The Thrustmaster T500RS Thread

[Booey]

That's better than I got. My local Fry's was like... "We don't know what you're talking about. I don't see anything in my computer."

I read somewhere that the game would be available in a few stores, namely newegg.com, Fry's and one other that slips my mind right now.

Either way, none of the mentioned stores have the thing on their website. Not even a holding space for when it comes out, just no mention.

I'd be surprised if anyone sees it this week.

 

[Pianoman]

I personally don´t understand why everyone here is happy with G25/G27 force feedback response in GT5. The support of smooth ff is nowhere near to DFGT. I own G25 and G27 and DFGT. The fact is that DFGT is a FF winner regarding Logitech in GT5 support. G25 and G27 FF is a bit rubbish in GT5.

Yes, I can undertand the G25/G27 H-pattern and heel & toe combo, but the complete rubbish ff response is uselless in GT5, so at this time I use DFGT and yes, I am a bit dissapointed that I cannot use heel & toe which is second nature for me. But: mine T500 RS will be with me within next week and I am sure, that the strongest part of this wheel goes from ff effects, total control because of smooth and predictable ff and overall GT5 physics / fast response. If their H-pattern shifter will be out in the near future, it will be the best wheel on the market. Moreover: PC support will follow shortly. If you cannot buy a premium product, just stay with affordable products range, but please: take it easy...

BTW: Darin knows what he is talking about and I feel that his Frex and ECCI ff comparison is a very good indication what T500 RS has to offer.

 

[Darkside_0]

Thrustmaster = ripoff. I have a feeling this wheel isn't gonna sell very good. People will resort to the cheaper, G25/27 Or the fantech wheels that are just as good. Even though they aren't fully supported, people will learn to deal with it rather than spend the rediculous $600 on a wheel that might be crap.

 

[Gaiajohan]

Are you serious? did you even watch the video?

So far you can only use it with GT5, so yes its a waste of money for me and i class myself as a hardcore PC simmer.

Most of my proper racing is done on PC on proper sims, if this wheel actually functioned on other platforms i would most likely get it because for $600 if the FFB is that good it would be worth it.

but $600 to be able to play it on one game on one platform? hell bloody NO.

The pc driver will come soon. And in some beta testing vids from Thrustmaster they were already using a pc driver, since the FFB tests were clearly those from their FFB driver on pc.

 

[sk0pe]

I personally don´t understand why everyone here is happy with G25/G27 force feedback response in GT5. The support of smooth ff is nowhere near to DFGT. I own G25 and G27 and DFGT. The fact is that DFGT is a FF winner regarding Logitech in GT5 support. G25 and G27 FF is a bit rubbish in GT5.

Yes, I can undertand the G25/G27 H-pattern and heel & toe combo, but the complete rubbish ff response is uselless in GT5, so at this time I use DFGT and yes, I am a bit dissapointed that I cannot use heel & toe which is second nature for me. But: mine T500 RS will be with me within next week and I am sure, that the strongest part of this wheel goes from ff effects, total control because of smooth and predictable ff and overall GT5 physics / fast response. If their H-pattern shifter will be out in the near future, it will be the best wheel on the market. Moreover: PC support will follow shortly. If you cannot buy a premium product, just stay with affordable products range, but please: take it easy...

BTW: Darin knows what he is talking about and I feel that his Frex and ECCI ff comparison is a very good indication what T500 RS has to offer.

Is the FF really that bad with the g27? I have one ordered for 4 days away (havent paid for yet)-after overheating a dfgt. But that statement makes me a lil worried that if the ff is really that unresponsive for gt5 (the main game ill b using wheel for) then it might be worth getting the t500.
And to those comparing the t500 to g27/fanatec. Darin Gangi has already stated the wheel component makes the g25/27 feel like a toy. So stop comparing, its a high end product for a high end consumer.

But yeah is the g27 FF really that bad for gt5 people?

 

[LaBounti]

Under stand something people $600
No Shifter-It's all good the will make one later
Only works with one game-Ir's all good they will update it
No Clutch-It's all good i'll just use F1/Falppy Pattle shift style cars from now own


But for $600 us dollars it better not break have a firm wear problem and the shifter better be beyond top notch. Or no deal for me and I have the money to waste on it.

Then you would fit in the "its not meant for you" category.. like many of the (not including yours by the way) immature shallow comments about the wheel and what it comes with.

Only a few seem to have the right idea about the wheel.. others only see a price tag and what it doesn't include.

I went with the G27 for many reasons.. I love racing games and my DFP died after 4 years. I did not want to abandon my PS2 racing games that I still play. Fanatec doesn't work on PS2 according to their site. The G27 works with every PS2 game that supports logitech wheels. Its right on the box... Also I got mine for $270 with shipping.

Based on need and requirements this or the 911 GT2 Club sport just are not necessary. Are they both over priced? No, just not for me at the moment. If I had the cash and a full race seat setup I'd want the best I could buy, not the best I can afford.

Does the clutch work on the G25/G27 with the P-shifters? AS far as I know, no it doesn't work together. As soon as you press the clutch the paddles are disabled for a few seconds.

The pc driver will come soon. And in some beta testing vids from Thrustmaster they were already using a pc driver, since the FFB tests were clearly those from their FFB driver on pc.

Its natural for people to jump the gun on their opinion on something they don't fully know about.

 

[CoolColJ]

The mode button switches the pedals around according to the video

If your drifter with the cash, I think this wheel is it
The speed it spins will finally allow you to match what a real car does. Other wheels can't spin fast enough to keep up with the physics, unless you use a small lock like 200 degrees

 

[Mr Latte]

T500 SHIFTER

One way to put a positive swing on the upcoming shifter is that it has been confirmed as being an individual USB device both for PS3 and PC.

So games that appear or get updated to support this new official wheel will then you'd expect also support the shifter.

The question nobody yet seems to of raised is what would stop this shifter working like a PC allowing T500 Shifter to be used with other brands of wheels on PS3?

It may be selling this as an individual device and not only with the T500 wheel as a package could be an advantage to many and not so much a drawback or poor thinking on Thrustmaster's part but clever thinking.


Lets see if someone raises this question at CES or if it gets acknowledged by Thrustmaster soon.

 

[CoolColJ]

People are forgetting this wheel spins fast, really, really fast! Much faster than the "toy" wheels

If your a drifter with cash and serious intentions, and want something that goes a bit closer to a real car, this wheel is it
Also the fixed paddles are what you want when your dealing with high locks out of turns - exactly what a drifter wants

Speed means - you can recover a lot better most of time as well.
The other wheels on the market can't spin fast enough to keep up with the physics the game puts out. Unless you can lock your wheel at 200 degrees, but then you lose smoothness

New updates on Facebook

Precision & Range Video

New Info:

Thrustmaster T500 RS The choice of the materials has been an extensive and crucial process in the conception of the T500 RS.
Both our R&D department and Polyphony Digital have spent two months searching and testing the best materials for the wheel. They had to be both soft & sleek to fit with the 3 full turns and the high speed of rotation (when you let slip the wheel rim spinning back to centre at very high speed, you do not want to get blisters in your palm).
Moreover the raw materials had to be 100% identical, from one wheel to another, from of the production chain.
Last the selected chemical composition contributes to reach the density & weight desired to obtain the right inertia ratio between wheel rim and engine friction.
Therefore we selected the right chemical formula of a specific rubber matching these requirements.
Besides the red strip is made of steel and helps you to always know your position. Also, the plastron is made of a thick authentic brushed metal plate for more realism.

 

[versapak]

T500 SHIFTER

One way to put a positive swing on the upcoming shifter is that it has been confirmed as being an individual USB device both for PS3 and PC.

So games that appear or get updated to support this new official wheel will then you'd expect also support the shifter.

The question nobody yet seems to of raised is what happens when as a separate individual device what would stop this shifter working like a PC allowing T500 Shifter to be used with other brands of wheels?

It may be selling this as an individual device and not only with the T500 wheel as a package could be an advantage to many and not so much a drawback or poor thinking on Thrustmaster's part but clever thinking.


Lets see if someone raises this question at CES or if it gets acknowledged by Thrustmaster soon.

I am not sure why that would be poor thinking at all.

I imagine that it is being released as a stand alone shifter, and it is expected to sell to people that intend to use it on the PC with other wheels and Thrustmaster wheels alike.

Being that it will be its own USB device, it makes absolutely no sense that they would somehow prevent it from working. A shifter sold is a shifter sold. If that person doesn't have a wheel yet, then they are hoping to sell the wheel to that customer, but if the customer already has a wheel, then there is at least the opportunity to sell them a shifter.



.

 

[Dapper]

Lets be clear, CoolColJ, the Thrustmaster is a more expensive toy than a Logitech or Fanatec toy. The shifter most likely won't be free, making it an even more expensive toy.

There are several things I dislike about it, but being an expensive toy is the most dislike-able part.

 

[Mr Latte]

No understand people have moaned this has no shifter at its price point.
Not everyone uses a shifter as they are quite happy with paddle shifting.

Therefore they are not essentially paying for something they may not need and PC users only wanting the shfter do not have to buy a full wheel package. For instance you cannot buy a G27 shifter on its own or the wheel without such.

At this point I am not aware of ANY shifters working on PS3 as individual devices. They all link to their wheels.

Im pointing out with this what is stopping games that recognise this shifter on PS3 from working with Logitech or indeed Fanatec wheels.

This could seriously get in the ways of Fanatec's plans for their own upcoming shifter which still yet we know nothing of an arrival date or to expect it soon.

 

[Devedander]

T500 SHIFTER

One way to put a positive swing on the upcoming shifter is that it has been confirmed as being an individual USB device both for PS3 and PC.

So games that appear or get updated to support this new official wheel will then you'd expect also support the shifter.

The question nobody yet seems to of raised is what would stop this shifter working like a PC allowing T500 Shifter to be used with other brands of wheels on PS3?

It may be selling this as an individual device and not only with the T500 wheel as a package could be an advantage to many and not so much a drawback or poor thinking on Thrustmaster's part but clever thinking.


Lets see if someone raises this question at CES or if it gets acknowledged by Thrustmaster soon.

It's possible, but it's far from certain and will probably depend on how support for the devices are written in games and maybe even the OS.

As for the suggestion that selling the shifter alone allows those who don't want it to not have to pay for it is a sort of empty point as there is no way to truly differentiate between heald back and not forced to buy.

To assume the shifter being seperate allows you to not have to buy it is to assume the wheel "really" costs $750 or whatever $600 + shifter ends up being.

I guess when you go to a steak house the choice is to see it as "Holly cow, $90 for a steak and not even a side included!" or "At leat they don't make you buy the $20 baked potatoe unless you want it."

 

[Mr Latte]

I think its a valid point that indeed they understand the price point is a factor, not everyone would use a shifter or want it. Also people just wanting or needing a shifter on its own don't have to buy a complete package.

Lets not forget that the wheel so Im assuming the shifter also is a Licensced PS3 product and is then due/expected to get support from developers? Im just raising these points as discussion and possibiities.

With all the moaning of prices I don't dare think what people would of been saying had this included a shifter but at an additional 150 quid/dollars etc. Additionally if only sold in a package say like G27 it would greatly of effected sales because of its price and my point that many wont miss a shifter as don't use them anyways however if only as a package would indeed put them off.

To me these are all possibly reasons why the T500 doesn't include a shifter as standard.

 

[Gunstar]

I am doubtful of the separate shifter idea. Add on accessories (like racing wheels) are already typically sparsely supported... so will there really be support for an add-on to an add on? I suppose as one of the two officially licensed PS3 wheels the T500RS + shifter would have COMPLETE compatibility with at least all future titles, as you believe a licensed accessory would? Anyways, we won't know until it gets released. Hopefully it'll be mind numbingly cool.

 

[Booey]

So much talk of the shifter now... I'm worried it won't be good. The G25 shifter is unusable in my opinion, and I haven't really seen any in-depth reviews of Fanatec's shifter package.

I am doubtful just because I think that it will be hard to create an affordable shifter addon that feels good regardless of which company is making it.

Has there been any technical info released on the shifter yet?

 

[CoolColJ]

You usually get what you pay for, but things are never purely linear.

And it's best you never try out the more expensive, better items, as once you've experienced the other half, perspective tends to change

 

[XBOX is KING]

People are forgetting this wheel spins fast, really, really fast! Much faster than the "toy" wheels

If your a drifter with cash and serious intentions, and want something that goes a bit closer to a real car, this wheel is it
Also the fixed paddles are what you want when your dealing with high locks out of turns - exactly what a drifter wants

Speed means - you can recover a lot better most of time as well.
The other wheels on the market can't spin fast enough to keep up with the physics the game puts out. Unless you can lock your wheel at 200 degrees, but then you lose smoothness

Lets clear things up it's not so much the wheel with me and a few other's or the price I can buy the wheel at any time $600 ain't nothing to me but with no load cell and no shifter and on top of that I have to mod it right out of the box I'm not really getting what I paid for. Now I love the fact that the give you the mod but I would rather you give me a shifter instead of a break mod and from the look's of the break mod it should cost no more the $50 just saying.

 

[BKViper]

The guy says at the beginning of the video that he won't have a review for a month?
WTF? Don't even bother then.
Every other site will have a review out in the next week or two.
A month to do a review. This is the game industry, not a book club!

And I already laughed at missing the paddles because they don't move. What a poor design! How could they not think about shifting while turning?!

So, you can't shift and turn, there is no H shifter, a clutch that does nothing, and it only works properly with one game on one system. Oh yeah, and it's $600!
You got to be kidding me!
I'll stick with my G25 thank you very much.
If you want to spend gobs of money, buy something worth it, like a Frex setup.

 

[Uscbryan]

It's also childish for people to say the wheel is a "joke" because they can't afford it. I can tell you if the wheel worked with the Clubsports I would seriously consider it. I only play gt5 so I'm ok with that and I imagine there will be drivers later for the PC crowd. It's almost as if people are angry it is 600. Why be angry? It's not being forced on you. You can go budget wheel and get any of the Logitecs. It's just another option for those that have the money and are willing to part with it.

Some of the accusations that people are "jealous" because they can't/won't get this wheel are quite childish. If you can't stomach criticism of this wheel then I think the problem is yours.

From what we've seen so far, I think the price is too high and there isn't enough information about its performance to make an informed judgement in comparing this wheel to the Logitech wheels or the Fanatecs.
Personally, even from a "money is no object" standpoint I don't think this wheel can stand up as the price of this wheel (not to mention the gearstick as well) is so high, if you have that kind of money to throw around there are many other, some would argue, better options you could go for. The top of the range Fanatec with all the trimmings being one option, or the G27 with the pedal mod etc etc.

Also, JBturbo i spent like 2 minutes trying to figure out why "Post reply" wouldn't work and i was clicking your picture the whole bloody time.

 

[SideShow Bob]

For me it's not the expense.. it's the value. As of this moment and based on the limited information, right now it's not worth 600 dollars.

 

[Patrocles]

Wow! Chill out, dudes, you gonna have an aneurysm from all the hate! Some people really know how to make good whine from sour grapes!

Has anyone not suffering from ADD decided to wait for reviews and user comments before passing judgment on this wheel? just curious...

 

[7HO]

I just realised that since this shifter is USB if Fanatec make their clubsport shifter USB as well they might be able to make it identify itself as the Thrustmaster shifter and then it would also be able to be sold separately and used with other wheels. It could work both ways.

 

[RC45]

I am doubtful of the separate shifter idea. Add on accessories (like racing wheels) are already typically sparsely supported... so will there really be support for an add-on to an add on? I suppose as one of the two officially licensed PS3 wheels the T500RS + shifter would have COMPLETE compatibility with at least all future titles, as you believe a licensed accessory would? Anyways, we won't know until it gets released. Hopefully it'll be mind numbingly cool.

The add-on to an add-on works well for the Sytek range of specialist flight sim panels, instruments and throttle packs. They are all add-ons for the yoke and rudder pedals.

 

[nerv2112]

Wow! Chill out, dudes, you gonna have an aneurysm from all the hate! Some people really know how to make good whine from sour grapes!

Has anyone not suffering from ADD decided to wait for reviews and user comments before passing judgment on this wheel? just curious...

Let hope others wont sit on it for a month before making a review. Are they waiting to see what others say first or what? I don't get it.

 

[ragnar666]

It's also childish for people to say the wheel is a "joke" because they can't afford it. I can tell you if the wheel worked with the Clubsports I would seriously consider it. I only play gt5 so I'm ok with that and I imagine there will be drivers later for the PC crowd. It's almost as if people are angry it is 600. Why be angry? It's not being forced on you. You can go budget wheel and get any of the Logitecs. It's just another option for those that have the money and are willing to part with it.

So you automatically jump to the conclusion that because people say its a joke they can't afford it? I play poker for a living and can afford pretty much anything I want, but it doesn't mean im going to go throwing money around at products that are a clear money grabbing exercise.

As it stands, this wheel is designed for ONE GAME ONLY and at that it doesn't even have a load cell brake pedal and includes a DIY mod for it? also not a proper functioning clutch, and no shifter.

it doesn't matter how good the wheel is, the fact is these problems make it a waste of money.

i'd much rather pay MORE for a better wheel that has more functionality, works on more games and is better overall.

for the market this wheel is catering for, IE GT5 drivers, its a huge rippoff.

also dont turn around and say "pc drivers are coming etc etc" its DESIGNED solely as a GT5 wheel, and the fact it was released without these pc drivers just shows that, so i dont expect it to function anywhere near half decently compared to other better wheels on PC then it does for GT5.

Thats why its a "joke"

If you cant see past the smoke and mirrors to see it for what it really is you are very Naïve.

 

[crazedmodder]

I am doubtful of the separate shifter idea. Add on accessories (like racing wheels) are already typically sparsely supported... so will there really be support for an add-on to an add on? I suppose as one of the two officially licensed PS3 wheels the T500RS + shifter would have COMPLETE compatibility with at least all future titles, as you believe a licensed accessory would? Anyways, we won't know until it gets released. Hopefully it'll be mind numbingly cool.

The problem is that is up to the developers to make their games compatible with the peripherals. Obviously as it is a GT wheel there will (hopefully) be continued support from PD. It being a licensed PS3 device however does not necessarily mean it will work with all future racing games because all legitimate PS3 accessories are licensed.

I'm hopeful of a few things:
A) Using the shifter does not prevent us from using a controller as controller 1 (for menus and other stuff)
B) GT doesn't check to see what kind of shifter it is as long as it send the right signals, hopefully allowing other competitors to enter the standalone shifter market on PS3 (SST, Fanatec, etc)
C) It has force feedback (doubtful )

I will always hope for C although I know it's a long time before we will see some from the big manufacturers.

Anyways I've tried the G27 and Fanatec shifters. Both are fairly good and fun to use but without force feedback they don't feel engaging to use and in GT especially, the transmission modelling is very poor. I know there are 1000 cars and it would take a lot of work to model all properly but I feel like it would add so much to the experience of using a shifter. Besides, if they can model the rest of the car (in terms of functionality) why not shifting in manual cars.

 

[DrJustice]

...And I already laughed at missing the paddles because they don't move. What a poor design! How could they not think about shifting while turning?!

The tester in the video probably missed a shift due to unfamiliarity. It's indeed possible to turn and shift with fixed paddles. In some situations it's even easier; there is as reason for that.

Oh, and then you have the same poor design used by Ferrari, Lamborghini, Nissan and Mitsubishi (just from the top of my head) and others. Not to mention a lot of racing cars. Obviously these guys know absolutely nothing about high performance vehicles and driving.

DJ
--

 

[MudRunner]

I'll go on record. I plan to get one, as soon as the street price for the wheel and shifter drops to $300. For the time being, I'll continue to use my G27 and hope PD adds support for it.

 

[CoolColJ]

yeap remeber PD commissioned the Driving Force in much the same way and introduced 900 degree steering into the gaming world, and the wheel was adopted by other games to.

The same will happen to this wheel and it will force a new standard