How necessary is buying the steering wheel?

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barrett14

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I apologize if this has been discussed, but how much performance or time do you gain in this game racing with the steering wheel as opposed to the controller? Is it one of those things where after you try it you never want to go back?

Thanks for any info!
 
It depends. For me it's more of a "fun" thing than a performance thing, but I think once you get GOOD with a wheel, you get better at racing games like GT. And once you get a nice wheel set up, yes, it's tough to go back.
 
A wheel adds a "fun" factor, especially if you get a wheel with a clutch and shifter. It adds to the realism of playing a driving/racing simulator. A wheel does give you some advantange when it comes to throttle and braking as it is far more controllable than with a controller. A wheel does take some practice to get used to especially after using a controller. Once used to a wheel you will most likely never go back to a controller!
 
I have to agree with JSWilli1. It adds fun factor and is a progressive satge, but once you use one, you won't go back.
 
Im faster with the wheel mainly because I drive manual gears something I dont find easy with a joypad. I waited to buy a wheel though till I had a cockpit to mount it on. Ive used ones before that belonged to freinds and unless you have a decent mounting they are worse than useless.

As people have said its the fun / realism factor. I bought my wheel setup after I outgrew / couldnt afford to run a track day car anymore. Its a much more realistic way of driving fast cars on tracks.

As others have said if you do switch and get set up you will never go back. My freinds play Forza on Xbox. Since Ive got the G25 set up I often refuse to play Forza since I would have to use a pad or swap the wheels over.
 
I agree with the comments above. My suggestion is that you start with a lower cost wheel, for example the Logitech Driving Force GT, which you can get for less than $100. If you really like it, and want to upgrade, then you can look at a Fanatec wheel or the new Thrustmaster that is coming out in a few days for GT 5.

A wheel has become a necessity for me for any simulation racing game.
 
Zero7159
I agree with the comments above. My suggestion is that you start with a lower cost wheel, for example the Logitech Driving Force GT, which you can get for less than $100. If you really like it, and want to upgrade, then you can look at a Fanatec wheel or the new Thrustmaster that is coming out in a few days for GT 5.

A wheel has become a necessity for me for any simulation racing game.
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That's what I did, I bought a DFGT and used is for 3 months and purchased a G25. The only disadvantage to doing that is now I have two wheels since I didn't sell the DFGT. The other disadvantage of doing that is the button layout between the various wheels. If you do the DFGT and get used to it and go to another wheel then you have to "train" (muscle memory) yourself on the new wheel setup. It is all dependent on your budget and what you want to spend also if you play alot of driving games then a wheel may be worth the investment.
 
jswilli1
That's what I did, I bought a DFGT and used is for 3 months and purchased a G25. The only disadvantage to doing that is now I have two wheels since I didn't sell the DFGT. The other disadvantage of doing that is the button layout between the various wheels. If you do the DFGT and get used to it and go to another wheel then you have to "train" (muscle memory) yourself on the new wheel setup. It is all dependent on your budget and what you want to spend also if you play alot of driving games then a wheel may be worth the investment.
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Another down side is wheels are at a premium price right now...Big releases like GT5 push the price up....I paid £170 for my wheel (G25 new) GB pounds...I checked E-bay earlier today (looking for a broken one) and the good ones are selling for £200 upwards (thats a G25)...Its the same with Cockpit rigs...I payed £280 for a game racer the same is now selling for over £400...I bought these a few years ago but even so they are big price hikes. You might wanna wait a month or 2...Get your teeth into the game...Then if you still wanna play serious spend some cash..I think the prices may have dropped a bit then????
 
barrett14
I apologize if this has been discussed, but how much performance or time do you gain in this game racing with the steering wheel as opposed to the controller? Is it one of those things where after you try it you never want to go back?

Thanks for any info!
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It's not that after you try it you will never go back, but after you get use to it and get good at it you will never go back. After getting use to a wheel I have never spent more the a few turns on a racing game without using a wheel.

There is a learning curve that takes some time. I hadn't played any racing games in a few months when I got my first one so it only took me an hour or so, but if you are playing alot of GT5 right now then the wheel might take a little while to get use to.
 
bevo
It's not that after you try it you will never go back, but after you get use to it and get good at it you will never go back. After getting use to a wheel I have never spent more the a few turns on a racing game without using a wheel.

There is a learning curve that takes some time. I hadn't played any racing games in a few months when I got my first one so it only took me an hour or so, but if you are playing alot of GT5 right now then the wheel might take a little while to get use to.
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Took me about a week to get used to driving the wheel with manual gears...I guess im just a slow learner.

At first I got into the G25 H shifter with clutch....The shifter is sloppy and the clutch is noisey if you have other people in the house (Mines upstairs on a hollow wooden floor)...I drive with the paddle shift mostly these days and love it.

I will agree there is a learning curve but for me it was a lot longer than 1 hour before I was faster with the wheel....I havent played with a pad in some time but when I had transition times the wheel was faster by about 1 second after practice.
 
I do track days in real life and for me nothing matches the feel of playing with a wheel.

It really is close to what it feels like in real life. You don't get the sense of speed, the exact feel of the pedals or the weight of the car, but for everything else it's spot on.
 
i just got a DFGT and it does make the game A LOT more interesting, but i was faster with my controller in most tracks, and its become a little frustrating =(

I had to pay over $130 for it as its even hard to get it in stock anywhere. I should have picked it up when it was $99. oh well. But for the fun factor it has been well worth it.
 
Scrapin240
i just got a DFGT and it does make the game A LOT more interesting, but i was faster with my controller in most tracks, and its become a little frustrating =(

I had to pay over $130 for it as its even hard to get it in stock anywhere. I should have picked it up when it was $99. oh well. But for the fun factor it has been well worth it.
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Hang in there. You will get used to it and you will wonder how you ever played racing games without a wheel. I have been using a wheel for several years for sim racing games (Forza and Gran Turismo). Last night I put in GT 4 just for kicks. My GT2 wheel would not work with it and so I got out the controller. Ouch, the controller was hard to use and not nearly as fun or immersive.
 
Scrapin240
i just got a DFGT and it does make the game A LOT more interesting, but i was faster with my controller in most tracks, and its become a little frustrating =(

I had to pay over $130 for it as its even hard to get it in stock anywhere. I should have picked it up when it was $99. oh well. But for the fun factor it has been well worth it.
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Stick with it you will be ripping soon! Only bad thing about wheels is the online pit maneuver...A pad is a flick of opposite lock...a wheel you gotta be very fast both ways or your spinning!
 
thedeester1
Took me about a week to get used to driving the wheel with manual gears...I guess im just a slow learner.
I wouldn't say that. The only reason I think I didn't have much of a transition was because I started with forza 2 and dirt and had never played them before. I hadn't been playing any racing games in awhile, so switching to the wheel really wasn't even like making a switch. It just seemed like the games were suppose to be played with a wheel. But if you have been playing with a controller alot lately, then the wheel would probably be really difficult at first.
Everyone who has set down with my setup has been really bad, except for the one guy who doesn't even have a game console or PC. Every lap he ran he kept getting better and better. By then end of the night he was doing a pretty decent job getting around the track.
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bevo
thedeester1
Took me about a week to get used to driving the wheel with manual gears...I guess im just a slow learner.
I wouldn't say that. The only reason I think I didn't have much of a transition was because I started with forza 2 and dirt and had never played them before. I hadn't been playing any racing games in awhile, so switching to the wheel really wasn't even like making a switch. It just seemed like the games were suppose to be played with a wheel. But if you have been playing with a controller alot lately, then the wheel would probably be really difficult at first.
Everyone who has set down with my setup has been really bad, except for the one guy who doesn't even have a game console or PC. Every lap he ran he kept getting better and better. By then end of the night he was doing a pretty decent job getting around the track.
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Sorry my week might be playing 3 or four days for 30 minutes of my time...sorry....If I had a good Saturday at it I might have grasped it sooner...It all depends on the time you have to play I guess...:)
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For me, playing with the wheel is more fun and immersive than having to play one with a controller. I picked up my first ever gaming wheel when I picked up GT5. It was the right time and the best gaming decision I've ever made!

To get more immersion out of it, I turned all aids off except for one ABS at 1. For me its the best way to get more out of your steering wheel and the pedals. I picked up the DFGT and set-up a cheap set up for it. The set up will be upgraded soon but for now it does it work really well.
 
thedeester1
Another down side is wheels are at a premium price right now...Big releases like GT5 push the price up....I paid £170 for my wheel (G25 new) GB pounds...I checked E-bay earlier today (looking for a broken one) and the good ones are selling for £200 upwards (thats a G25)...Its the same with Cockpit rigs...I payed £280 for a game racer the same is now selling for over £400...I bought these a few years ago but even so they are big price hikes. You might wanna wait a month or 2...Get your teeth into the game...Then if you still wanna play serious spend some cash..I think the prices may have dropped a bit then????
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most likely true, but forza 4 is due out fall 2011 and with recent VAT increase, it may not be so clear cut

to the op: wheels are ok if you have the money to spare, personally i have always done back and forth between controllers and wheel without any real issues. most likely because i never had a rig so was a pita to set up and far from ideal. maybe that will change once i get my gamepod (hopefully delivered in next few days)

however the wheel is more fun no doubt. in some games i have been better with wheel in others with controllers (ie forza with controller and pgr with wheel - can't say for GT5 yet since awaiting my gamepod and fanatec GT2). the thing i find hard with controllers is getting thottle control, am pretty poor at it tbh, but my brother is much better at it then me, so it depends on your skills i'd say
 
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One of the best quotes I ever read on this forum said, "Playing a racing sim with a controller is like trying to carve a turkey with a spoon."
 
thedeester1
bevo
thedeester1
Took me about a week to get used to driving the wheel with manual gears...I guess im just a slow learner.

Sorry my week might be playing 3 or four days for 30 minutes of my time...sorry....If I had a good Saturday at it I might have grasped it sooner...It all depends on the time you have to play I guess...:)
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I didn't mean it wouldn't take a week, I was just trying to say that I wouldn't call you a slow learner. It probably does take awhile if you are use to using a controller.
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Yesterday I took a long sweeping bend at a fairly high speed, slammed my foot down hard on the brake and then downshifted so I could accelerate through a series of tight corners.

When I made it into the car park at Morrisons the wife was furious!

You do have to consider that your biggest issue might not be getting used to the wheel but getting used to your wifes 4x4 afterwards. It's kinda that immersive.

P.S. Roundabouts are like chicanes really.
 
you guys make it sound so damn easy to use a wheel...i've used a controller for 12 years playing gran turismo, and i've tried two different wheels now, and it's so much different, and harder...I will say it's more fun too, and frustrating....completely different experience
 
Black05Hemi
you guys make it sound so damn easy to use a wheel...i've used a controller for 12 years playing gran turismo, and i've tried two different wheels now, and it's so much different, and harder...I will say it's more fun too, and frustrating....completely different experience
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Complete opposite here. I've been gaming with a controller since before I was driving (and likely for longer than many / most of you have been alive) but I've never found racing with a controller either natural or easy.

My first racing wheel was one of the best gaming peripherals I've ever invested in. Far more realistic, far more natural, far more controlability of my cars, far better lap times. And most importantly, far more fun. :)

Now, if only I could get something similar for motorcycle games. :)
 
Black05Hemi
you guys make it sound so damn easy to use a wheel...i've used a controller for 12 years playing gran turismo, and i've tried two different wheels now, and it's so much different, and harder...I will say it's more fun too, and frustrating....completely different experience
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How long have you put into it? I took my Elise out to Clubman Stage 5 and , after 30 laps, got my time down to 58s. A day or two later I used the controller and pulled out a 58s on my third or fourth lap and then a 57 and then a 56.

After a few more hours I'm touching 57.1s and no that I can get it lower.

It's very hard to get used to and you'll probably be quicker with a controller because you're used to it, but after about 20 hours of play it will seem better. The trick is forget you're playing a game and pretend you're in a car.
 
barrett14
I apologize if this has been discussed, but how much performance or time do you gain in this game racing with the steering wheel as opposed to the controller? Is it one of those things where after you try it you never want to go back?

Thanks for any info!
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Going from a G25 back to a 6-Axis is like being dumped by your girlfriend and having your broadband cut off on the same day, and only being left with a Kays catalogue underwear section.
 
To me, it feels like the game was designed to be played with a wheel. I use a DS3 and I don't think some of the challenges are doable without a wheel. The NASCAR Special Events immediately come to mind.
 
I've always played with a controller...only played gt3 and got 5 when it came out. So, ive been using the controller since 5 came out and got my playseat and g27 yesterday. Well, like everyone said...it is frustrating and hard!!! But deffinately fun.....

I think my problem is that im using too powerful cars, RWD cars, and also think i have to tune my cars differently to the drive with the wheel over the controller. First car I tried out was ofcourse my beloved camaro and i couldnt keep the thing on the road for ****! Fishtails and 360s galore! Then i bought myself a 04 Evo and RM'd it and just reduced the weight and added no power and was lapping trial mountain at 1:30secs without spinning out...granted its AWD and i could do alot better on my controller but it was so much fun!

Guess i just have to stick at it and practice...
 

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