Sony PlayStation Q

Um, fellas? (Looking sheepish) Had my first video-game console, um, experience this afternoon (GT3 on a Sony PlayStation2; gearing up to do a review of racing games for Motor Trend). Feels kinda like Tom Hanks in "Big," or Gulliver in Lilliput. Clumsy, galumphing old dude squeezes into Kiddie Kar and embarrasses himself by careening around like an elephant pedaling a tricycle or a seal on a tightrope or a chimp juggling lawn furniture. The worst part: trying to modulate brake, throttle, and steering with a pair of what feel like digital (on-off) joysticks with a total travel of about half an inch in either direction. I know USB gear designed for PCs will work with Microsoft's Xbox, and I see the PS2 has a USB port, but I can't remember if the Sony is PC-compatible. Anybody know? --Steve (Feeling sheepish.)

"Steve Smith" wrote... > Um, fellas? (Looking sheepish) > > Had my first video-game console, um, experience this > afternoon (GT3 on a Sony PlayStation2; gearing up to > do a review of racing games for Motor Trend). Just put down: "it's no GPL" and move on... Jan./couldn't resist, heading for the nearest bunker. ;-) =---

"Steve Smith" wrote... > Um, fellas? (Looking sheepish) > On a less flippant note... AFAIK no USB PC wheel is PS2 compatible, although I think there is a "catridge" for the Act Labs RS ?? Jan. =---

"Jan Verschueren" <[email hidden]> writes: > "Steve Smith" wrote... > > Um, fellas? (Looking sheepish) > > > > On a less flippant note... AFAIK no USB PC wheel is PS2 compatible, LWFFGP "works". last time I checked, it worked, but Logitech said it might not work in the future or something to that effect. things may have happened since, though. -- Gunnar #31 SUCKS#015 Tupperware MC#002 DoD#0x1B DoDRT#003 DoD:CT#4,8 Kibo�: 2 to err is human -- to forgive is bovine.

I think even Momos can be persuaded to work with the PS2, I could swear someone posted that they had done that. Regarding Steve's other statement though, I don't think USB stuff works with Xbox. At least not without some cutting and soldering. ;o) "Gunnar Horrigmo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> "Jan Verschueren" <[email hidden]> writes: > > "Steve Smith" wrote... > > > Um, fellas? (Looking sheepish) > > > > > > > On a less flippant note... AFAIK no USB PC wheel is PS2 compatible, > > LWFFGP "works". last time I checked, it worked, but Logitech said it > might not work in the future or something to that effect. > > things may have happened since, though. > > -- > Gunnar > #31 SUCKS#015 Tupperware MC#002 DoD#0x1B DoDRT#003 DoD:CT#4,8

Kibo�: 2 > to err is human -- to forgive is bovine.

Here's a review, Steve, which covers which wheels are "compatible" with both a PC and PlayStation 2: http://firingsquad.gamers.com/hardware/2001wheelroundup/ . -- Chris H. "Steve Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:19dJ8.598$[email hidden]... > Um, fellas? (Looking sheepish) > > Had my first video-game console, um, experience this afternoon (GT3 on a > Sony PlayStation2; gearing up to do a review of racing games for Motor > Trend). Feels kinda like Tom Hanks in "Big," or Gulliver in Lilliput. > Clumsy, galumphing old dude squeezes into Kiddie Kar and embarrasses himself > by careening around like an elephant pedaling a tricycle or a seal on a > tightrope or a chimp juggling lawn furniture. The worst part: trying to > modulate brake, throttle, and steering with a pair of what feel like digital > (on-off) joysticks with a total travel of about half an inch in either > direction. I know USB gear designed for PCs will work with Microsoft's > Xbox, and I see the PS2 has a USB port, but I can't remember if the Sony is > PC-compatible. Anybody know? > > --Steve (Feeling sheepish.) > > >

Thx much, guys! "Chris H." <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:QLeJ8.71772$[email hidden]... > Here's a review, Steve, which covers which wheels are "compatible" withboth

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> a PC and PlayStation 2: > http://firingsquad.gamers.com/hardware/2001wheelroundup/ . > -- > Chris H. > > "Steve Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:19dJ8.598$[email hidden]... > > Um, fellas? (Looking sheepish) > > > > Had my first video-game console, um, experience this afternoon (GT3 on a > > Sony PlayStation2; gearing up to do a review of racing games for Motor > > Trend). Feels kinda like Tom Hanks in "Big," or Gulliver in Lilliput. > > Clumsy, galumphing old dude squeezes into Kiddie Kar and embarrasses > himself > > by careening around like an elephant pedaling a tricycle or a seal on a > > tightrope or a chimp juggling lawn furniture. The worst part: trying to > > modulate brake, throttle, and steering with a pair of what feel like > digital > > (on-off) joysticks with a total travel of about half an inch in either > > direction. I know USB gear designed for PCs will work with Microsoft's > > Xbox, and I see the PS2 has a USB port, but I can't remember if the Sony > is > > PC-compatible. Anybody know? > > > > --Steve (Feeling sheepish.) > > > > > > > >

If you have a Logitech Wingman FF GP, it will work for you. (USB). And btw, the XBOX do NOT have USB, but the PS2 have it. "Steve Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:19dJ8.598$[email hidden]... > Um, fellas? (Looking sheepish) > > Had my first video-game console, um, experience this afternoon (GT3 on a > Sony PlayStation2; gearing up to do a review of racing games for Motor > Trend). Feels kinda like Tom Hanks in "Big," or Gulliver in Lilliput. > Clumsy, galumphing old dude squeezes into Kiddie Kar and embarrasseshimself > by careening around like an elephant pedaling a tricycle or a seal on a > tightrope or a chimp juggling lawn furniture. The worst part: trying to > modulate brake, throttle, and steering with a pair of what feel likedigital > (on-off) joysticks with a total travel of about half an inch in either > direction. I know USB gear designed for PCs will work with Microsoft's > Xbox, and I see the PS2 has a USB port, but I can't remember if the Sonyis > PC-compatible. Anybody know? > > --Steve (Feeling sheepish.) > >

I guess I got it backwards (dyslexia rears its ugly daeh). I've got a leftover TM Ferrari USB wheel; I guess I'll try that. "Andreas Nystrom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:jOkJ8.40798$[email hidden]...

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> If you have a Logitech Wingman FF GP, it will work for you. > (USB). And btw, the XBOX do NOT have USB, but the PS2 have it. > > "Steve Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:19dJ8.598$[email hidden]... > > Um, fellas? (Looking sheepish) > > > > Had my first video-game console, um, experience this afternoon (GT3 on a > > Sony PlayStation2; gearing up to do a review of racing games for Motor > > Trend). Feels kinda like Tom Hanks in "Big," or Gulliver in Lilliput. > > Clumsy, galumphing old dude squeezes into Kiddie Kar and embarrasses > himself > > by careening around like an elephant pedaling a tricycle or a seal on a > > tightrope or a chimp juggling lawn furniture. The worst part: trying to > > modulate brake, throttle, and steering with a pair of what feel like > digital > > (on-off) joysticks with a total travel of about half an inch in either > > direction. I know USB gear designed for PCs will work with Microsoft's > > Xbox, and I see the PS2 has a USB port, but I can't remember if the Sony > is > > PC-compatible. Anybody know? > > > > --Steve (Feeling sheepish.) > > > > > >

On Wed, 29 May 2002 23:05:33 GMT, "Steve Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote: >direction. I know USB gear designed for PCs will work with Microsoft's >Xbox, and I see the PS2 has a USB port, but I can't remember if the Sony is >PC-compatible. Anybody know? It's the other way around, surprising as that may be. The PS2 us the only USB-compatible console. Which doesn't mean you can use any USB device - only ones with PS2 drivers. For your particular situation, there is an excelent Lotitech PS2 USB force-feedback steering wheel that also work on the PC. It compeltely changes the driving game experience, so I'd seriously reccomend trying it before finishing your article.

How did it work Steve?, im a bit curious. Dont forget to turn off all drivingaids, they make it no fun at all :) "Steve Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:cBpJ8.49539$[email hidden]... > I guess I got it backwards (dyslexia rears its ugly daeh). > > I've got a leftover TM Ferrari USB wheel; I guess I'll try that. >

I've seen the argument advanced that console driving games are designed for gamepad control in the first place, so that using a wheel and pedals not only doesn't improve the control "experience," it may actualy impede it. Anybody car to comment? "Joe62" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > On Wed, 29 May 2002 23:05:33 GMT, "Steve Smith" > <[email hidden]> wrote: > > >direction. I know USB gear designed for PCs will work with Microsoft's > >Xbox, and I see the PS2 has a USB port, but I can't remember if the Sonyis

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> >PC-compatible. Anybody know? > > It's the other way around, surprising as that may be. The PS2 us the > only USB-compatible console. Which doesn't mean you can use any USB > device - only ones with PS2 drivers. > > For your particular situation, there is an excelent Lotitech PS2 USB > force-feedback steering wheel that also work on the PC. It compeltely > changes the driving game experience, so I'd seriously reccomend trying > it before finishing your article.

Andreas, I have to retrieve my Ferrari wheel from a neighbor whom I was trying to draw into the online world, but he seems to be cruising the Thousand Islands in his luxury yacht, so I may use the time until his return to perfect my joystick..check that: joystub...technique. --Steve "Andreas Nystrom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:VJvJ8.9936$[email hidden]...

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> How did it work Steve?, im a bit curious. Dont forget to turn off all > drivingaids, they make it no fun at all :) > > > "Steve Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:cBpJ8.49539$[email hidden]... > > I guess I got it backwards (dyslexia rears its ugly daeh). > > > > I've got a leftover TM Ferrari USB wheel; I guess I'll try that. > > > > >

TM Ferrari wheel works great with PS2...Takes little while to get used to it.. Ian "Andreas Nystrom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:VJvJ8.9936$[email hidden]...

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> How did it work Steve?, im a bit curious. Dont forget to turn off all > drivingaids, they make it no fun at all :) > > > "Steve Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:cBpJ8.49539$[email hidden]... > > I guess I got it backwards (dyslexia rears its ugly daeh). > > > > I've got a leftover TM Ferrari USB wheel; I guess I'll try that. > > > > >

On Thu, 30 May 2002 22:16:40 GMT, "Steve Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote: >I've seen the argument advanced that console driving games are designed for >gamepad control in the first place, so that using a wheel and pedals not >only doesn't improve the control "experience," it may actualy impede it. >Anybody car to comment? Totally depends on the game. For GT3, the wheel is absolutely an improvement. It increased both my sense of immersion and my actual racing times.

Whew! Glad to hear that, Joe...'cuz thus far, GT3 feels like my first few hours playing GPL (i.e., sux eggz). "Joe62" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > On Thu, 30 May 2002 22:16:40 GMT, "Steve Smith" > <[email hidden]> wrote: > > >I've seen the argument advanced that console driving games are designedfor

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> >gamepad control in the first place, so that using a wheel and pedals not > >only doesn't improve the control "experience," it may actualy impede it. > >Anybody car to comment? > > Totally depends on the game. For GT3, the wheel is absolutely an > improvement. It increased both my sense of immersion and my actual > racing times.

Increased your racing times eh? So the wheel is not good then? ;o) "Joe62" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > On Thu, 30 May 2002 22:16:40 GMT, "Steve Smith" > <[email hidden]> wrote: > > Totally depends on the game. For GT3, the wheel is absolutely an > improvement. It increased both my sense of immersion and my actual > racing times.

On Thu, 30 May 2002 19:49:54 -0400, "Haqsau" <[email hidden]> wrote: >Increased your racing times eh? So the wheel is not good then? ;o) Whoops! Never post before your first cup of coffee, folks.

FWIW, the xbox controllers are actually a USB hub plus one controller, but they don't use the normal wiring/connectors, and have some extra wires to support lightguns and what have you. Plus Xbox games don't get "direct control" over the USB subsystem, so they're currently limited to xbox devices. The PS2's USB ports are more like "do what you want"--each game seems pretty much free to support anything it wants over USB or Firewire, but you have to build support for each device into your game. Logitech provides a driver for their stuff (including the sony-badged GT3 wheel), so those devices are pretty well supported by most driving games these days; I think some of these games support the MOMO wheel, but it doesn't have a DPAD or anything. "Andreas Nystrom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:jOkJ8.40798$[email hidden]...

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> If you have a Logitech Wingman FF GP, it will work for you. > (USB). And btw, the XBOX do NOT have USB, but the PS2 have it. > > "Steve Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:19dJ8.598$[email hidden]... > > Um, fellas? (Looking sheepish) > > > > Had my first video-game console, um, experience this afternoon (GT3 on a > > Sony PlayStation2; gearing up to do a review of racing games for Motor > > Trend). Feels kinda like Tom Hanks in "Big," or Gulliver in Lilliput. > > Clumsy, galumphing old dude squeezes into Kiddie Kar and embarrasses > himself > > by careening around like an elephant pedaling a tricycle or a seal on a > > tightrope or a chimp juggling lawn furniture. The worst part: trying to > > modulate brake, throttle, and steering with a pair of what feel like > digital > > (on-off) joysticks with a total travel of about half an inch in either > > direction. I know USB gear designed for PCs will work with Microsoft's > > Xbox, and I see the PS2 has a USB port, but I can't remember if the Sony > is > > PC-compatible. Anybody know? > > > > --Steve (Feeling sheepish.) > > > > > >

Thx, Dave! "Dave Pollatsek" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:3cf83d12$0$79560$[email hidden]...

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> FWIW, the xbox controllers are actually a USB hub plus one controller, but > they don't use the normal wiring/connectors, and have some extra wires to > support lightguns and what have you. Plus Xbox games don't get "direct > control" over the USB subsystem, so they're currently limited to xbox > devices. The PS2's USB ports are more like "do what you want"--each game > seems pretty much free to support anything it wants over USB or Firewire, > but you have to build support for each device into your game. Logitech > provides a driver for their stuff (including the sony-badged GT3 wheel),

so > those devices are pretty well supported by most driving games these days;I > think some of these games support the MOMO wheel, but it doesn't have aDPAD

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> or anything. > > "Andreas Nystrom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:jOkJ8.40798$[email hidden]... > > If you have a Logitech Wingman FF GP, it will work for you. > > (USB). And btw, the XBOX do NOT have USB, but the PS2 have it. > > > > "Steve Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > > news:19dJ8.598$[email hidden]... > > > Um, fellas? (Looking sheepish) > > > > > > Had my first video-game console, um, experience this afternoon (GT3 on

a > > > Sony PlayStation2; gearing up to do a review of racing games for Motor > > > Trend). Feels kinda like Tom Hanks in "Big," or Gulliver in Lilliput. > > > Clumsy, galumphing old dude squeezes into Kiddie Kar and embarrasses > > himself > > > by careening around like an elephant pedaling a tricycle or a seal ona > > > tightrope or a chimp juggling lawn furniture. The worst part: tryingto > > > modulate brake, throttle, and steering with a pair of what feel like > > digital > > > (on-off) joysticks with a total travel of about half an inch in either > > > direction. I know USB gear designed for PCs will work withMicrosoft's > > > Xbox, and I see the PS2 has a USB port, but I can't remember if theSony

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> > is > > > PC-compatible. Anybody know? > > > > > > --Steve (Feeling sheepish.) > > > > > > > > > > > >

"Steve Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:cxxJ8.50005$[email hidden]... > I've seen the argument advanced that console driving games are designedfor > gamepad control in the first place, so that using a wheel and pedals not > only doesn't improve the control "experience," it may actualy impede it. > Anybody car to comment? Console driving games are designed for a mini-joystick and analogue buttons, just like a PC racing game is designed for a joystick - as a basic input device (Y: acc/brake, X: steer). A wheel has the same axes, but the player does a different motion to set the inputs. (eg pressing the throttle = pushing a joystick forwards). So any wheel acts exactly the same as the gamepad, except you can be much more accurate with a wheel. So that argument is *almost* completely false. Of course, most games support the most common wheel (Official GT wheel) out of the box anyway. I say 'almost', because it is possible that some games would have a non-linear throttle control from the gamepad. The only example I can think of at the moment is Dropship: United Peace Force (not a racing game - as the name makes blindingly obvious) - where you really need to push the throttle in really hard to engage the afterburner. Only the last 0.5% of button movement engages it. I originally thought it was weird that the buttons only move, what, a millimetre?, yet there are 255(not certain about this, it might be more) discrete input values. I thought it was impossible to be that accurate (as a human being), but if you play GT3 you can just perfectly hold the car at your chosen RPM almost without even trying after a few days. Of course, scraping bronzes in the license tests with a pad becomes just snatching golds with just about any wheel - which on the highest license tests (Viper at Laguna Seca, GT40 at Seattle, Toyota GT1 at Monaco) equates to about 3-4 seconds a lap quicker with the wheel! And going off the racetrack is an immediate fail - so no 'clipping' the corkscrew :-). As an aside, I like the way the highest license is not just the fastest cars on the hardest tracks. The GT40 is about getting the front end tucked in, the GT1 spins up in the first 2-3 gears so that is an exercise in getting the power down out of tight corners. There is an MX-5 around Trial Mountain which is all about keeping momentum - a vastly underpowered car through medium speed corners with a really fast gold time to beat. Nick.