rec.autos.simulators

Hi,

I'm not sure that I can hang out until September to get Richard Burns rally
for the PC, so am tempted to buy a PS2 this weekend in order to try it out.
Will my Logitech momo force work on a PS2?

The reason I ask is that the Richard Burns Rally web site claims to have
"special support" for all logitech wheels.

I'd probably prefer to get an Xbox instead for better graphics, but
understand that there is no way my wheel will work on an Xbox?

Any help much appreciated.

Tim

Tim,

Yer Momo won't work on an Xbox, but it will work on a PS2...if it's a USB
wheel.  That is, the steering, throttle and brake functions will work; I'm
not sure the buttons will work properly - you may have to leave a gamepad
connected to the PS2's other controller port to use for navigating the
menus.

By my lights, Gran Turismo is as good as all the Xbox driving games put
together, if only because I've never found an Xbox wheel worth the recycled
plastic it's inevitably made of.  GT4 promises to be even better...plus,
it'll be online.  Plus, there's a Logi wheel being made specifically for
GT4.

OTOH, Forza Motorsport for the Xbox (also Internet-enabled) promises to be
as good as GT3, and if somebody comes up w. a decent wheel, we may actually
find out.

True, the Xbox is technically better (video, sound, etc.), but with no
decent wheels avail, most PC-spoiled sim drivers (TSW, BRD, ECCI, Logi)
won't be happy.  You can barely fly a plane w. a one-inch-tall joystick when
you're surrounded by thin air.  Unless you're preternaturally nimble (or
have 13-year-old's fingers), you can't drive a car with one.

--Steve Smith

Steve,
Doesn't what you say make you ask, WTF?  Why didnt MS just port or open up
the ability for the Sidewinder stuff to work with the Xbox...

WOW...  All I can say is Dayum...

Anywho, Im glad I read what you posted, I never much cared enough to read
about Xbox and other consoles until just recently, as I was just starting to
want an Xbox just for something I could take camping or to motels, for fun &

the Sidewinder stuff worked with MS's own damn boxes...

LOL  boy I would have been Pissed to figure this out after forking out money
for the crap...  What the Hell were they thinking?

Anyone try one of those Modified boxes maybe?  I might look into one of
those.

  XBox needs proprietary USB connecotrs or somesuch.  Also, Microsoft is
getting out of the *** periphreal business for the PC- no more Sidewinder
wheels.

  I use a Logitech Force Feedback PC wheel with my PS2.  The Momo doesn't
work with all the games I tried- I leave that for my PC.  Mostly I play
Grant Turismo or Dirt to Daytona (I wish they made this one on the PC- it
would be great).

  I think the original poster should just exercise some patience and wait
for the PC release.  It will be worht it in the end, assuming you have a
*** PC setup for racing games.

Thanks for all the advice.

Based on the feedback, I might take your advice, exercise some patience, and
wait for the PC release. I've never owned a console player in my life, as
I've been too spoiled by the experience of the high quality PC sims. I would
have gone ahead with the PS2 purchase, just for RBR, if I was assured that
the FF and buttons would work properly, but don't want the hassles of
stuffiing around to finally get it half working.

Thanks again,
Tim

   I like my PS2, but if all you are getting one for is just to play one
game, and you have high expectations, I think you would be disappointed.
The graphics on the PS2 are very fuzzy and pixelated (and if you have a PAL
TV, you will get more flicker).

  I have Gran Turismo 3 and Dirt to Daytona on my PS2, and also an
inexpensive Logitech FF wheel, and I do play some racing, but mostly the
graphics are so poor compared to the PC that it makes driving difficult.
You have to look very far down the road at small objects, like guard rails,
etc., to see what's up ahead.  With the low resolution of the PS2 that means
it could look like a jagged mess (the same is true with the XBox).
Sometimes I have trouble telling if a turn is left or right- that's how bad
it can get.  With a PC, you can see farther ahead.

  I like playing Final Fantasy and other roleplaying games, boxing games,
fighting games on my PS2.  The lower resolution doesn't affect those games
as much, since the objects are usually bigger and not moving around quite as
fast.

   I have also hooked up the PS2 to an HDTV (I have one of those too, but I
usually don't have my PS2 hooked up to it), and it really doesn't help that
much.  The framebuffer in the HDTV does reduce some of the jaggies in a few
games like Gran Turismo, but the resolution is still fairly low.

I have a PS2 hooked up to a 21" NEC monitor thru a
frame-doubler/de-interlacer (a DVDO), and while it looks pretty washed out,
the resolution is damn good...considering.  I've also had it hooked up to a
40" HDTV (a Samsung w. a Faroudja chip), and while the saturation is better,
the rez isn't as good.  So nu....

Bottom line: buying a PS2 for one game doesn't make much sense...except
that, at $150, a console is abt. the same price as a mid-range video
card...and is a gateway to a whole universe of games (if yer into console
games).  If I didn't have ***age kids, I prolly wouldn't bother, but w. 2
rugrats, I've got both a PS2 and an Xbox.  There are some great games to be
played...but driving (or FPS') with a gamepad isn't exactly my idea of fun.

I've got a logitech formula force, (designed for pc, works on ps2) that
works great with rbr on ps2.  I can only assume, but would find it odd
if newer logitech wheels designed for pc (but still functional on ps2)
didn't work just as well.  The graphics are certainly a bit chunky, but
not such an issue once flying through the scenery, for me.  P'raps I'll
think differently when I get the pc version, but it's *brilliant* fun
currently...

Charlie