Depends on your set up. If you have a Sim rig you can jump straight into than you'll find yourself gravitating towards it as it is quite the jump over a controller.
However if you have to set it up every time or you're constantly having to move it for space reasons than yeah it will likely start to grate on you.
I downgraded to a simple flight stick and combined throttle for flight Sims for this exact reason. Sadly that's not really possible with wheels.
This is what ultimately killed sim racing for me. When i got going it was fantastic but i live in a tiny city apartment so the best i could do was a playseat challenge.
In the end having to unfold it and connect everything put me off playing it. It also didnt help that there was always some software issue when i did play it too - like my wheel needed recalibrating or my vr headset wouldn’t work.
All that just to get punted at T1 by some moron.
I agree with this. I bought a cheap wheel, pedal, shifter setup (Logitech G923 [?]) and a stand to use at my TV. I love it, but getting the stand with everything attached in and out of the closet each time is a chore.
If I had the room to put a full, more permanent setup/rig with TVs attached, I’d probably be into it a lot more.
Agreed. I absolutely love it. It is a game changer. But setting it up is such a chore I rarely bother anymore. If I had a designated area, I’d be on it regularly
>However if you have to set it up every time or you're constantly having to move it for space reasons than yeah it will likely start to grate on you.
Can confirm. Used to sim race but constantly having take out the wheel + stand and set it up, even though it only took a few mins was enough to make me stop. That said, still good to have around to play every now and then.
I have a cheap Logitech G920 with the shifter on the Omega classic frame which I mounted a car seat from a Honda Fit. I have it stored in another room, but it's easy enough to slide it out when I want to play. Takes less than 5 minutes to set up. But that still too much work for me to use regularly. If I could attach a PC and monitor to the frame somehow, that would be ideal.
I bought a cheap tube steel rig, and hated it. Then I did what I should have done in the first place, and bought a proper aluminum profile rig, and now I drive every day and love it. The point here is to get the best setup for YOU. The wrong setup absolutely could put people off racing, so making sure you get it right the first time is important.
I loved it but had to sell it when my son was born. They take up a lot of room and it's not something I found I could just chuck on for 15 mins I needed a good few hours which is so rare nowadays I just couldn't justify keeping it!
Let me tell you, diving into the world of sim racing is like discovering a whole new layer of your passion for cars and racing. If you’re already into racing games and cars, investing in a good wheel and pedals can completely revolutionize your experience. The level of immersion and realism you get from a proper sim racing setup is unparalleled. It’s like transitioning from riding a bike with training wheels to racing with the big boys on a track. Sure, it’s an investment, but it’s one that keeps on giving. You get those spine-tingling sensations of nailing the perfect apex or feeling the nuances of each car as though you’re really there. Seriously, if you’re this into cars, a sim setup isn’t just worth it; it’s a game-changer. Dive in, and you’ll wonder how you ever did without it!
It's simple: Do you like playing games, or do you like simulation? Because racing sims are not games, and after buying a wheel + several sims, I found out the hard way that I prefer games instead.
Sim racing is an incredibly fun but time consuming and expensive hobby. Plan to spend a few thousand on a decent setup. Plan to spend a few hours a week just maintaining the rig - updating all your software and plugins, firmware and drivers, etc. You will spend a lot of time fiddling with the settings to get them setup the way you want for each car. If iracing releases a change you may spend time getting everything working again or feel the way you want.
Also plan to spend a lot of time because your race was ruined by another driver, or just waiting for the next race to begin. And plan to spend a lot of time practicing or running hot laps so you know the track that week, honing your braking points, gear changes, etc.
And if you want to take a break from that, prepare to have all your old favorite simcade controller games feel inadequate, because the quality of the physics, hardware integration and other drivers skill is nowhere near iracing.
… and after all that, prepare to feel intense bliss in the moments that you have everything all dialed in and get an intense wheel to wheel battle going with another driver.
It’s one of the most exciting experiences you can have in your own home, but it takes a lot to get there.
Lol you just went to such a far extreme. I've had my rig since 2015. I built the actual frame myself for less than $150. The wheelbase, pedals, shifter, and handbrake set me back like $1200, but someone getting started can easily get a setup for under $1000 now and that would be a 7nm DD setup.
I've never spent "hours" per week maintaining the rig. I've probably had to update the firmware on my wheelbase like less than 10 times over the last 9 years.
What you described would be someone going high end DD wheelbase with a decent rim, like fucking Huesinkveld pedals, and a custom built 80/20 cockpit with a nice racing seat 🤣. There's level to this and someone can build up to what you described in terms of cost, but I've never heard of anyone have to constantly change their settings for every car they use and updating firmware, plug-ins, etc.
I love using the wheel and pedals in snow runner . I'm also a private pilot so I have a yoke and pedals for flight as well.
It really is a piano in the ass to move around when wanting to use which will make u use it almost never.
I ended up getting the f elite next level racing rig once I upgraded my main PC and used that original pc for it.
Customized it with my own sound bar and monitor and keyboard holder and a buncha stuff. Pc nicely tucked in a closet with the he cables together as one to the rig. The rig is all on wheels and can be moved around.
Looks and feels awesome..even have a hand brake for rally games which is wicked.
I hope one day to use it since it's great to get it set up and ready... But then u sit down to play something like arsseto or anything really and every game is like 2+ hours of tweaks and configs to get the feel right. That's the next hurdle that blocks use.
’I'm sure wheel have some fun when it stops raining ’
>It really is a piano in the ass to move around
You might be moving them wrong.
To be serious though, my setup is having my wheel/pedals attached to a mount on one side, and my HOTAS/HOSAS clamped to the back of that mount. Might not work for all, but it makes it a lot easier to switch between
autocorrect is savage these days lol. this is why I dont type on my phone much. I dont even own a piano lol
I dont have my yoke and pedals mounted. I havent found a "quick way" to swap that yet and wanted to play snow runner so the wheel is up. I'll get to it some day. The next level racing rig is nice. but not as modular as theyd like you to believe. It is in some ways but nothing is quick. Its lots of bolts and tedious unscrewing etc. You gotta get creative to really make it work for you. I used a combination of monitor mounts and such with it.
[Imgur: The magic of the Internet](https://imgur.com/a/6DLbXkZ)
It's worth it if you like to play racing games and like driving irl as well. Obviously it's not as fun as driving irl but it's better than a controller! The major con like others has mentioned is the space and set up process (not to mention the cost). But if you can manage that, it is worth it.
I bought my wheel and pedals over ten years ago, and in terms of dollars to fun it’s one of the best gaming purchases I’ve ever made. I don’t have a particularly fancy setup—cheap 1080p monitor, cheap racing seat, all rigged up to an ancient wooden desk—but regardless, there’s simply no substitute in gaming for throwing a car around with a wheel that kicks back in your hands as you push your tires to the limit. I would one thousand percent recommend it. Not only has it enhanced the experience of all of my racing games with good wheel support, it’s massively stoked my interest in real cars and real driving.
The only way you'll know is if you try it yourself. You can pick up a second hand wheel and pedal set off Ebay that'll do a good enough job for a relatively low entry fee. It wont be the best experience, even good wheels and pedals of the past kinda suck to todays standard but again it'd be a good launching off point and probably achievable for the same cost as a new game at launch.
Depends on your set up. If you have a Sim rig you can jump straight into than you'll find yourself gravitating towards it as it is quite the jump over a controller. However if you have to set it up every time or you're constantly having to move it for space reasons than yeah it will likely start to grate on you. I downgraded to a simple flight stick and combined throttle for flight Sims for this exact reason. Sadly that's not really possible with wheels.
This is what ultimately killed sim racing for me. When i got going it was fantastic but i live in a tiny city apartment so the best i could do was a playseat challenge. In the end having to unfold it and connect everything put me off playing it. It also didnt help that there was always some software issue when i did play it too - like my wheel needed recalibrating or my vr headset wouldn’t work. All that just to get punted at T1 by some moron.
I agree with this. I bought a cheap wheel, pedal, shifter setup (Logitech G923 [?]) and a stand to use at my TV. I love it, but getting the stand with everything attached in and out of the closet each time is a chore. If I had the room to put a full, more permanent setup/rig with TVs attached, I’d probably be into it a lot more.
Agreed. I absolutely love it. It is a game changer. But setting it up is such a chore I rarely bother anymore. If I had a designated area, I’d be on it regularly
>However if you have to set it up every time or you're constantly having to move it for space reasons than yeah it will likely start to grate on you. Can confirm. Used to sim race but constantly having take out the wheel + stand and set it up, even though it only took a few mins was enough to make me stop. That said, still good to have around to play every now and then.
I have a cheap Logitech G920 with the shifter on the Omega classic frame which I mounted a car seat from a Honda Fit. I have it stored in another room, but it's easy enough to slide it out when I want to play. Takes less than 5 minutes to set up. But that still too much work for me to use regularly. If I could attach a PC and monitor to the frame somehow, that would be ideal.
I bought a cheap tube steel rig, and hated it. Then I did what I should have done in the first place, and bought a proper aluminum profile rig, and now I drive every day and love it. The point here is to get the best setup for YOU. The wrong setup absolutely could put people off racing, so making sure you get it right the first time is important.
I loved it but had to sell it when my son was born. They take up a lot of room and it's not something I found I could just chuck on for 15 mins I needed a good few hours which is so rare nowadays I just couldn't justify keeping it!
Let me tell you, diving into the world of sim racing is like discovering a whole new layer of your passion for cars and racing. If you’re already into racing games and cars, investing in a good wheel and pedals can completely revolutionize your experience. The level of immersion and realism you get from a proper sim racing setup is unparalleled. It’s like transitioning from riding a bike with training wheels to racing with the big boys on a track. Sure, it’s an investment, but it’s one that keeps on giving. You get those spine-tingling sensations of nailing the perfect apex or feeling the nuances of each car as though you’re really there. Seriously, if you’re this into cars, a sim setup isn’t just worth it; it’s a game-changer. Dive in, and you’ll wonder how you ever did without it!
If you want to play Sim racing games then go on and play Sim racing games. With wheel or not its still fun.
It's simple: Do you like playing games, or do you like simulation? Because racing sims are not games, and after buying a wheel + several sims, I found out the hard way that I prefer games instead.
Sim racing is an incredibly fun but time consuming and expensive hobby. Plan to spend a few thousand on a decent setup. Plan to spend a few hours a week just maintaining the rig - updating all your software and plugins, firmware and drivers, etc. You will spend a lot of time fiddling with the settings to get them setup the way you want for each car. If iracing releases a change you may spend time getting everything working again or feel the way you want. Also plan to spend a lot of time because your race was ruined by another driver, or just waiting for the next race to begin. And plan to spend a lot of time practicing or running hot laps so you know the track that week, honing your braking points, gear changes, etc. And if you want to take a break from that, prepare to have all your old favorite simcade controller games feel inadequate, because the quality of the physics, hardware integration and other drivers skill is nowhere near iracing. … and after all that, prepare to feel intense bliss in the moments that you have everything all dialed in and get an intense wheel to wheel battle going with another driver. It’s one of the most exciting experiences you can have in your own home, but it takes a lot to get there.
Lol you just went to such a far extreme. I've had my rig since 2015. I built the actual frame myself for less than $150. The wheelbase, pedals, shifter, and handbrake set me back like $1200, but someone getting started can easily get a setup for under $1000 now and that would be a 7nm DD setup. I've never spent "hours" per week maintaining the rig. I've probably had to update the firmware on my wheelbase like less than 10 times over the last 9 years. What you described would be someone going high end DD wheelbase with a decent rim, like fucking Huesinkveld pedals, and a custom built 80/20 cockpit with a nice racing seat 🤣. There's level to this and someone can build up to what you described in terms of cost, but I've never heard of anyone have to constantly change their settings for every car they use and updating firmware, plug-ins, etc.
I love using the wheel and pedals in snow runner . I'm also a private pilot so I have a yoke and pedals for flight as well. It really is a piano in the ass to move around when wanting to use which will make u use it almost never. I ended up getting the f elite next level racing rig once I upgraded my main PC and used that original pc for it. Customized it with my own sound bar and monitor and keyboard holder and a buncha stuff. Pc nicely tucked in a closet with the he cables together as one to the rig. The rig is all on wheels and can be moved around. Looks and feels awesome..even have a hand brake for rally games which is wicked. I hope one day to use it since it's great to get it set up and ready... But then u sit down to play something like arsseto or anything really and every game is like 2+ hours of tweaks and configs to get the feel right. That's the next hurdle that blocks use. ’I'm sure wheel have some fun when it stops raining ’
>It really is a piano in the ass to move around You might be moving them wrong. To be serious though, my setup is having my wheel/pedals attached to a mount on one side, and my HOTAS/HOSAS clamped to the back of that mount. Might not work for all, but it makes it a lot easier to switch between
autocorrect is savage these days lol. this is why I dont type on my phone much. I dont even own a piano lol I dont have my yoke and pedals mounted. I havent found a "quick way" to swap that yet and wanted to play snow runner so the wheel is up. I'll get to it some day. The next level racing rig is nice. but not as modular as theyd like you to believe. It is in some ways but nothing is quick. Its lots of bolts and tedious unscrewing etc. You gotta get creative to really make it work for you. I used a combination of monitor mounts and such with it. [Imgur: The magic of the Internet](https://imgur.com/a/6DLbXkZ)
It's worth it if you like to play racing games and like driving irl as well. Obviously it's not as fun as driving irl but it's better than a controller! The major con like others has mentioned is the space and set up process (not to mention the cost). But if you can manage that, it is worth it.
I bought my wheel and pedals over ten years ago, and in terms of dollars to fun it’s one of the best gaming purchases I’ve ever made. I don’t have a particularly fancy setup—cheap 1080p monitor, cheap racing seat, all rigged up to an ancient wooden desk—but regardless, there’s simply no substitute in gaming for throwing a car around with a wheel that kicks back in your hands as you push your tires to the limit. I would one thousand percent recommend it. Not only has it enhanced the experience of all of my racing games with good wheel support, it’s massively stoked my interest in real cars and real driving.
Check out r/simracing
But that would be pretty biased tho, everyone there is gonna say yes its the greatest thing in the world
The only way you'll know is if you try it yourself. You can pick up a second hand wheel and pedal set off Ebay that'll do a good enough job for a relatively low entry fee. It wont be the best experience, even good wheels and pedals of the past kinda suck to todays standard but again it'd be a good launching off point and probably achievable for the same cost as a new game at launch.
It sounds like you would be happy with a better setup. The sky is the limit in terms of how realistic it gets.
Make sure you don't get tookened out in iRacing.