Forza 2 / DIRT / Sega Rally / PGR 4 = Is it time to buy a wheel and racing seat?

Mr Latte · 22 Apr 2007 at 14:30

Its evident their is several possibly good racing games due on the 360 platform this year.Ive been considering the 360 wheel for sometime now and tbh the thought that all the games mentioned i can see a wheel being used a lot.

Forza 2 should be the best game ever with a wheel well thats if were led to believe the developers. I cant see it not being more fun and with the current FM2 hysteria approaching surely Microsoft are onto a winner and no doubt every other racing game appearing now will make good use of the wheel so if your a racing fan like me the investment will be good value.

This leads me to ask if others have found themselves in the same position?
Curious if many 360 car fanatics have been thinking the same thing but wanted to hold out for Forza 2 to appear?

Choosing a Wheel
The wheel choice is simple really as the Offical X360 wheel seems to be the best for the system and can even be adapted to work on a PC so not only is it going to be good for the several upcoming X360 car games but also PC ones too.

Racing Seats
Ive spent some time researching for the best racing seat and when combining style/comfort and price the best ive found is from Playseats. Sure there are a few on the market and even though they are not cheap they could represent a good purchase depending how serious you take your gaming/driving.

Virtual Racing
Forza Motorsport 2 devs have been using VRX Virtual Racing Simulator
Yes their Fantastic but cost a few thousand dollars

Playseats
Playseats
In my opinion these are the overall best and a popular choice. Personally i prefer the white which would match with the X360 wheel.The European/UK model with oval tubing seems sturdier than the previous edition and comes with a choice of colours plus has an additional plate for the Official 360 wheel.

Game Pod
Gamepod
This looks to offer a steady platform but is bulkier and even more costly which isnt a good thing. Still looks to be a quality product.

Game Racer
Gamer Racer
My friend has one of these with the 360 wheel and it feels comfortable.
The disadvantage is the seat is almost on the floor and adding the additional risers to the seat costs even more. Certainly a good product but the Playseats range seems to better it in price strength of frame and is off the ground as standard.

My Choice
So ive decided to purchase and after all the time ive invested in researching the options the decision is the following.
1x Playseat A1 GP Evolution Seat (White)
1x X360 Wheel Plate
1x X360 steering wheel
Total cost £325.97

Lets hope it arrives in time for the Forza 2 demo...

Appreciate any discussion from wheel users or if people want to add other alternatives for others to consider..

Its a forum lets talk...

Nismo · 22 Apr 2007 at 14:33

Wheel is fair enough, but I think the seat is overkill and just a gimmick IMO.

Still, your money. If money was no object to me I would probably invest in the 3 screen setup, ridiculous as it is for a single game which we don't actually know how good is yet.

Mr Men · 22 Apr 2007 at 14:35

Will be getting a wheel, always wanted a racing seat even for PC racing, but just not got the room, few of my PC racing mates have a seat though and they swear its great, you should love it

Mr Latte · 22 Apr 2007 at 14:42

I didnt make this decision lightly i can tell you.

What i can confirm from my own research is that if you play with the racing wheel sitting on the couch chances are your going to

1)Get back ache
2)Wrestle with it sliding on your lap and the pedals moving
3)Having a wheel that then detracts from the purpose and the fun of havng a wheel in the first place.

To be honest and ive looked a lot of racing game forums...
Ive yet to read a report from a single user that has purchased ANY form of decent racing seat that has complained about their purchase.
At the end of the day its to offer comfort and let you enjoy the game more, with having this it means you can surely get the best out of a wheel and enjoy any of the upcoming racing games more?

Its only a seat and wont make a poor driver a great driver but having a seat and a wheel will make racing and particulary endurance races much more enjoyable. Being comfortable lets you maintain your concentration.

fergie666 · 22 Apr 2007 at 16:09

don't have much room myself so a playseat etc is out of the question.

this is my setup.....

i sit on a bean bag with my back against the sofa, the pedals are leaning against the cabinet that has my 360 in it. for the wheel i keep the G clamp attached, which sits between my knees. i was originally using it without the clamp attched but it moves way to much. with the clamp on, i can grip it with my knees and it doesn't move to much now.

i am gonna swallow my embarrassment and post a pic

please excuse my driving slippers

i can sit in this position for hours on end without any discomfort

here's a vid from over my shoulder, it shows how much the wheel moves around on my knees.

LEFT CLICK

it looks like the wheel moves around a lot, but because it's on my knees, my legs move too, so i don't really notice it.

obviously having it clamped to something would be a be a better option but it's not viable for me at the moment.

Darkaber · 22 Apr 2007 at 17:33

fergie666 said:
don't have much room myself so a playseat etc is out of the question.

i am gonna swallow my embarrassment and post a pic

please excuse my driving slippers

i can sit in this position for hours on end without any discomfort

here's a vid from over my shoulder, it shows how much the wheel moves around on my knees.

LEFT CLICK

it looks like the wheel moves around a lot, but because it's on my knees, my legs move too, so i don't really notice it.

obviously having it clamped to something would be a be a better option but it's not viable for me at the moment.

lol great pic

Id love a seat but i just dont have the room

NokkonWud · 22 Apr 2007 at 18:01

Definitely worth buying one if you can afford it I'd say. Driving games are brilliant, however, you are limited to the realism of any racing game, regardless of how good it is purely because you have to use a pad instead of a wheel. A wheel will only help with driving games!

Mr Latte · 22 Apr 2007 at 18:03

Thanks for the video fergie, that looked to be pretty good driving too buddy.

As for the seat taking up a lot of room it wont realy as it can easily be dismantled leaving just the seat part but can understand smaller bedrooms or in living rooms it isnt girlfriend/wife living area friendly.

Ive seen people make their own from anything as simple as a small table,stand to plastic tubing mounts and some people doing this for very little money.

Lets here from some of you wheel users how you would actually rate the Microsoft wheel...

dirtydog · 22 Apr 2007 at 18:04

NokkonWud said:
A wheel will only help with driving games!

I'm no expert but I have heard some people say that for certain driving games, a pad is better

How true that is, I don't know.

NokkonWud · 22 Apr 2007 at 18:11

dirtydog said:
I'm no expert but I have heard some people say that for certain driving games, a pad is better How true that is, I don't know.

A pad is better (easier) a lot of the time, a pad is not better (realistic).
That's all I was trying to say.

Mr Latte · 22 Apr 2007 at 18:12

Well from the research ive done.

A pad is better for instant lock-lock with your thumb on a pad.
A wheel when properly setup and used can offer a much smoother line of entry and exit to a corner and with good throttle control and lets not forget in braking too.

It seems the biggest problem with a wheel is in drifting again id put this down to the fact on a wheel going from lock - lock is much harder and slower than what can be done instantly on a pad.

Still the rumble and FFB effects should be a joy on FM2 alone never mind all the other games coming.

Long endurance races are also aparently a lot less strainfull with a wheel as is long playing stints from what ive heard from wheel gamers...

dirtydog · 22 Apr 2007 at 18:15

NokkonWud said:
A pad is better (easier) a lot of the time, a pad is not better (realistic).
That's all I was trying to say.

Sure

I have often fancied getting a wheel but I suspect (for me) it would be a seven day wonder and would end up collecting dust. Of course if like Mr Latte I could afford to do it properly and buy some high-end kit then it would probably be different.

NokkonWud · 22 Apr 2007 at 18:19

That's the same situation I'm in. I've borrowed wheels in the past and they are a brilliant laugh, but it's not easy (though with practice an improvement can clearly be made quite rapidly).

The question I now ask is, do I really want one now. Forza2 is the first game that's made me want one as I think it will be more enjoyable because of it.

Mr Latte · 22 Apr 2007 at 18:21

Well i will give a full report on the setup when its arrived but use Forza 2 to review it on.

If people here want a detailed thread with lots of photos im sure i could go to the bother either way its upto folks here if their interested.
Trust me if the wheel sucks and is slower its getting sold as will the racing seat. Im not sacrificing my racing times for FFB and a comfy chair.

Agree with Nokkon's comments and if any game is going to use the wheel at its best we are certain it will be Forza 2

NokkonWud · 22 Apr 2007 at 18:32

I would definitely be interested!!

Rabid Dog · 22 Apr 2007 at 18:33

Mr Latte said:
Lets here from some of you wheel users how you would actually rate the Microsoft wheel...

All I can say is I love it!
I've had my wheel for 2 month's now and it has made PGR3 and TDU much better for me, I find it easier to steer ( due to the smoothness of steering ) and am actually better at the game due to the feedback .

Money well spent as far as I'm concerned.If you love your driving games you won't have it any other way
RD

Johnz0r · 22 Apr 2007 at 19:04

Rabid Dog said:
All I can say is I love it!
I've had my wheel for 2 month's now and it has made PGR3 and TDU much better for me, I find it easier to steer ( due to the smoothness of steering ) and am actually better at the game due to the feedback .

Money well spent as far as I'm concerned.If you love your driving games you won't have it any other way
RD

Aye, made PGR a lot better for me. Even TDU with the hardcore physics pack is quite good for the odd drift

And since Forza 2 has been made basically for the wheel I think its safe to say this will be THE game that you will want a wheel for, as the games I have mentioned were 'bolted' in.

mmj_uk · 22 Apr 2007 at 19:11

Mr Latte said:
To be honest and ive looked a lot of racing game forums...
Ive yet to read a report from a single user that has purchased ANY form of decent racing seat that has complained about their purchase.

You might find it would be different had it not been such a big investment.

People defend £300 consoles purchases, so stands to reason they'll praise a £2-3k glorified chair.

dannyjo22 · 22 Apr 2007 at 19:25

The only wheel I ever got on with from a speed point of view was the saturns. Purely because lock to lock was such a small amount of movement. Other than that I'd prefer a pad. I tried the MS one and just didnt get anywhere near the response. Maybe if i'd given it more time, but I didnt think it was worth the hassle.

I must admit I am curious to see how much of an uptake forza 2 gets from ocuk folk.

Mr Latte · 22 Apr 2007 at 19:31

mmj_uk said:
You might find it would be different had it not been such a big investment.

People defend £300 consoles purchases, so stands to reason they'll praise a £2-3k glorified chair.

Whos talking a £2 - 3k chair?
Quite frankly i dont suffer from what ive always called "new toy syndrome". If i get something and it doesnt please me you can be sure i wont say its great for my pride and any problems or disapointing aspects about it i will speak of.

Not everyone feels because they made a purchase that they then have to convince themselves it was worth the outlay. I disagree with your view but can relate to what your saying. For me and many its a purchase if its a good one or a bad one whats the point in defending it or more often exhaggerating about it.

Plese remember regarding the Playseat at approx £230 its not that expensive, and i did try with the time and effort i put into the post to show its one of the best priced available.
Yes its not cheap by any means however its only a seat to me and so i expect from a review point of view the following applies.

1 Build quality
2 Ease of setting up and use
3 Comfort
4 Wheel mount and flexing issues
5 Adjustability

Those issues have all been coverd as my concerns with research in forums that ive read so why should the seat need defending when i get it?

If anything the wheel is a bigger gamble purchase...