Factory PS3 Controller: How Far?

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tblood

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To start I've been a huge fan of this game ever since it first came out. After playing GT2 extensively, however, I took a break from the game and haven't played it much until recently. I got GT5 from a friend and decided to get back into it. I'm loving it so far but it seems that the tolerances for screwing up are quite a bit lower than they used to be.

My question is how far can I expect to get in this game using only the factory PS3 controller? I consider myself a solid driver. I usually get silver in all of the license tests on the first try and attain gold with a little effort put in, but would using a steering wheel get me that much better results. Are there now races or parts of the game that require the precision of using a steering wheel to get gold?

There are a couple of races that I can't seem to get gold in... The most frustrating is the Mercedes Driving School on even Intermediate and up... Even with hours put in and damn near perfection I feel limited to what times I can put up...
 
First, welcome aboard, tblood!

To answer; with the latest updates, PD introduced a Controller Sensitivity option, which goes some ways towards minimizing the gap between wheel and controller. Before it, the X2010 Challenge was practically impossible with a DS3; you'll see now that there are a handful of aliens that can manage it.

I myself was primarily a controller driver until about a year into GT4. I've played through the licenses and special events twice already; once with a wheel, and once without, and have managed full golds on both saves (with exception to the X2010 test, which has a silver at Suzuka on the first save, and hasn't been touched on the second). I'd say some of the last level of Nascar tests also heavily favour a wheel, but since I haven't tried it since the Sensitivity patch, I'm unsure.

Funnily enough, the Mercedes tests at the 'Ring have some of the highest margin for error; it's entirely possible to finish well over 5 seconds under the gold time. Just work on your corners, since the 'Ring is a long track, and it definitely takes a while to figure out the optimal lines. My tip for running in the wet, provided you use manual, is to short-shift; it minimizes wheelspin flourishes, which bleed away precious time.

Hope that helps 👍
 
Many people have completed all of the events with gold using the DS3, it's certaintly not easy but its quite achieveable. Seems that the controller sensitivity makes a big difference.
 
Yeah, you are going to need a wheel. The greatest example I can give you is the Daytona Track in Like the Wind or Sport Truck. When you're going around the turn you have to hold an incredibly tight line with very minute adjustments. If not you'll lose speed in the turn. You've gotta be an ace to do it with a controller.
 
I have a controller and a wheel and everyone says wheel is better but I suck with it lol so use the controller and it's not too bad as long as u change the setup to be R2 gas and L2 brake that way you get a lot more control over pressure
 
You can goldish nearly everything with the DS3. I know it, because i did it.

But at least 2 of the S.Vettel challenges going to pulverize your optimism you got through beating the whole a-Spec, licence & special events.
Maybe 1% can beat the challenge with the DS3, but you can order a wheel, beat the challenge & return the wheel. :sly:
 
I have golded everything with a DS3 apart from 2 Vettel challenges, and if I can get that far then anyone can. 👍
 
I find that I race worse on a wheel, and my configurement on the DS3 suits minute adjustments anyway.
 
i happily use a DS3 but admittedly haven't gone for golds in all special events yet so that could change, and i'm nowhere in the Seb Vettel Challenge, though only had a few goes.

Regarding the Jeff Gordon challenges though, someone offered some VERY good advice here a while back, when using a DS3 and presumably L3 to steer, push the stick all the way "up" then grind it around a little to the left and right to make those minute adjustments.

I was having all manner of problems with the one where you have to take the line between the cones and the outer wall, but once you get used to this method (you need to turn relatively tightly when you first hit the corner) you should have it in a few goes. Can't actually remember what colour trophy that was for though but it works :)

It might also work for the slalom tests too, though i suspect you would need to use more steering and would take too long to flip from left to right to left etc. using this "circular" route.
 
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tblood
To start I've been a huge fan of this game ever since it first came out. After playing GT2 extensively, however, I took a break from the game and haven't played it much until recently. I got GT5 from a friend and decided to get back into it. I'm loving it so far but it seems that the tolerances for screwing up are quite a bit lower than they used to be.

My question is how far can I expect to get in this game using only the factory PS3 controller? I consider myself a solid driver. I usually get silver in all of the license tests on the first try and attain gold with a little effort put in, but would using a steering wheel get me that much better results. Are there now races or parts of the game that require the precision of using a steering wheel to get gold?

There are a couple of races that I can't seem to get gold in... The most frustrating is the Mercedes Driving School on even Intermediate and up... Even with hours put in and damn near perfection I feel limited to what times I can put up...
Click to expand...

I can do anything in the game with a ds3 (all aids off except sr and abs1) except for golding the vettel challenges.
 
CJG21
I find that I race worse on a wheel, and my configurement on the DS3 suits minute adjustments anyway.
Click to expand...

the one time i had a wheel.. the first day i had it, i smashed the gas pedal so hard with my foot on an over eager throttle application that i broke it... NEVER again.. i remember what car i was driving too.. it was a torch red 2000 Z06, kind of gives a literal meaning to lead foot now doesnt it? i golded everything but the Jeff Gordon Challenges and S. Vettels with the DS3/Sixaxis (3 dualshocks and 3 Sixaxis).. youll be fine.. those two challenges are just not worth the time spent
 
HuygensHeroes
I'd say a good 10 yards if you've got the wind at your back!
Click to expand...

Haha. When I went from the corded PS2 dualshock to the cordless PS3 DS3, suddenly a lot more breakable stuff became in range.

I use a wheel and I still have trouble getting golds on everything, but for me the wheel does help. I thought the biggest help was being able to modulate the brakes and throttle, but maybe making small steering changes is easier too.

Try using the new steering sensitivity and see if that helps before thinking you "need" a wheel.

I am not 100% sure, but I thing the steering sensitivity can help with a wheel also, would make those hairpins on Eiger Nordwand a lot easier.
 
I started playing GT5 only with a wheel but it was still taking some getting used to, especially in terms of steering. Sadly I simply cannot do drastic changes in steering with a wheel yet, it feels very confusing and I'm not a dirver in real life so there's years of experience I don't have. With a controller however I have far superior steering control, very quick and very precise, I can do exactly what I want to do. The only problem is I then have pretty poor accelerator and braking control because the triggers on the Dual Shock controllers are just horrible. If I could hook up a 360 pad through to my PS3 I believe I would be bloody brilliant at this game, I have the fine delicate analogue stick control that a lot of others seem to lack (it's just a matter of finesse, far too many people are clackers whacking the stick left and right, but it really can be used precisely ;). Hopefully it's something that can be resolved in a later PS console, lol.
 
Okay, had a day off today and decided to try a few of the Special Events again I only managed to silver so far a while ago, after golding the Grand Tour Toscana rally (Ford Focus) challenge yesterday evening (just to see how far I was still off...) which gave me some confidence as they were quite daunting for me before (or so I thought...).
I'd already golded the licenses within a few days after I got the game last November but after trying the Special Events I managed to gold most of them within weeks apart from the AMG Nürburgring-events and 3 of the Grand Tour events (not even achieved Bronze yet on the Vettel challenges but now they're next in line, not looking forward to this....) and then decided to try them later on and focus on other things in GT5.

I managed to somehow gold all AMG Nürburgring and both the Grand Tour 8C/Eiger and Murcielago/Toscana challenges this afternoon, and they weren't as hard as I imagined them to be after all this time, might be that they're easier since several updates, might be that the new controller sensitivity option plays a huge role in this or that I'm actually starting to learn something from playing GT5 way too much.
Anyhow, apart from the Vettel challenge so far you can get pretty far in GT5 with the regular DS3 controller and that's coming from someone who isn't the fastest driver here by quite a margin and who still uses the D-pad directional buttons to steer (yeah I know, never got used to those analog sticks, ironic no doubt with my username ;)).
 
Got gold on everything with DS3, except for X2010 (but I think I can do it, just haven't tried enough) and the last three endurances (just because I haven't got the time for it atm)
 
I've only played GT5 a couple of times with the controller. I only use it to navigate through the menus, and my G27 for driving.

analog
(yeah I know, never got used to those analog sticks, ironic no doubt with my username ;)).
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I was in the same boat I hated driving with the left stick and I was always better with the D-pad. Weird thing is I drive better now with the stick.
 

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