Do you use a steering wheel controller?

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DJAbacus

DJAbacus

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DJAbacus
Seriously considering getting a steering wheel with gear stick and pedals etc. but would love to get some opinions from the community first.

If you do use a steering wheel etc. and you think its excellent value whether cheap or expensive please could you post about it. Happy to spend £200 if it's 'the dog's bollocks' but if I can get an almost perfect set up for less than £100 that may be the way forward.

Thanks in advance for helping me out here!
 
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I use a G25.

If your looking for a cheap wheel, you can't go past the Logitech Driving Force GT.
 
I've been using the controller for quite a few years, got a G27 about three weeks ago and I love it. It is expensive and takes a bit of practise, but a very good investment if your into racing games. I've even throw Dirt2 back in the console and it's made that 10x better aswell.
 
ViLLaiN
ps3_dualshock3_black_usa.jpg
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I don't use the controller for the racing. I just use it for photo mode. However, if I wanted to use a controller, I'd use a better one.

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  • Natural left-stick placement
  • Ergonomic grips
  • Concave triggers

The only thing it doesn't fix is the ridiculous, impractical naming of the face buttons (Square, Circle, Triangle, Ex/Cross), but that wouldn't work so well because games would still reference the shapes rather than letters.
 
get a wheel, because all the physics and feel hardly matters when you don't have a wheel.
 
I just received my DFGT yesterday. I looked at the G25 and G27 but the extra cost wasn't justifiable (to me or the mrs!), particularly as I am not using a dedicated seat stand setup.

I was surprised by the quality; the steering unit feels solid and pretty well built and the force feedback motors are pretty strong, if a little noisey (my cats freak out each time it initialises itself!). The ergonomics of the buttons on the front of the wheel are OK though the start button could be better placed (or assignable) for quick pauses. I'm not a huge fan of the rocker switches for gear changes on the reverse of the wheel, they are more like a PDK system than a true paddle system, but they are passable. The gear selector is only sequential (and on the wrong side for me) but works OK. I am currently trying to get used to the rocker switches so I have the gear selector currently set to handbrake and reverse instead! :dopey:

The pedal system is a little more flimsy feeling than the wheel unit, the plastic base is pretty light weight and the pedals don't feel 100% robust. I'll be keeping more of an eye on this unit than the wheel unit.

It took me awhile to find a decent position (for me and the unit itself) but eventually found a setup that works. The pedals are on the carpet but pushed against a board (that in turn sits against the coffee table legs) so they can't move backwards under frisky braking (hitting full on the brakes at the end of a straight and suddenly finding my pedals are out of reach of my legs is no fun!). The wheel itself is clamped onto a WII balance board (much to mrs Ted's annoyance) and then the balance board is sitting on the coffee table with a couple of heavy books balanced on it.

Not perfect but good enough so that it works and can be quickly tidied away to ensure continued matrimonial harmony. I like the wheel but I don't want to end up sleeping with it!.

First couple of races I was AWFUL and it took a few more races to get the settings right (despite the limited adjustments possible!). After a couple of hours racing on it I am still 1 - 2 seconds a lap slower than with a DS3 but I am getting used to it. I can already feel that when I have 'got it' I will be quicker than with the DS3 but more importantly to me, the enjoyment and interaction levels are already much higher.

Loving it so far and I hope the long term ownership experience is just as positive. 👍
 
Iv got the DFGT and really like it. Last time I had a wheel, it was for the sega Saturn lol.

I thought the pedals were ok, ESP with the anti slip carpet gripper underneath.

Iv always used a controller but when it came to the FGT championship, I was too slow to keep up. So I bought the wheel. I also used the wheel for the X1 challenge.

Only things iv changed us force feed back to 1, and reverse to the gear knob (up shift), alot easier to reverse the pressing triangle on the wheel while turning.
 
Ive got the DFGT and at first I didnt like it because I was rubbish, but then I realised you just need alot of practice. And now I love using it, so much better than the sixaxis and its more fun.
 
IceMan PJN
The only thing it doesn't fix is the ridiculous, impractical naming of the face buttons (Square, Circle, Triangle, Ex/Cross), but that wouldn't work so well because games would still reference the shapes rather than letters.
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whats wrong with square, circle, triangle, cross

better than x y z a b c d e
 
DFGT for good weekend race sessions and a DS3 for late night jaunts. And Bob.
 
I've been dying to get a wheel for a month and I can't find any in this damn country! Shipping alone would double the price of a G27 so ordering it is out of question.

I should leave this country and move back to civilization soon -.-
 
I use the Logitech Driving Force GT for all of my PS3 racing games and for the PC. A wheel is a must have in my opinion. :)
 
I really recommend the Driving force GT and wheelstand pro as a set-up. It is a relatively inexpensive rig, stable, and easy to put away when need. Your enjoyment of the game can only improve with the wheel.
 
G25 and WSP...................Well worth the investment to me.
 
I no this has been answered somewhere and I just searched and couldnt find anything (searching on the iPad isnt very good) but when I drive the X2010 with the Driving Force GT the wheel shakes like mad, is there a way to stop this?
Thanks.
 
Turn the force feedback down

In the games options. DFGT comes at default 5.
 
Iv got mine set at one too.
I did the X1 challenge on setting 1 and found it ok. Try a death grip on The wheel lol
 
puppy1985
Iv got mine set at one too.
I did the X1 challenge on setting 1 and found it ok. Try a death grip on The wheel lol
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Haha Ive tried that but it gets tiring, does the steering type matter? At the moment ive got it on amateur.
 
Don't think it applies to the DFGT, but mines set on pro.

I also have power steering on.
 
puppy1985
Don't think it applies to the DFGT, but mines set on pro.

I also have power steering on.
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Oh I had power steering off, i'll see if it works with it on.
 
DJAbacus
Seriously considering getting a steering wheel with gear stick and pedals etc. but would love to get some opinions from the community first.

If you do use a steering wheel etc. and you think its excellent value whether cheap or expensive please could you post about it. Happy to spend £200 if it's 'the dog's bollocks' but if I can get an almost perfect set up for less than £100 that may be the way forward.

Thanks in advance for helping me out here!
Click to expand...

So I've been playing Gran Turismo since 1 came out with the playstation controller. I'm one of those people who has to gold all the license tests and have gotten quite good with the dual shock.

I'm older now and have money to buy a wheel, so a couple of weeks after GT5 came out, I bought a wheel. I had already been playing GT5 for a couple of weeks and had golded all the licenses I think through IB on the controller.

The first day I got the wheel, I thought it was awful. I couldn't do as well as I could on a controller. Not even close. I just did some fun races with cars that I like in A-spec to try to get a feel for it.

The next day, I was more comfortable with the wheel and was golding most of the IA licenses with it.

By the third day, I couldn't live without the wheel and can now never go back to the controller.

For the record, I use a G27 with auto tranny. I'm planning to move to paddle shifters soon.

A wheel turns GT into a completely different experience. It's 1000x more fun and immersive. I can feel when my back wheels start sliding the tiniest bit and I can make nuanced steering and throttle adjustments. If you're going to put in the time (to get your money's worth) and are pretty big into racing games, it's absolutely worth it. Plus, it makes golding the Vettel challenges somewhat easy.
 
It didnt work, I guess im just going to have use the DS3 when I use the X1.
:nervous:
 
Could be faulty a wheel. I found the X1 really east to drive with a wheel.
 
puppy1985
Could be faulty a wheel. I found the X1 really east to drive with a wheel.
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When your going in a straight line (with any car) and let go of the steering wheel, does your wheel move on its own?
 
Yeah. I have to keep hold otherwise it wobbles then spins out. ESP at high speeds
 
Thanks for all your replies. Some really good honest reviews and on the back of them I am going for go for the DFGT wheel as it seems a solid product at a decent price. Of course I really fancy a Thrustmaster T500 RS + GameRacer Pro Driving Simulator...but what can you do...

I have heard using a wheel is hard at first but you get used to it after several hours and its all about the feel and fun of racing a car so in the end it was a no-brainer. DFGT it is. It's my birthday this year anyhow...

:gtpflag:
 
I've been using this old Driving Force wheel with only paddle shifts from PS2 (it's that blue-gripped one in the menu that you say to yourself, what the hell is THAT?). But it seems to have some compatability issues. For one it doesn't calibrate, you have to sort of manually fiddle with it and it gets off center. Otherwise I like it but I have a feeling the realistic feel is not there for FF in this older model. It's more of an arcady bump and grind kind of wheel. I wonder is the new GT wheel a huge upgrade ($150 worth)? I wanted the G25 so bad for the clutch pedal and shift knob but it's just so much money...

EDIT: I'd also considered the MOMO wheel but it seems to not have the turning radius of the GT one (though similarly priced). Although I like the detachable shifter that can be switched sides for left/right driver side cars. Also don't know how realistic the FF is versus the GT for this one.
 
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