Well, it's been ages since I've posted here, mainly because it's been ages
since I've used my computer. I finally decided to dust off the 'ole 200mmx,
give my newly acquired Best Buy employee discount a whirl, and blow $350 on
worthless computer toys. I'd seen the Microsoft FF wheel on the shelf at
Best Buy, but hadn't given it a second thought until a month or so ago when
I started working there. In mid-November the attention grabbing Logitech FF
came in from our warehouse, and after a few hours of playing around in the
peripherals aisle (in between all the darn people wanting to buy computers)
I chose the logitech ($179/normal $122/after discount) over the Microsoft.
Add a new speaker/subwoofer combo, a usb card, and Viper Racing, and here I
am.
The Formula Force setup was simple. I cranked the effects to the max and
left the other options as is. It took a little while to get used to, but
Viper is incredible now. MGI didn't concentrate much on the car-bumping
feedback, or the wall-jarring effects, but the subtle handling effects
really improve the driving feel. Steering gets heavier when more weight is
on the front, lighter as the front goes a little airborn, etc. The logitech
is definitely a little smoother with the steel cable drive, opposed to the
microsoft gear drive. As for the bundled games; Motorhead has great
feedback effects, unfortunately it seems to be a pretty worthless game.
F1rs seems to be alot better game, good car feeling once you adjust the
sensitivity. If only I knew my ass from my elbow on any of the F1 courses.
The slow menus are the only flaw I could find in the game from a quick
glance.
Downsides of the Logitech: wacky calibration in N2. I can't get it to work
properly, though I didn't spend much time trying with all the other new
games beckoning. I uninstalled I76 months ago, but re-installed it
yesterday. For some reason the D3D patch won't work, it says the game is
already patched, so it cancels. I haven't found the reg key that the patch
info is stored in, and I don't like the game much without acceleration, so
it'll have to wait I guess. I have yet to try Carmageddon, and haven't
bought Carma 2 yet, which is supposed to support FF. Anyway, my only other
complaint is the lack of pedal resistance. The difference between the t2
pedals and the logitech pedals is like going from carburation to fuel
injection. I don't mind the positioning, or the downward travel, I just
need to feel something under my socked foot. I'm not sure how reliable the
wheel or pedals will be over the next year or so, luckily I also get
discounts on product replacement plans.
Alas, I have to work at both of my jobs tomorrow, so I better get all the
racing I can fit in tonight :). Happy Racing.
Brian Fox
