The online racing simulator
Quote from The Moose :Maybe they just don't give a shit about mouse drivers...and who can blame them

Get a wheel or get out. That's my motto.
Quote from BlueFlame :Get a wheel or get out. That's my motto.

Well, if I had gotten out when I started playing LFS, rather than keep playing and having fun as I did, I think it would have been far less likely for me to have purchased my G27. Or even keep this hobby at all. It's been almost five years since I started playing LFS!

The only thing dragging me to LFS (and simulators in general) was that I could play them. There's no point in watching a virtual simulator on a screen with someone else playing; you want to be part of the action, and if not possible, I'd rather go to a racetrack and watch real cars. Mouse made it possible to participate with competitive times with people on wheels, and still be very fun.

Interest gets high enough to justify spending money on a wheel.


...


Actually, in my case that's all bulls* and it was just a random incident. But it's still possible, though.

I actually wanted to purchase an iPad, but they've just announced an iPad Air coming so I'm not purchasing the current generation a month or two before the latest gets released.

I had never driven a G27 or Gran Turismo 5 before, at all. The only driving wheel I had driven (not taking real cars into account) was an old PS1 wheel that barely turned 45º to either side, didn't have FFB at all (it would vibrate when you crashed the car, though) and had a huge dead center.

That, until I played with the G27 on Gran Turismo 5 at a co-workers home. He's a passionate racing fan, goes to almost every race (mostly Formula 1) in my country and plays GT5 a lot. I won the race every time I played against him, with any cars we tried (also won against the other 4 co-workers, too).

Playing with them was so fun I purchased a G27 too.
That, and the fact the iPad Air is still some time before release in my country, so I'll have the money for iPad by the time gets released...
Well I'm an elitist and racing is a massive passion for me and if someone doesn't take it seriously enough to use a wheel then they shouldn't be driving. Sure good to have it there as a starting tool but too many use mouse and never bother with a wheel.
Quote from BlueFlame :Well I'm an elitist and racing is a massive passion for me and if someone doesn't take it seriously enough to use a wheel then they shouldn't be driving. Sure good to have it there as a starting tool but too many use mouse and never bother with a wheel.

Quote from BlueFlame :Well I'm an elitist and racing is a massive passion for me and if someone doesn't take it seriously enough to use a wheel then they shouldn't be driving. Sure good to have it there as a starting tool but too many use mouse and never bother with a wheel.

No offence, but motion platform guys can say exactly the same thing to you.

Quote :Well I'm an elitist and racing is a massive passion for me and if someone doesn't take it seriously enough to use a 6 DoF unlimited Z rotation motion platform then they shouldn't be driving. Sure good to have it there as a starting tool but too many use a static wheel or a crappy 2 DoF and never bother with an appropriate platform.

man i am so out of practice. just did 1'58.7 with untouched 458 italia and no assists.
Quote from BlueFlame :Well I'm an elitist and racing is a massive passion for me and if someone doesn't take it seriously enough to use a wheel then they shouldn't be driving. Sure good to have it there as a starting tool but too many use mouse and never bother with a wheel.

An elitist who is slower than mouse drivers.
Quote from Gabkicks :man i am so out of practice. just did 1'58.7 with untouched 458 italia and no assists.

I feel your pain
Quote from BlueFlame :Well I'm an elitist and racing is a massive passion for me and if someone doesn't take it seriously enough to use a wheel then they shouldn't be driving. Sure good to have it there as a starting tool but too many use mouse and never bother with a wheel.

My LFS stats using a PS2 wired controller, which you couldn't adjust sensitivity on. Which meant I had 1cm of movement either side of a stick to go full lock on the steering.

Races won: 1529
Second: 890
Third: 541
Finished: 4229

I would say that I took LFS more seriously than a lot of people, but I never felt the need to buy a wheel, and that was with a game that barely supports any other control method. At least this game has better options which means I can actually use the full movement of the analogue sticks on my controller.
Quote from The Moose :It's very easy actually. 16/14 wing and you're there. Took me 5 laps with that wing setting. (and a bit of gear ratio tuning)

I had that setup with 16/14 wings and I just didn't believe that. I mean... I just changed wings to a lot lower (11/8) and did a lot better. Felt like I'm losing too much on the straight to get it back in the turns. Well, I'll try that setup (from youtube) again then and hope to have better luck this time.

Quote from Bmxtwins :An elitist who is slower than mouse drivers.

Glad to hear that from Ray's mouth...

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :

Races won: 1529
Second: 890
Third: 541
Finished: 4229

I'm glad to hear your success in LFS with that kind of hardware. I can imagine how hard it is to keep the car on track even with that... thing. But those stats seriously don't mean much. I might have less races won in my stats than most of the people around, but still being more competitive at some point... The thing is, winning a 6 hour race is just one to that count, while I could've won like 150 sprint races in that ammount of time, if you get my point. I was just never the public racer style, except for CTRA. That's where I collected most of my wins.
Once you use a proper FFB wheel, I just can't imagine anyone going back to a feedback'less control device when you're driving seriously.
Quote from ATC Quicksilver :...I never felt the need to buy a wheel...

You don't buy a wheel to be faster, you get one because that's how cars are driven
Quote from BlueFlame :Well I'm an elitist and racing is a massive passion for me and if someone doesn't take it seriously enough to use a wheel then they shouldn't be driving. Sure good to have it there as a starting tool but too many use mouse and never bother with a wheel.

I take my racing very seriously and I used different wheels, including a DFGT for about a year before they broke down and I simply couldn't afford a new one. I've now raced LFS with a mouse for about 7 months and it took some time to get used to but I'm now faster and more confident than I was with a wheel.

I'm not saying that wheels are shite or something, because I do understand that if I want to continue racing competitively somewhere else I'd have to buy a wheel for that, but I don't really understand this ignorance.
Quote from Matrixi :Once you use a proper FFB wheel, I just can't imagine anyone going back to a feedback'less control device when you're driving seriously.

It's not people WANT to go back to mouse/keyboard. Some times people HAVE to. I'm traveling at the moment with only a laptop. Should I just dream about going back to home everyday, or have fun with what I have?
Quote from Keling :....Should I just dream about going back to home everyday, or have fun with what I have?

You are free to do whatever you want, but personally, if didn't have a wheel, I'd rather do something else than simracing. I am of the opnion that when I do something I do it right or I just don't do it at all.
Quote from Keling :It's not people WANT to go back to mouse/keyboard. Some times people HAVE to. I'm traveling at the moment with only a laptop. Should I just dream about going back to home everyday, or have fun with what I have?

Sure, I used to kick it back and have some quick drifts with RB4 by using a 360 gamepad every now and then with my laptop.

Majority of simracers aren't permamently travelling with a laptop however, they play at home, where they can use a steering wheel.
Quote from Matrixi :Once you use a proper FFB wheel, I just can't imagine anyone going back to a feedback'less control device when you're driving seriously.

Seriously as in
- more realistic or
- trying to be faster or
- just having more fun?

What is a proper ffb racing wheel?

I know for a fact I'm faster without ffb. In iracing when I tried my fanatec 991turbo s wheel I could not get within 1s of my non ffb wheel lap times (mustang in vir long). It was easier to be faster and more consistent with a non-ffb wheel. It is easier to hold car on the limit through a turn when the steering wheel doesn't fight you. It is much easier to get back in control after getting a tank slapper or after sudden change in the car with non ffb wheel. With ffb the steering wheel tries all the time steer you away from the perfect line you are taking once you have rotated into a turn. Or that how it has to me everytime I'm using a ffb wheel.

Ffb is definitely more realistic. That's not even debatable imho.

But fun for me is about control. For some people it might be immersion. A ffb wheel is an immersive tool where a non ffb wheel probably isn't. But if fun is about competitive racing and doing my best then I'd pick non ffb wheel every time over ffb wheel.

Maybe I have my standards set too high. I feel my 911 turbo s is way too slow and has too much resistance. It turns too slow and it resists too much when I need to make quick correction. The ffb feels like it is coming late and more often than not the ffb is actually giving me conflicting information. Maybe I need a better ffb wheel.
You can try to enable drift mode on that wheel. It's not really that good for today's standards indeed.
Quote from Hyperactive :Seriously as in
- more realistic or
- trying to be faster or
- just having more fun?

All the above. You drive a real car with a steering wheel and it gives you feedback from the front wheels, that's what you should aim for when driving in simulators. Especially now, that simulators have advanced to the point that they give that superb FFB directly in to your hands.

Quote from Hyperactive :
What is a proper ffb racing wheel?

I'd say something with 900+ degrees of rotation with quick enough motor(s) to not restrict driving (like DFP does), three pedals and preferrably a discrete shifter.

Quote from Hyperactive :
It is much easier to get back in control after getting a tank slapper or after sudden change in the car with non ffb wheel.

How much lock are you using? I've found catching slides or tankslappers without FFB to be near impossible on 900 degrees or above.

Different people get their kicks from different things, I just find no joy in racing with unrealistically low steering locks, auto-clutches or other driving aids. It's kind of a compromise. Do you want a tough challenge, by driving with 1080 degrees, clutch, H-pattern and enduring the handicap that gives you, or would you rather shave time off, regardless of the methods?
Quote from NitroNitrous :You are free to do whatever you want, but personally, if didn't have a wheel, I'd rather do something else than simracing. I am of the opnion that when I do something I do it right or I just don't do it at all.

Same here. If I had no wheel I simply wouldn't simrace.
It doesn't feel like simracing if you're not using a wheel. It feels like gaming. No satisfaction. No point.
Quote from The Moose :Same here. If I had no wheel I simply wouldn't simrace.
It doesn't feel like simracing if you're not using a wheel. It feels like gaming. No satisfaction. No point.

Concur
I always liked "car games" before I ever got in to "sims" with a wheel and such. I suppose that for me it's always going to be gaming, a wheel will always just be a controller no matter how fancy or expensive, which is kind of also why I've never really felt the urge to spend large amounts of money on it, though I have used the top end stuff on several occasions.

I'd still play car games, and still want the cars to behave realistically, even if steering wheel controllers didn't exist.
Quote from Keling :No offence, but motion platform guys can say exactly the same thing to you.

Well I'm talking about being serious enough that you have full control of your car at all times. You won't get anymore stability with a motion rig, if anything you'll have less control.

Quote from Bmxtwins :An elitist who is slower than mouse drivers.

Well you must feel pretty shit about yourself, cos I'm faster than you.
Quote from BlueFlame :Well I'm talking about being serious enough that you have full control of your car at all times. You won't get anymore stability with a motion rig, if anything you'll have less control.



Well you must feel pretty shit about yourself, cos I'm faster than you.

so you are saying, that you don't have full control with a mouse?

Kunos Simulazioni - Assetto Corsa
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