Steering wheels any good?

[duragezic]

I was playing the Rally Championship Xtreme demo yesterday and got the crazy idea of getting a steering wheel for the comp. I never was a huge fan of driving games and thankfully I only bought like once ever and I just download demos. But it's just they tend to get repetitve quite quickly. But does a steering wheel make it fun? I think especially in games like Midtown Madness 2. Actually it'd be fun to have pedals too. Cause that'd be sweet just going nuts if it acted realistically. Ya could go do things in there and it'd seem fun cause it'd be like real life (well ya know). Especially realistically in cities with snow and stuff it'd be damn cool to like slam on the brakes and lock the tires, slide around, and stuff like that. I think that'd keep the game from getting repetitive as quick.

So what's everyones opinions on steering wheels (not really specific models but about if they are worth it and fun in general).

 

[ApacheXMD]

definately a good thing.
They add a lot to any driving game. especially the sims. Force feedback is fun but not really essential. It kinda tires me out when i play on my brothers Logitech Force feedback wheel.

-patchy

 

[duragezic]

Would you consider it, "off tha hook?"

I looked at Newegg and they're packing a Logitech wheel + pedals for $40 + shipping. Not too bad. I was thinking around $50.

Do wheels turn like 1.5 turns like a real car or do they do some little 90 degree turn of the wheel. I'd rather have a regular turn like a car it'd be more fun then ya know.

I wish there was cooler car games too that were more real. Like you could wreck your car by driving it real hard everytime you play the game (it'd be like you own the car and save the condition so you could make the tires go bald, wreck the tranny, etc...). Hmm I think that'd be a real fun game with a wheel if it was real cause it'd be kinda like what you'd want to do in real life but don't wanna hurt someone, wreck your car, lose your license, etc... hehe

 

[ApacheXMD]

i wouldn't say it's "off the hook".. but it just makes driving games more realistic and a lot more enjoyable.

most wheels are limited to a turning limit of about +- 100-110 degrees in either direction .. so it's a far cry from a real car.. but that's not such a big deal. In games, you're usually moving pretty damn fast, so, as in a real car, when you're moving fast, you don't move the wheel more than a few degrees at a time.

-patchy

 

[calpha]

Nascar Driving 4 is off the hook with a wheel.

I suck with a joystick, but I"m ok with a wheel.

 

[toft-dk]

Steering wheels rules !!!

For my 30 th birthday some friends built a consol out of a Sparco Racingseat and it adds to the realism.
With my Logitech Force Feedback Wheel w/ Pedals.

I have a picture of it at my homepage: http://home1.stofanet.dk/toft
then click on pictures and here goes.

 

[Mowork]

A good steering wheel and pedals, in my opinion, is a MUST if you're playing driving games. Check out Need for Speed: High Stakes with a good force feedback wheel and tell me it's not "off da hook". Betcha can't

 

[duragezic]

Hmm I may have to get one.

I've basically found there is two standard wheels + pedals from Logitech & MS for $40 and $60, respectively. There Logitech & MS have force feedback wheels but the cheapest Logitech is like $80. I don't think I want to spend that much especially if it sucks.

 

[ApacheXMD]

well.. steering wheels ( force feedback or otherwise) definately do not suck
but whether or not it's worth the money is up to the person. Maybe you can find a store with a good return policy and try out a forcefeedback wheel and see if you like it.
I find that it adds to the realism. and is worth the extra dough

-patchy

 

[Mowork]

 

[duragezic]

I have a Staples but I'm not sure if they have any their webpage shows only one or two choices (else I'd be PM + coupon that badboy). And if I bought it at Staples B&M it'd be more expensive if they did have the right one there.

 

[duragezic]

I read a bunch of internet reviews and they basically all say it's great to have a wheel. Too bad NF4 doesn't run in Win2k.

But the MS wheels seem to be the best. I'd really like to get the force feedback MS one and it gets great reviews but its like $120! I was hoping to spend more aorund $50. $50 could get me the non FF MS wheel but ah dunno FF is suppose to really be nice...

 

[maddmax]

Skip the force feedback. Most of the fast drivers on the Porshe Unleashed servers agree that for the money go MS nonFF. They say the FF model is not as responsive and is tiresome. My six year old son and I use the MS Precision Wheel to race Porshe Unleashed, Nascar Heat, Midtown Madness2 on our lan. It is definitely worth the money in our opinion. The only time it comes off the desk is when there is some serious fraggin to be done. Multiplayer online Porshe with a wheel is way cool. In regards to your second post about more realism, NFSPU in evolution mode works like you describe. You buy the cars and soup them up with parts you purchase with prize money. In my case prize money was often not enough to cover damage done.