Fanatec Announcements: CSW V2 Reviews Out

[Grayfox117]

I have asked this question before Thomas and still haven't heard an answer. What does PS3 compatible mean exactly ? Was there any talk between Fanatec and Polyphony on getting the CSW officially supported on GT5? Besides the obvious of steering and ffb. I would like to know about the LED's and button mapping? The Logitec DFGT has car tuning buttons and dial that allow you to adjust settings on the fly. That would be awesome if the buttons and dials on the CSW would work with that function, especially since its already programmed into the game.
Just wondering
Thanks

 

[Raymond_Tengen]

If the Xbox 720 still uses XID then the Elite will be the best wheel for Forza 5. If the Xbox 720 uses HID then the Elite will be the second best wheel after the CSW. If the Xbox 720 uses a new protocol, then

I still hesitate to cancel my Elite preorder for a CSW. But Turn 10 could do some huge thing with FM5.

I have tried to know a little bit more about the new Microsoft console but people who know about it could not say anything (nda).

I'm having trouble following your statement. The CSW is not XBox compatible, so how can the CSR-E be second best compare to the CSW from the XBox point of view? From what I remembered and understood, Microsoft also put restrictions in how many buttons to have on the wheel, basically the same amount of button of the XBox gamepad, and I don't think this is going to change from the 360 to the 720.

 

[AGP5000]

I'm having trouble following your statement. The CSW is not XBox compatible, so how can the CSR-E be second best compare to the CSW from the XBox point of view? From what I remembered and understood, Microsoft also put restrictions in how many buttons to have on the wheel, basically the same amount of button of the XBox gamepad, and I don't think this is going to change from the 360 to the 720.

I think he is trying to compare with the next generation of consoles Ray. And the compatibility among the components regarding HID and XID among the next generation. Hence his thoughts about the wheels.

 

[HoiHman]

I have asked this question before Thomas and still haven't heard an answer. What does PS3 compatible mean exactly ? Was there any talk between Fanatec and Polyphony on getting the CSW officially supported on GT5? Besides the obvious of steering and ffb. I would like to know about the LED's and button mapping? The Logitec DFGT has car tuning buttons and dial that allow you to adjust settings on the fly. That would be awesome if the buttons and dials on the CSW would work with that function, especially since its already programmed into the game.
Just wondering
Thanks

That's definately a question i would like to have answered too.

If the CSW has to go (like the CSR Elite) into the "G25 mode" for PS3 compatibility, it has no advantages over the Elite in the PS3 mode.

Still using an other manufacturers hardware id must limit the possiblities of the CSW.

 

[K_Soze]

I'm having trouble following your statement. The CSW is not XBox compatible, so how can the CSR-E be second best compare to the CSW from the XBox point of view? From what I remembered and understood, Microsoft also put restrictions in how many buttons to have on the wheel, basically the same amount of button of the XBox gamepad, and I don't think this is going to change from the 360 to the 720.

I speak about the next microsoft console ("xbox 720").
I mean, if microsoft keeps going with XID, then the Elite will be the best wheel for the new xbox (beacause the CSW will not be compatible).
And if microsoft moves to HID then the CSW will be compatible, but the Elite too.

 

[Raymond_Tengen]

I think he is trying to compare with the next generation of consoles Ray. And the compatibility among the components regarding HID and XID among the next generation. Hence his thoughts about the wheels.

Yeah, I got that part, but wouldn't his thoughts regarding the wheels be XBox-compatible wheels since he's discussing HID and XID on the XBox 720? Maybe I'm missing something?

 

[Raymond_Tengen]

I speak about the next microsoft console ("xbox 720").
I mean, if microsoft keeps going with XID, then the Elite will be the best wheel for the new xbox (beacause the CSW will not be compatible).
And if microsoft moves to HID then the CSW will be compatible, but the Elite too.

Yeah, ok, I missed that last part (HID --> CSW might be compatible on the XBox 720).

 

[mikemav]

I think what you're missing is he's speculating that if the next gen Xbox goes with HID then the CSW will suddenly be Xbox (next gen) compatible. That is what people are wondering. Because really then the only advantage to the Elite (besides price) is compatibility with the Xbox 360. If both wheels will work with the NextBox, then suddenly the CSW is a triple-platform wheel. Personally I think that's a great wish, but that would also probably be unlikely. Reason being this would mean (without some very clever coding or hardware translation) that the next gen Xbox would not be backward compatible with older Xbox peripherals (or even older games?)

 

[bermudakid]

If both wheels will work with the NextBox, then suddenly the CSW is a triple-platform wheel. Personally I think that's a great wish, but that would also probably be unlikely. Reason being this would mean (without some very clever coding or hardware translation) that the next gen Xbox would not be backward compatible with older Xbox peripherals (or even older games?)

There is already a lot of speculation that the next gen consoles will not be backwards compatible anyway to save costs on hardware.

 

[WhiteAnimal166]

Well, the increased ffb setting possiblility and other extra options sound great, I love a firm feedback when driving but of course not at the expense of recognisable detail. And then: it is still racing and not bodybuilding :-)

For the other things we'll have to wait and see how the reviews turn out. That will also shed some light what (rightfully mentioned by Grayfox <<< Metal Gear inspired?) PS3 'compatibility' actually means: it is fully internally supported as a Fanatec in GT5 or in a compatibility mode like a G25, which is more or less compatibility in the sense that you can connect it to a PS3 and it will work in some way...

 

[Grayfox117]

For the other things we'll have to wait and see how the reviews turn out. That will also shed some light what (rightfully mentioned by Grayfox <<< Metal Gear inspired?) PS3 'compatibility' actually means: it is fully internally supported as a Fanatec in GT5 or in a compatibility mode like a G25, which is more or less compatibility in the sense that you can connect it to a PS3 and it will work in some way...

Your right we'll know for sure once the reviews are out. It would be nice if during the last five months there was work being done on actual PS3 compatability . I have a bad feeling though that it will be like you said "you can connect it to a PS3 and it will work in some way"

And yes Grayfox from the Metal Gear series

 

[lemansfanatic]

Well, the increased ffb setting possiblility and other extra options sound great, I love a firm feedback when driving but of course not at the expense of recognisable detail. And then: it is still racing and not bodybuilding :-)

For the other things we'll have to wait and see how the reviews turn out. That will also shed some light what (rightfully mentioned by Grayfox <<< Metal Gear inspired?) PS3 'compatibility' actually means: it is fully internally supported as a Fanatec in GT5 or in a compatibility mode like a G25, which is more or less compatibility in the sense that you can connect it to a PS3 and it will work in some way...

I am the exact opposite, if I had to choose, I'd sacrifice the detail for brute force. I want a wheel that I'd have to sweat and strain to use, because thats what a REAL race driver has to deal with, and why they have to be in such good shape. I can totally see myself in a year or two modding the CSW with bigger motors, more power!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Spagetti69]

Real racing car wheels are hard to turn?
Are you sure?

 

[amf7]

Real racing car wheels are hard to turn?
Are you sure?

F1 cars are extremely difficult. I think it was a skyf1 piece this year that showed how much training the drivers did on there arms.

The BBC Did a similar piece a few years ago.

 

[mykem]

I speak about the next microsoft console ("xbox 720").
I mean, if microsoft keeps going with XID, then the Elite will be the best wheel for the new xbox (beacause the CSW will not be compatible).
And if microsoft moves to HID then the CSW will be compatible, but the Elite too.

The likeliness of MS going back to a protocol that it's considered obsolete and to forego one that it has spent money on R&D would be improbable.

 

[Mayaman]

Real racing car wheels are hard to turn?
Are you sure?

Well my only experience is in those smaller Skip Barber type baby F1 type cars and that was brutal. After 20 minutes it felt like my arms were going to explode and I'm not exaggerating. I can't even imagine what condition real F1 drivers are in to take the brutal beating in those hyper cars. Super human reflexes, eyes, reaction times, just humans on a different level mentally.

 

[tribolik]

Real racing car wheels are hard to turn?
Are you sure?

The more the downforce and the larger the tyres the harder they are (but power steering helps alot)

 

[FMW]

I have asked this question before Thomas and still haven't heard an answer. What does PS3 compatible mean exactly ? Was there any talk between Fanatec and Polyphony on getting the CSW officially supported on GT5? Besides the obvious of steering and ffb. I would like to know about the LED's and button mapping? The Logitec DFGT has car tuning buttons and dial that allow you to adjust settings on the fly. That would be awesome if the buttons and dials on the CSW would work with that function, especially since its already programmed into the game.
Just wondering
Thanks

I agree that it would be nice to know how truly compatible the CSW wheel is on the PS3. There are a lot of hobbyist racers out there who love GT5, F1-2011, Dirt2/3 who play religiously on their PS3's who wouldn't mind dropping the coin on a fantastic next level wheel. But as GrayFox mentioned, if it's merely in a mode that makes it work somewhat then what's the point?
One of the selected reviewers, who was chosen from the PSN website, will hopefully shed light on the PS3 question and not just PC sims. We know it will undoubtedly be great on PC hardware and software

 

[fatkrakr]

How does the elite work on ps3? I would imagine the csw will be supported on ps3 the same as it is on the elite.

 

[LogiForce]

Basic thought would be its the same as all the others, it acts like it is a G25. Think about it, if it would act like a G27 you would gain lights, but loose the sequential shifter mode/possibility of using one. If you put it in DFGT mode you would find a use for the rotary knob, but loose the H pattern shift mode/possibility of using one.
So choosing to have the CSW act as a G25 would still be the best decision. Next to getting native support in games for the CSW. However that is unlikely cause just look at how everyone had to nag to Kaz and PD for native G25/27 support at all.

 

[thehawk05]

I chuckle when I hear sports fans that don't or refuse to acknowledge professional race car drivers athletes. They're athletes and then some in every sense of the word. Top of the drivers heap are F1 drivers. They are all very physically fit, have excellent cardio and tremendous perception and reaction skills.

A few quick tidbits that F1 drivers deal with in a typical 1.5 hr race:

Experience G-force peaks of 5Gs while cornering and under braking.
Have a 7kg helmet strapped on their head which weighs 5 times that under peak Gforces.
Average heart rate of 170-190 beats per minute for an entire race.
Typically score 130 or higher in 60 seconds on the Batak Pro reaction test. That's better than many fighter pilots can manage.

Most drivers I've read about don't say much in terms of the physical aspect of steering the car.....they acknowledge that they do need to train physically for it but don't need muscular arms to do so. Many comment that they need strong neck muscles though to deal with the Gs.

 

[FMW]

Basic thought would be its the same as all the others, it acts like it is a G25. Think about it, if it would act like a G27 you would gain lights, but loose the sequential shifter mode/possibility of using one. If you put it in DFGT mode you would find a use for the rotary knob, but loose the H pattern shift mode/possibility of using one.
So choosing to have the CSW act as a G25 would still be the best decision. Next to getting native support in games for the CSW. However that is unlikely cause just look at how everyone had to nag to Kaz and PD for native G25/27 support at all.

So in essence, if you get a CSW for your PS3 you may be buying a wheel that's better in construction, feel and cooler, but it won't behave any better software/driver wise than a Logitech G25/27?
I should mention I love my G25 I would love for the CSW to be all that and more for fun and feel sake for PS3 driving games.

 

[mykem]

I chuckle when I hear sports fans that don't or refuse to acknowledge professional race car drivers athletes. They're athletes and then some in every sense of the word. Top of the drivers heap are F1 drivers. They are all very physically fit, have excellent cardio and tremendous perception and reaction skills.

A few quick tidbits that F1 drivers deal with in a typical 1.5 hr race:

Experience G-force peaks of 5Gs while cornering and under braking.
Have a 7kg helmet strapped on their head which weighs 5 times that under peak Gforces.
Average heart rate of 170-190 beats per minute for an entire race.
Typically score 130 or higher in 60 seconds on the Batak Pro reaction test. That's better than many fighter pilots can manage.

Most drivers I've read about don't say much in terms of the physical aspect of steering the car.....they acknowledge that they do need to train physically for it but don't need muscular arms to do so. Many comment that they need strong neck muscles though to deal with the Gs.

They're athletes but not in the same level as someone like Cadel Evans, Sun Yang or Sven Kramer. But again sport is so diverse that you can't compare a track and field 100m sprinter to a marathon runner. Basically, it depends on your view on sports- if you're a fan of Tour de France, Tom Kristensen probably isn't an athlete to you.

 

[Raitziger]

They're athletes but not in the same level as someone like Cadel Evans, Sun Yang or Sven Kramer. But again sport is so diverse that you can't compare a track and field 100m sprinter to a marathon runner. Basically, it depends on your view on sports- if you're a fan of Tour de France, Tom Kristensen probably isn't an athlete to you.

Great driver knows when to fight the forces and when he can let steering wheel play a bit on its own.

 

[Grayfox117]

Basic thought would be its the same as all the others, it acts like it is a G25. Think about it, if it would act like a G27 you would gain lights, but loose the sequential shifter mode/possibility of using one. If you put it in DFGT mode you would find a use for the rotary knob, but loose the H pattern shift mode/possibility of using one.
So choosing to have the CSW act as a G25 would still be the best decision. Next to getting native support in games for the CSW. However that is unlikely cause just look at how everyone had to nag to Kaz and PD for native G25/27 support at all.

That's why I wanted to know if there was any talk between Fanatec and Polyphony about REAL PS3 compatibilty. The CSW was originally supposed to be out last Dec. In the last five months work to get support for the LED's , buttons and dials to work in GT5 (PS3) could of been going on. I imagine its not as easy as it sounds not to mention cheap but if you want to sell a High End wheel as PS3 compatible its necessary IMO.

 

[Raitziger]

Yes. Last time Fanatec sent wheels to PD to make GT5 support them. They did nothing to improve because wheels worked fine in "G25" mode. Also PD was not bothered to fix GT3 V1 wheel support and fanatec had to build new version, V2.

 

[LogiForce]

Yes. Last time Fanatec sent wheels to PD to make GT5 support them. They did nothing to improve because wheels worked fine in "G25" mode. Also PD was not bothered to fix GT3 V1 wheel support and fanatec had to build new version, V2.

Indeed. Which basically means that PD is just in it for the cash and not for the real fans. At least that is the signal they sent off.
I bet they would say that due to all the extra features on the CSW and the not fixed button layout (it supports more buttons then on a controller) it would be too hard to implement.
The only reason for PD to add in support would be if the sales of Fanatec's new wheels (CSW and Elite) are higher then that of competitors. Which would only happen if Fanatec goes retail. Which means selling to big ones like Media Markt, Saturn, Best Buy...etc. Since most gamers just buy a wheel in such places instead of a manufacturers website.

But yeah, doubt PD will implement anything like in the past. Plus the extra time needed was due to a change in electronics, which meant having to write the firmware again from scratch and so on. This does simple take a long time. Someone with a bit of programming experience could easily imagine this.

 

[Grayfox117]

The only reason for PD to add in support would be if the sales of Fanatec's new wheels (CSW and Elite) are higher then that of competitors. Which would only happen if Fanatec goes retail. Which means selling to big ones like Media Markt, Saturn, Best Buy...etc. Since most gamers just buy a wheel in such places instead of a manufacturers website.

Well that's sux. Even if Fanatec went to retail I still don't think they would out sell mass produced lower priced competition with actual GT5 compatability. They at least need real GT5 support to be more competitive at a higher price point and PD won't until Fanatec has a bigger market . Well maybe someday when GT6 eventually comes out there will be a CSW in the wheel options menu

 

[lemansfanatic]

I agree, the fact that Fanatecs wheels arent specially coded for in a way invalidates Fanatecs purpose. Why not take a week and build a proper code for Fanatec products? There arent that many companies making good racing sim wheels PD, come on. How long could it really take? This is why i am starting to hate consoles and all the frickin political bs that game and peripheral developers need to do to lobby for their products just to get recognized. it means that many more potentially great products have fallem through the cracks because the makers either didnt have the money or resources to help them get their products through all the damn red tape. Good thing Thomas is diligent enough to trod on to areas where only large companies like Thrustmaster and Logitec dare to venture, all for the sake of building a better mousetrap.

 

[fatkrakr]

How do we know its PD that choose not to support fanatec. Maybe Thomas decided his wheels working like logitech products wasnt a problem. No need to send dev wheels out, no need to pay a PD license fee and dont need to offer firmware updates for ps3 because its not supported. Not saying thats what happened, but there is some benifits to not being offically supported and just emulating another product.