I'm always amazed every time I see a "recommendation" for Game
Commander....or any other "voice activated" keyboard controller....that
those individuals who use them assume everyone uses "headsets" for sim
racing!
The only reason to use headsets for sim racing are:
1. You have crappy speakers to start with.
2. You don't use an SB Live sound card (and number 1 applies
too.....lol).
3. You have a wife, children, neighbors.....who hate you.
Otherwise....crank your sound system......to-the-max......and velcro down
anything in your sim racing room that is not already bolted down......or
weighs over 500 lbs......and "map" your function keys to the wheel buttons
with your game controller "custom" set up software. If it doesn't have this
option....get a new controller, duh!
Unless you have your keyboard mounted on your race controller...with all
necessary "keys" within a few inches of your fingers ....and you can
activate them "by touch" without looking at your hand, or the
keyboard.....or, they are mapped to your wheel buttons....then you are going
to wreck a lot....and "wreck" the rest of us along with you. Please don't
race online, please! You could get away with "hunt and peck" for the
"display commands"......in N3......but that will never be the case in N4.
*****Did anybody pick up on Darrel Waltrip's "story" during the FOX Sports
broadcast of the Goody Dash yesterday at Daytona? He was kidding about his
crew chief having to get into the back seat of his race car......run laps at
Tally at 220 mph.....so his crew chief could record the "readings" on the
dash instruments. Darrel said, "Hell, I can't take my eyes of the road at
those speeds long enough to look at the tach even.....except maybe to tell
you what general direction its pointing....like "up" or "down".......no way
I can give you the readings of all the dash instruments.....have you tried
to drive this sucker and do it?" Another comment was made about trying to
see how far the rpm's fall off when in the turns at Daytona........nobody
says they can take their eyes off the track....especially when
drafting....long enough to look at the tach!
******************So My Fellow Sim Racers**********************
If the best stock car drivers in the world can't even look at the
tach.....what the heck makes you think you can search around for your
keyboard's F1 key.......and not crash........taking a few of us with you?
If your keyboard isn't mounted within 3 to 4 incheds of your fingers....or
you've not mapped your "often-used" function keys to your race controller
buttons......please don't race online in Multiplayer.....PLEASE<
PLEASE>PLEASE!
Tom Pabst
