recommend me a driving simulator
Discussion
had a play yesterday on a friends son's Xbox running Forza so "driving" a 430 scud and an F1 car round yas and nurburgring. graphics was pretty good and I gather the really modern ones are even better. The wheel, pedals and steering were a bit clunky.
Nevertheless, its something that appeals. So can you recommend a good set up? I would want a proper steering wheel and pedal set up rather than buttons etc.
Budget? Hopefully less than £1k but at the same time, something better than a kids toy.
Nevertheless, its something that appeals. So can you recommend a good set up? I would want a proper steering wheel and pedal set up rather than buttons etc.
Budget? Hopefully less than £1k but at the same time, something better than a kids toy.
Edited by bordseye on Thursday 26th December 14:33
That budget ain't gonna go far, unless you have something to start with?
Do you have a pc/laptop/Xbox already?
I got a G920 (£200ish) to go with the laptop and Xbox I already had, using an old 42" TV I had, then built a wheelstand, using a seat I already had, then bought a pc (£700ish) cos I was sick of plugging everything in and out when needed.
I've already got upgraditus and keep looking at better monitors, which will mean reconfigure furniture...
Ps - to add, none of the above kit is cutting edge, you can spend well over a grand on each component if you tried.
Do you have a pc/laptop/Xbox already?
I got a G920 (£200ish) to go with the laptop and Xbox I already had, using an old 42" TV I had, then built a wheelstand, using a seat I already had, then bought a pc (£700ish) cos I was sick of plugging everything in and out when needed.
I've already got upgraditus and keep looking at better monitors, which will mean reconfigure furniture...
Ps - to add, none of the above kit is cutting edge, you can spend well over a grand on each component if you tried.
Depends what you want really, an Xbox, G290 and Project Cars 2 / Assetto Corsa / Forza 7 is all doable for under £1k but will be the most basic level. Good enough for most 'gamers'. £500 should cover that lot in the sales.
Add in a dedicated screen (I assume you already have at least one TV) a wheel stand or alternative mount, a seat and a sound system to go with it and you will be beyond £1k.
Go down the pc route and the sky is the limit. Multi screen or VR, belt driven force feedback wheels, subscription based sims even hydraulics can be added for huge costs.
I always fancied setting up a custom 'rig' using a car and centre console to mount the wheel and gear stick. You could really boost the immersion levels then!
Add in a dedicated screen (I assume you already have at least one TV) a wheel stand or alternative mount, a seat and a sound system to go with it and you will be beyond £1k.
Go down the pc route and the sky is the limit. Multi screen or VR, belt driven force feedback wheels, subscription based sims even hydraulics can be added for huge costs.
I always fancied setting up a custom 'rig' using a car and centre console to mount the wheel and gear stick. You could really boost the immersion levels then!
well I am not budget limited but the amount of use it is likely to get wouldnt justify £5k. Like most people I have a big TV and a decent spec PC. Not bothered about the seat _ will get one from a scrappie. But the disappointin=g thing about the set up I tried was the lack of realism in the steering, brakes etc
Anyway, to break it down into bits, would you suggest a PC or something like an Xbox - I have no kowledge of the latter so I dont know what they are capable of.
What software would you recommend - my interest in is in F1 and the various circuits
Then what about the steering and pedals set up.
Anyway, to break it down into bits, would you suggest a PC or something like an Xbox - I have no kowledge of the latter so I dont know what they are capable of.
What software would you recommend - my interest in is in F1 and the various circuits
Then what about the steering and pedals set up.
I assume you have a pc?
Stick a decent graphics card in and your good to go with the below working well.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-LC32JG50QQUXEN-31...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Driving-Racing-P...
Pay the monthly fee for "iRacing" and go nuts, has real race drivers who use it regularily so I would say its pretty realistic physics.
Only been playing for a short time but heres a small video of me in a mx5 class race.
https://youtu.be/srqY1P-0SUw
Edit: iRacing has a X system where 17 in a normal race disqualifies you. 1x for off track, 0x for minor car contact but warns you, 4x for damaging car contact - for both parties even if your not the cause, penalties for unsafe pit entry and more.
It means it has less of the children playing and people take it much more seriously instead of the crash fests the more arcadey type games on consoles.
Stick a decent graphics card in and your good to go with the below working well.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-LC32JG50QQUXEN-31...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Driving-Racing-P...
Pay the monthly fee for "iRacing" and go nuts, has real race drivers who use it regularily so I would say its pretty realistic physics.
Only been playing for a short time but heres a small video of me in a mx5 class race.
https://youtu.be/srqY1P-0SUw
Edit: iRacing has a X system where 17 in a normal race disqualifies you. 1x for off track, 0x for minor car contact but warns you, 4x for damaging car contact - for both parties even if your not the cause, penalties for unsafe pit entry and more.
It means it has less of the children playing and people take it much more seriously instead of the crash fests the more arcadey type games on consoles.
Edited by Slow on Thursday 26th December 15:23
You mention F1, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen both play and stream themselves playing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2js_R1dY2w&t=...
24h Race of spa where they were part of the same team
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg0OTFNRTkk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2js_R1dY2w&t=...
24h Race of spa where they were part of the same team
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg0OTFNRTkk
Fanatech CSL gives enough force feedback that I dont run it at 100% (unlike a G27), but a good seat is really important. Without it, you tend to 'clench' unnaturally. It needs to be attached to the wheel in my experience as you tend to ratchet away from from the wheel.
Fanatech force cell brake unit is also good for making the brake feel more natural.
Fanatech force cell brake unit is also good for making the brake feel more natural.
Fanatec are who you want to go to if you want additional realism from your wheel and pedals.
You can get a brake load cell so that the brake goes off of pressure instead of just pedal travel like the system you tried will have done.
Games wise as mentioned i-racing is the standard. Without a subscription I think the best options are assetto Corsa and project cars.
You can get a brake load cell so that the brake goes off of pressure instead of just pedal travel like the system you tried will have done.
Games wise as mentioned i-racing is the standard. Without a subscription I think the best options are assetto Corsa and project cars.
You dont seem like a gamer, so dont expect it to be just like a real car, you may be very disappointed.
Even with the most expensive setup, you are still only controlling a game. Unless actually want to play the game to win and improve, the driving "experience" will get boring very quickly.
Even with the most expensive setup, you are still only controlling a game. Unless actually want to play the game to win and improve, the driving "experience" will get boring very quickly.
Surprised at some of the replies.
I'd say you can get a basic setup for easily under a grand, esp if you're willing to buy used stuff.
There are often full setups for sale for very good money.
Worth checking out VR. I use Rift and it's excellent.
Check out the fb Sim racing groups. Always loads on offer
I'd say you can get a basic setup for easily under a grand, esp if you're willing to buy used stuff.
There are often full setups for sale for very good money.
Worth checking out VR. I use Rift and it's excellent.
Check out the fb Sim racing groups. Always loads on offer
fiju said:
If you want the most realistic simulator, you need to check out live for speed. It's not as feature packed like the others, but it's the most grass roots of them all. You will not be good at it from the start. I guarantee that.
Is that still going ?Last time I played it, there were virtually no servers doing anything else but cruising.
Rick101 said:
Surprised at some of the replies.
I'd say you can get a basic setup for easily under a grand, esp if you're willing to buy used stuff.
There are often full setups for sale for very good money.
Worth checking out VR. I use Rift and it's excellent.
Check out the fb Sim racing groups. Always loads on offer
You can't even buy a good enough computer to run racing sims in VR with medium graphics at 90fps for less than £1k, let alone buying a VR headset and the PC plus a relatively okay wheel and pedal set plus the racing seat/cockpit.I'd say you can get a basic setup for easily under a grand, esp if you're willing to buy used stuff.
There are often full setups for sale for very good money.
Worth checking out VR. I use Rift and it's excellent.
Check out the fb Sim racing groups. Always loads on offer
For a reasonable experience, I'd say £2k but add in VR and you can add another £800-£1000 minimum to account for the hardware needed.
He said he already has a PC smartarse!
Reasonable Wheel and pedals can be had for a couple of hundred quid used.
If you wanted a chassis, again, bit of shopping around could bag you one for say £300.
Two grand to get started is quite ridiculous. In fact those are the guys you should be following as quite a lot of them 3 months later say they don't have time to race and are selling off all their kit.
I started with a G27 mounted to an ironing board. Those were the days!
If I had to prioritise. Pedals, then wheel, then rig.
Reasonable Wheel and pedals can be had for a couple of hundred quid used.
If you wanted a chassis, again, bit of shopping around could bag you one for say £300.
Two grand to get started is quite ridiculous. In fact those are the guys you should be following as quite a lot of them 3 months later say they don't have time to race and are selling off all their kit.
I started with a G27 mounted to an ironing board. Those were the days!
If I had to prioritise. Pedals, then wheel, then rig.
Edited by Rick101 on Friday 27th December 20:48
Rick101 said:
He said he already has a PC smartarse!
Reasonable Wheel and pedals can be had for a couple of hundred quid used.
If you wanted a chassis, again, bit of shopping around could bag you one for say £300.
Two grand to get started is quite ridiculous. In fact those are the guys you should be following as quite a lot of them 3 months later say they don't have time to race and are selling off all their kit.
I started with a G27 mounted to an ironing board. Those were the days!
Well my original comment was that is how much it'd cost from scratch... Smartarse Reasonable Wheel and pedals can be had for a couple of hundred quid used.
If you wanted a chassis, again, bit of shopping around could bag you one for say £300.
Two grand to get started is quite ridiculous. In fact those are the guys you should be following as quite a lot of them 3 months later say they don't have time to race and are selling off all their kit.
I started with a G27 mounted to an ironing board. Those were the days!
A non gamers version of a decent PC is going to be well off the mark for a decent VR experience.
To be fair, I'd be looking at Fanatec CSL stuff as the minimum basic reasonable stuff and even then that's not particularly great. I've owned pretty much everything from Logitech - Thrustmaster and now have the Fanatec CSW and whilst the CSW is pretty good, it's not great.
I maintain that from scratch, to get a decent experience, it's going to cost you £2k. If he has a reasonable PC, maybe drop it to £1300 with any needed upgrades, you can forget a decent VR experience for anywhere near that though unless he already has a £2k+ top end PC.
Yeah, I'd agree if yiu were buying new and included pc which would certainly be four figures with the way graphics card are now.
Fanatec is quite top end for a starter though. Most begin with G27. In fact just seen one listed with pedals on the fb for £130. OK not the most actuate kit but good enough for many and will get you started.
Fanatec is quite top end for a starter though. Most begin with G27. In fact just seen one listed with pedals on the fb for £130. OK not the most actuate kit but good enough for many and will get you started.
I suppose it depends on how you take to it, buy something cheap to start with and see how you get on but then you may not enjoy it whereas if you buy something of quality you may get more enjoyment out of it.
One thing I will say about Fanatec is, you'll not lose much (if anything) if buying used. They hold their value incredibly well.
I ended up buying all of my kit new from them as it was only 5-10% more than the price used stuff goes for on eBay so with the warranty it was a no brainer.
One thing I will say about Fanatec is, you'll not lose much (if anything) if buying used. They hold their value incredibly well.
I ended up buying all of my kit new from them as it was only 5-10% more than the price used stuff goes for on eBay so with the warranty it was a no brainer.
Gassing Station | Video Games | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff