Buying a steering wheel

[Raz316]

Hi everyone, on buying and enjoying F1 2012 recently, I am considering buying a steering wheel. I'm not entirely sure where I got the idea from initially, but I've been looking at the Logitech G27.

1) Anyone have any experience with F1 2012 and a Logitech steering wheel?
2) Do all steering wheels work with all racing games? (I am assuming some games recognise the hardware specifically, while others rely on some sort of joypad emulation or something)
3) How necessary is the stand? Can I just clamp it to my desk (which is at a reasonable height) ?
4) Assuming I do buy a wheel, what other games would you recommend?
5) Is buying second hand "safe"? (I know this is probably a bit too subjective of a question!)

Ta!

[kalniel]

I've just done exactly that - a G27.

1) I'm struggling to get it setup for games, in short. Force feedback is VERY strong - at defaults it's like driving a car whose power steering has failed and you're having to push against the PAS mechanism. I've had to turn it right down in both the logitech profiler and F1 2012, even then, it's a bit weird - might take some getting used to. Navigating menus is a pain because F1 2012 refers to things like press button 19 to continue.. and you can't remap menu buttons, so I've just had to guess what the keyboard equivalent is.
2) As you say, most racing games have specific G27 recognition (which is rubbish in every game I've tried, and still needs much tweaking to the profiler/game settings), those that don't can set it up as a generic racing wheel no problem. Joypad emulation would be a final fallback, but wheels have been around for so long I've yet to see a game that used that.
3) I just clamp it to the desk.
4) GTR:Evo is probably the best game with the wheel that I've got. Project CARS is better with a gamepad at the moment for me. Dirt 2/3 is OK for somethings, better with a pad for others. Shift 2 unleashed.. I still need to find a setup that works. Potentially good though.
5) Don't know - you're probably OK some of the time, and others people are selling because there's something not quite right/annoying.

At the end of the day.. I kind of regret buying it to be honest. I play loads of racing games so thought I'd love it. Maybe I'll get it setup right for each game eventually/figure out why it seems so strong. But at the moment the pad is more enjoyable.

[Raz316]

Thanks Kal

I've just been looking up wheel setup for F1 2012 and seen this. Of any use to you? http://maxisdomain.co.uk/news/23-rok...h-g27-settings

I guess deep down I have some concerns that I won't enjoy it as much as I think I will. I'm really enjoying F1 2012 with an xbox pad, but there are certain parts where I know I could do better if I was using a wheel.

[kalniel]

Yeah I tried those settings before - maybe I've got a bad wheel or there's some incompatibility somewhere, but it's undrivable, seriously like driving a car with PAS failure (which I have experience of IRL!). Currently I have profiler set to 30% force, and effects at 10% for each slider in F1 2012.

With my settings, I can live with F1 2012, and it is better than the pad (I found the pad steering is pretty rubbish for the F1 games). Immersion is massively better and the linear steering is a help for those awkward medium tightness corners (would be ideal for turn 8 Instanbul.. grrr). The forcefeedback isn't a lot of help though for me - it suddenly lightens when understeering, weighs up to give the impression of grip at high downforce, rattles when going over kerbs.. but very little else.

edit: to add, I am checking with logitech support in case I have a duff wheel. So far they've been useless - usual copy/paste replies, completely misunderstanding the issue (yes my wheel is meant to move when I plug it in... what? I didn't ask about that!!) and telling me my software is out of date (it's the latest one on their website, and exactly the same link they point me at to update it).

edit2: I have the same problem as these guys - http://www.insidesimracing.tv/forums...p?f=165&t=7638

[Raz316]

I see from your system tab thing, you were running Win 7 x64, is that still the case?

[kalniel]

I see from your system tab thing, you were running Win 7 x64, is that still the case?

Yup.

[Andy3536]

Thanks Kal

I've just been looking up wheel setup for F1 2012 and seen this. Of any use to you? http://maxisdomain.co.uk/news/23-rok...h-g27-settings

I guess deep down I have some concerns that I won't enjoy it as much as I think I will. I'm really enjoying F1 2012 with an xbox pad, but there are certain parts where I know I could do better if I was using a wheel.

I'm using a G25 in Win 7.
I run steering sat @ 5% @ Linearity @ 30%. Rest at 0
In the profile i'm running Overall effects 60% Spring effects 60% Damper effect 60% Center spring 100%
No real issues here, but i must admit, i rarely fiddle with the settings. The only thing i would say is a must is in the game select Override input device to steering wheel as it is in the link. Much of the rest is personal prefernce.

If you do buy other games the Race 07 package is really cheap now with loads of content and mods. Should defenatly get your moneys worth.
Race injection is all there updated packages in one.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/44...sFilteredDLC_1


Other games you might want to try.

Game Stock car.
http://www.game-stockcar.com.br/en/gameinfo.html

GT legends
http://www.simbin.com/games/gt-legends/

Also Rfactor 2 and Project Cars are both works in progress that let you drive the games while they are being built with money off the final game when they are eventually released.
Might be worth a look.
http://rfactor.net/web/rf2/

http://www.wmdportal.com/projects/cars/

[Raz316]

Thanks Andy. Still undecided but I will certainly look in to those games (especially the Race Injection one!).