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Rec.Autos.Simulators Archive

Re: Joysticks for GPL

12 posts by 9 people · 01 Mar 2000 - 13 Mar 2000

Quoted text (10 lines)>In article <uubv4.8016$[email hidden]>, > "Steve" <[email hidden]> wrote: >> What does everyone think of the Microsoft Precision Pro >> joystick for GPL. Right now i am using an old Gravis anolog >> stick and was thinking about getting a digital one. Is the >> Microsoft one any good and what would the differences >> be between what i am using now and the new one, I'm not >> talking force feedback just a regular one. >> Thanks in advance everyone. >> Steve!
Steve, just my $.02, but... If you're going to spend *any* time at all with racing sims, you need a wheel/pedal combo. IMO, *any* wheel/pedal setup is going to be better than *any* joystick when it comes to racing sims...especially GPL. Again, IMO, playing GPL with a joystick is...well...let's say you're really missing out on a lot of immersion by using a joystick. If you're talking about arcade racing, well, that might be another matter. Joysticks are made for flight sims. Wheel/pedal combos are made for racing sims. I enjoy both kinds of sims, and realized a looonnng time ago that the controller in a sim is kind of like the tires on your Real-Life (TM) car. In the same way that your tires are what your car uses to most directly interact with the road, the controller is what you use to directly interact with the sim. If you're flying, use a joystick. If you're driving, use a steering wheel (and pedals). ============================ Dave Mack [email hidden] (remove "nospamfor_" for correspondence)
(unknown) 01 Mar 2000#288828
In article <uubv4.8016$[email hidden]>, "Steve" <[email hidden]> wrote:
Quoted text (8 lines)> What does everyone think of the Microsoft Precision Pro > joystick for GPL. Right now i am using an old Gravis anolog > stick and was thinking about getting a digital one. Is the > Microsoft one any good and what would the differences > be between what i am using now and the new one, I'm not > talking force feedback just a regular one. > Thanks in advance everyone. > Steve!
Before I got a ForceRS wheel I played GPL with a Precision Pro. Its sort of ok - good trick I found was to map steering to the joystick twist axis - sort of made steering more natural + easier to keep steering constant while moving stick forwards and backwards for acceleration/braking. However, joystick is always has problem that steering and accel/brake are on the same control - its too easy to spin because as you move backwards to brake you accidently move the steering axis. I'd strongly recommend considering a wheel/pedals if you are "serious" about GPL or other car sims. It feels more natural, steering and accel/brake are seperated + with many pedals its possible to put accel and brake on seperate axes which also helps (able to dab brakes while maintaining accel in a corner etc) N.b. its claimed that the best of both worlds is to use pedals for accel/brake and stick for steering as a stick allows more rapid (also known as unrealistically fast!) lock-to-lock movement. Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.
Houndog 01 Mar 2000 16:23 UTC#288791
What does everyone think of the Microsoft Precision Pro joystick for GPL. Right now i am using an old Gravis anolog stick and was thinking about getting a digital one. Is the Microsoft one any good and what would the differences be between what i am using now and the new one, I'm not talking force feedback just a regular one. Thanks in advance everyone. Steve!
I keep two driver profiles - one for my MSFF wheel, and one for my very basic bog-standard MS joystick (not even a Precision Pro) - so I can compare times easily. Here's how a few of my best laps compare: Silverstone: Wheel: 1:29.32, Stick: 1:29.35 (both Lotus) Watkins Glen: Wheel: 1:05.47, Stick: 1:06.00 (both Lotus) Spa-F: Wheel: 3:20.21, Stick: 3:20.86 (wheel Eagle, stick Lotus) Monza: Wheel: 1:29.35, Stick: 1:29.48 (both Lotus) The wheel is conistently faster, but the difference is insignificant except for the Glen (which just happens to need very precise placement of the car). The Spa difference is almost all down to Masta - 170mph with the wheel, 160mph with the stick. -- David. "After all, a mere thousand yards - such a harmless little knoll, really." (Raymond Mays on Shelsley Walsh)
(unknown) 03 Mar 2000#288503
In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] (David Buttery) wrote: > I keep two driver profiles - one for my MSFF wheel, and one for myvery > basic bog-standard MS joystick (not even a Precision Pro) - so I can > compare times easily. Here's how a few of my best laps compare: > > Silverstone: Wheel: 1:29.32, Stick: 1:29.35 (both Lotus) > Watkins Glen: Wheel: 1:05.47, Stick: 1:06.00 (both Lotus) > Spa-F: Wheel: 3:20.21, Stick: 3:20.86 (wheel Eagle, stickLotus) > Monza: Wheel: 1:29.35, Stick: 1:29.48 (both Lotus) > > The wheel is conistently faster, but the difference is insignificant > except for the Glen (which just happens to need very precise placementof > the car). The Spa difference is almost all down to Masta - 170mph with > the wheel, 160mph with the stick. I remember when I got my wheel I expected that I'd start to go significantly faster .... however in reality it took a consderable time to get back to where I'd been with the stick. I think I'd just reached the point where with the stick I was breaking smoothly and it took time to adjust to how the pedals reacted (plus I think to overcome initial stickiness in the pedal action). Main difference though was reduction in unforced spins due to unexpected steering change while braking Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.
Chris Bloom 04 Mar 2000 07:23 UTC#288532
I have a MS precision Pro and have got down to 1:31.10 at Monza and have won a F3 race at Spa against the AI. The only way I can use it is to use the fire buttons for brake/gas which compromises my performance in GPL but seems to work okay in SCGT/NR99 etc. The reason I use a stick is that I enjoy other games which require it. Chris * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet's Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet - Free!
Peter Ives 04 Mar 2000#521759
Who knows, with a better joystick you may even go quicker. I'm in the 'unfortunate' position of not having enough space for a wheel/pedal setup and so have been using a joystick for the last 8 months with GPL. My current stick is a Saitek Cyborg 3D. Without doubt, the best stick I've used for GPL. Recently I went back to using a previous stick with which I had done some pretty decent times. However, I found that under braking I was all over the shop and I also had to brake earlier. With the Saitek 3D I can brake much harder without any problems. I tried the Precision Pro but found its left/right deflection too small which meant too much precise input required to keep the car in a straight line. Even at full non-linear, though I've read of others here who seemed to quite like this stick. If you do buy a stick, whatever you do, don't use the twist grip for steering. I can only imagine a lot of frustration developing if you try that method. Can you be fast with a stick? Well, to compare my times to those above: Silverstone 1:28.39 Watkins Glen 1:05.04 Spa 3:18.25 - can do 175mph through Masta no trouble Monza 1:27.89 -- Peter Ives - (AKA Ivington) No person's opinions can be said to be more correct than another's, because each is the sole judge of his or her own experience.
You could, of course, just be faster than me... I have to say that I much prefer the feel of a FF wheel and pedals to any joystick. Wolfgang Woeger may be able to do incredible times with a stick, but hardly anyone else in the top times lists uses one. The joystick comes about through necessity - I need to get at the keyboard when I'm working, and I can't afford one of those super-posh desks that will hold both a keyboard and a wheel (on a retractable shelf), so I have to take the wheel on and off. -- David. "After all, a mere thousand yards - such a harmless little knoll, really." (Raymond Mays on Shelsley Walsh)
hi Ian Lake said once to me: 7:49 is possible at the Ring. Well, I was gentle and said maybe and thought hes crazy:))) Today I sent a 7:51:36 to Schubi and the lap has a BIG mistake in the last chicane that costet me 0,5 seconds. So getting closer and closer, if Ian would still be driving more, he could be the man, but Greger or others will do it some day. regards Wolfgang sorry Ian, you were anyway right with most of your oracles:)) Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.
oops, meanwhile I have a 7:50:55:)))) its at Schubis page later today http://www.parc-ferme.de/fastlaps.htm Wolfgang PS: I'm 0,5 seconds slower at half way in this lap as I was in 2 7:51:xx laps that I have, so.....:))
Quoted text (18 lines)> hi > Ian Lake said once to me: 7:49 is possible at the Ring. > Well, I was gentle and said maybe and thought hes crazy:))) > Today I sent a 7:51:36 to Schubi and the lap has a BIG mistake in the > last chicane that costet me 0,5 seconds. > So getting closer and closer, if Ian would still be driving more, he > could be the man, but Greger or others will do it some day. > regards > Wolfgang > sorry Ian, you were anyway right with most of your oracles:)) > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ > Before you buy.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.
David Erb 13 Mar 2000#522827
(sigh) I don't know whether to cheer or cry. My PB at the 'ring is 8.28 something and I drove my ass off getting it. What do guys use ,magnetic tires or something? Good luck on your quest :) Da vid the slow
Quoted text (35 lines)> oops, meanwhile I have a 7:50:55:)))) > its at Schubis page later today > http://www.parc-ferme.de/fastlaps.htm > Wolfgang > PS: I'm 0,5 seconds slower at half way in this lap as I was in 2 > 7:51:xx laps that I have, so.....:)) > > hi > > Ian Lake said once to me: 7:49 is possible at the Ring. > > Well, I was gentle and said maybe and thought hes crazy:))) > > Today I sent a 7:51:36 to Schubi and the lap has a BIG mistake in the > > last chicane that costet me 0,5 seconds. > > So getting closer and closer, if Ian would still be driving more, he > > could be the man, but Greger or others will do it some day. > > regards > > Wolfgang > > sorry Ian, you were anyway right with most of your oracles:)) > > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ > > Before you buy. > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ > Before you buy.
> (sigh) > I don't know whether to cheer or cry. My PB at the 'ring is 8.28 something > and I drove my ass off getting it. What do guys use ,magnetic tires or > something? Don't be put off by this. 30 seconds at the ring is about 5 seconds on any other circuit. If you do not know the circuit really well (which is the case with me regarding the Ring), that is about the same delay that is to be expected behind the gods of GPL, you know who you are ;)! Greetings, Gregor

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