Going from controller to wheel

[Hakiki]

Hi

I've been racing only for a few months, but from the beginning I only used the regular PS3 controller. I have now gotten a Logitech G27 racing wheel to further my enjoyment of the game.

One of the biggest reasons I switched (apart from wheel-racing being effing awesome) is to get a better sense of feedback and control of the car (i.e. when you overbreak, over-accelerate out of turns, oversteer etc). I do however find all this to be a lot harder than I thought for most cars. I just can't seem to get a sense of it (except on the X2010 Red Bull, which doesn't count imho). Is this mainly down to me being used to the controller, so I have to go back and do most/all of the races from early on in various cars?

One more thing: How well do people fare in the various challenges? For example license tests, AMG challenge etc. Do you guys that consider yourselves "pro" still have issues golding these if you had to, or do they ever become piece of pie? Or to ask another way, if you had to do them again, how many tries would you need pr license test to gold them? On some of the tests/challenges I have major issues improving on my times, and I'm just not sure if I am doing something very wrong or if it's simply a case of not being properly used to my new wheel yet.

Other than that, any tips to give to a wheel-newbie that could save me hours of frustration and throwing things on my wall?

 

[edawg456]

Since I have a wheel myself, my only advice is to practice. You won't be a master in the first ten minutes but in time you will become good.

 

[Morgoth_666]

Since I have a wheel myself, my only advice is to practice. You won't be a master in the first ten minutes but in time you will become good.

That about sums it up. It just takes time, and a different amount of time for each person.

You need to learn how to feel what the feedback is telling you and then how to react to it, to the point you'll eventually be waiting for something you know is going to happen and already ready to do what you have to do. The only way to learn that is repetition.

 

[scarecrow937]

I just started using a wheel today after years with the DS3. With the exception of the X1 challenge, there wasn't a gold I couldn't get with a controller. I couldn't bronze anything right now with the wheel. It does feel like starting over with the exception of the fact that the knowledge of racing is still there. I want to get discouraged, but it's only day 1 and time heals all wounds, lol.

 

[Samus]

Yep, time time time and practice practice practice.

 

[Hakiki]

Ok then, thank you all for the feedback. I suppose I'll just keep trying then, maybe do some more proper races with all different kinds of cars, rather than just expecting to get a feel for them "by default" just because I now have a wheel. I suppose hoping everything would just come to me and feel natural was a bit unrealistic, but I'm sure I'll get there eventually.

 

[OK8]

I remember when I first bought a G25 (maybe 5 years ago) I couldn't do anything. The fact that the wheel turns so many degrees and the fact that I was using the clutch right from the start meant that my driving looked really dysfunctional, I could hardly turn and whenever I had to brake, I lost my feet in the jungle of pedals and speared straight off while pushing the clutch as hard as I could.

It's really hard at the beginning, but little by little you learn to use the extra feedback as your advantage to the point that it feels like you can hold every slide and even prevent slides before they happen.

The G27 is a very good wheel, you just need practice with it. Start with really low end cars and slowly work your way up in PP and eventually you'll get a feel for it.

 

[GUMP07]

Dive right in I switched a couple weeks ago.

It's going good.

It's a lot more fun.

I should have bought a wheel years ago.

If you can remain calm until you can keep it on the track and not spin.......much........ your home free.

When you do spin out,think ahead and try to end up facing the right direction and not stuck against a wall or in a position where you will have to back up or saw on the wheel like crazy to get going again.

I find that staying straight and off track longer is better that trying a super man move and spinning out backwards turned around nose in a barrier.

Smooth is fast on a wheel.

 

[SKOT_FREE]

Here's my Advice.....Do Kart Racing first while learning. Trust me when Kart Racing you'll learn throttle/Braking control as well as steering plus you'll notice you can feel the Road through the wheel as well.

 

[HighPlainsDrftr]

Don't give up - it is so much better with a wheel. There is a bit of a learning curve though.

 

[TheDabbinDave]

Start your license tests over, from the beginning. Shoot for Bronze, then eek out Silver, then Gold or NOTHING. Focus and don't fight the wheel. Turn down the FFB, it will help make the car more controllable. Depending on the wheel (T500 for me, as suggested by OwensRacing), FFB over 5 can cause issues. Such as making the car loose. Set it to 3 and don't battle or chase the wheel. Make it obey you. Don't follow the FFB motor. DO NOT use high power cars until you have overcome this small learning curve.

If you'd like a real challenge to learn with, get a DFP (the wheel that came out for GT4). That thing is like playing tug-o-war.

Hold your hands at 9 & 3 with your thumbs on the cross bar. Not 10 & 2 or 8 & 4. Don't turn the wheel so much.

Good car setups always help too, we have a sub forum where you can find one for every car in the game.

Use automatic until you're comfortable, then learn to use the paddles, and then the clutch when you are shifting without thinking.

Again, stick with low powered cars for awhile.

 

[Antmeg26]

Start your license tests over, from the beginning. Shoot for Bronze, then eek out Silver, then Gold or NOTHING. Focus and don't fight the wheel. Turn down the FFB, it will help make the car more controllable. Depending on the wheel (T500 for me, as suggested by OwensRacing), FFB over 5 can cause issues. Such as making the car loose. Set it to 3 and don't battle or chase the wheel. Make it obey you. Don't follow the FFB motor. DO NOT use high power cars until you have overcome this small learning curve.

If you'd like a real challenge to learn with, get a DFP (the wheel that came out for GT4). That thing is like playing tug-o-war.

Hold your hands at 9 & 3 with your thumbs on the cross bar. Not 10 & 2 or 8 & 4. Don't turn the wheel so much.

Good car setups always help too, we have a sub forum where you can find one for every car in the game.

Use automatic until you're comfortable, then learn to use the paddles, and then the clutch when you are shifting without thinking.

Again, stick with low powered cars for awhile.

All gr8 advice here.
It took me about about one to two months before I started beating my pad times.
Sometimes I think I could do a faster time with the pad. BUT the wheel makes the experience soo much better.👍👍
I will not go back to a pad even if I could do better times.
Practice sounds like work. I would say just enjoy the experience and in time you will not regret it.

 

[Madma92]

I have the G27 myself and when i got it, i wasn't too good with it. Best thing to do is practice with it and then like i have done, start to remove some of the driving aids until you have non on and can handle cars good. Also its about learning the track, knowing which corners you can brake later in and accelerate earlier in will improve your time.

 

[SGETI]

Practice and more practice. Will take apx 2-4 weeks to feel comfortable.

Also you will need a good mounting system for the wheel, weather it be a racing rig or a stand. Check out the list of wheel stands and rigs. Good luck.

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=239878

 

[bzking23]

the main thing that many people may have problems with (or just me) is considering how far you need to turn the wheel for a corner. With a ds3 you just continue to move the stick until you get the result your looking for, but with the wheel, it can be a very precise, more quick angle to get you into the corner safely. Like the others said it will take time and practice, i suggest using go karts and good handling cars on short tracks like tsukuba until you get the hang of it

 

[Hakiki]

I tried a few of the tips I got here, and I must say they helped. After doing a bit of gokarting I felt i got a much better feel for the wheel, and after the quick 4h endurance on Tsukuba with only Mazda's I felt I improved even more. I'm still far from beating my controller times with the wheel, but I'm having SO much more of a blast when playing.

As for the rig for wheel/pedals; I don't have one. All I got is a separate table I put in front of a recliner just in front of my TV, and a rug under the pedals so they don't slide away as I floor them Nothing too fancy, but it does the trick just fine.

It still doesn't fix the flaws of elemental game design though. There are SO many things that drives me nuts. If I ever run into Jeff Gordon I'm gonna smack him over the head with a PS3 console, and ask him if he just screwed up ><

 

[tezster]

The next best investment after a wheel is a wheelstand - nothing like a stable platform to clamp your wheel on that also puts it in a comfortable/correct for your hands.

 

[TheDabbinDave]

The next best investment after a wheel is a wheelstand - nothing like a stable platform to clamp your wheel on that also puts it in a comfortable/correct for your hands.

The Fanatec wheel stand is probably the best way to go. It's not locked to a specific wheel like similar wheel stands. Thomas from Fanatec is very active on these boards.

 

[NjLowrider]

I remember when I got my rig, I would just grin from ear to ear! First or last, it didn't matter! Just enjoy yourself, the speed (or confidence lol) will come.

I can do any amg, tgtt, license test with ease now.

I barely bronzed vettel 2 years ago when I had my g27 for a few months.. I then swore off the x2010 forever. Partly from the crazy ffb pre update.

Then for some strange reason I decided to just do it and really try to get gold 3 DAYS ago!

It's a ridiculous car, ffb 1 and sfr!

Took me 30 minutes for the first 2 and an hour or two for suzuka!

I had the "WOW" moment!!! It was great!! I feel as tho I graduated!

Speed will come.. Have fun in the process!