True confession time, Tom -- first off, all I have is the GPL demo;
Viper Racing has been my sim of choice since December, and I don't
have enough time to split between several sims with different styles.
As I've said elsewhere, call me a heretic and flame me now. <G>
Second, I do find the R4's pedal travel to tend a bit towards short
and touchy (I refuse to use any braking aids in Viper Racing, to
answer your GPL-related question from above). Using my TSW pedals as a
primary frame of reference, though, virtually EVERYTHING else comes up
short. From a more realistic viewpoint, when using my NASCAR Pro
pedals as a reference source, I find the Saitek pedals to be a vast
improvement over Thrustmaster's product -- Saitek's pedals stay put
better than the Thrustmaster pedals, and for me, when it comes right
down to it, I can live with a shorter pedal throw more easily than I
can live with elusive, escapee pedals that refuse to stay put
underfoot.
As I said in my review of the Saitek wheel:
"The pedals may not be quite as nice as the TSW2's pedals, but they're
probably the best plastic pedals you'll find on the market.
"The Saitek's pedals feature a fair amount of travel, and the brake
pedal sits higher than the accellerator. The pedal size easily
accomodates editorial size 8 Reeboks, and the pedal placement helps
keep the base unit stable, without the need to hold it in place with
your free foot.
"The pedals also feature adjustable springs, but even at max tension,
the pedals' return response was a bit slow for my taste; the pedal
travel is also a bit shorter than what I'm used to with my TSW2
pedals, but overall, the Saitek's pedals will delight most users. Fans
of high-precision racing simulations like Grand Prix 2 and Grand Prix
Legends will also be glad to know that the Saitek pedals can be set up
for either dual-axis or single-axis operation."
Basically, I think users who are playing NFSIII and Viper Racing and
really want a Force Feedback wheel but are hesitant to pay the $$$ for
the Microsoft wheel will be very pleased with the Saitek R4 Force
wheel. *** racers may be less satisfied with many aspects of the
Saitek wheel (and you have to admit that most people who are really
getting into GPL pretty much qualify as "***"), but while it may
not be the best wheel for GPL, it is still a very decent piece of
work.
Having a TSW2 on-hand to set the high-water mark means that anything
made primarily from plastic is somewhat disappointing in comparison.
The Saitek wheel was certainly much less of a disappointment for me
than the NASCAR Pro wheel was when I first purchased it. The NASCAR
Pro wheel was nice in that it was immediately much more enjoyable to
drive with a wheel and pedals than with a keyboard, gamepad, or
joystick, but the level of satisfaction ultimately didn't seem to
match up with the money I had to spend on the NASCAR Pro wheel. The
Saitek wheel, in comparison, is much more satisfying for the money in
my book.
Admittedly, a lot of that may have to do with the implementation of
Force Feedback effects -- the Saitek wheel really leaves me flat in
sims that don't feature Force Feedback, so in those instances, maybe
it is about on a par with the NASCAR Pro wheel.
All in all, though, I think there are wheel and pedal combos on the
market that are far inferior to the Saitek wheel. Again, it probably
isn't a worthy weapon of choice for GPL, but in games that feature
Force Feedback effects, it can be a really rewarding and enjoyable
wheel.
-- John Bodin
Publisher, The IRL Insider Magazine
http://www.racesimcentral.net/
