Have Your Say: Can You Sim Race Competitively With a Controller?

[ricerracer]

Well it is debatable if PC2 is a sim although some of the fastest hot laps set are with controllers, however I doubt a controller will give you consistency or the amazing feel a great set of pedals and wheel can give. That is why I spent money on a OSW and HE pedals; for that feeling.

 

[Ken Bell]

I quoted Pr3d4at0rs post here. but it didnt work!. two post above!!

In a nutshell. Couldn't have said it better

 

[TylerDurden4321]

2 things:

1)
When pCARS1 was new, we had a community hotlap challenge on a racing game subforum of a bigger gaming site. Little over 20 people posted laps, mostly console players, top times were all PC with a wheel from guys I knew where mainly sim-racers. Then some guy I've only ever seen in a Forza thread posts the #1 best lap on a controller. Our main guy tells him "next time bring a video when you post a lap that good", then our local sim-racing alien-guru beat that time again. Next the controller guy comes back with a new #1 time and a video of his lap (smooth, good driving! No aids and pCARS1 has some garbage controller implementation!). Then our Alien sim-guy beats that lap again by hundreds of a second or so.
I also remember this "Kie...something" guy. Insanely quick guy, smooth, can post top10 global leaderboard times in every console game on a controller.

2) Have you guys tried motion controls in GT Sport? It still has speed-sensitive steering aids and maybe other stuff, but you have a very quick, precise analog input with that. It's in a completely different league from any other motion controls in racing games I've ever tried before (and I'm not some GT fanboy!). I'd say the lag, judging by the onscreen wheel, is lower than when using a wheel in Forza or a WRC game.

 

[ShredatorFIN]

Yes some can no doubt. But not as much fun, and definitely way harder

 

[Samuel Long]

I seem to be doing alright with motion controls on GT Sport.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

I've used the very same joystick for years! Having endurance races done with it I've even got some weird blister on my little finger, that was there for years
Now i'm using the same joystick for a handbrake.

Oooh, I am thinking of getting that joystick again (they still sell it) for some Flight Sim fun. Didn't cross my mind that I could use it as a handbrake! And I am supposed to be the rally guy in the staff!

 

[KittX]

Yes some can no doubt. But not as much fun, and definitely way harder

well, using a flight joystick is actually easier. Of course you cannot blip the throttle while braking, but you're always keeping the balance of the car, and correcting spins is much easier. RBR with a joystick is much easier than with a wheel. I still use the stick for driving when I must avoid noise from the wheel or if I need to check some things on a laptop while away from home.
Is it as much fun tho? Of course not.

Oooh, I am thinking of getting that joystick again (they still sell it) for some Flight Sim fun. Didn't cross my mind that I could use it as a handbrake! And I am supposed to be the rally guy in the staff!

Every title that supposes using a handbrake (including RX in AMS) allows to assign joystick axis just fine. I believe for RBR there was some plugin that allows that.

 

[ChaosZeroJK]

Possible to hotlap moderately well? Yes, depending on the car.
Possible to drive predictably in a pack of cars with respect to other drivers? No.
Possible to comfortably complete long endurance races? No.

I've done multiple long distance races (6h and beyond, driving solo) with a pad and had no issues. Being fast in that class of racing doesn't matter, not if the race is longer than 45 minutes anyway. First you try to finish, then you look at the scoreboard and see how many "fast" cars wrecked in front of you because they don't know how to handle endurance racing.

Just because you are not able to do it or don't want to, it doesn't mean it's not possible to do it.

 

[Conrad Miller]

A G27 would feel like a cheap controller compared to a 30NM DD wheel.

 

[KittX]

A G27 would feel like a cheap controller compared to a 30NM DD wheel.

Same way Renault Fluence/Megane steering wheel feels like G27/controller, compared with old beemers/volvos

 

[Conrad Miller]

Is it possible to sim race competitively with a gaming controller?

Yes, everything is possible. I'm sure it's just as much fun as playing Battlefield with a steering wheel.

 

[ShredatorFIN]

well, using a flight joystick is actually easier.

Hmm never tried. But you wouldn't feel understeer (wheel getting lighter) nor road bumps. Hard to imagine why would it be easier, since you can do everything with wheel too, with very accurate and long axis. Plus get additional feedback

 

[KittX]

Hmm never tried. But you wouldn't feel understeer (wheel getting lighter) nor road bumps. Hard to imagine why would it be easier, since you can do everything with wheel too, with very accurate and long axis. Plus get additional feedback

Well, the lack of feel rapidly gets compensated by visual cues, looking at car position etc. And it's not a long time to get used to. And by default, driving with joystick you're always keeping the car in balance. There are no sudden braking, you're very smooth on throttle... There's no feedback or self-rotating of wheel to help with countersteering, but you're always bringing the stick back to the middle position and can countersteer like with steering angle of less than 50 degrees... And it's still smoother than gamepad.

 

[Nick Gregory]

I used to be decent-ish with a controller, but since I've been using a wheel for over 4 years now, I can't.

 

[Steve Worrell]

Heres my little penny-worth. I have been in races with people who use controllers and can normally spot them immediately. the steering is not smooth like a wheel. Its jerky and off-putting. When you go on youtube and watch replays its simply awful. jerky, not at all, "simmy" and should be BANNED. keep the controllers for xbox and the other silly box thing. it isn't sims on them.
PC's run sims. I bet there will be some who disagree. Well, fill yer boots boys but its only an old mans opinion which ain't worth nuts.

Check my challenge on the previous page .

 

[Haiden773]

Controller vs wheel is kind of like old school cars with real manual transmissions, requiring clutch operation vs. the new-style sequential paddle and stick shifts in modern cars with an auto-clutch. Sure it's manual, but... not really the same experience or skill set.

 

[TechnoRacerX]

It all depends. If you are willing to use the analog pad smothely as you would steer with a wheel, then you can train your self to drive a lot better with only using a simple controller. I find that the PS3, PS4 controllers are the best for this because they have a tone more of sensitivity than others. The problem comes when you use it in some situations though, for example: trying to avoid loosing control at high speed with a pad is mostly based on luck. It's all very relative to speed and space. Simulators like Assetto Corsa have a few cars that are very nice to drive with a pad but some others are impossible to even get them off the grid. I know a lot of kids who use pads but turn on stability control. But for my self, I do travel a lot, when ever I'm on the road and I want to drive a few laps I always have my pad with me. I have won a few races in iRacing, using the pad. But one small tiny error and the probability of correction is 0,1% to none. But the real fun is at home with my steering wheel setup. Cheers!

 

[paracletus]

For me it is:
W - accelerate S - brake
A - left D - right
Or, the arrow keys work too.
Have beaten AI on assetto.

 

[Racer67]

I don't think this is a generational thing. Controllers are a means to an end. Back in the 1990's my group of friends all used joysticks - a lot worse ones than that Logitech 3D shown earlier in this discussion. Wheels weren't as common then as today and we all got really good at what ever stick or controller we had. Also flightsims were big then so it was normal to have a joystick kicking around the house. I think it is more about desire and dedication, anything is possible, but I certainly wouldn't want to do simracing without a wheel and pedals today.

It was in 1998 when Grand Prix Legends came out that pushed me to build my own wheel out of wood, old go-cart wheel, bits of vintage meccano and other parts kicking around my grandpa's workshop. That changed everything for me because it was more about having a natural driving experience. Force feedback was elastic bands and bungie cords. Oh those were the days!

I do prefer a joystick or controller for motorcycle games though. A wheel in this case seems completely unnatural. So I'll be using my DCS World stick for that new TT game coming soon.

 

[Eckhart von Glan]

well, wrc6 might not be a sim, but the chap who won the esports competition on it last year used a controller, looks weird in the official videos as he walks to the professional setup provided by the esports chaps (seat, screen, wheelstand) and plugs in his little handheld off the camera. You then see him sitting behind the wheel and never touching it. But he won. And it earned him a real hyundai.