[PS3] GT5 releases this month!

Picked this up today for my son for christmas. Also picked up a racing wheel they had at cosco. It was the $30 version though not the $300 . I'm sure he (and I) will both enjoy it. This is the first game I've gotten him for the PS3. Up until now the Wii has been his and the PS3, mine but he's 8 now so I'm going to let him start playing some PS3.

 

What is the cheapest wheel you can buy for it that is decent quality?

 

Not sure where to put this so I will just ask here assuming there are plenty of race enthusiasts.

There is the ongoing debate of GT5 vs Forza 3, but has anyone played NFS Shift? It does not nearly have the customization of Forza, nor the attention to detail and physics engine of GT5. However, what it does have is a sense of speed, excitement, fun? that both the 800 lbs gorillas lack, IMHO. As a gamer first and foremost, you would think that those elements rank pretty high in the priority list.

I can't help but feel that I am constantly drudging along at 20 mph even when I am supposed to be barreling down Nordschleife on a man-made rocket ship. There is never a sense of danger, of fear, when I am about to crash into the rail going 200 mph. For such highly touted supposed race "simulators", where is the realism/immersion in that?

Here is a point of reference:

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And a review:

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Anyone else feel the same? Maybe the old behemoths are getting outdated, and a new kid on the block is needed. Shift 2 comes out in a few months and I will be giving it a shot.

 

I played the NFS Shift demo and was unimpressed. The full game had "meh" reviews.

 

Uh, why would you assume that everyone else doesn't find these games 'fun'?

You are talking about genres and gameplay styles. There's a such thing as 'simulation' and 'arcade' in pretty much all genres, racing included. A 'gamer' should understand that and be able to enjoy and appreciate both/many. Sometimes people like different types of game, no big deal.

I played the new NFS (and have played plenty of other NFS games), it's an enjoyable game. Particularly the online/multiplayer component. But I had fun with that, and fun with GT5 so far. They are just different types of games.

(Though, for the record, there is a real sense of speed in both games. Particularly when you get the better cars in GT5. They just both present it very differently).

 

While true, the same can be said of GT5. Both having near identical scores on Metacritic.

 

Not denying that. I've had the game since release day and maybe only played a few hours. I want to check out the new NFS hot pursuit game.

 

I didn't. Which is what the "IMHO" is for.

Different genres do not excuse the total lack of a sense of speed. I understand the argument of a "sim" vs an arcade racer. However when I am driving in real life there is a sense of speed and excitement/fear at high speeds. You would think that a "sim" would seek to capture that.

Neither GT5 nor Forza have, again, IMHO. Obviously you disagree, and believe they present it differently. I just don't see it.

EDIT:

Ok maybe "the total lack of" is a bit over-dramatic. What I mean is much less of than Shift.

 

Now THAT is an actual arcade racer, which has no relation with GT5/Forza3/Shift.

EDIT: not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

Yeah, I want to play something more "fun" than sim, I was more waiting on reviews to come in for the online mode since that's probably what I would play most.

 

Are you saying that it's ridiculous to even try to get the time they say for gold?

I'm not a gamer as much as most of you dudes are, and I got all golds in the B license tests. Dude, it's easy. You just have to adjust every test to follow what they say to do. This is what I was talking about earlier in the thread about learning to drive in REAL life with this game. The license tests actually have taught me how to drive those types of cars. The basics are there. This is why I really enjoy this game, 'cuz it's frustrating at times that I can't get a GOLD. :grin:

I'm going for my GOLDs in the A license right now.

ASIDE FROM MY OWN GAME, etc.:

I'm hating all this "XyZ game and AbC game is better than GT5 talk" from all you multi-console owning dudes trying to come into this thread and saying this game is not as good as something else. It's just a freakin' game. Buy another. That's cool. Make another "Which one's better?" thread with a poll if you want. The people who own both can be the only ones giving you an opinion about it. Cool?

 

$129.99 to $149.99 for the Logitech Driving Force GT, depending on where you buy it. It's basically the "starter" wheel, with only a sequential, permanently mounted shifter and a pedal set with no clutch (totally unacceptable, in my opinion).

Next step up is the Logitech G25 or G27, which are almost identical wheels but the G27 is the newer version. It has a much better and quieter wheel, a stand alone H pattern shifter, and a very nice pedal set with clutch. It's largely considered the best "combo" set unless you're looking to build a $x,xxx simulator. It goes for $299.99, but good luck finding one. They are sold out everywhere except Ebay, where I just paid a significant premium over retail just to snag a used one.

 

I've had my PS3 (which I bought for Blu Ray) for probably a year now and GT5 is the first game I've purchased. So I would hardly consider myself much of a gamer.

As for the license tests, my approach is to go through and get a trophy on each one, then go back through one more time to try and get at least silver. So, many of the tests I got silver on have not been revisited. But just eyeballing some of the times they set for gold, it seems like they're going to be really tough. Maybe they won't be when I really put in some time.

I'm also trying to refrain from playing the game too much right now because my wheel/shifter/pedal set should be here tomorrow and then I can finish building my cockpit. I'd much rather experience the game that way.

 

Well.... ok? I didn't think whether or not that was an opinion was really a question. ;p

I can tell you that when talking about some of the highest rated, most popular racing games of all time you are probably in the minority in the 'no sense of speed', fun or excitement opinion, but there's nothing wrong with that.

Again, just seems to me to be a preference of yours of type of gameplay style. If you understand the difference between sim and arcade then it's pretty straightforward.

Not really sure what you are looking for here.

 

After looking over some designs (including a few from gtplanet) I decided to create my own. To save money, I went with a basic wooden design which I will be painting black.



That is a rudimentary sketch, which is roughly to scale. The seat (from a boat) is on rails and will allow for some lateral adjustment. In addition, the cockpit is comprised of two sections, so everything forward of the seat can be unbolted and slid back for shorter drivers, or completely detached for easier storage. The very back of the cockpit has wheels on it as well, so it should be easy enough for one person to lift the lighter front end and move it around.

It's not finished yet, but it's shaping up nicely and is more sturdy than I suspected. And for the price, it's great. I only spent about $45 in supplies.

That ottoman is pretty clever, by the way. :grin:

 

All right... y'all are getting too GEEKY for me with the "I build my own cockpit" and "what Force Feedback wheel will you be using" talk... :grin:

Here are some photos I took over the weekend:

My FIRST WIN in my first purchase (Sunday Cup - Autumn Mini Ring, Roadster, f/1.4 1/125 28mm):

Spoiler

A License Gold Win (Eiger Nordwand K Trail - Focus, f/8 1/500 16mm, "miniature" filter):

Spoiler

Taken any photos yet? I have some more.

 

If this is wrong, then I don't want to be right.

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Yeah, that's more or less how I plan to mount them (as you can see in the sketch). It's crazy that just over 2 weeks ago I had no idea these almost-realistic wheel sets were available, and now here I am...modifying one and building my own cockpit lol.