Should I take the plunge (and buy a wheel)?

I’m not sure if this is the right place for this thread, but here it goes.

Basically, my question is should I just take the plunge and just buy a wheel for the game?

I’ve recently discovered Forza, as well as whole ‘racing sim’ game scene. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve played racing games before, but not as much as I’ve played Forza 5.

When I started playing, I was that “aggressive” driver. I would just slam into other racers to slow me down on a turn. After playing the game for a few months, I’ve been really trying to crack down on getting better, clean lap times.

I’ve been trying to clean up my driving habits recently. Stuff like trying not to just mash on the breaks before a corner, or whip the analog stick all the way left or right. However, I tend to tense up too much trying to, resulting in my fingers cramping up. I almost feel like my “potential” is limited to the controller.

I should not that I’ve never attempted to tune a car, so I don’t know if that has anything to do with it or not.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Get a wheel IF you want to get one. But one thing…a wheel will NOT make you faster or give you greater potential. You as a user need to have the ability to be faster, cleaner and a better racer.

Sorry, didn’t mean for that post to come off as if I thought that if I got a wheel, I’d be a better driver automatically. I understand that practice makes perfect. I just want to eliminate the “twitchy” driving that I find myself doing.

Quite frequently, the question is asked in terms of “Should I get a wheel so I can be fast?” – so “a wheel won’t make you fast” is also a common response.

The general consensus has been: A wheel+pedals is much more immersive. It can give you a much better sense of actually driving the car. If you want to really feel like you’re in a racing “sim” (as opposed to just playing a game), then a wheel+pedals will go a long way.

As far as performance goes, a wheel can make it easier to hold a smooth line, particularly through long, sweeping turns. On the other hand, you can “flip the stick” a whole lot faster than you can turn a wheel. Six of one, half-a-dozen of the other.

  • Don Ente
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I much prefer the half dozen on the wheel’s side though. I find it much easier to control and drive at the limits with a wheel.

I would like to get a wheel but I’m waiting on one that supports the XBone, PC and PS4 (which I don’t have but may some day).

There are two reasons to use a wheel:

Personal preference.
Physical limitations.

I use a wheel for both reasons. First I enjoy driving with a wheel much more so than with a controller, and I (personally) can be more consistent with a wheel. Second, I have mild RSI. I can drive for hours on end with the wheel, but after a short time with the controller on a bad day I am done.

You can be fast with either.

Draw backs to a wheel right now: The only one out there is the TM wheel and it is pretty expensive for what you get. You also lose the ability (as of now) to use a headset and are stuck with the Kinect mic for communications.

Yes buy a wheel, i have the tx wheel from thrustmaster.
It is a lot of money, but i wont play again with the controller and my times are better with a wheel and
It is much more fun.

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Thanks for the tips guys. I think I may just say screw it and buy one. Any recommendations on a stand? I have carpeted floors, so I don’t know if that will factor into a stand or not.

You’ll definitely need a good, sturdy stand for this wheel as you can’t use it on your lap and even if you could, it wouldn’t be a good idea because of the amount of force the wheel has. That said, there are several different options out there depending on your budget and space available. I’d say if you have enough space for it and money isn’t a huge issue, then buy a full rig instead of just a stand. Playseat has always been a great seat as well as Obutto even though it’s a little pricey. If you want to go stands then I suggest either one from Wheel Stand Pro or the Fanatec CSL stand. There’s also another option for a smaller cockpit design with the Fanatec CSL seat and the Playseat Challenge(it actually folds up). These all can range from $100 for the Fanatec stand all the way to around a $1000 for a good cockpit setup.

Wow, definitely not looking to do a full cockpit setup LOL. That’s just a tiny bit out of my price range.

I will most likely order the Thrustmaster TX kit and the Wheel Stand Pro tonight. Biggest problem I’m seeing is the waiting time :frowning:

The Playseat cockpits are only $400.

I have both a CSR (still playing Foeza 4 and F1) and a TX, both mount on wheelstandpro which I highly recommend - very sturdy and it folds down so can be put out of the way easily.

When you get the TX you’ll start looking at upgrades - the stock pedals aren’t great but I’m comparing to my Fanatec clubsports, but as an entry level pedal I’m sure you’ll find them fun at first. You’ll then probably spend some money on the 3 pedal set… then the GTE wheel,… then the F1 eim LOL.

I’m a much quicker driver with a pedal, as I can turn all assist off and enjoy it more - I just don’t get on well with a controller. But then I’ve been using a wheel since the MS Sidewinder wheel came out on the PC :slight_smile:

A well tuned car that has a build suitable to that style of track will go a long way in helping you with car control. That is likely one thing that is holding you back.

Once you learn how to build properly, you’ll find that some cars are pretty good with no tune. That isn’t always the case, but it happens.

Later on you’ll find that some of the fastest cars on a track may not be the best driving machines. I’d avoid these types of cars for now until you get a better mastery of the basics.

Also what assists are you using? Beginner assists such as brake assist and driving assist will make cars feel odd.

You may also want to adjust your steering deadzones. There’s another thread already dedicated to this topic though

I am using ‘half’ ABS and ‘Full’ TSC + Manual (without clutch). I have all my Deadzone settings, besides Clutch, set at 0/100. I Have ABSOLUTELY noticed a difference with that, especially when I’m actually trying to brake normally, and not jam the trigger down fully.

Using a controller my hand tends to cramp up during longer sessions when I’m hot lapping. I contribute this to trying to drive too hard sometimes I need to remind myself that once the trigger or joy stick is completely pressed in its not going to go any faster or let me turn sharper by adding more pressure. I don’t have a wheel myself but if your on the fence see if you can test one out to see if you like it. I would like to know if when using a wheel can can still sit on a couch or do you need a harder and less comfortable chair?

For purchasing and discussion of wheels, stands, and pedals, check out the Hardware & Peripherals forum under General Xbox Gaming:
http://forums.forza.net/turn10_topics65_Hardware-and-Peripherals.aspx

Wait for a legitimate quality wheel. Having had a csr elite I’m just not willing to pay slightly less money for a much worse quality product. Wait and see if Fanatec does anything.

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I bought a (“the” at the moment) wheel, and I’m very happy with it.

I went back and forth quite a bit, wondering if it’d be worth it. Read as many forum posts as I could. What I found was that the most vocal crowd is people who already own wheels and know all about them. I knew nothing. Relatively speaking, I still know nothing. However, that works in my favor. Where the been-gaming-with-wheels-for-years crowd can find all sorts of reasons not to buy a wheel right now (quality, compatibility with older setups, etc.), this is my first wheel.

Because it’s my first wheel, I have nothing to compare it to. Because I have nothing to compare it to, I can only judge it on how it’s changed Forza for me, and the change has been overwhelmingly positive. Not only is it far more immersive than before, it’s also much easier for me to play cleanly. I have a condition that makes it difficult for me to use controllers for fine movements, so I was all kinds of frustrated before. I love Forza, and I even loved it when I could hardly play it. Now that I have a controller that I can use, I love Forza all the more.

The people who’ve already owned wheels remind me of my friends who attend wine tastings. They find the “overtones of smoky asparagus followed by a clean finish that indicate the soil for this batch saw at least one full moon and frosted over twice.” For me, wine is either red or white. I either like it or I don’t.

One day, I might understand why the TX wheel is the source of so much debate. For now, it’s just a thing that, for me, was worth every penny.

As for performance, what people have been saying is accurate. Despite my motor control problems, there are some things that are still easier with a controller. The game’s more forgiving - it’s like you get an extra little bit of help because T10 know it can be awkward to play with a controller. Recovering from a spin, for example, I found easier with a regular controller. It feels like you’re less vulnerable to the online griefers. On the other hand, you can be much, much smoother with a wheel. You can hold a long turn rather than having to repeatedly make corrections all the way through that feel clumsy.

But, it really comes down to understanding the game. If you watch replays of the top leaderboard drivers, you can tell most are using controllers. For them, it’s a matter of having practiced and improved and gotten to where they are now regardless of input device. It’ll be the same for you.

The question is really this: are you more interested in feeling like you’re actually driving than just trying to post the fastest lap times possible? I don’t think the wheel holds people back, but if it did, I would much rather come in third with a wheel than first with a controller. I love driving; that’s why I wanted a good driving game. And it just felt wrong without the wheel.

Until you make your decision, follow the advice people give for changing the controller’s deadzones. It makes a big difference.

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Interesting thread. I too have a condition that makes using the controller difficult. I am too cheap to put the money out for the wheel though. I’ve gotten better with the controller, but do struggle with “smoothness” quite a bit still. I go back and forth all the time between whether I should get a wheel or not. So far, I haven’t taken the plunge yet. Might do it tonight, or I may never do it… Just can’t make up my mind.

Might as well wait. Madcatz will release one in a month or so, but the thing Im waiting for is this fanatec company. They have a club sport line, which looks great…expensive, but good materials. Wait and see mode is kind of a bummer…but its the smart thing for now…