Buying advice please - Next Level v3 Motion Platform

[MarkR]

I'm looking for some advice and thoughts of other owners or people with good knowledge of the product, please.

I always said I'd buy myself a motion simulator if I could afford one and had the room available. Well, that day may have arrived. I'm impressed by what I've seen of the Next Level v3 Motion Platform

This seems to meet all my criteria:

+ Limited space requirements, I don't have room for a huge sim rig but this seems compact enough to work.
+ Works with Oculus Rift VR, that fixed head position setting solution is impressive
+ Great support and regular updates from the developers
+ Available in the UK
+ Works with my current Thrustmaster wheel and accessories.
+ Sub £3k for the full setup, I'm not a pro racer I'm not looking for a practice simulator this is just for fun so the cost/fun balance has to be right.

So help me do the man maths! Is it worth it?

Is there another similar product I should also look at? It would need to be reasonably compact, work with VR, available in the UK without too much hassle and in the same £3-5K price range.

Is there anywhere I can try one or even better several of the systems in the UK?

 

[Soulstoner]

I appreciate your efforts here. I have work to do to get this working for me. Simhub/Shaker appears to have remapped the port used by Dirt Rally in it's ini file and now the NLRv3 doesn't move in that game. I'll look to see what port I had setup for SimVibe and change it back and then see if I can change Shaker to use the port configured. So far I'd say Shaker is different but not more intuitive than SimVibe. I still haven't learned how all the settings work, so it's not a fair comparison yet. "Currently" it feels no better than the out of the box settings with the NLR software and not as good as I have gotten out of SimVibe in the past.

There are now 6 linearity curves that can be set in the NLR software. I'm "assuming" I should try the curves that you set for the first two curves for all of them? There are also a few additional sliders on the motion settings. I did try Project Cars 2 with the first two curves set and the motion sliders set how you had them but I think I need to assign curves to the other curves before I can comment.

Sometimes you have to break a few eggs before you get things right. I wasn't expecting instant nirvana and I realize this is a process. I'll spend more time with this when I get a chance.

Once I had SinHub automatically install their configuration fix for DR 2.0, I think did a re-scan of games using the NLR software, and had that then install their configuration fix over top. Now both are working as expected.

 

[AshCountach]

I have an Obutto Rev3 and was wondering if anyone has connected the V3 to this Sim Rig. I saw an old post about 40 threads back asking the same question, but didn't see answer.

I looked at the dimensions in the manual for the V3 motion and it says 355 cm for the seat holes and that matches exactly to my seat holes dimensions on the Obutto so it seems it would work.

 

[anton_Chez]

There are some new adapters and brackets that can be bought with the V3 now. Check them out and see if there is one for your cockpit.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Once I had SinHub automatically install their configuration fix for DR 2.0, I think did a re-scan of games using the NLR software, and had that then install their configuration fix over top. Now both are working as expected.

Worked like a champ, so now I'll tweak the motion settings and play more with the various tactile software.

 

[Soulstoner]

I have an Obutto Rev3 and was wondering if anyone has connected the V3 to this Sim Rig. I saw an old post about 40 threads back asking the same question, but didn't see answer.

I looked at the dimensions in the manual for the V3 motion and it says 355 cm for the seat holes and that matches exactly to my seat holes dimensions on the Obutto so it seems it would work.

That was probably me. I ended up figuring it out and posted some pics here

Those pics were taken right after getting it all assembled, but I have since added a Fanatec shifter and handbrake to the left side using another NLR mount point (for the keyboard tray).

Also, the measurements are not perfect to place the Obutto seat on the NLRv3. You will need to file the seat mounting holes to be slightly larger on one or both sides of the platform.

 

[AshCountach]

That was probably me. I ended up figuring it out and posted some pics here

Those pics were taken right after getting it all assembled, but I have since added a Fanatec shifter and handbrake to the left side using another NLR mount point (for the keyboard tray).

Also, the measurements are not perfect to place the Obutto seat on the NLRv3. You will need to file the seat mounting holes to be slightly larger on one or both sides of the platform.

Thanks for the information. I saw your first thread and looked at a number of pages in the forum but missed the one where you got it all setup and it looks very nice and great cable management.

I see that you mounted just your chair on the NLR and was wondering if you tried mounting the whole Obutto Chair frame on the V3 so you could use the existing Obutto mounts or would that put the seat too high?

 

[Soulstoner]

Thanks for the information. I saw your first thread and looked at a number of pages in the forum but missed the one where you got it all setup and it looks very nice and great cable management.

I see that you mounted just your chair on the NLR and was wondering if you tried mounting the whole Obutto Chair frame on the V3 so you could use the existing Obutto mounts or would that put the seat too high?

I didn't try it, as the extended arms connecting the seat platform to the obutto front frame would be sticking out. This would be awkward as they would be shifting with the seat. I've thought about cutting those pieces off, and leaving just the square frame for the seat (as I'd love to have those obutto mount points back), but I didn't want to destroy the Obutto frame in case I ever went over to an 80/20.

I threw around the idea of using an Obutto Ozone seat frame to mount on the platform instead, as the connecting legs on that are much shorter, and I've come across another build that did that exact thing. I contacted Chris from Obutto about purchasing just that piece, and he was willing to sell me one for around $150-200 USD, but didn't go through with it.

 

[RCHeliguy]

@anton_Chez Once I got Shake It into Multi-card mode, then I had what I was looking for I'm getting it dialed in now, but it appears to have most of what I want. I didn't see anywhere to make the vibrations scale with speed. It always seems a bit crazy to have full impact bumps when you are barely moving. Otherwise I'm warming up to it.

 

[anton_Chez]

I haven't bothered too much with bumps and road feel since I've moved onto the SFX-100 system, but I'm almost certain there are parameters there that you can tweak to lessen the feel of slower speed bumps. You could add extra effects in Simvibe, a strong point of the software, so you could have an effect for small bumps where you tune it accordingly and then one for larger bumps, maybe with different hz and also more volume.

Not sure if we are going to be able to add additional effects of the same type in Simhub but I hear things are in the works for a small overhaul that we should be seeing fairly soon.

 

[RCHeliguy]

SimVibe has the ability to add modifiers to any effect. So you can say bumps are 10% at 5mph and scale to 100% at say 50mph and it will gradually increase the force of the bumps as your speed increases.

It's pretty elaborate, however I haven't figured put how to handle chassis and extension mode with a single sound card.

What's interesting is that NLR's software requires that the default sound not be the card driving transducers. SimVibe is the opposite. I'm not sure SimHub cares.

 

[Oldskoolford]

Hi would this mount to a trak racer rs6 mk2 new to sim racing really I’m enjoying it looking at taking it to a next level thank you for any help

 

[RCHeliguy]

Hi would this mount to a trak racer rs6 mk2 new to sim racing really I’m enjoying it looking at taking it to a next level thank you for any help

I'm not sure that it is a good match for your rig. You would need to get rid of the box under your seat and probably fabricate a mount point for the NLRv3 unit. It looks like it would still lift your seat enough that your pedals would feel too low and need to be lifted as well.

 

[anton_Chez]

Just a heads up for any buyers, I have mine (NLR V3) for sale (Melbourne, Australia). It's listed in the marketplace.

There are modifiers in Simhub, too, but not sure to what extent especially for bumps.

 

[Paul Jeffrey]

Hello folks,

How on earth have I managed to miss this for so long?!?!?!

I have a quick question for you all please. I currently have the simlabs P1 rig at home, would this unit attach to that, and more importantly and something that has kept me away from motion for a long time, is something like this appropriate to use in an upstairs room? I have long running concerns about potential damage it might do to the man cave floor / living room ceiling due to the vibrations / movement aspect of the unit. Do you think it safe to use in an upstairs environment? for reference, I’ve got the floor made from those big square boards rather than lengths of floorboard.

Thanks in advance!

P

 

[Mascot]

Hello folks,

How on earth have I managed to miss this for so long?!?!?!

I have a quick question for you all please. I currently have the simlabs P1 rig at home, would this unit attach to that, and more importantly and something that has kept me away from motion for a long time, is something like this appropriate to use in an upstairs room? I have long running concerns about potential damage it might do to the man cave floor / living room ceiling due to the vibrations / movement aspect of the unit. Do you think it safe to use in an upstairs environment? for reference, I’ve got the floor made from those big square boards rather than lengths of floorboard.

Thanks in advance!

P

Yes and yes, no problems on both fronts.
There are good tips for fitting to a P1 in this thread.

 

[Paul Jeffrey]

Dang that was fast, thank you mate!

Ok that sells it to me. Now I need to magic some money from somewhere and I’m good to go

Exciting times.., motion here I come

 

[Mascot]

Dang that was fast, thank you mate!

Ok that sells it to me. Now I need to magic some money from somewhere and I’m good to go

Exciting times.., motion here I come

Quite a few NLMv3s are being sold here on RD as some users (myself included) are moving to the D-box style SFX100 (which you might want to consider, especially with your P1). It's cheaper too.
https://www.racedepartment.com/threads/the-simfeedback-ac-diy-motion-simulator-thread.159524/

(people use these in upstairs rooms, too).

 

[RCHeliguy]

Dang that was fast, thank you mate!

Ok that sells it to me. Now I need to magic some money from somewhere and I’m good to go

Exciting times.., motion here I come

I showed this video earlier in this thread which shows that the NLRv3 is quiet and the P1 doesn't even move in the least. There are plenty of pictures in this thread.

I also posted a build thread showing how I mounted my NLRv3 in my P1 here.
https://www.racedepartment.com/thre...cockpit-with-motion-and-tactile-build.165289/

 

[anton_Chez]

Yep plenty of good info here Paul and also in some other threads dedicated to mounting the V3 platform to a P1 / GT1 / 80 20 chassis of any variety, really. Unfortunately all of the research and experimentation has gone out the window for a lot of us that have moved on to the SFX-100 full motion build! Never mind though, I'm sure many people will find our experiences useful and worthwhile reading when trying to adapt to a similar situation.

I think we can all safely say that we have completely solved the 'adapting motion to an 80 20 chassis' problem. So much so that even some manufactures are developing and selling their own brackets and mounts to suit various motion solutions to be used on their own cockpits.

 

[o Tiger Feet o]

Do you think it safe to use in an upstairs environment?

P

They are reliability light with minimal vibration... The delivered box weight is 28kg - I would guess the unit is around 25kg. Ive had no (known) problems in my knackered old cottage