Forcefeed back steering wheel

[Silver-Arrowz]

I was after some opinions. I'm after a force feedback steering wheel but not sure for which, PC or PS2.

On the PC I have Grand Prix 4. It's old but I still think it's great. On PS2 I can get F1 2005 but for some reason I have doubts about it's accuracy.

Really it's F1 2005 vs. GP4, so which one wins out in realism? I'm after realism since this is probably the closest I'll ever get to racing an F1 car...

[DaveKillens]

I do a lot of sim racing, on a PC. I presently have a Logitech black Momo wheel, which I consider quite good. Funny thing is, some of the very best quality wheels, like Thomas Superwheel and Extreme Competition (http://www.ecci.net) do not embrace force feedback, and even give their reasons why. But BRD have a new one one the way, with force feedback. All great gear, but at the top of the price range.
As a side note, if you desire reality, take a look at this bit of kit, I wish I had the money. http://www.force-dynamics.com/index.shtml
Back to game or platform choice, since I don't sim race on consoles, I can't offer a valid comparison. But I do race EA F1 2002 a lot, and in all honesty, I'm working so hard, and everything happens so quickly, I really don't notice the force feedback during a race. Same goes with GP4, I'm so involved in the action I don't take much notice of the force feedback. You have to remember that the real cars have power steering. But there's one beauty, my true love in sim racing "Grand Prix Legends", (with the current mods and updates) which is not only an absolute joy just to drive, but it gives very realistic and fantastic feedback. Going around Monza, feeling the back end slide out, and the front end feel react just like it would back in those days. Great stuff.
I would suggest that you keep in mind that a PC sim racing game will always probably be much more "realistic" than a console. Consoles, generally, are targeted at those who do not wish to spend much time on the steep side of the learning curve. A console may give the impression of realism by giving a lot of feedback, but it may not be true to the real thing.
In my GPL, I have spent hundreds and hundreds of hours practicing and racing. It's very tough, incredibly unforgiving, but in my opinion, as close to the real thing as it can get.

[RH1300S]

I have a Thrustmaster Wheel, which I am quite pleased with (has lasted better than previous wheels).

As for driving sims, GPL probably stands head and shoulders above others (with latest updates). There is a demo available for download for GT Legends - as a taster this is one helluva good drive, I can't wait for the full release.

[dcdabest]

EA's F1 Challenge (basically a modified EA F1 2002) is head-and-shoulders above GrandPrix 4 in my opinion. Although GP4's tracks are very accurate, the graphics are cartoony and, more importantly, the physics seem not to have improved much over its predecessor (GP 3).

I agree entirely with people's comments concerning console games.

I also have a Logitech MOMO Force Feedback wheel and it is better than a thrustmaster (which I have owned) and even a force feedback Microsoft wheel. The only problem with them is that the pedals wear relatively quickly.

I haven't played GrandPrix Legends though I probably should. Is there a 3rd-party Mod for GPL containing new F1 cars?

[RH1300S]

If GP4 is no better than GP3 for phyics, then it's probably very disappointing. I have heard good things about EA's F1 Challenge.

GPL does not model aero downforce, so just go out there and enjoy driving these old cars on truly great historic tracks (you do need the latest car & track visual updates - otherwise it looks crap!).

[DaveKillens]

Silver, you need to ask yourself a question, and he honest with yourself. It's an answeryou can keep to yourself, but you need to know exactly your preferences. Just what kind of experience do you want in your sim racing?
Personally, I am a hard core sim racer, where I race for performance, with no aids or anything not related to the reality of the real racing world. It's terribly unforgiving, and incredibly difficult. Any kind of mistake results, at least, in a bad lap. More often than not, it results in a damaged car, or retirement. My pleasure comes from being able to master a very difficult scenario. I race online, and I've even won. But it's hard, very hard, and it carries a lot of hours of had work, dedication, and yes (definitely) frustration. IMO, it's as close to the real thing as possible.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, there's where you can drive with a lot of aids, so much in fact, that you can't be damaged, where the car practically steers itself, and it's basically an arcade experience. There's nothing wrong with it, we're all different, and we each seek out own personal pleasure.
Heck, I've set up my sim at times with all aids, just to blast around and get goofy.
But you need to understand yourself and your needs, in order to properly select games ( I call them sims) and equipment.
Last night I tried GP4 and EA2002 back to back, in comparison. Now I recall why GP4 sits unused. It's a good sim,and could be considered better than the EA. But the interface is horribly clunky, to set up the controls and car is a major pain. The EA is much easier to set up, it's interface is much beter and easier. That's why I prefer the EA.
Compared to the cost of a computer and equipment required to support racing, the cost of the actual game is relatively low. I suggest you get both, and try them, and use the game that suits your personal preferences.
Getting back to the original post, and question of what force feedback to use, it's my opinion that despite the great advances in console systems, a PC is the only way to go. The level of realism, the ability to adjust parameters, the many different options in hardware, clearly make the PC superior.
But a console is much easier to set up, and play. For most gaming situations, it's easy to learn, easy to play.
Just have fun, and enjoy, that's all that matters.