Which do you use most, controller or wheel?

  • Thread starter NamuGriff
  • 28 comments
  • 1,399 views

Controller or Wheel, which do you use?

  • Controller

    Votes: 41 51.9%

  • Wheel

    Votes: 38 48.1%
  • Total voters
    79
NamuGriff

NamuGriff

22
United Kingdom
Hampshire
Cinerus
Just curious which way people play the game the most, with a wheel setup or with a Dualshock/Sense controller.
Sorry if there has already been a poll here.
Also to you think there should be controller/wheel only daily races or time attacks, to make it more fair for people to battle those that use the same method?
 
There's no real concern about balance between controller and wheel in GT. For all the weird things PD do, the controller support in GT is fantastic. One lap pace across both peripherals are identical, and you can be just as fast on one as you can the other very easily.

The only problem is with tyre wear, as the sharper turning of a controller will wear down your tyres a lot faster than the smoothness of a wheel would. It's only about a lap or so worth of additional wear across a race, but that deficit still does exist.

Multiple people have qualified for the GTWS finals using a controller, and many are still at the top of their game using a controller instead of a wheel - so fairness really is not an issue.
 
After driving with wheel I am right now a lot worse with controller. It is a lot easier to be consistent with wheel. My play time in last months is like once per month when I check update. Usually it is not enough for my motivation to set up my wheel (even with wheel stand).
 
100% controller. I have a wheel but it’s in a box in the garage just now. I mainly play for about an hour a night Mon-Fri to wind down after work and maybe a few more hours Sat & Sun so can’t be bothered with the whole setting up a wheel all the time!!
 
Tbh when I got the wheel i never went back to the controller. It is so much better and offers you so much more precision
The only exception is for drifting tests, far easier with controller for me
 
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I understand some may not have the physical space for a permanently available wheel, but it is a driving/racing game. You wouldn't replace the wheel with a pad in your RL vehicle. I only use the controller to scroll through the tracks, cars, and options.
 
Unless you have a space to leave the wheel setup out permanently, the controller wins out.
When I didn't have a lot of gaming time, I didnt want to bother setting up the wheel, so I would end up playing a non racing game in that short time window.

Now its controller all the way.
 
I use a controller more often, but have more time on a wheel. Most weekday nights I just grab the controller, do two laps of Stage X to get my daily miles, and then turn off 6 minutes later. Weekends I'll use the wheel but drive for hours.
 
I've never used a controller in sim racing (I've only played GT7). I bought a G29 right off the bat. When the Logitech Pro wheel and pedals came out, I bought them and I love them.

Wait, yes I have used the controller. On the drifting challenges. I couldn't get drifting down at all with the wheel and pedals, but it was pretty easy with the controller. But that's all I've used it for - drifting doesn't really appeal to me.
 
Simply unable or unwilling to prioritize putting in for a wheel. Have a small house and it's pretty full. Would have to have something to set up and break down constantly. Pushing past that I've got to budget for supporting a family on a tight income. Controller it is.

And despite a bunch of naysayers and some wheel elitists claims, I take my racing seriously. I do have fun races and goof off times inlobbies where it's supposed to haplen. But I also work hard to be a fast and clean racer. Just because I have outside constraints or decide to feed and clothe my kids instead of buying a wheel doesn't mean I don't try to race the best I can. I would love to have a wheel, but circumstances currently don't allow it.
 
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Redneckchef
And despite a bunch of naysayers and some wheel elitists claims, I take my racing seriously. I do have fun races and goof off times inlobbies where it's supposed to haplen. But I also work hard to be a fast and clean racer. Just because I have outside constraints or decide to feed and clothe my kids instead of buying a wheel doesn't mean I don't try to race the best I can. I would love to have a wheel, but circumstances currently don't allow it.
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Ignore the elitists who think you can only be serious using a wheel. Who the eff are they to decide who's serious and who isn't? I mean, that's like saying you're not a serious musician unless you only use expensive guitars, which is complete and utter BS. It's what you do with the equipment that matters. (There's a "that's what she said" joke there, but of course I'm too mature to stoop that low.)
 
GrumpyOldMan
Ignore the elitists who think you can only be serious using a wheel. Who the eff are they to decide who's serious and who isn't? I mean, that's like saying you're not a serious musician unless you only use expensive guitars, which is complete and utter BS. It's what you do with the equipment that matters. (There's a "that's what she said" joke there, but of course I'm too mature to stoop that low.)
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I don't let their opinions about it worry me. It just seems like anyone that dedicated to being a gear head needs to move to a more sim style game. I do wonder about the couple of people I know who have quit or said they were quitting GT because it was unfair I was able to be competitive with them or beat them while using the controller. If anything it makes it harder to drive in the longer races. Numb fingers and hands (hangover from my carpal tunnel issues) and the fact that in summer a sweaty thumb on the joystick slips waaaay too easy.
 
Redneckchef
I don't let their opinions about it worry me.
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Good for you!
Redneckchef
It just seems like anyone that dedicated to being a gear head needs to move to a more sim style game.
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Since this is the only sim racing game I've played, I can't really comment a lot on that, except to say that if we're talking PC-based games, I hate the thought of building a machine and always wanting to tweak it to be better. I was a computer programmer all my life, and I'm done with the hardware race game, if you know what I mean. As for the wheel and pedals, well, I've got a little money to waste. ;p
Redneckchef
I do wonder about the couple of people I know who have quit or said they were quitting GT because it was unfair I was able to be competitive with them or beat them while using the controller.
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It's been pointed out on this forum many times that, for the elite players anyway, the controller-users don't have an advantage. But who cares anyway?
Redneckchef
f anything it makes it harder to drive in the longer races. Numb fingers and hands (hangover from my carpal tunnel issues) and the fact that in summer a sweaty thumb on the joystick slips waaaay too easy.
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That's not limited to using a controller, believe me! Along with a sore butt and tired legs. I still don't have my seat and pedals in the perfect setup to ease fatigue. Just imagine being in a car and driving for 8 hours - how does your body feel after all that? At least with a controller, you can get up and move around! :)
 
Logitech G923 wheel and pedals with shifter since day 1!
Very disappointed that the clutch doesn't matter.
 
DualSense for space reasons. I ran GT 1 and 2 with a twist pad, 3 and 4 with the Driving Force wheel, and skipped 5, 6, and Sport. My game room won't allow use of any wheel type controllers right now. If I mounted a display table to the floor, I could probably do it, but I want something I can remove to allow for multiplayer or light gun games.
 
Bob7398
Very disappointed that the clutch doesn't matter.
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It's true that you can't use it during daily races, because you can use it during many/most single-player events. Just make sure you equip a manual transmission.
 
I use a controller all the time. The best lap I can do on the Nurb in the Lexus GT500 is 5:42 so far. I keep to trying to improve more on the controller. I'm just very used to it. It's convenient and good to play from the good ol' bed.
 
GrumpyOldMan
Good for you!

Since this is the only sim racing game I've played, I can't really comment a lot on that, except to say that if we're talking PC-based games, I hate the thought of building a machine and always wanting to tweak it to be better. I was a computer programmer all my life, and I'm done with the hardware race game, if you know what I mean. As for the wheel and pedals, well, I've got a little money to waste. ;p

It's been pointed out on this forum many times that, for the elite players anyway, the controller-users don't have an advantage. But who cares anyway?

That's not limited to using a controller, believe me! Along with a sore butt and tired legs. I still don't have my seat and pedals in the perfect setup to ease fatigue. Just imagine being in a car and driving for 8 hours - how does your body feel after all that? At least with a controller, you can get up and move around! :)
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Hello fellow programmer! I knew there was a reason I like you :D
Not retired, but also a traveling ISO auditor so that when I do decide to hang up the code I have something that's always going to be there to fall back on.

As far as my control scheme goes... I've been a die hard controller guy since the day I got Pole Position for my Atari 2600.
I've played countless racing video games and all of them with a controller.

I like to recline on my couch while I play, maybe curl up in the corner of it. I don't have room in my house for a true sim rig and it's never been important to me. That and I like to swap between games instead of grinding out a racing session so when I get bored of being punted I'll swap over to something else and being controller only makes that a lot easier.
 
hollowkatt
Hello fellow programmer! I knew there was a reason I like you :D
Not retired, but also a traveling ISO auditor so that when I do decide to hang up the code I have something that's always going to be there to fall back on.
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That makes total sense. I started as a COBOL programmer (actually, PDP-8 Assembly was before that), and the last thing I was doing when I retired was C#. I've been dabbling in JavaScript lately, when I get the programming urge.
hollowkatt
As far as my control scheme goes... I've been a die hard controller guy since the day I got Pole Position for my Atari 2600.
I've played countless racing video games and all of them with a controller.
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I loved Pole Position! I preferred the arcade version, of course, but I had a bunch of console versions. I think I may have even had an Atari 7200 version.
hollowkatt
I like to recline on my couch while I play, maybe curl up in the corner of it. I don't have room in my house for a true sim rig and it's never been important to me. That and I like to swap between games instead of grinding out a racing session so when I get bored of being punted I'll swap over to something else and being controller only makes that a lot easier.
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Totally makes sense, and I've always been that way until I got a PS5 and GT7. I have it set up in my home "office" now, with its own 4K monitor. I can easily switch to other games using the controller, and the sim stuff doesn't get in the way. I miss playing downstairs on my 108" projector and full sound system, but my home office has its own mini-split air conditioner, so this is cooler.
 
Man, I just cannot gel with the wheel. I shelved it for a few months but with a PS5, GT7 and finally getting around to updating the firmware, I thought the current time trial would be a good place to try it out. How is the R34 even worse on a wheel??? For an AWD car the oversteer is absolutely INSANE, cannot believe how tail happy it is on entry compared to the controller. So decided to go to something more planted and grabbed the supra at Spa, as I am familiar with that car/track combo. Definately felt more stable but still, binned it time and time and time again, my one clean lap was some 5 seconds slower than my controller qualy time.

I don't know what it is, i drive in real life (a 997 - 911 for god's sake), i have tracked cars in real life, but on a video game I am just all at sea, absolutely hopeless.
 
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GrumpyOldMan
That makes total sense. I started as a COBOL programmer (actually, PDP-8 Assembly was before that), and the last thing I was doing when I retired was C#. I've been dabbling in JavaScript lately, when I get the programming urge.

I loved Pole Position! I preferred the arcade version, of course, but I had a bunch of console versions. I think I may have even had an Atari 7200 version.

Totally makes sense, and I've always been that way until I got a PS5 and GT7. I have it set up in my home "office" now, with its own 4K monitor. I can easily switch to other games using the controller, and the sim stuff doesn't get in the way. I miss playing downstairs on my 108" projector and full sound system, but my home office has its own mini-split air conditioner, so this is cooler.
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I've been looking at a collapsible rig that I can store in a nook next to the entertainment center that has the TV over it, maybe that'll be my christmas gift to myself lol
 
hollowkatt
I've been looking at a collapsible rig that I can store in a nook next to the entertainment center that has the TV over it, maybe that'll be my christmas gift to myself lol
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I bought one of those, but returned it. The seat didn't fit me right, and it was more work to close it and open it than they made it sound like. Still, it might me a viable option.
 
TumeK5
Playseat Challenge?
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leaning towards the Next Level Racing Wheel Stand 2.0. It fits all the criteria I'm looking for: small footprint, folds completely.
Not sure what wheel/pedal combination though. Don't want to break the bank but also don't want to buy something and then realize I immediately need something better

EDIT: I am taking wheel/pedal recommendations!
 
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controller... I want a wheel but dont have the space for it and don't feel like shelling out the extra cash for one... besides I don't play the game enough to make it worth it
 

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