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[brotkasten]

Honestly if they offered something on par with a high level Logitech wheel for the hardcore this could be a good entry level wheel for casual players. But as a definitive wheel for a racing sim it's a joke.

You can buy a Fanatec wheel with X360 support for 300. They're pretty good.

 

[itsgreen]

I kinda like the design.

BUTTTTTT

Good luck trying to pause the game without crashing....

 

[vodka-bull]

 

[Sato Koiji]

HAHAHAHAhaahaha!

The design is killing me!

 

[Dragon]

I'm confused with this announcement considering how much of MS' conference was dedicated towards Kinect. Options are options I suppose.

 

[jjasper]

They want me to use this for Forza? Man MS is going off the deep end.

 

[derFeef]

Remember when MS made a great racing wheel?

 

[Ubersnug]

Remember when MS made a great racing wheel?

I still have this!

Pity it isnt usb though...

 

[snoopeasystreet]

It can't use kinect seeing as it supports older games. Although the light green bits on the top might be used for games that support kinect to make it more accurate or something.

I dunno, it looks like a silly thing and probably is. I'll buy it when it's inevitability dropped down to a tenner

 

[Wax Free Vanilla]

sidewinder wheel and grand prix 2 :bow

 

[dejay]

I remain neutral with guarded pessimism. It might be ok. I've got an MS wheel but I hate lugging it out for a bit of a spin and my nephews cant reach the pedals. If it offers something responsive that's somewhere between a controller and a wheel I might be down.

If I wanted a good wheel, I'd get a Fanatec.

 

[tc farks]

MS is letting me down at every turn.

 

[G Rom]

I can't believe I was actually not that far off when I posted this in the other thread...

I still have this!

Pity it isnt usb though...

That's because you don't have the USB version.

 

[NemesisPrime]

What the fuck? How long have we asked for a fucking proper wheel from Logitech or something and we end up getting this shit?

Fucking kinect.

Nothing to do with Kinect.

 

[GazzaScotland]

Too much like the Wii Wheel, didn't enjoy that at all. Would prefer it to be fixed to something.

 

[flyinpiranha]

 

[USF]

sexy imo .. ima have one

 

[Painkiller Q8]

is this REAL ?? should I post it in my friend's blog? please anyone?

 

[Sword Familiar]

I can't not see a happy face.

Looks like a clown.

 

[AKingNamedPaul]

DON'T BUY A RACING WHEEL.



How am I the first person to say this gaf? for shame GB gaf community.

 

[Drkirby]

Remember when MS made a great racing wheel?

That is a good wheel? Damn, I felt it was cheap and didn't bother buying it at good will :/

 

[Doodis]

I was actually considering picking this wheel up, until I realized it's completely gimped. No bumper buttons. What a waste. As someone who uses a clutch in my racing games (Forza specifically), how am I supposed to change gears?

I know most the hardcores on here would buy a Fanatec instead, but I'm just not looking for that kind of set up. I even bought the previous Microsoft wheel last year, but it was too big and bulky to keep in my child-friendly family room.

This wheel would have been the perfect thing to pop in a drawer away from kids. But without the bumper buttons, it's useless to me. Argh.

 

[Stumpokapow]

How do you steer with this? I know that seems like a dumb question, but I actually don't know. You hold it in place and turn your hands? How do you do a hard left turn, it seems like it would be pretty much impossible to do a hand-over-hand pass on the wheel? Can someone draw line person diagrams on the wheel?

 

[FrankT]

How do you steer with this? I know that seems like a dumb question, but I actually don't know. You hold it in place and turn your hands? How do you do a hard left turn, it seems like it would be pretty much impossible to do a hand-over-hand pass on the wheel? Can someone draw line person diagrams on the wheel?

Seems like Modus might be the person to ask. He got some hands on time today and post some impressions in the Forza thread;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed8lyxITeTI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[1-D_FTW]

I ignored this because I thought it couldn't be much of a wheel if MS was only charging 59.99 for it. But WTF! I've read every post in here with the hope somebody could explain this monstrosity. I can only assume it requires Kinect?

Seems like Modus might be the person to ask. He got some hands on time today and post some impressions in the Forza thread;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed8lyxITeTI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Holy fuck balls.

360 owners, welcome to our world (PC gamers). Sucks when MS considers you an expendable demographic. Words do that video no justice.

 

[luxarific]

I ignored this because I thought it couldn't be much of a wheel if MS was only charging 59.99 for it. But WTF! I've read every post in here with the hope somebody could explain this monstrosity. I can only assume it requires Kinect?



Holy fuck balls.

360 owners, welcome to our world (PC gamers). Sucks when MS considers you an expendable demographic. Words do that video no justice.

Huh. Think I'm going to sell my standard 360 wheel and pick this up. I've only used it three times since it's such a pain to get out. This looks like something much more up my alley. I'm not a "serious" fan of racing games though, so I understand why people who are would be aghast.

 

[dskillzhtown]

I ignored this because I thought it couldn't be much of a wheel if MS was only charging 59.99 for it. But WTF! I've read every post in here with the hope somebody could explain this monstrosity. I can only assume it requires Kinect?


Holy fuck balls.

360 owners, welcome to our world (PC gamers). Sucks when MS considers you an expendable demographic. Words do that video no justice.

M0dus said it has nothing to do with Kinect. It is 100% gyro.

I don't think it is a matter of MS ignoring a demo, I think it is a matter of MS thining that 3rd parties will take care of the hardcore and offering something for the others themselves. I would think there is a market for people who aren't hardcore enough to get a wheel, buy/build a stand and pull it out when they want to play.

I am not saying it is good or bad as I haven't used it, but I can see the market they are going after.

 

[Gandie]

Wait, so how do you control your speed?

 

[xxracerxx]

Wait, so how do you control your speed?

The triggers probably.

This thing is dumb.

 

[Neuromancer]

Huh. Think I'm going to sell my standard 360 wheel and pick this up. I've only used it three times since it's such a pain to get out. This looks like something much more up my alley. I'm not a "serious" fan of racing games though, so I understand why people who are would be aghast.

I understand that, but without pedals I don't see much fun in playing a wheel.

 

[dskillzhtown]

Wait, so how do you control your speed?

Looked like triggers in the Youtube clip. Just like a controller. So it is more of a big controller that has gryos for turning. I think that trying to classify it is as a steering wheel might be doing it a disservice. It is more like a controller+.

 

[1-D_FTW]

M0dus said it has nothing to do with Kinect. It is 100% gyro.

I don't think it is a matter of MS ignoring a demo, I think it is a matter of MS thining that 3rd parties will take care of the hardcore and offering something for the others themselves. I would think there is a market for people who aren't hardcore enough to get a wheel, buy/build a stand and pull it out when they want to play.

I am not saying it is good or bad as I haven't used it, but I can see the market they are going after.

Ick. Gyros are probably worse.

I can see the market they're going after to. It's where the big bucks are. It's just a lonely feeling when they leave you.

 

[Fox Mulder]

dumb, but that's MS lately.

 

[dskillzhtown]

Ick. Gyros are probably worse.

I can see the market they're going after to. It's where the big bucks are. It's just a lonely feeling when they leave you.

But aren't there 3rd party wheels you can buy? How are they leaving you when your need is already being fulfilled by their partners?

The wheels I saw in the Forza thread looked pretty sweet to me.

 

[1-D_FTW]

But aren't there 3rd party wheels you can buy? How are they leaving you when your need is already being fulfilled by their partners?

Aren't those wheels like 400 dollars?

Anyways, I kind of misinterpreted what was said. I was referring in general terms and he was talking about the controller. There is a market for that, but the spiritual successor to neGcon would have been much better for people who don't have the space, but want a wheel like experience.

 

[Doodis]

Yes, big controller with gyros. Modus confirmed in the Forza thread that there are no bumper buttons, though. So sad. As someone who's not hardcore enough for an entire wheel/pedal setup, but wants something a bit more immersive than a controller, I actually thought about picking this up. But no bumpers is kind of a deal breaker. Can't believe Microsoft would skimp on that one point.

 

[iceatcs]

hehe
Double Ended Dildos

 

[godhandiscen]

That is a good wheel? Damn, I felt it was cheap and didn't bother buying it at good will :/

It's trash by today's standards. The best wheel MS released was this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VBIGK4/?tag=neogaf0e-20

 

[SeaOfMadness]

I figured I'd bump this thread since the impressions coming out of the Forza 4 demo all seem really positive for this despite the comments up till now...

Don't have one yet, but I've yet to hear anyone who's used it say anything remotely like what's been said here so far.

 

[SapientWolf]

I still don't understand why they wouldn't support the bumpers. I was thinking about using it for Driver San Fran but you need the right bumper to quick shift and you can't remap it.

 

[state_vector_collapse]

I've heard some positive things about this "wheel" as well. But the fact it doesn't have a headset socket means I'll never be picking one up. I always have a chat with mates as we set up races etc, plus talking in a race like F1 2011 can be useful to let people know if you are about to pass them. Silly oversight.

 

[NinjaBoiX]

Am I the only one here who thinks this could be quite cool? Yeah, it's ugly, but so what? I'm not hanging it on my wall. And yeah, there is no pedals or shifter, but it looks to be a convenient alternative to a proper wheel. Just grab it out the drawer, sit down and go.
I have a Logitech G25, and I never use it, it's such a pain to set up. This looks like something I might actually use.
Will wait to here some reviews regarding ergonomics and latency, but colour me interested.

 

[Duxxy3]

WTF is this shit?

 

[JeTmAn81]

I bet Vinny Caravella will want one.

 

[PSYGN]

Wouldn't your arms start aching after a while after holding that thing up and twisting it around?

 

[dejay]

I remain neutral with guarded pessimism. It might be ok. I've got an MS wheel but I hate lugging it out for a bit of a spin and my nephews cant reach the pedals. If it offers something responsive that's somewhere between a controller and a wheel I might be down.

I'm quoting myself because it turns out that this device is exactly somewhere between a controller and a wheel, and I'm excited to be picking one up next week. Impressions are very positive in the FM4 threads (from people I actually trust). Apparently it's very accurate, responsive, not-laggy and extra long travel in the triggers for greater throttle control. I recommend people not to judge on the "it looks like a wiimote so it's as shit as a wiimote" vibe it gives off and to give it a chance. Haters will, naturally, do what they've always done.

 

[Doodis]

Haha. I just read my posts above. I was hating.

I picked this up and it's wonderful. It's not a Wii wheel at all. It's very responsive and makes driving much more immersive. Perfect for Forza 4. The loss of shoulder buttons is still a bummer, but at least you can change gears with up and down on the d-pad.

For all those laughing previously, this wheel is no joke. I've seen nothing but positive reactions in the Forza threads from some pretty hardcore sim fans.

 

[U2NUMB]

Do not knock it till you try it. It has replaced my controller for racing games. Really is something I never thought I would say.

 

[NinjaBoiX]

Haha. I just read my posts above. I was hating.

I picked this up and it's wonderful. It's not a Wii wheel at all. It's very responsive and makes driving much more immersive. Perfect for Forza 4. The loss of shoulder buttons is still a bummer, but at least you can change gears with up and down on the d-pad.

For all those laughing previously, this wheel is no joke. I've seen nothing but positive reactions in the Forza threads from some pretty hardcore sim fans.

Nice reactions, cool. Will probably pick one up.

You realise "b" and "x" are gear up and down right?

 

[Big Takeover]

I've written a lot about the Speed Wheel in the last week, so rather than restate my opinion, I'll just pluck some quotes from myself.

Team VVV video

--------------------------------
I bought a Speed Wheel today, and got to try it for about 30 minutes. It's pretty cool.

The misconception about this thing is amazing. The worst thing Microsoft could have done was to put "wheel" in the name. It's not a wheel, it's a controller. Think of it as that, and it's much easier to get your head around it. If you insist on comparing it to a proper wheel, you're totally missing the point.

--------------------------------
Just an FYI - I currently own 3 ffb wheels including the Microsoft one. I've been playing these sims/games since Indy Car Racing II. I don't need to know it's not as good as a wheel. That said, I don't have a dedicated sim racing setup which means my gear gets stored when not in use. Anybody who happens to do the same will understand that just grabbing a controller rather than dragging all your shit out happens pretty frequently. As it looks right now, I'll certainly be grabbing the SW over the controller.

The fact that the Speed Wheel stands up well to our strictly established input methods says a lot about it. It's incredibly hard to make something truly different that can actually compete with a controller. They did it though.

--------------------------------
Yep, it's got rumble. I'd say the motor isn't quite as good as in the standard controller (I assume because of packaging reasons), but it's thereabouts. Speaking of packaging, it doesn't use the standard xbox peripheral battery packs either. Only off the shelf AAs of which it comes with two.

I can't speak for FM4 because I haven't played it, but is it better than a controller? I'm going to have to say yes. Frankly, I think it's amazing that they've pulled that off. Being a better controller than the king, the dual analog stick controller? That's seriously impressive.

The extra, I'll just call it "resolution", of the steering input is what makes it better. It's the same principle which makes driving with a wheel a smoother experience. It's precise, it's intuitive, it's flexible, it's fun.

It would be perfect if it weren't for the two missing buttons which might make customizing the layout tricky especially for manual gear shifts, and the lack of a headset jack which makes it a bit anti-social.

--------------------------------
RE: wireless gaming receiver (PC use)

It works. Unfortunately, I didn't get to spend much time messing with it though. I quickly tried GTR2 and Trackmania. You'll need to tweak the settings on a per game basis, but that's to be expected. The steering was smooth in both, but both needed quicker ratio settings.

At least from what I saw, it's completely usable.

Assuming the PC and 360 versions of F1 '11 are the same, I'm liking 30% saturation, 5% linearity, zeros for everything else. I also have KERS mapped to "up", and DRS mapped to "down" on the d-pad. Those work really well.

--------------------------------
Put it this way, if what you really want is a wheel, buy a wheel. If you want a better, more involving controller, buy a speed wheel.

A ffb wheel/pedal set is just a different beast. It's meant to approximate real life. It does a fairly decent job of that too. Nothing beats it for immersion, and control. There are draw backs though like space, cost and convenience. The speed wheel is an AWESOME controller. Absolutely brilliant compared to a standard controller. It's not however a good "wheel" if you must make a comparison. No pedals, no force feedback, it's hard to put them on the same plane. It's just a different experience.

I will say this, there's no way anyone would be disappointed with the speed wheel as a controller. It's a game changer. The official wheel, while completely usable, isn't going to make you feel quite as giddy with your purchase. You'll be pricing a Fanatec in no time ;-)