This is Captain Shane speaking. Make sure your tray tables are stowed away, take notice of the safety instructions and fasten your seatbelts as Microsoft’s Flight Simulator is about to take off.

Having had a very long break in the franchise since 2006’s Flight Simulator X Microsoft have not only rebooted the much missed series they have made the ultimate edition with as much realism as, well, the real thing.

Releasing in mid August, Flight Simulator 2020 is not a game. It is a simulator. A real world, real physics training tool of sorts for aviator germs and enthusiasts who can once again sit in their home based cockpit taking command of a varied selection of commercial planes, smaller aircraft and more.

From the Boeing 747 through to smaller Cessna’s, Flight Simulator 2020 not only offers up the true mechanics of flying an actual plane it also pits environmental pressures in to the mix such as weather, differing International Airports with their varied and not always so flat and clear runways aswell as the potential hazards an aircraft itself can have.

If you prefer to keep the training wheels on for weather, or want to add an extra challenge, tweak the weather. Add more snowfall to make flight blinding, or extreme wind for a tricky landing.

Playing through Microsoft’s Flight Simulator 2020 is both exhilarating and an adrenaline jolt. To gain the fullest experience possible the likes of Honeycomb, Thrustmaster and Logitech have stepped up too with a range of peripherals to plug in to your PC.

Logitech’s Flight Yorke System is a full sized USB plug-in steering controller with builtin LCD screen with a full suite of buttons and sliders necessary to fly a real aircraft. A full complete kit for the elite players.

Honeycomb also released a steering controller – Alpha flight Controls. A variation of the Logitech one, the Honeycomb does not have the bells and whistles (or real world toggles) of Logi’s. Still it is ample when it comes to a successful flight simulating session.

Combine either one of these with Thrustmaster’s TPR real world-like Pendular Rudders, which are complex built for simple use.

I also recommend using a quality gaming headset to complete the experience, if anything for the social aspect to the simulator.

Developers Asobo Studio and Microsoft Studio have painstakingly detailed out and mapped to the very last bit of tarmac grit all global runways aswell as the entire globe itself. Given current events in 2020 Microsoft’s Flight Simulator is as close to international flight as we will get for sometime while being a whole lot more – and HTC Vive or Oculus Rift compatible.

Microsoft’s Flight Simulator 2020 is designed and built for almost everyone, with Microsoft’s Azure cloud taking the heavy lifting of what is a massive game – thus you will not need a high spec PC to run and it releases on PC and Xbox on the 18th of August 2020 as will our full review of the simulator.

Everyone that works on STG is a volunteer. If you like the site and it’s contents please think about donating. Even a small amount helps keep the servers running.

The post Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 Preview appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Those most dedicated and enthusiastic fans of authentic racing game experiences on Xbox One and PC will be thrilled to learn that THRUSTMASTER is about to launch a high-end racing wheel designed just for them and to increase their standing on the competitive e-racing scene. The TS-XW Racer combines the best elements of THRUSTMASTER’s advanced racing wheel technologies, while creating a feel that’s closer to real-world racing than ever before, thanks to the involvement of SPARCO, the world-famous auto parts and accessories company!

At 12.2 inches / 31 cm in diameter, the wheel of the TS-XW Racer SPARCO P310 Competition Mod is a 1:1 scale replica of the real SPARCO P310 sports steering wheel. Its ergonomic shape has been specially designed for total efficiency, no matter what racing style (GT, F1, NASCAR, Indy, road racing, etc.), circuit or car it’s being used for. Offering a design honed for competition ensures that the wheel meets all the needs of competitive racing right out of the box.

The central faceplate is crafted of metal, and the wheel itself is wrapped in genuine suede leather: it also features 2 large (5 inches / 13 cm tall) all-metal, adjustable wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Ecosystem-ready, the wheel can easily be detached from the THRUSTMASTER TS-XW servo base thanks to the handy THRUSTMASTER Quick Release system. The wheel includes all the controls racing drivers could ever need, featuring 14 action buttons as well as 1 directional pad with a push button function. What’s more, the angle of rotation can be adjusted from 270° all the way to 1080°!

The TS-XW Racer benefits from THRUSTMASTER’s advanced technologies developed specifically to create the most lifelike sensations possible. The wheel features a brand-new, built-in, 40-watt brushless servomotor, providing incredible velocity (dynamic torque) that when combined with controlled power, is able to support intensive use during long hours of e-racing competition without any decrease in performance.

The new Motor Cooling Embedded system (patent pending) ensures that the motor always remains highly dynamic and responsive – thanks to a drastic reduction in terms of heating effects – while staying very quiet, so as not to disturb the driver’s immersion in races.

The TS-XW Racer also includes all official Xbox One buttons, to allow easy switching between the game, system menus, social features etc.

THRUSTMASTER’s innovative new Field Oriented Control algorithm dynamically optimizes the wheel’s response to intense torque demands, while the proprietary H.E.A.R.T (HallEffect AccuRate Technology) system provides razor-sharp 16-bit resolution (for a whopping 65,536 values)!

Turbo Power – the external power supply specially developed by THRUSTMASTER – delivers constant power and massive peak power, instantly responding to ultra-fast requests from games. Its toroidal shape allows for optimized power efficiency of 86% (with just 14% heat generation), with a mind-blowing 400 watts of peak power!

THRUSTMASTER’s use of a dual belt-pulley system with a metal ball-bearing axle gives the TS-XW Racer SPARCO P310 Competition Mod excellent smoothness and fluidity, all while remaining incredibly quiet.

The TS-XW Racer SPARCO P310 Competition Mod even features internal memory to save the user’s settings, as well as upgradeable firmware so that the wheel can always take advantage of the very latest updates.

The wheel’s clamping system has been designed to be both sturdy and versatile, for quick and easy attachment to any type of desk, table etc.

Thanks to the extensive use of metal parts (employed for the pedal heads, as well as the entire internal structure), the wheel’s pedal set ensures a rock-solid level of performance. The 3 pedals can also be fully adjusted, in terms of their height, spacing and inclination.

In addition, the pedal set includes THRUSTMASTER’s unique and removable Conical Rubber Brake Mod: when installed, this mod provides ultra-progressive resistance at the end of the brake pedal’s travel.

As mentioned earlier, the TS-XW Racer SPARCO P310 Competition Mod is compatible with the entire THRUSTMASTER racing product ecosystem (pedal sets, detachable wheels, gear shifter), giving drivers the much-appreciated flexibility to equip themselves with all of the gear they need to win races.

The TS-XW Racer is an official product for both Xbox One and Windows 10 and will release in September 2017. It is also compatible with Windows 8/7/Vista on PC: the wheel’s software drivers are available for download HERE.

The post THRUSTMASTER CREATE THE FIRST RACING WHEEL IN COLLABORATION WITH SPARCO appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

From the Thrustmaster Weapons Control System from 1991 Thrustmaster have been the kings of solid quality and built gaming peripherals for consoles and PC.

Almost all gamers I know have at least one piece of Thrustmaster equipment in their gameplaying arsenal. And every year their gear just keeps getting bigger, better and badder.

Thrustmaster have supplied StG with a review unit for the recently released TS-PC Racer Wheel kits, and the unit is both behemoth and mighty.

From the box there’s a bit of a set up as the removable wheel and weighted power supply base need to be attached.

But once placed together and powered on it’s plug and play with any Windows PC and most racer games will automatically pick up the TS-PC as being connected.

We tried out the TS-PC with Project Cars – it was flawless and heightened the racing experience and simulation ten fold.

The suede leather covered wheel is both comfortable and responsive and hearkens to the realism of a real world supercar steering wheel. The TS-PC is most definitely a desk mounter, given it’s size and weight, so bear in mind that you will need to have ample desk space.

The TS-PC is servo based and does alot more than just steer your vehicle around tracks in gameplay.

The TS-PC is designed to assist with long stall curves (STALL mode) through to super-responsive zigzags in Dynamic mode.

As we burnt rubber around the recently added Ruapuna Circuit (New Zealand) and almost lost it on bends the TS-PC’s dynamic abilities saved us from total carnage and to regain control.

There is even engine based intuitiveness with the Motor Cooling Embedded system. This maintains the fluid dynamics with the motor, by ensuring that there is no overheating and all the while remains super silent.

Optimised with Field Oriented Control via Thrustmasters H.E.A.R.T (Hall Effect AccuRate technology) which provides a 16-bit resolution, while the newly added F.O.C. algorithm will dynamically optimise the response when in need of intense torque demands.

When on the track and in first place there’s no other disheartening moment when your peripherals lose power or begin to lag. The TS-PC has a external Turbo power supply which delivers constant and massive peak power to instantly respond to ultra-fast requests from the game as it renders in real time. The units peak power resides at a whopping 400 Watts.

If you’re a PC Racer who prefers manual drives, gear changes are a cinch via on-wheel unit controls, however if you are a really serious about your racing simulation the add-on THBA Shifter would be a requirement.

We tried both auto and manual gear in-game and had no issues with the response times and ease of transmission changes in manual mode.

The TS-PC is designed to be hot swappable with other Thrustmaster wheels and racing accessories.

Priced at $999.00 NZD the TS-PC is an investment, but a worthy investment given the technology builtin.

A superb piece of gaming gear and totally solid – and with Project Cars 2 recently announced, you’re not racing unless you’re immersed in to the simulation of a TS-PC.

The post Thrustmaster TS-PC Racer Kit Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Thrustmaster have been making gaming wheels and pedals for as long as we can remember.

Owning the console and PC markets, each year they out do themselves with a new iteration of products that further enhance the driving, flying, simulation experience.

Now available for pre-order the Thrustmaster TS-PC Racer Racing Wheel for PC redefines tarmac treading for Windows based gamers.

The TS-PC Racer is a powerhouse of technologies created to enhance gaming performance and offer a racing experience closer to reality, enabling gamers to be fully immersed with the Thrustmaster TS-PC Servo base, Detachable Open Wheel accompanied with metal plastron and suede leather.

TS-PC Racer motor provides powerful 40-watt brushless FFB and incredible velocity (dynamic torque): from long stall curves (STALL mode) to super-responsive zigzags (DYNAMIC mode). Also featured is a Motor Cooling Embedded system which maintains dynamics with the new motor, by ensuring that there is no overheating and while remaining silent.

Expect to experience Field Oriented Control: H.E.A.R.T (HallEffectAccuRate technology). This provides 16-bit resolution (65,536 values), while the new F.O.C. algorithm dynamically optimizes the response to intense torque demands.

The external TURBO power supply will deliver constant power and massive peak power to instantly respond to ultra-fast requests from the gameplay and rendered graphics. Toroïdal-shaped to optimize efficiency versus heat at 86%, with a finless design. The overall peak power results at 400 Watts!

In the box you can expect to find the TS-PC wheel + base + T-Turbo power supply + clamping system and the usual documentation for instructions and warranty. The Thrustamster TS-PC will retail for around $999.00 NZD.

Final release date is yet to be announced.

The post Thrustmaster About to Unleash the TS-PC Racer Racing Wheel for PC appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Don’t just play the game, be IN the game with Thrustmaster’s newest and most powerful headset on the block, the Doom Y-350X.

Designed for both PC (Windows 7 or higher) and Xbox One the Y-350X will have your ear drums vibrating to the realistic bass as you take in all manner of audio detail around you. With 60mm drivers powering the rumbles and your adrenaline for gaming and accented with comfort due to the 100% memory foam cushions.

The Y-350X gives excellent clarity and one of the best that we have experienced at StG with it’s 7.1 Virtual Surround.

The Y-350X has also been designed with the latest adaption of DOOM in mind. Not only is it Officially licensed for the mother of all FPS’ it is also emblazoned with a DOOM skin. Both the killer audio and the looks ticks all the boxes for us.

There is a built in on-cord Y Sound Commander control panel which is a unique instrument panel that plugs into your Xbox One Gamepad. For darker rooms (or playing in the dark) it also offers backlighted volume status, adjustable master volume, adjustable bass volume and adjustable game/chat balance. This is also doubled with a Y-Power Pack which aims to extend the life of a wireless Xbox One Gamepad.

Fine tuning the audio to your liking doesn’t take terribly long and we found that we needed to adjust it depending on what type of game we were playing. Naturally we tried the headset’s namesake, DOOM with bass-ey loudness and feeling every bullet firing, then we went to something a little less carnage fueled; Unravel. By slightly adjusting the audio settings we were experiencing Unravel’s symphonic soundtrack as it was meant to be heard. Also during our use of the Y-350X we didn’t really experience a significant amount of extended Gamepad life – but considering that the Y-350X does draw it’s juice from the Gamepad, our length of use was pretty much on par with the usual battery stamina of the gamepad.

Thrustmaster have given consideration to the rough life that a Arm Boom Mic may experience on a Chat equipped Gaming Headset. While the mic is detachable (so you can use this headset for just audio / music via the 3.5mm cable) the twisty design of the Arm will ensure that there is a reduced cabling tension when the mic is positioned.

Light weight, a little bulky, but not too obtrusive the Y-350X we feel is tailored for home use – however I have seen folk walking the streets, bobbing their heads to music with bigger and bulkier units strapped to their ears. It would be up to you, but for myself, a definite at home accessory.

Thrustmaster’s Y-350X is totally top shelf. And top shelf goodness does come with a price tag. While it is not the cheapest Gaming Headset on the shelves, the Y-350X is one of the most elite and a non-regrettable purchase.

The Y-350X is pure gaming for your senses.

The post Thrustmaster DOOM Y-350X Gaming Headset (Xbox | PC) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Thrustmaster’s TMX Force Feedback, officially licensed for Xbox One and designed for Xbox One and Windows, offers players on both platforms a memorable racing experience based on authenticity of real-world racing experiences.

Equipped with a high-performance force feedback motor offering adjustable intensity and a rotation angle ranging from 270° to 900°, the TMX Force Feedback delivers a realistic and versatile racing experience. The controller’s versatility benefits all players, whether beginners or seasoned pilots, with all types of tracks, cars and races.
Another example of this racing wheel’s versatility is its force feedback motor, designed by Thrustmaster’s development teams to offer performance suited to demanding players, while also remaining accessible to less experienced drivers. The motor features a mixed belt-pulley and gears system with metal ball-bearing axle. The result is a balanced combination of performance, robustness and precision. With 12-bit resolution – i.e. 4096 values on the wheel’s steering axis – provided by an optical sensor, this racing wheel also offers extreme precision, delivering highly realistic racing sensations. The racing wheel features a robust and adjustable attachment system, compatible with all mounts (desks, tables, cockpits, etc.).

Thanks to Xbox One-certified embedded software, the controller is automatically recognized by the video game console, which also ensures full compatibility with the menus in all racing games supporting racing wheels. Drivers for Windows 7, 8, 10 can be downloaded.

When it comes to handling, the racing wheel’s 11”/28 cm diameter is suited to all types of racing games (GT, F1, NASCAR, Rally, etc.). Its rubber-coated wheel grips offer perfect comfort. As for ergonomics, everything has been designed to ensure that the two large, 5”/13 cm tall, 100% metal wheel-mounted sequential paddle shifters are within easy reach, just like the 12 action buttons and the directional pad.

The TMX Force Feedback’s features a wide 2-pedal pedal set that delivers efficient acceleration and braking: each pedal’s angle of inclination can be adjusted, and for greater realism, the brake pedal also offers progressive resistance.

The TMX Force Feedback will be releasing this coming May (2016).

The post Thrustmaster Release TMX Force Feedback for Xbox One & Windows appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

A unique offer is now available to historic flight and aerial combat enthusiasts, granting them access to a world of unrivaled sensations and precision: the T.Flight Hotas 4 including the War Thunder Starter Pack.

With this truly unique offer, Thrustmaster aims to provide PlayStation 4 (PS4) gamers with a high-performance joystick and specific game items to give them an in-game boost and help them make swift progress in the free-to-play MMO combat game War Thunder. In War Thunder, aircraft are widely used to re-enact the most intense battles of World War 2.

This is an ideal opportunity for Thrustmaster to offer PS4 gamers its long-standing expertise in the field of joysticks with the T. Flight Hotas 4, a genuine Hotas (Hands On Throttle And Stick) controller, designed by the very inventor of this concept.

Gilles Raulet, Development Director for Thrustmaster, explains: “To celebrate the launch of our first joystick for PS4, by combining this new release with a safe value such as War Thunder, we are offering gamers a new, accessible experience that will allow them to swiftly rise throughout the leaderboards, using in-flight controls that are directly recognized.”

This opinion is also shared by Igor Khаchaturyan, Global Marketing Director at Gaijin Entertainment, who states: “We are very satisfied to offer buyers of the T.Flight Hotas 4 and War Thunder Starter Pack a number of in-game items that will instantly allow them to enjoy excellent performance in the world of War Thunder.” These converging opinions are materialized in a Plug and Play joystick that is preconfigured for the game – a powerful controller that is ready for immediate take-off!

The T.Flight Hotas 4 perfectly combines performance and realism.

To this end, it offers ergonomic controls, suited to all types of flight: the handle features a wide handrest and adjustable resistance. The full-scale throttle is detachable. The rudder is actuated by a dual system, and can be controlled by a rotating handle or using the progressive tilting lever. Flight controls are very comprehensive, with a total of 5 axes, 12 action buttons, 1 rapid-fire trigger and 1 multidirectional hat switch.

As the joystick is produced under official license for the PlayStation 4 system, it features the console’s official buttons (PS / SHARE / OPTIONS). Finally, the joystick’s internal memory allows users to update the firmware.

The Starter Pack offered with the purchase of the T. Flight Hotas 4 consists of:

• 500 Golden Eagles (the game’s currency), allowing users to make many in-game purchases.
• A one-week Premium account that makes research of new vehicles faster.
• A XP-38G Lightning plane. This US fighter plane, built to 1462 units from 1942 to 1943, was a full-metal, single-pilot and twin-engine aircraft; it featured two tailfins and boasted unique aerodynamic capabilities at the time of World War 2. It was equipped with powerful weapons, and its swift climbing prowess made it a formidably efficient aircraft. Piloting this plane with the T.Flight Hotas 4 will allow gamers to experience epic aerial battles with unrivalled realism!

The Thrustmaster T.Flight Hotas 4 is now available across Europe and the U.S.A., Australia and New Zealand.

The post THE FIRST OFFICIAL FLIGHT STICK FOR PLAYSTATION 4 FROM THRUSTMASTER appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

From the time that video gaming left the Arcades and became a prominent feature in most family homes the peripheral market began to boom.

From multi controller adapters through to memory cards, after market controllers bore one of the the must haves for any racing game enthusiast was the steering wheel.

From the 90’s until now as consoles developed, so did the racing hardware genre, from a singular wheel, to wheel and pedal combo, even full setups that include a racing chair, wheel and pedals housed in a rig. Even Xbox got in on the action three years ago with their very bold Xbox 360 Wireless Steering Wheel. U-shaped it was a racing peripheral unlike anything else, so much so many gamers were either amazed or slightly confused with it’s appearance and usage.

Throughout it all however, European hardware manufacturer Thrustmaster have been at the professional end, creating Wheel and Pedal setups for the more discerning home based motor-heads.

And, the T-150 for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 is the most Pro of them all.

From out of the box you know you have a solid set up. It’s hefty and weighty but very very awesome.

The initial setup requires you to plug the pedals into the steering wheel base, then add mains power. That’s it. You’re done. Almost.

Plugging the USB 2.0 into your PlayStation 4 (PS4) as an extra controller may take a bit of hit and miss. At first the PS4 did not recognise the ‘controller’. The fix for this was easy enough. Restart the PS4, or make sure that you plug it in before you turn the console on. You also need to make sure that your primary Dualshock 4 controller is not on.

You can then use the standard PS Buttons on the T-150 to navigate the PS4 Menu as you would with your Dualshock.

We gave the T-150 a good run on Project Cars. Now, if you follow the steps above you will not have any issue and the game will pick up the T-150 instantly, but oddly as a secondary controller, so make it the Primary in the games controller settings.

Once into gameplay, that’s where the magic happens.

The T-150 has a rotation angle which is adjustable from 270 to 1080 and a really strong 1080 Force Feedback. When you first power on the Rig the wheel will auto calibrate itself. Same is done when you set it up within the game that you are about to play.

And, to put it mildly the Force Feedback is epic. It reflects the realism of an actual vehicle flying about a track at top speeds. You can feel the resistance as corners turn one way but your vehicle begins to slide another and you will fight with the wheel to keep on track.

Having a collision into a wall, barrier or other vehicle will cause the wheel to vibrate heavily and it will spin wildly reflecting the power of the impact.

There is of course tuning options for the T-150 within supported games. And if you are not schooled in the use of a wheel and pedal set up you will most certainly want to turn down the Force Feedback.

You can also adjust the sensitivity ratio of the wheel itself and make yourself feel, well, at home as you race uninhibited like the professional that you are.

If you are not a fan of Automatic driving and want the full real experience of manipulating the vehicles gears, the T-150 Steering Wheel consists of Dual Paddles for quick gear changes.

The pedals also have an element of customization to them aswell. They can be adjusted for sensitivity and angle, based on your playing preference, style and where the pedals are mounted physically as you play.

That said that brake pedal has been developed with progressive resistance. This reminded me of how ABS Braking works in a real car.

Using the T-150 on the PlayStation 3 (PS3) was much the same, except interestingly, the console detected it immediately, added as a secondary ‘controller’ and we were playing Gran Turismo 6 with little to no setup (other than tweaking the wheel sensitivity and Force Feedback). No probs with GRID either, infact it made GRID a hell of a lot more enjoyable than I remember it being.

So expect to need a bit of patience with the PS4. Also make sure that you have the built in slider switch on the steering base set to the correct console (PS4 or PS3).

Thrustmaster have excelled with the T150. It breathes new life into supported racing titles – taking what is a solid game and turning it into a solid simulator.

Depending on your personal preference and budget, I would recommend having the T-150 wheel and pedals mounted into a chair based rig. Having the wheel base on your lap while playing and pedal kits just idly at your feet isn’t going to work out so well. The Force Feedback of the wheel will literally throw the steering base around your lap. It needs to be used on a hard and even surface, such as a desk or table top.

The pedal kit can be prone to sliding about, but this of course depends on your environment. We tried both carpet and lino. We recommend carpet.

The T150 is a Wheel and Pedal setup designed for Professionals and Novices. The level of customisation and tuning settings means that you can use the setup to your liking and if you are new to a peripheral of this type you can easily and quickly tone down the features, such as the mentioned Force Feedback until you get a feel for simulation racing.

Built with future proofing in mind, the T-150 has built in memory, it has it’s own firmware which can be upgraded to keep it relevant with any future console or game updates.

T-150, race like a Pro at your own pace.

The post Thrustmaster T-150 Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The new patch for Farming Simulator 15 by GIANTS Software, available for PS4, Xbox One and PC, now offers players an even more realistic and immersive experience with its newly-added compatibility with Thrustmaster’s range of racing wheels.

With this patch, many Thrustmaster racing wheels for PS4, Xbox One and PC now offer Plug & Play functionality and full compatibility with PS4, Xbox One and PC versions of the game. This allows users to enjoy a highly intuitive experience when driving the various machines available in a game already delivering outstanding realism.

“The possibility for our gaming community to use Thrustmaster racing wheels is an undeniable extra,” stated Christian Ammann, CEO of GIANTS Software. “This will allow players to enjoy an even more realistic and intense experience.”

The Thrustmaster racing wheels offering this newly-added compatibility are for Xbox One – Ferrari 458 SPIDER Racing Wheel, and TX force feedback racing wheels. For PS4 – T80 racing wheels, and T150 and T300 force feedback racing wheels and lastly for PC – T150, T300 and T500 force feedback racing wheels

In the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game, players can simultaneously use the official controller and the racing wheel to access all in-game features. Similarly, the PC version allows users to combine actions performed using the racing wheel and the keyboard and mouse.

While the game does not support force effects, the automatic wheel centering feature is offered by all compatible Force Feedback racing wheels, with a 900 degree rotation angle, to ensure perfect playability and enhanced realism. The automatic centering feature delivers increased realism when exiting various driving maneuvers. It should also be noted that for PC racing wheels, the pedal set should be set to combined mode (and not separate mode) using the racing wheel’s control panel.

Asphalt kings accustomed to breaking new track records can now also enjoy more rural, free-range pleasures, while Farming Simulator adepts now have access to a cutting-edge controller that will help them “steer” their farm more efficiently.

The post Thrustmaster Now Compatible w. Farming Simulator 15 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

I like driving in my car: taking the Thrustmaster T300RS, T3PA and TH8A out for a spin.

With the long awaited crowd developed racing simulator Project CARS now on the shelves, it may be time to consider getting a decent racing set-up. Shane the Gamer’s Australian editor, Darren Price, puts the pedal to the metal and takes some top-of-the-range kit from Thrustmaster out for a road test.

Now, I love racing games but, apart from the occasional dalliance with my trusty Xbox 360 racing wheel, my on-track antics are reliant on a gamepad. Of course, when I was asked to test out the PC version of Project CARS with a Thrustmaster wheel, pedal and shifter kit, I really couldn’t say no.

For years Thrustmaster have been providing discerning flight and racing simulation fans with top-end controllers, bringing that extra bit of realism to their games.

Whilst screeching an Aston Martin V8 Vantage through a mountain pass may be exhilarating with a gamepad, the same experience as you ease the car around the bends with a wheel, shifting your way through the manual gearbox, is absolutely sublime.

The Thrustmaster T300RS is robust racing wheel complete with metal sequential gear paddles and a twin pedal set.

This, coupled with the T3PA three-pedal add-on, as well as the TH8A eight position H-shifter, provides what I can only describe as a premium racing experience. The T300RS is PS3/4 and PC only.

Xbox One owners can get a similar experience with the Thrustmaster’s similarly styled TX Racing Wheel Ferrari 458 Italia Edition, which is also compatible with the T3PA pedals and the TH8A shifter.

Let’s take a look at the T300RS wheel first.

From reading the box, the wheel has a contactless motor, which provides a seamless, smooth and realistic force-feedback. Whilst, I’d agree the force feedback is pretty amazing, I’d also add that the motor is very strong; a high-speed crash playing Ubisoft’sThe Crew almost broke my wrist- and I’m not kidding.

As they say, it’s realistic. The actual wheel feels rock solid and sits nicely in your hands.

Like all these racing wheel kits, it’s a bit small- smaller than a racing wheel in a touring car, but is it very responsive and, with an adjustable 1080 degrees of turn, does its job very well.

The centre of the wheel has all the PlayStation buttons, except the L3 and R3, which are located on the unit’s body, about where you’d expect to find the ignition switch, and the gear paddles on the column. That’s thirteen buttons in total, plus a D-pad.

The wheel’s sequential gear change paddles are metal, making them feel very sturdy and in keeping with the wheel’s quality finish. The actual T300RS wheel can be quickly removed and swapped for one of a number of compatible alternative wheels including the ones licenced from Ferrari.

On the left side of the base it has a switch that changes the configuration from PS3 to PS4. PC users should have it switched to the “PS3” position.

The wheel connects to your PS3/4 or PC via a USB cable that may be a little too short for couch-based racers.

The power supply unit is built into the wheel, which means that you don’t have to have an extra block sitting on the ground, instead the unit plugs straight into the mains.The wheel can be either clamped to a table or mounted to a cockpit.

Whilst the T300RS wheel includes a decent-looking set of accelerator and brake pedals, I left them in the box. Instead, I plugged in Thrustmaster’s T3PA three-pedal add-on kit.

The T3PA pedal kit adds a clutch pedal into the mix.

The actual pedals are metal and feel very positive under foot. The accelerator has a weaker spring than both the brake and clutch. There’s an optional rubber bung included which can be used to adjust the braking resistance. With this brake mod installed each petal has its own “feel”.

The pedals can be adjusted- moving them apart a little. The accelerator can also be adjusted up and down. The pedals connect to the base of the wheel via a thincable.

Completing my test kit is Thrustmaster’s TH8A add-on shifter. This thing is a hefty lump of metal (the box says that it’s 90% metal) with eight gates labelled one through to seven and “R”. The actual selector is a solid metal shaft with a brushed metal knob.

I’ve used build-in shifters on wheels before and always found them to be limp and more like a kid’s toy.

The TH8A is a monster by comparison; with its metal construction it’s like something out of a Mad Max movie. The gear positions are very positive, perhaps a bit too positive, but at least you know you are in gear.

The thing is mountable in a few different ways depending on your setup and can, of course, be mounted on a cockpit frame. Whilst the idea of driving a manual car with a clutch again fills me with joy, sequential fans can use the adapter plate to turn the gearstick into a rather pedestrian +/- affair. Why you’d spend all that money to use it like a paddle shift is beyond me, though.

Connecting the gearstick to your system is a bit more involved than the wheel and pedals. How it connects depends on the device you are connecting it to and the game that you want to play.

The shifter kit comes with two interchangeable cables that connect to the stick via a threaded knuckle joint. One of the cables is for connecting to your device via USB and the other is for connecting to the steering wheel base.

For every application on both the PC and PS4 I’ve connected the stick via USB. I’m not sure, but I think connecting directly to the wheel is for when you want to use the stick as a separate sequential shifter.

So, the above describes a Thrustmasterracing setup that’ll set you back the best part of AU$1,400, but what’s it like to use?

Before I delved into Project CARS I wanted to check the kit out with a few games that I’ve played with a gamepad and/or Xbox 360 racing wheel.

The first game that I tested was GRID Autosport on PC. I love this game; it’s a pure racer with all that Race Driver-style story taken out. GRID Autosport is just about racing fast cars.

I did have some teething problems, and this is something worth watching out for, due to a conflict with my Xbox 360 controller’s PC wireless adapter. I’d recommend making sure all your other controllers are disconnected to save yourself a bit of bother.

With the Xbox adapter disconnected, setting the wheel up was painless. It was easy to set the gearbox and clutch to manual and activate the “H” layout stick shift. I’d forgotten how much I missed accelerating through the rev range and changing gear with a clutch.

Switching from PC to the PS4’s Driveclub was a bit of a disappointment. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love Driveclub. I think it looks great and I really enjoy those point-to-point races. The level of environmental customisation is fantastic and I’ve had a lot of fun driving around as the sun rises.

But, considering Driveclub is supposed to be a driving simulation, the lack of support for the H shift is unforgivable. Still, the wheel with sequential gears gave me a definite edge over the online competition who were obviously using cars with automatic gearboxes.

Still with the PS4, Ubisoft’s The Crew was a different matter entirely. This is a game full of ambition that, as a racer, doesn’t quite pull it off. With the wheel, the game really starts to shine.

The Crew fully supports the clutch and manual gearstick. The huge and varied driving environment, that felt a bit generic with a gamepad, is an absolute joy to drive around with the wheel. I found myself just taking off, going for a drive, seeing where the road took me. It was amazingly relaxing.

Back on PC, the Codies’ DiRT 3 didn’t work as planned. I had to go into the game’s guts to get the wheel to work and I never got the shifter working at all.

But, in all fairness it is a four year-old game. Still, even just using the paddles to change gear, DiRT 3 felt like a different game altogether. The game really benefits from the force feedback, enabling you to properly judge your traction and maximise your speed around the course.

Formula 1 2014 is another game that opens itself up once you plug in the T300RS. I had to adjust the steering lock to match the F1 cars, but this was easily done with the wheel’s utility software. The wheel uses its force feedback motors to artificially create a smaller lock angle. I found all the Codemasters games I tested benefited from a steering lock adjustment.

This is the thing with force feedback wheels, the amount of feedback, the lock angle and dead zones are a mixture of personal preference and the intentions/aptitude of the game designers implementing the wheel support. You can spend ages tweaking and re-tweaking the feedback and sensitivity settings.

Having tested a few familiar games as a benchmark, I moved on to Project CARS.

Project CARS is rather unique. It’s a crowd funded and developed game, very much in the style of the hardcore niche racing simulations, but with the marketing muscle of Bandai Namco behind it.

Whilst the game caters for the casual console racing set, that is not why it exists. Project CARS has the likes of Assetto Corsa in its sights, rather than Forza 5.

Setting up the T300RS wheel was easy, it’s right there in the controller selection, along with dozens of other wheels. Selecting T300RS with separate pedals gave me my T3PA clutch. To sort out the TH8A shifter I had to manually map the gates, I really thought it would do that for me. But, in any case, it worked fine.

Calibrating the wheel is done in the game by turning the wheel all the way around and then turning it just 90 degrees. Project CARS adjusted the wheel lock on a car by car basis, so there’s no need to tweak the settings in the Thrustmaster utility. Similarly the pedals are calibrated by a quick press of each one.

I did spend some time trying to sort out the clutch biting point with the accelerator. After much trial and error I got the set-up tuned so that I didn’t have to rev the nuts of the car before lifting the clutch.

Project CARS features an incredible selection of cars from 125cc karts to the latest prototype supercars. Not all these cars actually have gears on an H-shifter. Many cars will not accommodate a cheeky block change down to 2nd in order to lose speed and swing around a curve. Cars with a real-world paddle shift are best driven using the paddle shift, as otherwise you will need to shift down through each gate. Mess up and you’ll find yourself in the wrong gear for the shift position, which is not the sort of confusion you want at 150mph.

Despite what some would say, Project CARS can be played with a gamepad, and played well. It is, however, very unforgiving compared with many of its console developed peers and much more suited to a steering wheel.

It’s a credit to the developers as to just how natural Project CARS feels when driven with a wheel and shifter. This is the first time that I can honestly say that I used my real-life driving experience in a video game.

As I’ve spent most of my driving life in the UK, I’m very familiar with driving a manual car. My personal opinion of automatic transmissions has been skewed by the knowledge that it is usually only bad drivers in the UK that drive automatics.

Call me precious, but removing the clutch from a car, turns it into a toy. A device that requires little skill or control to manoeuvre, it’s simply one pedal for go and another for stop. Childs play.

With a clutch, a pedal that can one moment be a brake and the other an accelerator, and the direct control over the vehicles gear ratios, a car stops being such a blunt instrument and instead becomes infinitely controllable by the driver.

I’d be as bold to say that the only way to properly experience driving a car is with a manual gearbox.

The Thrustmaster T300RS with the T3PA and the TH8A, reminded me just how much I miss taking a manual car right through the rev-range to maximise acceleration. My automatic Holden Evoke feels like a donkey by comparison.

As with any steering wheel setup, the T300RS takes some getting used to.

We get so used to driving with a gamepad that the drop in success rate with a wheel doesn’t seem worth it. You have to stick with it. It IS better driving with a wheel than a gamepad.

Would you feel safe driving your car with a controller?

With the learning curve out of the way, experiencing a driving game, especially a simulator like Project CARS, becomes a totally new experience. With the T300RS wheel, the T3PA pedals and the TH8A shifter, I was able to put my real-world driving skill to good use racing cars in virtual championships.

Project CARS is out now on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The Thrustmaster T300RS, T3PA petal add-on and the TH8A shifter add-on are available from all good gaming stores.

Watch out for the Project CARS review on shanethegamer.com soon.

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