The Thrustmaster T500RS Thread

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^Yeah I mean like on my fanatec I have options to fine tune things to fit my driving style, linearity and drift mode for example are things I couldn't live without anymore.
 
Good to get your opinion Julienm.
Thank you for your feedback and first initial impressions.
What was interesting in reading your replies if anything you have like Darin stated this wheel is indeed a big step up in changing possibly the challenge/fun in games with the stronger FFB and precision. Going from G25 to this you seem to be giving a very positive impression and not commenting on poor value for money. We await more testing from you and how this Emulation mode works/performs with the T500 and other PS3 racing games. Perhaps this could be a drawback of this wheel and us having to wait on new games using the T500 SDK.

On a personal note thanks to you guys for the kind remarks. Lets hope this thread continues to focus on this product rather than spoil things with debates of Vs the CSP. TomN has put a lot of work into this thread and its the best one I have seen regarding the T500.

While I am interested in such comparisons also. I am for waiting on proper testing and reviews to spill the beans on that rather than do paper/spec comparisons or continue quarrels to determine how good or bad each is.

One thing that seems overlooked is that quite possibly, well I assume a very large number of people own a G25 or G27 never having had load cell anyways and are a perfect target market for this product, just like Julienm.

I expect GT Planet to have some in-depth wheel wars threads but lets keep that debate for those threads.
 
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I think I'm on a same boat as Julienm. I too have own a G25 and thinking of getting a T500 RS as well. But I'm still waiting until there are full reviews on this, as well as when the shifter actually is released... 👍
 
Just checked Amazon...it didn't release yet? I thought it was available in the US yesterday? Someone at TM forget to set their alarm clock yesterday?
 
Gigantoad
Quite possible that you wouldn't need some of those things anymore on the T500 because of its high resolution and absent dead zone.

Here's a vid that tests the resolution: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=191065374242264&oid=177715455589531&comments&ref=mf
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Looks nice, but drift mode for example reacts to me pulling the wheel, then it releases the FFB so I can yank the wheel faster, but when I'm steering normally I have full FFB. Linearity lets me put my wheel at say 200 degrees if I wanted, with linearity at 100 the wheel is smooth as 900 in the middle, but if I turn it fast I get instant lock to lock at 200, so you can get 900 degree smoothness with 200 degrees reaction times without flailing your wheel all over the place, hard to explain but it basically like eating your cake and still having it :D
 
Yes and a T500 is reported/now confirmed to have a much more realistic stronger FFB which Id assume reacts well also for drifting.

Am I getting paranoid, is it just me?
It's funny because just seems their is so much interest in defending what a Fanatec wheel has or does around here.

Some just seem to quickly demote what is a MAJOR factor of the T500 and which has been said already.

If anyone respects Fanatec and what they have achieved with having a very close working relationship it is the guys from SRT. Yet when they say what they have said about the T500 it struck me as a bit of a surprise, not just that the T500 was good but in how Darin made the statement he did.

Quote (coming)
 
Ken Nitr0
Looks nice, but drift mode for example reacts to me pulling the wheel, then it releases the FFB so I can yank the wheel faster, but when I'm steering normally I have full FFB. Linearity lets me put my wheel at say 200 degrees if I wanted, with linearity at 100 the wheel is smooth as 900 in the middle, but if I turn it fast I get instant lock to lock at 200, so you can get 900 degree smoothness with 200 degrees reaction times without flailing your wheel all over the place, hard to explain but it basically like eating your cake and still having it :D
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The power steering option in GT5 does the same thing as the drift mode.
In theory this is good, but when the FFB lightens I'm in two minds, is it because of understeer in GT5, or because I'm yanking the wheel, or both etc
For that reason, I turned it off
 
Ken Nitr0
Looks nice, but drift mode for example reacts to me pulling the wheel, then it releases the FFB so I can yank the wheel faster, but when I'm steering normally I have full FFB. Linearity lets me put my wheel at say 200 degrees if I wanted, with linearity at 100 the wheel is smooth as 900 in the middle, but if I turn it fast I get instant lock to lock at 200, so you can get 900 degree smoothness with 200 degrees reaction times without flailing your wheel all over the place, hard to explain but it basically like eating your cake and still having it :D
Click to expand...

That's nice, but as a sim fan wouldn't you want the wheel to react how it would in real world driving, with the according FFB that you would feel drifting in a real car, rather than just setting it up the easiest way to work in the game?
 
I have to agree, drift mode is a feature of necessity due to the lack of realistic feedback, what you really want is a wheel that reacts the same as a steering wheel on a car. I don't know if Thrustmaster have achieved it but it seems what they set out to do with PD is create a wheel that when used with GT5 reacts like a real steering wheel. Hopefully when you are drifting the wheel will lighten when it is supposed to and the feedback will spin it when it is supposed to and hopefully when you go lock to lock if you give it a quick spin it will keep spinning.
 
This is probably one of the biggest comments/surprises made on the ISR show for me and in particular that such a claim is made on initial first impressions. I think their is more to the potential of this product than just the products performance though. Sorry this reply is quite long but it covers some things that seem to be in my opinion coming into play for this product and Thrustmaster's desire to move the goalposts.

Darin Ganji
"I can say that it is probably the best wheel I have tried with GT5 to date. I will also say that the force feedback delivery reminds me of the higher end wheels like a Frex or an ECCI .Thrustmaster has without a doubt set a benchmark with the T500 RS.

Now while I will still expect the wheel to have its own drawbacks to others and personally do not see the pedals as such an issue as they will see upgrades. The biggest concern I see is this SDK situation. What it brings with this new product but also the concerns if it will get the backing from developers.

If Thrustmaster announced or had confirmation that support from Codemaster/EA or other leading developers is agreed to fully take advantage of T500 RS in PS3 games then that would give this product a massive boost. Also a company the size of Thrustmaster could very easily release a future wheel offering some of the benefits/technology of the T500 RS including the shifter support but at a lower price point.

The upcoming shifter also needs to be shown and confirmed what it will bring in benefits with the SDK for PS3. Will it get full support. Now with it confirmed from Gilles that indeed it can operate as a separate device on PS3 if developers so choose. Potentially then upcoming racing games could further separate what the T500 RS will be able to do that other wheels do not offer.

My thoughts on the situation if I am correct is that Thrustmaster with this product, their SDK and upcoming shifter have the potential to change future PS3 racing games but only with the support from developers and demand from the consumer to bridge the overdue gap between the setting options PC racing games and consoles can offer. Why should such a product like this which seems aimed at adults and as quite expensive be handicapped in PS3 games?

Is it a position Fanatec and Logitech can not follow because only the DFGT is an official PS3 product but limited technically to do so. Fanatec wheels do not have PS3 licensing at all and possibly for reasons we may never know. Additionally their is no guarantee they would get such. Besides although it could be nothing but with their Porsche branding perhaps that is also a complication as it directly would conflict with Thrustmaster's already in place and much larger range of PS3 licensed products who are approved Ferrari licensce holders also.

For me, the T500 RS quality or performance is interesting but combined with the position Thrustmaster are in the size of company they are I hope these points particulary in support for fully getting the benefit of this product in PS3 games proper developer support are realised and not fantasy.
 
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He also later wrote this on YouTube:

On the pedal side, I like the Clubsports better. The wheel.. Is pretty incredible and like I said, drives like an ECCI or Frex wheel. I need more time with it and want to test it on the PC and with other games to give a full assessment.. Although it continues to blow me away every time I drive it.. It honestly shows how good the physics and FFB in GT5 is. I forget Im driving on the console and rally is amazing with this wheel!
 
7HO
I have to agree, drift mode is a feature of necessity due to the lack of realistic feedback, what you really want is a wheel that reacts the same as a steering wheel on a car. I don't know if Thrustmaster have achieved it but it seems what they set out to do with PD is create a wheel that when used with GT5 reacts like a real steering wheel. Hopefully when you are drifting the wheel will lighten when it is supposed to and the feedback will spin it when it is supposed to and hopefully when you go lock to lock if you give it a quick spin it will keep spinning.
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I would think that the issue is based solely on the the game, and not the wheel.

The Fanatec is clearly able to offer a loose enough spin to accommodate drifting, but if the game sends feedback signals that keep the wheel with a tight hold, then that is what it will do.
 
Yes Gigantoad we already are aware and accept that. Nobody is that Im aware of stating the T500 RS pedals ever were better than CSP. We are however defending comments that state they are poor or bad.

As Darin said on his video because of the way they are designed and if anything making them much easier than the CSP to adjust/modify we are very likely going to see 3rd party options to possibly make the T500 RS pedals better than the CSP.

Once again I think their is no need to keep defending other products here but look at the T500 RS and focus on its performance potential and as a product the thread is about.
 
Mr Latte
Yes Gigantoad we already are aware and accept that. Nobody is that Im aware of stating the T500 RS pedals ever were better than CSP. We are however defending comments that state they are poor or bad.

As Darin said on his video because of the way they are designed and if anything making them much easier than the CSP to adjust/modify we are very likely going to see 3rd party options to possibly make the T500 RS pedals better than the CSP.

Once again I think their is no need to keep defending other products here but look at the T500 RS and focus on its performance potential and as a product the thread is about.
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My post was actually in favor of the T500. I just used his whole comment which included the pedal aspect, but I was really posting it because of how positive he feels about the wheel's FFB.
 
Gigantoad
My post was actually in favor of the T500. I just used his whole comment which included the pedal aspect, but I was really posting it because of how positive he feels about the wheel's FFB.
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Apologies if I miss read your reply.
Yes it is very pleasing to read his initial impressions are holding true with further play testing.

I think though for the asking price the wheel should offer 3x pedal adapters with different foams/rubber to also allow changes made to the clutch and throttle pedals feel or response.
 
Mr Latte
...
For me, the T500 RS quality or performance is interesting but combined with the position Thrustmaster are in the size of company they are I hope these points particulary in support for fully getting the benefit of this product in PS3 games proper developer support are realised and not fantasy.
Click to expand...

FYI - Thrustmaster is owned by Ubisoft, so am sure they will get proper support
 
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Mr Latte
Apologies if I miss read your reply.
Yes it is very pleasing to read his initial impressions are holding true with further play testing.

I think though for the asking price the wheel should offer 3x pedal adapters with different foams/rubber to also allow changes made to the clutch and throttle pedals feel or response.
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No problem. With all the negativity going on regarding this wheel it's no suprise you could have misread it.

In all forums I checked I literally found nothing positive about the wheel. Everyone is outraged about the price, ignoring that an ECCI or Frex wheel costs multiple times more. Should the T500 really feel like one of these highend products then the price would be very competitive, even with pedals not quite as good as CSP and a missing shifter.

I came to the conclusion that FFB is the most important aspect in a wheel for me. It makes probably 90% of what makes race sims feel realistic. A good breaking pedal is certainly important as well, but if it boils down to "either or" then FFB seems a lot more important than any breaking response, feel of the wheel rim or shifters and the likes.

And as you said, pedals will probably be modded if the wheel becomes a success. Who knows, maybe we'll see a perfect pedal for the T500 which would probably make it the most desirable rig currently available.
 
No new setting available in GT5 for this wheel.

that's not a problem for me, lot of things are possible with the cars settings in order to have a different feeling.

Can i say for the moment is that the driving is much more challenging than with the G25. And that's sounds good to me :)

as a sim fan and according to my real life experience, it's much more realistic.
take note that this is only my feeling, and that i used to find the FFB of gt5 with the G25 already good.

but i find this FFB is really much better in terms of sensations and acuteness. and i'm pretty sure that's essentially due to the T500 hardware.

according to me, if you search more realism, the T500 is the wheel to consider.

but if you want to be the faster, that's perhaps not the easyest way.

it's a question of personnal perception and personnal goal.

one more little detail:

the wheel's firmware is upgradable. good news for me.


:)
 
Julienm
No new setting available in GT5 for this wheel.

that's not a problem for me, lot of things are possible with the cars settings in order to have a different feeling.

Can i say for the moment is that the driving is much more challenging than with the G25. And that's sounds good to me :)

as a sim fan and according to my real life experience, it's much more realistic.
take note that this is only my feeling, and that i used to find the FFB of gt5 with the G25 already good.

but i find this FFB is really much better in terms of sensations and acuteness. and i'm pretty sure that's essentially due to the T500 hardware.

according to me, if you search more realism, the T500 is the wheel to consider.

but if you want to be the faster, that's perhaps not the easyest way.

it's a question of personnal perception and personnal goal.

one more little detail:

the wheel's firmware is upgradable. good news for me.


:)
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As you may have missed my question, might I ask again where you bought the wheel from? I'm in Switzerland and might be able to get it there too (you're from France yes?).
 
CoolColJ
The power steering option in GT5 does the same thing as the drift mode.
In theory this is good, but when the FFB lightens I'm in two minds, is it because of understeer in GT5, or because I'm yanking the wheel, or both etc
For that reason, I turned it off
Click to expand...

I don't have any problems telling when the cars understeer, you can still feel the FFB it's just lessened to make the wheel easier to turn and it happens so fast you'r back to normal before it becomes a problem with drift mode. After you drive a car for a while it's easy to tell if it's plowing straight when it should be turning steeper.

Gigantoad
That's nice, but as a sim fan wouldn't you want the wheel to react how it would in real world driving, with the according FFB that you would feel drifting in a real car, rather than just setting it up the easiest way to work in the game?
Click to expand...

Not really, I want to be able to tweak it so it's most comfortable, same reason I don't care much about violent FFB in these wheels, they all have plenty strong FFB, all that strong FFB does is yank your wheel to much and cause you to make mistakes. I set FFB so I can just feel what the car is telling me, and no more, why make it harder for yourself?

And just to be clear, I wasn't asking if this new wheel has these options justs so I could go "oh look, it doesn't have this or that that my current wheel has, bad wheel", I just wanted to know so I can weigh my options and make informed decisions, software options in hardware such as this is always glossed over in reviewes and they are just as important to me as everything else.
 
Ken Nitr0
I don't have any problems telling when the cars understeer, you can still feel the FFB it's just lessened to make the wheel easier to turn and it happens so fast you'r back to normal before it becomes a problem with drift mode. After you drive a car for a while it's easy to tell if it's plowing straight when it should be turning steeper.



Not really, I want to be able to tweak it so it's most comfortable, same reason I don't care much about violent FFB in these wheels, they all have plenty strong FFB, all that strong FFB does is yank your wheel to much and cause you to make mistakes. I set FFB so I can just feel what the car is telling me, and no more, why make it harder for yourself?

And just to be clear, I wasn't asking if this new wheel has these options justs so I could go "oh look, it doesn't have this or that that my current wheel has, bad wheel", I just wanted to know so I can weigh my options and make informed decisions, software options in hardware such as this is always glossed over in reviewes and they are just as important to me as everything else.
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Yup perfectly understandable. Games are made to be fun and if that does it for you then more power to yu.

What appeals to me is the most realism. The thought that what my wheel does is as close as possible to what the real car would do gives me the most satisfaction, no matter if that makes it harder order easier. After all, don't we dream of driving these cars in real life with all their power and all the sensations we would feel? I know I do.

My perfect wheel is the one I don't have to configure myself at all. Just let the game do it, make me feel however it would feel in the real thing.
 
Gigantoad
No problem. With all the negativity going on regarding this wheel it's no suprise you could have misread it.

In all forums I checked I literally found nothing positive about the wheel. Everyone is outraged about the price, ignoring that an ECCI or Frex wheel costs multiple times more. Should the T500 really feel like one of these highend products then the price would be very competitive, even with pedals not quite as good as CSP and a missing shifter.

I came to the conclusion that FFB is the most important aspect in a wheel for me. It makes probably 90% of what makes race sims feel realistic. A good breaking pedal is certainly important as well, but if it boils down to "either or" then FFB seems a lot more important than any breaking response, feel of the wheel rim or shifters and the likes.

And as you said, pedals will probably be modded if the wheel becomes a success. Who knows, maybe we'll see a perfect pedal for the T500 which would probably make it the most desirable rig currently available.
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well said.

A really dumb question...can the CSP pedals be used on the T500? I would guess not, but I could not find anything specific.


OT...yeah, this unfounded hate at the Thrustmaster really confounds me!
I am not a psychiatrist but I would guess the haters are jealous of the Thrustmaster compared to their own wheel? wheel envy?
:dopey:
 
Julienm
...
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Have you found now after using the wheel for several hours that the quality of rubber and comfort is actually better than you excepted. I know this was a concern of yours like others that this wheel did not have leather.

Would you be tempted to get a proper racing wheel like a Momo etc to attach to it or are you now satisfied?

Lastly how in comfort would you rate your previous G25 to the T500 RS

G25 Rim Comfort & Feel from 1-10
T500 RS Rim Comfort & Feel from 1-10
 
I'd also like to know how it compares in noise with the G25 (which is supposed to a bit less noisier than the DFGT).
I've read it's got an audible fan, but what about motor/gear noise?
 

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