With the new forums I thought I would bring back my Forza Inspired Race Chasis thread. As things get added/changed, I will update this post. Anything I can to to help people who wish to get the most out of their virtal racing, please don’t hesitate to post, and or ask any questions.
Back when the first Forza was released on the original xbox, I fell in love with it. It was the game which had me search out a wheel to play racing games with. I ended up purchasing a Madcatz wheel. Man did I suck!
Xbox 360 came out and I purchased Forza 2 and upgraded to the MS WRW. For the next 4 years I used this wheel to play all the racing games I could get my hands on. I had it mounted to a tv tray, and eventually purchased a playseat early 2011. I thought I was in heaven. Forza 3 was amazing with this setup.
Last October with the release of Forza 4, I thought it was time to step it up a notch. Fanatec has released the CSR series and my wife was nice enough to suggest it be my Christmas present. She got me a CSR, CSP, and CSR shifter set. Sorry for this pic, it is from an old cell phone.
(shown above: my setup was a CSR wheel, CSP, CSR Shifter set. Playseat Alcantra with shifter adapter, 46" 120 hrz LCD TV, Sony 7.1 1000w/channel surround sound)
I played alot over the holidays. I even hooked up my (crappy) PC to my TV and tried out some PC racing, Race 07, iRacing, RBR. Which all ran terribly, I need a new computer. I even purchased a Buttkicker gamer to create a better immersion.
So the playseat was great with the MS WRW, but as I played with the tripple pedal setup, and bad pedal angle, and flat backrest, I started to hate sitting in my rig.
This summer, it was time to redecorate the basement. The rest of the house had been done, and my wife suggested we do something different. She sugessted we take half of the room and make it my little gaming corner. (I love this woman).
So for the last 3 weeks we have been decorating, I ordered and recieved an Obutto oZone (with tripple screen adapter), clubsport table clamp, an extra shifter adapter, and put it all together…
I had the Buttckicker attached to the tubular frame of the Obutto, but thought there was a better way.
Yep… MUCH better.
So I took all these pictures on the weekend, and since then, I have recieved a set of Tilton pedal pads from DSD. WOW, if you have clubsports, do yourself a favour… buy them!
As time goes on I will be purchasing 3 monitors, one more xbox (I already have 2), and a new PC.
To sum it all up, THIS is the way to play! I am having a blast. Hope you enjoyed
Edit: Sept 10 update
Ok so here is a pic of my new DSD Tilton pedal pads. Pedals feel much better.
The setup is almost complete…
…and what I view.
A hired driver so I can hold my camera. Just so you can se what it’s all about. Enjoy.
Youtube: Triple Screen - YouTube
Priceless [:D]
Update 12/06/2012
Using some scrap wood and microfiber cloth, I decided to make a desk top (dashboard).
Updates 06/03/13
Some time ago I ordered the Th8rs Shifter from Thrustmaster as a replacement to the Fanatec CSR shifters. The TH8rs is a much better H-pattern shifter solution, than the one provided by Fanatec. I also ordered a DSD sequential shifter, as both the Fanatec shifter and the TH8rs both provide a shifter solution that I find lacking. Both of these shifters are not supported by either Fanatec or Microsoft, so out of the box, they do not work with Forza, or any other Xbox racing game. A gentleman by the name of Jon, who has an extensive amount of skill and knowledge has created the SFA1 (shifter to Fanatec adapter) to allow users to have the luxury of using which ever shifter they wish while connected to a Fanatec wheel. And it works! So well in fact that I have two, one for each shifter.
Fanatec users will know, that Fanatec wheels only support one shifter attached to the wheel at a time, even though it supports both H-pattern and sequential shifters. Joh at Basherboards also came up with a solution for this problem as well. He ran off a limited run of shifter switches, which will allow a user to hook up both a Sequential and an H-pattern shifter to the wheel at once. With a flick of the switch you can choose which shifter you wish to use, with no cable swapping, or re-booting the wheel.
Bellow is a picture of the SFA1’s and the shifter switch. I have used them allot, but took a picture without the cables while I am re working my rig layout. These things are amazing!
TH8rs vs Fanatec shifter (stock)
As I stated, the TH8rs is a wonderful shifter… But I don’t generally stick with stock. Mr.Yip (YipZone) is a guy from Australia who has created a short shifter plate for the TH8rs, which is a nice piece of kit, and really shortens the throw. And not being satisfied with the terrible plastic shift knob that comes standard on the shifter I ordered a custom Hard Bar from Product Innovations LLC. Along with a little carbon fiber wrap (wood and pipe to create my own mount), and red Sugru, I came up with this…
The DSD shifter is perfect out of the box. It feels REAL. It is stiff and gives a substantial THUNK when shifting. The only thing is attaching to my rig would require a lot of figuring out from my end. Luckily Fast Track Sims offers a great DSD Shifter Mount that has been designed to work on my race rig, The Obutto.
Last but not least I have added a second Buttkicker to my rig. One is attached to the left and one to the right side of my seat rails. The I hooed them up in sterio to my Xbox RCA outs. The effect now is much more pronounced and I also get sterio feedback. Hit the curb on the left wheel, and feel it on the left side of my body… It is great.
Well that is all for now… And I will be doing some wood work to fiinnish of a platform to raise my rig of the floor, and add some more “Extra Features”… So stay tuned, and Happy Racing!