nd smoothly with little or no input from the diver? Or will that cause a lot of stress on the drive train like in a regular transmission? Is there a computer that increases the revs of the engine to match revs on the downshift? I think the latter is the most likely, and it seems like that’s exactly what happens in GT3. So now I’m thinking that a sequential transmission is designed to simulate a perfect heel and toe downshift. I guess this is off topic

why do we always have to wait, will you guys like pay 150$ or more for the wheel and the game? i would but i have to kill my mom first to get the money or simply ask my dad

Quote:

Originally posted by Angel O'Death
why would you say that? it would only make perfect sense to have it be PC compatible. Why lose out on all thos sales? Don't PC users want the most realism too? You can bet your ass that this wheel will be working for the PC, or at the very least, they will release a version for PC (more likely the first).

I certainly hope so, and I'd be extremely surprised if they weren't working on something equivalent for the PC, particularly given the USB connectivity on both systems.

That said, this is a very different situation to the GT Force wheel, which I'm convinced was a run out 'Wingman Formula Force' wheel - much as I love the dear thing...

I suspect we might see the wheel launched with GT4 later this year (and who am I kidding - I'll buy it), with a PC version to follow sometime in 2004. With a bit of luck you might be able to score a download via the Logitech site to get the GT4 wheel to talk to your PC - we'll see. It seems Logitech and Sony have a fairly good relationship, and they probably shifted a lot of GT Force/Driving Force wheels for Logitech - this is probably developmental technology for Logitech, and what better place to try it out than on GT4?

Hey vat, would you happen to know how much it will cost?

No idea - I wouldn't be expecting change from $250 Australian.

So that's not too bad...it looks like it should be a rival for the Momo Force category then...I hope it's not as "bugged" as the current Logitech GT Force...(which i bought, hated and promptly returned).

Current one's the Driving Force - did it have the DS2 buttons on the face of the wheel?

Wont the Bundle cost like 150$??? (canadian)

The max I will pay for that bundle is $150. $40 for GT4 and $110 for the wheel. Seems fair to me. If they price it higher, I doubt it will sell, maybe for the hardcore, but the gaming industry is made of casual gamers in the majority like me.

maybe even 50 dollars for GT4 not $40

Quote:

Originally posted by Tercel_driver
The max I will pay for that bundle is $150. $40 for GT4 and $110 for the wheel. Seems fair to me. If they price it higher, I doubt it will sell, maybe for the hardcore, but the gaming industry is made of casual gamers in the majority like me.

I would be expecting the bundle to come out at $300 Australian, which would work out to around $150-175 US.

The wheel's a bit of an unknown - it's pretty leading edge stuff.