So how many AUTO racing games were on the market before TM created their wheel?
We currently have at least 4 major motorcycle racing games on the market and 2
more big titles coming later this year. Does this constitute a big enough
market share for TM to develop a Handlebar/grip throttle/brake steering device?
Anybody have any ideas on how to get such a project initiated. Playing these
games with a WHEEL just doesn't sit right with me.
R:
I have two ideas: One you can do right away with TM wheels. For the likes of
Motoracer I'll I did was calibrate the GP1 wheel to the 10:00 o'clock left
and 2:00 o'clock right this gave it a vary narrow range from left to right
much more like a handle bar. This works well I feel.
The other thing to satisfy you better would be to not sell a whole new unit.
But since the wheels on TM products are detachable they just need to make a
handle bar unit that we can attach to our already owned bases. I thought
they would have figured this out by now. Seems like a big seller if done
right since a lot of people who own the TM bases would likely go for the
handle bar addon.
To get it initiated send them an email explaining this. :)
qbm
Those are good fixes but still need to get the throttle moved up to the GRIP.
Clutch and brake would be nice but those would likely be too fragile and break
with the torture most gamers inflict on the TM equipment.
Quoted text (21 lines)
>>Anybody have any ideas on how to get such a project initiated. Playing >these >>games with a WHEEL just doesn't sit right with me. >R: >I have two ideas: One you can do right away with TM wheels. For the likes of >Motoracer I'll I did was calibrate the GP1 wheel to the 10:00 o'clock left >and 2:00 o'clock right this gave it a vary narrow range from left to right >much more like a handle bar. This works well I feel. >The other thing to satisfy you better would be to not sell a whole new unit. >But since the wheels on TM products are detachable they just need to make a >handle bar unit that we can attach to our already owned bases. I thought >they would have figured this out by now. Seems like a big seller if done >right since a lot of people who own the TM bases would likely go for the >handle bar addon. >To get it initiated send them an email explaining this. :) >qbm> We currently have at least 4 major motorcycle racing games on the market and 2
> more big titles coming later this year. Does this constitute a big enough
> market share for TM to develop a Handlebar/grip throttle/brake steering device?
Even if the Handlebar/grip-throttle unit existed, it still wouldn't be right. Only
at very low speeds do you turn left to go left and right to go right. At higher
speeds, you actually turn left to go right and turn right to go left. Don't
believe me? Think about what happens if you suddenly push on the right handlebar.
The front wheel turns to the left which causes the bike to lay over on its right
side (and then turn right). Watch any superbike race and you'll see this. So, my
point is that you'll still be "steering" the bike thru the turns like a car (at
high speeds you still turn left to go left and right to go right which is wrong),
and actually having a handlebar controller would make it even more weird. At least
with a joystick or wheel we know it isn't right, but with an actual handlebar I
think it would annoy me (like the arcade versions where you either "steer" the bike
or use only your weight to lay the bike over). If it's wrong then be obvious that
it's wrong, ya know? In other words, once they get the sim right a
handlebar/grip-throttle would be great! Just my $0.02.
ER
PS
If you know of a motorcycle sim which actually does respond like an actual
bike, please reply and let me know. I'd love to try it out! Everyone I've come
across so far behaves like a car (even the offroad sims) :(
Quoted text (9 lines)
> Even if the Handlebar/grip-throttle unit existed, it still wouldn't be right. Only > at very low speeds do you turn left to go left and right to go right. At higher > speeds, you actually turn left to go right and turn right to go left. Don't > believe me? Think about what happens if you suddenly push on the right handlebar. > The front wheel turns to the left which causes the bike to lay over on its right > side (and then turn right). Watch any superbike race and you'll see this. So, my > point is that you'll still be "steering" the bike thru the turns like a car (at > high speeds you still turn left to go left and right to go right which is wrong), > and actually having a handlebar controller would make it even more weird.It would be interesting to see how many people would spring for a motorcycle
controller. The thing is that not only do we have to believe that the market
is large enough to do this, but get the buyers at CompUSA, Circuit City, et
al to believe it too.
I think it would be fun to do a bike controller (I ride a very fun YZF750) and
it would be interesting to see how software developers handle the more subtle
parts of control - such as turning the handlebars the opposite way you
want to turn, etc.
Ciao,
Alan
Quoted text (28 lines)
>Those are good fixes but still need to get the throttle moved up to the GRIP. >Clutch and brake would be nice but those would likely be too fragile and break >with the torture most gamers inflict on the TM equipment. >>>Anybody have any ideas on how to get such a project initiated. Playing >>these >>>games with a WHEEL just doesn't sit right with me. >>R: >>I have two ideas: One you can do right away with TM wheels. For the likes of >>Motoracer I'll I did was calibrate the GP1 wheel to the 10:00 o'clock left >>and 2:00 o'clock right this gave it a vary narrow range from left to right >>much more like a handle bar. This works well I feel. >>The other thing to satisfy you better would be to not sell a whole new unit. >>But since the wheels on TM products are detachable they just need to make a >>handle bar unit that we can attach to our already owned bases. I thought >>they would have figured this out by now. Seems like a big seller if done >>right since a lot of people who own the TM bases would likely go for the >>handle bar addon. >>To get it initiated send them an email explaining this. :) >>qbm> > We currently have at least 4 major motorcycle racing games on the market and 2
> > more big titles coming later this year. Does this constitute a big enough
> > market share for TM to develop a Handlebar/grip throttle/brake steering device?
> Even if the Handlebar/grip-throttle unit existed, it still wouldn't be right.
I think a motorcycle controller would be pretty easy to make, if one
were to build a tilting handlebar mounted on a rotating base. Pardon
my ASCII:
[[[||=======||=====||======||]]]
___/ || || \___
|| || . |-------------|
/|\ | \ / |
| | \ X / ---- Axis U P |____-----____|
You'd need to configure 5 axes (axises?), though..Tilt, Turn, Front
Brake, Rear Brake, and Throttle. The shifter (on a floor-mounted unit
with a rear brake pedal) would be wired the same as a TSW or T2 shifter.
You'd need separate analog front and rear brakes, to be a proper
motorcycle sim controller. I don't know if 5 axes are possible.
You'd be able to use real bars, levers, and grips...probably shorten it
to 16 inches or so wide.
Of course, games would have to be written to have controls like this
work...but maybe if they worked on both a a PC and Console a larger
audience could be found. Then Trevor can build a better one.
Maybe the CDS guys can put on a working headlight and hydraulic
brakes... :)
--
Neil Yeatman
Ajax, Ontario, CANADA
> You'd need to configure 5 axes (axises?), though..Tilt, Turn, Front
> Brake, Rear Brake, and Throttle. The shifter (on a floor-mounted unit
> with a rear brake pedal) would be wired the same as a TSW or T2 shifter.
> You'd need separate analog front and rear brakes, to be a proper
> motorcycle sim controller. I don't know if 5 axes are possible.
4 is the limit with current analog gameport technology, but I'd imagine
a 5 axis motorcycle controller could prove to be a compelling reason for
USB...
Trips
There is no reason to have tilt. the lean is just a result of the turn.
--
Kevin Anderson
ICQ # 6769389
Oscar OLF Div. 3
>> You'd need to configure 5 axes (axises?), though..Tilt, Turn, Front
>> Brake, Rear Brake, and Throttle. The shifter (on a floor-mounted unit
>> with a rear brake pedal) would be wired the same as a TSW or T2 shifter.
>> You'd need separate analog front and rear brakes, to be a proper
>> motorcycle sim controller. I don't know if 5 axes are possible.
>4 is the limit with current analog gameport technology, but I'd imagine
>a 5 axis motorcycle controller could prove to be a compelling reason for
>USB...
>Trips
> There is no reason to have tilt. the lean is just a result of the turn.
The lean of the bike IS result of the turning, but it would be nice to
have an anlog axis to control hangine off... if you watch road racing,
you'll see different riders hang off to greater or lesser degrees... it
would be neat to be able to hang off as much or little as you want.
I don't think it's a make or break kind of feature, more of an icing on
the cake kind of thing...
Trips
>So how many AUTO racing games were on the market before TM created their
wheel?
Looks like Microsoft beat them to it. Check out the review of the
MS Freestyle Pro controller:
http://www.ogr.com/previews/freestyle_pro.shtml
