force-feedback wheel questions

I'm considering getting a force-feedback (ff) driving wheel for my PC and have some questions: 1) Does a ff wheel exact a significant performance penalty vs. a non-ff wheel? I'd like to go with a ff wheel, but not if it kills frame rates and detail levels. I have a 3.5 year-old IBM Aptiva that I've upgraded with an AMD K6-2 333MHz (was originally a P133), 96MB RAM, and a Voodoo 2 12MB card, by the way. It does a fine job running the NFS III, NFS: High Stakes, and GPL demos with full details, but man, it sucks having to "drive" these programs with my MS Sidewinder joystick! 2) Which ff wheel is the one to get? Based on reviews I've read, the Act Labs Force RS sounds like one of the better wheels out there. I'm looking for strong, accurate, but not overdone ff effects and a good pedal setup. Seems like a lot of wheels are let down by cheesy pedals (MS and Logitech Wingman wheels, for example). I've also read that the MS ff wheel can be "notchy" due to its gear-driven design. Gamespot's review of the Thrustmaster Nascar Force GT gave its ff capability low marks for not being strong enough. On paper, the Force RS wheel seems to have all the bases covered, but I'd like to hear some real-world experiences from you folks. Thanks, Grant

Hey Grant, After checking out all the FF wheels out there I just ordered a Logitech FF. It came down to two wheels the ACT labs and the Logitech. What sold me was that Logitech supports USB. Two wheel/pedals can be connect to the same computer, one connect via USB and one connect through the game prot and use the wheel of one and the pedal of the other. I can use the pedals of my old Thrustmaster T2 with the Force feed back Logitech with out cutting wires!!! Alot of messages have said that the logitech pedals are not that bad once you get use to them. Most people are use to the T2 pedals. I am going to give the Logitech pedals a try because they support split axis. Also USB should should be more stable, and much faster than game port. I would think it should help Frame rate!!! It should be similar to the PDPI game card. The Act labs reports have said the forces are to strong. you can lessen the forces but it changes the centering of the wheel. Logitech has less force but I will use it for GPL where you want to feel what the car is doing not fight it around every corner. This is just my opinion from reading lots of reviews and messages. And to top it of the Logitech only cost 103.95 +17.95 shipping from www.buy.com !!!!!! With the extra $30, I can buy Sports car GT!!!! The wheel will be here tomorrow I will let you know how it goes. Jack :-)

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>I'm considering getting a force-feedback (ff) driving wheel for my PC >and have some questions: >1) Does a ff wheel exact a significant performance penalty vs. a non-ff >wheel? I'd like to go with a ff wheel, but not if it kills frame rates >and detail levels. I have a 3.5 year-old IBM Aptiva that I've upgraded >with an AMD K6-2 333MHz (was originally a P133), 96MB RAM, and a Voodoo >2 12MB card, by the way. It does a fine job running the NFS III, NFS: >High Stakes, and GPL demos with full details, but man, it sucks having >to "drive" these programs with my MS Sidewinder joystick! >2) Which ff wheel is the one to get? Based on reviews I've read, the >Act Labs Force RS sounds like one of the better wheels out there. I'm >looking for strong, accurate, but not overdone ff effects and a good >pedal setup. Seems like a lot of wheels are let down by cheesy pedals >(MS and Logitech Wingman wheels, for example). I've also read that the >MS ff wheel can be "notchy" due to its gear-driven design. Gamespot's >review of the Thrustmaster Nascar Force GT gave its ff capability low >marks for not being strong enough. On paper, the Force RS wheel seems >to have all the bases covered, but I'd like to hear some real-world >experiences from you folks. >Thanks, >Grant

I was originally using my Saitek R4 Force wheel on an AMD K6-266 machine with a 6 Mb Canopus Pure3D Voodoo card to play Viper Racing with NO problems -- FF doesn't exact all that great of a hit in frame rate, based on my experiences (your mileage may vary <g>). A K6-2 333 should cruise in just about anything, IMO. FWIW, I have an ACT Labs RS (non-FF) wheel, too, and I love the pedals. They're in the same league as the TSW pedals, IMO. You might want to check out my review of the Saitek wheel, BTW, just to see what it's all about: http://irlinsider.adnetweb.com/sims/ Enjoy! -- John Bodin Publisher, The IRL Insider Magazine http://irlinsider.adnetweb.com/

>forces but it changes the centering of the wheel. Logitech has less force >but I will use it for GPL where you want to feel what the car is doing not >fight it around every corner. This is just my opinion from reading lots of I don't think you will feel this type of effect until the rumored FF patch for GPL is released. SCGT Is pretty good with the wheel. -- Header address intentionally scrambled to ward off the spamming hordes. cisko [AT] ix [DOT] netcom [DOT] com

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>2) Which ff wheel is the one to get? Based on reviews I've read, the >Act Labs Force RS sounds like one of the better wheels out there. I'm >looking for strong, accurate, but not overdone ff effects and a good >pedal setup. Seems like a lot of wheels are let down by cheesy pedals >(MS and Logitech Wingman wheels, for example). I've also read that the >MS ff wheel can be "notchy" due to its gear-driven design. Gamespot's >review of the Thrustmaster Nascar Force GT gave its ff capability low >marks for not being strong enough. On paper, the Force RS wheel seems >to have all the bases covered, but I'd like to hear some real-world >experiences from you folks.

You can indeed use the LWFF on USB, with T2 on gameport. Works for me. Install the T2 game controller first, then install the LWFF game controller. On my PC, with Windows 98 Second Edition and Logitech driver 3.20, if the Logitech is installed first and grabs id1, the T2 will not be detected and can not be added. If you have used the T2 pedals for a while, you will probably find the Logitech brake pedal to be more like an on/off switch. Give it a try though, the Logitech pedals are well made and the springs don't break. Keith.

As ACT Labs promised all along, they are now pre-selling the USB cartridge (50% rebate to other cartridge owners) and full USB Force RS setups. The ship date is due before the end of the month. This coupled with the RS's ability to accept the shifter add-on (due August) the Force RS seems to be hitting on all marks! -- Sam Mancuso Visit The Control Center for the latest PC Game Controller News, Reviews and Information! > Hey Grant, > After checking out all the FF wheels out there I just ordered a Logitech > FF. It came down to two wheels the ACT labs and the Logitech. What sold me > was that Logitech supports USB. Two wheel/pedals can be connect to the same > computer, one connect via USB and one connect through the game prot and use > the wheel of one and the pedal of the other. I can use the pedals of my old > Thrustmaster T2 with the Force feed back Logitech with out cutting wires!!! > Alot of messages have said that the logitech pedals are not that bad once > you get use to them. Most people are use to the T2 pedals. I am going to > give the Logitech pedals a try because they support split axis. Also USB > should should be more stable, and much faster than game port. I would think > it should help Frame rate!!! It should be similar to the PDPI game card. > The Act labs reports have said the forces are to strong. you can lessen the > forces but it changes the centering of the wheel. Logitech has less force > but I will use it for GPL where you want to feel what the car is doing not > fight it around every corner. This is just my opinion from reading lots of > reviews and messages. And to top it of the Logitech only cost 103.95 +17.95 > shipping from www.buy.com !!!!!! With the extra $30, I can buy Sports car > GT!!!! The wheel will be here tomorrow I will let you know how it goes. > Jack :-) > >I'm considering getting a force-feedback (ff) driving wheel for my PC > >and have some questions: > >1) Does a ff wheel exact a significant performance penalty vs. a non-ff > >wheel? I'd like to go with a ff wheel, but not if it kills frame rates > >and detail levels. I have a 3.5 year-old IBM Aptiva that I've upgraded > >with an AMD K6-2 333MHz (was originally a P133), 96MB RAM, and a Voodoo > >2 12MB card, by the way. It does a fine job running the NFS III, NFS: > >High Stakes, and GPL demos with full details, but man, it sucks having > >to "drive" these programs with my MS Sidewinder joystick! > >2) Which ff wheel is the one to get? Based on reviews I've read, the > >Act Labs Force RS sounds like one of the better wheels out there. I'm > >looking for strong, accurate, but not overdone ff effects and a good > >pedal setup. Seems like a lot of wheels are let down by cheesy pedals > >(MS and Logitech Wingman wheels, for example). I've also read that the > >MS ff wheel can be "notchy" due to its gear-driven design. Gamespot's > >review of the Thrustmaster Nascar Force GT gave its ff capability low > >marks for not being strong enough. On paper, the Force RS wheel seems > >to have all the bases covered, but I'd like to hear some real-world > >experiences from you folks. > >Thanks, > >Grant