Fanatec Announcements: CSW V2 Reviews Out

  • Thread starter Crispy
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Yeah Caz the plan is to try each game on each platform then swap over wheels and do the same again.

Example:
F1 2011 X360 = CSRE
F1 2011 X360 = PWTS

F1 2011 PS3 = CSRE
F1 2011 PS3 = PWTS
F1 2011 PS3 = T500RS

Their may not be much difference but it is something I want to chase and help determine as often such consideration is not given in website reviews regards multiplatform games and owners of each console.

My own perspective is that I see the main market for the CSRE coming from previous Fanatec customers (their still are some satisfied ones isn't their?). So the PWTS plays a big importance in the comparison. It is also the wheel that began many peoples introduction to Fanatec. Yet can be used as a close representation to the performance of the GT2 and to an extent the CSR. I myself was very eager to discover how the CSRE really compared and excited as hell the first time it was used.

Their will be people that want nothing but the Elite and their will be others that find it hard to determine if the Elite is worth the extra over the CSR. We then have to factor in the customer that has to decide if the CSW additional sim features and "Motorsport Prestige" are worth more to them than the X360 support. This is likely to be one of the most talked about topics in reviews.

Finally what about the guy wanting a high end GT5 wheel and PC compatible but not really needing X360 support. Will it be the T500RS or the CSR Elite that deserves their money? Or will they just go all out for the CSW.

So all in all some hard decisions and quite a lot of money is at stake for the potential customer to make the right decision.

Even if the embargo lifts I will not be releasing my own report until a similar time to the other guys here have had enough time to do their reports. That would be unfair to try and steal the limelight so to speak. If anything some of my own, as in parts may come after some of theirs.


Clash Of The Titans!

Which wheel will reign as champion?
 
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I figured as much mr latte.

Lol, yeah there are plenty of us happy fanatec owners. Any business understands that it is always the unhappy customers whos voice is heard loudest and most often. Human nature is more of a complainer than that of a praiser. Out if 100 happy customers youd be lucky if 1 pf them sent praises out into cyber space. On the flip side 9 of ten with problems will be heard from. Mostly in a P-O'd fashion. But thats another threads ( or 5 ) discussion.

I myself am waiting on the csw before making any decisions. I honestly have no interest in picking up an xbox atm. Id rather spend the money on a 3rd ps3 so i can go triple
 
Yes we agree on several things...

Im curious, your position is one I talked about.
Why do you have little interest in FM4? While the physics may not be to everyones depth or realisim it can be a very enjoyable game, particulary on a high end wheel. Ive been really impressed without going into detail how the game plays and well can be so much fun.

GT5 is a different game experience with the T500RS, what if the CSRE does the same or more with FM4? Would that have you more curious to consider FM4?

Wanting to get inside your head as for me it is important to try and factor for various peoples requirements, not just focus on my own opinion or requirements.

Do any other readers here have a similar stance to Caz on FM4?
 
I am like caz... more interested for personal use in the CSW rather than the CSR E... I like my PS3 to much. I do have FM4 which is prettier but a bit dumbed down for my liking...
 
amf7
I am like caz... more interested for personal use in the CSW rather than the CSR E... I like my PS3 to much. I do have FM4 which is prettier but a bit dumbed down for my liking...
Click to expand...

For me though part of my gaming is all down to the feel, control, audio, visual and of course the tactile combination. What is the most entertaining or enjoyable? PCs still have all the extra hassle and their games may not really provide much more entertainment, or do they?

I hope some are like me too and we are not all sim heads but also play games for the fun/pleasure and entertainment factors.
 
I certainly play games for fun... F1 2011 has hardly been out of the drive since i got it... (only time is a GT5 league race on saturdays :D)

And GTA 5 will probably be the same LOL
 
No other games on xbox have really interested me enough to purchase one.
Ill admit GT 5 is my first true car game in many many years. I enjoy single player story driven games ala uncharted, bioshock, gta etc. With some FPS thrown in. MS has had no exclusives that caught my eye. Hated halo, gears was ok. Not much else for noteable exclusives.
I honestly think WII has much better exclusives. Zelda, galaxy1&2, super paper mario are games that any game lover should have in their collection. There is almost no game developer who delivers such a highly polished game on terms of game play and depth ( when they want to. I know all about the piles and piles of crap) as Nintendo does as a publisher.

Its not that F4 doesnt have my eye, but the cost of entry just isnt worth it. As i said, that money would be better spent IMO on a third PS3. Hell third ps3 and 3 monitors would be better spent on building a gaming pc.

Maybe x box in the future, but other things trump it by far in my gaming priorities. And if thats the case, my gt2 will work on xbox so im covered ( outdated but covered lol )
 
Mr Latte
Yeah Caz the plan is to try each game on each platform then swap over wheels and do the same again.
Example:
F1 2011 X360 = CSRE
F1 2011 X360 = PWTS

F1 2011 PS3 = CSRE
F1 2011 PS3 = PWTS
F1 2011 PS3 = T500RS
Click to expand...

For last combination (F1 2011 PS3 = T500RS) and all "Open wheeler games", I highly recommended to test with "F1 Wheel" (and not with "GT Wheel"). With this new wheel (because of the realistic shape/size + new inertia) feeling and forcefeedback is really not the same on these games ;)
 
WildRun
For last combination (F1 2011 PS3 = T500RS) and all "Open wheeler games", I highly recommended to test with "F1 Wheel" (and not with "GT Wheel"). With this new wheel (because of the realistic shape/size + new inertia) feeling and forcefeedback is really not the same on these games ;)
Click to expand...

I agree the F1 rim will very likely improve the performance but to be a fair comparison each wheel will be reviewed as each product is shipped.

PM me if you can, some info on your thoughts of how the F1 wheel improved things and what settings you use for the wheel would be appreciated.
 
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hampus_dh
Who was it that had iRacing and was a regular racer and got the CSW to beta test?

Btw, that is the CSW right? CSR E is red?
Click to expand...

I believe that would be logiforce.

Nice catch on the color, but that is the elite rim for sure.
 
Ok Logiforce it is, for me iRacing has the best FFB bar none so i can´t think of a better game to go by apart from maybe NKPro in some cars.

See now that the picture is black/white............................................
 
WildRun
Mr Latte my favorite settings with "Ferrari F1 wheel" & "F1 2011 PS3":
- Effects at 100%
- Forces at 100%
- Weight at 0%
Click to expand...

For "Dirt3 PS3" I use same settings with "GT Wheel" but with rotation angle at 1080°.

For this, try this tip:
- Press simultaneously "Mode + Dpad": Led blinks 2 times = 900°
- Press simultaneously "Mode + Dpad": Led blinks 3 times = 1080°
- Press simultaneously "Mode + Dpad": Led blinks 1 time = you return at 270°

This tip works in all PS3 games :sly: except in GT5 (because this game checks & adapts rotation angle for all cars)
 
Mr Latte
My own perspective is that I see the main market for the CSRE coming from previous Fanatec customers (their still are some satisfied ones isn't their?). So the PWTS plays a big importance in the comparison. It is also the wheel that began many peoples introduction to Fanatec. Yet can be used as a close representation to the performance of the GT2 and to an extent the CSR. I myself was very eager to discover how the CSRE really compared and excited as hell the first time it was used.

Their will be people that want nothing but the Elite and their will be others that find it hard to determine if the Elite is worth the extra over the CSR. We then have to factor in the customer that has to decide if the CSW additional sim features and "Motorsport Prestige" are worth more to them than the X360 support. This is likely to be one of the most talked about topics in reviews.
Click to expand...

This is pretty much where I fit. I got a PWTS ClubSport Edition from the first production run, and that is what made me a fan. I really respect Fanatec for being crazy enough to take on the task of making a cross-platform wheel that works with practically everything, has updatable and tweakable onboard firmware, belt-drive, and premium materials. And the ClubSport Pedals, while not cheap, are a high-end product at an attainable price. Fanatec has their faults, and their products aren't perfect, but they're doing some cool stuff. I'm a very happy GT2/ClubSport owner curretly.

I'm excited about the CSR-E and welcome the opportunity to step up to a higher-end wheel that still works with Forza Motorsport, which is my current favorite console racing title (with all due respect to GT5, but it just leaves me a little cold). The CSR-E looks quite overbuilt, and I have no doubt there's capability in it to perform like the T500 RS. My only doubt is in software support. The T500 RS pairs with GT5 because the two companies worked very closely to make that happen, and other wheels just do not work as well with GT5. I absolutely don't expect the CSR-E to work as well in GT5, since it will likely be treated like a typical Immersion FFB product, but I also wonder if Turn 10 put in the same effort Polyphony did when partnering with Thrustmaster.

Clash Of The Titans!

Which wheel will reign as champion?
Click to expand...

Great photo! It really shows how much Thrustmaster got right with the standard T500 RS rim. The proportions and shape seem nice. The CSR-E wheel rim looks a little thick (though that's probably more an optical illusion, since the wheel is still smaller diameter than you'd find in a street car), and it looks like it took a step back to being perfectly round in cross-section (like the PWTS). I think the GT3 RS/GT2 wheel rim cross-section has a nicer hand feel and is more comfortable to boot.
 
12thgear
This is pretty much where I fit. I got a PWTS ClubSport Edition from the first production run, and that is what made me a fan. I really respect Fanatec for being crazy enough to take on the task of making a cross-platform wheel that works with practically everything, has updatable and tweakable onboard firmware, belt-drive, and premium materials. And the ClubSport Pedals, while not cheap, are a high-end product at an attainable price. Fanatec has their faults, and their products aren't perfect, but they're doing some cool stuff. I'm a very happy GT2/ClubSport owner curretly.

I'm excited about the CSR-E and welcome the opportunity to step up to a higher-end wheel that still works with Forza Motorsport, which is my current favorite console racing title (with all due respect to GT5, but it just leaves me a little cold). The CSR-E looks quite overbuilt, and I have no doubt there's capability in it to perform like the T500 RS. My only doubt is in software support.

The T500 RS pairs with GT5 because the two companies worked very closely to make that happen, and other wheels just do not work as well with GT5. I absolutely don't expect the CSR-E to work as well in GT5, since it will likely be treated like a typical Immersion FFB product, but I also wonder if Turn 10 put in the same effort Polyphony did when partnering with Thrustmaster.

Great photo! It really shows how much Thrustmaster got right with the standard T500 RS rim. The proportions and shape seem nice. The CSR-E wheel rim looks a little thick (though that's probably more an optical illusion, since the wheel is still smaller diameter than you'd find in a street car), and it looks like it took a step back to being perfectly round in cross-section (like the PWTS). I think the GT3 RS/GT2 wheel rim cross-section has a nicer hand feel and is more comfortable to boot.
Click to expand...


Well nice to see Im reflecting what some others feel is perhaps accurate or their situation indeed. I do plan on doing a small portion dedicated to FM3 - FM4. Fanatec have no matter who wants to criticise them completely upped the hardware situation for racing game fans in the last couple of years.

Regards the Thrustmaster Polphony Digital collaboration with GT5.
What do we really know regards this new SDK that the T500RS uses?

For instance does T500RS use entirely different FFB data from the game, this I doubt. FFB also seems to be added to games later in their development than some may assume. However their new SDK seems to have more to do with the wheel locking and rotation feature set. Let's take stock of Thrustmasters situation, they certainly don't mind spending a pretty penny on having commercial partners like Ferrari & Gran Turismo which must cost a fortune each year.

I have yet to conduct indepth comparison of each wheel together. However I do not think this new SDK is the wonders behind the performance and feel the T500RS achieves over previous wheels in GT5. Really I think it mostly comes down to the quality within the products used and the hardware they employ. Research is ongoing though...

So if this is the case then really it is going to be very interesting to see if Fanatec have after all their talk on sensor placement, dual motors and metal chassis been blowing a bit of hot air or has the T500RS a real challenger on its hands?

- begin dramatic music -
 
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Trying to coordinate with tm that they send me a t500 when/if I get the CSW :) however I may have to buy it up front LOL
 
amf7
Trying to coordinate with tm that they send me a t500 when/if I get the CSW :) however I may have to buy it up front LOL
Click to expand...

What PC spec and games you running to test with?
I think GT5 on CSW is serious overkill but still would be sweet.
 
thehawk05
CSR E preorders are open for US & Canada kiddies!

http://www.fanatec.de/webshop/new_u...d=107&osCsid=3356facafb841ee20e2be3b73a2e98c0

Also for available for Europe as well just click on your appropriate store link in the "Buy Product" section at http://fanatec.com/
Click to expand...

Excellent news...

4 Force Feedback motors???? and smooth belt drive deliver sensational realism?

Err 4 that is confusing as it states the following:

*Additional 2 Force Feedback actuators in the wheel simulates motor vibrations.
 
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