Game Steering Wheels Improving Lap Times?!?!

[frog_A_lot]

You are saying a PS3 controller is more precise??

So you are telling me a lil 1cm stick that moves bout 1-2cm from side to side is more precise to drive with than a steering wheel that has around 540 degrees rotation and some the full 900 degrees? How the fark do you figure that.

And the pedals, well they have about lets say 7.5cm movement, so you have that much variation in throttle and braking, and PS3 button has to do al that in a few mm.

As others have said i think this is more you trying to tell people how good you think you are than anything else.

P.S. Peanut Butter sucks

[AVroom]

Whilst we're discussing wheels, I'm currently using a Driving Force EX. In terms of control, it has more play than I'd like, any advantage in going up to the next model, the G25, ie. is it a more precise wheel?

Ken, I have the Driving Force EX sitting in a box. Used it on GT3/4 for about a month thinking that at a RRP of $150 (paid $90) I would finally have a wheel with satisfactory feel. At the time, the Driving Force Pro had gone out of production and the best price for a G25 was still close to $500.

Unfortunately, the EX still felt like a toy and you are right that there is a sense of loose play in the wheel. I even stuffed foam under the pedal to stiffen the braking feel. This was all mounted in a cockpit so everything was nice and rigid. But it still wasn't immersive enough mostly because of all the light-feeling plastic.

So, again frustrated with a wheel that failed to deliver, I took the plunge on the much-touted G25. It was a tremendous improvement. Doing the Nurb in GT4 became an exhilarating experience. Feeling every dip and bump, fighting the steering through the Carasel(sp?), holding your line at 270kph through the forest with the car becoming floaty, all as realistic as you could reasonably expect for the price (and for the limitations of the Gran Turismo series). On a PC with a proper sim (GTR2, Live for Speed, rFactor) it is even better - although harder to master. Add in the solid, leather-bound wheel and the strong resistence of the pedals, and you have a winner.

The single complaint that I have is that the force feedback cogs can feel like they grind a little which obviously isn't ultra-realistic. But I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the upgrade.

[davep]

The other thing is how the wheel is mounted. I find using the 360 one almost impossible with it sitting on my lap. A properly mounted wheel helps wonders. Although once you start tallying up the cost of wheel + mount (cockpit even?) it getting pretty pricey.

[Biz]

If anyone is interested, I bought a Driving Force force feedback USB wheel last week (because it was a bargain - new from DSE).

I really just bought it in the hope of a swap for something with someone in Sydney. See my post here on the BD trading thread.

Bizi

[rossk]

I base my exp on Forza 2.

I used the controller for first while, liked it heaps and decided to get the MS wheel.

After about 5hr learning curve (first 2hrs, i felt like i had wasted my money, as i was struggling big time), the wheel was great, and i was able to match and slightly better my controller lap times.

The biggest improvements were the ability to ease on the throttle better, a must for high power cars.

And also that i could hold an exact amount of lock, rather than tapping the stick to get similar results.

These advantages made for smoother driving and faster laps.

I tried to use the wheel for a non-sim racing game (NFS carbon), it is impossible to play this game with the wheel, as full lock to full lock is how you play the game.

My conclusion is that a wheel can be advantageous for simulation games, and hopeless for non simulation games.

[Autocrat]

My times using a wheel are much better than using the controller. They'd almost have to be, given that I fall asleep every time because there's nothing more tedious and pointless than using a controller for racing a car. You may go faster, but at the cost of wasting your life.

And peanut butter sucks.

[ArthurDent]

Ken, I have the Driving Force EX sitting in a box. Used it on GT3/4 for about a month thinking that at a RRP of $150 (paid $90) I would finally have a wheel with satisfactory feel. At the time, the Driving Force Pro had gone out of production and the best price for a G25 was still close to $500.

Unfortunately, the EX still felt like a toy and you are right that there is a sense of loose play in the wheel. I even stuffed foam under the pedal to stiffen the braking feel. This was all mounted in a cockpit so everything was nice and rigid. But it still wasn't immersive enough mostly because of all the light-feeling plastic.

So, again frustrated with a wheel that failed to deliver, I took the plunge on the much-touted G25. It was a tremendous improvement. Doing the Nurb in GT4 became an exhilarating experience. Feeling every dip and bump, fighting the steering through the Carasel(sp?), holding your line at 270kph through the forest with the car becoming floaty, all as realistic as you could reasonably expect for the price (and for the limitations of the Gran Turismo series). On a PC with a proper sim (GTR2, Live for Speed, rFactor) it is even better - although harder to master. Add in the solid, leather-bound wheel and the strong resistence of the pedals, and you have a winner.

The single complaint that I have is that the force feedback cogs can feel like they grind a little which obviously isn't ultra-realistic. But I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the upgrade.

Thanks for the feedback AVroom, and at the current price of the G25 it looks like I'm in for an upgrade.

[butterfingers]

brag post imo

"absolute mooron" in my opinion

[butterfingers]

I prefer smooth peanut butter to crunchy. I can spread it on the toast easier. Therefore it is now definitively proven beyond any doubt that smooth peanut butter is better than crunchy peanut butter. I use the premium bread and peanut butter so these are not factors. I am proficient at the spreading of smooth peanut butter as I have been using this for ages. I recently tried to switch to crunchy peanut butter but it's just not as easy to use. I won't keep trying because it's not about practise (or practice) it's about peanut butter.

Anyone who disagrees is just wrong. Tested it and busted the myth.

this is probably one of the most intelligent answers so far. seriously...

[butterfingers]

Its about practise with the wheel. There is a thread a while ago about the 360 wireless wheel, with those (including myself) indicating their relative suckiness using it compared to the controller. Others who use it consistently wouldnt go back. AndrewW has both the 360 and ps3 wheels I think, so input from him may help.

PLEASE LISTEN TO WHAT I SAY PROPERLY. whats this "relative suckiness", and "way better" comments. i am still to hear from a single person on here who can clain that their LAP TIMES are ACTUALLY BETTER. the absolute closest i have heard at all is "my lap times did not deteriorate" and i fail to even BELIEVE that comment. who cares if some people like it. doesn't mean its performs better at all. even if some wouldn't change back...

[butterfingers]

Gotta pay that

I think the OP is severely limiting the strength of his argument by basing it on a single game, not to mention only his experience.

omg!?!?! did i just mention one game. read the topic correctly, instead of taking stuff out of context.

[butterfingers]

While I thank you for your opinion, basing it on one game is rather narrow minded as different games respond differently to different controls.

While your G25 setup may not be the best system for you, it may work perfectly for others. I think it would be great to hear the opinion of the other 49 people better than you as to what controls they use.

On a final note, crunchy peant butter ftw!

ANOTHER MORON

how do you work out i only mentioned one game. wake up to yourself. i dont think you offer any worthwhile comment on this either, by the way

[butterfingers]

agreed.

its about the fine control. as much range as there is in the L2/R2 buttons and the analogue sticks, its just painful trying to get the exact amount of lock or braking/throttle that you need!

i disagree entirely jeffie. just my opinion that might save someone an odd $700 from being wasted

[butterfingers]

Whilst we're discussing wheels, I'm currently using a Driving Force EX. In terms of control, it has more play than I'd like, any advantage in going up to the next model, the G25, ie. is it a more precise wheel?

KENNIE!! FINALLY, someone can understand part of what im saying here.

i think thats just life with the wheel. g25 isnt any more precise feeling, go back to the pad

[butterfingers]

doesnt lock mean that the steering is 100% left or right?

I prefer a controller to a wheel, but I feel like I have achieved something better with the wheel. I dont use it in forza/turismo, but I love using it for DiRT.

interesting. i found dirt unplayable with the g25 wheel. too much oversteer. i would go over a jump, and end up stopped sideways nearly every time. i found it very annoying really

[butterfingers]

i thought with the g25 you can go from say 6th gear to 2nd gear in an instant, instead of pressing a button 4 times.

Obviously you dont use the stick for F1.

surely the g25 is faster to change gears in this regard.

F1 is a true SIM? i dont know if anyone here is qualified to make that judgement.

Does anyone here have evidence of their lap times improving after using a steering wheel?

f1 doesnt use a gearstick bloke. it uses the gear paddles, in which ccase, its, TAP,TAP,TAP,TAP,TAP to go from 6th gear to first. not a single person in the world uses the stick in f1. it doesnt even activate or work full stop

thats your opinion that its easier to change gears that way.

plus its not my argument...... people keep doing this to me here

i am saying that you cannot improve lap times with a wheel. not that its better or worse in ANY OTHER WAY

[butterfingers]

That's always been my problem with gaming wheels Ken. They just seem to be too loose and indirect whereas the controllers are too twitchy to be comfortable. Mind you, for the amount of time I spend on racing games, a $250 wheel is massive overkill.

And crunchy peanut butter is the nOObs sux.

that is the main reason i bring this topic to the rise AJM . a lot of people these days(me NOT being one of them ) cannot afford to spend several hundred dollars on something that might not float their boat very much in the end anyway.

u sound a bit MEH!, about owning one, as am i

[butterfingers]

Your original posts states -

"i often hear the comment, or people asking if or stating that using a steering wheel in a driving/racing game, will improve your control of the onscreen vehicle, and/or make your lap times faster in a racing game........ MYTH!!!!!"

ie. EVERY SINGLE RACING GAME SUCKS WITH WHEEL?

Yet later on you stress so deeply that you are playing F1 and you CANNOT comment on gt5p.. o_o

Totally agree with #7 and #10. How do you vary brake/throttle properly with controller? It took me 2 weeks to get used to the wheel. Practice more and you'll understand..

+1 for crunchy peanut butter

you wherer the one that said "EVERY SINGLE" not me.... dont try that rubbish on me here guy

i dont and wont buy any gran turismo game to date because i dont like them at all. i think its a dog of a game

[butterfingers]

You are saying a PS3 controller is more precise??

So you are telling me a lil 1cm stick that moves bout 1-2cm from side to side is more precise to drive with than a steering wheel that has around 540 degrees rotation and some the full 900 degrees? How the fark do you figure that.

And the pedals, well they have about lets say 7.5cm movement, so you have that much variation in throttle and braking, and PS3 button has to do al that in a few mm.

As others have said i think this is more you trying to tell people how good you think you are than anything else.

P.S. Peanut Butter sucks

what do u think is more important with steering, reaction times, or accuracy. no matter what you or i say one can be compensated by the otherif it takes you half a second longer to turn the wheel from left to right, you are going to be off the racing line you wanted already, and having to change the amount of initial correction you wanted half a second ago.

[butterfingers]

The other thing is how the wheel is mounted. I find using the 360 one almost impossible with it sitting on my lap. A properly mounted wheel helps wonders. Although once you start tallying up the cost of wheel + mount (cockpit even?) it getting pretty pricey.

yes. i have the ultimate set up (over 700 bucks value) . its still very average in my opinion. i want the 700 buck back to buy a second ps3 with

[butterfingers]

I base my exp on Forza 2.

I used the controller for first while, liked it heaps and decided to get the MS wheel.

After about 5hr learning curve (first 2hrs, i felt like i had wasted my money, as i was struggling big time), the wheel was great, and i was able to match and slightly better my controller lap times.

The biggest improvements were the ability to ease on the throttle better, a must for high power cars.

And also that i could hold an exact amount of lock, rather than tapping the stick to get similar results.

These advantages made for smoother driving and faster laps.

I tried to use the wheel for a non-sim racing game (NFS carbon), it is impossible to play this game with the wheel, as full lock to full lock is how you play the game.

My conclusion is that a wheel can be advantageous for simulation games, and hopeless for non simulation games.

great comments rossk. deserved of me not argueing with ya.... nice post a+

[butterfingers]

My times using a wheel are much better than using the controller. They'd almost have to be, given that I fall asleep every time because there's nothing more tedious and pointless than using a controller for racing a car. You may go faster, but at the cost of wasting your life.

And peanut butter sucks.

so, you where never any good with the controller in the first place??

[butterfingers]

Thanks for the feedback AVroom, and at the current price of the G25 it looks like I'm in for an upgrade.

i hope its not hurting your wallet dude

dont miss out on other things for it i say

[brett174]

You've just posted the last 16 replies in this thread!!

Get over yourself dude.

[iainl]

The important thing is that you're basing your claims on F1 '06:CE. I don't have a PS3 yet, so I'm basing my experience off the PS2 release, but for that one I will concur that wheel use is frankly terrible on it; I'm very disappointed with the guys up in Liverpool.

Also, a significant aspect is that they're trying to semi-accurately portray the '06 season. At that time, traction control and braking assist aids meant that most real drivers used their pedals in a fairly digital manner. In contrast, you'll not stand a chance at the best times in Forza 2 or GT5:P if you can't feather your power correctly.