GT4 has been ace, mainly because of the amazing control and feedback the game gives you with the awsome Logitech Driving Force Pro.
Recently though how brill GT4 and DFP are together simply highlights the fact that what I really need is a racing frame to hold it all together. Toys R Us have what looks like a contender for £180:
, which I have been seriously coveting. Alas I can't see the Mrs standing for that, not unless there is some serious Quid Pro Quo.
Any way the other day I was playing GT4 upstairs with the wheel attached to my little table (that works surprisingly well I hasten to add), when I noticed our aluminium step ladders in the room (the Mrs had been doing a spot of decorating that day): a moment when I confess I was touched by genius. Why else would I have made the connection that encouraged me to take the ladders down, lie them on the floor and try the pedals pad for size? the result is as follows:
.
1. The steering wheel, pedals and TV are all alligned and locked (the hand hold at the top of the ladder squeezes under the TV cab).
2. The pedals are locked in place and at an angle of 30', allowing me to use a lower seated chair.
3. The driving position is now more natural.
4. I can madly spin the wheel if needed.
5. The pedals are more comfortable, I can rest my brake leg on the ladder step, but have it instantly in place braking hard if needed.
6. The whole thing rattles at high speed in the LeMans cars.
I've put off buying DMC3 for another week while I play around with my new rig, its ace. TV could do with being a bit higher and closer though.
Recently though how brill GT4 and DFP are together simply highlights the fact that what I really need is a racing frame to hold it all together. Toys R Us have what looks like a contender for £180:
, which I have been seriously coveting. Alas I can't see the Mrs standing for that, not unless there is some serious Quid Pro Quo.
Any way the other day I was playing GT4 upstairs with the wheel attached to my little table (that works surprisingly well I hasten to add), when I noticed our aluminium step ladders in the room (the Mrs had been doing a spot of decorating that day): a moment when I confess I was touched by genius. Why else would I have made the connection that encouraged me to take the ladders down, lie them on the floor and try the pedals pad for size? the result is as follows:
1. The steering wheel, pedals and TV are all alligned and locked (the hand hold at the top of the ladder squeezes under the TV cab).
2. The pedals are locked in place and at an angle of 30', allowing me to use a lower seated chair.
3. The driving position is now more natural.
4. I can madly spin the wheel if needed.
5. The pedals are more comfortable, I can rest my brake leg on the ladder step, but have it instantly in place braking hard if needed.
6. The whole thing rattles at high speed in the LeMans cars.
I've put off buying DMC3 for another week while I play around with my new rig, its ace. TV could do with being a bit higher and closer though.
I can tell you've spent some time messing trying to find something that makes the DFP work even better than just bolting it to a table. The DFP is just the best video game hardware I've bought in years and the best peripheral ever. On GT4 it makes the control so intuitive, I've always struggled with manual gears on driving games, but with GT4 and the DFP its a breeze. It's driving. So much so that I'm convinced that buying one of those Logitech racing frames will be a reasonable investment - but I'll have to wait till the autumn, where a combination of my Birthday and Christmas should enable me to gather the funds.