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[isamu]

Right now I am a very Happy man!

I'd first like to give an early Happy Birthday to Ridge Racer 7. RR7 turns 10 next month(November 11th). 10 years since the launch of the PS3 and 10 years since this beautiful game came out.

You have to keep in mind one thing.....this is a game that I have been wanting to play with a good steering wheel, since it's launch ten years ago. This is the very first PS3 racing game to come out, and Namco did a very clever thing..... They snuck force feedback support into the game BEFORE it was supposed to be supported for the PS3!

Remember the whole Immersion/FFB patents controversy, prohibiting developers from implementing any kind of FFB or even rumble into their games for a while? Well, Namco said fuck that shit...we're gonna put FFB in in-spite of the whole Immersion/FFB controversy! They did just that, with once catch.....it only officially works with one wheel.....the Logitech Driving Force Ex(Fx in Japan)!

That's right folks....if you try to use a Logitech DFP, DFGT, G25, G27 or any other Logitech FFB wheel with Ridge Racer 7, you're fucked. The game supports only that wheel.

Thankfully, as we approach the 10th anniversary of one of my favorite racing games ever, a breakthrough has come through....something that we've truly been blessed with: An adapter that now allows you to use not just Logitech, but **ANY** PC FFB wheel on your PS3 and PS4 with ZERO lag!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's called GIMX and yes I know there's already a thread on it, but I'm testing a new prototype beta that now incorporates this feature!

http://blog.gimx.fr/

https://youtu.be/Pl0A6FQYIJg


I'll start by saying that I only own a PS3, not a PS4. It took me a while to get it working because there were a few hurdles/bugs Matlo and I had to squash first. But a couple days ago it finally worked and well, it is nothing short of GLORIOUS and there is no...and I mean....ZERO lag!!!!

Matlo still has more work to do and bugs to squash, and it's still in beta phase, but make no mistake gentlemen....this is a HUGE Breakthrough!!! As an owner of a Leo Bodnar wheel, HPP PRX Pedals, and a Fanatec CSS Shifter, I am absolutely elated that I can now use these devices on my PS3 as *ONE* "fake" Logitech G27 wheel. To be able to play Ridge Racer 7, a game I've been DREAMING of playing with a high quality industrial FFB wheel for over 10 YEARS since the launch of the game in 2006, is a dream come true. To be able to play GT5 and GT6 with a Bodnar wheel, which delivers fantastic and lag-less FFB, is a marvel to behold!

This....

now works with this....

Just teary eyed and very very happy right now. Matlo is the real deal guys!

Oh and one more thing I'd like to mention....for those of you who do not want to go through the hassle of building your own GIMX adapter, go the GIMX website, and you'll see that Matlo explains how you can buy an improved adapter that is ALREADY assembled and is called the TIAO GBoard. I just bought two of them today because unfortunately the one that Matlo sent me broke a few hours ago(I accidentally tugged too hard on it and the USB Mini B connector got ripped away from the circuit board) so I will be GIMX-less over the next 72hrs but when the new board comes it's back to the races!!!

 

[Piccoro]

Good for you, man.
Try to get a 3D display and play RR7 in 3D mode. It will add to the immersion!

 

[isamu]

Good for you, man.
Try to get a 3D display and play RR7 in 3D mode. It will add to the immersion!

sounds good

 

[Toadthemushroom]

That's pretty cool about the force feedback - had no idea until now.

Still, for me Ridge Racer 7 was a disappointment coming from the incredibly pure Ridge Racer 6 and Ridge Racers 2.

The upgrade system really unbalanced the single player tour. Your car would either be underpowered relative to the competition so even skilled player would either struggle to win, or you would upgrade your car as the game recommends you to and the race becomes trivialised. The difficulty of RR7 never really felt quite right to me.

I think Tom Bramwell's old review for Eurogamer summed up those issues quite well:

And really that just underscored the larger problem: RR7 is back to front. The Pronzione car is a sort of hovercraft. You have to beat it to win it. I did this on my first go, not because I was cunning and skilful, but because I was driving in a car with a higher-than-usual top-speed that I bought in the shop, and an auto-charge nitrous system that allowed me to do the bare minimum of drifting and gave me about six Ultimate Charges during the race. Here's an idea for next time: make the main game hard immediately, and offer these items as crutches that beginners can fall back on if they need to, earned through some sort of "starter GP". I don't know. I'm not a game designer. But it strikes me that the best and most rewarding experience you can have in Ridge Racer, or indeed any top racing game, is honing your skills and then unleashing them to beat off the challenge of a semi-cheating AI rival. Preferably one with a name you can swear at on the umpteen occasions you don't quite manage it.

The game's interface also left a lot to be desired after the slick menus of RR PSP and RR6.

 

[liquidtmd]

Despite agreeing with Toad above I'd still kill for a basic but nice port of RR7 to PS4

 

[Vitacat]

Great post. I'm not as into this stuff as you OP, but it was fun seeing your enthusiasm and I'm happy for your joy at playing a favorite old game with better controls.

 

[jetsetrez]

I'm glad that you're SO HAPPY, isamu, because I'm SO HAPPY when I see an isamu thread!!!!

Ridge Racer 7 (and 6) is one of my favorite games of all time!

 

[cyberheater]

No that is a solid looking steering wheel.

 

[thelastword]

Nice wish we'd get a port of RR7 on PS4 and get RR5 as a PS2 classic on PS4, that would be great. I'm thinking RR7 would run 4k 60fps on the Pro with HDR and a good AA solution. That'd be a site to see tbh.

Anyways, cool stuff. I have a DFGT packed up. Good Stuff to Matlo and yourself, but a remaster would really be ideal for all.

 

[Veins]

Love a good isamu thread. Happy to see you're happy mate.

 

[Marky Mark]

I completely forgot that you existed but glad to see your tag still holds true. I think the last time I saw one of these threads from you was related to OutRun years ago but then I don't read much of gaming side any more now that I mostly browse on mobile.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Happy early anniversary. This was such a impressive launch title; being 60 fps AND 1080p.

 

[Aokage]

A great OP Isamu and VERY cool, but at 5:25 AM I forgot 7 was the last console Ridge Racer (we don't talk about "Unbounded") and I thought this was finally a real new one.

And I cried.

 

[Toadthemushroom]

Despite agreeing with Toad above I'd still kill for a basic but nice port of RR7 to PS4

Me too, I'm dying for some Ridge Racer.

3D is probably the closest thing to RR7 but it didn't have a closely packed grid of vehicles which is one thing I loved about RR7.

Apparently Go Vacation was going to be a Ridge Racer game but they included some arcade racing in it? Need to try that.

 

[isamu]

Today is the 12th so I'm about a day late but I just wanted to wish Ridge Racer 7 a very Happy 10th Birthday!!! A toast to the last great RR game Namco released before the abomination known RRU and that piece of shit mobile trash.

 

[disappeared]

My first ps3 game.

That I played on my 480p TV before eventually getting an HDMI monitor years later.